10k

Ben and I ran a 10k on Thanksgiving.  Does that make me real runner now?  I have been running about 3 miles a day at least five days a week for years now.  I am consistent.  I'm probably in decent shape.  But I've never thought that really qualified me as a runner.  I've never really run long distances, mostly because it takes so much more time.  I can do my three miles in about a half hour.  That's about all the time I have to devote to exercise each day.  And it gives me an excuse to watch the news each morning as I run on the treadmill. 

I decided I wanted to take it up a notch.  So I signed up for a 10k.  Mostly to see if I could actually do it.  Ben wanted to do it with me.  He is an amazing runner, and can run 4 or 5 miles without even thinking about it.  I started setting aside a little more time for my workouts and I added a bit more distance.  I ran 4 miles, then 4 and a half.  On the Monday before Thanksgiving I decided to do a practice run. I did it--I ran all 6.2 miles.  I felt prepared for the day of the race. 

On Thanksgiving, I got up early, had a little breakfast and got all ready.  I was most concerned about the rain, but when I looked out the window, the rain had stopped.  We had had several days of downpour.  I was hoping even for just a slight drizzle, but we were blessed with perfectly dry weather for just the few hours we needed.  It started raining again just an hour or so after we finished the race. 

The run went well.  The biggest obstacle was the hills. The second leg of the race was quite hilly, something I did not train for on the treadmill.  My legs are still feeling it...  But we made it through and pushed hard all the way to the end. 

We did it!  We ran it in a little under 65 minutes.  David met us at the finish line and took a picture.

Afterward, Ben told me how much fun he had had running it.  It was fun!  I loved having a partner to keep up the pace.  He did pull me a long a few times.  He was good to stay with me. 

And maybe, just maybe, I can say that I am a runner now.