That time I won an award!

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!!!