Candlelight 5K

I now own the piece of hilly road last night's Candlelight 5k took place on.

Actually it was a bit more than the exact 3.1 a 5k is.
3.2

Yep, gonna squeeze every bit out of it I can!

Any self-respecting runner would.

After all, we push our bodies beyond the maximum; setting new boundaries consistently.

Pushing even harder in a race.

For a female runner, it's comparable to childbirth in a number of ways.
Both tax you physically...
In childbirth you leave your placenta on the table...
(For those "visual" people, please excuse the gross image I know this conjured up!)
In running you leave the concept of "limitations" on the road. 
In both you leave sweat...
sometimes blood...
sometimes tears...
sometimes even vomit in your wake.
You walk, or in the case of childbirth, wheelchair (as hospital law regulates) away with blessings beyond measure and memories that last a lifetime.

This particular 5K's story climaxes at the finish line.
In the home stretch, the last 30 yards, got neck-in-neck with another runner.
I caught her out of my peripheral vision.
Had already "kicked it in" when the blazing lights and poised photographers came into view 50 yards back.
With no further thought, pulled my head in and down...
and let it all hang out!!!
Imagine a corrida de toroa.
Literally meaning a, "running of bulls".
My matadore???
  The finish line.
Sacrificing it all,
my foot hit the line seconds before the bull next to me.

STATS

31:53 chip time
Pace: 9.85

627th place out of 1286 runners 

Not my best, but not my worst time/pace either. 

Given the conditions: humid and hilly. 

And circumstances: been running but a year, only fourth 5K I've ever tackled (not to mention they were all within 6 weeks of one another!) and a 16 1/2 year ex-smoker ("ex" as of Oct.
09'), I'll take that "time" and run with it! ;)

 One more quick gulp of Joe before the race.

Strong, black and packed with caffeine, baby!

Pre-race potty break, of course! Nothing like getting in the middle of a 5K and trying to do the "pee pee dance" while running!

Always a blessing to run into a friend (and his son).  

Even if he rocks out 7 minute miles that makes my 10 look shabby!

 

The starting line.

Lining up.

And we're off!

What an absolutely amazing feeling to be a part of something so good, so much bigger than I am.

The finish line.

Moments post-race..

 
catching my breath!

Minutes post-race.