I love this race! I really love it! Odd circumstances led to Kimberly and JaNae actually NOT pacing the race, but they were good sports about it and just went on a trail run near the start while we paced. I was more than a little bummed to not only be pacing alone, but to feel like the two people helping to pay me for gas really didn't need to be there. Anyway...
Adam and Lauren were good and asleep when we left and I'd left some $ for Lauren to get muffins for the two of them in the morning. I am SO grateful for that amazing girl. SO grateful! We got to the race start, got our signs and lined up to get things going. Their start is always fun and it didn't disappoint! We were off. I felt really bad the first mile-ish, because there was a girl that was obviously hanging with me and she started asking me questions before I could really breathe! I almost wanted to hand the pace sign to her :) it just took me a bit to fall into a rhythm.
Mile markers were on (except one) and the out was beautiful, temps were perfect, drummers were awesome and the people around me were doing great and we were having a good race! At the turn around I only had 2 ladies left with me and the one that had been chatting since the beginning I asked her how she was doing and suggested, due to her response, she take a gu. Only problem is the next station had one, but she dropped it and she had to stop. I lost my last lady. The other one had gone just a bit ahead.
I was lonely and alone, but seeing all my peeps coming the other way kept my mind on the game and I also saw Steph! I knew earlier she'd talked about coming with a friend to help her do her first half, but hadn't heard she was for sure doing it. I wanted to turn and run with her right there! But, I kept going.
Mile 10ish I caught up to one girl and ran with her for a bit, encouraging and hopefully helping her, but she stopped to drink at the aid-station and I knew I was pretty close to pace and didn't have time. I didn't pass anyone else the rest of the race and I loved that as the fastest pacer as I came in the announcer said "wow! right on time. what a great pacer!" I took a nice little bow as I ran in :) it was incredible! Finished just about 20 seconds early, just perfect! I was glad that as crappy as my legs and week had been that I was able to make it and make it look easy :) at least I hope I do!
We got back to the hotel, cleaned up and headed home. Adam was good on the drive home and I had just an incredible experience with JaNae and Kimberly! I seriously love long drives with good friends. I could do them all the time!!! Good excuse to chat away.
We got home and had a bapstism to get to and after that I was just wiped out. So were my boys who had stayed with a neighbor and stayed up ALL night! So, we had an early bed time so that we all didn't fall asleep or rip each other's heads off at church the next day :)
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