I played Rugby all through high school and soccer all through University. The last time I played soccer was when Capri was a few months old. I have tried random workouts in the last 4 years but have never stuck to anything, which made me hesitant to blog about my running. So at the start of April I decided that I was going to start running and this time I would get further than a few days into the couch to 5k program (c25k). So on April 2nd I went to an old abandoned school and ran the loop that goes around all of the buildings. It was painful, and I wanted to throw up. It was more walking than running and it took me 30 minutes to go about 2.85 km.

Three times a week I ran. When life got in the way of my run day I didn’t quit like I would have before. I made sure to get out the next day that I could and catch up to the c25k plan I was doing. And then I decided that I needed a bigger goal, so I signed up for a 5K race that would take place just as I was suppose to finish the 8 week program.

I knew I needed some better shoes so I went and paid more money than I have ever spent on shoes on a pair of Brooks at The Running Room. It was a big commitment to buy expensive shoes, so I knew I had to keep with the running.

I became annoying I am sure to my friends as I posted after each run that I went on. I did this because I wanted to keep myself accountable, and it was nice hearing feedback from friends and family.

Slowly I got faster, and was able to get a little farther. I started using the app My RunKeeper in addition to my c25k app just so I could see my pace and keep track of how far I was running. I was so neat to see myself improve. There are times I do not think that I am getting any faster or going any further but then I can look back and see how much I am improving (and for my fellow Canadian’s I keep track in miles instead of km because most of my running friends are American so it helps me realize how fast/slow I am going).

On the Tuesday before my first race I finally ran 5k. It was hard and long but I did it, and I felt prepared for my race. We drove up to Halifax on the Friday and I picked up my race packet and got everything ready to go for the next day. On Saturday morning we drove over to the race where I quickly realized I had forgotten my socks which meant I ran without (so I have some wicked blisters). The race was half trail which was new to me and a more difficult course than I have run in my training. I ended with a finishing time of 40 minutes 53 seconds and 48 milliseconds. Which I thought was pretty good since I had only been running for 8.5 weeks.

I had my amazing husband there with our three girls cheering me on. I love how supportive my family is, and they made me run faster and not stop.

I don’t know what my new goal is yet, but I am not going to quit running. Though currently I cannot run long because my blister from my lack of socks is huge and open and shoes scare me. So this week I have run our steps, and I took my girls out for a short run around the high school track.