Running: 10k, all the way!

Me and God, we got a thing going on...

Put in a special request for little to no humidity and a cool day.  Got just what I wanted, which was the icing on the cake for my race today.  My 6.22 mile race...

I can't even begin to describe the type of emotions I had today.  All of them were good, but they were just all over the place.  Today was my first ever 10k.  It was amazing!  Compared to my last race, which I had a stitch in my side the whole way through because I made myself so nervous, this was so much more comfortable.  I had a few issues with my nerves, but nothing that stopped me cold. 
Before the race I kept this phrase in my head, "zen out".  I needed to zen myself out.  It worked.  I wasn't completely calm, because you need your nerves, but I was focused and at ease.  

There were only 86 registered racers, very small, and an even smaller amount running the 10k.  

 everyone setting their watches...race is about to start!

I immediately looked for people to pace with.  Felt like the new girl on the playground asking for friends.  HAH.  But it's important to have a little nucleus of people to run with.  

 Meet Chris and Sue

I stayed with them until the 2.5 mile mark, then shot off -- and never looked back. 

When I saw the big spray painted letters on the ground telling me I was at 3 miles, I smiled because I felt really good.  During the first 2 miles my nerves had been acting up making me worry whether or not I was running too slow.  But I wasn't.

Edging up on 3.5 miles there was a huge spray painted smiley face saying "It's all downhill from here" and I ran like I was being chased...I used the hills to gain time.  I wasn't afraid to run pellmell.  It was at the 5 mile mark that caught up with a lady, in a pink shirt, who I hadn't seen since the beginning of the race.  

The last few yards to the finish line...

She set my finish pace for me.  Rockin it out hard next to a lady at least 25 years my senior.  She kept me going, man.  All the way to the end we were side by side, I just couldn't back down.  Then, I dug deep and finished in an all out run.  My official time was 51 min and some seconds putting me roughly around 8 min, give or take, a mile.  In my age group, I finished first...but I can't even say that THAT was the highlight of my day.

My son Cylas was.  

A month ago when I got the email for this race, I noticed that there was a quarter mile run for kids his age.  I really wanted him to run it.  And today he decided that he wanted to do it.

When they shot off the starting line, I cried a little.  My little boy was in a REAL race!  He did so well.  He didn't come in first or even second, but he finished.  He didn't fall, he didn't stop, he passed a whole bunch of other little kids and he made it to the end.  Then he cried, said his tummy hurt and that his feet were sore.  New shoes??  Pumas, perhaps??  Yes, I have a little runner in the making.  So very, very proud of my baby boy.

Watching all those little legs running as hard and as fast as they could was totally amazing.  You know, I've read that if you want to learn how to run...watch a child.  They run without abandon, are light on their feet and their posture is perfect.  As we grow older, we tend to tighten up, hunch and run with heavy feet...these were truly little lightening bugs.  So sweet.

Oh, and my little brother ran the mile, too.  That was huge for him...very proud of him, too.

Today was just spectacular and it really boosted my confidence for the half-marathon in my future.  I was also really happy about Cy's determination to run and hope that both of my children embrace athletics with a fierce competitiveness.

Right after my race, tired and sweaty but one happy momma!

Me, with Cylas after my race and right before his...I'm on the phone with my dad telling him about my race!