My first 5k

I made it.  From the time on 1/1/11 when I decided to do it to the finish line, I made it! The race was on 4/2/11. The night before the race I knew I needed to get my sleep so I did just that.  Got up on time ( I tried not to toss and turn that night) at about 6:30ish out the door by 7 to meet at Caitlans. We made our way to the other side of town for the race with plenty of time to get our packets, check out the other runners and make sure we knew where the bathrooms were!

Not long after we got there we were joined by the our other runner friends :)
There I am second one in from the left, cheezing away, happy and as nervous as could be. 
I am standing next to a girl who does stadiums for fun and still have a smile on face!

We stretched, ate half a banana and listened to the music. Finally it was time, we situated ourselves in our appropriate spot within the pack.  Me, Caitlan and Cailtin near the rear; Kaitlyn and Brandy up front.  Yes, me, three Caitlans and a Brandy!

And we were off, not 10 steps into it we hear a group of 4 people come up behind us squawking, literally! 3 guys and a girl all dressed in pink (it was for a benefit for research for Triple Negative Breast Cancer, hence all the pink) pink feather boas wrapped around their waste, pink shirts, shorts and a different hat on each of them. One was a flamingo head, a pig head and I forgot the other one.  It was a funny start to the race!

I had my Ipod on but it started to annoy be before I even finished the first mile so I just had the headphones around my neck for the rest of it. I did not run the entire thing, I did my usual jog a little, walk a little.  My goal for the next one is to run the whole thing. I finished in 41:26! Better than I did when I tried it the weekend before!! Yay! Only by 4 minutes but hey, still better.  Afterwards, we didn't stick around long, just enough time to take a few pics with the gator mascots and eat some gellato.

Now that I finished my first race I'm addicted.  I already have another race picked for sometime in May to do with my Hubby.  Then another in June to do with my sister-in-laws! All 5ks so I can get used to running them then maybe move up from there.  I have to say that I very proud of myself and my friends for sticking with this goal and this new adventure!

Tonight was my first run since the race.  Caitlan and I decided to go to a park instead of the usual, it was the perfect weather for it.  We ran a little over a mile and a half and when we were back at the car, all I wanted to do was go run another mile!  I decided not to, Caitlan was looking at me like I was crazy.  But I like to end on a good feeling so I am ready for the next one.