The day before a race is always so much fun, I am really pumped before a race – you’d think I was going to win something! I turn up the music in my truck and in my office, I get really excited :) This time was even better because my bestie Clarissa came with me to pick up our race packets. We ended up having so much fun just driving out to the Clear Lake area and having lunch together – I think it should be this way before each and every race!! {{I might have to take Friday the 17th off for the next packet pick up-shhhhh don’t tell my boss!}}
The morning of, my nerves start to sink in a little bit, I
got everything in order and bounced around trying to figure out what I might be
the most comfortable wearing – which is very funny if you think about it – I
run three times a week! I should be able to pick out what I’m running in,
in the dark :) I ate my banana and half a bagel with peanut butter to make sure
I was fueled and ready and by 5:30a.m. Alma was there and we made sure we had
everything we needed to pick up the rest of the gals. Somewhere around 6 am the
5 of us were on the road down Highway 6 headed to Kemah, thankfully a truck
full of girls and the chattering we had going on made for less time for nerves
to build up.
Yes nerves still build up, if I give it enough thought –
actually I get butterflies in my tummy on days that I am going to go for a run
on a new trail or if I am going to start a new training plan! I guess that’s
why I love running so much – it’s never a dull moment :)
We got there right on time, just maybe 25 minutes before the
7:30am start time, so we made a bee-line for a last minute potty break and
headed for the start, again we got there so close to the start I was feeling
just fine, truth is I knew that even if you had to roll me down the Kemah
Bridge I was still going to knock out this 10K.
Mile 1- was quick. I kept my pace and just keep going, this
is after all my own race and it does not matter if I’m slow or fast, I am doing this just for
me :)
Mile 2 – Woo-wee! I was just thinking to myself on the way
up the bridge “just keep running, just keep running” “ohhh how pretty!” ßon the very top of the
bridge!! And to the guy (security?) on the bridge eating a doughnut
“really??” The first up and over was,
well, over and it wasn’t that bad…
Mile 3- I don’t know exactly what was going on in mile 3, except
that it was my second time coming up the bridge and somehow it was not to
shabby.
Mile 4 – in the middle of mile four I felt pretty good and I
was zoned out when I almost bumped in to another girl! She started talking and
waving her hands around –“I am sooo done!! If this was a 5K we’d be done!” I
thought yep but it’s not and I’m not done yet! I kept going and I remember thinking
she looked like she could have taken me out in a race any day. Ha. I felt
pretty good passing her up…and then we had to go up again!
Mile 5 - this was the worst. By this time I know who my
running buddies are. I know there are some skinny-minis trying to make sure I
don’t pass them up and I am making sure a couple of runners don’t pass me up.
BUT on the last trip up the bridge I realized someone who was walking was keeping up
with me! Yes. I know. So I stopped and walked and then I felt like I was moving faster!! Either way
I took that time to take a quick picture and started running again and it was downhill from there!
Mile 6- the last stretch was good, I knew in my
head that here I was going to be able to make up some time. I knew my legs were
tired and I knew that it would be easier if I just stopped running again and
walked to the finish but we train to finish strong. So I just zoned out and
kept running. Right before I crossed the finish I saw Alma and Lety standing of
to the side and Boom! It was done.
 |
| Guada, Clarissa, Lety, Alma & Me |
Not my best 10k, but this is another thing I love about
running, I do not race against everyone else just against me. I know where I’ve
let myself slide these past couple of months and trust me carrying those extra
lbs up a bridge 4x was no picnic. So I clean the slate, I train harder and eat
cleaner. Come October 18th I run it better. AND I remind myself that
a year and a half ago I would have never made it up there the first time
around.
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