Race Day....Means Blisters

The long-awaited 5k race day arrived this morning ...a little early, considering I got to bed later than I was planning. But I somehow still made it thru.

Here's what was different about the race this year:
--different race route, which I like oodles more than the original. There's more running in the heart of downtown, and there's nothing cooler than running right down State Street towards the capital

--different starting point: the City Building

--my time--36:10--which seems to be getting higher with each time I do it

--my body, which has a little added weight to it this year (which might account for my slower time)

--stopping the running and walking; the previous two years I've "ran" the entire way. This year, though, I thought if I walked for a bit I could finish faster in the end. It sort of worked, but that might be because I walked the uphill part (a new aspect of the new course) and started running again when it was a slight downhill. It was a tough choice, but honestly, at that point in the race my "running" was pretty equivalent to walking fast.

--using my ipod this year. It pretty much changed everything. Music is a powerful motivator.

--no signs telling me what mile I was on. Very frustrating.

And what was the same:
--my pink running shoes. I've had them since my first 5k in 2006. Seeing as how I got a nasty blister on the bottom of my foot, I think it's time to get some new ones.

--the great weather. Every year I've done it the weather has been great, and considering we had snow just a few days ago, I was very thankful for the beautiful race-day weather.

--feeling like I couldn't go on anymore but somehow finding the will to keep moving my feet

--people finishing so fast that they could've ran a 10k in the time it took me to do the 5k

--the feeling of excitement and elation when starting and crossing the Finish Line. I'm not one of those people who enjoys running; I get no sort of runner's high or satisfaction after a run. Unless I'm in a race. And then it's all just so exciting. I can last a lot longer when I'm running with a ton of other people thru the streets of Salt Lake.

Ivy and Elliett ran the Kids Marathon 1k. They were very excited to be doing the same thing as Aunt Julie. Emily ran with Elliett and I ran with Ivy, even though I tried talking her out of it. (So if you're counting, that means I ran a 6k today!)