My dear friend Brenda roped me into this with the lure of a low race cost ($15) and that Red Lobster was providing the Post Race Food.
(Us - but post race!)
Normally when racing out there, I stay at my Dad's but sick kid meant instead I was up at 5:45am and out the door by 6:15am. The whole way there debating..... Is my queasiness race nerves or did I catch the kid's GI bug? Oh, should I turn around? Am I going to humiliate myself with a Code Brown? 2 bathroom stops and was still in doubt.
BUT, I decided I was going to give it a go. It was a beautiful morning. Got my shoes wet walking through the grass though.
Needless to say- I did not retie my shoes and started out w/ them tied too tight. Horrible calf pain and tightness plagued my first mile. Stopped to loosen the shoes and figured I would give it another mile and if not better, I will turn around and DNF. Also, decided the GI issues of the AM might have caused me to be a bit low in fuel so...... Threw in a 2 Clif Bloks for good measure.
AHHHHHH, finally hit my stride. The hills got a little easier, my legs finally got looser and I got into my zone. The nice thing about my pace is I was by myself. Peaceful time in the woods.
The organizers did an AMAZING job! Aid stations right where I needed them, 4 different areas to pee if needed (didn't til about mile 4.5). They had some really great signs throughout that makes you chuckle!
Needless to say- I did not retie my shoes and started out w/ them tied too tight. Horrible calf pain and tightness plagued my first mile. Stopped to loosen the shoes and figured I would give it another mile and if not better, I will turn around and DNF. Also, decided the GI issues of the AM might have caused me to be a bit low in fuel so...... Threw in a 2 Clif Bloks for good measure.
AHHHHHH, finally hit my stride. The hills got a little easier, my legs finally got looser and I got into my zone. The nice thing about my pace is I was by myself. Peaceful time in the woods.
The organizers did an AMAZING job! Aid stations right where I needed them, 4 different areas to pee if needed (didn't til about mile 4.5). They had some really great signs throughout that makes you chuckle!
Then got to mile 5 and knew it was time for a gut check- it was super hard at the start going DOWN the hill due to how steep it was. What goes down, MUST GO UP?? Right then there is a sign "You know a hill is epic when it has it's own name. Hello, my name is Ermeena" Yeah- the race organziers KNEW the hill sucked. But the chuckle helped....a little. A little bit later "Your almost done, KEEP CHUGGING"...Yes and I think I was breathing so hard that I sounded like a freight train!!!
I knew it was hilly going in so I told myself I was not going to care about my time. As long as I got it done under 2 hours I would be happy. (Yeah, lies we tell ourselves at the start right?). I knew I would not PR but I was hoping that it would be decent. I finished in 1:37!!!! I was within 7 minutes of my best time so considering the hill climbs (230 feet) - I would take it.
Now- there is always official distance (6.2) and actual. Since I tend to run like a lurching drunk, especially at the end. How funny I thought it was HELL the whole way and my ending distance...... 6.66
I knew it was hilly going in so I told myself I was not going to care about my time. As long as I got it done under 2 hours I would be happy. (Yeah, lies we tell ourselves at the start right?). I knew I would not PR but I was hoping that it would be decent. I finished in 1:37!!!! I was within 7 minutes of my best time so considering the hill climbs (230 feet) - I would take it.
Now- there is always official distance (6.2) and actual. Since I tend to run like a lurching drunk, especially at the end. How funny I thought it was HELL the whole way and my ending distance...... 6.66
And at the end........ YUP, not only Red Lobster Pasta, but also the BISCUITS and donuts!
(New racing tank too- TOTALLY love it!)
