I'm not an elite runner, in any way, shape, or form.  I'm still just getting started, and have yet to run more than 7 miles.  And, I run the Galloway method of timed intervals alternating running and walking.  I'm not writing to give anyone tips on running techniques, or to brag about my wonderful finishing times.  I'm writing to hopefully encourage others like me out there who never believed they could run more than a 5K - which I never believed I could do until this year. 

It's been really cold this week, and on Saturday I did 6.5 miles in 17 degree weather.  I think my lungs got quite irritated in the process of breathing in that cold air for so long, but they're okay today.  I ran out of time to get the second of my runs in during the week, so the 6.5 miles might have been a little tougher because of it.  We just didn't know when the snow was going to come!  And after all the predictions, it never arrived at all.  Typical.

 

I ran on Sunday morning instead of Saturday morning because I ran my first official race for New York Road Runners club.  The NYRR 4M Gridiron Classic concluded my running distance nicely, because it was just over 2.75 miles to run from my apartment to the starting line around East 66th Street in Central Park.
I ran a consistent pace throughout the race, at 12:34 per mile in the end.  Near the finish I was strict about staying on the 2 to 1 intervals, but when the finish line was in plain sight and I was on a walking interval, I just ran the rest so that I could finish strong.  It was really kind of humbling to see people who had better times than I did, including both an 81 year old woman and a 9 year old girl.  I start in the last coral, I'm slow, but here's the thing: I'm 275 pounds, and that's just not easy to haul around such distances.
I know it's going to take time for me to lose this weight, and when I do, running will be easier.  Right now my quads need to be stronger so that this weight is easier to carry.  And, once I lose more fat, the strength in my legs will make me faster and able to do longer distances with more ease.
While I was sort of upset to see that I was very near the end of the pack (4972nd place out of about 5210 runners) it did help when Sara (my sister-in-law, a.k.a The Pink Turtle) reminded me that I beat the 8-something million New Yorkers that didn't even try.  That makes me feel much better about my results!

Team Turtle.  We're slow, but we're in it for the long haul!