Race Report: Ready…Set…Run!

I’m not really a runner.  I’m in shape enough to steadily power walk and then I throw some running into that mix.  My goal is to build up to running an entire race (but right now these boobs bouncing up and down are restricting my doggone pace).  I am having a blast “competing” in these races.  I say competing because I’m always trying to do something better than the last one.  And I only participate in races for a cause because it gives me a chance to talk about the organization and bring some attention to it.  So I was super excited to sign up for Ready…Set…Run! sponsored by the Autism Center of Tulsa.

I see Keyalus do run reports and I thought it would be cool to do my own…..because y’all won’t believe what happened to me at this doggone race!

This was my first race without my walking/running partner Penny and I was half super excited and half super nervous.  I had that same constant fear as always…What if I’m the last one to finish the race? But after I saw the park where the course was I was okay with that idea because 1) the trail wasn’t wide enough for a police car to be on trailing behind me, 2) it was for autism and 3) the fun run would start after the 5k so I could always blend in.

Penny showed up to cheer me on and as the gun sounded I took off running.  That’s where it got screwy.  The trail was like a freaking maze!  We passed through the finish line probably about 4 times in this loop.  Then we launched off into the wooded portion of the trail.  There were hills and loops and all kinds of madness and the signs to guide you were soooooooo confusing.  Some of them said 5K and some said fun run but the path was NEVER clear.  I tried my best to just follow the people in front of me to stay on course.  Did I mention that I forgot the inhaler the doctor told me to use and ran out of breath at the time of one of the hills and had to sit down and catch my breath?  Yeah I did.

4K into the race I come upon a crossroads.  Since I’d stopped to rest there wasn’t anyone directly in front of me (and the people behind me before turned around at about the 3k mark and headed back….cheaters!).  Remember those confusing signs I mentioned?

I saw a sign that said fun run in one direction and the finish line in the other.  So I headed towards the finish line.  For the life of me I couldn’t figure out why people were crowded around it and blocking it.  Maybe I was so far behind that they were getting ready for the fun run.  But I squeezed through and around people and crossed the line.  Then I started looking for Penny.  While I was doing that I started hearing cheering and turned to see people crossing the finish line IN THE OTHER DIRECTION.  Apparently I was supposed to follow the sign that said fun run and do another half mile that would circle back to the finish line……in the direction opposite of what I did.

You’re hearing me right?  I CROSSED THE FINISH LINE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION AND ONLY DID 4K!  So now that I’m fully embarrassed I get a text from Penny saying “I’m right in front of the finish line with my camera.  Did I miss you?”  I wanted to just go sit in the car and be ashamed.  I felt like not only did my time suck (based on what it would have been) but I had cheated the Autism Center because I didn’t do all 5 of the k’s.

Penny laughed at me and my husband and father both said “You did more than most people did cause most people are sitting on the couch at home at 7am on a Saturday morning.”  But I was upset and tired of setting goals and not meeting them.  I haven’t completed a race in my planned time yet and I’m still not able to run an entire race yet.  I left the park deciding to just quit racing altogether.

But something just won’t let me quit.  And I DID promise Penny that we’d do the Tulsa Run together this year.  As I looked around for registration info I discovered that the Tulsa Run has a 15K…..hmmmmm.  I did a little math calculating in my head and confirmed that 15K is 9.3 miles and I texted Penny.  WE CAN DO IT!

So we’re doing it.

We have a 16 week training schedule printed out and we start tomorrow after work.

WISH ME LUCK!!!!!!

Thanks for visiting Diva (in Demand).  My blog escapades have followed me across 4 states, 3 jobs, a business venture, and a new husband. There are no mini divas yet but I have loads of nieces and nephews to slobber and wipe their dirty hands on me. I am an amateur pastry chef, certified cake decorator, and seasoned home cook who knows how to pair French cuiseine with fine wine, collard greens and cornbread. You'll find a little bit of everything around here.....where I take talking to myself to a whole new level.