Suicide Prevention 5K Run/Walk

Tonight I participated in my first 5K in my new town.  The past few weeks have been crazy with moving and starting a new job.  It was nice to run.  The 5k was a fundraiser for the Lake Region Suicide Prevention Committee.  I am currently living with a friend until I can get into my own place and she was the chair of the event.  There was also a silent auction and free will offering soup supper.  They had amazing Knoephla soup!  There was not an official time to this race, but I timed myself with the stopwatch on my phone and I finished in 33 minutes and 31 seconds.

Tour de Forks 5K

Today was the Tour de Forks 5k to benefit Altru's Breast Cancer Coalition.  This is the second year I have ran this race.  My time was 33 minutes and 23 seconds.  This was only 31 seconds slower than my fastest time!  I was very happy with this time and it was perfect running weather.  Last year on the day of this race it was in the mid 80's--very hot!  I also won a door prize--a free movie ticket!

Firecracker 5K

Yesterday was the 4th of July!  Always a great holiday!  I ran in the YMCA's Firecracker 5K and finished with my best time ever!  32 minutes and 42 seconds!  I shaved 10 seconds off my fastest time!  I'll take it!  The weather report said that it was 77 degrees before the race started, but it was cloudy.  It ended up sprinkling a few minutes during the race, which felt great!  A friend of mine also ran.  It was her first race and she did awesome.  She finished 2 seconds ahead of me.  Great job, Tianna!  I'm so proud of you!

Unfortunately, the 4th of July also included hot dogs and potato chips with dip.  Ate too much, but I'm trying not to let it get me down and am moving forward.  For supper tonight I had sauteed zucchini ribbons with spaghetti sauce (similar to this) and chicken breast grilled on the George Foreman.  It was amazing, if I do say so myself!

Dewey Kvidt Memorial

Today I ran in the 5K portion of the Dewey Kvidt Memorial.  There was also a duathalon and a 10K.  I originally wanted to do the 10K, but didn't feel I was ready.  I didn't pre-register because I wasn't sure if I was going to do the race.  I have been having problems breaking in my new running shoes and I have had a cold/allergies for the past week and a half.  But I woke up this morning and decided to just do it!  I wore my old shoes and some band-aids, but I was glad that I did it!  I astounded myself with my best 5K time ever:  32 minutes and 52 seconds!  I couldn't beleive it!  I have know idea how I cut that much time off my run, but I did it and I am proud of myself!

Fargo Marathon 5K

Last night I ran in the 5K portion of the Fargo Marathon.  Despite 90+ degree heat, it was awesome!  I went with two coworkers.  It was their first  5K and my fifth.  This was by far the funnest race I have ran.  There were over 9,500 registered runners.  The whole atmosphere was so inspiring.  Along the race course, there were people cheering the runners on.  With the heat, people along the race route had their sprinklers on and sprayed you with water guns!  There was even a spot where the fire hydrant was turned on to spray a mist!  I wish I had pictures, but I can't take pictures and run at the same time--I'm not that talented!  I forgot to bring my mp3 player, but there were places along the route with DJ's, radio stations, and even people playing music!  It was such a fun experience!  My time was 36 minutes and 24 seconds.

This is me taken shortly after the race.  Very proud of myself.

This is the medal that everyone received for finishing the race.  The back side says "Finisher."

Shamrock Shuffle 5K

Today started off by having brunch the family to celebrate my parents 40th wedding anniversary!  Happy Anniversary and I hope you have many more years together.  We went to a brunch buffet where I made some good choices and some bad choices.

Here is a picture of my mom and dad at my cousin's wedding a little over a year ago.

This afternoon I ran my first 5K of the year, the Shamrock Shuffle.  An unseasonably nice day in the 70+ degrees, but windy.  My time was 38 minutes, 1 second.  A little slow, but we were going against the wind for the last half of the race.  And if I think of the fact that I had never done a 5K until last August that's pretty good!  The race fee went toward the Amachi Lunch Buddy program.  It is a mentorship program similar to Big Brother/Big Sister and the fees will help pay for mentor to have school lunch with the mentee.

The rest of my evening included laundry and roasting a Kabocha squash that has been sitting on my counter for awhile.  Now I'm watching a little TV before bed and starting a new week.  Monday always comes too fast!!!

Me a runner???

I never liked running.  In junior high and high school we were required to do a "mile" run every term.  I was always the last to finish.  A few years ago I was visiting with a friend who had recently started running.  I thought, "I could never do that."  And then one day while I was on a walk, I decided to start jogging/running.  I was in the cemetery a block away from where I live and I would pick a spot up ahead and run to that spot.  Then I would pick another spot where I would start running again.  Soon it became easier.  I decided that I wanted to do a 5K to prove to myself that I can do it.  Now it doesn't seem a big deal to go to the gym and run 3+ miles. I do feel like my time isn't as good on a treadmill as it is outside. I can't wait to get back outside.

To date I have done three 5K's.

• August 9, 2011--5K to benefit the White Earth Autism Association.  This was at a conference I went to for work.  35 minutes 12 seconds
• September 11, 2011--5K for the Altru Breast Cancer Coalition.  36 minutes 40 seconds.  I was dissappointed it took longer, but it was 80+ degrees that afternoon.
• October 23, 2011--UND Homecoming 5K.  39 minutes 3 seconds.  Found out at the end of the race that someone directing runners sent us on a wrong turn and we ran and extra half mile.  3.6 miles instead of 3.1

I am now trying to make a decision about what I can do in an upcoming race.  5K? 10K?  Half marathon?