I Am a Mountain Goat

This morning I awoke at 5:15 am to prepare to drive about an hour for a race, my first 4.5 mile run and first trail race. My parents drove me, but I had to use the restroom on the way there and 3 times once we arrived. My stomach was TORNED UP. I can not tell if it was caused by nerves or not, but 2 nights before I woke up my mom and sister yelling "turn right! Turn right!"

I signed up a week before, the day of my 5k in the ATL, on March 27th. Actually I just found the results from the race: I placed 34th out of 213 females (it was co-ed, but the results are written disorginzed/ segarated) and I estimated about 20 in my age group, which I placed 5th in.

Back to this morning, I ran into my pacing partner from my 2nd 5k, who I started the race with and she beat me by a minute. She is a rock star! The 1st mile or so was on the gravel trail than we started up through the woods. They called for 3 steep hills, but well they LIED. Just kidding just it was a tough course.

The trail had a hill called the wall, which I thought we hit before we even really hit it. Everyone had to walk it, because it was so steep. The river crossing was through a 18 inch place and the other 2 were leap worthy. So, were the logs and roots sometimes.

At reaching 2.7 miles I decided I just wanted to be done. Plus, I should mention that I did not use my Ipod this race. Right before hitting the water station at 2.7 miles it was flat and easy. My mind got bored. Lucky for me the course became a challenge again and the Ipod was not missed anymore.

At this point I realized my time should be at an hour or a little after. I was short of breath and worn about half way through the course. By the time I reached the 3rd mile I decided I was going to finish with runnng the rest of the 1.5 miles.

While accomplishing this I heard someone creeping up on me. I decided to let him pass, because I found a comfortble pace (even though I had a horrid stitch in my side). He told me to go on and he was just trying to stay up with me. That pushed me harder and stronger longer than I expected.

As we were closing in on the last 500 to 400 meters I started walking and this woman behind me yelled "keep going! We are almost done! Your my pacing makers! Don't give up on me now!" I loved that feeling that I was being used to set a pace for 2 people so I started up again and pushed a little faster as I inched down the last bit of trail. As I hit the gravel I sprinted as hard as I could. I saw the timer clocking me in about 57 minutes. I was stocked and extremely proud of myself.

The annoncements of the results were occuring and I told my mom it be funny if I placed 3rd. I did and my offical time was actually 56:59 recorded by the time chip I wore. I was about 3 minutes faster than I figured.