My first ever marathon - DONE!

After checking the forecast for the 15 millionth time (and confirming my worst suspicions for marathon weather conditions), I reluctantly turned off my computer and loaded my bags in the car.  I was meeting two good friends, Elise and Isabel, at noon so we could ride down together to the "metropolis" of Albany (pronounced Aw-BENNY by the locals), Georgia.  I had heard that Albany was one of the flattest marathons around, and so it offered a great course for a newbie like me.

Elise and I, as we collect our bibs and shirts

The ride went quickly as we chatted about all things running.  When we arrived in town, we headed straight to the Hilton Garden Inn to pick up race numbers and browse through the expo.  While I was there, I introduced myself to the pacer for the 8:35 group.  His name was Ryan, and he was from Chattanooga.  His job, as with all pacers, is to keep an even pace throughout the course so that a runner (assuming he or she keeps up) can guarantee a certain finish time.  I was optimistically aiming for a finish of 3:45, and I told him that he was my new best friend!

The rest of the expo was not much to see at all.  We collected some complimentary marathon goodies, checked out our tech tees, and browsed the racks of running apparel.  Ever the optimist, I also went ahead and purchased a "26.2" sticker for my car bumper as a post-race reward.   

Isabel, Elise, and Gail - all smiling and happy to finally be here

 I had to strike a pose in front of this trailer because the hot pink shoes matched my hot pink Brooks PureFlows.  Too bad I wasn't wearing them at the time!  After the expo, we headed to the other side of town and checked into the Best Western.  It was fairly decent, and we immediately started laying out race gear for the morning.  Next we stopped by a Starbucks to have a little brew.  

Before too long, though, we decided it was time to head to Carino's restaurant where we were meeting up with my friend Chris, and his wife, Diana.  Even though we got there early, runners descended upon the place like locusts.  After an hour's wait and several false promises of tables waiting for us, we finally got seated.  Some form of pasta was part of each runner's meal.  Gotta get that final carb. load!

When we returned from our hotel, the weather forecast was still bleak, and a siren even went off that evening while we were watching the weather.  There was nothing left to do but try to get a decent night's sleep.  Although I tossed and turned a bit, I actually did sleep for most of the night.

At 4:30, the alarm rang and we started consuming our last meal before the race, along with coffee (tea for me).  By 5:45, we were dressed, with lotion and Glide stick liberally applied to all possible chafing spots, and were heading for the race start.  Elise, Isabel, and Diana were running the half marathon, and just Chris and I were running the full.  We wished each other well as we headed toward our respective start places.

Fifteen minutes before the start, amid light drizzle, we spotted several streaks of lightning and heard the accompanying thunder.  At that moment, I felt sure the race was going to be called off.  To my surprise, though, everyone continued lining up.  I saw Chris up ahead in the line-up and wished him well.  Then I found Ryan, my pacer, and met the others in my 3:45 pace group.  They mostly consisted of super-tall, super-young FSU students who were all hyped up and cracking jokes.  One of them was 6'7" if he was an inch!  When the start gun went off, it caught me by surprise, and I lunged forward to begin the race.

For the first two miles, I felt really good except for the puddles I had to keep dodging.  Before long, there were too many to dodge and I resigned myself to the fact that I had four hours before me to run in wet shoes.  I carried a disposable water bottle with me to ensure I was at least properly hydrated for the first ten miles or so.  We were a little packed in, so it was hard for me to stay right with Ryan.  The college kids were hurdling over traffic cones just for fun.  It made me tired just watching them.

At about the fifth mile, the tornado sirens started going off.  None of us were too pleased about that.  We took a brief, nervous glance around the sky and determined there was not a twister in the immediate vicinity.  Therefore, we saw there was nothing to do but head forward.


I felt pretty good through mile eight, but after I sucked down my first Accel gel and swished it down with water, I was disappointed to note that I felt a little more tired than I thought I should be.  It was a bit disconcerting to consider how many more miles I had left to go.  I also noted that my feet were already well shriveled and my toes were hurting a little.  As we passed mile ten, I became even more tired and out of breath.

Finally, a little before mile 13, I knew I had to make an adjustment in order to finish the race.  Reluctantly, I watched Ryan get slowly farther and farther ahead of me.  I told myself that I needed to just keep a comfortable pace, and that I would still be able to stay ahead of the 3:55 pace group.

Unfortunately, even my newly-adjusted pace became too fast for me after mile 16.  I couldn't believe that I was feeling this tired this early in the race.  I had done two 20 mile training runs, and had never felt anywhere near this tired at mile 16, or even after finishing the full 20.

I sucked down one more gel and did a whole lot of walking over the next 4 miles.  I swigged down Gatorade at every station.  My spirits were pretty low, and I sure wasn't loving the thought of how much longer I would be pushing forward before I reached the end.

By mile 20, I sort of rallied a bit, and started to negotiate with myself.  I figured that if I could sort of keep somewhere near a 9 1/2 minute/mile pace, I could still have a respectable time.  Doing any complex math was way beyond me by then.

I would run for 3/4 of a mile and then let myself have a short walk break.  Every time I passed people cheering, though, I felt a little guilty for walking, so I tried to make an extra effort to run a bit.  The crowd really did help.  I passed lots of families sitting in their front yards, clapping, waving, and holding up signs, even though it was raining.  Many times I would pass another runner, and then he or she would pass me back as I stopped to walk.  I wanted to talk with them and make a friend, but honestly, I was too tired even to make an effort.  At about mile 22, even the 3:55 pace group passed me.  It was hard to watch them float by, and know that I could not even catch them.  My quads ached terribly, and my feet were miserable.

By mile 24, I let myself believe I was going to somehow make it to the end, and I thought I might even break the 4 hour mark.  I told myself I could run all of 2.2 measly miles.  However, I even had to take one last short walk break with only 3/4 of a mile to go.  I just plain didn't care.  The wind had picked up and the rain was again coming down in buckets for those last 2 or 3 miles.

I managed to sort of fake a smile for the camera as I strolled into the train station.  There might have been a few tears mixed in with that rain, but I was immensely relieved to know the end was so close.  I can see in this photo that my form had deteriorated badly.  At least I still look like I am doing something sort of resembling a run!

The weather truly mirrored my mood at that point.  Here's how it looked and felt that whole morning:

I came around the last corner and eyed the finish line just ahead.  My heart sank, but only a tiny bit, when I saw that the clock read 4-something instead of 3-something.  However, I was happy when I spotted Chris smiling at me beside the finish line, and felt a great relief that I was done with the race.

A very sweet elderly gentleman wrapped his arms around me right after I crossed over the line and gave me the best hug ever!  He then escorted me to the medical tent where I allowed myself to get a couple of minutes of TLC before coming out of the dream state.  Then I went to see if I could still sign up for a massage.  As I sat there waiting, I could feel my legs and lower back truly ache like they never have before. Then it dawned on me that I needed to find my friends.  I couldn't remember where we were supposed to meet.  Finally I remembered that I was going to meet them at the awards ceremony for the half marathon.  However, I had no idea where that was, nor did I have the energy to walk around looking.

Eventually, because I started to get very chilly, I forced myself to stand, and then I staggered forward in search of them.  After limping around aimlessly for several minutes, I began to cry.  I didn't know what to do or where to go, and I began getting colder and colder.  At some point, I found my way to the meeting place, but found that the awards were already done.  At that point, I really started sobbing.  Luckily, my friends were nearby and heard me.  My sobs then turned into cries of relief!

I was so happy when we finally reached the car, and I could take off my sopping wet shoes and socks, change clothes, swallow down some Advil, and scarf down a Marathon bar.  I inspected my toes and confirmed my suspicions.  I had a huge blister on my right big toe, and I had four toenails that were purple.  It was not a pretty sight.  I think I might suffer my first toenail casualty some time in the next couple weeks.

We headed for Waffle House on our way out of town.  I had two eggs and a whole plate-sized waffle which I smothered in butter and syrup.  After burning over 2700 calories that morning, my appetite was really strong!

Today, I am still stiff and sore, but it's not too bad, and I think I will recover nicely.  Although I can't say that I'm dying to do another marathon right now, I wouldn't count out another marathon some time in the future.  It was a huge accomplishment, and it's something I will never forget.  The training was really fun, challenging, and good for me.  I have met so many wonderful fellow runners who have become good friends.  Running gives me peace of mind and keeps me grounded when life gets nutty.  I wouldn't trade this experience for the world!

Monthly Recap & Goals - February

Another month of running, another chance to review and project.

February Highlights:

• Total miles run: 146 miles
• Total number of workouts: 18
• Longest training run: 20.2 miles in 3:15:03 (9:40 pace) on Feb. 12
• Fastest training run: 6.1 miles in 47:36 (7:49 pace) on Feb. 14 - a personal best
• Ran Berry Half Marathon in 1:45:54 (8:05 pace) on Feb. 18 - a new PR

February was a bit different from January in a few ways.  I ran a few less miles and took a few more rest days, partly in preparation for, and subsequent to, the Berry Half Marathon.  The two days before the race really helped re-charge my engine and set me up for success during the race.  I highly recommend it!  Because I ran a bit harder than I expected to, I felt I needed a bit more rest time afterward too.  Then, at the end of the month, I caught a cold and took a fall, which hampered another couple of the planned runs.  That, plus needing to rest before the upcoming marathon, has kept me benched more than I thought I would be.

Marathon training has gone very well, with just a couple of exceptions.  First, having the half marathon only two weeks before the marathon was not ideal.  The half took a slight toll on my knees.  I really regret having not done more of my PT lately, and I'm vowing to get back to it after the race like I have done this past week.  Second, the cold and the fall not only took training time away, but also left me with a bit less confidence.  I know I will just go out there on marathon day and do my best, but in the last few days, I've become increasingly nervous about my knees, about my will power, about the stormy weather and wind expected, about the extra-warm temperatures, and about the possibility that I might fall again.  I'm worse than an expectant mother!

Goals review:

1. Run the Berry Half Marathon on Feb. 18 in under 2 hours.  If I am lucky, I hope to break 1:52.  Well, I guess I knocked this one out of the water - yay!
2. Plan to run a race every month in 2012.  So far, I'm 2 for 2, with March's race coming up.
3. Complete my first marathon.  In 2 short days I should be able to cross this one off!
4. Get a 10K time of 47:59 some time in 2012 so I can be up with the big boys in Corral A for the 2013 Peachtree.  I'll need to wait until later in the year for this one, although my half marathon was only 7 measly seconds off the needed time.  Oh well...
5. Stay healthy and injury-free.  I'm in a little bit of danger with this one.  I have a feeling my knees are going to need a lot of TLC after the marathon.  I intend to give them all I can.

I know that during the marathon I will think of every single person who means a lot to me and who has inspired me in my running pursuits.  It is a blessing to be encouraged by many friends and fellow runners.  It's good to be understood and accepted no matter how things go.  It is powerful to rest in the knowledge that I will have undertaken the hardest thing I think I have ever attempted in my life.  All of these emotions will be swirling around in my head.

Now I continue to rest and wait.  As soon as I am able, I will post marathon photos and stories!

Pitiful Pre-race Paranoia and a Terrible Tumble

It's now five days until the big day, marathon day.  It's the day I've been training for since Thanksgiving.  I've put in the miles.  I've done the long runs.  I've recovered from Runners' Knee with PT.  Now there's nothing to do but wait, rest, pray, watch the weather, and try to stay healthy until the race.  It all sounds so simple, doesn't it?

I floated around blissfully on Cloud 9 for several days after the Berry Half Marathon.  My knees were a little bit sore (shame on me for not stretching better after the race), but I knew I had two easy weeks ahead of me.  For some crazy reason, last Thursday morning I decided to go running around the neighborhood instead of running on the Silver Comet like I always do.  Turns out, that was a big mistake.

I didn't worry about speed as I started off.  I knew that I would be doing hills on this run, plus I needed to do some easy recovery running.  My plan was to run 8 miles that morning.  At about mile 4, I head up a steep hill, one that used to cause me to stop and walk every time.  That morning, however, I proudly bound up the hill without slowing a bit.  Just over the top of the hill was a speed hump.  Somehow my right foot underestimated the extra lift needed to clear the height of the hump.  I knew I was about to fall.  Instinctively, my right hand shot out to protect my knee from getting the worst of it.  With a hurt knee, I knew my race aspirations were done for.  My eyes were very close to my hand as I fell, so I could see them press the ground and then bend at an angle that I knew they were not meant to reach.  I felt like I was watching a Barbie doll whose fingers can bend in very wrong ways.  Even though my fingers broke the fall somewhat, I still hit pretty hard.

In a state of semi-consciousness, I lay there, sprawled across the street, taking mental inventory of my body.  Intuitively, I knew that I needed to move off the road, but I was not sure I could.  Finally, I made an effort and stood.  Even though I could see that my knee was bloody, I felt a small sense of relief that I could stand and even walk.  My hand, however, was in severe pain and I was almost a mile away from home.  I started walking and then I started running, trying to reach home to get my hand on ice.

Lots of swelling the day after the fall

As soon as I got in the door, my husband could tell something was wrong.  When he saw my hand and knee, he darted off to get some ice.  I had held off crying up until that point, but the pain and swelling was becoming severe.  I checked myself out and found that I had cuts and scrapes on my shoulder, elbow, knee, and both wrists.  My fingers started swelling a whole lot, and I started crying.  It was more than just from pain.  It was also from frustration over what I had done to myself.

By mid-day, I made another unpleasant discovery.  I was coming down with an unprecedented second cold of the year.  The tell-tale signs were there: a stuffy nose, chills, and extreme tiredness.  Emotionally, I took an extreme downhill turn.  Not only was it going to be hard to do normal things with only one hand, things like brushing teeth, washing hair, dressing, eating, etc., but also I was too tired to do any of it anyway.

...and gorilla knuckles!

Over the weekend, I was supposed to attend a 2-day choir retreat where a world-renowned director was coaching us.  I only made it to part of one day before I realized I did not have the energy to do more.  Everyone who saw my hand was alarmed, and many thought I should go immediately to the hospital.  It was all too much for me, so I went home and slept a whole bunch.

Today, five days after the fall and the cold, I am doing much better.  I am able to use my right fingers to type this note, and the swelling has gone down a whole bunch.  My hand ranges in color from blue and green to a lovely shade of yellow.  My knee still aches a bit, but I think I'll manage.

Five days after the fall

I do know there will be other races if this one does not turn out well.  It's just been a hard several days.  Now, I just wait and pray and watch weather and obsess, knowing that all I will do my best, and I will be proud of myself for undertaking this crazy mission.

The Berry Half Marathon: A Success Story!

I headed to bed at 11:00 the night before the race, knowing that I was doomed to toss and turn during the 5 1/2 hours before my alarm was to ring.  I had set all my things out so I'd be able to function on autopilot at 4:30am.  The plan was to meet up with several of my Adventure Runners friends at 5:30 in the parking lot of the Kennesaw LA Fitness.  I had brought along a mug of hot black tea to help me wake up.  Two friends, Elise and Isabel, rode with me for the hour's drive up to Rome, Georgia.  Elise had brought some yummy, healthy muffins and bananas, so we breakfasted on the way up.

We arrived at the Berry College campus a little before 7am, and stepped out into the chilly air to search for the place where we could pick up our bibs.  I was so thankful that the rain was scheduled to hold off until after the race.  The cold was one thing, but cold and rain would have been totally miserable!

Even though we arrived early, we discovered that the packet pick-up location was a half mile's walk from the car.  We grabbed our race bags and headed back to the car where the heater and handy butt-warmer awaited us.  The short-sleeved tech tee-shirts looked very nice, and there were lots of other goodies, including chap-stick, a band-aid holder which keeps them from getting wadded up in a purse or running belt, several energy bars and gels, a magnet, and, of course, upcoming race advertisements.

At 8:15 we braved the cold again and waited in line at the porta-potties before hiking all the way back to the start line.  I ran into Tad and Chris, and was able to introduce them to each other and to Elise.  It really is fun when virtual friends become real-life, in-person friends!  Elise and I planned out our race strategy and decided we would each benefit by starting out together and targeting an 8:14 pace.

As the gun went off, I was very glad to be able to start warming up from the heat of exercise.  The campus was very pretty, and the crowd of locals cheered us on with great enthusiasm.  At the first sign of a down hill slope, I just let go and sprinted.  It felt really good since I was used to running on almost completely flat surfaces.

After running around campus for a couple of miles, the course led us down a long, straight flat path toward the mountain part of the campus.  I kept the pace steady and felt pretty strong.  As I passed about the 4 1/2 mile mark, I decided to go ahead and take a gel.  Even though it was a bit early in the race, I knew it would benefit me as I hit the oncoming hills.  Luckily a water station was not far ahead because I was already regretting not having hydrated quite enough.

More crowds had gathered at this part to cheer us on.  They has also planted inspirational and sometimes comical signs all along the way.  I had been bracing myself for a tough ride on the hills, but I was actually pleasantly surprised by how mild they seemed compared to the giant hill at the Tartan Trot 10K.  Also, there were lots of downhills to relieve me as soon as I ran out of breath going uphill.

On the two out-and-back places I ran into Tad as he was finishing and I was starting.  It was nice to know I wasn't embarrassingly far behind a really super-fast runner.  The two places were my least favorite because they were not paved.  The second one, in particular, was really tough because it had lots of sharp rocks embedded in the dirt, and the path led up to some rather smelly horses.  After that, we hit a rather extreme downhill patch where I could just let go because I felt I might tumble if I did.

Finally, we hit the paved road again, and I was very grateful to be sure of my footing once more.  This was the beginning of the long, straight stretch back to the main campus.  The crowd had thinned out by then, and I started feeling a bit more tired.  Luckily, there were more signs to keep me entertained.  These had senseless trivia on them - things like:  Did you know that the item most choked upon is a toothpick? and (something like) Termites produce 90% of the world's farts?  They were so silly, but then, my mind could not have digested anything more profound anyway.

The last two miles were very, very tough and lonely.  In looking back at my splits, I see that I carried them both at a sub-eight pace.  However, they took their toll on me.  I felt like a zombie and I wanted so bad to stop.  However, I wanted equally badly to just finish up, so I pushed on.  I once considered barfing on the side of the road, but I stuffed that impulse down.  There were no girls around me, and there were some college-aged boys nearby, so that made me feel reassured.

I looked at my watch at mile 12 and discovered that I had a tiny shot at hitting a 1:45 time.  This indeed motivated me to keep going strong.  In the last stretch where I could see the finish line, I might have sped up a little, but I had no true sprint left in me.  I also felt that my blood pressure was low and that I did indeed risk passing out.  Finally I crossed over the line and saw that I had indeed beat 1:46!  That made me so incredibly happy.  I never thought I could run that far, that fast!  It was such an unbelievable thing that I walked around in circles for a second, trying to shake the cobwebs out of my mind.

I was able to cheer on several of my friends who came in not long after I did.  Then we collectively headed over for some refreshments.  Elise and I picked up our time printout and were sad to see we had both landed 4th place in our age group.  Damn.  Must have been some really fast ones ahead of us!  What we did not consider, however, is that, unbeknownst to us, the 1st place winner in both of our age groups was named masters and grand masters winner, so that had bumped us each up to third.  Since our tired minds did not consider this possibility, we bolted early and missed our chance to receive our respective awards.

We finished off the morning with a group picture and a hearty lunch at Waffle House.  It had been a great day and a great race.  I'm thrilled with an official time of 1:45:54 (a pace of 8:06), even though I was really sad to have missed a Corral A qualifying time for the Peachtree Road Race 10K by 7 lousy seconds.

Today, as I rest my tired legs, I still feel that I ran the race well, shattering my goal of 2:00 and even my dream goal of 1:52, while setting myself up nicely for my very first marathon in two weeks.

Monthly Recap & Goals - January

I'm a little late in doing this, but it's a good exercise to review and plan on a regular basis.

January highlights:

• Total miles run: 184 miles
• Total number of workouts: 22
• Longest training run: 20 miles in 3:17:21 (9:53 pace) on Jan. 22
• Fastest training run: 6 miles in 48:12 (8:02 pace) on Jan.15
• Ran PT Solutions Resolution Run 10K in 51:59 (8:24 pace) on Jan. 1
• Ran Tartan Trot 10K in 49:05 (7:54 pace) on Jan. 28 - set new 10K PR!!!!

(Being the techie nerd that I am, I can see a chart or graph coming up in the future as I accumulate these stats. - ha ha)

January was truly a great month of running!  I finally got over my Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (AKA Runners' Knee) that started last November with some help of a great physical therapist.  I did all sorts of awkward and challenging exercises and stretches, but it was all worth it.  Now I am extremely thankful for every day that I run with virtually no pain.  Interestingly, even those guys at PT looked at me like I had grown a third eye when I told them I was training for a marathon.  Truly, other runners are the only ones who understand.  Thank goodness for each and every one of you who "gets me" and my running obsession!

I also enjoyed doing a few group runs with Adventure Runners and with friends Elise, Chris, and Ken.  Although I generally prefer to run by myself on weekdays, I really look forward to doing weekend runs (especially long ones) with a partner or group.

My time on the Tartan Trot really built up my confidence and helped me get over my fear of hills.  It also earned me a spot on Corral B for the Peachtree Road Race 10K on July 4.  My husband has been in A for several years now, and I wish to one day be up there too.

Looking into February, I have the following short and long term goals:

1. Run the Berry Half Marathon on Feb. 18 in under 2 hours.  If I am lucky, I hope to break 1:52, but I don't want to push too hard because my first marathon is coming up on March 3.
2. Plan to run a race every month in 2012.  I'm pretty much set for this except for the month of June.  Ideas, anyone?
3. Complete my first marathon.  I actually would love to run it in under 4 hours, but I'm sure I'll cut myself a lot of slack if I don't reach that goal.
4. Get a 10K time of 47:59 some time in 2012 so I can be up with the big boys in Corral A for the 2013 Peachtree.
5. Stay healthy and injury-free.  I must really not let ego get in the way of this goal!  I still remember how down I felt when I could barely walk, much less run, when my knee began to hurt.

Today is a day off because yesterday I did my third-ever 20-mile training run.  This is going to be the last one before the marathon.  Whew!  I'm thankful to feel pretty good today even though I was a bit hobbled yesterday afternoon.  :-)

More to come after the Berry on Saturday!

Runners Are Kindred Spirits

I find it interesting that people who don't run often have very similar negative reactions to those of us who do.  These reactions range from staring like we've sprouted a third eye, to telling us how much they hate running, or even complaining about how bad running is for one's health.  At least I find comfort in the fact that, as exasperating as these looks and comments can be, the support from fellow runners is even more powerful and positive.

Other runners "get" us in a way no one else seems to.  Whenever I meet someone who runs, I instantly feel drawn to them, and want to get to know them better.  I guess that's why I love the Daily Mile web site.  Daily Mile is like Facebook geared especially for runners.  Not only does it keep track of daily, weekly, and monthly miles, but it also serves as a place where runners can comment on the postings of friends.  Each day (and especially on the weekends) I look forward to posting my run stats (distance, pace, location, and general remarks) and to viewing those of fellow running friends.  We routinely congratulate each other on great race times, fast or long training runs, and other milestones.  We also console each other or commiserate when one of us has an "off" run, an injury, an illness, or just a temporary lack of motivation.

I feel so lucky to have such great friends on Daily Mile.  Some are far better athletes than I can ever hope to be, and some are right in my same range of ability.  No matter how fast they run, though, they all reach out through cyber space to support fellow runners by commenting on the runs of others.  I definitely feel understood when I read the comments made to my own posts.

It's only four short weeks until marathon time, and I still can't quite believe I am going to join the ranks of those who proudly display their 26.2 bumper stickers and medals.  I'm just so glad that several of my Daily Mile friends will also be there with me in Albany, Georgia, so we can all celebrate at the finish line!  Until then, I still have a few "miles to go before I sleep..."

http://www.watchmegorun.com

A new 10K PR!

This morning I ran the Tartan Trot 10K at St. Luke's Presbyterian Church.  Each year they hold this event to celebrate the Scottish origins of the religion.  Being Presbyterian myself, I was glad to have the opportunity to run in this race.  I noticed several wore kilts and had chilly bare legs hiding underneath.  A few others donned plaid scarves.  We were even treated to the tunes of a bagpipe band in full costume.

I had my doubts as to how I would do on this race because 1) the bottom of my right foot near the outer edge had been hurting for the past few days, and 2) because two days ago I experienced the tell-tale signs of an oncoming cold.  Making me even more doubtful was the fact that I tossed and turned all night because of my sniffles.  I just decided to take the pressure off myself and run it for experience.  My original intent had been to try for a qualifying time of 47:59 which would put me in Corral A in the Peachtree Road Race 10K.

The morning air was quite chilly, so I was thrilled when I found they were letting us wait inside the warm and cozy church until right before the start.  It also meant we had indoor plumbing - a runner's delight!  After scanning the crowd for a new friend I met on Daily Mile, I decided to head outside and do a little warm-up run just before the start.  I've noticed on my training runs that the first mile is always the slowest, so I decided a warm-up might help.

I still haven't really learned how to use my new Garmin Forerunner 410 sports watch, so I started fiddling with the settings.  Unfortunately, I forgot to lock in the satellite ahead of time, and it still hadn't set when the gun went off.  Therefore, I lost half a mile in tracking my time.

As I rounded the first mile, the timer called out 7:38.  I realized that I was really pushing it, but I felt okay.  Mile 2 and half of mile 3 were mostly downhill, so I sailed through them as quickly as possible.  I knew that the upcoming hills were going to be torture.  As I started up the first long, major hill, I slowed my pace and just tried to keep my breathing in control.  That mile was the hardest of the whole race.  I think I stopped and took short walk breaks three times.  However, they rested me enough to tackle the rest of the run.

A big part of running is psychological.  You're in the pack of runners, feeling all sorts of emotions.  I tried to tell myself that I was doing my best, and that no one can ask for more.  When I got tired, I just tried to focus on the fact that I was almost done.

A wonderful thing happened at the last two-tenths of a mile.  A nice man in a red shirt ran up beside me and said, "Come on, let's do this together."  He sped up.  I sped up.  He sped up some more, and I managed to keep pace.  I pushed it with everything I had!  Right as we crossed the finish line, he said, "You had more left in you than I thought!"  I was so very thankful to him for giving me that little push!  It was really, really great zooming across the finish line and shaving several seconds off the time I would have had.

Because my brain left me in that final sprint, I did not even think to look up at the clock.  The runner in red told me we finished in 49:05.  No matter what the official time is, I'm already sure that I beat my next best 10K time of 50:23!  Just knowing that makes me feel that all my training really is paying off.

In the past few weeks and months of training, I have made so many new runner friends.  They are all wonderful people, and they identify with me where most other people on this planet don't.  We celebrate with each other when results are good, we commiserate when one runner is injured or sick, and we watch each other's progress which makes us try even harder each week.

My next race is a half marathon in three weeks.  I'll write more about that in another post!