My Saturday Run!!!!!!!

I have to post this because although for seasoned runners it’s nothing but I am so so proud of myself and I know those seasoned runners will know what I‘m talking about because at one point they too were where I was. I’ve taken up running, mostly because after my 3rd child my body just didn’t want to spring back as nicely or as quickly as it did with my first 2. I hate getting older. Anyhow - I don’t run for distance or speed just to stay in shape and be healthy. I ran a 5K in the spring - a mere 9 days after I started running - and did really well. Since then I’d go out 5 times a week or so and run just a little over 2 miles (end of my road and back). I live out in the country and there’s no traffic, no congestion and no noise - it’s wonderful! Brian is a big runner and runs often and far. He’s running in a 10 mile road race on the 17th and I decided that I wanted to run in the 5K the same day. Problem is the past 3-4 weeks I haven’t run at all. Why you ask? Well I could say it’s been the weather has been terrible, either too hot or pouring rain BUT the truth of the matter is I’ve been really lazy and I haven’t been able to conquer the hardest obstacle in the world of running and that was getting my sneakers on. Saturday I decided that was it - the race is in 2 weeks and if I wanted to run in it I had to make sure that I could at the very least still run that 2.something miles to the end of the road and back. I had CJ, my 8yo, get his bike and off we went. I had a little trouble regulating my breathing going up the bigger hill and couldn’t wait till I could turn around and get home but by the time I got to the bottom of the hill I felt rejuvenated! I told CJ to turn left where we usually turn around cause I wanted to run ½ more to the red barn. Well we got to the red barn and I told CJ to keep going and going and going. I knew that Brian would get worried eventually when I didn’t return home in my usual 22 minutes and I was right cause at mile 3 Brian pulled up and said that I panicked him. I continued running and told him to go home I was fine. At mile 3 ½ there was Brian again with a bottle of water and his running reflectors cause it was getting dark out. I grabbed the reflectors and put them on while running. Finally I was at the home stretch only a ¼ mile from home and CJ looks ahead and at the bridge that goes over our creek stands Brian, Aidan and Teagan all routing me on!!! Why? Because I ran 5.4 miles in just under an hour!!!! I did it and I did it without stopping or dropping my pace. When I went out I had no intention on running anything beyond my normal but it was amazing and my legs felt like air. Never once did I think to myself I’m not going to make it because I knew that I could. I’m ready for that 5K - I hadn’t run in a month and when I went out I more than doubled my normal running! I’ve never run that far before and again it’s not because I couldn’t it’s because I’m not in for the speed or distance but running that far felt awesome!