Prize Pie

I'm a huge goal setter.

Resolutions, monthly and weekly goals, daily lists (a task in a day is not a goal). 

I love the tactile feel of progress. 

Last year, resolution-wise, I had not completed 4 goals, two of which were camping and running a 10k. There was just too much last year, and those things didn't make it in.

I have instituted a rule called "rollover" in which I get one year to complete goals that were missed. After the year rollover, they are simply tossed out since I obviously didn't want to do them.

Camping and a 10k - COMPLETED!

The run was called "Close to the Coast 5k/10k" in a state park, with the proceeds going to scholarships. The registration included a shirt, BBQ and free concert in the park. We decided to camp in the park the night before, so me and 16 others came up to visit the Atlantic ocean, watch a brilliant sunset or a stunning sunrise, roast some marshmallows, sing some songs, and sleep under the stars (in tents). Of course this meant that I got zero sleep as I was awake to various woodland and people noises, and of course I didn't go back to sleep when other tent-mates woke up to see the sunrise, so i figured i'd see it too, and so of course I ran my first 10k on zero sleep after camping. This was bound to happen.

I was fairly nervous, but I'd invited a ton of my favorite people and had told them it was my first 10k and they were all so fun and supportive, it really couldn't have been better for me. I had been training for my race for weeks, running at the gym, running a couple long-ish runs outside (I'd gotten to 5.8 miles) and trying to keep my pace faster. So at the starting line, I tried to keep up with some friends who had come, but quickly realized if I tried the whole time, that they'd probably be going too fast, so I dropped back a bit. I decided to pace behind two women that were talking as they were running, figuring they were a safe bet for pacing. There were hills, there were neighborhoods, there was good music and some skipped songs. The course went back into the park with 1 mile left. I had a huge group of cheering friends as I reentered the park, which made me really excited and I had told them I was going to victory pose as I crossed the finish line, which required me to move my ipod to my mouth and throw my hands up. This short exchange in my routine made me so tired that I almost didn't recover for my last mile, and it left me with the crazy-eyed picture with crazy arms. Regardless, I knew I only had a mile, so I was somewhat excited, and felt somewhat ok. 

All my pace people had started walking, so I realized I just had to push on my own. So with Ke$ha and Bieber to bring me in, I pushed through the last little bit where my amazing friends had lined up to do the wave as I ran past each one. It was great. I felt terrible. I could've died as I crossed the finish line. A good friend brought me water asking me how I felt, and I think I told her I wanted to die. Recovery happened a bit more quickly than I thought, and even though I still felt terrible, within maybe 20 minutes, I stopped wanting to die. 

We had some fast runners in our group. I think we had 15 runners. First and second place overall, and first and second place in your age group got these amazing looking pies from a local bakery. One of our friends got second place in his age group for the 5k and got a pie. Then, we got a second pie as another friend got second place in his age group for the 10k. Then, they started mispronouncing my name and I GOT A PIE! Second in my age group! PRIZE PIE!!! Finally, the fourth pie went to another friend who got 3rd place in his age group.

We ended up being a rowdy, excited, cheering the loudest, four pie group!!! It was so great. 

Also, I won a pie!

I had been hoping for a 9:30 pace for the 10k, but as it turns out, I ran at an 8:50 pace which is a personal best in terms of fastness since my own running at home was at something like slow 9 min + when I was doing them outside. So, I was pretty stoked about my winnings!

After the race, we all did yoga (since one of our friends there was an instructor) and then we broke down camp and headed to a beach a little bit more south in Maine to swim in the ocean. Which, I did, and it felt awesome and cold and good for my sore muscles.

So, in this case, the tactile feel of progress also tasted like apple blueberry goodness and amounted into a super great group of thrilled friends supporting me and running together all in the effort to win pies and get free t-shirts and free food in maine. 

Camping.

Check!

First 10k ever.

Check!

Win a Pie.
Check!