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This 46 Year Old Mother of Two Ran Her First 5K on Sunday

October 6, 2015   25 Comments

This is a photo of my best friend, Laura, and I before we ran a 5K on Sunday. It was my first 5K.

I Finished a 5K

Don’t we look cute?

This is a photo of us mere minutes before we started to run. I am on the right with a bow on the top of my head. Laura has the braids.

In August, I revealed I was beginning a training for a 5k (read here: Millions Have Moved From This Couch to Become 5K Distance Runners).

I decided that my first 5K should involve beer and pretzels and found a wonderful one in Boston called Ocktoberfest 5K. They encouraged you to wear costumes and we are dressed as German Beer Goddesses (in case you are wondering).

This was the first time I have ever run in a “race” and only the third time I had attempted the 3.11 miles (5k) distance while running. I am a pretty good walker.

What can I tell you? I can say that I found it SO exciting to be surrounded by other like-minded healthy people on a beautiful morning in the crisp air of fall. The energy was infectious and the silly costumes made it even more fun.

The race started and I turned on my Nike+ app so I would know how far I was travelling and at what speed. I was concerned that running with a crowd would cause me to speed up and then I would have to walk to catch my breath.

My goal for this face was to run it without having to walk at all – which I thought was doable.

The WORST part of running with a crowd is that if you are a slow runner (like a tortoise pace) and you pick a race with many 20 year olds (Boston is filled with college students) you will have a ton of people passing you. I HATED all the people passing me.

At Mile ONE, a funny thing happened – these same speedy college students started to walk! What? So, I cruised my slow pace right on by a few of them. Ha! (then they passed me again)

I kept listening to my tunes and focusing on my pace – and then voila, I was a mere .05 miles from finishing! I thought I saw the finish line so I checked my internal tank – and decided to sprint the last section.

Yes, I thought it would be fun to dust the five or so college students in front of me. Turns out the finish line was farther than I thought and then (crazy) I kept speeding up.

After crossing the finish line, I felt my peanut butter sandwich hit the back of my throat as I ALMOST puked in front of like 1000 people.

WHOOAAA!

I staggered toward a quiet spot in the hopes that I would get away before I tossed my cookies all over someone’s favorite Nikes. I made it away from the crowd and got it together.

Then, the good part started!

The after-5K-party was a blast with lots of beer and pretzels.

What did I learn? First, you can run 5K (finished in 36:32) and live to talk about it. Second, do not decide to be a hero and sprint if you are a beginner. Third, hanging out with your best friend should happen more often.

Finally, moving toward a fitness goal (with or without a glistening cup of beer as a reward) can be inspiring. I am in getting in better and better shape and now have signed up for 2 more 5ks – one a Halloween run (more costumes!) and a Christmas themed one (knitted caps anyone?).

Have you worked toward a fitness goal? What works for you?

Other posts you might like:

Couch to 5K

Millions Have Moved From This Couch to Become 5K Distance Runners

Isn’t that couch cute? I would love to sit on it for a while....

fiveminutesb

Who Needs Cross-Fit? Five Minutes Is All You Need

Snack Girl recently heard about a gym that charges $160 per month for something called "Cross-Fit".

Get Free Email Updates! Yes please!

25 Comments:

Yeah! Congratulations, Snack Girl!

I am so HAPPY for you!!! GREAT inspiration!!!Can I post on my website???I have a 100 million outreach Happy to send you press so you can verify my media. I want to inspire others and Snack Girl rocks!!! Emi

Good for you! I started "running" (again tortoise pace) at about age 46 with a "learn to run" class at the local HS. I still don't love it, but feel good after & have done some 5Ks, always fun & for a good cause. Try to do 2 miles a couple of times a week now - good way to catch up with friends. I feel it is a lot easier for women to get the time to exercise more once the kids are in school full time or don't need a babysitter. CONGRATS!!! PS you look great afterwards - I'm always beet red!

Good for you, Lisa! I ran my first (and only) 5K on my 60th birthday at the encouragement of my daughter. I came in dead-last, but I did it! I expected my daughter and grandson to be there cheering me on as I crossed the finish line, but instead they were in their car looking for me along the course! Keep it up...let us know about your future races!

How inspiring! I am 49 1/2 and will be running my first 5k on 10/17/15. I'm very nervous but excited at the same time. Thanks for the encouragement.

You rock! Woohoo!

You go, girl!

GO YOU!!!! So happy to follow you during this journey! Running can be fun. Now to stop calling myself a "Non-runner"!

Congrats Lisa and love the costume! Totally forgot about the race LOL. Have you tried Down East hard cidar? Quite yummy.

Hello Snack Girl,

I started running at age 50. It was in January and then in April ran my first 5k chairity race -what an eye opener. I had only run on a treadmill before this first time outside. Just like you I had a really good time. I am still running 13 years later!

Reading this made me laugh . . . and inspired me to run my next 5K instead of walk. Training begines NOW !

@Emi - please do share this article with everyone you know (just need to link back to snack-girl.com). I am also hoping to inspire others!

Thanks so much for sharing!

Very encouraging. I am doing a color run on 10/17 and I may not be able to run it at age 53 with planters fasciitis and a new going bad, but I can power walk it.

Congratulations! That is awesome, and how FUN. You should be so proud of yourself!

Nice Going Snack Girl...Congratulations!!!

Woohoo! Great inspiration for all of us. I have walked with a little bit of running a 4.78 mile race on the past 2 Thanksgiving mornings. This year my goal is to run the entire race, at my very slow tortoise pace.

I did my first 5k in April with my 20 year old daughter - it was so much fun, and my goal was just not to be the last person in and I did so much better, finished 3rd in my age group, which would be your age group (LOL)! We're already planning to do it again this year!

This is such a happy announcement! Good going!

That's a GREAT time for your first 5k. I did one last weekend and finished in 45 minutes. But...I FINISHED, and that's what counts, right? Stupid me didn't train AT ALL for it, so I guess that's why I was so slow. Oops!

Congrats!!

Good for you Lisa, that is good time.

I have a friend that started running after she retired (65). Her daughter wanted to run in the New York half Marathon and wanted her Mom to join her. So she did and she hasn't stopped. Seven years later she is still running. I believe that she has ran about 4 full marathons.

and many many halves.

I wish I could say that I run with her but I don't. Walking a mile is about my limit.

Congrats on your first run. I ran my first at age 50 and it can be a little addicting. I am 55 now and still running them.

WAY TO GO!!! I am so proud of you!! :) :)

Way to go, Lisa!!

So so glad you got to do this! I've been running 2.5yrs (I'm 57!)and was a total couch potato before 125lb wt loss. I'm struggling to keep it off - turns out marathon training doesn't really help that much and many gain. I have run 3 marathons (my first was Boston!). Run those 5K's and have fun! It's about lines (finish) not times as my running buddy tells me:-)

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