New 5k PR Post Injury

NEW PR for me post injury...I think we will start with Thursday night to give you a little back ground on how the week was going sleep wise.

My stomach had been bothering me all day Thursday for some odd reason so I didn't sleep too well that night. On Friday morning my mom and I drove to Medford to pick up my race bib and race goodies and then stopped off to have lunch at Red Robin. (yum) I had a headache and took some acetaminophen while waiting for our food to arrive.  I ordered the Banzai burger, sans the meat and cheese and with a gluten free bun. It's nice to know I can go there and get a meat and dairy free option.  When our lunch came I could only eat half the sandwich (it was amazingly good) and a few of the fries.  I spent the last half of the day in angony with an upset stomach and headache.  I am sure it had nothing to do with the food and everything to do with my neck and the acetaminophen I took.

I have chronic neck pain from an accident I was in many years ago.  I am used to dealing with migraines from my neck muscles that were injured. That being said I wish it had picked another day to rear its ugly head.  I slept fitfully Friday night read off and on if at all and awoke around 4 a.m. but stayed in bed until 5 a.m.  After getting up and around my stomach was still not happy so I only drank a tiny bit of water and ate a couple bites of a protein bar.  We left around 6 a.m. and arrived in plenty of time to warm up although I never got around to it.  My friends, D and J, from the running group found me and we were able to start the race together. I made sure to tell them both that I would be abandoning them early on but not to worry I would be waiting at the finish line to cheer them on. They already told me this was going to happen and that it was okay with them.

The race started on time and we were off.  J was running her first ever 5k and started off fast, (we told her the adrenaline and excitement would make her faster) D and I ran together for about a minute before I headed into the fray of the crowd.  I was soon zig-zagging in and out of the runners trying to make a path for myself.  I didn't want to trip anyone or get tripped for that matter.  You know how these things happen.  

Mile one went by fast as did mile 2 especially since the half way mark came sooner than I remembered it coming last year.  (That's good right?) All of the sudden here I am running trying to catch my breath around the 2.8 mile mark and out of no where a man passes me with a jogging stroller...oy vey! I am now highly incensed that I have been passed by a baby...so I pick up my speed and start picking off runners left and right.  (In all actuality I am just trying to pass the guy with the stroller, sadly I never do) 

I can hear the crowd cheering at the finish line and take off at a sprint, and look down to see that my timer reads 28:50 something.  I am actually going to beat 30 minutes and I feel elation...soon after that I hear my name announced as I cross the finish line in 29:47:1 (according to my timer) I never looked at the race clock so I don't know my official time, just that it was 29 something.  My sons face says it all, he is standing there with a big grin that makes me feel like a Bada$$ Mother Runner and maybe even a hero. 

(Last year it read 30:13)

I hug my mama, daughter and son and feel like I have accomplished something great.  It may only be a race to some of you but this was a huge milestone for me.  It proved that I can still run, my injury is healed, and I can do anything I set my mind to. I am back and I thank God for getting me through this last year of injury and frustration, not to mention heart-break. I am sore today but it's a good kind of sore.  I am proud of my legs for getting me across that finish line strong, and I'm proud of my heart and mind for knowing I could do it. J and D both finished strong and I am so proud of them.  I am looking forward to running with them again very soon.

J, me and D post race

Blessings and hugs to all who came by today.  May your day be a blessed one.

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. "Limitations only exist if you let them" © 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.