ketchup run.

The alarm was set.

The radio went off to wake me from a horrible nights rest. 

The cause: anxiousness of a race the next day.

5:09 a.m.

I get up and put on my gear. My running gear.

The pink tank top and brown capris are what I choose today.

We leave the house at 5:45 to get to our destination at 6:30.

We notice that not many runners are there.

We are 30 minutes early to the Ketchup Run that starts at 7:00 a.m.

Blessings abound.

The time keepers are just now setting up their equipment.

We think, "Wow, they need to get a move on. The race starts in 30 minutes!"

We are handed our packets and we pin on our number bibs.

As it gets closer to 7, there are still not half as many people that are expected.

The lady said that there were 120 runners registered.

Nope. There were maybe 25 present at that moment.

Mom finds a 5k flyer taped to the door of the Earth Fare building (they were hosting the race) and she reads it:

The race starts at 8:00 a.m.

Really?

We arrived and hour and a half early.

Oh well. 

Getting up at 5:00 had to be good for us....in some way...we just didn't know how.

Trying to count our blessings, we settled in and waited for the race.

Blessings were there whether we realized it at that point or not.

After snapping a picture of our running team, we still had time to spare.

We loaded up in the sub and headed out to drive the course and see where we would be running.

It was a fairly easy course. Some hills. Not many.

Blessings abounded.

We get back to the starting line and start our stretches.

It's time.

We get on our marks and go.

Having warmer hot weather the days before, God saw fit that it be a cooler day with nice breezes just when we needed them.

1 mile....8:40.

My fastest mile ever.

Blessings abounded.

The race is finished and everyone's a winner.

All the contestants receive a ribbon and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in male and female overall receive a ketchup bottle as their take-home prize.

(I thought it was cute myself.)

Daddy and mom beat their records and ran their fastest 5ks.

Sister just blew us all out of the water and finished in 25.

And I completed the course in 31:27.

Blessings abounded.

Yup, it was a good day.

Instagram pics:

@purposelyathome