Signs

I was driving to my spinning class yesterday when I saw the signs – no parking on Harding Blvd, a relatively flat stretch of road near the Elmwood Park Zoo, for a 5k today. No other information – just your standard police “no parking” signs.

The weather has been refreshingly fall like, the weather for today was forecasted to be good, and I haven’t done anything stupid in at least a week. I Googled 5k, Norristown, October 3 and found the information on the race. I’m still in the beginning stages of my training for the 5k I’m signed up for in November, I can’t run more than one mile before having to stop and take a breather, and I haven’t run 3 consecutive miles without having to stop and dry heave in over 3 years. That would have stopped a sane person. As a reader of my blog, you should know by now that I’m far from sane.

I posted on Facebook that I was thinking about it. Got a helpful tip from my neighbor that half a case of Guinness would help for carbo loading, which I dismissed in favor of some whole wheat Pasta. I charged my iPod, organized my gear and went to bed early.

I got up at 7:00 am this morning, threw on my racing running shorts (size L – a little snug, but no seams tore), laced up my sneakers and was at the Zoo for registration. It was cold and I was surrounded by 80 year olds wearing multiple layers asking me if I was cold, athletic looking stick insects wearing tank tops and children who I knew would kick my butt.

At 9:00 the starting horn blared and I started. I decided at the outset that I wasn’t going to even try to keep up with the pack – I was competing against myself. I didn’t even check my time until the last half mile. I knew I wasn’t going to be in the hunt as far as being in the top for my age group, I just wanted to finish.

I made it to the 1.25 mile mark before I need to walk. I alternated for the rest of the race. Run for as long as I can, walk for a few steps. The course was flat until the halfway point, a pretty steep hill approaching Johnson Highway. I scared the crap out the kid in front of me – huffing and puffing up the hill. I’m sure I sounded like I was in a bad porno. The hill going down was a relief, and went past the zoo for the second loop on Harding Blvd - then it hit me – the smell.

There are donkeys and buffalo (bison?) that are housed right near the street. During the summer I roll up my windows when I drive past. They are fragrant to say the least, even on a 50 degree morning. At least it provided motivation to push myself to get past the enclosure as fast I could.

I did the second loop and was in the home stretch. That’s when I started talking to myself. Hey, I was in Norristown – I’m sure the people on the route just thought I was an escapee from the local mental hospital. Then the 7 year old participating in his very first 5k with his dad blazed past me. I was very conscious at that point that my encouragement to myself was mostly curse words. Oh well, he was bound to learn them sooner or later.

Then I went past the donkey enclosure. Would this be the bonk point? Nope…pushed forward and sprinted to the finish line.

I didn’t finish last, but was definitely in the back of the pack. And that’s fine by me. I finished in a respectable time – 36 minutes, 42 seconds (according to my Nike Plus sensor). I’m feeling more confident about the November 14 race –especially since I’ve got time to do more prep work.

I had another triumph today when I went to the mall. Yesterday I found my jeans were getting stupid big – I sucked in my stomach and they came dangerously close to falling down. I’m not complaining. I went to Old Navy – grabbed a few different styles in size 18 – the largest size they had in a short length. Not only did they fit, they were big! I got a size 16, and went to get a hard earned slice of pizza and shared some fries for lunch with mom. We then went down to NY & Co – feeling cocky I grabbed two pair of pants – 18 petite and 16 petite. The 18s fit – perfectly. I’m not there yet with the tops, but soon enough. Now I have even more motivation to keep going!