Combat Boots & Diamond Rings: Turn Back the Clock 10k

Today was the day, my first 10k run ever! I was so excited but nervous as well. My running group had been training for about a month now for the run. I had only run 6 miles twice before this day. This day I would run 6.2 miles with my goal set for a 1 hour finish. My awesome husband let me sign him up to run with me & help keep me on pace. The pace was suppose to be a 10 minute mile which had been easy to keep up to this day.

When we woke up it was drizzling & cloudy but not cold a nice 55 degrees. By the time we got to Lacey,WA for the run no rain & still no cold- PERFECT!

This was taken by my amazing son who tagged along at my request. It was about ten minutes before we started the run. Stacie is in pink, Dana in light purple, & Melissa is the brighter purple. It was the first 10k for 3 of us- Stacie suggested this run for us to try. That way we would know if we really wanted to run a half- marathon in June. She was right about 5.5 miles in my head was screaming at me " you are NUTS to think about a half!". But I kept going!

We got ready to go....

You can see my husband's head & I'm the little short one right in front of him. We took off about a minute after this picture. The first mile was okay we ran an 8:38 pace . I got a little light headed so Paul slowed me down to a 9:30 pace . We bounced between a 9:30-45 pace for the next few miles. The trail was pretty with the fall leaves all over, but the lack of being able to run much this week due to my chest cold made it painful. I could tell I had been sitting around for 3 days prior to the run & I was not happy.

Around mile 4 I decided to just go, just finish the race even though my legs where tired. I knew I could do it I had done it before so I started placing one foot in front of the other. I never looked back for a mile. I assumed Paul was with me and when I looked over my shoulder was surprised to see him gone. I stopped for a second in a panic! He was my person to keep me going, then I realized I was doing just fine on my own. I kept moving thinking I can do this! I found a guy in front of me running about like Melissa does when we train so I decided to stay with him. His wife was at the 5.25 mile marker and yelled out his pace at 9:42 so I knew I was faster then my original 10 minute mile. Not going to lie that helped me push through the last painful 1/2 mile of the run.

There where 5k runner/walkers on the course and at one point they got to stay straight while we got turned to the right. I could literally see the finish but had to run a longer distance to get to that line. I almost cried! Thankfully two ladies came up beside me and yelled " Go BLUE!!" I was wearing my blue run to remember again. That made me smile briefly and keep going even though those ladies passed my slow self. The guy was still about 10 seconds in front of me so I kept saying in my head " go, one foot in front of the other. This is for Cliff- Cliff liked to run, this is for Cooper-who am I kidding Cooper hated to run! " Which made me chuckle a little to myself.

Then thankfully I saw Stacie in her bright pink shorts screaming that I could do it! I was so ready to walk to the finish, but then I remembered Paul was behind me and no way was I letting him catch me. I was going to come in first! A little excited because I never come in before him, EVER! I ran & crossed that finish line at 1:00 51 seconds! Just 51 seconds over my goal time.

Yep that picture says it all, thank goodness I'm DONE!

Paul came in about 4 minutes later looking about the same. I am pretty sure he won't be telling me I can sign him up for anymore runs for awhile-hehe

Then Dana was next at 1:11 53 seconds

I can't remember if Dana had set a goal for herself- but she finished!!

Melissa was not caught as my son said she came in to fast! She was at 58 minutes .

Stacie came in ahead of us all at 50:00 2 seconds- she was fast!

We where all super excited to have this run in the books. It made me realize how much work I have ahead to get ready for the Seattle Rock n Roll 1/2 in June. I must be insane because I have already signed up for a December 12k- that is 7.3 miles folks. Yes I have lost my mind! But I am having a lot of fun losing it with these ladies.