Me coming across the Finish Line! |
I’m so overwhelmed right now, that I don’t quite know where to start with this post. This morning I ran my fourth 5K race of the year and all I can say is WOW! I’m amazed for a few reasons. I still can’t believe I’m running and enjoying it. Then there’s the fact that I’ve completed 4 races. But what amazes me the most is that I was able to RUN the WHOLE race WITHOUT stopping! AND I shaved off 2 minutes from my last race by coming in at 48 minutes. Go me!!!!
As I think about how I was stressing over the last few weeks about whether I would be able to do well I am reminded of how much damage you can do to yourself with stinking thinking. Once I stopped doubting my abilities and started giving myself a pep talk, actually doing what I set out to do was easier. Long before I even arrived at the race, I kept telling myself, “I can do ALL things through Christ, which strengthens me”. I reminded myself to breathe, push and repeat. When the race started I got my energy from the group, BUT the only person I was focused on was myself. I kept my eyes on the step before me only, and I was careful not to let the fact that others were ahead of me, or passing me stop me from running MY race. Just before we took off I heard some sisters talking and one said “No Pressure”, so I added that to my bag of arsenal. Then I heard another sister say, “Your Race, Your Pace”, and that became my mantra. I remembered what Coach Leslie posted on facebook a couple of weeks ago. She said to run the first leg of the race smart (slow and easy and to be careful not to burn yourself out), the second leg, run it with your personality, and the last leg, run it with your heart, and that’s what I did. My pace was a steady one, and during certain portions of the course (down hill portions) I was able to pick up some speed. There was a slight hill near the end that I thought was going to take me out, but I dug deep and managed to navigate it. There was a moment when I thought we were nearing the end, but the course was extended beyond where I thought was the end, so I had to find something deep within me to keep going. As I was coming upon the finish line, which in my mind is the hardest leg of the race, one of my BGR sisters met me and ran it in with me. She told me to push it, so I did and I am so grateful to her (Thank you Alesia!!!)
Me and my BGR Sister, Alesia Mitchell. Thanks for running me in!!! |
My girl Traci was right there by my side, well at least before the race started. She left me in the dust…LOL, but I’m not mad because she did her thing! So proud of you Trac!
I didn’t get a picture of my friend Cheryl, but I want her to know that I am super proud of her. She did the darn thing AND then came to Zumba and finished it off. Both she and I are done! But it was so worth it. Speaking of Zumba, I’m thankful for the ladies who stepped up today to help me teach the class. I ain’t gonna lie, a sistah was TIRED and my legs were cramping something terrible, but thanks to Cynthia, Deborah, Sylvia and Pam we got it done
Black Girls Run is the best. The training, the support, the camaraderie, and the love and respect is unmatched! It is a sisterhood and I am so blessed to be a part of it! Now it’s time to gear up for next months race. I will be doing it again for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer on October 20th. Although I did well in this race I am planning to do better in the next one. I didn’t do any training for this one but I will be training for the next one. My goal is to shave some more off my time AND I will make that happen!
Love, Peace and Zumba!
[…] 324 I ran along the banks of Lake Michigan while in Chicago on Day 327…too cool. On Day 352 I ran my best time to date in my 4th 5K Race. I ran 3.1 miles in 48 minutes at the Walter E. Brandon Sickle Cell 5K Race. These are just […]