Last night I ran my first community 5K. It was a moonlight run out in the baylands.
-Meeting Sophia, 7 years old, 5K veteran. This was her 17th race. Wow, I said. This is my first race. Do you have any advice for me? Well, she said. Pace yourself. 'Cause if you start out too fast you won't be able to be fast when you finish. Once I won a ribbon. Point taken.
-Cheering squads. Volunteer groups sprinkled throughout the course who yelled Looking good! You're almost done! Look at that form! Could you come out to the park track Monday morning and say some nice things while I huff and puff, half asleep? Thanks.
-Geese (Canadian?). In the dark of the baylands, they honked as we ran by. Then they took flight through the moonlit sky. Beautiful.
-Finishing. Runner I am not, but my goal was to finish, having "run" the entire course. I did. I promptly found myself craving a donut - apple fritter, crispy parts only, specifically.
While I was huffing and puffing on this beautiful moonlit course, I couldn't stop making connections between this little 5K and my life: I stepped outside of my comfort zone; started down an unknown path; was cheered on; wanted to stop but didn't; found my stride and felt good; wanted to stop again but kept on keeping on; saw some beautiful things along the way and then crossed the finish line and thought This is fun. It's hard for me, but I think I could keep going. I drove home, smiling, to my Vivian, my inspiration.
14 comments:
Ok... so Hannah, you slay me. You ran a 5K? That would, I assure you, literally send me to the ER! Never having been a runner, I am impressed those who choose to do it! I can run after things... like a child or a ball, but I can't just run! :)
Love the last paragraph and the parallels of your life to the run last night. Love the whole dialog with the little girl. Kids are great - - honest and no bones about anything!
When is your next run?
And, more importantly, did you get that apple fritter?!
Hannah,
I LOVED this post. I seriously chuckled outloud at the advice of the 7 year old and you saying, "Point taken." That just cracked me up.
I am in awe that you ran a 5K and I am inspired! I am up to running a mile now......perhaps I'll get to run a 5K sometime in the future (definitely something I never thought I would do).
I loved reading the parallels to running your first 5K and your life. It was awesome.
Have I ever told you how lucky Vivian is to have you as her mom? She is!
When you are running early next week, I hope you can hear me cheering you on because I will be in spirit. I know I'll be thinking of you on Monday morning when I get up to walk/run. :)
Congratulations on completing your first 5K!
Sara
K- I assure you, it is nothing to be impressed by. I huff and puff for my sanity only! I am a much saner person if I start my day with some exercise. And I am the slowest runner, quite possibly, ever.
But on to the important question: yes, I got the apple fritter - it had to wait til today, but I woke up still craving it, so we found a good crispy one. Mmmmmm.
Sara - I love this idea - I will be cheering you on from afar come Monday, too! What a lovely idea...
you are a rock star! i wear my sister's moonlight run shirt occasionally, but i'm a poser. you, my friend, are the real deal (i do hope you got a shirt!)
You are amazing! What an excellent feeling that must have been!
Ang, let me remind you that you picked up and ran a half marathon :-). You are the rockstar.
Wow!! So impressed!! I was going to ask if you wanted to walk a 5K/10K with me...but you can RUN!! yay! Perhaps I will stick to doing what I know best...I'll cheer you on at the finish line at your next event! I've got the cow bells and the signs ready!!
Hi Hannah! I'm a college friend of Michele's and met you at her bridal shower years ago. I know this is kind of stalkerish, but I found your blog on her site and have been following it for a while. You and your blog encouraged me to try the Couch-to-5K program, and I'm so happy to see it has worked for you. You're such an inspiration...in more ways than one! I too was at the Moonlight Run, but I did the 5K walk. I'm not quite ready for the run. Someday, perhaps.
Hannah I am SO proud of you! I know you always have said "I hate running" ... and I am so proud of you for running this marathon! It is awesome yo see you challenging yourself like that... and if I was there I would have been cheering you on, and eating the gooey parts of your apple fritter!"GOOOO HANNAH!"
rock on, Sister!
hannah:
you totally rock!!
you're amazing.
I wish I could run a 5K, maybe someday.
xo
go
You are awesome! Where do you find the time? I wish I would have know, I would have come to cheer you on! Congratulations, you should be very proud of your accomplishment. And thanks for being an inspiration to me!
Yay!! Congrats Hannah on your 5k. Don't stop now there's another 5k waiting for you out there and then a 10k, and then a 1/2, then full marathon!
Don't say you can't run because I know you can do it.
You have to admit it feels good finishing right?
Yay you! You've really stuck with the running. I need to get back on the wagon. Then maybe we could run together sometime!
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