In what may have been one of the greatest accomplishments in 5K history, Karrie, 46, crossed the finish line of her first 5K race and placed third in her age group!

If you are thinking that this might be a bit of an overstatement, then you might want to read Karrie’s first story and reconsider. CLICK HERE to read Karrie’s first story: http://bloglafitness.azurewebsites.net/2013/08/06/she-tried-it-all-and-nothing-workeduntil-now-karries-secret-to-losing-90-pounds/

It’s a truly extraordinary accomplishment when you consider that 18 months ago Karrie was 90 pounds heavier and maxed out at 10 minutes of cardio on the elliptical. Karrie’s 5K triumph is proof that you can accomplish amazing things in a short amount of time.

In order to prepare for her first 5K, Karrie focused on running a specific training program. To do this, Karrie figured out her training pace by running for as long as she could on the treadmill at a comfortable speed, and documenting the pace, distance and duration that she ran.

Her initial distance without stopping was 2.5 miles at a pace of 5.0 MPH for 31:53 minutes. Overall, it showed that Karrie’s running and cardiovascular conditioning was quite good, and with four weeks to train until her 5K there was no doubt she would be ready.

She had just 4 weeks to prepare, so Karrie used a progressive 5 day running and 2 day rest plan, which proved successful.

Karrie’s 5K training program

Day 1 – Run outside or on treadmill for 2 miles.

Day 2 – Run 3.1 miles outside. Keep track of how long it takes you. If necessary, walk until you can run the rest of the distance).

Day 3 – Rest

Day 4 – Run outside or on the treadmill for 45 minutes. Don’t worry about pace or distance. Just go easy; the most important thing to do is to just keep going for 45 minutes. If necessary, walk.

Day 5 – Stairmaster or stepmill using the INTERVAL program selection. Choose a challenging level (and then get back to me on what that level was) that you can do for 35 minutes.

Day 6 – Run 3.1 miles outside or on the treadmill. Do not worry about your pace.

Day 7 – Rest

Race Day

The worries that Karrie had about running in her first 5K were enough on their own, but drastically hot weather conditions added to her uneasiness.

A week before the race, a heat wave was in full force. Baltimore and the surrounding areas experienced day after day of 100 plus degree weather and high humidity that was diminishing the air-quality. An intense activity like competing in a 5K race could prove dangerous if the heat didn’t break. For a first time runner like Karrie, it brought even more concern.

Luckily, a few days before the race the weather began to cool down and the forecast called for a mild morning in the upper 70s. But there was a chance of thunderstorms! When it rains, it pours—pun intended—the weather seemed to be a constant cause of concern.

However, mother earth showed her kindness and the skies cleared the morning of the race. It was a perfect day for a 5K. Overcast skies kept the heat at bay as the competitors arrived for their big day.

Though the weather was no longer an issue, Karrie’s prerace jitters were still in full force.

“I was so nervous that I thought I might puke,” Karrie said. It was a comment that was a mixture of one part joke and three parts truth.

Then something happened that many racers, first-timers and veterans alike, experience; as Karrie made her way to the starting line her emotions shifted from fear and anxiety to excitement and focus.

As they counted down the start of the race, Karrie’s feet were already moving; they were pumping up and down like a steam engine warming up for a long haul. The horn sounded and off she went with her friend and workout buddy, Meg, right by her side.

Meg was there to not only support Karrie, but to help her maintain her pace. A common mistake by many newbie runners is getting caught up in the adrenaline fueled excitement and pacing to fast at the beginning of the race only to sputter out after the first mile.

It looked like Karrie and Meg shot out of a cannon. At first, it looked like they were running at a faster pace than Karrie had trained for, but it was actually an intentional strategic move Meg used to avoid wasting energy from zigging and zagging around the crowd.

Three miles later Karrie rounded the bend and crossed the finish line beating her goal time by over four minutes.

Karrie’s family and friends gathered around her to celebrate… she did it, she crossed the finish line.

If you were there you just might have said, “It was truly one of the greatest accomplishments in 5K history!”

To learn how to effortlessly follow Karrie’s story CLICK HERE.

Be sure to come back for more inspiring REAL STORIES and helpful TOP TIPS every week. Simply CLICK HERE to learn how you can instantly receive each article as soon as they are published so you don’t miss a thing!