See Val Run

Hi, my name is Val, I am 32 years old and have been running for the past 2 years.  I began running in Spring 2012 and ran my first 5K that May.  I was never an athlete when I was younger, I was always one of the last stragglers to finish the mile run in grade school, always panting with a pain in my side as I finished. Flash forward 18 years (yikes!) as I see friends transform into runners.  One day I decided to try the Couch to 5K program and see what I can do.   I laced up my sneakers and drove to a nearby park where I liked to walk and went for my first run.  That first run was hard, and slow, and of course every time I heard the voice on my iPod tell me to run it was always uphill. I don't think I was able to keep running the entire time that I was suppose too, but I didn't give up. Slowly I began to increase my running component and about a week before my first 5K I was running a mile without stopping.

I love the area I live in, it's fairly flat with plenty of safe places to go for a run and there is almost always a 5K every weekend.  When I get lazy with my running I find a 5K and register for it.  Instant motivation.  I'm probably never going to win a race, but that's not why I run.  I run to clear my head.  I run to help me lose weight.  I run because I have learn to love to run.  I'm not the fastest and I'm not the slowest.  And I always have a new PR to beat.  Since I first began my running journey I have completed 12 5K's and have gone from my first race finishing with 12:49/mile to 10:58/mile.  Race number 13 is this Saturday and it is the same course as my first 5K.  It's also my first race since last October where I took a lot of time off from running because of injury and the terrible winter weather that we had.  My running buddy and I have been running 3-4 days a week since early March and we have lost some our stride, but after our run this afternoon it's on its way back.

So here are my goals for this week:‪#‎weeklychase‬

Goal #1: Run 3 times this week, not including Saturday's 5K

Goal #2: Stretch daily.

Goal #3: Log and stay within my points this week. I started Weight Watchers on Easter Sunday and have lost 6.1 pounds so far.

Goal #4: Cook most of our meals at home this week.  

Goal #5: Take at least 6 hours of online classes. I am taking my TECE1 &TECE2 online to become a certified Early Childhood teacher and have gotten behind in my classes.

Goal #6: Have a great race on Saturday.

So that's my plan for this week! 

Pictures from my first 5K.  May 19, 2012 Girls on the Run.