very very very very very happy my family was able to be here with me at this one!
my husband pushed the girls in the 2 seater running stroller and my 7yr old son ran his first 5k ever!!
so a (not so)brief rundown:
the race was at 7:30pm. still 90 degrees and about 45% humidity. not as humid as last race,but hotter temps.
how i was feeling prior: tired,sluggish,belly kindof flipfloppy-even though i really wanted to redeem myself from last race,and NOT get 2nd place again,i really wasn't feeling like running in the heat.
what made me do it anyways: my husband and children. aside from wanting to do well for them (like they were expecting) my husband put added pressure on me by telling me that he told his work that i was "fast" and would probably win it all. (and yes,a group from his work was there,so yeah....no pressure!)
i couldn't let people from the gym beat me!
and i had to live up to what hubs told work.
i needed to be "fast"
so it was almost time to start,i grab a quick pic with my sweet baby boy before the small crowd of runners(about 200 or so) make way towards the start line
of course lil M had to get her pic in too!
the plan was for me to race and my husband was going to run with our son while pushing the girls. when i was done,i would go back and finish the race with my son. THAT was what i was really looking forward to!running across the line with my first baby at his first 5k!
goals going into race:
faster than last race
1rst in AG
not puking
so the gun goes off. my belly is still upset. it is hot,i feel the humidity. gym girl and pacer guy take off like horse out of the gates!
they pass me,then i pass them,and then when they pass me again i let them.i did not want to go out too fast like last race,but i needed to keep them in sight.
it felt weird running without a watch (i was running "naked"!) so i was a little nervous initially not having anything to go by to help me pace....
mile 1: I'm trying to find a groove. feel overheated already,and am just trying to keep gym girl and pacer guy in sight. i think i see the lead female,but I'm not sure. if it was her then i was 3rd female overall. i try to tell myself I'm OK with that,i am really not feeling the running mojo...
(yeah,like that thought lasts long!!!i change my mind later)
i see the 1 mile marker. what is my time? no one calling out mile splits. hmmmm. then i see a guy passing me,he is checking his watch so i ask him the time-
6:43
ok not bad,keep pace..
on to mile 2:
i see the turn around point and the lead runners are coming back.im counting females. im 3rd! gym gal is slowing down.her pacer has gone ahead of her. i see the opportunity and pass her up the hill,encourage her, and then make the turn....1 down 1 to go,could i really make overall female?
i start closing the gap. suddenly i hear my husband hollering for me-he told me i was 2nd,and i had to GO GET IT!!!
ahhhhhhh,but babe,im tired! is what i wanted to say,but i zone in on her heels and try not to think about how lousy im feeling. just when i think i cant ever catch her,just when im getting used to being 2nd again,she slows down,she stops to get water....so i see the opportunity to pass her. she stays right with me and im just hoping i can keep the lead,i hear her right on my heels and then i tell myself:
" i am NOT being second again,not today!i want to make my kids proud of me today,i have to represent!time for redemption!"
so i turned my jets on and flew down the hill passing a couple of boys in the process. i see pacer guy up ahead of me. time to focus on his heels and try to keep pace. i didnt want any girl to catch up to me!
i missed the 2nd mile marker somewhere. i had no clue what my pace was or my time. i kept looking for a marker,and then i then i see one and i was hoping it was mile 3 and not 2. i was wearing down fast!
no marker,just an orange vest gal marking the turn.
she told me i was lead female and that i was almost done!
so the final turn,i still dont know its the final turn,i was told again i was lead runner but really didn't know how far the other gal was,i try to pick up the pace.
then i see the the last stretch!
crazy sue was cheering me on with her cow bells! yay! she was hollering i was overall,really? lol!
i do try to give at least a small kick-my calf is tightening up but i make it across the line just fine.
21:49
still slower than what im used to,but 28 seconds faster than last time.
i'll take it!
i really couldnt believe i was overall. now granted it WAS a slow course,a small race,and most of the usual super fast people stayed home,but still....
this is the first time in a while i have made overall (last time was pre-pregnancy) and this was the first overall win in this state....i was so happy!
NOW it was time to go get my son and run him across the line!
i have been waiting 7 years to do this! so off i go,grab a water,start drinking and praying my calf doesn't cramp so bad i cant cross the line again!along the way to finding my husband and children,i am hollering for everyone i see-i get all sorts of crazy looks,but i dont care! and then i see my kids! the older two are running and lil M is being carried by daddy (apparently a big cicada hit her in the face and she wasnt happy about it!)
bailey and alex see me and then we make the mile run to the finish.
they are both hot and sweaty and tired but liven up when i told them i had won! high fives,hugs and squeals and we are off!
well,kindof....
we alternate between running and walking. we run to one mailbox,then walk to the next,then run,then walk. when the mailboxes run out,i give them certain points to run to. at the last turning point i have them run and not stop until they cross the line. they are both excited(and hot!!!) and we all stay together until the last 100yrds-then my son takes off and sprints to the finish!
he did it!
his first ever 5k!
i have never seen him more proud of himself,and i couldnt help but feel proud of him!the most he has ever ran before this point was 1 mile. and for him to finish,when he didnt think he could?priceless!!
talk about one happy mamma!
we stay at the line and cheer everyone else in,including daddy and baby M!
she finally went back in the stroller,lol!
i pour water on the kids heads,have them drink lots of water and refuel with all the free food post race!
chit chat with other runners and then awards!
i won a mug and a $100 gift certificate to the local runners gear store. SWEET! i have never won that big of a prize before!!
my kids were so happy for me,and my husband was proud of me for pushing through and "representing"!
all in all,this was one of the best days ever.
i have always dreamed of the day the whole family could go out and run a race,and it finally,finally happened!
words can describe!
ive rambled enough-for those still reading along-bless your hearts!
thanks for making it this far!
