There is always a first!

Yes, it's been 2 weeks since I posted. I didn't fall off the face of this earth I've just been super crazy busy and can't wait for things to calm down!! I have a million pictures and stories of stuff that is going on, and I promise in some down time I get in the next few weeks, which is very minimal I will post them! But first to hold you over....

I ran my very first 5k this weekend!! I started running in January and I LOVE it and I'm addicted to it. My friend Rosemarie asked if I wanted to participate in the Race for the Cure in Newport beach several months ago and I was happy to try it! I've been running 2 miles consistently at home several days a week (Well I've lagged on the consistently part for the last few months) but I was so excited to do my very first 5k that I was going to run! I got one of my friends at work to start running on her own as well and so I knew she'd be up for the challenge with me! The race finally came up on Sunday morning. Saturday night was my sisters bachelorette party so I tried to take it easy because I knew I had to get my butt up on Sunday at 5:30am.... That kind of happened. Without too many details for now, I got my butt up with 4 hours of sleep to run on Sunday! Thank God Anne came to pick me up because I never would have gotten out of bed that morning had she not been waiting outside for me! I also have to thank Anne for being a great support to me, asking me if I ran this morning and for trying to keep me motivated. If Anne didn't do this 5k with me I might not have made it for my first time!





Running my first 5k was a goal I set for myself awhile back. A 5k is 3.1 miles so it's not THAT far considering I've been running 2 pretty easily. The run started off slow because the start line had a mix of people, some who were trying to run and some who were going to walk the 5k. Which is fine, but get out of my way because I want to run it! You could not imagine how many people were there at the start line! During the run there were a LOT of hills around Fashion Island that I did NOT prepare myself for. I've never trained running hills so that was very challenging for me. I did slow jog/walk most of the hills. My body was in no way shape or form ready for those hills. Not to mention the hours of dancing the night before and lack of sleep. There were a lot of factors that should not have been added into my run, but they were and I will prepare better next time!

During the ran once I got out of the crowd of walkers I was kind of around the same people for the run. There was an older lady, in her 60's I would guess who was in a pink shirt, meaning she was a survivor of Breast Cancer. She ran and walked just about the same I did and I couldn't help but think how amazing and awesome she was! Not only did she survive having breast cancer but she was giving me a run for my money.

Although I had my head phones in for the run there were some awesome bands playing at most of the corners and cheerleaders at others. It was so much fun to see the support for the race! The run was so emotional for me. I would assume it would be for most because I'm sure many have lost their loved ones to cancer and that's why they were doing this. There were posters along the course of people who had lost their battle and survivors. I couldn't help but think of the reason I was running. Sure it was because I needed a challenge in running but for the obvious reason of losing my mom to cancer. It doesn't really matter what cancer anymore. It's all the same evil 6 letter word. I ran and I cried and I remembered. I ran and I knew my mom would be so proud of me. It's the first time in a long time I felt her there with me. It's hard to feel her most days. But I knew she was there at the finish line cheering me on, cause that's what she would have been doing for me. She was always my biggest fan and my own personal cheerleader!

I ran my first 5k in 45 minutes, that included a lot of very hard hills, 4 hours sleep, sweating vodka and hours of dancing previous to this morning. So I'm 100% positive that my next 5k will be a million times easier!! Thank you to my friend Rosemarie to getting me involved in this fun day! I'm so very proud of myself. I felt like I was super woman Sunday morning and felt like a million bucks after the race! I'm going to plan for another 5k soon and then I will go from there! 2012 is going to be a year I challenge myself to do better and be better.