The Amazing Race

I woke up at 5:30 this morning, due to uncontrollable butterflies in my stomach! Today is the day I've been "training" for (I use that word very loosely!) for the past couple of months, and although I ran a 5K last summer, it was a much smaller one. With somewhere between 800-900 runners in this morning's race, my only aspiration was to run it at a pace of 9 mins. per mile, which is about the fastest pace I've ever managed to keep up for 3.1 miles.

Of course, not everything went as planned. I had my ipod charged, my playlist all set, with certain songs timed out for each part of the race. I pulled into Welcome Stadium around 8:15 and popped in the ear buds just to make sure everything was working properly . . . . and it wasn't. I couldn't get any volume, no matter what I tried. I started freaking out inside a little - I've never run by myself without music! But, the music thing clearly wasn't happening. I had to move on.

On to the next thing. I went into the stadium and picked up my packet, containing my number and timing chip. After tearing off the bottom portion of my number (which wasn't supposed to be torn off, but looked like it was!), and attaching the chip to my shoe the wrong way, I was about fit to be tied. Fortunately, I found my sister Hannah, and my Dad, who were also running, and things got better after that.

For about the first half mile, I didn't think I was going to make it - I was either going to throw up or my head was going to explode. But after that, I paced myself and thoroughly enjoyed the race, which started on Edwin C Moses Blvd, went alongside the Great Miami River, and ended with a lap around the track at the stadium. The sun was hidden behind clouds most of the time, and there was a nice breeze blowing when we ran next to the river, which helped. The whole thing just felt really good - even the last part! As I entered the stadium, my mom was standing there with Rachel, Zeke & Karis and they were all cheering for me. And just before the finish line I saw Danny and Mr. Moo. It totally made my day and helped me finish with a smile on my face, to see my family there cheering me on. Danny had gotten the kiddos fed and dressed and came down around the time the race began.

The best part is, I was certain I was going to be absolutely humiliated by my time. But I ended up finishing in 25:31, which to some, I know doesn't sound that great, but I was thrilled!!! It was definitely a moment. I would have done a victory dance, but my legs wouldn't cooperate. It turned out, there was something wrong with my timing chip, b/c although I saw what time I came in, it didn't register on the sheets they printed out and put up so you could see your finishing time, and your actual time. (The chip activates when you cross the start line, which takes a little while with that many people, so your actual time is not what shows on the counter when you cross the finish line. I was about 10-15 seconds back)

Afterward, there was a "fun run" for the kiddos - they got to run the length of the infield. Malachi wanted me to hold his hand the whole way, which of course I didn't mind doing. We left and went to Hannah's house for a cookout, where some other family members joined us for the afternoon. Aside from Karis and Esther locking us all out of the house for about an hour, it was a fun day. Now I'm ready to run another 5K!