This weekend my hubby and I traveled to Georgia to run a 5k sort of celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary. (hahaha) My dear friend from childhood is part of Service League in her county and they were hosting a great (maybe...details later) 5k run "For the Children" to benefit the kids there. Great cause.
I wish I could say it was a great race to run. You know before hand I was concerned about not being able to view a course map. Well, now that I have ran this race I know why there was not a race map to view prior to the race start. It was brutal (in some parts). My friend told me that from what she could remember the course had one tough hill. Ok, I thought. No big deal we can deal with that. Holy cow! She was slightly off. There was one big hill. It was a gradual uphill though. The one she did not remember was the massive hill at the start of the second mile. Whoa!!
I checked my watch at the 1 mile mark and was at 10:30 seconds. No problem! I felt good at this point. Once I climbed the gradual hill and rounded a curve I spotted the massive hill and I cannot even tell you the words going through my mind. I am sure I didn't say them aloud but ya never know... haha
Finally up the hill and around another curve I hear some of the Service League ladies say, "It's all down hill from here, you got it!" Whew!
They were right. I was never happier to see the downhill. But I looked at my watch and saw 25:02. Major bummer. That was a looooong mile.
I gave it all I had from there on because I knew I was just so close to my goal and I knew how much farther I had to go. It scared me and I began to get a little disappointed that I wouldn't make it. You know, I was shooting for 36 minutes but had said that since I didn't know the course I wasn't expecting to make that time. However, I wanted to break my past 5k race time.
So, as I got to the area where the race started (we kind of did a loop..I am not a fan of loops when running) I looked at my watch again and saw that I was at about 34 minutes. Another 2 minutes to finish out the last half of the 3rd mile and the .10. Agggh. I was getting so discouraged. I still had one more hill to climb a curve to round and it was downhill from there..again.
My dear friend was set up at a station close to the end of the race. When I got to her and her big sis I felt more encouraged. They were cheering me on and it made me feel so good. I began to tear up and get swelled with a little pride when I looked at my watch. I was so close to that 36 minute mark. I knew I wasn't going to make it but knowing how much farther I had to go I kind of felt that I would beat my last 5k time for sure. Once I hit the last straightaway and saw the ladies holding the 3 mile marker sign it really was downhill and I could see the official race clock and my sweet hubby.
I looked up at the clock (36:42) and booked it. Hubby said I was grinning like a little kid, but I was so happy. After every other 5k race I have ran I have been overwhelmed with emotion and cried (I'm a baby!) but this time it was a different feeling. I have felt accomplished in the past and did this time as well. But never before have I felt so happy with my time.
37:03
That is a PR for me for sure!
I honestly didn't think I could do it. I am not confident in myself at all. Those hills were brutal (promise!) and I really did not think that after crossing 2 miles at 25 minutes that I had a chance at making it in under 40 minutes. My glutes are still sore today!
But I did it.
Next goal....
35 minutes! ;)
My friend, B, and me before the race. It was a coooollldd morning, too.
My hubby (who said he will never run that race with or without me ever again) and I after the race (how I hate the way my running tights ride all up in my stuff..lol)! Hubby ran in 30:17.
And just for fun! ;)
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