My first race

This was mapped out by my new running buddy Alyssa.  We were pretty close the whole race; usually she stayed right behind me.  We ran the last mile together and chatted.  Also, she said she started this about 5 minutes into the race.

Me and Alyssa

Today I ran my first 5K!!!!  It was an exhilarating (and exhausting) experience.  The course had many hills, but the weather was perfect- 45 degrees and foggy.  Ben had to go out of town unexpectedly, but I did have the support of many co-workers.  This race was to benefit one of the 4th grade teacher's husband who has cancer.  I'll post a group picture when I have access to it.

It was a really amazing experience.  The course wound through farms, around ponds, near horse pastures, and beside large gorges.  I felt like I was leading a second wave of runners/walkers.  There was a gap between the fastest runners and the joggers.  I was running ahead with a huge pack behind me, and many times I was accompanied by a police motorcycle escort for long periods of time!  It made it feel like I was leading the whole race!  It was pretty fun.  

Things I learned:

• Prepare in advance by laying out your clothes.  Just because you think all of your running gear is together doesn't actually mean it is.  This made me later than I wanted, which resulted in no food/sport drinks before the race.
• Apparently you are suppose to eat a healthy runner's breakfast like a bagel with a little peanut butter or a nutrient bar designed for runners, according to this article in Runner's World.  The moral of the story is to prepare in advance.  I didn't have any good breakfast foods at home, and I was going to stop at the store and get a bar and a sports drink, but I was cutting it too close on time that I skipped it altogether.  Today I held up well, but for longer endurance races I can foresee this becoming an issue.
• Along those same lines, it would be good to start training on Saturday and emulate race day conditions (eating at a certain time before running, race gear, etc.)
• I need some new running gear. My stuff held out for today, but I feel like I'm to the point where I want to begin serious training.  I'd like to get some nice custom fit running shoes, socks, and undergarments.  Also, I'd like to get an iphone arm strap.  I didn't have any music this time, and that could have helped.
•  At the end of the race, my body felt strong.  My legs were doing well, and I feel like I could have kept going.  My asthma made my breathing labored, even with my inhaler.  I might need to check into getting on a daily control medication.
• When coming back to my apartment downtown, I passed a group of runners.  I still had on my race bib, and there was a sense of comradery.  They all spoke to me as they passed, and it was an exciting experience.  I felt welcomed into the club. 
• Overall, I'm very encouraged by today.  I think that is the longest and fastest that I have ever ran!  This makes me want to push through to continue on to even longer races.  It was also encouraging that the most I ran before today was 30 minutes, and on race day I almost doubled that!
• Oh, that reminds me of one last thing- my time.  I need to keep up the pace in training, but also to make sure to be regular with the training process.  These last few weeks have been spotty (granted, I was sick for a while), but I feel I could have performed even better if I would have kept up my regular training schedule.

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to leave a comment to let me know you stopped by, or offer any advice you have!

My social network also offers great support!  Over 50 likes on my race picture with tons of encouraging comments- many from fellow Cadre members. :)