When I found out we were moving to Germany one of the first things that came across my mind was how am I going to be able to race?? And of course am I going to even want to without my running buddies?? I don’t run to place, I run for fun and having friends to go along and run with you makes it so much fun, especially since we always make a day of it with shopping and lunch etc… I knew it just wouldn’t be the same.. BUT I quickly learned that it wasn’t going to stop me
About the third day we were here I saw a sign for a Jingle bell 5k run… and even before my sister could point and say” look they are having a 5k” I was already committed to doing it in my mind… without even thinking.. it was one of those “you know you are a runner when” moments
Even though I had already committed in my head I knew I was going to need to do some preparation… I had only run a few times when I was on “vacation” and I knew that adjusting to a new routine in a new country with a house to unpack and kids to care for were going to make getting me to run a challenge.. especially since I also happened to be roughly 16 weeks pregnant ;) I had been making attempts to stay active during my pregnancy since my midwife had not only given me the ok, but encouraged it. I knew quite a few moms (including my missed running buddy jenny) who had run through most of their pregnancies and said it was great. My only issue was since quitting my job for the move I had kind of been on full out vacation mode… and of course taking advantage of the fact I was finally a stay at home mom. I figured hey now that I’m in Germany I can get on a schedule and get my run on! (hahaha omg the voices in my head are laughing so hard at how naive that statement was) Well needless to say I havn’t run since I got here, but I have been staying active. Almost every day I have to walk to the store to get milk, the walk is shortish but it involves a massive hill and a few smaller hills that always leave me short of breath, especially since though I’m walking, my kids are on their scooters therefore can go really fast! I figured that walk combined with the thousands of stairs I do each day (our house is compacted onto three floors and I find myself constantly going up and down stairs to the kids bedrooms the kitchen etc) I would be ok to run the 5k EVEN if I had to walk at a few points… like I said I’m not in it to win it ;)
Well race day came, and my husband was being a total hater! I had been dropping hints that I wanted him to come with the kids… he could push the kids in the stroller or he could hang out and let the kids play while I race, really I wanted SOMEONE there so I didn’t feel so lonely on my first race in my new home… he had a million excuses why he shouldn’t come and even had a few for why I shouldn’t go (maybe it wasn’t hate, maybe it was concern since he knew I hadn’t run since arriving in Germany) but I was determined to get to this race and do it no matter what!! And of course when the time came I managed to get him and the kids in the car and of course we left later then I planned… because its hard to get three kids dressed and loaded in the car, especially when one of those kids is a 200lb 30 year old ;)
But of course we made it with 15 minutes to spare! I hadn’t pre-registered so I wasn’t sure what paperwork there was to fill out, or even what the parking situation was (we hadn’t been to this base yet) Since it was a fun run I just had to sign my name and viola I was registered! I took a few minutes to stretch and warm up, drink some water, and make sure I got a pre race pic!!
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| Pre race!! and I assure you my belly is much bigger, vic just picked a good angle ;) |
I had of course forgot my garmin so I made my way to the back of the start line… I know I ALWAYS start too fast, and with being pregnant I was hoping to use my garmin as a pacer to ensure I went slow enough but hey I guess I just had to wing it!!
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| I'm the black blob in front of the stroller |
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| I"m the black blob last person, last cluster of people after I slowed down and got my pace |
Of COURSE the gun went off without any warning which startled me as I was fiddling with my ipod trying to find a good song to get me off right (ended up being black eyed peas just can’t get enough) and of course I ended up going to fast… but since I was ensuring I was listening to my body today I gradually slowed myself down and found a rhythm that worked for me and my “belly”. The first thing I realized I needed to get used to was the temperature!! I ran in Vermont all thru the winter growing up (or well since 6th grade when I joined the cross country team and discovered my love for running) anyways my legs felt like they had lead in them…. They were cold! I guess I need to do a better job warming up next time!! Once I was running for a bit the cold numb feeling went away and I could finally feel normal!! Also within the first half mile I came to a hill… and decided to slow to a walk.. I remember how much the hills where my dad lived kicked my tail and I was only 12 weeks at the time,, and in better shape then me now at almost 22 weeks and in worse shape… definitely didn’t want to push myself too hard ;) but even with walking the hills and jogging the flats and downhills I felt… pretty f&*king GOOD!!!! Like why the flip had I allowed myself to get so lazy???!!! I LOVED running belly or not!!
It’s a good thing I was enjoying myself… and that didn’t have my garmin to constantly look at because this course was windy… and almost like a maze at some points.. it was run down the road turn around come back up, loop the parking lot, come back down but take a left… cross the road… go down the hill… loop around, come back up… you get the idea!! Anyways if I had my garmin I think I would have just felt like I wasn’t covering any mileage especially since I was moving so slow, and since for at least ¾ of a mile the course was an uphill, so of course I was walking… ensuring I didn’t get short of breath.
I had told victor to expect me to finish the course in 45-50 minutes since even though I didn’t know what the course was, I knew the pace I was planning on keeping… I came to the finish line in 43 minutes… which makes me thing that at the beginning of the race when they said the race was “roughly a 5k” it really meant it’s NOT a 5k but you know what… I didn’t have a garmin to tell me otherwise so I’m going to take my 43 minute 5k finish time at almost 22 weeks preggo and be ESTATIC!! :D
