For the first time ever, I had a 'support crew' for a race. I usually just go or take other runners. This time, my mom & her boyfriend Eli came along for the trip. Being the early fanatic I am, I told them to be here by 10:45 so we can be on the road by 11 as the registration/packet pick up table opened @11:30. So, 10:43 they pulled up, we loaded into my van & left. I checked in, then walked back to them in the van, as it was way too windy to ask them to stand outside already. My nervousness about the big hill had me texting w/Denise, Rose & Melissa, all on their way. After they got their packets picked up, we met up w/them + another & friend before they called us to line up.
I loved seeing the fairgrounds all decorated up for fall!We all enjoyed the 'chase the cow' races for the littles. 3 heats of them in different age brackets. super cute & what a great way to get kids motivated to run & be active!
WOW I really am an expressive talker. Thanks Mom for this candid. :) Here we are, 'lined up' & listening to announcements. then the National Anthem & air horn ...
.,, & we were off.. holy windi-ness! Our first stretch was straight up Heritage Hill-one I dread to walk when we are here for the fair, much less run up. I did well keeping my head down to take it one step at a time, until I thought I should be at the top & looked to find I wasn't quite there, I lost my momentum & walked a bit. Melissa & Rose caught up so, we 3 talked & walked a bit, then jogged through the campground, walked a short stretch to the Grandfather's Barn hill, hitting the one mile mark hallelujah! From there, we ran down & around the Cultural Center, back up a smaller hill (one of those you barely notice as a hill when just walking but when running its quite evident) between the Youth Inn & the new barn, around that barn & down between the barns & fence on Dean Avenue, north on Rock Island in front of the swine barn, between the swine & beef barn, around the beef, (basically swerving in & out of barns playing 'see the fairgrounds') back to Rock Island in front of the pavilion, hitting mile 2 YAHOOOOOO!! Then on north & east past the Ag building, across Grand Avenue (where the race started & would eventually finish). North, walked up the road past Animal Learning Center/Little Hands on the Farm, started running again when we turned west behind the Grandstand, loop around to the front of the Grandstand. Seeing the 3 mile marker, AMAZING! I kicked it into overdrive & powered up Grand to the finish line (that was also the start line). 39:29 I thought the timer said but my mapmyrun program was a bit different + it said we went more than 3.1 :) We met back up to take cool down photos, then head into the grandstand for snacks-mini corndogs, beer (we all passed), banana, yogurt, orange juice, chocolate milk, mini fair square, & bottled water. Scarfed down goodies, I don't think a corn dog has ever tasted so good! Checked our times/placings me-173 of 191, Melissa -174, Rose shortly after, Denise way ahead. parted ways. I headed to the bathroom, washed up & changed into jeans, new long sleeve t from the race then headed to Grandma.Truly amazed at how I felt after the 2mile marker, like the rest was cake. Maybe because I new it was way flatter than the first 2, maybe that I felt like I was 2/3rds done & could surely rock through another 1/3. Not sure what it was but that last mile was way easier mentally, the last .1 I really pedaled through barely catching a breath due to the wind but determined to truly leave it all on the course.
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