About "The Race"

I ran the race. Saturday, August 1st, so this is a bit overdue. Sorry, but since hardly anyone ever comments on my posts anyhow, it doesn't seem like it matters... (yes, a nice healthy dose of self-pity)

So... the day was pretty good for August in Tulsa. Rained a little right before so the air was pretty heavy-feeling, but at least it wasn't 105 degrees, which we have run in plenty of times...

It started great. Our main coach, Kim, was pacing us - and there are four of us who always tend to run together. I felt great until about 2/3 of the way through - all of a sudden I couldn't breathe. I TOTALLY thought this was psychological, and as Mindy and Abby pulled away I started getting really ticked off - they are not faster than me - was all I could think.

But, I couldn't get a darn breath. Kim stayed with me, and at one point, I even had to walk - probably 30-45 seconds. This REALLY irritated me, because I kept thinking I was psyching myself out, and what a pathetic thing, to psyche yourself out when you've been running great for the past 12 weeks, etc.

So, finally I started running again.

My original fantasy goal was to fun it in under 30. On July 4th, when we had our first practice run and I ran a 5K in 37, my goal changed to under 35...

The week before the RACE, we ran another practice at 33:12, so then my goal was SURELY to run it in under 32.


Well, I came in at 32:11. A very irritated 32:11, I might add.

When I was still struggling to get a full breath Sunday NIGHT, I decided I would make an appointment to see the Doctor. Turns out I have a respiratory infection, and was put on a decongestant, antibiotics and an inhaler... with complete blood work and a chest X-ray... reminds me, I haven't heard back on the X-ray.

At least it turns out I am not a total psychological wuss...

These are some of my new running buddies from our group. We all "earned" our jackets - wahoo! ABby and Lili are missing. Abby was on her way to Honolulu at the time, and Lili had hustled herself off to work - she's a nurse.


Why do I look orange? I do NOT go to a tanning booth, and rarely even step out in the sun these days... seriously.