Virtual 5K Completed!

This week has been a tough one for me.  I'm having a difficult time giving up the bad eating habits that are slowly (quickly) creeping back into my routine. And on top of that, I've been having stomach issues on and off all week (pretty sure it's something I'm eating).  So avoiding  the "comfort eating" has been a major challenge.  Yep, even with not feeling good, my first thought is food... if I eat just the right food, I will feel better.  That never happens, but doesn't stop me from trying! 

Because of not feeling well, my 30-minute walks have been hit or miss, I haven't been stretching, and there has been a lot more "couch time."  All of that started wearing on my self-esteem, and the self-doubt and negative thoughts started.  

Yesterday morning, I had had enough.  I woke up early, my mind racing, so I got out of bed at five am and decided that I was going to continue on, despite not feeling well.  I got up, did some chores, read Day 67 of the 100 Days of Weightloss book, then packed up so I could go to the scrapbook crop (first live crop since February/early March).  Saturday is our grocery shopping time, so I was at Walmart at 7 am, got the shopping done and back home before 8 am.  I still wasn't feeling great, but after talking with Hubby, we decided I should take my temperature, just to rule out the possibility that my stomach issues were more than a disagreement with the foods I was eating.  

Ugh!  I was running a slight temperature.  Pre-Covid, I wouldn't have given it a second thought.  Now... now you don't risk meeting up with friends with even a "slight" temperature.  Hubby suggested taking some ibuprofen and lying down for an hour to see if that knocked it down or if the slight temp difference was a fluke.  Nope, when I took my temperature an hour later, it was a tad higher.  *Sigh*  That meant no scrapping with friends, which added to my already spiraling mood.  I decided I would scrapbook at home and would "Zoom" the class I was missing.  Not the same as being there, but did help to improve my attitude.  I spent nearly the whole day scrapbooking and even got out for a slow walk with Hubby (Hubby is having an issue with his ankle and is in a boot, so the walk was slow).  I didn't overeat during the day because I was focused on scrapbooking and ordering pictures for the scrapbook pages.  Once I was done scrapbooking, ready to relax and watch TV, I made some popcorn... and ate it while watching TV, so ate mindlessly...  

I had been planning for a week to do the virtual 5K walk today.  I started going back and forth on actually doing it because of not feeling well, and not walking or stretching much during the week.  But I got up this morning and decided I would do it.  

I've had quite a few people offer to do this walk with me and I was going to take someone up on the offer, but this morning I realized I needed to do this by myself.  I needed to prove to myself that I am not the same person I was three months ago.  I have changed and completing this distance would prove that.

I did a few stretches, got my walking shoes on, earbuds hooked up, the race app open, and was ready to go.  So out the door I went.  

The air quality was good, a cool 56° degrees with a slight wind, and the sun starting to really shine.  A near perfect morning for a walk.  As I started out, the route is mainly downhill for about a quarter mile, so I started out a good clip.  And continued with that pace throughout the walk.  I also "jogged" across the cross streets and driveways. Near the 2 mile mark, I have to cross a set of railroad tracks and I could see a train (sitting, but they often stop then continue), so I "jogged" to get over the tracks before the train started moving again.  After that, I hit the dirt trail, a trail I have run hundreds of times while training for half marathons.  The thought of running got my feet moving and I did even more "jogging" (I keep putting the jog/jogging/jogged in quotes, because it's more of fast paced shuffle than a jog).  The last part of the walk was uphill, but I focused on how close I was to finishing.  I realized I was going to be able to complete this 5K under 60 minutes.  Something I didn't think I would be able to do.

I finished the 5K (3.1 miles) in 55:41, with an average pace of 17:55.  Which is one of the best pace times I've had since I started walking in July.  

I have now proved to myself I can do this.  And I can do this when I'm not feeling well.  I can do this without tracking and obsessing over every calorie going in (and out) of my body.  

Most of all, this has given me hope that I will be able to run again.