YES HE DID!!

YES HE DID!

 

 

Today's race wasn't about me, it was all about John. Today we did the Yes I Can 5K at Gring's Mill to benefit the Special Olympics. If you've read my previous posts you know that John has quit smoking about 2 packs per day for over 20 years and started running just 7 weeks ago. He's been training really hard and actually keeping me motivated to run as my motivation has been lacking lately.

 

 

We were up early this morning and John was busy running around trying to make sure he didn't forget anything. He finally realized the feelings I've had on race day mornings, and especially my first race. He likes to pick on me though and pointed out that he wasn't in his words, "crying and crapping" LOL!! Yes as a woman I'm much more emotional and yes I have a nervous stomach, TMI, I know...get over it. My first few races were just that. Tears and bathrooms. I could tell that John was nervous on the way there by the continuous sighs he was letting out in the car. My sister met us to come along with her son, my 3 (almost 4) year old nephew. He was so excited from the time that she told him he was going to the race. He wanted to race along side Aunt AA and Uncle John.

Taking a walk over the bridge before the race with Uncle John

Austin taking everything all in.






 

We took some time to walk around and check everything out, hit up the bathrooms, eat our cliff bars, banana, and G1's. Then it was time to make sure we had our numbers on. I don't know what John was more nervous for, the race, or me pinning on his number!

 

 

We also had someone leading us in pre-race warm-ups and stretching. We decided sure why not...we had fun TRYING to do some of the poses they were leading us through. I think the woman leading it is a yoga instructor, can you tell?? haha

 

 

Now that we were all warmed up we made our way to the starting area. Alana had the camera so unfortunately we didn't get any pictures of her, but she was having fun taking pictures of everyone else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a few minutes left to go. We made our way to the starting area and took a real quick jog to loosen up a little. I told John not to get caught up in the crowd and start at your own pace. We had decided from the beginning that 1. If I get out ahead of him I WILL NOT cross the finish line without him and 2. If he got out in front of me GO FOR IT!! I wasn't sure how I was going to do, training has been a little rough. Getting back on track after my ankle injury hasn't been going so well. I realized today, my last race was a while ago, the end of April when I did my 10K. I had a fever last evening and haven't been feeling well. I took some Tylenol this morning and figured whatever happens, happens.

 

 

John cheesin as we start off. The run wasn't as flat as we were told. I've run Gring's Mill a few times, but always went the opposite way of what we ran today. There WERE a few small hills. John and I started off together and I wasn't feeling too bad. John was keeping a good pace. The trail is narrow and it was very hard to pass people, especially when the fast runners started coming back around the opposite way for the out and back course. I eventually got into a good pace and decided that I better keep it up or I'm just going to stop. I knew John wasn't far behind me, at the turn around I shouted out some motivation to him as we passed. It felt like the race went on FOREVER today. As I came close to the finish line I ran up far enough that I could see the timer, it was right at 40 minutes. We figured there was about a 15 second delay at the starting line, so I'm thinking my time would have been right at 40 minutes..NOT BAD considering all the factors of not racing for quite a while and having a fever (which was confirmed when I came home ugggh). I stopped in my tracks...turned around and started going the opposite way to go find John. Just as I was getting back over the bridge I could see him coming up around the little hill to get onto the bridge. I told him to push it out and he tells me, "my legs don't have anything left." I told him, "yes they do! Mind over matter, you GOT this! Push it out...let's go" I was yelling at him all the way to the finish line where he finished, his watch time saying in 41:24!! A GREAT time considering it was his first 5K, and only had 7 weeks to train and JUST quit smoking!!

 

 

 

 

 

What an awesome day, watching my husband cross the finish line of his first 5K. Next weekend is a 5K mud run!! I am so excited to do another race with him. I LOVE that we now have more in common and a shared love for running and fitness. From losing 60 pounds regardless of multiple health problems, to quitting smoking, being a very bad addict (2-3 packs a day at times for over 20 years) OH yeah...and John's a juvenile diabetic too!! We all have obstacles to over come...what's yours and what's stopping you from becoming more healthy, active and happy with a sense of accomplishment??!! I, and now John too, can tell you, there is no greater feeling than crossing that finish line!! Get over your fear that you can't, and start saying, YES I CAN!!!