Just to let you know- this blog is no longer active. I'll be keeping up my 101 in 1001 list until its completion, but will not be writing new posts. You can read the post below if you want the long version. Thanks for the journey to all my friends in the blogosphere!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

"First Time 5Kers" - Some of Them Brought to You by Me

Yesterday was the Second Annual Farmers Market Fun Run & Walk that I organize here in our rural, ranked-most-unhealthy-in-the-state county. I'm so pleased to report that we had 156 finishers, some very proud little 1/2 mile kids run participants, and a huge volunteer and cheering crowd.

What meant the most to me though was...

Twenty little girls, who made huge, dramatic gasps 10 weeks ago when I told them we were going to train to run 3 miles, finished their first 5K.

Over twenty teachers, family members, and friends of these little girls, many of whom made remarks such as "Say what?!" when I asked if they could train to be Running Buddies, finished their first 5K- beaming alongside those young runners.

My husband, who swore he hadn't been running enough and was just going to walk, ran his entire first 5K and finished second in his age group.

I might have been completely stressed out for the past few weeks pulling this together and I may have had a good 10 minute nervous breakdown yesterday morning when there was a timing snafu (which was resolved), but it was worth it.

I LOVE running. But even more than that, I BELIEVE in running. I believe in running as a destressor, a health-improver, a confidence booster, and a life changer. I use my runs as a time to think, to pray, to work through what's going on in my day and my life. I'm not a person who exercises by running, I'm a runner. And I'll use any means to get others to join our ranks.

Yesterday, we got some new recruits. "Proud" would be an understatement.
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5 comments:

  1. justmeMay 22, 2011 at 10:09 AM

    love it. i coach some newbies and they just ran straight no stopping for 40 minutes, i was so proud

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  2. CherylMay 23, 2011 at 3:13 PM

    Very cool! I'm helping to organize a 5k to benefit a local animal shelter later this summer and I can only hope to have some of the same accomplishments you had with this race. Congratulations! (And good doing to your husband as well!)

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  3. Sabrina HayesMay 23, 2011 at 7:13 PM

    So proud of you!!! I'm a runner too. The exercise is just gravy. CONGRATULATIONS!!!! What an accomplishment.

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  4. JessieMay 24, 2011 at 3:05 PM

    That's awesome! What a great accomplishment. Hopefully some lifelong runners were made.

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  5. AudreyMay 28, 2011 at 11:02 AM

    this post makes me so happy!! congrats to you on organizing this race and making it all happen! gotta love bringing those new runners in - i bet you've made quite a few new runners for life! :)

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