Written By Brandy Centolanza
My children attend Matoaka Elementary School, a school that prides itself on the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. The school even hosts its own one-mile Fun Run and 5K each fall. After last year’s race—in which both my children smoked me in the Fun Run and left me silently ashamed and embarrassed—I was determined to get in shape, to at least be able to run more than a quarter mile without gasping for breath. My husband and I signed up for our first 5K event, the Foam Fest, which was held this past weekend in Richmond. Our training began in January with the Couch to 5K program. It’s been a long five months. I am not a fan of running, but as it slowly became a part of my weekly routine—-running three times a week along the Greensprings Trail near JamestownHigh School—-I began to realize what my body can do, and what a role model I was becoming to my children. “Are you going running today?” My children frequently asked that question, and there were days when I wanted to just, well, stay glued to the couch, but I never gave up. I stuck with the program. So, imagine my disappointment when two days before the Foam Fest, during my last training run before the race, I slipped and fell, spraining my right foot and disabling me from participating in the race. I was crushed, but I went and cheered on my husband and had a good time anyway. I’m still undecided about the whole running thing. It’s challenging. It’s grueling. I want to stop running as soon as I start, but somehow, I make it through each workout because I enjoy how it makes me feel afterward. I enjoy the way it is changing my body for the better. I enjoy that I am setting such a good example for my kids about the importance of physical health, and now that I am temporarily in a splint and unable to run during my week, I feel lost. Throughout this experience, I’ve taught my children a few things: 1) Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try something new, 2) Don’t give up and 3) Don’t let disappointment get you down. There will be other races. I hope to continue with the running routine. I hope to sign up for another 5K. One thing’s for sure. I am looking forward to at least running along side both my kids along the Matoaka Trail during the school’s race this fall.
