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At the request of Hippo, the RM/RD moderator, I am posting this in here. If any of you are within driving distance of NC, you so need to do this race next year! It was REALLY fun!!!<br><br>
Before I do my RR, everyone needs to put the first weekend in December 2008 down as “travel to NC to run in the Run to Victory 1/2M” b/c you are all doing this race next year. It was SO MUCH FUN!!! For those of you who are NASCAR fans (I am not but I am quickly becoming a Petty family fan) Kyle Petty and his family sponsor this race to benefit their camp “Victory Junction Gang” which is a camp for terminally ill and disabled kids. They started the camp in memory of Kyle’s son who he lost in a race car crash. It was EXTREMELY well done and a TON of fun!!<br><br>
OK. Now that you have that on your calendars, here is the RR and let me warn you it is a long one! It started off not so great as I got ½ way there and realized that I had forgotten my tampons. Whoops!!! Well, I had pads so that was not ideal but was going to have to do. Plus it was colder than I expected so I ended up running in pants in lieu of my skirt. As you know I was nervous and a little sad that I was running this race “by myself”, but when I got there, the first person I run into is the nice older guy that I met at my first 5K back in October! Then I run into a contractor and his wife that I use to work with and finally, a mom who’s daughter goes to school with my DD7. Well the mom is part of this local club called “Southside Running Club” (<a href="http://www.southsiderunningclub.com/" target="_blank">http://www.southsiderunningclub.com</a> ) so she immediately “initiated” me and gave me hand warmers and throw away gloves. Got to talking to all the people and they are JUST LIKE you guys!!! So I told all of them about you so you may be seeing some of them checking us out. They are WAY COOL – you will like them!<br><br>
So I go over to the starting line with them and off we go. I start running with this woman named Beth. This woman is the heart and soul of this club and one of the biggest inspirations that I have ever met. She was running the ½ but we were pacing pretty well together and I knew that no matter what my time was, it would be a PR so I just enjoyed talking with her. Beth runs w/ a brace on her left leg, so I asked her about it and she told me that about 3 years ago, she had to have major back surgery and as a result, it left her foot paralyzed. They told her she would never run again but she didn’t give up. She contacted companies all over the country and found a place in Sweden who made a brace for her to try and run in. Well it worked and she has run Chicago M and BOSTON M in this brace!! I have got to tell you, she is one amazing and nice person!!<br><br>
At mile 3 we had to split and I was on my own. Because we had been talking, I had missed mile 1 and didn’t quite know what I was pacing. I figured about 9:15 – 9:30 MM so I was on track. Well at mile 3, very few people turned off and I was running w/ these 4 guys (well we were within about 10 – 50 yards of each other off and on) so I told myself that I was running with Suds, Tony, Johnny B and Marine. That made me feel good but none of them were NEARLY as hot as you guys and since they had their shirts on, couldn’t determine abs! Then for a while I was all by myself in the middle of beautiful rural NC so I started talking to my Dad, telling him how I had missed him this week and I loved him and was glad he was watching me. Wouldn’t you know it, I start to tear up! Well I get myself together and keep on trucking and find that I am feeling REALLY good! I ended up passing the guys (which I know wouldn’t happen in real life) and there are no 9 year old snot nosed kids around to pass me at the end so I am feeling very confident! There are people all along the course cheering you on and before I know it, I am running into Victory Junction Camp! Now Beth prepped me for what to expect the last 2 miles so I got through my hills and knew exactly how to pace myself for the finish. The finish itself was really cool! There is an announcer who announces everyone’s name as they are coming up to the finish line which is awesome itself! Then at the finish is none other then Kyle and Patty Petty ready to give every finisher a high five! Everyone also got a really nice medal and I got Kyle to autograph mine! Then there was the food – OH was there food! So I got a quick bite and then went to meet up with the Southside families to cheer for the other finishers.<br><br>
OH! Forgot about my time!! I wanted to break 50 min and I went a 45:56 so I was really really happy! I honestly felt like I could have kept going but now that I am home, my foot is a little sore. So I will stick to the 5K next weekend with the girls (and Michael!).<br><br>
It really was a great day and I am looking forward to running with Southside a week from Saturday. But next it is Tar and meeting lots of AWESOME RM’s and partying hard!! I am looking forward to it!!<br><br>
Off to shower, finish a gingerbread house with the girls and then read the rest of the thread! Thank you guys again for being so awesome!!
Before I do my RR, everyone needs to put the first weekend in December 2008 down as “travel to NC to run in the Run to Victory 1/2M” b/c you are all doing this race next year. It was SO MUCH FUN!!! For those of you who are NASCAR fans (I am not but I am quickly becoming a Petty family fan) Kyle Petty and his family sponsor this race to benefit their camp “Victory Junction Gang” which is a camp for terminally ill and disabled kids. They started the camp in memory of Kyle’s son who he lost in a race car crash. It was EXTREMELY well done and a TON of fun!!<br><br>
OK. Now that you have that on your calendars, here is the RR and let me warn you it is a long one! It started off not so great as I got ½ way there and realized that I had forgotten my tampons. Whoops!!! Well, I had pads so that was not ideal but was going to have to do. Plus it was colder than I expected so I ended up running in pants in lieu of my skirt. As you know I was nervous and a little sad that I was running this race “by myself”, but when I got there, the first person I run into is the nice older guy that I met at my first 5K back in October! Then I run into a contractor and his wife that I use to work with and finally, a mom who’s daughter goes to school with my DD7. Well the mom is part of this local club called “Southside Running Club” (<a href="http://www.southsiderunningclub.com/" target="_blank">http://www.southsiderunningclub.com</a> ) so she immediately “initiated” me and gave me hand warmers and throw away gloves. Got to talking to all the people and they are JUST LIKE you guys!!! So I told all of them about you so you may be seeing some of them checking us out. They are WAY COOL – you will like them!<br><br>
So I go over to the starting line with them and off we go. I start running with this woman named Beth. This woman is the heart and soul of this club and one of the biggest inspirations that I have ever met. She was running the ½ but we were pacing pretty well together and I knew that no matter what my time was, it would be a PR so I just enjoyed talking with her. Beth runs w/ a brace on her left leg, so I asked her about it and she told me that about 3 years ago, she had to have major back surgery and as a result, it left her foot paralyzed. They told her she would never run again but she didn’t give up. She contacted companies all over the country and found a place in Sweden who made a brace for her to try and run in. Well it worked and she has run Chicago M and BOSTON M in this brace!! I have got to tell you, she is one amazing and nice person!!<br><br>
At mile 3 we had to split and I was on my own. Because we had been talking, I had missed mile 1 and didn’t quite know what I was pacing. I figured about 9:15 – 9:30 MM so I was on track. Well at mile 3, very few people turned off and I was running w/ these 4 guys (well we were within about 10 – 50 yards of each other off and on) so I told myself that I was running with Suds, Tony, Johnny B and Marine. That made me feel good but none of them were NEARLY as hot as you guys and since they had their shirts on, couldn’t determine abs! Then for a while I was all by myself in the middle of beautiful rural NC so I started talking to my Dad, telling him how I had missed him this week and I loved him and was glad he was watching me. Wouldn’t you know it, I start to tear up! Well I get myself together and keep on trucking and find that I am feeling REALLY good! I ended up passing the guys (which I know wouldn’t happen in real life) and there are no 9 year old snot nosed kids around to pass me at the end so I am feeling very confident! There are people all along the course cheering you on and before I know it, I am running into Victory Junction Camp! Now Beth prepped me for what to expect the last 2 miles so I got through my hills and knew exactly how to pace myself for the finish. The finish itself was really cool! There is an announcer who announces everyone’s name as they are coming up to the finish line which is awesome itself! Then at the finish is none other then Kyle and Patty Petty ready to give every finisher a high five! Everyone also got a really nice medal and I got Kyle to autograph mine! Then there was the food – OH was there food! So I got a quick bite and then went to meet up with the Southside families to cheer for the other finishers.<br><br>
OH! Forgot about my time!! I wanted to break 50 min and I went a 45:56 so I was really really happy! I honestly felt like I could have kept going but now that I am home, my foot is a little sore. So I will stick to the 5K next weekend with the girls (and Michael!).<br><br>
It really was a great day and I am looking forward to running with Southside a week from Saturday. But next it is Tar and meeting lots of AWESOME RM’s and partying hard!! I am looking forward to it!!<br><br>
Off to shower, finish a gingerbread house with the girls and then read the rest of the thread! Thank you guys again for being so awesome!!
