Remember, Just Do it

This past weekend I participated in the Red Ribbon 5k on October 21st, 2023. This was my 2nd race! 
​
The event is located in Hollister and was the 33rd annual celebration. Like many races it was meant to raise money for a cause. This was for drug free awareness and the slogan was, “Be kind to your mind. Live Drug Free.” The medal logo was cool and had a heart and brain hugging. All finishers received this medal. 

Competitors raced at 8:30 am. The weather was nice, in the 70s, and sunny skies. Thankfully it wasn’t rainy and super cold. The race started and ended in town, which was cool because the scenery kept changing. You weren’t just looking at the same street over and over, or the same track loop. We made sure to take photos before and after the race to be able to reminisce. 

I prepared by having a protein bar before the race. I didn’t want to get too full but wanted food in my stomach. I brought water and chugged it after the race. I didn’t want to have to pee during the race. Getting ready for a race takes balance, with your food and liquid. I added salt to my water also to give me some electrolytes.  The sodium can also help with muscle cramps. We warmed up our muscles by stretching. Stretching helps bring oxygen to the muscles which will help you with your energy and recovery. It was also important for me to get new running shoes to have better support. When you use your running or exercise shoes a lot, like I do, it is vital to trade them out. I came to the race in shorts and a tank top. 

I raced with a friend. I want to give a big shout out to Joan. I didn't need to have someone run with me but it made it more enjoyable. It was nice to know I wasn’t the only one struggling. There were lots of people behind me. Only two people were in front of me. But they were “Super Saiyan”. If you know Dragon Ball Z you will get the pun.  
​





After the race they provided a race day T-shirt as a souvenir to go with the metal. I just threw it over my shirt and was super sweaty. 

When I got back to the house I strutted around without a shirt on for a while.  I knew I was going to be sore because my legs were burning during the race. So I pushed through and kept going, taking time to walk when needed. I was so sore on Sunday but was feeling better by Monday. I drank a lot of water and stretched to reduce soreness and promote recovery. I also do ice baths often which I attribute to supporting my recovery time. 
​
I want to reiterate that getting oxygen to the blood is great for the brain. Weather that is if you run, jog, or walk. This is why I do things like this as often as I can. Even though there were lots of times I wanted to give up, I kept going. I believe that it will increase my endurance for next time. I continue to get stronger the more I work at it. Like they told me, I will never walk again, but here I was competing in my second race. From a wheelchair to today…. BOOM!

---