I finally did it! My first 10K!
If I'm this elated now, what in the world is it going to feel like when I finish my first half?!
At any rate, I ran (/walked) 6.2 miles for the first time ever on October 9, 2013 at the Arizona Race for Maggie's Place. I was hoping to get some semblance of a decent time to submit for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon. Prior to this, my farthest distance was about four and a half miles. I was so nervous the entire week before the race. However, the night before I diligently laid out my running clothes, prepared my water bottles, packed a GU pouch in my belt, laid out my headphones, ate my pasta, and went to bed. I woke up on time and made to the race with a little bit of time to spare. On my way to the race area I get ready to put on my bib... only to realize I didn't have it. So at this point, here I am all by myself at my first 10K, practically in tears because i literally forgot the ONE thing I needed to participate. I called my husband, who I figured was at home still asleep, to see if he could make sure my bib was where I left it before I tore my car apart. It was and he offered to bring it to me, but suggested I start by asking the organizers if they could by chance provide me with a new one instead.
Luckily someone at the registration booth must have felt for me, or just didn't want to see me cry, and I got hooked up with a shiny new bib. All systems were go, and I got myself to the start line in one piece.
I was doing pretty well and made it to just before the first mile marker, when I saw some guy standing near the path. I got closer and realized I was looking at my husband, holding a sign and ready to cheer me on. Since I'm an unaturally emotional person, I started tearing up a bit and made a very strange half-laugh, half shocked squeal type sound (judging by their faces, the two women running in front of me didn't know whether to be irritated, entertained, or concerned).
My fabulous husband was waiting at nearly every single mile marker with a different sign, a few quick words of encouragement, and at one point, some more GU (he didn't know I'd remembered mine). That was probably the most romantic gesture I've ever seen, and honestly, I think I could have finished even if he hadn't done that, but I wouldn't have finished nearly as strongly as I did. Nor would I have been as happy.
Silly woman that I am, I didn't get a picture. But I know I'll never forget seeing him on the course after he did a surprisingly good job acting like I'd woken him up on the phone earlier. I finished in 1:25:48, which for me, was actually pretty darn good. After all, I finished my first 5K eight months earlier in 57 minutes.
I have no idea if that's going to be a good enough time to affect my corral placement at the Tinker Bell Half, but I know that I've pushed my limits once again, and I couldn't be happier!
