A New Year Results in a PR!!!

So the Run with the Dogs 5K that was postponed happened yesterday. A, D and I went. We all had some difficulty in dressing since it had been so cold the week before and yesterday at 8am it was 50 degrees.

Jacket or no jacket, shorts, short-sleeves? It was like none of us ever ran before. We all finally got situated, and off we went. We got to Decatur High and wondered if we missed it. Then we realized DHS had a new wing and that's where registration was. Still we were confused because we saw no cones. (A and I did this race last year). So we we picked up our numbers and our shirts and found out that it was a new course because CSX had some issue with us crossing the tracks. So the old course was no good. Back to the car to put the shirts away, and off to the Starbucks in the square (where the start was). .4 mile walk. Then as usual a lot of waiting. Well not as much as usual, because A and I are starting to leave a little later. Unlike last year, this year a lot of people were running with their dogs. We talked to one lady who had a cute lab.

Then a bunch of yada yada yada, and the race started.

The start of the race, D, A and I are all in this shot.

Down Ponce. Most of the people with dogs passed me. Some dogs freaked but for the most part people had control of their dogs, and they picked up after them (dogs in races annoy me especially with retractable leashes, and owners that don't carry bags). So I was running along. We turned off Ponce and through some neighborhood and came back to Ponce at Avondale MARTA. A lot of houses were for rent, which was interesting...I didn't know people in that area rented houses. Anyway I passed the cone that said Mile 1, except Garmin said Mile .92. It jingled a little while later and mile 1 was 12:40. The second mile took us down where D and I looked at houses, but ultimately didn't buy. Mini hills and speed bumps.

At 1.55, I grabbed some water from the DHS athletes who were on the corner. They were funny. SOOOO quiet, always ending everything with Maam or Sir. Some were at other corners. I thanked them for being there, and they always said, "You're welcome, Maam" or "Thank you for supporting us, Maam." (Race supported DHS Athletics). Anyway, mile 2 actually dinged at the Mile 2 cone. 25:20.

Now into the last mile and there was this hill. It really wasn't bad, but looking at it, it just seemed to be like a bitch. And I was tired. And I didn't want to run anymore. Finally I was out of the neighborhood and back on Ponce. It was 2.25. I could totally feel myself slowing down. I didn't want to run anymore. Plus I was running on the sidewalk. I hate running on the sidewalk. Finally I got up hill and was back in the commercial district. I decided I didn't care if there was oncoming traffic, I was running in the street. Now it was 2.6. I told myself to pick up my feet for only .1. At 2.73 I told myself, to keep at it. I looked up and saw D and A. My watched dinged 3 miles, although the cone was about 20 feet infront of me. I didn't look at the time, but Garmin said that mile was 13:40-something. Obviously I slowed way down.

D and A cheered me on, and I saw the last turn and went in. The clock said 40:10 so I gave it everything so I could get in under 41. I crossed at 40:25. I guess I had a bad judgement of distance. I turned of Garmin. It said 3.12 miles, so yay. I was on the threshold of pukage, but kept it down 3 times. D had to fill out my race card as I didn't want to bend down or lean over.

Me finishing...of course looking down!

Then we walked back to the HS, and got water and then went home. I knew I had PR'd but wasn't sure by how much. It turns out, the last race I got under 41 minutes was in April 2008. I beat that time by 26 seconds. Go me!

The HS gave me scarves for Guinness and Scuttlebutt. When I find the camera cord, I'll post some pics.

Today, D and I finished our first week of HM training with a 4 mile run. It went very slowly. SB and Guinness joined us on the track. Guinness is worn out. SB is still energetic and crazy as ever.