My first ever 5km run – icy rain was an added “bonus”
About a year ago I first met Canice from Cara Pharmacy through EO.
We meet up once a month for our forum and for the last few months of the 2013, apparently I was doing nothing but whining about not being in shape or in any way fit. Canice mentioned the Cara Bundoran Run that he is involved with and it could be a good target to aim for.
I had been looking for an excuse to get up off my ass and do something and this seemed like a great solution! In mid December I psyched myself up to see how much I could do and set off from my front door at a nice steady jog. When I got to the entrance to my estate (a paltry 200m down the road) I almost collapsed. I have never been even close to being called fit!
The day after my first ever 5km run, I had a shot at walking 10km…
This setback not withstanding, I started heading up to the local gym to try and get myself in shape for this 5km run – I was never really looking at doing the 10km, I figured that would literally – and I mean literally – kill me.
Over Christmas my training schedule went on the back burner and the diet was also forgotten but in the new year I started afresh with the date of 1st March looming over me. I learned the value of the old adage; “just because you don’t feel like doing something, doesn’t mean you don’t do it…”
Fast forward two months and I am delighted with myself. I have lost 3.5kgs in the two and half months (including whatever extra I put on over Christmas), feel much better in myself and was able to finish 5km on the treadmill in the gym three days before heading to Bundoran. I even started to get the idea that I might even have a go at walking the 10km!
The fastest time I could manage in the gym was around 46 mins. On the evening of the 28th March, I jogged past the start line in Magh Éne College in Bundoran in the icy rain and howling wind. Amazingly, just 40mins and 46seconds later, I jogged past the finish line back at Magh Éne College after doing a 5km loop around the town and coast of Bundoran… When I mentioned my quicker time, one of the adjudicators put it down to the bracing weather – I agreed but added it was more likely my desire to get out of the icy weather!
The next day, Gavin came across to walk the 10km challenge I was able to jog the first km or two before a mixture of walking and short spurt jogging the rest of the course, chatting with Gavin and other participants along the route. We had a nice walking pace and managed to cross the line after 1hour 29mins. Our mantra was “we were going slow to make the runners feel good about themselves”!
I spent Sunday quite stiff and sore but wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought I would be. Canice mentioned next year’s 10mile race and I have to admit, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that I’ll be back for it…