First 5k in 5 years!!!!

First and foremost..... I AM BACK ONLINE!!!! YAY!!

Well kids, after about 5 years away from the racing circuit, an injured knee, and no where near enough training under my belt, I went against my better judgement and raced my first 5k! The goal: nothing over a 10 min. mile pace.

Well, at 7 a.m. I got up to the sound of rain, yes that's rain, pounding on the rooftops. Goody. Gonna get wet. Turn on the computer.... weather.com says 42 degrees at start time. Brilliant, add a headband to the water resistent track jacket today, we're racing in style!! Breakfast was a sloppy bowl of instant oatmeal, no where near enough to keep the energy level going.

7:45.... Angie my sister in law arrives (my running buddy for the day) and we pack up and go. We get to the place, check in, and cry a little. We looked like the lil fish in the big sea. So many people with serious looks, sizing people up. Even sponsored runners in gear from their companies. New goal: finish, don't be last.

9:00...... The 10K starts. THOSE people are insane. Who elbows people at the start of a fun run really?? We line up for our 5K. Angie sees a few people she knows from work. We all have a good laugh at the power walkers still warming up. New goal: Beat the power walkers.

9:15..... We're off!!!! Damn slow people in front of us. Did they not get the memo that you are supposed to RUN when the gun is fired???? I make a move and start to weave. Angie comes with me. We see the fam, they wave, we wave, that's all we'll see of them till the finish. Angie tells me she's dropping back, and I go for it.

The 1 mile marker comes up and the event staff is reading times. I cross, and then "8:49". OH SCHNIKEES!!! Am I really doing that good?? Whatever, just keep going right?? Passing of random people continues.

Mile 2 is coming up. ALREADY?? Didn't I just pass the first mile??? This is weird. "17:42". SHOOT!! I'm still under a 9 min mile pace at this point!!! I have a qurater mile to go until I make my final turn into a long straitaway to the finish.

Corner comes, I turn, BOOM. Headwind stronger than a you-know-what. Until this point the race was wooded. Now we were in the open, no trees to stop the wind. And why are my legs burning so bad. OH-NO!!! We're going uphill!!!! The rest of the race!!!! I should have researched the course better!!! And to top it off, I get passed... a few times....uuuuuuuugggggggghhhhhh!!!!!

A final uphill climb, a sprint to the finish, and I cross the line in 28:48.1, a 9:17 mile pace. Not bad for my first race back. My sister in law (who has been racing for a while, including half marathons) finishes exactly one minuite behind me. We celebrate our finish, and go to the outbuilding to get out of the rain and grab some post race grub.

On the way, "Official reslts posting inside as you finish." God love FAT. We get there, get a cookie, and get in line. Sure enough, there's the results list. Drumroll....... Jess 4th place, Angie 5th. The kicker? 3rd place finished 30 seconds ahead of me, and 2nd place was one tenth of a second in front of her.

WTH?????? Had I pushed it in that wind, and not gotten passed.... could I REALLY have finished 2nd in my age group???? My first race back?? GGGGRRRROOOOAAANNN!! NOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Our joy of "just finishing" diminshed. Suddenly I remember what it was like to want to win. And a little bit of me came back, that I thought was gone for good. Unfortunately, now I can't wait for the next race. Maybe the jingle bell 5k just might be in store. Training buddy anyone???