What an amazing morning for a run!! About 50 degrees, slightly windy, but clear and perfect. Janice started ahead of me with the marathoners and Julie started after me with the 10k folks, but we all ran amazing races today. So proud of these girls!!
I started this race holding my headphones thinking I would put them in when I needed some motivation. I never needed them! It was my first race without music and I loved every minute. I ran with two other guys for several miles and we all just talked and distracted each other. Fun fact: they both pulled ahead of me around mile 7, but I caught up to both of them around miles 10 and 12 and passed them both!! At another point I ran behind a couple guys praying out loud for probably the whole course. I could hear the people cheering and my kids calling for me - all things I would have missed if I would have tuned out.
I started pretty solid. It was a slight incline for the first 2+ miles, then a downhill and then LOTS of flat beautiful course through Campion Trail. It was an out and back, so even when there was a hill I was able to focus on it being downhill for the return. I did the same thing with the wind - any wind I ran into I was able to tell myself that it would only push me forward on the return. I kept waiting to feel bad or tired or unmotivated... but it never came! My pace was very steady for the majority of the race right around 8:30-8:40, then I turned it up a notch in the homestretch. Mile 11 was a 8:17!
My goal for the day was to a) finish feeling good b) PR c) finish under 2 hours. I knew all three were going to happen as early as Mile 10, which is an incredible feeling, but I had no idea that I would beat the 2 hour goal but 7.5 minutes, and beat my prior half time by 10 MINUTES. Thrilled doesn't begin to describe how I felt...
... and then I found out I placed in my age group on top of it all!! 3rd/53 for my age group, 28th/357 females and 110/646 overall (not all had finished when I checked at the race)
Amazing amazing amazing day!!
Off to the races!
Right below the green light is a guy with double prosthetic legs walking/running the 10k course. So inspiring!
Hills are so much better when there are cheering kids at the top!
My cheering squad! Owen, Eli and Garrett ran behind me across the finish line!
Couldn't do it without the support I get from this hottie!
Jennifer PRd today too!
Julie got 2nd place in her age group for the 10k!
3rd PLACE!
Written in sharpie on my arm... Don't fight it (a reminder to not get down on myself thinking that I wasn't prepared if I started to feel bad, which I didn't!) and Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right (I just kept telling myself, I feel good, I GOT THIS!)
Unofficial results, WAY more people came in after I checked my time
