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!