Ahhh, early moring! I hate setting the alarm clock starting with a 3! However, things went very smoothly and kids got dropped off in the right places and bye-wing, her son and I got to the race on time and got to visit with Carolyn as well before the start! Perfect! Oh, and since Quiet Pirate was the only sibling missing, bye-wing and I made QP signs for our backs and pinned them on so she could be there too! I was a little concerned about the drag from the paper, but after threats of getting my pony tail cut off if I complained about it I shut up :)
The race was on! I really didn't think I would do much better than 47-48 minutes, the way my legs have been running lately that was an honest prediction. Barely under my 51 min from last year when I ran 4 weeks postpartum. The first mile was weaving all over tarnation trying to get around the walkers and joggers at the start. This is such a BIG race, but that is part of what makes it so fun too. I saw the mile 1 split at 7:12 and thought...all right, there was your speedy mile, now just try to hang on as best as you can for another 5. The rest of the race was rather uneventful and I didn't stop at aid stations, just grabbed a cup of water, threw it in my mouth/face and hoped for the best :) Not pretty, but I don't profess to be so! I was encouraged when as I neared the finish I could still see a 46 on the clock! I knew I was over a minute back from the start, so I knew I'd done okay. Better than expected, and I felt exhausted. Now that it is all said and done with I think I could've run faster...but don't we always?!? I was about 90 seconds from a PR, so I blew all hope of that one, but like I said, I knew my body wasn't in that great of shape lately and I didn't really expect it. Honestly, I'm impressed with my legs for giving me a 45! I guess I need to pick up the pace on that speed work now...or just run it downhill :) AP: 7:21 splits: 7;12, 6:55, 7:26, 7:16, 7:23, 7:51, 7:38 (last .21) I was impressed that my 2nd mile was the fastest and that NO miles were over 8! Even that last 1.2ish of uphill after the screaming downhill.
After I finished I ran back on the course and got to see Matt and chat about his race and then as I saw Carolyn coming in I ran with her in, walked back and ran in with bye-wing, then ran back on the course almost a mile to run my kids in who were doing the 5K with bye-wing's family and grandma. My 10 year old was out in front and I ran almost the last mile with her, and I must say for her first 5K she did AWESOME! She had to walk a bit, but we would go just the length of the intersection (white line to white line) and she would pick it back up again. I could tell from her face she was exhausted, but I just kept encouraging her! By the time we'd finished and I was ready to go back and grab my 7 yr old son, he was practically finished, so I cheered him on to a fast finish to just beat out his 'twin' cousin. Funny thing was that the 10K/Marathon finish line looked much more grand than the 5K finish, so he kept on running into the corral until we finally got him to come back. The last ones left were my 4 year old and baby Fartlek in the stroller with Grandma. I had to go back almost a 1/2 mile to pick them up and I got my 4 year old out of the stroller and he ran the whole way into the finish with me!! What a trooper! He got the most cheers and I had the biggest grin holding his hand and running with him :) I then turned back the 100 yards or so to grab baby and run him in...just like last year. Grandma sure was a trooper to push them most of the way! I got almost 3 miles in running back and forth - fastest (time flying by...not literally fastest) and happiest 3 miles I think I've ever had! Love those kids and all the work they put in!! Then I made my kids stay and cheer in marathoners until about 4 hours. I did get to chat with James, Allie and Rossy after their finish, and rode the bus back (Tradition!) with JeffL, Kelli and Wendy (Kelli and Wendy got stuck with me and the kids cheering in finishers as well). Man those guys are fast and amazing!! I love cheering at the finish and watching the different athletes as they come in! SO inspiring!! Congrats to all who raced today, it was a perfectly lovely day to run with a few hundred of our closest running pals :) Have to update just a bit. Saw results and I finished 10th in my AG!! I can't believe it! Top 100 in overall females and 10th in my cruddy age group. Nice! :) A PR would've gotten me 5th...but, bygones be bygones. Next year!
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