I decided to sign up for the Fairfield Half Marathon on June 7. I did this race last year and thought it was a lot of fun. It was tough with some of the hills but I enjoyed starting and ending by the beach.
I know what I need to work on for the next time around. I need to practice my incline running. I need to figure out how to adjust the speed so I'm not so winded by the end. But those things will improve as I get to practicing again.
I haven't been blogging much lately as I have been busy with work and doing physical therapy. I suffered a painful knee injury and am doing therapy to heal.
What happened was I hadn't been doing much practice running prior to the Manchester Road Race. I also never stretched, something which contributed to my injury. I did well considering I hadn't been doing any outside running for weeks. I came in at 9+ minutes per mile.
I lost track on how many 5K races I've done. They really are a lot of fun, not that I don't enjoy longer races. It just feels like these races are a lot less pressure.
I know I'm ready as I train on the treadmill 4-5 days a week at speeds of 7-8 MPH. I love it when I tell others about the upcoming race. I'll get responses like "3 miles?", or "I can't even walk 3 miles". To me, it sounds like a breeze. I usually remind those who are surprised that I ran 13 miles a few months ago.
A friend in a running group shared an article about runners and how speed is not so important. I have to admit, before I read the post, I was very competitive. I keep thinking that I wanted to increase speed, but I'm starting to rethink it.
Most people I associate with do not run. A lot of people tell me, even in their 20's, that they can't even run a mile. How awesome is it that I'm able to run, like so many of my plant based friends who have all lost weight. We are doing it because we can run.
My half marathon is coming up quick. As many of the readers of this blog know, I'll be doing the Fairfield Half Marathon on June 2nd. I'm both excited and nervous about it, as I know a lot of people will be cheering for me.
For me, the half marathon is a way to prove just how far I have come from my obese days. I could barely climb a flight of stairs 7 years ago. To be able to move without limitations is such an awesome feeling. I once asked someone why formerly obese people like to run so much. His answer says it all... "we run because we can!"
