5k report

Edit: Official time 39:13!I did it! And I didn't walk! And I wasn't the last to finish!

Where to start...

Last night I couldn't get to sleep for the life of me. I knew I needed to go to sleep but I was just wide awake. I think I tried to go to sleep at about 10:30 but it was at least 1:30 before I actually fell asleep. It wasn't that I was particularly nervous about the race, it was more that I knew how important it was to get a good night's sleep and was trying to hard to fall asleep...

This morning I woke up right when the alarm went off, got up and got dressed in my new technical top and made my smoothie. Hubby wisely advised me to pack a change of clothes for after the race, so I went back upstairs to grab some things and we were off. But I remembered that I didn't have my cell phone. So after going back inside to get it, then we were off.

The weather here this morning was in the mid-70's but humidity was about 90%, making it feel quite a bit warmer than it really was. The forecast was for some scattered showers; but nothing to be worried about. I actually wore my sunglasses most of the way down to the state park where the race was held. As we were pulling in (and I was getting really nervous) it started to sprinkle.

I got out of the car and my boss (she ran the race with me) met us. I put on my socks and sneakers and was freaking out about having enough time to sign in and go to the bathroom before the race. I was fine - we went and I got my number and got to go to the bathroom. All was fine.

By this time the sprinkles had turned into a pretty steady rain. It wasn't torrential downpours or anything but it was enough to get us pretty wet on the walk to the starting line. We waited under some trees until the race people told us to go line up and we were just standing there and "CRACK!" it was time to go...

My boss (L) is an avid runner, and is much faster than me. She told me that she'd let me set the pace; so I took off at what felt good to me. I know I was faster than I should have been but the whole thing kind of goes to your head at the beginning of the race.

For most of the first mile it was raining, but you could tell it was letting up. by the time we got to the first mile marker it had stopped raining completely and the sun was peeking out of the clouds. It was getting hot and steamy - fun! We passed a guy with a bullhorn who told us that we were just after 11:00 at that point. Pretty good for me, I was happy with that. I knew it probably wouldn't last but I was feeling good.

Mile 2 - lots of hills, and also a section of unpaved gravely stuff and a big hill... I was starting to feel it by this point and when I saw the big hill I had an intense urge to walk. But i kept going. L and I discussed how the race description had said "Flat and scenic" and how they were right about the scenic but very wrong about the flat part.

Mile 3 - we finish the gravel point and get back on some asphalt. There is a brief section of flat and a small hill down. By this time I was really beginning to huff and puff, but I knew I was close to finishing so there was no way I could give up now. 600 yards is a lot longer than you might think it is. Especially if it begins with another lovely hill.

We leave the asphalt for the last leg of the race and are happy to be out of the sun. We can hear people cheering in the distance and know we're really close. We round a corner for the last leg and can see the finish line. I see Hubby and Cammie, miss smiling for the picture (above, how lovely do I look) and then notice that the clock says 38minutes and some odd seconds. I am desperate to finish, but am happy that I am going to make it under 40:00, and that there are people behind us. We cross the finish line shortly after 39:00.

I was so happy to finish without walking but I was also really feeling it (and I had to pee REALLY badly) I stood at the finish line for long enough for hubby and Cammie to walk over to us and then pretty much took off for the bathroom. I can't even describe how I felt at that point - spent is a pretty good word for it. After going to the bathroom hubby and L and Cammie were waiting for me outside with our lunch tickets - I was feeling really dizzy and things were going all white - I felt like I was going to pass out. We found a place to sit and after a minute or two I felt a lot better.

It was a tough course, and definitely not ideal conditions - but I'm glad I did it and I'm pleased with the results. I'll be working on training for my 4miler in October next!