This was my first race EVER! I wasn't nervous or anxious while waiting to start; however, by the time I got to the first mile marker I was seriously doubting my ability to finish. The first mile was SO HARD! My running buddy says it was because of all the people we had to pass that first mile. It did seem to get easier from then on out. It was great to come around the first turn and hear DH yelling for me to "go, go, go!" He was standing there all by himself and it was so easy to see him as I ran by. I nearly took out the photographer at the finish line. I had momentum and there was no way I was going to slow down, and he just wasn't moving. I ended up hitting his elbow. I did get that extra kick toward the end that I hear so many others talk about. I have no idea how close I was to any other finisher, but it felt like I was all alone. When I finished I didn't feel tired, and I'm sure it was from the adreneline.

Since this was my first race, I don't know what I would have done differently. Oh wait! Don't forget the chapstick! Change the setting on my HRM?

Walked around a bit. Then went back to the finish line to watch DH finish his race (great time for him, BTW). Then I had to climb the steps from the beach back to the PCH. Hit my fave coffee shop on the way back to the car to see the girls I get to talk to every morning on my way to work. Walk back to the car helped keep my right butt cheek from freezing up! LOL


Next time I'm starting closer to the front. We ended up changing to race the first race (non-locals) instead of waiting in the cool weather for the later race. By the time we'd made up our mind to do that there were a bunch of people at the start and we had to start back where the walkers were all lined up. It felt like it took forever to get around the dog/baby stroller people.