5km Time Smash

I love setting goals.  But the best part of setting goals is achieving them.  It is truly satisfying.

When I started setting goals last year (2011) I had on there to run a 5km race. I didn’t set a time.  I set a distance.  5km seemed far, well from a none runner, but totally doable.
The race that I ended achieving this goal at was Run for the Kids, which was back in April 2012 (it was 5.2km).  I ran that race in 28mins (something).
I have since then had other running goals.  One of those particular running goals was to run a sub 25min 5km.  That means having an average pace of 5min’s per km.  Sounds doable, right?

Well 25th August 2012, I achieved that goal.  It was the SAAC 5km sealed handicap.  (Sealed meaning that everyone starts at the same time, this has it’s advantages because it means you can push yourself to run that much harder to try and keep up to the person in front.)
The run was up in the Ironbarks in Stawell.  Home ground advantage because I run in this area all the time.  I didn’t run this particular course before, but I have run parts of the tracks at various stages, so I was familiar with the course overall.

So I ran, and I ran well.  A new personal best (pb) in fact.  My end time was 23:42.  BOOYEAH! That goal was my bitch and I SMASHED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not only did I get a fantastic time, I also ended up winning the handicap.  I was completely shocked and surprised by it actually, but I was very happy.  Means I get to be in the local paper again, so that will get filed away once it’s printed.

Race – SAAC S & K Watson 5km Championship by matilda_i at Garmin Connect – Details.

There is also one other thing that I need to mention.  I decided to run from the club house to the start line (approx 2km).  I wasn’t going fast, I was going at an easy steady pace, my warm up.  I ran with some other runners, and we got a chatting.  Two of those runners actually asked me if I had lost more weight.  I told them no I hadn’t (cause it’s true I’ve been hovering around the same weight for a while now).  They both told me I was looking skinny.  This was a big thing for me because I have never felt skinny (ever), but that fact that other people are telling me this means that I must be doing something right.  It was a good feeling.
After the race (before presentations), I got asked again (but 2 other people) if I had lost more weight.  Again I had to say that I hadn’t.
Today I got some progress pictures taken (because it has been a while since I’ve taken any)

There are not a lot of full body photo’s of me (mostly head shots and loads of my kids), so today when I saw the photo’s I could actually see my achievements, I can actually see that I’m skinny!

So another achievement made, another goal crossed off the list.

It is possible

This is me 31st Dec 2009 | Early Jan 2010

I was about 78-80kg at the time.  I was not happy.   I may have appeared happy but I was miserable in all area’s of my life.

It wasn’t until around this time last year that I decided to do something about my life, to really take control over it.

Sure losing weight was a huge part of it.  But the other part of it was really setting goals, and achieving them.

My Weight-loss Progress

The last set of photo’s.  Well they are from today.  My weight is anywhere from 63-64kg. My aim now is just to tone up.  I’m not fussed about the overall number, as I’m really happy with my achievements.  So yes it is possible.  You don’t have to lose weight fast (I didn’t, it took me a year to loose 15kg) to get results.  Just keeping pushing yourself, cause anything is possible.