Run Forrest Run

I have to say, I have been the worst at blogging lately. However I am going to try my damnest this month to make up for October's lack of posting.  But in true Jean fashion of being up to date on things,  I am going to write about something that happened in October...I ran a 5K, an no, I was not being chased!  Well that's actually a lie b/c Tom was chasing me for a short period during my run.  About 2 months ago I signed up to run this 5K called The Halloween Howler.  It was a "Fun Run" taking place in Battersea Park, but if you ask me, there is nothing "fun" about running. I claim I signed up for it a moment of hysteria when I was stressed on my first day at a temp job. The thought I had in my head after I calmed down was that I could always not do it.  It was about a month before the run and I thought that was a good amount of time to train, but I was tired from temping and then I had a friend visit and time escaped me. Two weeks before the run was the first time I put in my sneakers trainers and hit the pavement.  I made it about half way around the 1st loop (in the run we had to run 2 loops in the park) and walked the remainder of the loop. I was proud of myself for even getting that far. I am the girl who in all the years of school we had to run the dreaded mile, I would either fake an asthma attack, (I dont have asthma) lie and say I was 1 lap ahead of where I really was, or not dress for class that day and then when I was supposed to make it up say I already did it.  I ran every day for a week in training for this 5K, took Sunday off and then started again on Monday.  I ran 2 days the 2nd week and began to tell myself I wasn't going to do it.  Well, Tom was not having my excuses AT ALL and kept telling me that I was not going to quit. Even up until the night before the event I was still saying that I wasnt going to do it, but I dont like to be a quitter so I did what my father would tell me to do..."suck it up and deal."

So there I was at 6:30pm with a hundred or so other runners all dressed up (I didn't not partake in the fancy dress) and "ready" to run. Tom met me at the start and pretty much ran with me along the way.  He was my saving grace in this run, every time I would stop to walk (yes, I did walk some) he would give me a point as to where I would start running again..."Ok Jean, at the next lamp post you are going to start running. or At that sign up there start running again." He was high fiving me after every K marker, at one point he was literally pushing me along the path. He was excellent moral support!  I ran across the finish line at just seconds past the 40 minute mark very proud of myself and quite tired (and beet red) as well.  After all the bitching and moaning about this run I successfully completed it!  I hope to keep running, although with the weather getting so cold now and it being dark so early its a little unmotivating. I have no plans to sign up for another run yet, but stay tuned, you never know...I surprise myself daily!