Crazy weather in February for sure.  I was watching the weather and thought I would be needing long sleeves, vest and tights but the forecast changed to it being in the upper 50’s to 60’s Saturday morning.  So here I am in a tank top and capri tights.  It was windy so I was worried about being cold but after I walked around, lunges, and high knees I was warming up pretty well.

These are my fun newest pair of Just Live capris and I was very happy to wear them.  I also had on my favorite water bottle holder, my Orange Mud Hydroquiver.  I can fit a 26 oz bottle in the holder and whatever I need for at least up to a half marathon in the small pockets on my shoulders.  I love this thing.  It doesn’t chaffe, it’s easy to get my bottle and I don’t have to worry about belts sliding around or getting fed up with a hand held bottle.  

Unlike most road races I have done, the start times were way different.  There are 4 different distances – 1 mile, 5k, 10k and half marathon.  The half started first at 9:00 am.  The 10k started at 9:15 am.  The 1 mile started around 10:15 and the 5k finally started at 10:30 am.  For once I didn’t have to wake up at the crack of dawn.  I slept in until after 7 and then had breakfast with my kids at my parents house.  They live just a couple miles from the start line.

Before the race started I found my MRTT friend Susan who lives up in Gwinnett.  We find each other periodically at different races.  It’s lots of fun finding friends.

My plan was to start out run at a comfortable pace, speed up on the downhills, slow down on the uphills and just see what I can do.  I have been struggling with running this past year.  A lot of it due to high amounts of stress.  So no matter how hard I was working out and trying to run consistently, it was happening.  Now that my stress level is back down to minimal levels, my running is slowly coming back.  I am feeling stronger than I have in a while and I’m able to run longer stretches without needing a walk break like I did 2 years ago.

So here is how I did.  They shut down the entire roadway from start to finish.  The half marathon actually runs the entire road.  For the 10k, you run down the road for 3.1 miles, turn around and then run back.  I was able to run the entire first half of the race without walking.  At the turn around, I walked to the water stop and refilled my water bottle.  I started to run after a short break but this was a slow, long bugger of a hill so I ended up walking most of it.  Got back to running until the next hill section and walked for a bit and started back to running.  I only took two short walk breaks after that and then ran the rest of the way in.  I did not get a PR but, I was so pleased that I ran more of this 10k then I have in a long time.  Slowly the endurance and strength is coming back.

Even as my heart rate was staying high because of the hills, I didn’t quit and thought, I don’t feel bad, just tired.  I can keep going.  Shows me again that I am capable of much more than I think.  You are stronger than you think you are!!