I DID IT!

I wogged 3.5 miles yesterday (the course was actually a bit longer than a 5K…sheesh!) in 44 minutes.

One minute under my goal time. (whew)

While I’ve been informed that this is more like a walking pace…I really did jog most of it! Seriously!

It was a fabulous weekend.

My TeacherBarbie Buddy M&M and I headed to Austin Friday after school.  I played the Rocky theme song for her as we got ready to leave.

 This would be my theme song for the race…more on that later.

You see, I was a nervous wreck.  A mishap with some Mucinex D and a lack of antihistamines (Who knew it didn’t do the same thing as Claritin D…STUPID STUPID STUPID) had me so congested I could barely eat for lack of air.

This is also part of my new weight loss plan. Can’t keep yourself from eating pizza? Just forget to take your Claritin, and you won’t be able to breathe long enough to chew that delicious crust.

SO yeah, I couldn’t breathe, and I was supposed to “run” three miles. Like I always say, excuses are like cracks, everyone has one…so I still had to do this. I was committed.

We were supposed to meet M&Ms friends at 6 to go pick up race packets.

Then this happened:

I hate you I35

Thanks to this little traffic jam, I listened to NPR for about an hour straight.  I feel so informed.

Did you guys hear about the people who played the Borat version of Kazakhstan’s anthem?  That was my favorite piece of news.

Then we got lost due to a GPS typo we both made!

Fortunately, our kind friends picked up our racing packets for us, and we met at this cute restaurant.

This is the part where I couldn’t breathe well enough to eat.

After dinner, we went to M&M’s bff house to sleep.

Let me just throw in a side note- I did not know her friends, so they were absolutely the kindest people to let a weird, sick teacher into their home. THANK YOU!

I slept like a baby (thanks to my relaxation app on my iPhone…seriously the sound of urban rain and wind knocks me out!).

Saturday morning we were up at 7am ready to run! I could breathe! (See…God answers even stupid prayers)

I choked down a banana and almond butter, while praying I could finish.

We arrived at the Cedar Park center just in time.  The little kids were just finishing the Daisy Dash (1 mile run).

I kicked myself for not borrowing a kid to just do the Daisy Dash.

With a timer strapped around my ankle,  I lined up at the back of the pack…like waaayyyyy at the back.

I did not want to get in the way of any dads in little shorts.

Those guys are serious about their thin mint sprint.

I scoped out my competition for last place.

There were a couple of people with strollers I could probably beat (kids get heavy after 2 miles right?), and the two ladies who were obviously less prepared than myself (I’ll leave it at that).

I had a chance of NOT coming in last!

I blew my nose one last time, and we were off!  I was feeling good! Everything was going to be ok.

Except my iPhone didn’t get the message.  It was somehow set to shake and shuffle which meant every few steps it would switch songs.  Talk about annoying.

Then there was the running grandpa.  He was jogging in khaki shorts and a belt!

“Surely I could beat this guy,” I mistakenly thought to myself right before he kicked it up a notch and took off at full speed.

And then there was a little girl, who earned the nickname Goldilocks from one of the other racers.

Goldilocks looked like she was about 7.  She was running by herself. (I later figured out her dad had went ahead and turned around to rejoin her after he finished)

This kid would run full speed ahead of me for about 20 seconds, and then she would walk.  Just about the time I would catch up to her, she would take off sprinting again.  I did not want Goldilocks to beat me. Thankfully her 7 year old shenanigans slowed her down at about the 3 mile mark. I must admit that she was as cute as a button. I kept telling her she was doing a good job…then she would take off sprinting again!

There was also the Hot Dad runner.

Nothing is more motivating than not trying to look fat and sweaty next to hot dad runner.

Ok, this post is turning into a marathon.

Needless to say I was highly entertained during the 5K.  I picked a person to try to keep in my sights (M&M’s bff’s mom), and that was my goal. If I could follow her, I would make it in time. Guess what! She won her age division! Woot Woot Mrs. Keller! If I were over 60 I would have come in 2nd place in my age division! I was almost a silver medal winner!

I’m pretty pumped to meet this lady! She wants to run with me at The Pearl!  :)

I was almost to the end when the dizzies hit me. I walked for about 10 seconds and then told myself to at least make it look like I’m jogging to the end.

As I crossed the finish line, they called my name! I threw up the Pistols Firing Guns in hopes of that making it into the race photos.

It felt great and I admit I may be hooked.

Just think what I could do if I actually finish the 5k training program I started! lol

Here was my real photo:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah I know. I obviously have had my fair share of Girl Scout Cookies lately. Those hips don’t lie remember!

Hopefully the next few race photos will look closer to this:

OK, so I have a better chance of looking that blonde than that thin but you get the idea.

Thank you very much M&M for motivating me to get off my booty.  You are a great friend!

My face is SO red…and that hair!?!

Which reminds me of one of my favorite pins on Pinterest

HAHAHHA

 

SO tomorrow I’m wearing my racing shirt with pride.  I can’t wait to sign up for my next one (which I’m pretty sure will be on April 28th! MY THIRTIETH BIRTHDAY! That is right people. I’m about to turn 30) OMG.

What challenge are you working on?