5K recap!!!

Life, well, is never easy…but I’ve found that if we focus on the good, and strive to work on the bad, life just keeps getting better.
I tend to beat myself up, well, over most every aspect of my life.  Be it wife hood, motherhood, career, or goals I set for myself I truly always want to do my best.  This doesn’t always happen of course, but I keep picking myself back UP. 

Tonight I ran the “Dash in the Dark” 5K race located in St. Charles, IL-my home town.  Today, I spent the day with my husband and youngest daughter hanging out and enjoying the beautiful weather…Is fall really upon us?  Gosh I hope so!!

We ate lunch at our favorite pizza/pasta place in Geneva called, Aurelio’s.  I had a small plate of pasta and enjoyed walking the streets of Geneva with my family.  We came home around 4:00, and I spent the next hour and a half just resting on the couch with my youngest.  I had hoped to get in a nap, but instead just enjoyed cuddle time with S. 

At 6:00 I got up and got dressed and got ready for the race.  I hadn’t truly planned on racing, but well, my competitive nature got the best of me.  I met up with Carolyn and her brother and we took some prerace photos. 

The sunset was amazing, so had to capture this as well…

At 7:30 p.m. the gun sounded and we were off…I don’t tend to run well with others when I am trying to focus, so Carolyn and I said our goodbyes and I took off…
The first mile was basically a warm up, and I finished that mile in 9:20, I was feeling good and starting to stretch my legs out…I passed several runners, but concentrated more on my breathing and pace.  Around the mile and a half mark I was blessed to see Carolyn and with a quick wave and smile we kept running…Mile 2 put me at a 9:00 mile, and I felt great despite my sinus’s draining.  I wasn’t going to let anything stop  me!  I actually don’t recall a race other the Chicago half where I felt so focused, and it honestly felt GREAT.  My mind has been in a million places lately and my prerace nerves were put to rest.  Mile 3 I was at an 8:42 pace, so I hit the ground running the last .1 miles…I HAD this…
And as I approached the finish line, I saw my husband, my dear friends Anna and Wayne, and my youngest cheering me on!  What an awesome sight…I pushed through, and finished around a 28:10 total pace.  A NEW PR for me!!!!
I couldn’t be more pleased, and am still giddy an hour later.  It was awesome watching Carolyn cross the line around a 35:00 pace which she totally rocked! 

Often times we need these small feats of success to keep pushing forward.  YAHOOOOOOOOOO!
Thanks for all the amazing support.  XOXOXO

<3Chelle