In Which Mommy Runs the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler

In late November, I went with my friends Riann and Stacey to run the Hot Chocolate 5k while they ran the 15k.  It was probably the worst race in the history of races.  The course was turned around wrong and about 12,000 people had to run under a stone bridge 3 people wide at the beginning of the race.  It worked out for me since my "training" for this race was deciding to go and running the week before 2 or 3 times.

Planning.  I has it.

When I finished the race, though, which involved a packed field where you couldn't run for the first 2 miles and then an uphill jog the last mile, I felt really happy.  So, when Stacey said I should try the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, it seemed like a good idea at the time.  I got a spot in the lottery, I started following the training plan, and I started running twice a week with my local running club.

I was slow, and it was painful.  11 weeks later I'm still slow, and it's still painful.  But I can run 10 miles.

I was incredibly nervous going into this race.  I missed 3 weeks of training because I had a combination of bronchitis, the flu, and glass in my foot, and getting back into the swing took awhile.  My last long run before the race was 8 miles.  When I crossed the 8 mile marker at the race, it was literally the farthest I'd ever run in my life.  My friend Stacey ran with me the whole way (which must have KILLED her legs- she's fast! It hurts to run slow when you're fast!) but she did.  She told me where to turn and ran ahead and got water, and cheered me on just when I needed it.  She was amazing.  At 300 yards to go, I literally stopped dead in my tracks, (I "ran" the whole way, but it was decidedly a jog) for what reason I have no clue, and told myself to stop being ridiculous before finishing.  Stacey said she would have dragged me the last 300 if she'd had to.  I believe her.

Anyway, I finished.  That was the goal and I did it.  It was fun, even though it was hard, and I'm not gonna lie, I'll probably do it again.  It's so nice to have a goal to work towards! (Although right now the goal is "faster").