80. Run a 5k.

No, your eyes are not deceiving you, I, Miss I absolutely hate running with a passion but secretly wish I loved it in the same way that I wish I really loved yoga and did it all the time, ran a 5k!  Well, I walked/ran a 5k, but HEY! I'll take it what I can get!

For whatever reason, there seem to be quite a few runners in my family [not sure if it skipped me or if I have the recessive gene, but all I know is that in order for me to really REALLY run, I'm either running for a bus or from a knife wielding serial killer - capiche?]

Anywho, my cousin Maria decided to get a group together to either a) run in the Ras na hEireann U.S.A 5k in Davis Square, b) meet up after for beers, or in the case of myself and Ratty c) do both.  I was made aware of this event at a baby shower, after I'd had a few mimosas, and allowed myself to be talked into running by my two sisters in law...sister in laws?  By Sybil and Christine.

Ratty signed up, I dragged my feet, until I finally bit the bullet and registered.  There was no turning back after that!  I was paying $35, getting a t-shirt and you better believe I was going to earn that medal and free beer(s) at the sponsoring bars after.  PLUS, I would be able to scratch this goal off my list!  I am not a runner, not at all, and even when I do run, which is rare, it's inside, in a controlled environment and on a 0.0 incline.

Now, I am not sure why I dislike running so much, it's not all THAT bad.  I've done the couch to 5k training before, I've done bootcamp on the BEACH at 5 in the morning [that was an experience I am glad I did but will NEVER do again] and can run pretty well until I get bored.  That's my problem, I always get bored.  I've heard it takes about 30 minutes before you click into that feeling that you could run forever, and unfortunately I always end up stopping before then.  I have asthma and even with my inhaler, I sometimes wheeze and wheeze and wheeze until I am forced to stop.

Well, I figured that I needed to at least TRY to run a 5k, or at least walk/run a 5k, and what better race to try than the St. Paddy's Day on in Davis Square.  I've always heard really awesome things about this race, Irish music blaring, people dressed up, bagpipers AND beer, plus my entire family was going - I really was left with no excuse.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I didn't really 'train'.  I went to the gym, ran a few times and did Zumba weekly, but I am not sure that constitutes as training - I don't think it does and judging by the fact I thought my lungs were going to explode at the first mile marker, I guarantee you that doesn't count as training.  In the days leading up to the race, Ratty would see me drinking a glass of wine and eating a cupcake and he would say 'is this part of your 5k training?'  Yes smartypants, it is.

So, enough about the plight of a 5k runner, let's get to the good stuff!  Ratty and I took it easy on St. Paddy's Day [say WHAT?!] so we were ready to go for the 11am start time on Sunday morning.  We arrived about at about 10:45am, met up with my mom, brothers, nieces, nephew, cousins, Aunts, Uncles...okay you get the idea, and hopped in with the crowd at the 12 minute mile flag.  I am not a fast runner and I was terrified I would accidentally end up in a super fast group, so I wanted to hang back to make sure I wasn't literally killed by the masses.

Ratty and I planned on running the majority of it together, but he's run 5k's before and was really interested in beating his other times, so I knew I would at some point get left in the dust...in the sweetest way possible.  I grabbed my iphone and threw in my earbuds and cued up Ke$ha 'We R Who We R' and put that baby on repeat for the entire race.  Oh yes, that's right, REPEAT.  I love listening to the same song over and over again, and I feel like when I am running I need to keep myself pumped up and energized.  If I put on a playlist I am constantly wondering what the next song will be, which makes it impossible to zone out.  Keeping the same song on repeat actually helps me, it might not make sense to you, but it does to me!

{O.M.G here we go!  I might not look it, but I was really nervous.  Like, butterflies in my tummy nervous.  God, why did I sign up for this again?} 

{I loved that this girl was wearing a Bridgewater t-shirt, she totally gets it.  And yes, in case you are wondering, the majority of people running were most definitely hungover.}

{Ratty is ready to rock, sweatband and all!}

The start of the race was on a gradual hill, I couldn't really tell when looking around, but I definitely FELT it.  It was unseasonable hot on Sunday, it broke the record and hit 75 - IN MARCH!  I was already starting to sweat and wheeze.  I'd used my inhaler before the race, but I irritated something and just couldn't catch my breath.  Passing the bagpipers was a definite boost to my morale!

We rounded up through Teele Square and headed towards Powder House Square [not like I expect any of you to know what I'm talking about] and I started to think that I might have to start walking.  Ratty told me later that he could hear me breathing heavily and he was hoping for my own sake that I had my music blaring so I wouldn't hear myself.  Nope, my music wasn't on yet, I could hear.  We came around the corner at Tufts and I was like, okay, we seriously must almost be done -right?  NOPE.  It was at that moment I saw the 1 mile marker sign.  A MILE!  That's it!  I immediately felt dejected and started walking.  That first mile was tougher than I expected and to learn that I'd only been running for 10 minutes and still had 20 minutes to go really did not sit well with me.  I decided to walk for a few minutes to catch my breath and get myself back into fighting shape. 

For the next mile or so I walked/ran, only walking for spurts of a minute or two.  The faster I run the faster I am done with this whole thing.  Might as well push myself through and get back to the bar!  I passed the water station, mentally scoffing at it but then immediately realizing I should have grabbed some, and turned the corner to head back towards Davis.  I never saw the second mile marker, which made me feel as if the race was going to last FOREVER, but I at least knew that Davis was close, meaning we had to be nearing the finish.  

There was one final hill before entering the home stretch and almost everyone chose to walk up it.  Man, it was a killer!  At the start of the hill there was this little kid with a sign that said GO AMY! [obviously meant for someone else, but hey, my name is Amy, GO ME!] so I tried to book it up the hill as fast as I could.  I made it about half way up before I decided to walk like the father pushing his twins in a stroller.  I mean, yes his walking was warranted, mine?...not so much.

BUT FINALLY, after making it to the top of the hill and turning the very last corner, I saw it. I saw the giant balloon arch and the finish line about 5 minutes down the road.  I was determined to run the rest of the way there, no matter how tired I was, no matter how much I wanted to walk, and trust me I WANTED TO WALK, but I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.

BOOM!  I finished in 37:49, which was a pace of 12:11.  Considering I pretty much walked the second mile, I am pretty proud of my time!  Ratty finished in 31:31!  Just a couple of runners, us two!

CHECK IT!