So, I almost chickened out, but I ran the race this morning. I'm very glad I did. I think more short races are on the agenda for this year. Even thinking about running a race makes me cringe. I always feel so certain that I will be both the fattest and slowest person there. It's never true. Especially today's race. All kinds of people were running or walking. Little kids, a lady with a pug (not the runningest of dogs), some very heavy people, old people, and fast, athletic people, too. I certainly wasn't at the front of the pack with my 12:00ish pace, but I wasn't at the back either, which I'm satisfied with. I actually don't know what my finishing time was. Something like 40 minutes, I'd guess with going in the water bit and all.
I got to the park at 9:30, and the race didn't start for an hour, so I picked up my packet and wandered about. I'm glad I got there early. Walking around the start/finish area and convincing my non-rational brain that I really hadn't accidentally signed up for some olympic caliber event was good for me. The start was just a little bit late, and I think the point when I felt coldest was actually waiting for the start. It was pretty crowded when we first got going, and I think I started too far back, as I was passing people a lot at the very beginning.
The course was incredibly puddly and muddy. I pretty much had circumvent or jump over small ponds on the path. I could have just splashed through, but I hate running with wet feet. At the end of the first mile I felt really good, and the crowd started spreading out enough for me go faster during the second mile. I tried to go even faster during the third mile, but I had sort of run out of steam. I pushed through it pretty well, but I think I slowed down a little bit. When the other runners coming back from the finish said the we were almost at the water, I sped up. I dropped my hat, keys, and shoes at the table, ran into Lake Washington, dunked under, and came out. I didn't even register the water as really cold. I mean, it was, but it felt okay. Not at all as bad as what I had anticipated.
It was a mistake to take off my shoes. It took me a minute or two to get them back on, and I was too soaked for it to make a difference. There were volunteers calling times at the mile markers. I'm pretty sure I heard 14:00 at the end of my first mile and 24:50 at the end of my second, but I missed my time at the end.
