Slow and Steady

In two weeks I am going to run a 5k. I hope to be able to completely run it, but if I can keep the walking to less than a quarter mile, I will be happy. I usually run on the treadmill, but I know, for my body, there is a huge difference between treadmill running and street running. Basically, I believe that my treadmill has an anti-gravity function, and I believe it is always on.

Anti-gravity? Yes. Why would I believe this? Because I can run 1 or 2 miles on the treadmill without a problem and then after a little walk break I can run another mile or 2. But the moment I step outside and try to run, well, it is almost like I am being sucked into the ground, it is hard to move, I guess it would be like running while wearing cement shoes. The only way I can explain this is Gravity. Gravity is pulling harder on me.....well that or the street doesn't move like the deck of my treadmill does.

So, back to the 5k. Knowing that this 5k is going to be run outside, where gravity lurks, I decided that I would practice. On Saturday I left my sweet baby and husband to care for each other and drove down to the race site. And I ran. Outside. It really wasn't too bad. I have no idea how long it took me, I figure it was somewhere around 50 minutes, which is pretty good considering that I walked quite a bit of it. Hey, that gravity is hard to deal with sometimes. I used MapMyRun.com to figure out how far I walked and ran, I walked about a mile of the 3.4 mile course. Yes, for some strange reason this 5k is a little more than 5 kilometers.

I felt pretty good about my run and I decided that I would run the route three times a week for the next two weeks, hoping that the practice will pay off and I will be able to finish the 5k before the walkers do.

This morning I borrowed a friends running stroller and the 17 month-old 25 pound boy of mine took off on our very own 5k. I wasn't sure how it would go, after all, I was going to be pushing 30 pounds in front of me this time, but I did great. This time I only walked 1/2 a mile! I realized that the last mile I was running really slow. I am pretty sure someone walking moderately fast could have passed me. I laughed at myself. I probably looked pretty silly, but I didn't let that get me down. I decided that Slow and Steady Wins the Race, especially if the race is against yourself.

I know that there will be people, who have amazing anti gravity shoes and clothing, who will finish the 5k in 25 minutes, maybe even less, but I am not competing against them, I am competing against myself and I don't care if I run slowly, as long as I keep running, I will win.

I think that this is true about my weight loss as well. Slow and Steady will help me. I am pretty sure I have heard that the faster you lose weight, the easier it is to gain back. So I have set to goal to lose between 2 & 3 pounds per week. At this pace it will take me 25 to 30 weeks to lose the weight I need to lose. Slow and Steady, it may take longer, I may only lose a pound per week, but as long as I am losing, as long as I am becoming more healthy, I am winning. I am in a race with myself and I like my odds.