Fiesta 10K/5K.

I completed my first 5K this morning! I finished it in 42:34, averaging a 13 minute mile (yikes) which is a whole minute or 2 slower than I was averaging while training, but I chalk it up to first-time jitters and an unfamiliar route/terrain. I'm just happy I finished and I didn't come in last! :)

I was up bright and early at 4:30AM to get ready, eat breakfast (pb on toast), and get the kids ready. We left the house around 6AM...the race started at 7:30AM, but we live about 45 minutes away from downtown Pensacola...I made it about 10 minutes before the last bus pickup.

The weather was perfect for a run...pretty cool for a May Florida morning, with some cloud coverage. There was definitely an energy in the air...I couldn't wait to get started! The route started at 12th Avenue and N. Scott St...from there we turned right onto Cervantes, and that's where I started getting distracted. First, they didn't entirely block the street from traffic. They put cones up to distinguish a running path, and they had us running facing on-coming traffic. I wasn't used to that. I kept looking into cars and was worried I looked stupid. :P After I got over the whole bit about people looking at me run, I smelled them...the Krispy Kreme donuts! Then the pizza...then the coffee. Our route had us going past a ton of restaurants and I realized I was hungry. :P After passing the restaurants, I was under an overpass, and the road started going at an incline...not used to that either! I stopped at that point. I had been running about 27 minutes by then. I think that's when I lost it mentally; I started beating myself up for stopping, so I started again and realized that my shins were hurting...I did a series of starts and stops, but eventually got it together and ran the rest of the way.

The cheering started near the finish line...it was awesome having people cheer you on! It was amazing too because my "power song" came on just as I turned the corner and started the last stretch towards the finish line. I saw Mike, and our big double stroller and I saw Noah on the sidelines...he saw me and a huge smile broke out on his face...he reached his hand toward me and said "Mommy!" It was the most awesome feeling in the world.

I may not have won any medals, but the look on my family's face when I crossed the finish line was worth more than all the medals anyone could have given me. :)

Waiting to get on the bus that was taking the participants to the start lines...



Nearing the finish line...


I was about to die. LOL.