My First 5k!!

I am not an athlete.  I never have been, and never have been in particularly good shape, either.  Last spring, my friend Gretchen started a running group, and I decided to join in an effort to get those pregnancy pounds off.  So, running was hard.  It was painful, and I didn't really like it.  In the beginning, I could only run three or four minutes without having to stop and walk a little.  But gradually a funny thing happened.  Not only could I run farther without stopping, but I actually began to like to run!  It's a great stress reliever, I find, and it's so satisfying to begin to have gradual increased endurance. So, running a 5k is not like running a marathon, or a half-marathon, or a 10k.  But it was a beginning, and a big deal for me!  Don't worry; I'll not embarrass myself by putting a '3.1' sticker on my van.  (Do they even make those?!) :)  Last Saturday I ran in my first race.  Though it was certainly not fast or pretty, it was fun, and I did it!   

 Ruth, Gretchen, and I.  Gretchen (in green) has a little baby bump under her number.  She's amazing!

Here's the story behind the race.  Pray for this dear family, as they will always ache for their son.