I did it!!

On Saturday, I completed my first 10K–The 31st Annual Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run & Walk, which benefitted the Harvest Home.

The Pre-race

The 10K started at 7:30, so I woke Saturday morning at about 5:00am, had a couple cups of coffee, checked my email, and off I went to the races. Immediately after stepping outside of my house, I shuddered instinctively because it was colder than I anticipated. And it’s always a little cooler at the beach.

I arrived at the beach about 30 minutes before the race, and parking–which is typically an issue–wasn’t a problem at all for race day. This event was very well-planned. I pinned my number on to the front of my race shirt, 2559. This of course, was my lucky number.

The Start

With a great sense of anticipation, I headed for the start line, gravitating toward the back of the pack. And yes, Santa Claus was there to oversee the event. With the number of runners and walkers at over 1,000, there were quite a few of us.

Even though the day was cloudy, I never considered the possibility of rain until I saw someone cross the street carrying an umbrella, but as it turns out, it did rain. But it wasn’t too bad—more of a slight mist.

Around 30 minutes into the race, which was a fairly level route, it did rain a bit harder. And I got a little wet.

My time?

I surprised myself–12:08 minutes per mile for about 6 miles aka the 10K. I beat my anticipated time of 13-14 minutes a mile—so I’m ready for my next 10K or even more.

At the end, I was so happy to see the finish line, not because I was tired, but because it meant I had finished my first race. However, I forgot to take a picture of the finish…………………

What’s next on my list?

Well, I’m going to try to do a half marathon (13.1 miles) in January. I haven’t done this distance before, but I’ve come very close toward walking about 12 miles. I’m going to give the 13 miles a try this week.

What about you? Do you have any desire to run/walk a race?

I discovered that I really liked the challenge and the camaraderie I found with other participants. You might, too, because

After all, it’s about a healthy lifestyle!

© Iowa Ave