Aflac IronGirl 2009

 My friend Heather asked me about 6 weeks ago if I would want to run a 5K with her.  Even though I have never been a runner I really wanted to do it.  So we started "training" for it by running at night when our kids were in bed and our husbands were home.  I actually felt good running longer than a 100m sprint, which up to this point was about all I could do.  Then about three weeks in I hurt my knee.  I had old shoes and they did me in.  I honestly had a hard time walking and going up stairs was darn near impossible.  So I stopped running for about two weeks and hoped I would at least be able to walk the 5K.  My knee started feeling better about a week or so ago and so I thought I would at least try and run what I could and then if I had to finish the race walking, well then at least I finished!  The race was up in Seattle and it started at 8am.  So that meant we had to leave home at about 5am to leave time for driving and picking up our race packets once we got there.  I went up with a couple of really fun girls, Rachel, Heather and Tierre!!  The course was around Green Lake, which is really close to the U of Washington campus.  The 5k run was once around the lake and the 10k was twice around.  It was really pretty,

   

This is us after we picked up our complementary Alfac tees and our race bibs.  This is also before the race so we don't look like road kill so much!!  Three of us were running the 5k and one was running the 10k. 

Getting all pumped up and getting our playlists ready on our iPods.  The race said you couldn't run with any iPods but everyone had them so we took the chance and brought ours.  I am so glad I did, it was a lifesaver. 

Ready to hit the trail.   

Post race.  We look a little hot and sweaty and we don't smell so good either but we feel great.  We all finished our respective races.  The miraculous thing that happened for me was I actually ran the WHOLE 5k.  I was hoping to at least run 2 miles.  I kept looking for the 2 mile marker and I told myself I would stop.  Heck that was better than I thought I would ever do but I never saw the 2 mile marker and before I knew it I was turning the last corner before the home stretch.  So I thought what the heck, I'll just finish it.  It was a wonderful feeling knowing I did something I didn't think I could actually do.  I finished with a time of 35.41 which paced me at about an 11.30 mile.  Again I say miraculous.  I have never been any kind of distance runner.  So this was huge for me.  It was a really fun race and fun to do with friends.  I think we are going to train for the 10k next year.  Thanks girls for a really fun day!!