The Heat of the 1,675 Moments
I have run three 5ks this year. I'm used to running multiple half marathons and lots of 5ks and 10ks, but this year has been a challenge. Back in March I ran the Run for the House. I won my age group and thought I was back on track to begin running again. But my body had other plans, and I decided that in order to heal I needed to take a serious running hiatus.
It's been weird both physically and mentally. I'm used to logging lots of miles and as a result eating and drinking whatever I want without gaining weight. It turns out running burns lots of calories, so if I want delicious things like ice cream and wine I've got to burn it off. I'm at my heaviest weight ever, and it's all settled in my butt. Thankfully people are into that.
Mentally not running means I've lost my biggest way to relieve stress and a huge part of my identity. It's weird sleeping in on the weekends instead of lacing up my shoes and hitting the river trail. I see social media posts of friends running races, and I feel wistful. Usually that's me, and it's been an adjustment.
Thanks to new meds I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel that is this absurd infection. I've slowly started running again...emphasis on the slowly. I ran my usual three mile route several times before deciding I was back in 5k shape. A year ago I could run a 5k in my sleep. This would be easy right?
My husband and I traditionally travel the week of July 4th. We've been to Mt. Rushmore on Independence Day. We've traveled to Maine, the mountains of West Virginia, Quebec City, and Jamaica. Now my husband's job makes traveling this week a bit of a challenge, so we decided to do a quick overnight in one of Michigan's tourist trap towns, Frankenmuth, where I'd run the Volkslaufe 5k on the 4th of July.
We arrived in Frankenmuth late Monday afternoon and walked around downtown. We headed to the hotel pool which is the only thing our toddler is interested in seeing. We had dinner at Frankenmuth Brewery and went to pick up my race packet. It was a pretty relaxing evening getaway.
The 5k race didn't start until 10 am. Our toddler is fond of waking up before 6 am in hotels which meant we had several hours to kill. We ate breakfast, walked around downtown again and headed over to the start. The 10k and 20k were already underway. I've done a lot of races, and I can unequivocally say I've never seen a less enthusiastic group of spectators anywhere. People weren't even cheering. The 5k start was next to where the 10k and 20k races were heading to the finish, and nobody was cheering for them. At all. I stood there and cheered because they deserve it people. It was so weird.
The race started on time and we were off. Here's the thing about a 10 am start on July 4th: it's too late. It's too hot, and it's miserable. There was very little shade, and by mile two I felt like I was going to pass out from heat. I ran through a hose in the neighborhood and under water being sprayed by a fire truck, but it didn't help. For the first time ever I walked during a 5k - for about 20 seconds. I needed a few seconds because I felt so overheated.
I rounded the corner to the finish with absolutely nothing left. Usually I can sprint to the finish, but I was done. I saw my husband and son as I rounded the corner, and that gave me motivation to at least smile. I crossed the finish line in 27:55, nearly five minutes slower than the PR I set last year. I grabbed an ice soaked rag and a bottle of water and walked back to my boys. My son immediately exclaimed, "Mommy I run just like you!" Worth the 1,675 seconds of heat for that statement.
My goal is at least a 5k every month for rest of the year and pushing to get myself back into half marathon shape for the new year. I turn 40(!) in 2018, so I've got some big running plans. For now it's back into running shape and maybe fitting into my pants a little better. And still eating lots of ice cream.
It's been weird both physically and mentally. I'm used to logging lots of miles and as a result eating and drinking whatever I want without gaining weight. It turns out running burns lots of calories, so if I want delicious things like ice cream and wine I've got to burn it off. I'm at my heaviest weight ever, and it's all settled in my butt. Thankfully people are into that.
Mentally not running means I've lost my biggest way to relieve stress and a huge part of my identity. It's weird sleeping in on the weekends instead of lacing up my shoes and hitting the river trail. I see social media posts of friends running races, and I feel wistful. Usually that's me, and it's been an adjustment.
Thanks to new meds I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel that is this absurd infection. I've slowly started running again...emphasis on the slowly. I ran my usual three mile route several times before deciding I was back in 5k shape. A year ago I could run a 5k in my sleep. This would be easy right?
My husband and I traditionally travel the week of July 4th. We've been to Mt. Rushmore on Independence Day. We've traveled to Maine, the mountains of West Virginia, Quebec City, and Jamaica. Now my husband's job makes traveling this week a bit of a challenge, so we decided to do a quick overnight in one of Michigan's tourist trap towns, Frankenmuth, where I'd run the Volkslaufe 5k on the 4th of July.
We arrived in Frankenmuth late Monday afternoon and walked around downtown. We headed to the hotel pool which is the only thing our toddler is interested in seeing. We had dinner at Frankenmuth Brewery and went to pick up my race packet. It was a pretty relaxing evening getaway.
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| This kid loves a good cutout |
The race started on time and we were off. Here's the thing about a 10 am start on July 4th: it's too late. It's too hot, and it's miserable. There was very little shade, and by mile two I felt like I was going to pass out from heat. I ran through a hose in the neighborhood and under water being sprayed by a fire truck, but it didn't help. For the first time ever I walked during a 5k - for about 20 seconds. I needed a few seconds because I felt so overheated.
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| Love seeing my boys at the start |
My goal is at least a 5k every month for rest of the year and pushing to get myself back into half marathon shape for the new year. I turn 40(!) in 2018, so I've got some big running plans. For now it's back into running shape and maybe fitting into my pants a little better. And still eating lots of ice cream.
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| All smiles once it's done |
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