Hale Freezes Over 5k

Here I am right before it started.  Katie was insistent  I had to get a before picture, and I'm grateful.

I had the pre-race jitters, and i didnt want to look like a newbie acting all touristy... but i did it so here is the pic.

  I have been Dreading this race, notice the Capital D. 

I'm not a runner, I've never pretended to be a runner, and even when I was in better shape, I tried with all my might to not run. ha  But some how I got talked into it... and so... i did it. 

  Here is my sister Katie and I.  She is funny and incredibly too fast for me. She left me the first couple steps and totally kicked butt.  She's such a good runner. One day I may keep up haha.

You can tell i was nervous,  this is one of Katies friends.  she took 3rd in her age division which is awesome.  I'm so not a runner. I was Intimidated and they were all doing crazy poses and i was like.. well i'm here.. i'm gonna do it I guess....

        It was so hard... I'm not gonna sugar coat it.  Let me tell you I trained a little.. then not.. then trained a little more... then not... not really consistent. I tried to run as fast as i could and as long as i could but it wasn't as much as i wanted.  I ran and ran and walked then ran more... and walked lots.
There was this HUGE hill i had to run up and then one part.. i walked..

           One part i stopped running again, it was a slight down hill part not to sound all spiritual, but I'm an out of shape pansy and this was really hard for me.. I seriously started praying. Why was I even in this... Why was I running? I hurt. its cold, i'm slipping everywhere and i prayed "Please God just help me keep going" and a girl right then came up behind me and she put her arm on my shoulder and was all.. "You don't walk in the running parts.  we're going down hill. jog with me.""  so it was nice to have someone take me under her wing and be somewhat an answer to my prayer.

I'm the blue dot there.  Those two girls are doing the 10k... yup they passed me. but You know what I was doing it and I didnt want to compare with other ppl that have been running forever you can also see farther behind me other 5kers. I was not last!   (and yes right there I was walking)

And this is me going over the finish line. Its not Pretty I know,  I'm sweaty, not a trim and slim runner, and my face is saying something like.. I'm smiling cause I know i'm getting a photo taken and need to look semi presentable.. but inside i'm screaming ahhh Nahhhh this is horrible!

My time was 46:30 which is good i think.. I normally run a 15:30 mile.. or should i say run/walk  but you know this one made a little under 15 min mile.  so I did push myself, and I normally run on a tread mil. not huge hills!
I'm normally really nervous about doing new things, so Its nice to have tried something new and know I survived this... and may actually do another one in the future.. who knows ;)

                 thanks to the sister who helped me push my limits and out of my comfort zone.