When I was online reading about the fair activites I noticed they were having a 5K run and a 2.5K walk Saturday morning. We were able to go up on Friday evening. So I called Monique to see if she would do the walk with me. She was such a wonderful walking partner when she was here in June. I wanted her to do it with me. She said she would although she wasn't as enthusiastic shortly after 7 am when we picked her up. And she did not want her picture taken.
Skeeter took us over to register for the race. We ran to get water and got back just before the orientation. Evanston has a beautiful walking path that goes from the ponds and goes all the way to the state park. As we crossed the beautiful bridge, the walkers turned to the right and looped around and the runners turned left and ran all the way to the state park. We lined up and then they let us take off. There were only five of us walking, and maybe twenty or so runners. I'm not a very fast walker even when I push it. I blame that partially on my short little legs. So as we started I was behind the other walkers. At first this really discouraged me. But then I remembered that this wasn't a competition for me with the other walkers. This was a competition between me and myself. I reminded myself that a year ago I could barely walk from my car into Walmart. So I just kept telling myself that all I wanted to do was finish the race.
A 2.5K is about 1 3/4 miles. I have been walking for about 45 minutes several times a week but wasn't sure how far I walk. So I got a pedometer and earlier in the week went for a walk and walked that distance. Later I drove the route and found that my pedometer is very accurate.
The walking path curved a little so for part of it I couldn't see the people ahead of me. Then I'd catch a glimpse and it would cause me to make sure I was walking just as fast as I could. At one point I was all alone and started thinking about Ruth. Her memory has inspired me to start to want to compete. All of a sudden it was as if she was walking right beside me cheering me on. I had a lot of energy and realized that I was walking much faster than I usally do. When I could see the rest of the walkers, I was excited to see Monique in second place.
Spencer, Amy and the kids were coming from the motel to watch me cross the finish line. I told them to be there about 8:30. As I got close to crossing the bridge again, I looked at my watch. It had been about 17 minutes. So I figured they weren't there yet. But I knew Skeeter and Monique would be there. As I came over the bridge, I looked toward the finish line. And there they all were. They had made it! They were all cheering me on. And Skeeter had the camera out. I really didn't want my picture taken which explains the face. But what a high it was as I crossed that finish line and realized that I did it! I competed in a 2.5 K. I finished and felt wonderful.
I asked for my time and was told I had finished in 18.32. I couldn't believe it. Then I looked at my pedometer and realized that this wasn't a 2.5K. The path was only a mile. They had just called it 2.5K or 1 3/4 mile. Then I realized that last spring when I started walking it took me 25 minutes to walk a mile. And now I was walking a mile in just under 20 minutes! And at that moment all I could think of was that I wanted to do this again and again and again. It was such a feeling of accomplishment. Go me!!!
There were five walkers. Monique came in second place. I was so proud of her. Two of the women styaed together, so they tied for third place. And I finished fourth. yes, that was last place. But I wasn't walking against them. I was walking against myself. And I won that race. I finished a race, my time was good, and I felt fantatsic when I finished.
