It’s a Wonderful Run

All posts tagged It’s a Wonderful Run

What a Difference a Year Makes!

Published June 8, 2014 by Susan Woodward

One year ago (yesterday) I completed my first-ever 5K… I was dying!  I nearly collapsed when I came across the finish line, I was dehydrated because I had not learned about how to hydrate correctly, and I had make the horrible mistake of thinking that dried prunes were a good before-the-race energy snack.

This was me one year ago…happy to be alive after 5K of power-walking.  It was huge for me at the time because I was just starting on the road to getting into better shape and being healthier.

I remember crashing once I got home, my legs shaking and muscles screaming.  But I was SO proud of myself!!

That was my first 5K race… I did three more this past year:

Run For Your Life (chased by zombies)- August

Push Yourself – October

It’s a Wonderful Run (in a snowstorm)- December

It seems I have a particular pose I like to strike to show off my “strength”…

In any case, June 2013 was the beginning of training for power-walk racing for me…no running.  I like my knees the way they are…even without the ACL in one of them!

After the holidays, I began getting ready to up my game… and I did the Spring Forward 15K in Mendon Ponds Park.  I was in PAIN for days after climbing those HILLS for 9.3 miles!  I had not hydrated correctly (again…didn’t learn…), and I ended up on the couch for several days not being able to move around much.  It took nearly three weeks to recover!  Once I managed to get over the soreness, I decided to try the next level… a half-marathon.  Heck, I was walking, right?  Not like I had to RUN for 13.1 miles!

So I joined up in a few walks with the Genesee Vally Hiking Club and took myself to the mall during the cold weather to walk the halls.  Another 15K with the hiking club nearly did me in… I completed the 10 mile hike, but even though I drank lots of water, I STILL was a hurting puppy from dehydration.  I decided to do some research about how to prepare myself…

And it turns out that the best thing I could use to help myself was Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia!  🙂

The week before the half-marathon in Niagara Falls, I put chia seeds in everything.  I also drank an entire case of coconut water (which I now love and crave every day…).  I got some of those energy gel pouches to carry with me during the race, as well as some of those rehyrdrating gummies…and they worked!

NFWHM-FINAL-FLAT I managed to complete the 21.1K!!  That’s more than FOUR 5Ks at one time!!  For me, that was like doing the YMCA race, Run For Your Life, Push Yourself, and It’s a Wonderful Run BACK TO BACK!!

And I DID it!!! 

In 18 months, I went from couch (and a pack a day) to silks to 5K to 15K to a half-marathon!!  And I am STILL smoke free!!

And I got to meet a wonderfully inspiring woman, Kathrine Switzer, who was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon (in spite of the judge trying to force her out of the “male” race by trying to rip off her bib).  She signed her book Marathon Woman for me, and I shall be reading that as soon as school is out…it shall inspire me to keep going, even when I am tired, sore, dehydrated, frustrated, or just plain lazy.

 

10313702_10203263603805937_813169081645254991_n

 

 

 

What a difference a year makes!!!

Still Trekking: It’s a Wonderful Run…Well, Stroll!

Published December 15, 2013 by Susan Woodward

banner-5kChalking up another 5K for me in 2013!  That’s a total of 4…and for someone who had NEVER done anything like that in 51 years, that’s an awesome accomplishment, even if I do say do myself.

meOk…so here I am just before the race: thermal leggings, jeans, snow pants…check, check, check.  Turtleneck, t-shirt, hoodie, ski jacket, and racing shirt…check, check, check, check, check.  Wool hat, headband, face cover, hoodie hood, jacket hood, goggles…check, check, check, check, check, check.  Wool socks, cotton socks, plastic bags, semi-waterproof boots… check, check, check, check.  Two pairs of gloves…check, check.  Alrighty!  It’s 16 degrees and it’s snowing…and I am ready to run!  I look about 150 pounds heavier, but at least I am completely insulated.

By the end of the race, I was sweating like crazy!!  Because of the snow, cold, layers, and lack of training, this became more of a Wonderful Stroll than a Run, but it gave me an opportunity to see the beauty of the village and to appreciate the good wishes of all the people who came out to cheer us on!  There were lights, music played, people had bon fires, and some offered hot cider.  It truly was WONDERFUL!

JeanetteThis is my friend Jeanette who was crazy enough to go with me!  Actually, she was the one to tell me about it in the first place…and I am glad she did.  We had an awesome time!

1

This is the bridge that George Bailey wanted to jump from before Clarence beat him to it.  I stood at the rail looking into the churning water, imaging jumping in to save someone…I told Jeanette she’d better not jump!

3

I have plans for this Main Street at the end of the race!

8

Martini’s!!

2

If we’d stayed in town longer, I would have gone to see this.  The whole town really gets into the spirit of the holiday and the film!  The florist was giving out roses to the ladies…Zuzu’s petals!  And mine was an amethyst tea rose…my favorite flower in the whole world!

7

Just look at the crowd!

6

And lots of people came in costume!  People ran with pets, some pushed baby strollers as families participated together, and we even saw a person in a wheelchair while on the trek.

4

The race begins on the bridge…just look at all the people lining up for the gun to go off!  We heard that there were over 4000 folks registered for the race!

Because I am a true nut case, here’s video proof:

It truly was a Wonderful Run!

%d bloggers like this: