I loves me a PB!

Nope, not peanut butter (although, I TOTALLY love peanut butter in pretty much anything!)  This time, I loves me a new personal best!!  The 15 k - which I might have mentioned a billion times once or twice over the last few weeks - was this past Saturday.  So, rewind selector just a teeeny tiny bit and you'll discover that never before have I actually done the majority all of the runs suggested in order to train for a run.  Even for the 1/2 I did in 2010!   So, committing to my running schedule for the last 5 1/2 weeks was actually a hugemongous thing for me.  I went into the race on Saturday feeling a bit nervous because I wasn't sure how actually training for a run would affect the end results.  

I think I've mentioned before that I'm a slow, steady runner.  I'm definitely not going to set any world records at any time in my existence, but I will always get the job done.  When my Bestie and I ran the 10 k in May, we finished in 1 hr and 19 minutes (I think.)  As I said on Friday, as long as we finished the full 15 k in under 2 hours, I was gonna be a happy chiquita.  So......we got to the race on Saturday and the Bestie realized we'd forgotten her Garmin (our 10 and 1 God and pace keeper.) At first it was kind of weird not knowing if we were going too fast or when to take our walk breaks, but then it actually became kind of freeing.  We started walking at the 2 km points and then after walking for what felt like about a minute, we just started running again.  It was GRRRRRRRREAT! (Sorry, I couldn't help myself!)

Finally at the 10 k point, we found someone who was wearing a Garmin who very kindly told us that we'd just finished the 10 k in less than an hour and 15 minutes!  Whaaaaaaaaat?  We shaved at least 4 minutes off of our last time!  Amaze-balls!  

NOW, I have to come clean and let you know that at the 12 k point I was starting to crap out.  My legs were getting tired and my knees were starting to feel it to.  We started walking more but we still ran more than we walked.  Our final time for the full 15 k was I believe 1:55!!  We came in 5 minutes UNDER the 2 hr mark!  

I know, I know, it's not amazing by any stretch of the imagination but we almost totally stuck to the walk/run rule throughout the entire race AND we finished strong!  I'm really happy with the results and next year (yup! there will be a next time!) I might even dress up with my Bestie (but I'll still wear my Run Swiftly underneath it all - but I've got more to say about that later!)

For now though...An after shot (so pretty in my post-race glory, aren't I?)

ps, the scale said 180.9 this morning.  Sooooooooo close I can taste it!  Next week is gonna be good, hold on to your hats!