ready....set....

May 20, 2012. a day i will not soon forget...

my.first.ever.5k.

my number

SPAC Rock 'n' Run! 

so much fun! 

when i first started jogging...um...i mean training...for this 5k, i thought i would DIE!

i didn't know what i was doing...still don't! i didn't know how to breathe or pace myself either. 

and i'm pretty sure i still don't know how to do those yet either! 

i trained using a similar method to the couch to 5k program for about 2 months. at first, i was just doing it to lose weight. it was part of my program at Challenge by Choice Training. then when Jodi (my trainer) said we were going to do a 5k in May, i thought 'she's out of her mind!' i actually said, "no, not me...i'm not a runner." HA!

the week before the race, a group of us did a pre-race run 

to check out the course and try to squelch our nerves. 

i'm glad we did.

there was a nice hill just before the last 1/2 mile. 

that.hill.sucked.

the day of the race, CbC met in the parking lot for pics. 

i donned my race number with safety pins to my shirt. 

and off we went...

Challenge by Choice Trainees and supporters!
my trainer, Jodi Mehan is in the middle..blonde with the fancy sunglasses ;)
(i'm in the front row, 3rd from the left)

my nerves kicked in just about then, and i immediately had to pee...yup.

then my throat and mouth went dry. ugh.

we warmed up and stretched lightly, got into line...what a crowd! 

i didn't know they lined you up by your 5k time.  huh?!? 

my friends and i just fell into any ol' place and heard the announcer say "ready...set...."

then the horn blasted! and we started our first 5k race!

the first mile was great! i was plugging along pretty good and actually made the first mile in 10:47.

(there were time mile markers along the way!)

i thought "i can do this!"

the second mile was a wee bit more challenging. it was HOT! and i had to remove my cap.

(why did i wear a cap?)

i made the second mile in 22:42.

the third mile was the killer mile!!

i was a hot mess and parched beyond belief!

where oh where were those water stations they said would be here?

OH! there it is!! i tried to drink the cup of water while running....hahahahahaha!!!!!!

i tried to act all like i knew what i was doing! BWAHAHAHAHA!

i nearly choked myself silly!

so i stopped and drank. 

then threw the cup into the grass. yup.

litter bug. 

but everyone else was doing it ;) 

then.came.the.hill.

the.monster.hill.

i was so hot. and so tired.
then i remembered why i was doing this...for love. love146.

i ran up 1/4 of the way. then walked to the 3/4 mark. then ran the last 1/4.

by the time i reached the top of the hill, i had to walk again.

once i caught my breath, i could see the last and final turn into the home stretch.

i saw the LIGHT at the end of the tunnel!

i cannot say that i actually ran that last 1/2 mile. 

i sort of jogged.

and when i got close to the finish line and read on the pavement "sprint" from here, 

i thought i would die laughing!

are you kidding me? sprint?

HA!

well, i jogged over that finish line at 36:37. 

i did it! my  first ever 5k at age 47.

w.o.w. 

a hot sweaty mess! but we did it!
(i'm in the middle)