So yesterday was my first 5K for October. It was the Oktoberfest 5K hosted by Maryland’s own Jost Running! The charity for this run is the Midwest Food Bank. There was a 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon option. As you can tell, I just opted for the 5K option. I’ve only been running again for a month. I doubt my body is ready for a 10K. Maybe next year!
My time came out to 36:45, which is slower than my last 5K time. However I had a few elements going against me. It was COLD! Last week we had gorgeous weather in the 80s. Yesterday? 50s and cold! Actually towards the end of my run, it started to rain. Cold rain. So not the best conditions, and that may have slowed me down. However the point is I still finished!
Okay, I admit… I was not familiar with the Midwest Food Bank when I signed up. As you know, most charities I run for help benefit the military, veterans, and first-responders. Look at that medal though! That is some cool running bling right there! Plus it’s a bottle opener LOL! I can’t wait for it to arrive. So I get a cool medal with a bottle opener and a the Midwest Food Bank receives a donation? Win win if you ask me!
So remember how I said I was going to cut back till my knees felt better? I lied. I ended up signing up for another Wounded Warrior Project race (The Heart of America), as well as another race to benefit the USO. So with those two, I have another Wounded Warrior Project race, the Warriors of Steel for The Semper Fi Fund, and then I’m also running in the National Veterans Day Run to benefit Folds of Honor Foundation.
So I think I might actually buy one of those cool medal and bib hangers/holders I see on etsy and other online retail shops. I think I might be addicted to charity runs. Not only am I getting a good workout in, but I’m also giving back to the community and helping others at the same time.
I know I always say this… but if any of my readers are runners, I would love to hear your suggestions on how I can reduce or prevent any pain. I’m still icing, so that helps ease it a bit. I mean my knees aren’t in horrible pain, however less pain would be nice! Thank you!
All opinions are 100% my own.
my husband will be so jealous! He wants to run one of these 5ks that do charity work! But every time they have something scheduled in our area, he has a finals test scheduled the same day and time to take for school and haven’t been able to do it yet.
Wow I would so like to complete a 5K run, you have really done something great! Perhaps one day I will be able to do one, I would love to do it for Breast Cancer research.
My husband runs marathons. Really good shoes help! Like ridiculously expensive made just for YOUR feet kindof shoes. And making sure you warm up AND down. He is seriously a bit neurotic about his running!
I cannot wait to have this baby and then get back to preparing to do 5Ks. I loved doing them! But I could use some tips as well!
I usually tape up my shins with a kinesiology athletic tape before a long run to prevent shin splints, because that’s what my problem always is, but I’m sure it would help your knees too! I youtubed how to tape up my shins, so I’m sure you can find instructional videos on how to tape up your knees. Other than that, if I’m in pain after a run I take a hot epsom salt bath and then use ace wraps and wrap whatever aches and ice it for 20 minutes. If it’s really bad I’ll take a tylenol before the bath so that it kicks in around the time that I’m icing.
I don’t run, but seeing how much you love it (even though your knees don’t) makes me wanna give it a go!
When I first took up running my knees were hurting so much! I went to Road Runner Sports where they offer free insole fitting- it was this awesome process of video recording you walking on a treadmill to see how you step as well as measuring your instep and what not. I was fitted with insoles, put them in shoes to try on, and the minute I started walking in them the pain was gone. It had gotten to the point where my knees were hurting me even when I was sitting! I don’t know if there would be a RRS near you, or another runner’s store that would offer that kind of service, but I HIGHLY recommend it!
ALSO: Stopping by because we did the 5K as well! Isn’t it a great medal? I can’t wait to get it in! I’ve actually started a wall where I print up pictures from our events and hang them on a wall, I just hang our medals randomly on the wall, and I’ve been putting T-shirts into embroidery hoops, and hanging them too… what do the call it, a gallery wall? Well, we’ve got a running gallery wall! It creates holes all over the wall, but beat me having to buy one of those hangers!