Race Report

I'm so happy that I did this 5k race. I've done a virtual 5k and I did another 5k when I was in undergrad (which I don't count because it was such a crummy experience) so really this is the first one I've done where I have felt like I really achieved something. I had picked up running last summer but got off track when we went to Dragon Con and then I started school almost immediately.

When my friend Marguerite told me about this race and she needed someone to sign up under her name I knew I could do it, even if I couldn't run a whole mile yet or really for more than 2 minutes at a time. I mean the worst thing I told myself was that one- I would be the very last to finish (which at least I would have done something!) and two that I wouldn't be able to do it and cop out of the race halfway through.

I had been practicing outside during the afternoons and on the treadmill at the gym but nothing prepared me for the amount of hills in this race! Predictably I was near the end of the race pace wise, I knew I would be, but that didn't stop me from going. I was taking to a lady during the race who was walking (faster than I was walking when I stopped running) who said she thought that this was where they hid all the hills in northern Louisiana! Ha!

I ended up forgetting to start my run tracker that keeps track of my pace on my phone, apparently I was so keyed up I forgot to press start! Haha! But I ended up finishing in less than an hour, I think 51 minutes? I asked my mom, who had come down to see one of my art gallery openings what the time was when I saw her and Corey halfway through the race and told her I forgot to start my timer so she kept track of it for me. I was doing about 45 minutes for 3.1 miles during training but I was way earlier than I was used to being up, way hillier than I had trained for and kinda cold, which I wasn't expecting. So all in all I think I did okay!

Corey and my mom had come to visit and when I saw them at the end of the finish line cheering me on I almost started crying right then, thankfully I was able to keep from crying at all even when I stopped at the end. I can't tell you the amount of pride I have in myself for even completing this. I feel like I start so many things and am never able to finish and see it to the end, but with this I was and I did!

I'm not the fastest person in the world but at least I'm one more person that is doing something about that!

Marguerite and I after the race! I look all grungy but very happy!