First 5K ....

Well ... today, I did it! My trainer was so wise to prompt me. The support overwhelmed me. My family blessed me.

Because I do not live in Springfield, I had to be there between 6:15 and 7:15AM to pick up my packet. Because Thanksgiving was at my house this year, I had to get the turkey prepared and drive the hour and twenty minute drive. So I was up at 4:30 AM. ...

But I made it to Spfd, was blessed by some text messages, and a play list my middle daughter made for me in her IPOD. Got my number, went back to the car and got nerves flowing. There were 6000+ people there! It was crazy.

On the starting line up, they have markers set up ..... 6:00 .....8:00 .....10:00 ...12:00 and 'Dogs and Strollers' .. At first I did not know what these where. Then it was said over the speaker, pick your time not to mess with faster runners. I look for a 15 minute marker. None. I know I can do this in 15 minutes a mile. I do that at home. When none being found, I stand in the mass of people at 12:00.

It is cold. 32* outside. Windchill at 22*. I have never tried to run in air like this. and the wind was brutal!

8 AM ... here we go.. the mass of people goes to the starting point. I have a tracker board on my shoe so when I hit the starting mat, my time will start. We get closer and closer. Crossing the beginning mat, I start my watch, so I can track myself. and I start .... An even paced jog. I start to pass some people, and think, "I might be able to do this."

The mass is running down National Street and there are people of all varieties. Young, lean, fit. Old, lean, fit. Personal challenge women like me. Teenagers with cross-country high school shirts. Couples huffing and puffing. Kids running along side parents. Teams of people running in remembrance of someone special. This made me smile. The reasons of people doing this varied so greatly it inspired me. An 84 year old woman, looking about 58, is the oldest participant and gripps my heart.

The first mile was tough. Normally at home, I know my track, so I know how far I have went and how far I have to go. Here, there are no markers. I have no idea how far I am going. How can I pace myself? This will not be good for my psychy if I can not figure it out. So, I start thinking I will gauge by turns. Having never run this course before, the only thing I knew is that I had 5 turns. However, before we hit the first turn, I am running out of steam.

Then, I see mile marker 1. Look at the watch. 12 minutes. I do a watch double take. 12 MINUTES!! I think I can do this! I am well pleased for a 12 minute mile for my first time.

I have never trained with IPOD. My middle daughter Brookie, made me a play list on my youngest daughter's IPOD and placed it by my purse before she went to bed. The song play list was perfect. I did not listen to it, or look at song choices until I started. Mile one to two I had songs with beat and hit the pavement to that beat. This made it easier. THANK YOU BROOKE!

I had to stop to walk three times, but just a tiny bit. Just to breathe a tiny bit. My heart rate was 199 twice! If you read down on my blog, you know about the 190's heart rate!

I did not like people passing me, so I starting moving again. I was better about them passing me if I was jogging, than if I was just walking. I am sure it is a psychy thing.

I found two women a tiny bit ahead of me, that looked like me, that I began to follow. Overweight women. My size. One was running alone. I would pass her, she would pass me. I would pass her, she would pass me. She was in her 20's. I am closer to 40. She inspired me. She helped me pace.

One man and he little boy were running along side me and I heard him say, 'We are in the home stretch,' to his little guy. But I could not see the finish line. I saw a mass of people coming back towards me as if to find a loved one and finish with them. I thought we had to be close. We had passed the 2 Mile Marker, but I was afraid to look at the watch. I did not want to play with my mind if it was already 45 minutes and I was not finished yet!

I kept looking for the finish line. Could not see it. Kept on moving. Finally, last turn and it was right THERE! This made me a bit upset, because I was saving a last big push when I saw the finish line and it could not be seen.

However, the last 50 yards, I heard myself say, "You might just finish this.. and you never, have never, finished weight loss battle ...until now. You will finish it."

Let me see if I can describe my heart about the finish line ... Well, as I making time towards the final turn, the song that came on the IPOD was Motions, a song about living with some passion! This song has challenged me before, I know the song. I have cried through the song. I did not know the song was on the IPOD, but the Lord did. and His timing!

I crossed, a sea of people were there. All talking, all glowing. I crossed. I looked at my watch 40:50. I looked again. 40 minutes. 13:11 mile pace. I controlled tears, as I took of my foot time tracer thingy.

Then, I looked for a lone spot. Ahead of me was a quiet place, a no-people, part of the park. Tears falling. Thoughts of "Lord, I just did it." "Laurie, you really did do it." "God, I really did it.", flew through me.

Then the next song ... the last song ... a worship song flooded the IPOD and flooded my heart. I kneeled. I cried. And I gave my first 5K to the Lord, the One that Helped me.

Kneeling, crying, in prayer and song, I thanked Him for all the people.... My family. My heroes. My trainers. My friends. Rewound the song on the IPOD, and prayed some more. Cried some more. Praised some more.

He helped me. I love Him.


That is my story .. Here are my stats .. onlineraceresults.com

Bib Number - 1969
Overall place - 3568 out of 5458
Division place - (34-39 year-old females) 217 out of 352
Gender place - 1700 out of 2984 (yes, there were more females than males run this race)
Time - 40:50
Pace - 13:11