Race Results

I finished!

I was a mess of nerves the night before and the day of.  Almost to the point of being in a bad mood.

i ended up putting pants on cuz i was cold & totally regretted it

We got there early (it's how I roll) and while waiting for the 5K to start (a kid race and a 10K started first) I ended up having to pee (excellent timing).  I'm a big fan of porta potties.  (for real, would rather use one of those than a plastic bag or public restroom anyday.)

Anyway, so on my way back from using the outhouse I'm trying to find Candee.  It didn't work.  What did work is that my friend, Jessica, found me.

Jessica.  The girl who a few months ago started her own training.  But for a way bigger race.  A half marathon.  We chatted for a sec and she asked what my goal was.  I told her the same thing I told you guys.  But somehow she knows me and says, "but what's your real goal?"

as if.

I never thought I could make a 34 minute 5K.  But I still wanted a 30-31 minute 5K.

So, I told her the truth.  I'd love 30 minutes.

She's on the injured list and needed to run slower.  I'm on the short bus list and needed someone to push me.

She offered.

What I love about this is that it was her who got me pumped to start running again and it was her who pushed my ass all through the race.  (sorry, I said ass.)

But it's true.  We ran side by side for awhile but she was ahead of me throughout the race.  I wanted to keep up so I busted my butt.  If not for her inspiration, I seriously would never have started jogging six weeks ago.

For the most part the course was flat.  Which is good for a wimp like me.  But during my Cross Country days I loved the hills.  They made me work harder for some reason.  At the end of the course, to hit the finish line of this race there was a hill.  The only one in the race and it's right at the finish line.

I decided to kick it in, the way I used to do 14 years ago.  But this time I didn't have much left in me to kick in.  I was spent.  I had one girl I wanted to pass at the end but it just didn't happen.

That's okay.  I finished.

And I finished with a time of 31:20.