Countdown to Disney Princess Half Marathon

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Pre-race jitters

I am so happy to have had two pain free runs this week!  I am so excited that I signed up for another race. My sister-in-law Sindi, my mom, and I will be running the Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo 5k tomorrow morning.  When I first read about this race, I had wanted to sign up for the 10k, you actually run through the inside of the zoo.  I need to get some longer distance races under my belt tiara before the Princess Half Marathon.  Since I am just starting back this week, I figured a 10k was a pressing my luck and increasing my chances of re-injuring myself.

Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo will be my 6th 5k, and yet I am still nervous.  I thought the more races I did the less nervous I would be.  I suppose the nerves aren't nearly as bad as when I started out back in April. I got up that morning and I felt sick to my stomach, I forced myself to eat half of a dry bagel and walk around the block to warm up.  I took 3 Pepto Bismol tablets before we left home, and I tucked one in my bra just in case  brought one with me just in case.  I made my husband promise to have his phone handy and volume all the way up, in case I needed him to pick me up and drive me to a bathroom.  I ran my first 5k with my good friend Mandy, who has been running for quite some time, yet, she stayed with me the whole time.  I finished within all of my goals, which were, to finish the race in 40 minutes and to not be dead last in my age group.  With each race, (except my last race in August, when it was 94 degrees and I was running with an knee injury) my times have improved and the length of time I run, compared to walk, increases.  So, why am I so nervous for tomorrow?
Mandy and Me at the finish line of my first 5k!

If I was completely honest with myself, I think I am nervous that my knee will hurt when I push myself to my limits in the race.  Part of me says, I am not running to race anyone, so take it slow and easy and enjoy the run with my family.  Another part of me, says I am racing myself, and if I don't get a PR (personal record) I will be disappointed.  I do have enough sense to stop and walk if my knee hurts.  Somewhere in these last few months of running, I found a new side of me that wants to do best every time I lace up my running shoes.  The old me would have probably given up completely when my chiropractor told me "the best way to get your knee to stop hurting is to stop running altogether, running is too hard on your body".  While I will agree running is hard on my body, but it has done the most amazing transformation on my body.  So, tomorrow morning send up some prayers and good vibes my way for a pain free run and no emergency potty breaks and a new PR too!
~Princess Janie

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