The 10k

It was cold! I've never run in temperatures under 40 degrees. It was a rule, but you can't have weather rules when you have a race. I wore gloves, but my fingers felt like ice for the first 2 miles. It was a small race, less than 100 people, but everyone took off. I held back, sticking to my plan. Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls" blasting through my ear buds does it every time. I start every run with that song. It's my twisted motivation. When I was losing weight, I'd position myself on a treadmill behind somebody who had the bottom I wanted. Or not. Either way motivated me to keep going. Fat bottomed girls... I had a carefully crafted playlist for the race and Queen should have brought me home, too, but somehow I ended up on a shuffled version of the playlist. I ran with my brand new Garmin watch... looking to see my current pace is way addictive. But I also ran using the MapMyRun app. I get distance and pace updates every mile through my ear buds. I could hardly believe it when I saw the 1 mile sign and heard that voice in my ears. That wasn't so bad! 10:40? Really? Really not bad. It's only gonna get faster from here. Feeling good, aside from the icicle fingers.

Miles 2 and 3 were a little faster, around 10:20. I wore my hydration belt since it holds my phone and snack nicely, so I threw a bottle of water in it just in case I wanted water when there wasn't any sight of a water station. I really don't like to drink water when I run (2 pregnancies don't help that). I think I prefer my own water anyway. It's easier to drink from my little sport tops and I don't have to start my ice bath prematurely by spilling water all over myself as I try to keep running and drink at the same time. I passed a few people during those miles. Hills got ya, huh? I hadn't looked behind me until we made a turn near the end of mile 3. I think I was the last of the runners. It looked like everyone behind me was walking. Still feeling good. Fingers don't hurt.

Hit the halfway marker and still had plenty left in me, so I started picking up the pace. I slowly gained on a girl in front of me until I passed her. Then, it was on to the group of 4 people who were running together. I finally caught them. I was pushing 9 minute pace for the last half of the race. At one point I saw a volunteer pointing to her right. Oh. That's what the course description meant when it said "up steep hill." That's THE hill. At least it was quick.

The second half goes so quickly. It was over before I knew it. I finished 74th out of 94, with a time of 1:01:59.7... exactly 10 minute miles. I've never been a bottom half kind of girl, much less bottom 3/4. But you know what? I ran 6.2 miles faster than I ever have before. And that kicks ass. I love running.