Here it is!

Here are the details of my very first timed race. On Friday I went to pick up the package and found that we got a chip to put on the bottom tie of our shoe. For those of you who don't know, the chip is an electronic timing device that catches your time as you go across the finish mat/line. So this was explained to me not even more than a month ago so I was happy that I knew what it was. They did have a little explination of it in the race package but I already knew what it was.
So on Saturday, we had a pretty relaxing day. Nothing to exciting happened. Then my wonderful, great, amazing friend, Sharon, came and got me for the race. Sharon is and has been training for a 10k and suggested that I work toward this 6k run and run with her in it. I was all over that. It's nicer to be able to work towards something and not just run to run...if you know what I mean. Plus, it so nice to run with someone else. Anyways, so we get there and I joked earlier about being like a heard of cattle and she told me it was just like that. I didn't believe her at the time, but...that will come later.
So we get there and we're kind of wandering around, waiting for the race to start, looking around, seeing if we know anyone. Sharon ran into about 4 people she knew but I only saw one other person I knew. So we're outside waiting for 8:15 to come around. So the 10k runners start gathering and they sing O Canada and the American national athem...which can I just say, I highly doubt that races in America give us Canadians the courtesy of singing our country's national anthem but we give that courtesy to them. So the gun goes off and the 10k runners are off. We're just waiting around, waiting for our turn. It's getting closer and I actually start to feel excited/nervous. And let me tell you, it is just like being herded like cattle into a gate. You all have to squish together and get real close and personal. So we sing the national anthems again and the gun goes off. And we're off. We were a bit slow to start. Well, you can imagine with 1700 people running the 6k, it's a little crowded. We get to the top of the hill to go down into the coulee and I just want to go. Like fast. But I restrain myself becuase I don't want to use all my energy at the beginning of the race. I thought I'd try to pace myself at about 15 minute intervals when I first started, but then I was running and didn't want to stop. We had been running for about 5 minutes and I was boiling hot. I had on my workout shirt, my running jacket (it's a lightweight one) and my sweatshirt. So I slow down to take off my sweatshirt and I drop my glove!!!! I actually stopped to turn around and get it but then everyone told me to keep running. Man, I was not happy about that. So we're running and my shins are killing me, but I don't stop. I keep going. Finally, I think my legs aren't going to be able to carry me any further and I have to slow down. So I walk for maybe 5 minutes. Maybe less. Then Sharon tells me we're going to start running again when we get to a certain tree. So I gear myself up and we go again. We run for about 5 or more minutes and I begin to think I'm not going to make it. I didn't realize how unforgiving the pavement is. I knew it was unforgiving but I didn't realize just how much. My shins are killing me. So I slow down a bit, I keep running but really slow. Then we get to the water station and I'm NOT stopping. I am not even slowing down. I have my water bottle in my hand and I don't need water. So I'm running super super slow. I could probably walk faster than I'm running but I don't want to loose the momentum. I don't know where my friend Sharon is...I assume behind me, not to far, but then I have to take a 30 second walking break. That's when Sharon catches up because she didn't know I hadn't slowed down for water and she actually slowed down thinking that I was behind her. Then we see the bottom of the hill to go up and we run to that and ran a litte ways up the hill. The rest of the way we walk. Sharon has told me that I am going across the finish line first and she'll come behind me as we were running and so I knew once we got to the top of the hill, I'd have to start running my butt of. We got to the top of the hill and there was a traffic light and Sharon tells me we're going to start running when we get to the light (Sharon's great at motivation). I say that I'm ready now so we start running. We go around this corner and the finish line is there. My shuffle FINALLY has a really great running song on it and I'm pumped so I start to just go. I mean, I ran and pushed myself as hard as possible. I even thought that I was going to throw up because I had been running longer than I thought I could. So Sharon gives me a little nudge and I ran across the finish line and I'm done. I can't believe I'm done! I did it! Wow! My time was 47:52. I hoped that I would come in at around the same or a little better than the jingle bell ran, which we walked and came in at, I think it was 48 minutes. So this was great. I thought "I'll be happy just to be done in any time under an hour" and I was. Man, what a great experience. I have to say a big thanks to Sharon though. I feel bad because I feel like we should have hugged but there was just so much going on. But I have to say thank you for motivating me and pushing me and encouraging me and for running with me...the slow poke. It really meant such a great deal to do the race with someone I value very much, so thank you. I know I'll be on my own for the 5k on Canada day but I am going to work towards a 10k for next year. And next year, we are totally running the hill.
I feel great. My legs were complete jell-0 when I got home last night and I honestly didn't think I'd be able to walk today, but I did some really good, long stretches and my legs didn't hurt at all. I can feel the effects of the run, but I'm not in any discomfort or pain. I'm totally and throughly exhausted, but I just ran my first race and I don't even care. You know at grade 12 grad, when you're out with all your friends and it's 5am and you haven't slept since the night before and you know you should go to sleep or go to bed or lay down or rest, but you can't because you're having so much fun and you feel so great and you're so happy??? That's how I feel. Except it's just me and Sharon at that party. But it feels great. I am so glad that I was able to do this with someone else and that I wasn't alone.
You could just feel and sense the energy of everyone there and it really helped to maintain energy levels. Even today, I can't believe that I did it. I am so excited for the 5k one for Canada day. I think I need to take a step back in terms of distance. I need to run a whole 5k before I attempt a 10k. So I'll keep going and work up towards that.
Anyways, that's it for now. Thank you for everyone's well wishes and good lucks. I hope I made someone proud...other than myself...lol.