St. Malachi 5miler

The 2014 St. Malachi 5miler started my racing season on a great, no exceptionally awesome, kick off! Since I do not have my license yet, I'm so thankful that my Brother and his girlfriend were able to join and drive me to the first race of the season!  I have ran this race a couple of times in the past.  There is always a great turnout and it's a great way to kick off the St. Paddy's day weekend! I have so much gratitude to Brittany and Ryan for joining me and driving me to the race.  This race was a "tentative" on my race schedule due to not being able to drive.  Thanks guys!

I was so excited for this race for so many reasons.  It marks the beginning of my racing season, it's the first race I've ran since the huge mistake I made in September, and it proves to me that I survived months of solitude, overwhelming stress, breakdown, and public humiliation (but that's another story).  Plus, it was the 1st race ever with my brother!  All of the years I've been running and doing triathlons he has never been able to come cheer me on; but, this time he ran it with me!  I'm so happy that he's caught the racing bug! 

Once it was time to gather by the starting line, we wandered over and waited for instructions.  The National Anthem was sung which immediately gave me chills, a sense of honor and pride.  Then it was time to start! Due to the crowd, it took a few minutes to cross the actual starting line.  I turned on my Ipod and the song, The Fighter by Gym Class Heroes, came on and something inside me clicked, I woke up, I remembered "my groove", I remembered the importance of what I do, and I took off.  I haven't ran outside due to this horrendous winter and I could only make it to the gym when my mom or my sister were able to drive me.  I've ran 5 miles on the gym track (10 laps per mile and all flat....boring!!!), so I thought I might not be ready to run outside yet.   I spent all winter beating myself up, relying on only memories of racing, not able to get out and participate in the things that I needed to help me through tough times on a regular schedule,  I forgot "that feeling".  Going into this race my goal was to just have fun and to go with the flow, soak up the positive atmosphere, and cross a finish line.  Feelings of belongingness came back, my mind was present, I was focused, and before I knew it I hit the mile 3 marker.  I was shocked that I had made it so far so soon as I was expecting to be much slower; having heard my 3 mile time, my competitive fire woke up inside me and then my goal was to race and go for a PR (personal record).  I never stopped running, I passed so many people, I just kept going as if I didn't need to exhaust any effort.  I got my mojo back.  My favorite part is sprinting to the finish and crossing that line, it's the best feeling ever.  The last time I did this race I had been training for it and my time was 59:45 (11:57/minute).  Today I finished the chip time at 53:29 (10:42/mile), I am still shocked.  A 5k PR for me is around 10:00/mile- with lots of training.  Alas, the past is behind me,  I'm ready for 2014, and I am so excited to cross a ton of finish lines this year.   "If we had no Winter, the spring would not be so pleasant;  If we did not sometimes taste the adversity,  prosperity would not be so welcome."  - Anne Bradstreet. 



Believe Love Understand Empower!