Never 320 Again

8:57AM: @Tidbits_of_tara Morning yoda guess what

That is what I typed to my inspiration moments before stepping into the line. I stood, anxiously waiting, fidgeting with my clothes and headphones as I glanced over my shoulder looking for my friends who were not that far behind.

9:18AM: This one goes out to my Yoda, @tidbits_of_tara and anyone else who helped me on my way. http://plixi.com/p/93317467

That’s the right link, you see it—that’s a bib. 185. I began to panic, Tara had tweeted me back challenging me to a sub-30 number. I was running with two track coaches and someone with the same experience as myself. What if they outran me? What if I finished last? What if… What if… I began to doubt myself.

The first mile was easy, a little bit too easy: it psyched me out, not only myself but the two cross country track goddesses I kept pace with. Hildie and Heather were both running with me, and I was keeping their pace. At the water station (uhh the only water station on the whole 5k was at mile 1— I wasn’t thirsty AT ALL, but I was around the 2.2 marker). I began to slow down, the road became dirty littered with rocks and such and I was not coordinated enough to keep my pace. I slowed down and then kept that pace. They finished ahead of me.

I finished strong, sprinting the final two tenths of a mile, neck to neck with some woman who wanted to beat me (yeah—I kicked her ass). I saw the clock: 27:19. I was so happy, I had never timed anything less than 28 minutes. I nearly immediately texted Tara, my yoda: 27 minutes!!!!!

After pictures and talking, we walked back to the car. I took my own car so when I climbed in, I began to cry—I threw my oversized Aviators on my face to hide the tears and eagerly waved bye to my running mates. All day long I believed in myself, I ran a 27 minute 5k, that was definitely sub-30.

At 7:00PM I was making dinner, and my phone dinged. I checked it, and it was an invitation from Erica (my running partner pictured below) to run another 5k the following week—I accepted. Then again, Hildie had sent me an invitation to run a 5k the following week—I accepted. The invitations kept coming. My phone dinged again at 7:30, this time I was full on ready to shell out another 15 dollar registration fee, the subject line was “TIMES POSTED,” I immediately clicked. Scrolling through my iphone faster than it has ever gone before, I found the 27’s, something was wrong: I wasn’t listed. I couldn’t find my name, my bib number, or anything. I scrolled until 31:11, and I found Erica. I thought to myself, I finished before Erica. I scrolled to the top, and found Heather at 24:56, and kept scrolling, Hildie at 25:46, and finally: My name at 26:46!!! I ran a 5k in 26 minutes, 46 seconds.

I immediately texted Tara.

Tara, you are my Yoda, you have taught me so much, you have been here through it all, I have connected with you, I love you.

Val, Sharla, Megan, everyone else: you are amazing, you support me so much!

Molly, Jess, Robbie: Where the hell are you and why can’t I get an AMEN!