Congrats to everyone who completed the 5K today! I checked Facebook several times today to read about everyone running or walking all over the world today. It was so fun to see all the different places that people were doing the 5K!
Saturdays are normally a rest day for me. I had hoped the weather would be nice, so that I could take the boys to the State Park, and we'd be able to run/walk slowly around the trail. I've been trying to get my kids interested in running, but Noah definitely prefers walking (although he told me he didn't think he could even walk 5K), and Eli has the attention span of a dog.
I ultimately decided on the treadmill for the Virtual 5K today. I either wanted to "go big or go home" by either running a treadmill PR (23:55 or better), OR I would walk at 3.2 mph for my 32nd birthday ;) I figured I would start out at the pace to try for a PR (7:41/mi, or 7.8 mph), and then if it was horrible in the first few minutes, I'd just drop the pace and walk. Honestly, I really didn't think I'd be able to hold the pace, so I was looking forward to walking!
I turned on the show Flashpoint (sadly, I'm finished with Medium... yes, I watched the entire series in an embarrassingly short amount of time), and set the treadmill at 7.8 mph. I was surprised that it really didn't feel that awful, and after about a half-mile, I decided I could do it.
It got HARD. About a mile in, I had to increase my speed a notch, because it had taken the treadmill a few seconds to get up to speed in the beginning, and my average pace was showing 7:45 instead of 7:41 (what I needed to PR). I honestly thought about stopping at 2 miles, and walking the rest. My heart rate was 90-95% of the max (Zone 5), and I just wanted to stop moving my legs!
It wasn't until I reached mile 2.6 that I decided I was GOING TO get that PR, even if I puked. The worst part of a 5K is that last 0.11. It doesn't sound like much, but you don't really think about it until you reach mile 3 and you realize you still have a ways to go. As soon as my Garmin showed 3.11, I pressed the stop button. The sweat started pouring as soon as I stopped. But I did it! A new treadmill 5K PR of 23:46. Next year, I will definitely take the walk option at 3.3 mph ;)
When I was done, I asked Noah if he'd want to try walking a 5K on the treadmill today. He was really doubtful about whether he could do it, and I assured him he could! I said if it got hard, he could just slow the speed, but I was sure he could finish. We set up a show he likes on Netflix, and he started moving. I told him if he kept the speed at 3.1, then he'd finish in an hour. He was doing really well, and even ran for a minute here and there.
When he finished, he was SO proud (as was I)! Not only did it finish, he did it faster than he or I thought he would, in about 55 minutes.
I promised the kids an extra hour of video game time if they did the 5K, no matter how long it took them, of even if they needed breaks. Like I said, Eli's attention span is nil, but over the course of about two hours, he completed the 5K also! He would walk for a couple of minutes, then go eat a few bites of lunch, then walk a couple more minutes, stop for some water, etc. I never doubted he could finish, though, and he did :)
Jerry had to work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today, and I really wanted to spend some time with him when he got home, so he didn't end up doing the 5K. But three out of four of us is pretty good!
My mom got on board and did the 5K again this year, too. She didn't train like she had last year, so her big goal was just to get it done. And she did!
My sister and her best friend, Audrey, are on a cruise right now. I was really surprised and excited to get a text this morning that they'd done the 5K on their cruise ship treadmills!
If you haven't already, make sure you check out all the finisher's pics and comments on my Facebook page (just go to "Recent posts by others on Runs for Cookies" and click "See All". It's SO inspiring to see so many people being active today!
Don't forget that if you completed the 5K today, make sure you fill out the Finisher's Form! I'll accept responses until Monday at 2:00 p.m. EST. Congrats, and thanks for sharing my birthday run with me!
Saturdays are normally a rest day for me. I had hoped the weather would be nice, so that I could take the boys to the State Park, and we'd be able to run/walk slowly around the trail. I've been trying to get my kids interested in running, but Noah definitely prefers walking (although he told me he didn't think he could even walk 5K), and Eli has the attention span of a dog.
I ultimately decided on the treadmill for the Virtual 5K today. I either wanted to "go big or go home" by either running a treadmill PR (23:55 or better), OR I would walk at 3.2 mph for my 32nd birthday ;) I figured I would start out at the pace to try for a PR (7:41/mi, or 7.8 mph), and then if it was horrible in the first few minutes, I'd just drop the pace and walk. Honestly, I really didn't think I'd be able to hold the pace, so I was looking forward to walking!
I turned on the show Flashpoint (sadly, I'm finished with Medium... yes, I watched the entire series in an embarrassingly short amount of time), and set the treadmill at 7.8 mph. I was surprised that it really didn't feel that awful, and after about a half-mile, I decided I could do it.
It got HARD. About a mile in, I had to increase my speed a notch, because it had taken the treadmill a few seconds to get up to speed in the beginning, and my average pace was showing 7:45 instead of 7:41 (what I needed to PR). I honestly thought about stopping at 2 miles, and walking the rest. My heart rate was 90-95% of the max (Zone 5), and I just wanted to stop moving my legs!
It wasn't until I reached mile 2.6 that I decided I was GOING TO get that PR, even if I puked. The worst part of a 5K is that last 0.11. It doesn't sound like much, but you don't really think about it until you reach mile 3 and you realize you still have a ways to go. As soon as my Garmin showed 3.11, I pressed the stop button. The sweat started pouring as soon as I stopped. But I did it! A new treadmill 5K PR of 23:46. Next year, I will definitely take the walk option at 3.3 mph ;)
When I was done, I asked Noah if he'd want to try walking a 5K on the treadmill today. He was really doubtful about whether he could do it, and I assured him he could! I said if it got hard, he could just slow the speed, but I was sure he could finish. We set up a show he likes on Netflix, and he started moving. I told him if he kept the speed at 3.1, then he'd finish in an hour. He was doing really well, and even ran for a minute here and there.
When he finished, he was SO proud (as was I)! Not only did it finish, he did it faster than he or I thought he would, in about 55 minutes.
I promised the kids an extra hour of video game time if they did the 5K, no matter how long it took them, of even if they needed breaks. Like I said, Eli's attention span is nil, but over the course of about two hours, he completed the 5K also! He would walk for a couple of minutes, then go eat a few bites of lunch, then walk a couple more minutes, stop for some water, etc. I never doubted he could finish, though, and he did :)
Jerry had to work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today, and I really wanted to spend some time with him when he got home, so he didn't end up doing the 5K. But three out of four of us is pretty good!
My mom got on board and did the 5K again this year, too. She didn't train like she had last year, so her big goal was just to get it done. And she did!
My sister and her best friend, Audrey, are on a cruise right now. I was really surprised and excited to get a text this morning that they'd done the 5K on their cruise ship treadmills!
If you haven't already, make sure you check out all the finisher's pics and comments on my Facebook page (just go to "Recent posts by others on Runs for Cookies" and click "See All". It's SO inspiring to see so many people being active today!
Don't forget that if you completed the 5K today, make sure you fill out the Finisher's Form! I'll accept responses until Monday at 2:00 p.m. EST. Congrats, and thanks for sharing my birthday run with me!
