Running...

Well, I once commented on here how much I loved exercise endorphins. At that stage, I was running about 1 km home from work and doing some resistance training and felt like I was achieving something.

Earlier this year, I started running more often, this time on the treadmill, interval training - up goes the speed, up goes the incline, down goes the speed, up goes the incline.  I was pretty happy for a while as I was going 4 times a week and really noticing my endurance improving.  It was at this time, an email came around at work asking for people to nominate for the Shape Run 2011 - Singapore's only women only running event.  Usually I would delete these emails fairly promptly.  I have always been unathletic to say the least, would find excuses to skip PE at school and used to take short cuts through school fun runs, and had never thought I would be confident enough to sign up for a 5km run.  But, I was training, I felt good, and I had 8 weeks to prepare... so I did it.  I wrote back.  I downloaded the Couch-5km running plan, stuck it on my fridge.  And the next time I changed my computer password it became "5kms! eek" as a daily reminder that I had better keep running.

Sure enough. Work got busier.  Mason started waking again through the night.  My training regime went out the window, along with any endurance that had gone along with it.  I was lucky to run 1 or 2 times a week.  And that bloody computer password was a constant reminder that I hadn't been running and I was going to die.

I'm pleased to say, the Shape Run 2011 was this last weekend.  And I didn't die. 

I got up while it was still dark.  Pumped.  Dressed.  Made my way to the course start on Nicoll Highway.  And managed to find my colleagues among the 8000 odd women in aqua singlets who were all ready to go!

Here I am at the starting line with Maree:

I paced with Maree for about... 200m... and then realised I needed to find someone else to run behind.  I chased that girl with pink shorts for the majority of the 5kms, occassionally overtaking her when she'd stop to walk and then her getting back ahead when I'd slow down.  I beat her in the end.  Sorry pink shorts.

I crossed the finish line and I was quite proud of myself.  I finished in 32 mins and 31 seconds and came 223rd.  I know it's not a quick time, but it's definitely better than I thought! 

You wouldn't think you'd get a medal for 223rd place, but you do...

but then again, so did the chick that come 4000th!