10K results => Pretty good!

Ok, 2 days late on this post. Sunday was a big day. Started off at 5:30am with waking up and getting fueled up for the morning. Stuck with my breakfast standard of oatmeal with egg, whey protein, flaxseed, and almonds topped with yogurt. Breathing checked fine and packed my inhaler. Left the house around 6:55am. The walk/run to the race start was 3.42 miles, and it was surprisingly harder than planned. First of all, it was hot out. Had to be in the upper 70's already. The sun was out and it was humid. Secondly, my backpack got heavy really quickly. All it had were extra shoes, extra clothes and some stuff for a shower. Of course, I forgot my towel and soap, but I didn't realize about the soap until I got into the shower. Glynis and Katie brought my towel.

So, I get to the registration all nice and warm and sweaty. There are tons of people all around! And through all of it, I see no one that I know. I get my stuff and notice that they misspelled my last name: "Janora" instead of Jamora. Then I find the lockers and lock up my stuff.

I try to calm myself down and stretch. I'm a bit nervous and excited. I watch the others all around. So many people look quite serious in what they are doing. All kinds of people running up and down the street. Later on I find out that there were 404 people participating. I caught up with Glynis and Katie and got my towel. Then it is just hanging around waiting to start. I actually try to get more to the back of the pack, but I still don't talk with anyone.

Finally, the start. It's a little slow going being behind everyone. I concentrate on weaving in and out and trying to keep an even pace. About the time I get to the start line, I remember to look for Glynis. I see her trying to look for me and I wave. I should have started to the side where they were watching. Oh well.

Now we are off. Some people are passing me as I am passing others. I resist the urge to surge forward too quickly. It really is a strong feeling. I look at my watch and try to gage my speed. For some reason, I really don't feel completely confident in my watch's ability to keep track of my speed. But I use it anyway. It's all that I have.

It is hot out, but I just keep plugging on. I think I recall that mile 1 was 8:32. I recall mile 2 at 17 or 18 something? Mile 3 ... 25 something? It is interesting to me to sing in my head or something to try to keep my pace constant. Some people are doing a run ahead and then walk a while. As the miles go on, there are fewer people to pass. Then every once in a while there will be someone walking. After mile 3, I end up having to stop to tie my shoe. Then somewhere around mile 4 I take my first cup of water and try to walk while I drink. I nearly choke on my first swig! Ok, I can't walk and drink at the same time. I don't remember what I did with the water, but there was a trash can to drop the cup in. Mile 5, Tammy Hensley from church told me my time, but I don't remember it. I remember the kid with the water gun whom I asked to "Hit me!" His dad had to explain, but at least he figured it out on time! Then out of Duke Park and back on the road. Through a couple of hoses ... man it was hot out! Finally in front of the stadium! Finally into the stadium! I try to pick it up on the track ... around onto the back stretch and I run out of gas! The track is too long! But the guy keeping up with me doesn't pass as I return to a plodding run. Finally around to the front stretch and I can see the end. I pick up the pace and do what I have left of a sprint to the finish!

I finished 136 overall, and my bib number was 137. My time of 52:17 beat my goals of "under and hour" and even 55 minutes! My pace was 8:36/mile. Wow!

Afterwards, it seemed like it took me forever to cool down. It was so nice to have Glynis and Katie there. But I was so dead! My feet hurt all over, my legs were just tired, and when we got home I slept for 2 1/2 hours! Uhh ... just a little nap, huh? I'm feeling much better now. I was supposed to run this morning to start working on the 5K for the 4th of July. Maybe I'll run tonight, or at least I'll start tomorrow. What an experience!