Who Me?!

Yes folks.  It's official.  I completed my first 10K this morning!  I met my goal of running the ENTIRE race.  I exceeded my time goal.  I had wanted to finish in one hour and twenty minutes, but I ran it in one hour and 7 minutes!!!!!!

Here's me at the finish line...

Yeah, it's a bit blurry, but it's because I was sooo fast!  :)  I felt great!  Honestly, I felt really strong, really solid on my feet and totally pain free.  My breathing was steady, my mind was clear.  I kept trying to stay relaxed and focused on my breathing and my pace.  Thank you Nike+ for not letting me get carried away at the start!!!


I am a lucky girl.  G came to the finish with one of our friend's in tow and waited it out through the constant threat of downpour for me to finish.  Another friend was also running the race (he ran in 48 minutes!), and he waited to see my after.  It was brilliant and I was so happy to have so many smiling familiar faces cheering me on! 

Here's P and I at the end...

Yep.  There we are, wearing our medals and brimming with pride! 
Before the race, I was pretty nervous and could really only eat about half a WW bagel with some peanut butter... I brought my own water bottle to the race, and a few of the carb/electrolyte jelly beans that I got at the Running Room.  My stomach started growling before I'd even taken off!!!

But the race was run, and since it was my first, I had a PB!!!  Go me!

After the race, you corral through this area where there's food and whatnot.  First stop, gatorade.  Blessed fruit punch flavour.  Love it.  Then, off to the food bar.  Bagels, cookies, juice boxes, bananas. My stomach wasn't sure I wanted anything, but my mind told my stomach to get over it and eat something.  So a bit of a bagel, a juice box, and a delicious banana were enjoyed. 

It's nice that they give out food.  I mean, I suppose it only makes sense that they would, but it's nice that there's so much there to eat.  You're tired after running, even when it's "just" 10K, that having that little bit at the end really kept you from just wanting to lie on the ground and sleep.

From there, it was off to Cora's for a celebratory breakfast.  By then, my stomach was having some cramping, but I think I was just too hungry and too worked up.  It feels better now. 

A year ago I would never have dreamed that this would be possible.  I have made so many positive changes in my life, and I am really just so freaking proud of myself.  I have a few 5K's and 10K's this summer that I've already registered for, and then it's the big one.. the half marathon in September!!!!  Watch this space, I will keep news coming on the training, the food, and the fun of it.