Surprise! A 5K Race With My Sister

After finding out the 5K I wanted to run today was cancelled, I went to work and talked to a friend who is a runner ( a fast one).  He told me about a 5K that was this morning 5 minutes from my house that benefits Victims of Crime.  I called my sister last night and asked if she wanted to run it with me.


She just started running a month or so ago and has never run a race.  


She said "I'm not ready!" and I said "Neither am I!  We can run together and who cares how fast we go?"


So bright and early this morning we met at Thomas Park and signed up for the race, then sat in her car for an hour chatting about menopause and how after 40 everything on our bodies stops working. It is good to know I'm not alone in the world of weight gain, sweating, and digestive problems.


Then we were off!  Holy crap, this race had a lot of hills.  Big hills, little hills, gentle inclines, then a few all out long long hills.  We took our time and took walk breaks--although I think Michelle could have run the whole thing.  I sounded like a freight train having a heart attack.  We finished running side by side and held hands in triumph of her first race and my first race running the whole thing with someone I knew.  We made plans to get together and run at least once a week at Thomas Park.  It's the first time in 8 years that I've finally got someone to run with!  Although I think Michelle will be much speedier than me.  It's a great motivator and now we have less than a month to prepare for our next 5K.  


I've never just decided to run a race the night before, and I liked the feeling!  It cut down on the nervous anxiety.  It also helped that I only got about 5 hours of sleep since I was awake til 1:30 last night and got up at 6 AM. For some reason this helps me run better.  Although what would have helped me was to be better prepared.  I will be requiring a nap later today, but for right now, I am sipping my McDonald's coffee and eating yogurt.  And happy I ran a 5k today.  With my sister.