frozen feet.

we were going to see the sister in her neck of the woods the next morning.

the night before, mom, daddy, and i sat around the kitchen table discussing the next day's events.

mom suddenly suggests:

"you know, there's a 5k in greenville in the morning."

"are you going to run?" i ask.

"i would like to try to."

(mom has been out of the running group for a couple of months due to a leg injury. she has since started going to physical therapy and the chiropractor and has seen amazing results. so good, that she had been able to run a little the last couple of weeks.)

so, it was decided.

off to the sister's.... and to run a last-minute 5k.

that's just how we roll.

all last minute and stuff.

at 6:45 the next morning, with a fresh change of clothes in tow for after the race, we load up and begin the 1-hour long road trip.

i pop in my headphones to listen to the frozen soundtrack while the runners emotions begin to build. 

(you know, nervousness, excitement, etc.)

we arrive at the location an hour and fifteen minutes early and it is freeeeezing. 

(at least for us southern folks. ha!)

after filling out the registration form and receiving our large t-shirts (that's what happens when you sign up the day of....no more small t's), i quickly get back into the warm car.

until mom finds out that the city hall is unlocked for the runners to use the bathroom.

then, i go inside there and hang out in the heat....with mom and daddy.

about 30 minutes before the race begins the sister pulls up in her bronco.

yayyyyy!

(i have missed that girl so much.)

we all go outside and stand in the rays of the sunshine.

by this time, the weather is verrrrrry slowwwwwly getting warmer.

we get to moving and doing all that stretching your supposed to do before running 3.1 miles.

after the race being delayed for a few minutes due to the police escorts not arriving on time, we went ahead and ran after the buzzer was sounded. 

(daddy came to the rescue and directed traffic at the first intersection we crossed. THEN, there was a police just sitting there in his warm car, at the next intersection, watching daddy directing traffic. whatever.)

at the very beginning, there was a huge hill.

hilly, hilly, hilly.

it was a great, challenging course.

around mile 3, we had to run right passed where the race began and make a HUGE loop back to the finish line.

as i ran past, daddy, sister, and a few girl scouts (they were there to sell cookies to the runners) cheered me on.

i mean, how many runners can say that they've been cheered on by girl scouts?? hehe!

i could see the finish in the distance....and my amazing sister standing there waiting for me.

flailing my arms in the air just being silly, i smile and quickened my pace just a bit.

then, i see my daddy come over to stand with sister.

i start sprinting.

crossing the finish line in 31:11.

awards and door prizes were next.

mom smoked it and came in first in her age division with a time of 27-something.

i also won first in my age group.

and what do you know, i won a door prize.

you know what it was?

an hour long massage.

never in my life have i ever had a message like that.

yeah, if you need me, i'll be over there getting pampered. :)

what a great day it was.

Stats for Frozen Foot Race 5k:

Total time: 31:11

Age Division: 20-29
Place: 1st in my age group (not sure out of how many)

Overall Place: 10th out of 31 runners

Pace: 9:20