In a new four-part series, self-confessed couch potato Marie starts a new exercise regime in an effort to ditch her lazy habits, get fit and complete the Rainbow Run 5k at the end of June.
Week Four: Getting Over The Finish Line
After I went MIA last week, you may have been forgiven for thinking that I had either chickened out of the race at the last minute or suffered such a humiliating defeat that I couldn't bear to write about it but in fact, I was taking some well-deserved (if I do say so myself!) holidays.
And luckily, I had something to celebrate... I did it!
I, who got slightly out of breath every time I ran up the stairs, completed my first 5K in just under 20 minutes and to be honest, I really enjoyed it!
Starting your training journey with a fun event is definitely a top tip as the atmosphere at the Rainbow Run was absolutely brilliant. On arrival, me and my fellow walkers, joggers and sprinters doused each other in coloured powder while a great band (Spring Break, check em out!) got us pumped up with some 80s and 90s favourites.
The sun was out and Dun Laoghaire was looking well but as we gathered to do a warm-up before the off, the nerves started to kick in.
You see, as I had progressed over the last few weeks, my goal changed from being able to finish the race without a coronary incident to managing to run the entire 5K without a walking break - something I had never managed to do previously. I kept this little goal to myself in case I failed miserably and with the high temperatures on the day, I began to doubt whether this was realistic.
I didn't have too much time to think about it and before long, I was starting my run with the thousands of other participants and concentrating on finding a steady rhythm that I could maintain for the duration. I've always trained with music on but I hit my first hurdle when my chosen pair of headphones decided to keep falling out of my ears. Deciding that the irritation of this outweighed the benefits, I abandoned the tunes and ploughed on.
Mistakingly thinking that the 'colour bombing' spots along the route (where volunteers pelted runners with coloured powder) each marked a kilometre, I was delighted with my progress as I entered the 'home straight', only to realise that I was only halfway through the run. To make things even tougher, the light breeze decided to die down and I was left struggling to jog into a dead heat.
The addition of a stitch made me seriously contemplate taking a two-minute break but my stubborn streak came to the fore and I decided that I was going to finish this run as I had planned - even if it killed me. Huffing and puffing, I kept my eye on the prize and ran with renewed vigour for the next two kilometres. The weather gods obviously appreciated my efforts as the breeze picked up again for the last five minutes to help me over the finish line.
I had done it. I had ran my first 5K and honestly, I had never felt so warm, exhausted, sweaty and elated in my life. While this might be a nominal distance for many runners, it had previously seemed such an unattainable goal to me and I was totally overcome to have finally nailed it.
After a celebratory 99 and a stroll by the seaside, I enjoyed an early night and went to sleep with a smile on my face and dreams of, one day, maybe even conquering that elusive 10K.
Thanks a mill to Clodagh and all at Vodafone for their support over my 5K journey, to the brilliant Alan Stewart at Flyefit, the organisers of the Rainbow Run and to you lovely readers for joining me over the past few weeks. And if you're thinking of signing up for a similar race, do it - I promise you won't regret it!
Marie is training for the Rainbow Run using the new Samsung Galaxy 5s, courtesy of Vodafone. The Samsung Galaxy S5 is available in black, white or gold on Vodafone Red bill pay, with a Gear Fit worth €199 at half price on selected plans, as well as Spotify Premium and extra data. See http://www.vodafone.ie/offers/samsung or http://www.vodafone.ie/spotify for further details.
For some fitness inspiration, check out Alan's Instagram here. 
