Tuesday, 04/13/10

I made it to the gym today and manage to do the elliptical machine for 25 minutes and the treadmill for 25 minutes. The gym was busy today so there was a time limit. I'm still recovering so I walked on the treadmill versus running. I tried running at 4.5 speed for 5 minutes, but could not keep up. It knocked the wind out of me. I walked instead at a 3.5 speed. My stomach has been giving me issues. I don't want to lose the momentum, but not feeling good has put a damper on my workouts.

I didn't get to write much about the 5k run in Seal Beach. Saul and I arrived 40-45 minutes before the run. We got our tags and walked back to the car to put our T-shirts away. There were over 5,000 participants: babies, young children, teenagers, women, men, and senior citizens. It's amazing to see the running community come together and support each other. Observers and participants were cheering us all on. The neighbors got out of their house and supported the runners.

The first mile into the run, I was feeling pretty good. I was running at a good pace. I could hear my breathing and manage to pace myself with the breathing. I tried to run with my pelvis and chest sticking out. I still need to work on my form. Can I tell you what I don't like about the race? I hate seeing the mile marker and hearing the volunteers yell out the time and mile marker. For me, it makes the run longer. I just want to focus on the run, but can't because every time I reach a mile or 1/2 mile there is something or someone constantly reminding me where I'm at. The clock starts to slow down and mentally I start to slow down.

My breathing was getting heavier by the 2.0 mile marker. My legs were starting to burn, but there were runners strolling their babies ahead of me. No joke! Seriously, I was embarrassed. Young children and senior citizens were passing me up. That motivated me to push harder.

Towards the end of the race, my legs were weak and my breathing got heavier. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to finish the run. I was letting my mind get the best of me. At one point, I told Saul "I don't think I can do this." He pushed me through it and told me slow down a bit. My legs felt weighed down. The finish line looked so close, but for some reason everything was moving in slow motion for me. I could hear the cheers from the crowd and the music in the background. I started to pick up my pace again. I could see the finish line and the banner. Saul ran with me the entire race and cheered me on. What an amazing trainer!!!!!!! Thank you Saul!!!!!

After crossing the finish line, I felt a little faint and Saul told me to put my arms over my head and to keep moving. We found water and ate half a banana. We continue to walk for another 15 minutes and then headed back to the car to go home. I survived my first 5K run. It was a lot harder than I expected, but I know with time, my lungs and legs will get stronger. This is what I learned from the race: your body will follow the mind. Not only do I need to get physically stronger, but mentally I need to get stronger. Your mind will get the best of you if you let it. I'm going to continue to work on my mental capacity as well as my physical strength. The half-marathon is in 82 days and I'm up for the challenge. Yes, the 3.2 run was tough, but I'll fight through the pain. For all of you out there....keep pushing forward!!

Much love,
Hua-