Things I Can Do.
Sep. 29th, 2013 07:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ofearthandstarsSo I've posted elsewhere about it, but yesterday I made it to (and through) the Color Run 5K in Raleigh. L. came along to provide support and take photos, because he is awesome.
When I woke up yesterday morning, I started wigging out because my left shin was bothering me (just below the knee), despite the fact that I hadn't run since Wednesday. But I got ready, and my parents came to stay with the sleepy boys, and then we were off. I had a temporary tattoo that the event organizers had handed out, so I put it on for fun.
If it's a tattoo, it's true, right?
We picked up some athletic tape for my shin along the way, and then we searched for a good while for parking, even though we'd arrived an hour early. Finally, when we arrived, I pinned on my number with giddiness while L. taped my leg.
I was pretty clean before I started running.
We made our way down to the event area; we were lucky to find a spot a couple of blocks from the starting line. As 9:00 am drew near, the color runners moved into the starting chute, which was composed of a few inflated archways.
A rainicorn was there to greet us.
As we moved down the chute towards the starting line, one of the event organizers decided to lead everyone in a wave, then toss out prizes.
I'm afraid none of the shorts they were tossing would have fit me.
We were set off in "waves" to avoid crowding the course, so this allowed for runners an equal chance to participate in the crowd warm-up (there were about 500 runners).
The first wave is off. All of these people look really fit.
I was in the second wave, clutching a color packet that was provided with my race materials. About 9:10, our wave counted down and then we were off.
I do not remember why I was biting my lip.
L. wasn't about to run along beside me to take pictures, so you will just have to imagine what it looked like running through the downtown. It was much easier to run in this group, because people were calling out motivational phrases and hi-fiving one another, particularly when the "first wave" runners were rounding back down the same street that we were just starting on. Each kilometer was marked with a archway, and a team of volunteers used squeeze bottles to spray us with a different color for every kilometer we completed. There were a ton of families and little kids, serious runners, and people like me, who were somewhere in between.
With the tape on my leg, it was much easier to run and I didn't notice my shin at all. Oh, my, how much I love athletic tape. Of course, it may have been nerves/adrenaline, too. Oh, and it felt like a good beginning portion of the run was downhill, which made it easier in a lot of ways.
Finally, I came to the finish line. Volunteers immediately thrust water and a Kind bar into my hand. I ate it halfway through before remembering to check the ingredients (whoops!). Luckily, it was vegan.
I glanced down at my time: 30'43". I'd managed an average pace of 10'20"/mi. I still have no idea how. I should photograph my watch so you can believe me.
This is what I look like after completing a 5K with a pace of 10'20".
At the finish line, a party had started (thanks to whoever played Ylvis's "The Fox"). There was a countdown, and runners threw their color into the air.
That was pretty magical.
I also had a co-worker and her partner show up, which was pretty awesome of them. We talked for a little bit, watched the color, got doused with more color, and picked up some swag (purple fishnet armwarmers, I now have you).
So, yeah. This is something I can do.
♥
When I woke up yesterday morning, I started wigging out because my left shin was bothering me (just below the knee), despite the fact that I hadn't run since Wednesday. But I got ready, and my parents came to stay with the sleepy boys, and then we were off. I had a temporary tattoo that the event organizers had handed out, so I put it on for fun.
If it's a tattoo, it's true, right?
We picked up some athletic tape for my shin along the way, and then we searched for a good while for parking, even though we'd arrived an hour early. Finally, when we arrived, I pinned on my number with giddiness while L. taped my leg.
I was pretty clean before I started running.
We made our way down to the event area; we were lucky to find a spot a couple of blocks from the starting line. As 9:00 am drew near, the color runners moved into the starting chute, which was composed of a few inflated archways.
A rainicorn was there to greet us.
As we moved down the chute towards the starting line, one of the event organizers decided to lead everyone in a wave, then toss out prizes.
I'm afraid none of the shorts they were tossing would have fit me.
We were set off in "waves" to avoid crowding the course, so this allowed for runners an equal chance to participate in the crowd warm-up (there were about 500 runners).
The first wave is off. All of these people look really fit.
I was in the second wave, clutching a color packet that was provided with my race materials. About 9:10, our wave counted down and then we were off.
I do not remember why I was biting my lip.
L. wasn't about to run along beside me to take pictures, so you will just have to imagine what it looked like running through the downtown. It was much easier to run in this group, because people were calling out motivational phrases and hi-fiving one another, particularly when the "first wave" runners were rounding back down the same street that we were just starting on. Each kilometer was marked with a archway, and a team of volunteers used squeeze bottles to spray us with a different color for every kilometer we completed. There were a ton of families and little kids, serious runners, and people like me, who were somewhere in between.
With the tape on my leg, it was much easier to run and I didn't notice my shin at all. Oh, my, how much I love athletic tape. Of course, it may have been nerves/adrenaline, too. Oh, and it felt like a good beginning portion of the run was downhill, which made it easier in a lot of ways.
Finally, I came to the finish line. Volunteers immediately thrust water and a Kind bar into my hand. I ate it halfway through before remembering to check the ingredients (whoops!). Luckily, it was vegan.
I glanced down at my time: 30'43". I'd managed an average pace of 10'20"/mi. I still have no idea how. I should photograph my watch so you can believe me.
This is what I look like after completing a 5K with a pace of 10'20".
At the finish line, a party had started (thanks to whoever played Ylvis's "The Fox"). There was a countdown, and runners threw their color into the air.
That was pretty magical.
I also had a co-worker and her partner show up, which was pretty awesome of them. We talked for a little bit, watched the color, got doused with more color, and picked up some swag (purple fishnet armwarmers, I now have you).
So, yeah. This is something I can do.
♥
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