Steeple Chase 8K

Yesterday I ran my first race ever.  I have never been a runner {always a walker}. The longest distance I have ever ran would maybe be a mile and not on a regular basis.  I got a wild hair right after the holiday season {maybe it was all the baked goods I ate} and signed up for a running training group.  We met every Monday night for 8 weeks with the goal at the end being to run a local 8K (4.9 miles).  My goals for the race were 1.  to finish and 2. not to come in last {not that there is anything wrong with being last}.

We started on May 1st run/walking 2 miles {we ran 4 minutes, walked 1 minute} and gradually built up our milage and minutes of running each week.  My friend, Amy Jackson, and I met a couple of mornings a week to get our homework miles in.

Last Sunday our group met to run/walk the course.  It helped calm my nerves about the race and I proved to myself that I could do it!  I finished it in 59:40 so I added a new goal...to beat that time.

I woke up bright and early Saturday morning.  I put on my race bib...



...figured out how to attach the chip to my shoe...



...and posted a little status update on Facebook...



We all lined up at the starting line and a little after 7:00 am we were on our way...



Here we are running right past my house {a couple of blocks into the race}.  Amy and I had our personal cheerleaders with our husbands and kids...



Brad, Mary Bradford, Gray and Mary Reese followed us along the race.  Here I am running down Central Parkway about 3.5 miles into it...



...I still had not stopped to walk.

I had been dreading this hill the entire time {even more than the Gordon Drive overpass}...



It doesn't look that steep but about 4.5 miles into the race...it seemed like a hill in San Fransisco!  I wasn't sure I was going to make it running up the entire thing but I had caught up to two co-workers and we tackled the hill together!  It was all downhill from there.

Here I am heading to the finish line...



I crossed {with a high school classmate and now co-worker} in 52:06...



I met all my goals and even shaved over 7 minutes off Sunday's time!  My family was there to greet me with hugs at the finish line.  I was so wonderful to get all so many words of encouragement from them and everyone else!  I was thrilled with my time and the fact that I never stopped to walk!

After the last runner crossed the Finish Line, we headed into the church for the awards ceremony.  Our running coach did doorprizes every Monday night...I NEVER won one single time!  She also had doorprizes for the day of the race and guess what...



I WON!!!!  I can't wait to see what this Infrared Body Wrap is all about.

They had the results of the race posted in the paper today...



They also gave away an IPOD to the middle of the pack winner {you had to be present to win}.  The middle of the pack was finisher 88.  He was not present, so they started going down the line.  The lucky recipient was #93...which means I missed the IPOD by 2!

It was wonderful coming home to several words of encouragement on Facebook...



I am so glad I took this leap of faith and pushed myself to do something I never thought I would do.  If you are ever thinking about training for a race, I suggest you find a group.  I was so fun meeting new people and cheering them all on as we crossed the finish line.  Thank you Heather for being such a fabulous coach.  I feel the urge to train to run another race!