Sunday, May 25, 2008

Fargo 5K Epic

Many months ago some friends and I decided we wanted to run a 5K race...this was way back when it was still below freezing outside and sunrise wasn't until after 7 a.m. We picked a training program (the Couch to 5K) and started hauling our sleepy selves to a local park at 6:30 a.m., 3 times a week.


It was dark. It was really cold. It was windy, dropping the temperature sometimes below zero. At first running for 3 solid minutes felt like a huge breakthrough. But as the weeks wore on we got stronger and the weather slowly started to get warmer. We were subjected to colds, flus, toddlers keeping us up all night, shin splints, pinched nerves, and various other ailments.


But last Saturday all four of us crossed the finish line! We weren't the fastest, but we met our goal and are already planning to train for a 10K next. Great job, Heather, Chris, and Holly!!! Thanks again to Rob's mom and dad, who stayed in town long enough to watch the kids while we ran. It was wonderful to be running myself instead of being on the sidelines cheering for Rob.


Rob and Haley ran that day too - Rob surprised himself by running a really great 5K, and has since decided to try for the 24th of July Marathon in Salt Lake. Haley ran her first race ever, a half-mile distance, which was so exciting. We waited with the thousands of other kids for her age group to go, and she did great! After crossing the finish line, she said, "That wasn't very far! I want to run longer!" I guess next year we'll sign her up for the one-mile race...as we walked to the car afterward, she said, "We're a running family!" Rob and I can't think of anything we would like better.





Left: Haley and I after her race; Haley watches as a group of older kids runs the 1.2-mile race.