I did it! My goal was to do it in under an hour and not to be last.. And I accomplished that, so I'm happy. I will always want to do better with my time.. But I suppose that can be worked on.
First of all, let me say that the website LIED about the course.. It is a qualifying race for the Peachtree Roadrace, which is intense. So that should have been a clue. But the website says: "The course is mostly flat and very fast with only one small hill." Lies! We got to the first hill and I thought.. Oh, sweet! This must be the "one small hill." Then we get to another hill and I'm like... What the French toast?! There were multiple hills. And it was an extremely hot day. I think it was a combination of the two that did me in.
At one point, I was running with my earphones.. And a lady who was next to me waved hi. And I'm like.. Uh, hi. And she motions for me to take my earphones out. Since everyone mistakenly thinks they know me from somewhere, of course it would happen again during a 5k in Buford, GA. The lady was like, "Are you Destiny's mom?!" Umm... For one thing, Destiny better be an infant. How old do you think I am?! Rude. Back off lady, I'm in the zone! So she trotted off...
There were also some interesting folks along the course.. It went through a residential area in downtown Buford. An old man was out in his driveway in a powder blue bathrobe & a coffee mug. He was just getting his paper and waving and talking to everyone who went by. STRANGE. Someone asked if he was a flasher. haha NO, thank goodness.
There were also people who had registered to walk and not run. I guess the walking course was more like 1.5 miles whereas the running course was 3.1 miles. So I get to a fork and man says "Walkers to the left, runners to the right!" The finish line is looming just to the left for the walkers! I have to admit, for a split second, I almost decided to say "See ya, suckers!" and veer left.... But my conscience got the better of me and I went right... The last stretch was a doozy.
Let me just say.. I am no runner. Yes, I do Tread & Shed and I'm in much better shape than I was a few months ago. But I'm lugging like 100 more lbs. than everyone else up these hills in the extreme heat. It's hard! I always feel like I could have done better afterwards. But in the moment, I was doing the best I could.. People kept passing me. And every time I turned around to check, there were less and less people behind me. Finally, I come down a hill and the guy tells me I just have to go around the curve and then it's a straight shot to the finish and that I'm doing great.
So I pick up the pace and start running again. Then I see the 3 mile marker and I know I only have 0.1 miles to go. I went down one more hill towards the finish line. There was only one group of a few people behind me.. But as I started to get closer to the finish line, everyone is standing on the sidewalk cheering loudly. Like literally everyone. Hundreds of people. And then I hear, "Go, Lizzie!" It was great to hear everyone cheering me on. But when I heard my friends & family, that was the extra boost I needed to cross the finish line. They met me at the end, and I think we ALL got a little teary eyed! It feels great to finish something like that!
Props to Maggie, Sam, Sandra & Consuella. I think we all did great. :)
First of all, let me say that the website LIED about the course.. It is a qualifying race for the Peachtree Roadrace, which is intense. So that should have been a clue. But the website says: "The course is mostly flat and very fast with only one small hill." Lies! We got to the first hill and I thought.. Oh, sweet! This must be the "one small hill." Then we get to another hill and I'm like... What the French toast?! There were multiple hills. And it was an extremely hot day. I think it was a combination of the two that did me in.
At one point, I was running with my earphones.. And a lady who was next to me waved hi. And I'm like.. Uh, hi. And she motions for me to take my earphones out. Since everyone mistakenly thinks they know me from somewhere, of course it would happen again during a 5k in Buford, GA. The lady was like, "Are you Destiny's mom?!" Umm... For one thing, Destiny better be an infant. How old do you think I am?! Rude. Back off lady, I'm in the zone! So she trotted off...
There were also some interesting folks along the course.. It went through a residential area in downtown Buford. An old man was out in his driveway in a powder blue bathrobe & a coffee mug. He was just getting his paper and waving and talking to everyone who went by. STRANGE. Someone asked if he was a flasher. haha NO, thank goodness.
There were also people who had registered to walk and not run. I guess the walking course was more like 1.5 miles whereas the running course was 3.1 miles. So I get to a fork and man says "Walkers to the left, runners to the right!" The finish line is looming just to the left for the walkers! I have to admit, for a split second, I almost decided to say "See ya, suckers!" and veer left.... But my conscience got the better of me and I went right... The last stretch was a doozy.
Let me just say.. I am no runner. Yes, I do Tread & Shed and I'm in much better shape than I was a few months ago. But I'm lugging like 100 more lbs. than everyone else up these hills in the extreme heat. It's hard! I always feel like I could have done better afterwards. But in the moment, I was doing the best I could.. People kept passing me. And every time I turned around to check, there were less and less people behind me. Finally, I come down a hill and the guy tells me I just have to go around the curve and then it's a straight shot to the finish and that I'm doing great.
So I pick up the pace and start running again. Then I see the 3 mile marker and I know I only have 0.1 miles to go. I went down one more hill towards the finish line. There was only one group of a few people behind me.. But as I started to get closer to the finish line, everyone is standing on the sidewalk cheering loudly. Like literally everyone. Hundreds of people. And then I hear, "Go, Lizzie!" It was great to hear everyone cheering me on. But when I heard my friends & family, that was the extra boost I needed to cross the finish line. They met me at the end, and I think we ALL got a little teary eyed! It feels great to finish something like that!
Props to Maggie, Sam, Sandra & Consuella. I think we all did great. :)
Me and Sam before the race. Sans makeup!
Me & Maggie. She's teeny! I'm... working on it.
5 comments:
A wonderful blog. I almost got teary eyed myself as "we" were cheered on just before the finish line. Thanks for the peek inside your new runners life.
Well I think it was because I was almost last... Ha. And everyone else was done, so they were cheering the final runners. But really, the crowd was roaring as I was coming down! And then I heard my name. hehe It was great!
It was a great experience, as all of our races have been thus far. I could live without the heat & the hills, though ... not gonna lie.
But you did GREAT !!! I am not afraid to say that I did get teary-eyed !! I spied your blue shirt coming down for the home stretch ... so we were all like YEAH !!!!!! ;o) It was a very inspirational moment.
And btw - we were way better than any of those walkers ... lol Pansies.
Loved your blog!! Sounds like it was a tough course. I think you did great! Keep up the good work.
I know, I forgot to write that part! If all the freakin' walkers had done the whole course, it would have made me look a lot better! haha BUT I suppose I should be proud of myself for doing the whole thing and not just walking. :) Love you, Mag!
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