My first 5K...

...in 10 years that is, so it might as well be my first!

As you know, I have been training for 10 weeks now doing the Couch to 5K program.  I have several 5K's coming up and today was the first.  I ran several in college but that has been so long ago I don't remember much about them.  I am NOT a pro at all so I felt so silly preparing to run with all these people that sprint these races because they have been running for years.  Hey, you gotta start somewhere though and my goal for today was 1) to finish without making a fool of myself and 2) to attempt to finish it in under 30 minutes. 

Before I left home for the race at 6 a.m...

My running buddies over the past 10 weeks have been Ambere and Marybeth, although Marybeth had an ankle injury in the last few weeks and the doctor told her she couldn't run it.  :(  We were sad she couldn't join us but maybe next time!  Also on the right is my mom's best friend Karen.  This was her first 5K and she also just finished the Couch to 5K program as well.  She decided to run at the last minute and I was proud of her!  This was before the race....

Waiting on the race to begin, my stomach was in knots!  I was so nervous!

My cheering squad...Jay with Karis, Brayden and Lucy as well as my parents with Emily, Nick and Timmy.

On your marks....get set....

GO!!!!

(I am in the pink shirt in the middle and Ambere and Karen right behind me.)

While I was running, my sweet hubby took some pics for me.  He knows me well!

I had to include this.  This man pushed both of his boys in the stroller and then when they got close to the finish line, let them get out and run across the finish with him.  Isn't that the sweetest?!

About to cross the finish line here...I was happy to see the end in sight!!!

You can see my sweet momma videoing me on her phone as I passed by...

My goal was under 30 minutes and I came in just shy of that at 31 minutes.  Clearly, now I have a goal to beat next time!  I ran my first mile in 8:50, my second mile in 10:30 and my 3rd mile in 11:30.  I was struggling towards the end and my time proved it!  Oh and this man coming in behind me in the blue shorts...he was over 70!!! WOW...I give him props...hope I can be in that good of shape at age 70!

Karen coming in at 34 minutes!

And there's Ambere!

Amber came in at 38 minutes!

Yah! We did it!!!

My handsome hubs!

While we were waiting on awards, they had a DJ playing music and Ambere got out there with the high schoolers for a celebratory dance!

Karis was so sweet.  When I came across the finish line, she came running to hug me and then went and got me a water.  :)

I loved having my sweet family there to cheer me on. :)

Karen's little boy Isaac

Uh oh!  Lucy fell and got a boo-boo and was not happy about them putting band-aids on her scraped knees!

Woohoo!  Ambere ended up getting a 3rd place award for her age group! Go Ambere!

AND Karen got 3rd place in her age group too! Way to go ladies!  

The ladies that placed in my age group (ages 30-35) finished in 24 minutes so I was FAR from placing!  I was just SEVEN long minutes too slow!  That is super hard to beat and I won't be doing that any time soon ha!

A man that was running next to Ambere gave her some great advice.  He said, "Don't worry about your time because you are always doing better than the person that is still in bed!"  Ha!  So true!

Then I had several nice surprises after the race.  My mom ended up taking all 3 kiddos home with her tonight!  So hubs and I get to go on a date tonight and I am thrilled...it's been a long time!  AND he surprised me with these flowers for doing so good in the race!

Jay got some serious bonus points today!  He got up super early, got all the kids up, fed and dressed by himself, drove 45 minutes to come watch me race and then got me flowers too!  He is a keeper!!!

All in all it was a wonderful experience.  It is such a sense of accomplishment and a rush when you cross the finish line!  I can't wait to do it again in September!