Run for Ryan - Memorial Day Race

On your mark, get set, BOOM!

Okay, those of you who know me know that I am not a competitive person, and that I am not a runner! But when an opporunity like this one comes around I had to jump at the chance. One of my cutest students at Kids Village lost her dad in a dirt bike accident at the end of March. This run was to help support his cute wife and 3 darling daughters. Myself and two other teachers decided to take on the challenge, knowing full well we were only doing this to help the family.

Race day comes (Memorial Day), we meet up and travel to the race registration together. Just getting out of the car we quickly realized that we were so out of our league...most people there were in it to win it! We are talking avid runners! NOT US! We got a great laugh while registering, when we were handed a chip! What the heck was that for. They told us if we needed help to go under the tent and they would help us with our chip. Come to find out this is how time was kept. Amazing what they think of. After getting our chip securely placed on our shoes we had some time to kill before the gun shot start. We wandered around in the pouring down rain. (Luckily I listened to Craig, cause he talked me into wearing my winter coat shell which is water proof.) There again another sign that I am not an avid runner! I had on about 4 layers, and a hat, it was so cold and wet! The real runners had little flappy shorts and tank tops, a spandex something or other on. I was also ashamed when I had to have my chip placed on my dirty old cross trainers, runners wear running shoes! Just FYI.

Well start time was upon us and I must say that I was beginning to feel better because I noticed that more families had come and lots of kids and strollers. More my kind of group. We of course only ran the mile, and that was long enough. I haven't ran a race since 9th grade. Cut me some slack. The gun shot went off and we took off. I stayed back with one friend and the other one took off. We ran a ways and we walked a bit, but ran more than we had planned to...the deal was we were going to walk it. I guess the competition got to us. We ran whenever there were people cheering us on. It was crazy. I know I could have ran much more but I didn't want to leave this friend behind, because we had decided to walk it originally. We came to the finish line and our chip beeped! Our time was clocked. After a drink of water and some fruit we noticed that the standings were posted. Wow technology sometimes amaze me. It was within minutes...we checked it out and I placed 6th in my bracket. I must say I was proud of myself...having come from being in a workout slump and not ran forever! It felt good! I was pumped. I am thinking about running the mile race at Strawberry Days and maybe even the Freedom Festival. I know who would have thought! Me a runner!!! Crazy! I felt good about it! Mostly because I was able to help this cute family, but secretly I want to do better in the next race!

When I walked in the house Liberty caught me off gaurd and took this photo of me. I know, not the best and check out my "running clothes" I know it is halarious! If you are a runner, I am new at this give a girl a break! I will be more prepared next time. I will admit by 4:00 this afternoon my body was hurting. That gives you an idea of how out of shape...but it will only get better!

Not to worry...I will never wear the flappy running shorts!! But something better next time!

It really was very cold and wet this morning!