A week of Firsts

At my age I didnt think there were so many firsts to still be done...But that was wrong...Hard to believe but this week has been ALL about proving me wrong....I have been training for SO long to run the Princess Half Marathon but I had never run outside.I have done all my training inside on the treadmill.Convincing myself that by raising the incline I was successfully simulating hills and outside terrain..I wasnt too far off from the truth BUT I have now learned outside running is SO beneficial....

My running partner is down for the count waiting on her surgery. Unable to run. SO I have just kept putting off going outside.Its so much easier inside my house. I have air-conditioning, an awesome treadmill with a shelf for water and a wet towel, even a place for my ipad to watch Downton Abbey or Call The Midwife. Its rough but I make do.....

That all changed this last week. We were supposed to do the Mud run In MN...The Viking Mud Run.I had this AWESOME costume put together. A GB Packers player of course. :)...But it was not to happen. Life got in the way.Totally understandable and unavoidable but sad none the less...So there I was reading my emails when I see a message from Active.com about a twilight run in my own hometown. One little meltdown later and I was signed up.

Not only had I never run outside but never by myself and here i was signed up to run a 5k.So my first first happened the next day.....

Little A saddled up on her bike and we headed out...Never being an outside runner I learned my second first. DONT wait to run after 10 a.m. in 80+ weather...Yeah...My third first came that very same day. You WILL run a faster PR with your daughter beside you on a bike!

We rocked out 3.6 miles in very good time :)...I was so excited I blinged up a pair of arm sleeves to encourage myself to run in colder weather....

 I decided to go get little A some running shoes.Keeping up with that bike is going to take some more training. So we headed to the store and fitted her up with running gear. The next day we headed out again and this time at 8:30 to beat the heat. Thus came the fourth first. With her on feet and not two wheels I actually have an advantage! I am not stupid though. Little A is about 6 inches taller then me. When she finally gets the hang of this I am going to get left in the dust. FOr right now though I am smiling :).

Friday came my fifth first...I picked up my VERY FIRST run packet, bib and swag bag!! Talk about giddy...I also was so happy to have a friend join me in the run. For that I was so grateful for the night of the race.

It is an inaugural run for Scheels so there is a learning curve for sure. I am really hoping I can see the changes made and that it continues. I would hate to see this be the only year for it.There were a TON of positives and the negatives can easily be fixed. It wasnt very well represented but I didnt see the best advertising for it. The kids run was before the 5k and it was so adorable. Those kids did an awesome job. So then it was time for the 5k runners...There will only be one first run.One first time to cross that start line and one first time to cross that finish. I can only say it was AMAZING....

 My friend and I were off...We kept a very good time..The negatives were that a bit of it was on very soft gravel which we had to walk. It did a number on her knee and thats not worth it. The other negative and honestly the biggest is that the course was not well marked..Not at all. In fact right as we entered the park again we were met with runners that had been at the front of the pack. At first we thought we had gone the wrong way but I had looked at the course map and was pretty sure we were on the right path..They evidently were not sure we were right so they were trying to back track. We noticed later they never did finish. SO they must have given up..Very sad as they were at the front of the pack for so long. :(

But all in all I am so glad that we did it.I am SO ready for another one! I am already looking! My last first was the knowledge that I dont know how I am going to run on my treadmill anymore! This winter is going to bite...