Yes it is true, I won an a race. I actually placed in my age group. Miracles do happen.
Many, many moons ago I signed up for the Lakeland 10 miler because it was on super sale and after hearing a friend say wonderful things about it, I figured...1.5 months before the wedding, I will be in nice shape for the wedding with all this running. Yea, well that isn't exactly how it went down.
If you noticed, I haven't really been around this blog often because I haven't had much to write, or I didn't know what to write about even though I wanted to blog. I haven't' been running because its hotter than the sun here in Florida and it's just not enjoyable. I really tried to pound out miles but I simply didn't want to, and after talking to a few people, they all said the same thing; "Find something you like and do it". And that's what I have been doing, I have been busting my butt at Orange Theory and I am loving it! I may not have lost weight but I see my body changing. Sorry, I talk on tangents.
Many weeks leading up to the race I didn't know exactly what I planned to do, "Do I run the 10 mile race as a long slow run, or do I run the 5 miler"? I was actually all ready to run the ten miler. I had my fuel, I was mentally prepared to stick to my 12 minute miles (hey, I will go faster if I can!). I et some friends before the race, HI Laura, Hi Wanda! I went to the bathroom the obligatory 5 million times and I was ready to go. It was nice and humid bit it is Florida so that is expected. All was fine and dandy and we were off.
I settled into a nice pace, I was surprised how "quickly" I was going and then all of a sudden I feel my hair against my back. What was going on? My second hair tie fell out, and while that may not be a big deal to most, it is to me. My hair is being grown out because I have a wedding to get ready for in less than a month, so that being on my back was no good! I started to panic! Next, at the water stop, I took some nice refreshing water and I almost had to spit it out. I had ben having tooth troubles for about a month that anything that is sweet, cold, hard, I cannot chew. (I surprisingly can eat potato chips without a problem) Well, this water was nice and cold and it throbbed. My tooth hurts so bad it gives me a headache. I knew then I would either have to cut the race short or go the ten miles without water, yea I only finished the ten miles. At that point I was about 2.3 miles and I decided I should pick the pace up and "race". I use the term loosely because there is no racing being done and I am severely out of running shape.
At the point of picking it up I actually started to pass people because I started nice and slow at the beginning thinking I was going to do the 10 miler. I didn't stop at all, I made no walking or water stops, I just kept going. At mile 4 I started to feel my lack of in-shape-ness but wasn't gong to quick. My paces for the rest were around 10:30s or so, again, not fast for me! My Half marathon PR is much faster than this pace. I crossed the finish line oh so happy. After a while of waiting around and socializing I made it to see the race results and saw the 5 mile times without my name, I was hoping this would be corrected but it wasn't until I went over to speak with the Fitniche timing. After it was all corrected, my 11 min mile pace won first in the 20-29 Age group award. Yes, my old lady self won first and it probably is the most exciting thing ever!!!
