10 Miles and Counting

I did it. I spent 3 months training for the TC 10-mile and I did it. I finished. I may not have ran the entire way but I finished, which was my ultimate goal.

Yesterday morning was F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G. We're talking high 20's/low 30's at the start of the race. I tried to dress semi-warm but not too warm so that I would overheat along the way. Needless to say, my upper half was fine. The lower half? Let's just say I couldn't really feel my legs until mile 8.

The race started at 7:09 a.m. I was in the last corral, because that's where they put the turtle like people, so I didn't even hit the starting line until 7:21. I was so nervous but I relaxed about a mile or so in. At mile 2.5, my stomach started getting queasy. I blame it on the toast, sport beans, and my nervousness. I popped a Gu and I was fine...thank god. I really hate to throw up and I really didn't want to kill my race when I'd barely begun.

About 2.75 miles was a killer hill. Now I did not hill train like I probably should have. So I walked up it. I figured I'd rather walk a little than expend all of my energy and barely make it to the finish line. Glenn and Rowan met me at mile 4 and mile 6 to cheer me on. I was so glad they did because it was great motivation for me.

The entire time I was doing the race, I kept thinking about the little guy who calls me mommy. I was doing this for him. He was my inspiration to finish what I started. I guess Glenn asked him after he saw me at mile 6 if he wanted to run a 10-miler some day. He said yes. I'm so proud of my little man.

I was also thinking about everyone who wished me luck and sent good thoughts and supported me along this journey. I wanted to be the person I said I was going to be. The one who finished the race. And I was.

I crossed the finish line at 2 hours and 8 minutes. 8 minutes more than I wanted but I finished that damn race.

As soon as I saw Glenn and Rowan, I started crying. I couldn't believe I'd actually made it. Hell, I'm still having a hard time with it. I. Made. It. Someday when I'm super old, I will be able to tell my grandkids and great-grandkids that back in the day, I ran a 10-miler. That's a glorious feeling.

 

 

Two of my bestest friends also ran. The one on the left ran the 10-miler with me. She finished in 1 hour, 28 minutes, which was a PR for her. The one in the middle ran the TC Marathon, her first ever. She finished in 4 hours, 22 minutes. I am SO proud of both of them. They have been a huge inspiration to me throughout all of this.

 

So what's next you might ask. A half-marathon is definitely in my future. I'm shooting for sometime early next fall. Winter is my busy time at work and I won't be able to devote the time I need to train so I'll save that for spring/summer.

 

I've also decided to keep the blog going. As I've mentioned before, it's therapeutic for me. So expect more on weight loss, my trials and tribulations as I go through this cycle called life, and much more of my endless humor, sarcasm, and wit. Believe me, I'm just getting started. Enjoy the ride.