5k Fun Run

I'm going to embrace running as a new hobby. All my life I have tried running. The physical fitness test in school and playing basketball were always frustrating because I could never keep up with everyone else. Now later in life I have dreamed of becoming a "runner", someone that does it because they enjoy it. About 2 years ago I began running a few times a week on the treadmill at the gym and felt great. By giving my self short time goals I felt that each minute I was able to run was another accomplishment. Except I only did this for a few months and then just stopped for some reason, probably because I decided my life was to busy and I boycotted exercise. I tend to go through phases of anti - exercise. While working in Massachusetts one of my co-workers ran the Boston Marathon and I thought WOW that is truly amazing. Since then I have always wanted to enter into a race except I'm chicken. I'm a chicken to run on the road and I feel like I have so many unanswered questions. Where do you run? Do you map out your course before you start? Where do people put their house keys, or do they just not lock their door? Do you run with the cars or against the cars? If I wear my earbuds for my ipod will I hear the traffic? As you can see I'm a little nervous. I would like to start running outside as soon as possible, most likely through August. Then in September I found a couple of 5K Fun Runs in surrounding towns and I would like to register for them. My thought is that I will run as long as I can and if I need to walk for a minute or two to catch my breath that's OK, then I will continue my running journey. The links to the 5K runs that I found are linked at the bottom of my blog page. I would love company if anyone is up for the challenge.