24. Run a 10K

High on my success of running a 5K, I declared myself a runner and decided to set my sights on a 10K. 

Initially I signed up for a 10K to support DUI victims, since 2013 marks 10 years since I was hit by a drunk driver in a hit and run.  Instead, I made a very nice donation to the foundation and missed out on actually running my 10K because life had different plans in store for me.

My race partner was keen to run the same 10K she had run in the past, so I signed up to run my first 10K with her.  Since the DUI 10K was in May, and this race was at the end of June, I was sure that the extra time would help me prepare.

Except I stopped running, and it was approximately 1 million degrees on race day.

Okay, so I'm slightly exaggerating.  It was only about 90 degrees.  90 degrees after weeks of being 70 degrees.  And let me reiterate...I had stopped running.

The good news is that I finished the 10K.  The better news is that I will definitely have a personal record the next time I run one.  The best news is that I like the t-shirt a whole lot.

I learned a few take away lessons from this race.

1. Plan races in May and early June.
2. A great way to prepare for a race is by actually running.
3. Make sure you have enough songs on your playlist to last the entire race if you are dragging behind.
4. Start slow!
5. Don't start at the back even if you are starting slow.  It's mentally discouraging.
6. Run with water.
7. If you are going to run on a crazy hot day, run with a friend who has a pool in her backyard.
8. Bring food to eat on the drive home so you don't eat fast food post race.
9. Pick race days wisely...avoid days when you have plans later on.  Especially plans involving driving for 3 hours.
10.  DON'T STOP RUNNING.

I fully intend to sign up for another 10K next year in preparation for my 1/2 marathon.  HOWEVER, for the purpose of this list, this item is officially DONE!

Hey, look...updates!

One of these days I will have 30 things on this list!

1. Keep up a blog (Totally done!)

2. Buy a house (DONE!)

3. Buy a scooter

4. Go on a cruise/all inclusive resort

5. Ride in an airplane

6. Visit California

7. Get my tattoo removed
UPDATE: Get my tattoo FIXED

8. Buy myself a nice piece of jewelry

9. Sing karaoke

10. Perform in community theater

11. Complete the 30 day shred (Done!)

12. Run a 5K (Done!)

13. Weigh 144

14. Wear a bikini

15. Pay off someone's layaway

16. Pay for a massage (Done!)

17. Finish college
Progress: Enrolled at Albright College, graduation date December 2014!


18. Learn a language
Progress: Very slowly working on Rosetta Stone in German!

19. Learn to swim

20. Take dance lessons-any style

21. Take a cooking class

22. Study handwriting analysis 

23. Take a self defense class that will teach me how to flip a man over

24. Run a 10K (Done!)

25. Run a half marathon

12. Run a 5k...done!

So here's the thing...when I started this blog, this blog was the most interesting thing going on in my life. Now that I'm actively working on my list, this blog has been taking a serious back seat! But, never fear, it is not forgotten.

Soooo, why does a non runner decide she wants to do a 5k? Because everyone else does them. Seriously, in the summer my Facebook feed is just full of people posting all about their 5ks. And they make it look soooo easy. Just download a couch to 5k app and you can go from couch potato to runner in no time!

So that is exactly what I did. Back in January a friend of mine posted about a local color run that was in March. She encouraged me to sign up, so I did. The first time I tried my couch to 5k app (mine is run double, by the way, and I highly recommend it) I did a great job. I even jogged a little when the program was done. Fast forward several very cold winter weeks and I was now six weeks out from the race and that was the extent of my preparation. This was a great time to start making excuses, but for one of the first times in my life, I made no excuses whatsoever. I took my running clothes into work with me and used my one hour lunch to get my practice runs in. I ran in snow. I ran in A LOT of wind. I ran when I didn't want to. I had really bad days when I gave up and went back, temporarily defeated. I saw coworkers while wearing Spandex. But through it all, my boyfriend encouraged me. On the weekends, friends joined me on neighborhood runs. And finally, it was race day and I had successfully run a full three miles straight a grand total of one time (lol).  (ok, but I could rock 2.5 miles like the best of them!)

Race day was very, very, very cold. And windy. But, hey, that is how I trained! I ended up with my boyfriend and my kids there, who totally cheered me on from inside the building (I told you it was really cold! )  My friend Liz joined me and stayed true to her word to run every step with me. (Also, since I can't say it enough, a very, very sincere thank you to everyone that supported me through running with me or even with words of encouragement!)

Here is what I never realized about running...it is VERY much a mental thing. I can be two miles in and decide I need a break because I *might* run out of breath. Or I'm bored. Or my feet are wet (no lie, not a fan of running in rain. Yuck!!).  So even during my first 5k, a super exiting accomplishment, I wanted to stop and walk. But I didn't. I ran the whole thing!

When I thought about writing this post, I knew exactly how I wanted to end it. I wanted to say that I enjoy running and want to maintain it as a hobby. I want to work on getting a little faster and feel more comfortable running three miles consistently. I said that exact thing at lunch today, but then a funny thing happened. I went online to look at local runs to see if any other fun ones were coming up. While looking that up, I noticed a run to support dui victims. But here's the thing, it is a 10k, not a 5k. Great time to make another excuse, right? I even emailed my boyfriend to say, hmmm, this is probably not possible. And then I said what really hit home...a 10k to support dui victims to honor the 10th anniversary of being hit by a drunk driver. That is exactly what this blog is about. It's about challenging myself to reach goals because they mean something to me.

Ten years ago I became a survivor. Some days I have pity parties and call myself a victim, but through this journey I'm on, I am truly turning surviving into thriving. And a 10k is a great way to celebrate that!

So here I am. One thing crossed off my list, and something new added! What an adventure!

17. Finish college -in progress

I have spent the last few days waiting for something more official, but although key pieces are still falling into place, the reality is that my first college class is Wednesday night.  Well, my first college class was in 2001 at Bryn Mawr, but this will be my first class at Albright as a part of the graduating class of December 2014. I'm nervous, excited, a tad overwhelmed, unprepared, and overall speechless. I'd like to share more, like how my amazing boyfriend is taking on a whole lot in order for me to do this, or how suddenly this all came to be, but right now I just want to share my news and hope you all can celebrate with me!

11. Thirty Day Shred - Done

Or should I say...million day shred?

For anyone unfamiliar with this catchy challenge, the 30 day shred is a Jillian Michaels DVD that is allllll over the internet. Google it and you can get lost for hours looking at all the amazing results people have obtained from this simple 20 minute workout. I personally have attempted to finish this challenge for YEARS. I believe it is fair to say that I have done level one fifty times. I have made it to level two several times, but then I allowed life to get in the way, or I felt that I wasn't following it exactly right, or I just plain gave up. This time was different, quite simply because I finished.

How do I feel? Honestly, by now I never want to see this DVD again. Not because it is hard for me (by now it is quite easy done), but because little irritations have irked me the whole way through. But I'm not writing this post to say, dear God, Jillian, why did you pick the MOST ANNOYING MUSIC EVER, but rather to say what completing this challenge means to me.

I should have finished this challenge a long time ago. I started with great intentions, even given that it was during the holidays. I allowed myself to take days off as needed, because my challenge was to do 10 days of each level, not necessarily 30 straight days. But once I reached level three (for the first time ever), it became this big deal. Here I was, ready to conquer this challenge after years of owning the DVD...and my life was just the same. I am definitely stronger. I am definitely smaller. But I didn't become super woman over night. I don't have a six pack...four pack...not even a two pack. I don't feel compelled to do a second round. Frankly, I'm tempted to trash the DVD just because I can!  And in feeling that way, it makes me feel that I did something wrong. That if I did a better job of busting through these pushups, I would have fallen in love...with Jillian, and even with myself.

I also felt that I allowed myself to hang on to being nearly finished because it gave me a great excuse as to why I wasn't moving on. I can't update my blog because I'm nearly finished. No worries if my German is slipping through the cracks...I'm nearly finished shredding!  I have honestly been ONE day away from finishing for weeks!

I'm not taking on these challenges to be almost better, nearly finished, or just about changed. So take that, Jillian...I'm done, and I'm moving on!