My Second 5K

* This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. *

I ran my second 5K last night. I, the girl who used hate running, was so excited that I could barely sleep Wednesday night. Crazy!

It was my goal to do the race in the 30-35 minute range. I was kind of hoping for 33 minutes, but I wasn’t quite sure what the course was like. I was also determined to run the entire thing. No walking.

This course was tough! There were lots of hills and long, slight inclines. The course I’ve been training on has one long, slight incline. No hills.

I was thrilled that my new Garmin Forerunner arrived, UPS, hours before I had to leave, but in time for me to use!

**Just to bring you up to date, after running on some courses with a known distance, I discovered that the heart rate monitor I got for Valentine’s Day was very inaccurate – up to a mile off on a 3 mile course.

When I saw the Garmin on sale at Amazon for less than $30 more, I quickly returned the first one and put the money towards the Garmin. With some Amazon credit that I had, I actually wound up paying less for the Garmin.

Okay, so, back to the race…

I sometimes wish other people could hear the internal conversation going on in my head when I’m running. It goes something like this:

I’m going to die. I’m never going to be able to run this whole course.

Do not stop running! You know you can run this whole thing. Keep moving!

Okay, you’ve made it 1.5 miles. Just go to 2 and see how you feel.

Okay, I’m at 2. I’ll go to 2.25 and see how I feel. Maybe I’ll walk a little at 2.25.

You’ve made it to 2.25. You know you can make it to 2.5

Yes, I do that that entire time. That may or may not make me certifiably insane. It’s like the cartoon angel/devil on either shoulder arguing with each other. The problem is, I’m not always sure which is which.

I didn’t quite make the time I was going for, but I don’t feel bad about it at all – not with all those hills. I ran the entire thing (albeit, rather slowly at times) and I finished at 34:52, almost a full minute-and-a-half faster than my last time! And, the last time was an almost completely flat course.

Not only did I shave 1.5 minutes off my time, but I also came in 3rd place in my age/gender group! I got a medal, y’all! On my second 5K! I don’t think I could be any more excited.

The funny thing is, Brian and I were making our way to the car because it was freezing. I didn’t expect to place, but we were hanging out on the fringes of the crowd, listening just in case, but ready to make a sprint for the car when someone else’s name was called.

I wish I had a video of us when they announced the 2nd place winner’s time. It was like a cartoon where the two people’s heads whip around to face each other, eyes bugging out, because when we heard her time, I knew it was only a few seconds faster than mine.

Then, sure enough, they called my name. Me, the girl who weighed 220 pounds just 15 months ago. The girl who got seriously winded climbing the stairs in our house. (I was so embarrassed about that, I’d try to disguise the huffing and puffing behind a cough.) Me, the girl who thought she was going to die running 90 seconds a few months ago.

I won an award. For running.

I love this new life. I can’t believe I wasted so many years being morbidly obese. I can’t wait to be at my goal weight and see what all a fit, active life has in store for me.

Kris Bales

+ posts

Kris Bales is a newly-retired homeschool mom and the quirky, Christ-following, painfully honest founder (and former owner) of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. She has a pretty serious addiction to sweet tea and Words with Friends. Kris and her husband of over 30 years are parents to three amazing homeschool grads. They share their home with three dogs, two cats, a ball python, a bearded dragon, and seven birds.

16 Comments

Wow! Congrats!

That is just so awesome! Congrats on winning a medal!!

I'm not even sure how I found your blog but thank you. I've read quite a few posts on your blog and I feel like you are talking to me. I appreacite the "conversation" that you have in your head during the 5K – I have similiar discussions even getting on the treadmill not to mention staying on it. I also appreciate your honesty – how you said that you would hide your "out of breath" moments with a cough or that walking on the treadmill at 3.0 at first was a workout. Sometimes I feel like a failure because that's what i can do but I see now that you just start where you are at. I look forward to reading your blog more!

Congratulations! You are amazing and inspiring!

Thanks, Jackie. That means a lot to me. And, starting where you are is the key. You just have to start and keep moving forward. Eventually, you'll reach your goals.

Nekey and Joy, thank you so much for your support!

OMGosh. I have that same conversation with myself.

"oh my legs are burning so bad, i just need to stop. But I don't want to stop. They will stop burning. Keep running for a few minutes and then see.(a few minutes later b/c i stopped talking to myself to sing along with a song) oh i am dying. I need to stop. Let's just go a few more minutes and then stop." Rinse and repeat!

Congrats on doing so well! SO when is your next one 😉

April 16. Can't wait! It's a mostly flat course, so I'm hoping to kill it, time-wise…for me, anyway. I'm shooting for 30-33 minutes.

That is SO inspiring! Congrats! Congrats! I am going to run a mile tomorrow. Just for you. I'll owe you the other two some other day, when I beat that little voice telling me I'm going to die. Yes, I have that conversation, too. 😀

I'll hold you to that, Amida. 😉

Great job! I've had that conversation before while biking. Not a runner. 😉 The last few years I've done a 50K bike ride with my MIL and it's HARD if you aren't in shape and sometimes even if you are. A lot of the time it's just a mental game. Keep up the good work!

AWESOME! WAY TO GO!!!!! (Yes, I'm yelling on purpose.)

You rock! And are an inspiration, did you know? Tomorrow I'm running in my first 5K, about 45 pounds lighter than I was last year. I can't believe this is ME.

Rock on!

Jenn,

You don't know what a HUGE encouragement your comment was to me. Thank you!

Can't wait to hear how your first 5K went!

~Kris

This was a great encouragement to me! My high weight was 208 and I too would get winded going up the stairs. I'm down in the 180s now and trying my start at running. Btw, I too talk to myself when trying to push myself harder.

You've been such an inspiration to me. I'm running my first 5K this Saturday!

I know I'm late, but I'm totally high-fiving you right now.

Kris Bales

16 Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply