I didn't publicise it too much but I signed up for my first ever 5k a couple months ago. I was to run on team named for the daughter of a girl I went to high school with that has been fighting Leukemia. My heart breaks to think of what this little girl goes through every day and for her parents that wake each morning not knowing what the day has in store for their daughters health.
For my own reasons, I wanted to run. I wanted to have a reason to train. I have never officially run in a race. I did, however use to run 3.2 miles to/from work in Payson on a regular basis.....2 &1/2 years ago. I have been wanting to make the plunge and sign on for a 5k for a long time. I just thought once I actually committed to it, I would train....
Me? Plan ahead? NO! I procrastinate everything in life, even training. I was working out 3 or 4 days a week prior to this and the boot-camp style workouts just exhausted me so that I did not have the energy to go outside and run! I timed myself once 40 minutes I got 2.7 miles. UGH! I just knew that I was going to suck at this run. I just knew that I was going to be walking with a little jogging. But... "It's OK" I thought. This will be my first time to beat. As long as I improve my time at my next race.
Let it be known that I have some cardiac issues. Not really sure what the issue is but the cardiologist decided to call it "Exercise induced Supra-ventricular tachycardia". What this really means is that when I work out, my heart races up to 210 beats per minute! 160 beats per minute without even trying hard. This makes working out a scary thing for me because I know I am making my heart work too hard but I don't know if I am ever going to improve it if I don't get some cardio!
My plan for my race was to try and pace myself but to jog only until my heart rate hits 195, then walk until it gets below 160 then jog again.In the little bit of training I did, my heart rate was typically 190 within 3 minutes of jogging. It was an oddly cold, wet morning. My joints were so stiff. I told myself, I would walk for the first 5 minutes to get warmed up and then start my jogging intervals from there. I never once thought "I'm tired" or, "my heart is too fast" or "I have to walk for a little bit" I walked for 5 minutes, and then some how, jogged for 34minutes 29seconds my heart rate staying between 188-196 the whole time. I don't know how or why I was able to do this. 5 minutes of jogging passed, I told myself '5 more minutes, this is fine'. Then after ten minutes I knew I could do ten more. After 20 minutes I became an expert at lowering my heart rate with my thoughts! I was going to FINISH jogging. I am 5'2 with a long torso. This leaves me with a short stride. My jog is rate is between 5 &5.5 mph. Not fast, but tell my heart that!
I told Colt not to come because of the weather. I crossed that finish line and with my adrenaline pumping...realized that because I under-estimated my ability, no one was there to share my moment with me(I kinda wanted to cry). But as I walked around, to let my heart rate lower slowly, I had a moment of actualization that I don't think I would have been able to enjoy if I were not alone. I realized that I was able to tell my heart to slow down several times over those 34 minutes and it responded.
Now I have a time to beat and I am hungry to do it! I am convinced that my heart, mind, body, life will do what I tell it to do. This isa beginning for me. A beginning to new and wonderful things happening to me. Please, watch my transformation and apply the same principles in your life. Positive thoughts=positive outcomes.
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