Ok everyone. Thanks for the wishes. I got through the race. It was really disorganized (or I really got there late - I am sticking with the disorganized thing) I registered for the race on Friday through Active.com so no problem there. This morning I made sure to get up at 6AM (actually was up before that) my DH wakes up and we end up leaving the house around 7AM. The race started at 7:30 and I live about a mile and 1/2 from the race start. I got my race packet which consisted of my number and a bag with Biofreeze and black beans
confused3 I am thinking because the charity that the event was for was an after school type place for disadvantaged populations named the Milagro center - meaning miracle in Spanish) So since my name and age is written on the number and its a small race I figured there was no chip timing - since no one said anything to me!!! So we decide to walk back to our truck to put the bag in there and then I realize the race is almost ready to start so I had to run to the start line. That is when my DH realizes that everyone else has chips and I don't
- well no time to get one now. So I take off and am in the back of the pack. Luckly I started my stopwatch on my cell phone so at least I have an official "unofficial" time.
Here is a pic of me at the start line - taking off
We then turned onto A1A - and went along the beach (the route is part of my normal route and actually I had run/walked the sidewalk in the background just yesterday)
As you can see the weather was nice - not to hot and not to cold - I am wierd and my upper body doesn't get as cold as my legs. Since I don't normally run in cooler weather the pants I ended up wearing are actually PJ pants from Victoria Secret
The shirt was a Christmas gift from my sister but I really should have worn my TOT tech shirt so that everyone would have known that this wasn't my first go round at this running thing!! LOL
I felt pretty good but then realized there were no mile markers
and my calves were killing me
so I decided I wasn't going to kill myself for an untimed race. I had a conversation with one guy who said we can't walk the rest of the way and then I mentioned that my time doesn't even count since I didn't have a chip. He then told me to at least try to finish
I then told him I wasn't worried that I wouldn't finish since that was my normal route and my last race was a 13k. I think that blew him away (and so did I when I started running again
)
So when I was out running my DH took a picture of the beach
My DH made sure to get a shot of me as I went over the finish line and got the clock in the shot as well - and since I went over the start line almost last I am saying my time was 34 minutes even - as that is what my stopwatch said and I started it right when I went over the start line and stopped it as I went over the finish line
So I was pretty dissapointed that I didn't get timed and that the race seemed kind of disorganized I felt good about the time I did since it actually is a personal best (and I seriously thought I would do it in about 37 minutes - my DH said he was surprised when he saw me turn the corner to the finish line) It was great to get back out there and do a race again. I feel motivated to keep training. I even bought a marathon book yesterday and I can't wait till Jan 14 so I can sign up for the 2009 marathon. Again thanks for the well wishes - I saw them before I went this AM and I thought of all you when I was out there (mainly thinking of those that will be out there next weekend and hoping the weather gets a little cooler than it was today - there is hope since we are supposed to be getting a little bit of a cool front - but that isn't saying much since it won't be THAT cold!
Best of luck! And pictures! We want pictures! 
