I did it. I ran a complete 5k. Race is next.

I did it. It was unofficial. But I did it. Yesterday I ran a complete 5k.

My time was 46 minutes and 50 seconds. Not exactly blazing along, but I made it. Now with less than a week to go before the Spa 5k, I am more confident than ever that I can make it.

I chose to run at the Malvern Boys and Girls Club/Malvern Elementary School area on Sunday. I chose this location because it is almost completely flat. I know the Spa 5k race will be at some elevation, but I wanted to make sure I could make the distance at least once before competing in the event.

Considering the running of the stairs last week that had my calves sore, I felt pretty good on Sunday morning. What I should have done before I started was check the temperature. It was much warmer outside than I thought it was.

The first kilometer was pretty easy. I was listening for my pace and knew I was running well under 9 minutes. I finished it at 8 minutes, 45 seconds. That was awesome. Then it started to get harder. As I wound around Malvern Elementary, I felt like I hit a wall. And my time started to slow.

I ran the second kilometer in 9 minutes and 8 seconds. Still, not bad and under a 45 minute pace for the whole things. But it was really starting to get hot. And I could feel the sun beating down on my back with every step I took.

The third kilometer seemed like it would never end. I went around the perimeter of the Senior Center parking lot, back into the street and around the Boys Club parking lot to my starting point. I finished the third kilometer in 9 minutes, 37 seconds. It seemed like an hour.

The fourth kilometer started out pretty well. But it contained kind of a slow uphill climb. I apparently misheard my counter because I thought I was just about done with the fourth kilometer. Then I heard "3.7 kilometers." It felt like somebody shot me. I thought about quitting. I thought about cutting it off around 40 minutes. But I pushed onward back around the Boys Club parking lot again. I ran the fourth kilometer in 9 minutes, 44 seconds. Ugh! I wasn't happy.

The fifth started out slow but I knew I was getting close. I also knew once I surpassed 36 minutes that I had run further than I had ever run before. When I reached 46 minutes I knew I had to be close to finished. I started running faster than I have ever run before. And I felt a real sense of accomplishment when I heard I had completed 5 kilometers. My time for the fifth kilometer was 9 minutes, 29 seconds.

So I only ran a 15 minute mile. But I've never run as long as I did on Sunday. And that has me really excited for next week. Go Me.