They lined us up and we stayed near the back. There was no way I could finish in under an hour. So far, the rain is holding and I am ready to go! I put in my ear buds and get pumped up! The gun goes off and so do we. The course takes us down a big hill which I know will be agonizing on the way back to the finish line. We go by the river and through the park(the rain starts to fall in earnest) and back by the river. Twelve Bones is a BBQ joint we pass on the way out and the way in. Thank God there were no smells of pork cooking or my time would have been so much longer! I can run and eat some ribs, right?
As we come to the 6 mile marker, we must begin heading up the hill. It seems to have grown in the hour I have been gone! What fresh hell is this? What sadist thought that this was a good idea? People are cheering and I am soaked. I don't know where Mollie is. I know she is close! The only thing I can focus on is the timer at the finish line. You see, I had set a personal goal of 1 hour and 10 minutes. That timer said 1 hour and 4 minutes! I began to sprint up that hill! To shave 5 minutes off my time would be even better and would make being drenched to the bone worth it! I did it! I finished in 1 hour 4 minutes and 40 seconds! Woo Hoo! Way to go! That is not a winning time for this race but I feel like a winner. My knee wasn't hurting and I didn't die so yea! Until Saturday, I had never run that far before at 1 time! Now I have! Maybe I can tackle a half marathon!
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| After we finished! We looked like drowned rats! I am on the left! |
