AGAPE Run for a Mom Race Recap

May 12, 2012

I ran a lot more in the Joy to Life 5K, and I was determined to meet my goal of running without stopping at this 5K.

AGAPE Run for a Mom takes place each year on Mother's Day Weekend. Proceeds from this run help assist women facing crisis pregnancies and find forever homes for children. Many of the participants dedicate this run to their mothers or other special women in their lives. Mom and I dedicated this run to each other.

 

My Dad tagged along for moral support and the Krispy Kreme donuts. He wouldn't be running this one with me.

 



 

 

Mom and I at the start line.

 

 

 

And we're off...

 



 



My Mom and I stuck together the entire time. She helped pace me at the beginning, so I didn't start out too fast. I almost met my goal of running the whole thing, but we encountered a hill that I wasn't expecting. I walked up the hill, and then started running again. I was improving with my overall pacing and endurance. I knew I would meet my goal soon enough.

 

 

After we crossed the finish, we enjoyed Chick-Fil A chicken biscuits and entertainment from the Goat Hill String Band. They are a talented group of string players from Montgomery, AL. Check them out by clicking on their name.

 



 

 

After the race, we headed to Montgomery Multisport, a local running/bike shop to get me fitted for my first real pair of running shoes. I had been running in an old pair of tennis shoes that I'd had for years. My Mom said, "If you're serious about this, you need a good pair of shoes." I didn't know all the technical stuff that goes along with running, but apparently there are different kinds of shoes made especially for your pronation and arch (stability, neutral, performance, etc.) They asked me to run on a treadmill to determine my pronation. I am scared to death of treadmills. They laughed when I hooked the safety clip on. "You don't really need that," they said. I was afraid to pick up speed. They told me to let them know when I was ready, but I stayed at the level just above a fast walk the whole time. "Do you always run at this pace?" they asked. My Mom assured them I was just starting out, but to this day I would probably still run that pace on a "dreadmill". Then, they asked me to step on a mat to determine my arch. They said a neutral running shoe would be best for me. I looked at several brands and styles, but I finally decided on the Asics Gel Nimbus 13. They were so light and cushioned, I felt like I was running on clouds.

 

Do you remember your first pair of running shoes? Have you continued to run in that same brand or style?