50 5ks in one year

OK, so this is weird, nerve-racking and vulnerable to say this out loud. But if I say it out loud and people support it, then that makes me uber accountable. So here it goes:

Autumn Color Run 5K Run/Walk

I have a crazy idea and personal goal to run/walk/jog 50 5Ks in one year (before I turn 30 next October). Yep, that’s roughly about 1 race a week, 3.1 miles every race, 50 races with t-shirts and bibs and some with crazy themes like “Bad Prom Dresses.”

This is extra crazy because I don’t really run “run”…yet… but I can speed walk and slow jog like a boss, thank goodness I’m not competitive. Essentially, I’m about 40 lbs overweight and I finish in the last 1/3 (honestly bubble — I finish closer to the end than will ever admit) but my knees are in good shape and with the right bra (or 2) I can do anything. Seriously though.

I’ve said it out loud to a few people. All goals seem crazy at the beginning, especially goals that required such dedication on a weekly basis and moola to accomplish them. I'm starting a gofundme account because signing up and registering for 50 5Ks is expensive — its roughly $20 - $75 a race, depending on how theme-y the 5K is. And I like theme-y.

I’ve told a few close friends, family and co-workers and they were like, “Are you crazy?” They gave me horror stories of hills, soreness, blisters, cold weather, my other responsibilities, big hills, Texas heat, thighs rubbing, and more hills. And some even went as far to tell me I CAN’T do it. Oh, HELLZ naw! So I ignored everybody and did it anyway; yep, reversed psychology, intentional or not, works really well on me.

I started on September 28 with one of my best friends. We did two of them in one day (start strong or go home). As of October 13, 2013, I have done 5 of them with another 3 already signed up for, including the Original Mud Run and a Bad Prom.

I told my husband that a gym membership would be cheaper but he counteracted that gyms are boring and that I, of all people, would only voluntarily get out of bed on a Saturday at 6 a.m. if I was going to be chased by zombies or roll around in the mud. He knows me well.

I hope this goal will help me to make a habit out of exercising along with many other reasons (some of which I don’t think I’ve discovered yet). But if nothing else, it gives me something to blog/write about other than my two kids and my love of pie

Finally, my “out”: If for some reason I don’t make it to 50 or I can’t finish this crazy goal because life gets in the way, I will be donating any money I received and didn’t use on a 5K race to Cook Children’s — seriously, there are children out there with cancer and those kids and moms are just better people than I hope to ever have to deal with. I need good Karma in that department.

You can follow along on Instagram — I’m @crystalroznik with hashtag #FiftyFiveKs.