Name: Ashley (Ashley’s Adventures in Alaska)
Location: Alaksa
Race: Frostbite Footrace 5K in Anchorage
Personal Tidbit: Hobbies include fly fishing, running, baking, and reading
In Her Own Words:
After deciding Friday morning to run the Frostbite Footrace 5k, I started getting nervous. Some of the many thoughts going through my mind: "What if I run even slower than the last race? What if I slip on the ice and fall? What if the pounding of running on the streets brings back the serious shin splints?" I almost convinced myself to not run it and just hit the treadmill for the 3 mile run I had planned.
I’m so glad that I didn’t. It ended up being a great race for me, and a great confidence booster! I needed that.
The race started off slow. There were about 800 people running, and we were all crammed at the starting line on a 2 lane street in downtown Anchorage. But after turning the first corner, I started making my way forward and getting into my own rhythm. I thought positive thoughts the entire run- something I normally don’t do. I usually get discouraged, but not this time. I am notorious for writing myself off before I ever give myself a chance, but am getting much better at not doing it! I listened to my new playlist of everything from Metallica’s "Cyanide" to Kelis’ "Milkshake." Random music, I know, but it works for me. :) I also wore my Garmin Forerunner 305– and loved it! It was instrumental in this race. I checked myself every few minutes, ensuring that I wasn’t running too fast OR too slow.
This course was 2 laps around a few blocks of downtown Anchorage, and it didn’t occur to me until I finished the first lap that I had a chance at running the race in under 30 minutes. (My previous races were for times of 35:52 in December and 34:40 last summer.) Once I realized I had a chance at making it in under 30, there was no stopping me. I was a woman with a mission! I gave it everything I had, and sprinted the last block. My time: 28:45. Woot!
This is why I run. This feeling of "OMG I did so well! I am so proud of myself!" that I have right now, and will have for the next few weeks. I joke that I run for the t-shirts. I joke that I run to burn the calories. But, I really run for me. I run for the confidence it gives me in everything I do. I run because I can, and it would be a terrible waste of my youth and body to not use it and push it hard. I run to prove to myself that I can do what I set my mind to. I started running last summer in 1/10 of a mile increments. I walk/ran/walk/ran/walk/ran my little heart out, covering a mile or two and cursing every step of it.
But I have come so far and am so proud of ME!
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Whoa girl! You knocked some serious minutes off of your 5K time! That’s such a great accomplishment! Way to go 😀