Frigid 5K FINISHED!

I am still alive! Sorry I didn't post sooner... this girl had to take a nap. But, the main point is, I finished! My number was 26 & J's was 25, so that was kind of cool. We were running in the same age category, which doesn't happen very often! I think there were about 150-200 participants of all ages. The super serious runners were out there in slimline leggings and under armor shirts, while the rest of us varied from yoga pants to sweatshirts. Since we were "walkers" we were in the back of the line with most of the sweatshirt wearers. I wore a pair of gray leggings under my exercise sweats and I stayed perfectly warm in my lovely Columbia jacket from Aunt P. 

When the start gun went off, everybody cheered and even the slowpokes got off to a jogging, jostling start. There was about a three block run down town before we turned off into the residential area, and J. was encouraging me to run as far as the turn. I thought I was going to have to quit the race right there! I breathed in  too deeply and it made my lungs cold, so I had to spend some serious time breathing into my scarf to catch my breath again. I decided right there that I wasn't going to do any more of that, so I stayed at a steady walk for the rest of the way. 

At the 1 mile marker I groaned at the thought of walking another step. I had taped my arches for support, but my calves were pulsing and I still wasn't sure if my throat was OK. J wanted to jog ahead, so I waved her on and set a comfortable pace. I had noticed that two ladies ahead of me kept turning around and encouraging someone behind me to hurry up, but she had the same mindset of not wanting to slip and get hurt. When she caught up to me, we started talking and spent the last two miles walking and discussing how crazy we were to be doing what we were doing. 

Just before the finish line, I saw J. standing there waiting for me so we could cross the finish line together. I felt bad, because she would have had a much better time, but she started with me, and wanted to finish our first 5K together! Getting across that finish line was such a great feeling - I didn't care what my time was, I had actually made it without falling apart! When Mom checked the time charts, J & I had crossed the finish line at 53:07. N. made it at 36:30 and Mom clocked 40:07. 

Mile marker accomplished! Coming up we have the Shamwalk 5K in two weeks... hopefully it will be warmer and I can shave a few minutes off my time. :)