When we first arrived in Wenatchee we went to pick up our race packets. I was kind of shocked that we didn't get anything other than our numbers and timing chips. I guess I was expecting more. Oh well.... They certainly made up for it AFTER the race. :) When we walked into sporting goods store to grab our numbers I was instantly insecure. I felt out of place surrounded by all these athletes and I'm just some gal from Ellensburg!
My boss had recommended we eat at a place called Wok-A-Bout Grill. I had mentioned that to Wade and Candice and as luck would have it, it was JUST across the street from the sporting goods store. Even the guy from Dirty Jobs, Mike Rowe, had ate there when he was in Wenatchee. I always heard that you should "Carb Load" before a race so feeling like the total rockstar I am ... I decided to DO THAT. It was YUMMY and really so bad for you... but tasted so good. Just like most things in life, right??? If it's yummy it's probably bad for ya. :) My eyes were WAY bigger than my stomach, but it worked out ok. I didn't journal this meal. I don't know why, I just didn't. We took leftovers home for Wade and Rylee to enjoy on Saturday.
After dinner we went to our hotel. Candice and I were able to visit and I witnessed how the pros prepared on a pre-race evening. She had all her stuff set out and ready for the next morning. Race bib pinned to her shirt and chip on her shoes. You can bet your ass, as soon as I got back to our room I did the same thing. We chatted up a bit and then agreed to meet at 6:00 am. We wanted to be sure to have our coffee and food with plenty of time to get to the starting line.
I swear I rolled around in our bed all night and barely slept. I was so nervous. So excited. So flipped out. SO STRESSED. I'm not sure WHY but just knowing I was running with other runners made me a worry wart. Could they see that I was new? Can they tell I've never done a 10K? UGH.... My alarm finally went off at 5:40 am and I crawled out of bed. As soon as I got a text from Candice I headed to her room. We visited, she fed me an iced coffee and peanut butter toast, and we then decided to meet up at 7:10 to leave for the race.
I was a wreck. I changed the position of the bib on my shirt 5 TIMES.. yes 5 damn times. Wade kept saying "Stop it, you're making holes in your shirt from pinning and re-pinning." I finally decided it looked okay and forced the husband to take multiple pics of me. Like this....
Yes... I'm that much of a dipstick!
Once we left the hotel my nerves were VERY amped up. I was on edge. The closer we got the more I felt like a TOTAL poser. What the hell am I, a former chubby chic, doing at a race, let alone gonna run in it? I've never been athletic. I've never been into sports.... I can't hit a ball with a bat to save my own life! I can't Zumba without tripping... trust me I've tried. Just for the record, I have done 2 other 5K, but this race felt different. I don't know if it's because I knew others, that I consider amazing runners, were there in the same group.... or if it's because it's the first race of the year, but it was enough to make me feel goofy.
Pretty soon it was time for us to head to the starting line. We all went our separate ways since we all run at different paces and I headed to the very end of the group. I'll tell you, it's interesting to see all the different shapes, sizes, ages, and groups of people that come out for a run. There were walkers too! I got my iPod started and then it happened. The gun fired. We were starting. At first I was just nervous... but once I had my music on... I was good to go. It was only a block or two into the race and I realized I needed to pass some people. They were slower than me.... SAY WHAT? Could it be that I was faster than someone else? Really?? I remember thinking.. Just go... and before I knew it I was at mile 1, then 2, 3 and time to loop back around. I couldn't believe it. My legs were taking me and my lungs felt great. I was even passing people STILL! I tried to not get over confident. I kept saying "just stay steady and you'll make it without stopping".... I loved the out and back style race because I could see everyone coming back my way.... It's just so cool to see runners speeding by you, regardless of what direction they are going. I remember at mile 5 I started to get emotional. I thought "Damn you Mandy! You really are a runner. You are running 6.2 miles and you are feeling good. Nothing hurts and nothing is stopping you. YOU GOT THIS!"... I had told Wade that if I could finish in 1 hour 10 minutes, I'd be pleased. The last tenth of a mile you run over a bridge then cross the finish line. When my foot hit that bridge I was emotional. There is just something about having all that adrenaline and pride flowing that gets to me. As I was coming over the bridge I saw the clock... Could it be?? Was it really at 59 minutes?? Holy SH*T!!! I was gonna do this in less than an hour. I had to KICK it up.. I started sprinting towards the finish.. I saw Wade and Candice and everyone else... It was AMAZING. I had done it. I finished my first 10K in less than 1 hour. One year ago, that would have been impossible.
After getting our official results I discovered I finished 113th with a chip time of 58:36 and a pace of 9:34. That's pretty damn good if you ask me. :) When we were heading home Wade said to me "I'm very proud of you. I was standing there thinking "My wife is running across the finish line" I would never have guessed this a year ago." Hearing that from him was the best award there could be. Confirmation of your loved ones being proud of you. Such an amazing feeling. I'm blessed.
The rest of our weekend was nice too. We left Wenatchee and took our kids to Supercross in Seattle.... Today we spend the day doing yard and house work. We HAVE to enjoy that 70+ weather, right? It felt like summer out. Love it.
OH.. and update on the whole weigh in... My scale is a dirty whore who spends her time lying to me. At least, that's what I'm going to think.... since I was up a pound. :( Hopefully this Friday, she'll adjust that attitude and give me a lower number.... COME ON 140s.. you gotta want to be there, right?
Thanks all for your love and support... it means the world to this wantabee runner gal!
Love
M
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