the accidental hobby

Last Saturday I ran in my second ever 5k race as a part of the Turtlefest in Perham, MN. My first race was on May 9 and you can read about that here. Now I have to tell you just how crazy this is for me. I am not a runner. I do not consider myself an athlete. Running in a race was not on my "bucket list". It was not on my list of intentions for this year. As a matter of fact my list looked something like this.


*Get a passport.


*Learn to knit.


*Be consistent with my daily Fab 5 (sleep, scriptures, prayer, healthy eating and exercise)


*Live the Debt-Proof living way.



See, nothing about running. But that 3rd one down? The one that has exercise in it? That's what did it. In January Renae sent me an email about a class starting up by one of her favorite fitness instructors for only $20 a month. The class started in February and it almost killed me. I didn't think I'd continue. But I did. The cost of the class went up a few dollars the next month and still I went (instead of using it as an excuse to stay home like I really wanted to!). I didn't love it at first and I ended almost every class with my face flushed a fabulous shade of burgundy. I was out of shape and overweight. I'm not sure why I subjected myself to this because the only group fitness I have done has been AFTER I got in shape on my own so I could look good when I got there. I guess I am growing up and I was really doing this for me and not caring what anyone else thought of me. Sometime in March our instructor Natalie started talking about the upcoming Fargo Marathon that included a half marathon and a 5k in May. Renae committed to run the half marathon and Salena and I decided to run the 5k. Somewhere along the way I lost Salena. On my own I trained for 5 weeks following a training schedule that I found online and working hard to get in shape. From April first to May 9 I lost about 10 pounds and I found that I like running and that I really liked my twice weekly exercise class. Up until the week of the race I was still planning on doing the 5k as a run/walk. In all of my training I just hadn't been able to push past 2 miles without having to slow to a walk. My goal was 45 minutes. Just two days before the race on Thursday evening I ran around Lake Alice with Salena's husband Steven. We ran 2 miles together and walked 1 mile. He helped me with my pacing, telling me to slow down if I needed to but to just keep running. He said I could run the whole thing. The morning of the race I drove to Fargo with Renae and had another awesome pep talk with her assuring me that I could indeed run the entire way. And guess what? I did it! I finished in 39 minutes and 20 seconds, almost 6 minutes under my goal! It was the best feeling ever! I loved it. And now I'm hooked. My goal for this past Saturday was to shave 30 seconds off of my time to come in under 39 minutes. Instead I shaved off almost 2 minutes, coming in at 37 minutes and 30 seconds. The course was harder and the day was hotter and I still did it! It is amazing to me that I can do this because I really feel like I am going to quit any second after about a mile and a half. It is a lot of mental mind work for me and of course I know that Heavenly Father is helping and blessing me every step of the way. I have and awesome support system and wonderful cheerleaders, both at my races and in my life! I plan on running 2 more 5k races this summer. My next goal is 35 minutes. I am working up to a 10k and possibly the half marathon in Fargo next May. I have never been a runner. It isn't something that I ever aspired to do. But just look at me go!

Here I am in the middle in green and black at the beginning of the race.

I just crossed the finish line and saw my time. Happy, happy, happy!