10 mile trail race

I decided that for my first race, since all of these medical fiascoes, I would run the Prickly Pear 10 mile trail race. After reading Ann's blog, and being totally interested in her thoughts as she completed her last race, I decided that I too should share what went through my head during the 10 mile trail race.

Upon waking up, my adrenaline was pumping, but in a good way. This was both odd and scary; a new feeling for me, in the past 9 months. It's exciting when your adrenaline pumps in good ways, and not over the top for no apparent reason. I do not know if God has chosen to heal me permanently or temporarily, but what I do know, is I have been feeling fabulous and I will bask in the glorious days He has given me!

Race: Prickly Pear 50k and 10 mile trail runs
Distance: 10 miles
Goal Time: 120 minutes (12:00 min/mi)
Actual Time: 1:51:16 (11:08 min/mi)

I started near the back, as I am not fast, and my goal was to finish in two hours or less--12 minute miles. I felt that was a good goal for my first race since May, and since I became "healthy." I looked around to see if anybody I knew was there, but I did not see any familiar faces.

I completed the first three miles, relatively easily, in thirty minutes, following a lady, who I deemed my personal pace setter. During our first water break, around mile 3, she stopped and drank the Gatorade, and so did I. I had read on some running sites that people that are not super serious about there time should stop and drink, and then throw away their cup, as you really are not going to lose that much time. I like to do that.

The two of us continue, myself, directly behind this woman. I did not want to pass her, just to keep up with her. Sadly, she tripped and fell at some point, but yay, she was okay, and got up and kept going. I continued to follow her, passing people as she passed them, but then she fell again. This time a little harder. It was at this point that she chose to slow down more, and I chose to pass her. I'm glad she was okay, but I am sad that she fell! She was such a good pace setter, oh well!

Around mile 5 or 6, I found a new pace setter for a couple miles. Until this point I thought two things primarily:

• Wow I cannot believe how easy this run is
• Thank you Lord for giving me a hedge of protection and keeping me from biting the dust!
  

My new pace setter was fabulous until she too, bit the dust. Thank God she was okay, as well, but like many, a little shaken and chose to slow down.

Somewhere around miles 6 to 8 was my personal challenge. I was done, this was getting almost boring, something had to change. Lo and behold, I found a new pace setter, an older man, and I followed him until he decided he was tired and started walking.

For my last two miles, I was by myself. The people in front of me were far enough in front that I did not want to sprint up just to run side by side them, and the people behind me stayed pretty far behind me. A lady came up on behind me for a couple minutes, she too bit the dust. And she too was okay. I am blown away at how many people took some pretty ugly spills and am thankful that God kept me safe! :) Thank you Jesus for the hedge of protection and a fabulous run this morning!

The last mile took me by surprise. All of a sudden I saw a sign that said, 100 meters to race finish. Oh, wow! I was finished and by the end of the race, I felt great. I knew I could've gone further, and I knew I had finished in under 2 hours! I completed the race in less than goal time. Yay!

Props to Andrew Kahn, who from his great ingeniousness has learned that phones can have problems if they get too wet from sweat...so before I put my phone in my back pocket, I put it in a ziplock snack bag. Worked like a charm! Thanks, Andrew for your great intelligence. I even noticed other women freaking out because their phones were soaked. Ewww! :)

Only in Texas do you finish a race, and eat fajitas! Yes, we had fabulous, oranges, bananas (this monkey ate 2), tortillas, beef fajitas, chicken fajitas, pico de gallo, black beans, borracho beans, and rice. And of course their was lots of bottled water and Gatorade. There was plently of beer as well, for the connoisseurs.

Overall, I had a blast running this race, and I am looking forward to my next race. A nice and easy 5k. My next 10-miler will be on Mother's Day...the Fort Sam Houston Army 10-miler. It will be my second time to run the FSH Army 10-miler.

On a side note...the Redbud is beautiful in bloom! :)

So are the Bluebonnets...they are just opening. In Texas, we have March flowers...forget May flowers. :)