Shrimp Festival 5k

After a few months of constant hip pain, I decided that the Fiesta Five Flags 5k would be the last before I took off running to let it heal.  This was my last resort before going to a chiropractor or doctor.  I took a month of personal training after the race and when I finished that, I stepped back.  So, the walking began a little here and there.  I've never been a "walker" since I started running but knew I didn't need to let my hip just sit with no exercise.  I read online that foam rolling would help and began that.  After laying off running for a while [it seemed like FOREVER], it paid off.  I slowly began adding a little running here and there.  Little I mean .10-.25 mile.  Yes, very little!  The pain seemed to have gone away.  But, now, I'm dealing with starting over running from scratch!!  So hard for someone who had been running miles every time she walked out the door.  A lot of mental agony pursued me but I hung in there refusing to think that walking was "not acceptable".  Being consistent, walking became my friend. 

I was hoping that all of the laid-off stuff would pay off for good racing in the fall.  It seem to be working and I was SO hungry to start running again.  Well, not like in the past but being consistent and doing "my" best for the time.  Time was pressing me to decide on the Shrimp Festival race.  The pressure came in determining if I should do the 10k [which is what I wanted to do] or be safe and do the 5k.  Last minute decision came to doing the 5k...and I'm glad that I did.  It was the best decision considering the recent issues I'd been dealing with.  I felt good but fat and slow, ha!  It is what it is...right?  I have picked up weight not being able to do much for a few months!  Of course, I hadn't been watching my diet either...being depressed surely didn't give me much encouragement to do my best. 

The race felt good and I wanted to run harder so bad but it just isn't in me yet.  When I finished the race, I checked the results.  This is a big race and, honestly, I didn't have a CLUE that I could have placed...just wanted to know what my time was and how I ranked in my age group.  As it turned out, it wasn't too bad.  I looked and looked at it surely thinking there was an error in that "someone" hadn't been put in the system yet that would have smoked me!  After all, I definitely would have smoked this time just a short time ago.  My time got me in First Place!  Shocked, to say the least.  Guess the 60-64 age group has been good to me.  Here's my award.  I am so proud of it! 



It was 100% humidity making it a little hard to breathe.  My pace was 10:05 and I'll take that!  Below is a picture of my Sole Sisters that placed in their age groups, too.  There were more Sole Sisters but didn't get those pics.  These are the ones that placed.  Also, one of my friends, Buck, who did well in his age group. 

It was a nice day to race and be with friends.  Glad to be back in the swing of things. 

Run 4 It