setting a goal and achieving

I started the couch to 5K training so that I would be in shape to run the remember the 10 Run. You see when I was at Stillwater I was friends with the majority of the basketball team. Largely thanks to a friendship with # 55 Jack Marlow's girlfriend. When the plane crash happened it was a sombering look at reality and mortality. Nate and Dan were on that plane. Nate and Dan were gone.

When the remember the 10 run was formed I promised myself that if I were ever in Oklahoma in April I would run. Two Aprils came and passed and I did not run. I decided that 2010 would be different. I was retired from derby and needed to be active. I would run this year.

I started off barely being able to run a solid 30 seconds. Now after 12 weeks I have two 5K's under my belt with designs on more in the future. Even toying with the idea of half marathons and full marathons.

The morning of the run was slow / chaotic/ and nerve wracking. I hadn’t slept well, rain was in the forecast and I was off and on deciding between running capris and a running skirt to wear for the run. The banana's served in the continental breakfast were unfit for consumption. As a result I ate half a bagel and a slight smear of cream cheese for breakfast. Then we were off to the Stadium. First let me say this the stadium is frickin HUGE. As a matter of fact the stadium ate 3 parking lots and a street! Hester Street is GONE! We parked by Bennett (my old dorm) and walked over. Evidently they have placed a basketball court outside my old dorm room window. That would have sucked when I was living there since we had no A/C.

First we stopped by the remember the 10 memorial, it was hard for me not to cry since this was the first time I had seen it in person. We still had some time to kill I wandered around the parking lot periodically adjusting one shoes laces after just fixing the other. At last it was 8:45 and time to line up for the 5K. I situated myself in the middle of the pack and with a shot from Pistol Pete's gun we were off.

My memories did serve correctly in that the first stretch up Hall of Fame was in fact UP HILL. In spite of this my first K was about a 7.15 pace and by far the quickest of the 5. I was in constant combat with a family that decided to run with two kids while all four of them were holding hands and taking up the entire lane of the road that was marked for running. This proved to be a great annoyance and likely fueled my decreased time just in wanting to get away from this family. At last we rounded the bend in the road on Western and the hill was briefly a down hill slope. I seized this opportunity to push a little harder and further. By this time my legs felt like they were on fire and I desperately wanted to walk but told myself to keep running till I hit the base of the next hill on Farm Rd. the next two K’s are a bit of a blur. I remember brief remarks I made to myself like “the dairy barn is gone” or “holy crap what happened to life sciences east”. At last I was back on Hester Street running toward Gunderson and would soon turn back toward the finish line. I was fiddling with my ipod excessively at this point trying to get Ride’em Cowboys playing as I was approaching the finish line but evidently did not sort this into my running play list like I thought I had.

Not to be deterred by this I saw the finish line and by god I was going to cross it with a smile on my face and running. I kicked it into high gear and plowed forward. I crossed the finish line, took my medal and said a quick “thank you” took another step and began to dry heave.

Dry heaving is a very, very new concept to me. It has never happened to me before when related to exercise. Well it did this time. I had no idea what was happening or what to do. I took several steps forward covering my mouth and looking for a curb to sit on. After what seemed like a eternity it subsided and the hubby found me. We went and said a quick hello to John Holcom and Doug Gottleib (who I knew from his time at O-State) before they started the interview.Then we headed back to the hotel to pack up and shower before the trip home.

#317 61/69 F2529 Laurie OK 42:34 8:31 42:08 571

It was nice and comforting to set out to do something at OSU and be able to complete it. You see I attended OSU for Freshman and Sophomore years but was unable to complete due to finances and then later marriage to a Sailor.

For me this was a test of wills and readiness. For me this says I am ready to finish what I started, I think I am ready to go back to school. I guess I will now look into the feasibility of taking a CC class this fall and getting back into the swing of things.