My first 5k But not the last

Well the training has been not where I want it.  On most runs I seem to only be able to run for a 1 to 2 at a time.  I can't seem to be stuck.  Then came today.  The D'feat Breast Cancer running 5k.

I signed up for this event a few months ago as a goal.  I had debated even going to this for a few days.  I have been running/walking 3 miles regularly on Saturdays, but the last few times I have not been happy with the performance to this point.  I had a few people that encourage to run/walk the race.  So I did.

The start of the race was a little chaotic.  There was no areas for the 5k run to be separate from the 10k run group.  It was hard to hear the race director.  When the starting horn went off the 10k runner left, but so did the 5k runners. So I started....

I found my pace very quickly.  I stayed with the main pack for the first mile.  I did not realize that I was still running 6 minutes in to the run.  I had to walk,  It felt weird so after a about a minute I ran again.  I was feeling awesome.  Lets keep this going.  I went another 3 minutes before needing to slow to a walk.   At each change of direction I would start running again.

After awhile I found that I was in a group of the run/walkers.  We paced off of each other.  This was how mile 2 worked out and I was feeling great.  I decided to take the water at mile 2.  This was a new task for me.  More of it ended up on my face instead of in my mouth. 

Just before the mile 3 marker I was starting to get tired.  My mind was telling me to walk more.  I committed to myself to run the last part.  I ran more than my mind wanted.  I stayed with the group I was with in mile 2 but was a little farther behind them.  As we came to the last stretch I could see the finish line.  I forced myself to run.  My mind fought me the whole time.  I got to within 100 feet of the finish and my mind insisted that I stop.  I said no.  The crowd was now encouraging me to keep going to the finish.  It is what I needed.  I pushed and finished the race running.

I finished in  36:56.4.  I was 13th in my age group and 146th overall.  AWESOME

On to the next one.