Finish What You Started!

I don't know what I enjoy most... getting my outfit together for a fun run or the actually running itself. They both go hand in hand. It was quite an eventful Saturday for this one right here. Spent most of the day buying material and supplies for my Glo Run 5k outfit at The National Harbor and putting it all together. It was my 2nd year doing it, but just my luck we got stuck in crazy traffic. What should've been a 45 minute drive turned into a 2.5hr long drive! We were stuck on the ramp to get off for over an hour. I could see the runners lining up to take off. Hardest thing to watch, really. To know you're supposed to be part of that group and you're not there. 

I had been training ALL WEEK for this! Race started at 8:15pm and we didn't get to the starting line until minutes after 9pm. Everyone was finishing up and the track to start the race was pretty much a dead zone. Empty and dark. No one was running! My friend was not about to run it with me either. She was so frustrated saying it was stupid and that she didn't wanna do it. Well, I don't know about you, but there was no way I could just not run this race. I mean c'mon... I made my own tutu from scratch! It was not about to be for nothing. No way! Not this guy! I don't care what time I finish. I paid for it, I'm dressed for it, and I'm gonna run it! So that's what I did, I took off running. 

So much for working on pacing myself. I was so paranoid they were taking the track down so I just tried to sprint the whole way through. They had these neat tents set up throughout the course with strobe lights and fog machines. Each had their own group of supporters cheering on all the runners as they went through. I remember running through the track in an almost pitch black area, finally stopping to walk when i see a tent with lights and people standing around. They see me coming and immediately start screaming, yelling and cheering. I thought "oh wow! how neat! who else is running with me?!" I looked back, left and right. No one in sight. Just me. Of course I couldn't walk as they cheered! I immediately started running and as i approached the tent of happiness, i ran straight through with arms up doing the Rocky Balboa victory dance!

I did end up seeing more runners after the first mile, but spent most of the time running on my own. I gotta say, I liked it better than last year. Didn't have to worry about the crowd, dodging the walkers or speeding up if I needed to pass someone and when I did end up walking, I didn't feel bad about holding up any runners because well... it was just me! Felt really good to finish, though. Even if I did end up running alone. I feel like I enjoyed more of it this year than last year. The track was even different. All that training for one specific incline and there ended up being about 20 of them! haha ok not 20, but it wasn't the only incline I had to worry about. Luckily my friend was keeping track of my time. She clocked me at 30 minutes. Best time I've ever done! Not bad for having walked a bit  :)

DAMN YOU SCUBA STEVE!

Disclaimer: I'm new to this whole blog thing, so please bare with me as I continue to write whatever comes to mind with no actual direction. Thanks mucho :)

I didn't get a very long run in today. Just 20 minutes since I promised a friend I'd join her at Zumba. I did intervals tonight pushing the hardest on the inclines. I REFUSE to let this hill kick my butt on Saturday. I did this same 5k last year and that hill left me traumatized. I have no problem with the distance, only that damn MILE long incline! I was so upset last year when i had to stop and walk it. I mean c'mon... i do about 5 miles almost daily. Why am i walking on a 5k?! Not this year. Nope! hmm well then again, I didn't have the same endurance then that i have now, but if I can just run that incline straight through from beginning to end, I will be happy. All week I've been pushing myself on inclines. Usually they're outdoor runs, but today i got stuck on a treadmill. Anyone that knows me, knows i HATE treadmills. It's just not the same and maybe I'm a little claustrophobic. Just a little! I prefer running outdoors, but although i hate treadmills, there is a positive to running on them: I can actually pace myself on a treadmill. That's honestly the biggest obstacle I face when I go out running. It's so hard for me to control my pace and keep it steady. I pretty much go straight into sprinting until i can't go anymore. I've gotten so much better with it, but being on the treadmill today helped me focus on my form so I could push further. So far so good, but this weekend will be the real test. Wish me luck!

Tonight's Fitness Goal: Own every incline!