Week 3, Day 1

Another not so fun day, but, then again, there's not a whole heck of a lot that IS fun about running except the assurance that I'm doing something good for my health and that's what keeps me going.

Today was the Tim Hargis Race to Cure Cholangiocarcinoma, a 5K organized by the family of Tim to raise funds and awareness for this rare form of cancer. Tim is our 6th grade guys Life Group teacher; he taught Chandler over 10 years ago, and his wife, Ann, was Waverly's Mom's Day Out teacher this past fall and spring, so they have a special place in our hearts and the heart of our youth group.

A few months ago, I decided that the youth needed to get involved in this event in some way. So, we started promoting the race and offered our students the opportunity to purchase TEAM TIM shirts that we would tie-dye. Almost 60 students and adults signed up for the shirts and last week we had a tie-dye event. It was a blast and 100% of the money we raised went toward the Cholagiocarcinoma Foundation. Today, we all wore our shirts and walked (or ran) for the cure!

I set out with every intention of walking the entire 3 miles, while Chandler wanted to run at least a mile. Which he did, then circled back and met up with Wave and I. The temperature climbed fairly steadily over those couple of hours and I suggested that we go ahead and get our training out of the way for the day, knowing full well we wouldn't be running later with the temperature rising in the mid-80s.

We did. And it kicked my butt... again. Of course, the butt kicking came as no surprise. I'm pretty used to it by now. What does come as a surprise is the change up in the middle of our routine. I expect a 1.5 minute run, but I start dying, thinking it's the longest minute and a half of my life, until I look at the app and it was a 2.5 minute run. Quite honestly, I'd rather not know what the training will look like for each day because someone like me, who hates working out, just counts down that time and what is more miserable than constantly looking at the clock? Anyway, doesn't it move slower when you do that?

The last 2.5 minute run caught me with a huge cramp in my ribs; I couldn't even move my shoulder to move my arm. I really need to drink more water before I run. So, we deviated from the plan for the day and just walked until the pain subsided, then jogged across the finish line.

We did it. And it wasn't easy. But we did it.