Can you beat Coach Pete?

For the last month I have been training for the Beat Coach Pete 5k. For those of you who don't know, a 5k is 3.1 miles. True, 3.1 miles may not sound like a lot (compared to a marathon or half marathon) but for someone who hasn't run in a LLOONNNGG time, 3 miles is a lot.

I some how convinced my friends Audra and Melanie to run with me too. And Nic, not wanting the girls to have all the fun decided to join us. Audra and I have have been working out and running together. We put in long hours to get here. . .unlike Nic, who would just run once a week and still be fine (that's what happens when in your previous life you were a cross-country athlete). For a while we didn't think I'd be able to run because my knee was giving me problems (swelling up really bad, pain moving, bruising) but I was just sure to ice it every time we finished running and my loving husband would massage Icy Hot into my knee (no matter how bad it hurt).

Well, the BIG day was today. We all got to the BSU Rec Center at 8 am. The race didn't start until 9:30, but we wanted to be sure early and not feel rushed. Take time just to soak everything in. Both Audra and I felt sick, Nic said it was pre-race jitters and that it happens to everyone. . .we didn't understand why we would get jitters. . .we didn't care about winning, we only cared about finishing!


(Melanie, Audra and I waiting for the race to start)


While we were waiting, I totally turned into a groupie and had to take a picture with some local DJ's. Nic made fun of me for saying about them being there. Especially KeKe Love. In my opinion that guys is pretty much AWESOME! Last year, to help make everyone aware about child abuse month, he stayed LIVE on the radio for 175 hours. All to bring awareness to child abuse. Well, this year he is doing it again. Accept this year he will be running 7 marathons in 7 DAYS!! Seven days, can you believe it? And he only has three weeks to train (he starts running on the 19th). Go KeKe!! Melanie, Audra and I started the race together, near the back before the strollers. We didn't want to get all run over by everyone sprinting off as soon as they said go. It was perfect the spot for us. We were able to set our own pace and pass everyone that sprinted out before us (and lost steam). We all did pretty good. Audra and I were able to take some time off our runs (Audra took off four and I took off three minutes), she finished at 32 mins and i finished at 33:50. . .I did loose some time because of my knee. I started with my knee brace on, but I ended up taking it off. . .though my knee was bothering me, the brace felt too constricting. . .no biggie. Although we all endured a lot of pain, the most important thing is that we finished!

Only one of us beat Coach Pete. Can you guess who????

Audra, Melanie and I all got a shirt that says: "I'll Beat Pete Next Year" and you can bet we will!

Now, time to get ready for the Y not Tri. . .but only after I go to the Dr to have my knee looked at, per the orders of Nic, Mama Audra, Melanie, my mama, Nic's mom. . . .you get the idea.