The US 10k Classic

So today was the day of the big race. My birthday fell on the same day, so this whole weekend has been a giant party weekend.

Came close to missing the race completey. Woke up at 6:05am. Got up, took care of the animals and got my stuff together. Forgot that the road closed at 6:45am. Tried 3 different ways to get there until I finally found a way. Ended up arriving 15 minutes before the race. It was good - had to park far away, so I got in a little brisk walk warm-up before the race and got in a few stretches before it was time to go.

Really hate the walkers that line up in front and you have to run around them at the beginning. Started out pretty well - had on my "birthday girl" headband I bought the other day.

I didn't run ANY of the hills last year, so I told myself to take it easy and at least run the first one. After that, I told myself that if I could run the first one, then I could run the 2nd one. (There's only 5 or so on the course....BIG hills though). Before I knew it, I was almost finished and you just HAVE to run that last hill - especially after I looked at my watch and saw I was going to break 1 hour and 9 minutes (my time I ran when I was 18 years old). My heart was pounding and my lungs were going to give out, but I didn't care - I NEEDED to beat that time.

Do you know what that means??? When I ran this race at 18, I had been running track and XC since I was 17. I was in top shape and running all the time. Now at 28 (or 29), I stopped running for years, due to injuries. I ran this race last year (at 79 minutes - walking the hills) and stopped right after. I didn't take up running again until July 5th, 2010 - 2 MONTHS before this race. Just two months... and after all of those sinus problems and everything... heck, I'm STILL dealing with all of those... and I STILL ran this race in my fastest time yet on this course. It just blows my mind. It's just totally awesome. I can't believe it.

Now I have (maybe) two days off and then I'm back out there. Half-marathon is in two months. Practice is this Saturday morning.

Exhausted right now though. Need to go to bed and rest off this wonderful 3-day weekend. 
Onwards to the next race!

A little more than 12 hours before the race

Race starts at 7:45am tomorrow. Think I'll be getting up at 6 or 6:15 because the road closes at 6:45. Plus it'll give me time to stretch and get into the atmosphere. Nothing worse than running late and being stressed before a race. No way.

So I have my bowl of spaghetti next to me and a glass of Gatorade. Going to get my MP3 player set up after dinner and put out my clothes tomorrow. Picked up my number at the Family Fun Festival and bought a headband that says "Birthday Girl" on it. haha

Had a REALLY good run Saturday AM. Actually got up at 6:30 (hit the snooze button until 6:45) and didn't get to the river until 8am, but still good nonetheless. It was a little chilly. Here I've been training in 90+ degree weather and wasn't prepared for 60 degree weather. Hope it's a bit warmer tomorrow.

So I'm just chilling, trying to get in The Zone. Playing Usher's "DJ Got Us Falling in Love Again" now. Just need to be dancing, celebrating, visualizing, getting pumped. After I got my number today, I just had to drive down the course...for old times' sake. It's neat to see how they have everything set up already and I found myself getting butterflies. hehe

Ok... so this will be the last post until after the race. Here's hoping it's a good one.

"Ewwww, I ATE a BUG!"

Had a pretty uneventful 4.1 mile run tonight. Can't believe it's almost Thursday already. Where does the time go?

Was a bit slower than 10 min/mile tonight and had to stop because I choked on a bug I inhaled. haha Gross.

No run tomorrow night (Japenese Class). Might get one in Friday and am thinking of waking up early on Sat to go for a run then. Can't make the group run (they are doing 5/6 miles - don't want to do that two days before the Big Day), but figured I should at least get into the habit of getting up that early.