If You’re Not First, You’re Last

Last Saturday, I laced up my shoes, threw on my skort (aka Chub Rub Loophole) and headed out to Woodway, Texas for a 10k race I had signed up for as my last official long run before my marathon.

This was my first time running this course (this was the 3rd year for it, but I think maybe the first for the 10k portion). I didn’t see much in the way of advertising for it and with our local running group, Waco Striders, putting it on I assumed it would be a fairly small race. I’ve done a few races they’ve timed & put together and it’s usually for local charities, etc so the turn outs aren’t in the hundreds or anything.

I assumed correctly. There were 19 people running the 5k and 18 people running the 10k. For the 10k it was the 5k course looped. It went through a park and a couple little residential neighborhoods. I remember thinking, “Wow. I wonder if this is what it would be like if I lived in the city and ran.” Since I live in the country, most of my runs are done on gravel while being mooed at by cows.

I started the course telling myself to just go easy and enjoy the fact that this was my last long run. Alfred actually came to this race but Lillie did not. Typically he has to work so while I often offer, it’s really not a big deal for me to go alone. I assumed he wasn’t going to make it so I arranged for Lillie to stay with her grandparents. It was nice knowing he was at the finish line though and it probably pushed me a little bit harder to finish.

Well, either that or the fact that I was the last person to cross the finish line and the cops were trailing me.

Oh yeah, go ahead – read that sentence again. The cops were following me because I was dead fucking last.

 

If you’ve been reading for any amount of time, I always set at the minimum the following two goals for my races:

1. Don’t poop myself.
2. Don’t be last.

But you know, being last? Wasn’t that bad actually.

Probably because while I may have been last during this race, I actually dropped my 10k time by nearly 6 minutes! And it’s 10 minutes faster than my very first 10k I ran in 2012. I crossed the finish line with my head held high and crazy happy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The husband managed to capture me at my sexiest crossing the finish line. God bless him. My streak for having the “best” race photos continues!

I was thrilled to end my marathon training on this note. Even if it was the last note conducted on that day.

So, my next symphony, aka the marathon.

This Sunday.

EEK!

I’m making my lists and checking it twice, thrice, wayyyy too much and I’m trying to ignore these giant butterflies that have gathered in my gut.

The Army Marathon  notified us that they have live timer at certain points during the race, so I’ve linked my facebook & twitter. Sorry for being that obnoxious person but my thoughts are – maybe someone will comment or text me when I need it most (at the wall) and I’ll take all the encouragement I can get.

Next time I post from here – I’ll be a marathoner! YAY!!

Until we run again!