Seeing as how I haven't been really "running" lately, I had decided to do the Heart Walk for my dad. He has multiple heart problems. The company I work for typically tries to get together a team for our local heart walk. I kept waiting for an email with info and never received one so I went ahead online and signed up and made a donation. Then about 2 days before the event someone told me that the South Central (our local hospital) 5K was combined with the Heart Walk and that the ball was kind of dropped at my office with getting the a team together. I guess South Central & Jones Co Heart Walk people were combining the two events to try to have a larger group of people. I didn't know if any of my friends were doing the 5K until I got there the morning of the walk/run. They were all asking me if I was going to do the 5K. Well, you know me and my brain...... I got to thinking I should try and run at least 1 mile straight and see how I felt. I've only been doing intervals. I knew being around my running friends would encourage me. So I quickly signed up for the 5K.
It was a muggy morning! Everyone was sweating before we started and the event didn't start till 8:30 am which made it worse. We were finally off and I was running. I was pumped to be actually running. I looked down at my watch and I was averaging a 8:30 pace. I knew I was not going to maintain that for long so I enjoyed the moment. Soon my watch beeped 1 mile and I was so excited to have ran the 1st mile. So I decided to try to keep running and see what happen. One of my friends managed to get beside me on mile two and he wanted to talk. He loves to talk! I finally told him I was going to walk a minute and he could go on. I can't talk and try to run a decent pace especially when I've been mostly jog/walking... ha He begged me to go on with him. I told him I was not where I use to be in my running so he better get on. Thankfully he went on because I needed to conserve my air to run and not talk. Hee Hee
I did end up walking off and on before I finished. It was a tough course. Several rolling hills and boy it was HOT. I was so happy to cross that finish line. I had Kathy Byrd in my eye sight the first mile. Seeing her encouraged me to push to run that 1st mile. Then I didn't see her until I finished. She was standing at the finish line cheering in the finishers. Nestor captured our picture at the finish line. It's so good seeing her back out running strong. She had broke her foot last year and then took a break to remodel her house.
Nestor also captured me running in towards the finish line... Thanks Nestor!
I never even thought about me maybe placing in awards. I knew my time was better than I expected it to be, but not close to what I've ran a 5K in before so I was thrilled when they called me out as "Female Masters" winner. :>) It turned out that most of us placed! Byron captured a picture of the 3 Sanderson employees that placed: Serina, Kathy & Me
Notice the photo bomber in the back..... Mr. D (Serina's Dad) :>) and we never noticed our numbers until this picture. I should have got in the middle and we would have been lined up.
Here's a group shot of several of us...... Many from Team Run4TheKids...
# 293 in the front is Elizabeth.... Sunshine has been helping her train for the St. Jude half coming up in December. It will be her first. I'm excited she's on our team. I went to school with her dad.
And of course we had to end the day with a funny picture .. even got a couple swamp donkeys in the picture:
You can barely see me in the back behind Nestor.... I love my running friends. They are all Cray Cray.
My morning turned out much better than I had expected. I had no idea I could run a full mile. It's been awhile since the old bursitis! This 5K gives me that ray of light at the end of a long tunnel that I am getting better. It takes time to come back.... so just never quit ...... that's what I tell myself over and over. :>)
Happy Running! D
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