PHOTO CREDITS: Rick Abraham

It is a BEAUTIFUL day here in BMORE!  Which made me super excited when I woke up to get ready for today’s Run To Remember 5K.  Not only is this the race I have been coaching the group for, but this is just such a touching and emotional race.  A wonderful way to remember those we lost and honor those who serve us so very much!  We don’t thank our armed services, Police Departments, or Fire Departments nearly enough and our owner goes out of his way to make for this race is all about them.

I knew my group was a bit nervous but they had nothing to worry about.  They were well prepared and excited.  I donned by Blue “Charm City Run” Shirt, Red Plaid skirt, and white swift socks.  Yay for red, white, and blue!  I met up with the group down town at the start village and everyone was in high spirits!

Part of my group, minus a few

yeah I'm a dork.

My lovely buddy Erin joined us for the race (I had an extra bib since my mom couldn’t make it).  Erin has run with the group a few times and they love her.  They were pretty excited she was coming along.  We were waiting for the opening ceremonies to get started so we jumped in line for the port a pots just in case, when Erin noticed the lovely lady in front of us was no other than Olivia, AKA Blissful Runner! Always fun to meet a new blogger!  Wish I would have snapped a picture but because I’m so smart I brought my camera…but left the battery in the charger.  That is why all the beautiful pictures in this post are courtesy of one of my runners, Lois’s boyfriend.

We rejoined the group and headed to find a spot in the starting area.  This is a timed race, but no chips so I told them to use their own watches for an accurate time.  I think it took us a good 1-2 mins to cross the start.  But as I was saying, we found a middle of the pack spot and had one last pep talk (as in you have run further than this distance before, you have nothing to worry about, you WILL have fun!, and DON’T GO OUT TOO FAST!, you know the works).  Then the starting ceremony began.  Our store owner Josh gave a wonderful speech about the meaning of the race and why we do it, the mayor spoke, the police commissioner spoke (and joked about how he was going to beat all the cadets because they had to run in formation), and finally we had a wonderful benediction and a local fire fighter sang the National Anthem.  He truly had an incredible voice and I felt myself on the verge of tears staring up at the flag.  It was really beautiful.

Josh announcing the start of the race

heading out. What a beautiful day!

And we were off!  I was running my own race hoping for a PR and then my plan was to head back and run my group in.  Seriously I was feeling good!  It was awesome running next to the cadets all in formation and chanting.

cadets lined up ready to race

the race started right under the flag. very moving

race start

I didn’t follow my own advice and went out a bit fast.  7:47 first mile.  WAY fast for me.  But I knew the hills were at the end so I wanted to pick up speed where I could.  For a bit I ran next to two firefighters running in FULL GEAR!  I chatted with them for a quick minute and thanks them (I tried to thank every uniform I saw).  The one guys joked that he liked my outfit better.  But really could you blame him?

For a while I was running next to Olivia but I was too out of breath and focused for many words.  I don’t know what my splits were exactly the second two miles (haven’t consulted Gracie on that front yet) but I was feeling good.  Definitely feeling the work but it was a good kind of tired.  There were a few killer hills but I used my typical hill strategy.  Power up it at a slower pace, and fly down the other side =).  Luckily my joints let me do that.  Around 2.75 my lungs were screaming and I was getting ready to be done but before I knew it I was powering up the last hill, rounding the corner, and flying toward the finish shoot.  Could not believe it when I saw my time…23:40!  That is a HUGE PR for me!  I’m not a short distance racer at all.  It takes me a good 3 miles to get myself together and in a pace/rhythm, so while I love to run 5Ks, my times are never fast.  So for me this was super fast and I was really excited.  One of my 5kers was right behind me!  He KILLED it!  And said he hated every second of it…hahaha but geez he did awesome!  My dad came in about a minute later.

I didn’t do a good job hydrating before the race…at all so I grabbed some water, caught my breathe and headed back out.  I knew that last hill at 2.9 was going to be rough for my group (it sure was rough for me!) so I hung out at the base of the hill and before I knew it by group was powering in 1 after another.  They were doing amazing!  Totally ahead schedule for their paces.  I ran them all in (there was a sweet old man sitting outside his house at the top of the hill counting out loud each time I came to the top of the hill.  We all made it and I was SO impressed with each and every one of them!  (Oops, forgot to mention Erin came flying up the hill with an awesome time!  She’s pretty awesome and getting up hills and I wasn’t worried about her at all but it was fun to cheer her on as she flew by).

We all met up after wards sharing our race stories.  I was just so excited for them all!  For many of them, this was their first race and they were already all planning their next race!

some of the ladies afterward

I'm the awkward giant in the middle =)

me and my girl Michelle! Her goal was to run the whole race and she didn't walk a single step! So incredibly proud of her! Michelle- if you don't keep racing I will hunt you down.

Our store is the BEST place to work! We are one big family and I had so many co-worker buddies there cheering me on at the finish. Thanks guys!

never ever forgetting.

So that was my morning.  So wonderful!  Everyone says they remember right where they were on 8:46, September 11, 2001.  I do.  I was in my 7th grade Math class and really had no grasp on what had just happened, although I’m not sure the adults did either.  As the day played out, I realized that what has happened was something that was going to change everything.  I will always remember that day, and I will always remember this September 11th as well but for much better reasons.  09/11/2001.  Never Ever EVER Forgotten.