I did it!!!

I completed my first 8km (5 mile) race!!!

I woke up at 7am yesterday morning to get ready. It was a holiday (Canada Day) so the it was very quiet out. I ate a very small breakfast because I was worried about getting stomach cramps. I had some fruit and yogurt.

As I was getting everything ready my MP3 player died! Thankfully I found an extra battery on the fridge. Next I realized that I am going to the race alone. No one was watching me. Which wasn't a big deal to me except I realized that I had no one to hold my car keys while I ran the race, my pants have no pockets and I do not own a pouch. Thankfully I found a small drawstring change purse that fit around my wrist.

When I arrived at the race everyone had on Canaday shirts. I had been so nervous getting ready that I completely forgot this was a Canada Day Race! The funny thing was...I dressed in my red shoes and shirt for good luck so I fit right in.

The little kids 1km was first and it was so cute watching them. However I was so nervous that in 30 mintutes I had to go to the bathroom 3 times.

Once the race began I settled into my pace. I felt like the slowest person and people kept passing me. I started to feel un-prepared. Or that I should have given myself more training time. At one point I was really worried I was dead last.

At a corner I turned and looked behind me and saw a tone of people. Turns out I was smack in the middle, but a lot faster than the people that were left. So they were so far behind me that I couldn't hear any feet on the pavement. That made me feel good and gave me a great confidence boost.

On the 3 and 4km I really had to dig in an push myself. It was the hardest portion of the race and it's the turn around point too. That km just happend to be an an area with out any shade and the wind had completely let. So I was there running with the sun just beating down hard.

When I got just past the 5km point I saw the watering station I skipped on the way to the turn around. I quickly grabbed a sip and kept going.

When I saw the sign saying I had reach 6km and I knew I only had 2km left I felt really good. And the sky looked like it was ready to rain now. Suddenly these big black clouds appeared. To be quite honest, it was so humid and I was so hot that I kind of wanted it to rain.

When I saw the 1km left marker I started to run a bit faster. I was feeling like I must be over 50 minutes by now and was not liking that as my goal was to finish in under 50 minutes.

Well imagine my surprise when I turned the last corner with just yards now between me and the finish line and I saw the clock just turn to 48 mins! I bolted! I was like NO WAY!!! I am going to do it. I am going to finish in under 50 minutes.

My finish time was 48 mins and 34 seconds. I was so proud of myself. I am thinking of training for a 10k that's taking place in October. I have the running bug now! hahaha