10k

Today I ran my first ever 10k {6.2 miles} at the Great Race in downtown Pittsburgh, probably the most miles I have run since cross country senior year in high school.

I wouldn't saw that I really trained for this event, I ran every once in a while all summer long and didn't up my training for this race like I said I would.

It's been rainy here and I honestly don't like to run on the treadmill, I'll do it but I max out at 30 minutes. I ran over 4 miles about three weeks ago and then since then --nothing--. Two weeks ago I got a nasty flu bug that kept me out of commission of a week, bounced back from that to start the feelings of a cold coming on. {When the season change my body doesn't like to keep up with it so the enviable cold comes on}. I've been fighting it though but also told myself that if I didn't feel 100% Sunday morning then I wasn't gonna run.

Last night I babysat for a family out here. It was legit babysitting since the kids didn't go to bed until after midnight and the little boy wasn't even in bed when the parents came home. The mom told me not to fret if the children don't go to bed right away so I didn't. It's interesting how I've come across different parenting styles of the years. This family's style that was relayed to me was-- nosh on whatever you want throughout the night {I figured that we would order pizza or have a meal at home since it was 6 o'clock when I should up, I was way off and ate Lucky Charms for dinner followed by Junior Mints, Wheat Thins with these fake looking cheese stuff and Cool Ranch Doritos}, the kids could take their naps for however long they want {kid#1 woke up 20 minutes after I had been there kid#2 woke up an hour and half {he was the one who wasn't tired at midnight...hmmm I wonder why}}, when I asked what's their bedtime routine the mom looked at my like "ummm whenever and whatever", they don't brush your teeth {oo my sister in law would be so mad, I don't care that I'm the babysitter, you should always brush your teeth}, had SO much processed junk food {now I love Cool Ranch Doritos and wheat thins and Oreos, but we don't always have all three in our cupboards. I really believe you need to instill good eating habits with your children young so they can continue it later in life.}

I know in the mom's mind that having a babysitter is something special so the kids could eat whatever they wanted, but at the same time I don't mind having to keep a routine in check for them. The family came home at 1 am and I came home with $70 extra dollars in my pocket.

I was up at 6:45 this morning checking to see if I felt good to run. After a glass of water to help ease my dry-throat I told myself that I can do this. I printed out directions to get downtown because lords knows I am still so unfamiliar with that area and hate getting lost when I have somewhere to be at a certain time. A girl at my work, Jackie, was suppose to run with my but has been battling a sinus infection so opted out. Another coworker was running the 5k which started at 8 {10k started at 9:30} so we couldn't car pool together. Good thing my husband came home after driving to and from Columbus to drive me and cheer me on.

I had to take a a bus from downtown Pittsburgh out to Shadyside {an area Brian and I had looked at for houses/apts when we first moved out here so glad we didn't do it, it would of been really far from work}. The Great Race had about 8,000 people running the 10k and 4,000 people running the 5k. You can imagine the lines at the bathrooms. I finally made it to the start area about over 1,00 people in front of me; I tried to weasel my way in closer but after a while I just stopped. From the time the clock start it took me 7 minutes to get to the actual start.

Pictures taken by the hubby

And then I hit the ground running, never looking back, no walking, no potty breaks {although I had to pee the whole time and by the end I must of peed out of my sweat cause I didn't have to go} and no water breaks--I just kept running like Forest Gump.

The race was mainly downhill, some uphill, some long stretches of flat running but overall a half way decent course. I will say that I hated the first water station, it came out of no where and everyone stopped but people were still running. I almost ran into 5 people and I wasn't gonna stop.

I started off at a half way decent pace and worked my way to be under 9:00 mile except for the 4th mile where I must of hit my breaking point so I slowed down a bit {at least that's what my Garmin is telling me}and turned on my music although I had to put it on shuffle and some lame running songs were playin.

The official race results were posted by the time we got home and my official chip time is 00:56:15, average pace was under a 9:00 minute mile.

STATS

• Out of 7,864 10k particpants, I placed 3,239
• Out of 3,946 women, I placed 1,105
• Out of 836 25-29 age bracket, I placed 258

When I ran my 5 miles of the 5th leg of the Pittsburgh Marathon Relay Race in May, I ran it in 00:42:18, but I was hauling it the entire way to make up for our 3rd runner never showing up. I was so sore and had the worst stomach problems because I literally ran at a pace of 8:33.

For the last two races I've done, Brian and I have made it a traditional to get Mexican food afterwards, I love traditions and this one takes the cake and gives the full meaning for I RUN FOR FOOD

I need to buy a really bright shirt so Brian can see when through the crowd of runners and get more action shots of my passing people left and right

{Side note: I'm pretty proud of myself for going through with this race. I know that sometimes I think these things sound great and I sign up for them or plan to do something and then when it comes time to do it, I don't follow through.  Checking this day off of the bucket list}