Run For the Luck of It: My First Race

I did it! I ran my first race today! I've been wanting to start running again but I haven't had any motivation to do so. I'm hoping to get a few more races in this year - and hopefully they'll be easier than this one! Good grief am I out of shape! I signed up for this race a few days before my birthday, specifically because it's my favorite holiday. What better way to celebrate?! It came with a free beer afterwards, but let's be honest, I was dead tired. 

I was really motivated to start running to get prepared when I signed up, but then I was plagued, yet again, by the dreaded yearly birthday cold. I should have known... Needless to say, my motivation tanked. After I recovered from it, I had just over a week to prepare. Since Charlotte caught the cold after me, there was no way I was going to take her out running with me, so I stuck to the treadmill during naptime. I thought I was doing great - I had my 5k time down to 24:40. Pretty excited about that time! I should have known not to get my hopes up. I know the day before a race is supposed to be a rest day, but after taking a few days off, I thought I better get outside and run, just to see how my treadmill time compares. Turns out it doesn't. It took me around 34:00 minutes to run a 5k around the neighborhood. I was exhausted!

I crawled into bed last night around 8:30 and was so glad to get some rest! But this morning came too soon! Hunter had the flu bug Thursday evening, and we woke up to JP feeling sick. I had asked Perry to drop me off downtown so I wouldn't have to look for parking. And since I was running a little late, there was no way I was going to find parking and make it to the race on time. So JP brought a garbage can for the short drive - and used it. I felt so bad for dragging him out of the house! As soon as Perry dropped me off at the bus station, I re-thought wearing short sleeves. I briefly thought about wearing a long sleeved shirt under it, but it was so nice out when we left...I forgot downtown is a wind tunnel. It was SO COLD. It wasn't too bad when I was running, but that 15 minutes leading up to it I thought I was going to freeze to death. 

 I pushed through and ran the first mile and then it was a combination of running and walking. There was no way I was going to be able to run up the Scott Street bridge in my condition!  I have this problem of making bad deals with myself when I'm tired though... I'll tell you what - kudos to these ^5 young girls^ running the 5k - but there was no way they were going to beat me. I wouldn't have cared so much if they didn't continuously cut me off or walk in a line like this while at the narrowest spots on the course... 

 After the race selfie! I never take these but I figured it might be the only picture I get since my cheering squad was sick at home. Next time... The coolest thing about finishing the race was hearing my name announced right after I crossed.

 Okay, the bagpipers piping me across the finish line were pretty cool too! Nothing reminds me of my wedding quite like bagpipers do! 

These legs are not ready for running! I can barely move now! And to think I have to work this afternoon... Yuck! But at least I got a cool t-shirt out of it!