Kickstart My Heart

to quote the band Bowling for Soup's awesome song, 1985, "when did Motley Crue become classic rock?"
I ran in a 5k this morning, to benefit cancer patients in the Sioux Empire. In my role as a financial advocate, I see first hand how these folks benefit from these funds-wigs, nutritional counseling, one on one sessions with a cosmotologist to help deal with some of other other, less obvious side effects of chemo, and a library for use by patients and their families. Its a truly great cause, and I was honored to have the opportunity to run.
I made a decision a few months back that I was going to do something so radical in my life that it was going to kickstart my life on a lot of levels. I started running again. I used to run years ago, but a lot of injuries (most notably tearing all the ligaments in my right knee in 1998, which laid me up for a very long time and caused me to develop blood clots in that leg)made me stop. I lost that very competitive edge I had in my 20's. I decided that I was going to train for a 5k, and what better one than the Race Against Breast Cancer.
So, as loyal readers of this blog know, I've been attempting to train since January, and I really stepped up the training about 6 weeks ago. I do my yoga daily dozen every morning faithfully, and that allows me to move somewhat painfree. I've been hitting the treadmill a lot, and really working on building endurance. I wouldn't exactly say that I've been overly dedicated to training as much as I should have been, but I did make a big dent in it. As of yesterday morning, I figured that I would complete the 5k-3.1 miles in English measurements-in a little over an hour (that would be about a 20 minute mile). My best time had been a 17 minute mile previously, and that was almost a fluke.
Today, I really outdid myself. I completed the 5k in 49.5 minutes, which was 14 minutes ahead of the pace I had planned for. It is a personal best. At the one mile marker, my split was 8:01, but then I encountered a lot of hilly terrain and I had to slow down. Overall I averaged about a 15 minute mile. Not too bad for a rookie! I was so proud of myself for what I accomplished today. It wasn't just about running or hitting my personal best (basically obliterating it!).
It was so much more.
I proved to myself today that I could set a big goal and accomplish it. Today, I did it. The last few weeks have been pretty heady for me, between elected PTO president, being named as Director of Youth Ministry at my church, and all the other awesome things that have happened to me of late. But today really stands out because I proved not only to myself but to a lot of other nay-sayers in my life that I could do this. I could accomplish a lot of things in my life on a lot of different levels.
After finishing my 5k, I wandered around WalMart with my family. Then I put the groceries away, rested a little bit and went to softball practice (that needs a lot of work, but its all good). Now I'm watching my boys with thumbs play wii, and I am cuddled up on the couch writing.
Tomorrow is Mother's Day and I wonder what they have planned. I would like to go to bruch, and I have hinted at it big time. Chevys would be nice, but I am the only one who eats Mexican. For my sunday school kids, they are going to decorate clay pots and plant a flower for mother's day. I think I've earned my flower this year :)
I've got a double header in softball monday night, my youth leaders are coming over on Tuesday. Wednesday is youth group. Thursday I currently don't have anything planned (phew!) and Friday is getting ready for the PTO BBQ we're hosting on Saturday. I'm going on the class field trip with the little man on Monday, and Tuesday is Field Day. Thursday I have my NICU meeting, and tons of work to catch up on from having a crazy week (two half days back to back). I also have an ultrasound scheduled for Wednesday morning.
I lead a crazy life, but its mine and I rather enjoy it. I am finding creative ways to keep up with the housework. I do want to clean off the server in the dining room, since its covered in the big man's paperwork, and other clutter. Tomorrow's goal. The rest of the house is in ok shape, but the downstairs needs to get cleaned up by next weekend. I'm really trying to keep things up every day, but it seems that I get sidetracked sometimes. Well, most of the time really. I do try to plan out meals, but that doesn't always work out (at least I try). I did buy some healthy stuff for lunches today (Asian veggie burgers and my fake chicken strips for salad) so I should be good shape with that. I just struggle with the healthy choices on a daily basis...
After today, I feel like I can accomplish anything I set my mind too...and that race was living proof. Now if I can only hit a ball into the outfield, I'll be good to go!