My best friend is graduating today so I don't have much time to write up a report. But don't get too excited, the course was short (3.03) so this doesn't count as my first sub-19 5k. I need to see 3.1 on my Garmin to make it official! I will come back later with a way too long race report, because this morning was pretty eventful. To add some suspense, let's just say I was crying before the race (but not in a really bad way, if that makes sense). Okay, so here is my morning. Last year the race was a little long (like a minute) so I knew the race wouldn't be one to go for time, more so just to run hard and try to get grand prix points. It is for the Humane Society and I knew they would be "advertising" the shelter dogs but I guess I didn't realize what that would entail. To go to the bathroom you had to go through all of the animals... the cats, the bunnies, the dogs, all of them. So needless to say I sobbed the entire way to the bathroom. So the race starts, and it is about 70% on trails, which are of course.... trails... sand, roots, you know. My first mile was in 6:03, which I am really happy about, it's about time I get a good start. And I never really died per say, but I definitely got really tired at some points. It was a pretty flat course, a few teensie hills, and then the finish was on top of a monster hill. It was huge, and I had no idea the finish was right at the top or I would have pushed it a little bit harder. So I finished with a little bit left. I raced the clock for sub-19, just in case, but looked down at my watch and it said 3.03 miles. I guess there is a chance it is right, Garmin's do go crazy in the woods some times, but I find it easier to just deny my time and try again next time. Kinda stinks though because it's the second week in a row I would have PRed if the course was measure correctly (last time long, this time short). But I did win, and got 30 grand prix points out of it, which I didn't expect at all! After the race there was a ton of food, and they had a stage that they were taking some of the dogs on and introducing them to the crowd. I hope some of them got adopted. Some of them were super cool dogs. If I had a yard I would have taken home a truck full. I took one for a walk and I loved her. There were at least a dozen I wanted. The shelter said they get 60-70 animals a day... and they only had 60-70 animals. Which makes it super sad to think about the others that don't get adopted, and don't get to live a full life :( So sad. I love that I love animals so much, but they also break my heart. There were only 2 bunnies, and one was a female lop, white with brown spots, the I knew Lewis would just loooove to snuggle with. I was one storm chase away from adopting her, but I can't get a new bunny just to take to Jason's apartment and make him watch her, especially not knowing if she is well-behaved or potty trained like Lewis. But if she is still there when I get back in June she will probably be mine. It breaks my heart thinking of her being in that cage, but at least she has food and a cool, dry place to live. Anyway, enough about the animals, I could go on forever. As for the running is concerned I think today proved I can go under 19 (since I got this time on the trails). I finished right behind a guy I know that goes consistently under 19, so it is looking good. Also, most people went slower on this race than the others, and I actually ran faster. Next 5k is May 23 in Mississippi (between storm chasing and Greece), so if the days is right (and the course accurate) maybe that will be my day. I'll have to see if anyone from the track club actually measured the course. If so, then I will be willing to accept my time.
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