Go!

Well folks, I may not have been running as consistently as I wanted to over the past couple of months, but I still set a new PR at today’s Go! St. Louis 5K!

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Drum roll, please.  I beat my 44:00 PR from last Fall’s Gumbo Flats Pumpkin Run by …. one second!

Ba ha ha ha haaaaa.  Yes, that’s right – my chip time was 43:59 thankyouverymuch.  You can all begin throwing roses and gifts of adoration at my feet any moment now.  Annnnny moment now.

What?  Don’t be hatin’ on a sister penguin here, folks.  I’m slow!  I thought we’d established this, yes?  LOL.  So I may have actually run like this:

But in my mind, I ran like this:

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Actually, the Gumbo Flats run was just as its name suggests – majorly FLAT.  It’s kind of known as a PR-setter.  Forest Park in St. Louis, however, is a mix of short, steep hills, abbreviated “flats”, and long gradual climbs.  So I’m pretty happy that I even matched my flat course PR on this rolling course.  Some of those slow climbs definitely kicked my fanny and I had to make it up in the flats.  I was prepared to be happy with anything under 50:00 and I am just beaming with 43:59.

Can I just tell you that I may be an overweight, shuffling, lumbering lump out there, but … I absolutely LOVE RUNNING.  It makes me happy.  The sun, the challenge, the steady sound of feet on pavement.  The ragged, gaspy breathing.  The beet-red face prompting course officials to confirm – just in case – that I do not require medical assistance.  Just gives me a warm fuzzy, I tell you.

The fun thing about this 5K that makes me as happy as an overprotected 5-year old in 1990s-era team sports?  Everyone gets a trophy!  ‘K, in this case, it’s a finisher’s medal, but as I like to say, “200, 221 – whatever it takes”.

I feel so accomplished.  I medaled. 

Ba ha ha ha haaaaa.

I did finish in the middle of my “pack” – female runners in my age bracket.  So that’s sort of cool.  We shall not mention the 13-year old gazelle who came in SECOND of all female runners.  Nimble little minx!  She ran 19:16!  Seriously.  I was in awe.

Today was a good day.  Now I’m milking my “post race laziness rights” as far as the Blonde Bomber will let me.  I’ve seen an eye roll or two when I’ve said things like “Baby, will you refill my water?” from my position on the chaise lounge by the pool or the living room sofa.  But so far, he’s humoring his still-out-of-shape-but-trying-not-to-be wife with pride and (so far) restrained sarcasm :-)

Happy Saturday!