Sorry it took awhile to get to updating. We were in vacation mode but are now back home.
My Aunt and hubby and daughter came to cheer me on at the Candy Race 5k in Cincy. I probably got there a little too early but at least it allowed me to do a warmup walk, stretch and go to the bathroom three times. Yes, I get nervous bladder syndrome. I'm glad I dressed in sparkly pink because there were so many people in really bright outfits and A LOT of tutu's. Those seemed itchy to me.
I'd say there was maybe 400-500 racers. So a small race and I was happy about that.
I got my race bib and shoe chip and had to laugh that I got #9. I never did see anyone with a lower number. Just shows how crazy early I registered. Or they thought I was super elite, yeah right, haha. Hey I was traveling two states to go there
The only hiccup I had was I started too far back. The instructions they gave us was walkers in the back, but I was about right in the middle and when we started I had to jog through about 10 rows of people walking blocking the whole road all the way across. Next time I'll get closer to the front...I just didn't want to get in any speedy peoples way!
My hubby later told me people in the very front started off walking too and I was not the only zig zagger.
Before the race I saw a woman about my age jogging and I said she jogs about my speed. Somehow we ended up around each other the whole race and I did kind of pace off her whether she realized that or not. I didn't talk the whole race but one day that may come.
The first section was two laps of the same area and I dreaded that but ended up loving it. My brain said " hey I know I can do this again because I just did it"
The whole rest of the way was along the river and was so pretty. We got lucky with weather in the 60s that morning.
There were some small hills and I'm not used to that. But I managed it. Running down also a learned skill ( don't want to face plant!)
I jogged at my running in the neighborhood pace most of the race. I know I turned it on a lil when I saw certain mile markers coming or when I had to get around someone (because I can get competitive). I took my first walk break at mile 3 water station. I just don't know how to drink and run and my father in law said it's his method to walk those. My running partner (that didn't know she was my running partner) took two other 30ish sec walk breaks during mile 3 and I just did behind her too. I think it helped me run quicker to take them. The last section was really flat and I knew how close to the end I was because I'd walked that far in my warmup. So I flat out ran the last .2 miles. The finish line was downhill too. I saw 31 something on the clock and freaked out. My gut said I was like 36 or more...guess not. I never looked at my time the whole course just kept my rhythm and listened to my music. My gun time was 32:02 and my chip was 31:33. I'll take it! Finished 104th...I'll take that too! 24th in my age group.
I got my big medal and lots of snacks and my family went and played on the playground and watched the rest of the people come in.
I think my favorite part (other than finishing) was during the out and back part, I saw a group of the really fast guys coming by. And then a string of like 15 women who were just hauling it. And they were every age imaginable. I was giving them thumbs up and I doubt they saw me.
My daughter was sad to see me run and cried a lot while I was racing. She will outgrow that. I want to be healthy for her, both physically and mentally.
I had fun and know I really have that run bug. I didn't die, I didn't ever feel like I was going to either. Success!!!!
