Lessons Learned -- 5k Style

1. If it is raining, bring dry clothes.
2. Bring your own safety pins cos they will run out
3. Setting a goal against yourself is better than measuring against someone else
4. It is a rush of emotions as you cross a finish line
5. The morale support of complete strangers is amazing
6. Park near the finish line, not the starting point

As I ran, I kept thinking, this is amazing. And, there's a post in here somewhere.

My goals were A) run the whole time, and B) finish in forty minutes or less.

I had to walk three times and finished in 32 minutes and 14 seconds. I was a bit upset at the walking to be honest. So much so that I lead with that in every recounting of the race that I gave. Finally, my husband says, "Who cares if you had to walk. You ran it in 8 minutes less than you thought you would."

He's right. I was focused on the wrong piece. To date, that is my fast pace yet. I normally run somewhere between 12:30 and 11:30. Being with other like minded folks shaved some minutes off my mile.

New Lessons to Follow:

1. Align yourself with people who support your writing
2. Measure against yourself, not others