Today I am running in a new 5K event, Corrida de Corrales Fun Run. I think by the name Fun Run that there will be no timing chip, in which case, I guess it won't get to count this as a race.

Which reminds me, I ran my first 'fun run' 5K about this time last year. It wasn't chip timed, so I didn't count *that* as a race either. I think it took me something like 35-36min. It was a very small local event and I was concerned that I would finish last and feel like a fool. My husband ran with me and finished just behind me so that I wouldn't be last. There was only one other runner behind me. Guess what? Even though I was almost dead last, I felt like the biggest WINNER when I crossed the finish line. I had never run farther than 2miles up to that point, and I had just completed a 5K run! I love that feeling of being a winner and strive to remind myself that it is really just "me against the course." Here is how I felt that day:


I'm looking at a 10K at the end of the month which will yet another first for me. If I do it, I will have had my first chip-timed 5K, first Sprint Triathlon, and first 10K all this past year. I think I deserve feeling like a WINNER!!

Update: I finished today in 30:02. bleh! This race went out onto a dirt path on the ditch bank and somewhere during mile 2, I took a bad step and now i'm limping. From what I can tell I pulled/strained a groin muscle on the right side. :(