5K

Avery and me before the big event.
All five of us before we started the run. Laura, Erin, me, Angi, and Michelle
All five of us with our new shirts on after the run.


I just finished my first 5K race ever. No, that's a bald-faced lie. I've actually been in two previous 5Ks, but I was pregnant both times, so I walked them. I just finished running my first 5K race, there, now that is ever so much more truthful.

I woke up this morning at my usual time thinking, "No big whoop. I'm running a 5K. I've been running longer than that for a couple of weeks now. " But I had some jitters about it. Running by yourself is one thing, running with a pack of sports-bra wearing, high-pace setting, 'I've-done-this-a-million-times' racers is something else. My one goal today: break 35 minutes.

So I got together with my running friends and together we wound our way down to Lake Nokomis. The air was festive, music was playing, people were jumping around in the runner's equivalent of a pre-boxing match warm-up. I was getting pumped. The 10K was just finishing up, so like all the newbies, I pretended I knew what I was doing and lined the end of their race to cheer them on. Once the final runners from that race came in, the event leaders herded all of us to our own starting point.

I got my spot right up front. The announcer came on and made a few announcements, then said, "For those of you running a 20 minute or less 5K, please come and line up in the front." I scooted back. "Okay, now those of you who are running a 22 minute or less 5K, please line up right behind them." Seriously? I scooted back. "24 minutes?" Now I feel lame. "25-30 minutes?" Sheepishly, I joined that pack. What? So my goal was 35 minutes. That's close enough, right? Plus, I didn't want to be at the end of the line.

After a few more announcements, they sounded a blow horn, and we were off! At this point it was probably about 8:45 and the sun was creeping ever so much higher in the sky in its attempt to reach its full 86 degrees. No matter, I could run the race on pure adrenaline.

An interesting thing happened at about mile one. There were people lined up alongside of the race holding out small glasses of water for the participants. I thought, shoot, I'll take some of that. While trying to keep my pace, I grabbed a dixie cup from someone's outstretched hand, tried to drink it, ended up splashing it all over my face, coughing, and then tossing it into a nearby garbage can. Now I know. Stay away from the dixies.

The rest of the race was fairly uneventful. I found a pace and stuck with it. It was much quicker than my normal pace, but I knew I could do it. When I hit the 2 mile mark and my watch read 20 minutes, I knew I was cruising (for me). I ended the race at 32 minutes 10 seconds. While I was not the first person through the balloon columns designating the finish line, I was also a good ten or more minutes in front of many others. I got passed. I passed others. All-in-all, a descent race. All five of us finished in 38 minutes or less. Not too shabby.

While my running friends know my end time, there are a few things about the event that they didn't know. Here are a few:

• This morning I hopped in the shower to shave my pits, but left my legs untouched. I ran with hairy legs.
• Before I started the race, I popped a piece of gum into my mouth. That's become my habit. It is to me what a basketball player's number of dribbles before they shoot a free-throw is to them. I pop it into my mouth, let my tongue turn it into a nice ball, and then tuck it up neatly on the top of my mouth. Not entirely sure why.
  
• As the race was beginning, I was looking at the people who were wearing headphones with envy. The rules clearly said that they were not allowed. I wished I'd been gutsy like them and brought mine anyway.
  
• About one minute and thirty seconds into the race I thought, "That's it? Only one minute has gone by? Uh-oh."
• At about mile two I was thinking, "Remember when we didn't make it into the 10 mile race and we went ahead and signed up for the half-marathon thinking, 'What's three more miles?' Well, this is it. This is 3 more miles. What in the world am I in for?"
• At about two and a half miles I was thinking, "I really should have gone to the bathroom first."
• I got to the place where I thought the finish line should be (the place we started), but it had been moved and I thought, "Blast those race workers."

Although it was a challenge, I think I fared well. Next up: 10K! September 6th. Uh-oh!