#34. Run a 5k

It's funny to be writing about running a 5k after completing my first half marathon last June.  When I started this blog, I was not a runner, and well, I'm still not. Running a 5k seemed like a lofty goal, and then my crazy self decided to run a half marathon.

I didn't want to "cheat" the list and cross #34 off with my half marathon, cause they are not the same. And I'm glad I didn't.  I actually had two great 5k experiences earlier this year.

First, in February, Dan and I made a trip over to Bend because he had to take a training class for the National Guard's Youth Challenge Mentor program.  It was a one day class, so we went on Friday night to stay with our friends, Kelly & Cody, for the weekend.  On Saturday, while Dan was in his mentor training class, and Cody was working away (he's a CPA and was mid-way through tax season), Kelly somehow convinced me to do the Sunriver Run for Chocolate 5k. I think when I said yes, I'd only heard the chocolate part, and not the run part.

We had a great time though. I couldn't run the whole thing, for a couple of reasons... it was freezing cold that day, it actually snowed on us, I hadn't really been training for running, and I was at the tail end of a minor cold, which I think hurt my breathing ability.  Oh and the elevation too.  I felt the elevation impact during my half marathon, which was also at Sunriver.

Getting snowed on at the finish line

Regardless, we ran/walked the course, and it was lots of fun and the perfect warm up for the Shamrock Run, which was exactly one month later!

Kelly and Me

Britt and Ian have been doing the Shamrock run for a couple of years because Adidas is a major sponsor and I invited myself to join them this year.  Dan was our official driver and cheerleader and dropped us off downtown.

We were not in our right minds at all, and had him drop us off downtown way too early. We had to stand in the freezing cold rain for about 40 minutes or so. So we did what Brittney and I do best... took pictures of course!

Brittney and Ian

Me and Brittney

Not to mention that we were far back from the start line, so when the race really did start, it still took us a few minutes to get over the start line.

Where's Brittney?                .... There she is!

The Shamrock Run was a completely different type of 5k for me than the Run for Chocolate.  First off, I was able to run the whole thing, except for when we were about to cross the Max tracks and a train came and stopped everyone in the race completely. It was a bit of a bummer, because I lost my first place lead at that point.

Even the big hill toward the end wasn't as hard as I was thinking it would be. I could tell that compared to the Run for Chocolate, I was in much better shape, I was healthier, while it was cold while we waited to start, it wasn't below freezing like it had been in Sunriver, and I'm sure being at sea level again made it easier as well.

Either way, both races were super fun to do, with very fun people, and I've decided that 5k runs are more my style than half marathons, although I'm not completely opposed to another half some day. some day.