Frostbite 15K

My first race of 2011 is over..thank goodness because it was cold!  I don't know why I was thinking it would be warmer....the race is called frostbite after all!  


One of the reasons I enjoy running in races is the people watching, especially in the winter.  People are bundled up like they are going on a hike in the frozen tundra land.  And there are men who are wearing tights who should not be.  As i waited for the race to start I just stood to the side watching...then I saw some smiling faces that I knew; Whitney, Shannon, and Sarah.  Thanks ladies for your encouragement at the beginning of a cold morning!


As we started running, I took it slow as I hadn't run more than 4 miles in a little over a week.  I was nervous about the 9 miles, but once I found a good play list on my iPod I was in the groove and there was a dance party going on in my head!  We rounded the corner and I could see the James River - it was so pretty!  The scenery was distracting me from the slight hills I love so much!  The race volunteers were so excited to see us runners at the water stops as we approached the lakes in and around Byrd park.  I thanked each person that I took water from.  I can only imagine how cold they were, but you would never know it from the loud cheers and dancing they were doing!  I was almost to the turn around at the end of Boulavard and I hear a loud cheer, "woo Go A!  looking strong!"  It was my running friend Vickie cheering me on!  Thanks lady! I needed those cheers because my hips were hurting and the dance party was slowing down in my head!  Once I turned around and saw you again I was good to go for the rest of the race!  

My legs went numb around mile 7 and I wanted to stop. be done. call it quits.  I was tired.  I was hungary.  I wanted pancakes.  I kept running but slowed my pace.  As long as one foot was in front of the other I would keep moving forward.  And soon enough I saw mile marker 9 and rounded the corner and there was the finish!  I looked up and saw the clock...1:39.19  -   Not bad considering this is the longest distance I have run since the 1/2 marathon in November.