I figured what better way to get back in the saddle (or sneakers) than with a race. I've found that with all the time off from running I was feeling a bit pudgy (which was not only due to not running but a month of drinking, eating and merry-making!) and what's worse I lost some of my motivation. Prior to the ceremony in June I was finally starting to feel the benefits of 5 weeks training. Long runs were getting easier, I was excited for my runs and I may have even toned up a teensy bit. However, by the time we were through with wedding, honeymoon and reception in MA that was all long gone! Needing to get my motivation back and start to feel better about myself I decided to do the Moss Park Forest Run. I've wanted to do this run since I stumbled across it on a race calendar last year. Unfortunately, I read about it after it had passed but that didn't really matter since I hadn't been running and probably would've dragged through it anyway. Once I started training I put it on my calendar for this year. Although running a race in August in Florida can seem daunting, I figured this one was early enough (7:30am start time) and since it was run through a state park it would be shady. It couldn't be that bad. The only question left for me was whether to do the 5k or the 10k?? I left that decision to the morning of the race.

5:30am rolled around much too early this morning and I'll admit, I was very tempted to hit that snooze button. Instead I heeded some very good advice from a fellow Team AllEars member, Jorge....he says to just jump (well, not literally) out of bed when that alarm goes off! Basically, don't think just do!! It worked and I groggily threw on my running gear and headed out. I hadn't had coffee in 2 days (trying to cut way back on my caffeine intake) so as a treat for getting my butt out the door I grabbed a quick cup of coffee from Dunkies. I was going to need a little extra kick to get me through this!

I arrived at the park by 6am which was waaaayyyy before the race began since I still had to register and was unfamiliar with how this race was organized. I'm glad I did because I scored a sweet parking spot and got to watch the sunrise over the lake. Beautiful!! One of those instances where nothing else matters except that moment. It was very peaceful by the water and a perfect way to start off this somewhat daunting experience. I say daunting because pride got the best of me and I signed up for the 10k. Yikes! I had only done a 10k once before and that was a looonnngggg time ago! It was time to see if I could do it again!

I killed time by walking around the park watching all 'real' runners as they jogged, stretched and sprinted scantily clad around the park. I start thinking "should I be doing something more runner-like??" So I start walking at a brisker pace, trying to look like I fit in. I even do a little stretching. See, I belong! I tell myself I'm not out here to win this thing or even go for a PR which these people are obviously doing, I just want to make it through!! Prove to myself that I can make it running 6.2 miles in a row. "Slow and steady finishes the race" becomes my new motto.

Line up time arrives. We all shuffle to the start of the 10k which is set back a bit from the 5k start. While we wait I chat to a nice couple about the Red Sox (thanks to the Sox cap I was wearing) and how we can't believe that Rays fans actually annoy us more than Yankees fans. (Hard to believe, I know but after a couple ALC games last year I've come to that conclusion.) I'm getting impatient to start and get this misery over with but turns out the misery gets postponed a bit. The state park is unprepared for the number of vehicles arriving for the race and there is about a 1/2 mile back up waiting to get through the guard gate. The start is delayed 20 minutes to wait for some of those folks to arrive. This actually turns out to be a good thing as it gives me time to make a last minute "bio-break". Maybe the coffee wasn't a good idea.

Finally we start. I worry about going too fast at the start and petering out half-way through. I worry about going too slow and being picked up by the "draggin' waggon". I worry about dehydrating (since the start was delayed we'd be running much later than I was used to and I don't run well in the heat!). Then in the first 1/2 mile the burning in my shins starts. Not the pain you normally get from shin splints but just a tightening of the muscles in the lower front shins that connect to the foot. Weird, huh? I only get this rarely and still have no idea what causes it. It usually works itself out after a bit so I just plod along for the first few miles trying not to think about it. Eventually it passes and I keep concentrating on keeping an easy pace. This can be difficult in a race situation because of the tendancy to want to 'keep up'. I try to find a few people keeping a slower pace and line myself up with them. Then I put myself on auto pilot. "Just keep running, just keep running, just keep running" The distraction of running on packed sand and trails is very helpful as is the scenery. Running through giant moss covered trees is most enjoyable! By mile 3 I seem to have found my groove.

The final 3 miles are uneventful. Except for the lack of water stations. They were already breaking them down and had removed all the cups!! Big ole' jugs of water and Gatorade sitting there but no way to get at it! NOOOOOOO!! I thought of laying down under the spigot to see how much I could get but decided against it. Good thing I drank alot of water the first 3 when I didn't think I needed it. It seemed like after the 5k finished, they didn't really care about us 10k-ers. Ok, so I'm sure most of those scantily clad 'real' runners doing the 10k had long since passed the finish line as well but there were quite a few of us stil out there. What about us? Honestly, I can live without water the first 3 miles but it's the last 3 that I want it! I'll be sharing that little tidbit of feedback on thier website, to be sure.

Well, I made it. I have no idea of my time (didn't see a big time clock and forgot my watch) but passed the finish line feeling really good. Both physically and mentally for doing something I wasn't sure I could do. I'm pretty sure I even picked up the pace there at the end and was really cookin'. Of course, that could've been because I spied a volunteer passing out cold water bottles to those crossing the finish line :)

This past month has been insanely busy with all of our wedding festivities! Josh and I got married here in Orlando on June 27th and with all the planning, celebrating and visitors it's been difficult to keep up my running. I had given myself permission to slack off though since we had so much going on...ceremony in June, honeymoon July 3-9, and a trip to MA July 22-29 for our reception. We had a great time through all of it but now that I'm back it's time to focus on training. Starting Monday, it's back on the wagon with eating healthy, building up that mileage and keeping up my blog!!

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