I've created a monster......... Myself

Ahhhhhhh..... don't you just love the feeling you get when you arrive home after completing a 5K, 10K, triathlon, or any sporting event that you have been working towards?  The sense of accomplishment that overcomes you as you walk through the door is one of the many addicting aspects of sport.  Of course, the rush you get just after completing a race is a much greater high, but let us not forget the additional rush we get just walking through our front door.  It's that little "cherry on top" feeling that comes with knowing we started another day off on the right foot.  Much more satisfying than waking up at 10, rolling over, looking at the clock and realizing that you just slept through half your day.  Now you gotta play catch-up to make up for the fact that you only have two days in the weekend to "get it all done" and you just slept through one quarter of it.  Yep.........I definitely like a sporty start to my day much better.

So, we had the Beat the Street for Little Feet 5K in Oakhurst this morning.  Its a cute little town in Atlanta and right down the road from my house.  My cousin Amy completed it with me.  Being that this was her first event..... ever, I didn't try to break any records (I'm just laughing out loud as I type that).  Instead, I used this as a chance to try out my motivational skills (again....I'm laughing out loud as I type that).  No, seriously, I really wanted to teach Amy the things I've learned over the past 6 months of training.  It was really kinda neat.  She asked questions and I actually knew the answers.  She asked for advice and I actually had some to offer.  It was great.

I made sure that I continually asked if she was feeling ok.  I continually checked to see if she needed to slow down or wanted to speed up.  I kept a close check on our average pace and a close check on her.  She told me not to worry if she started turning purple.  I laughed and thought "ok, should I worry if you fall over?  Or should I just keep going?" haha  Actually it was quite humid, so I'm sure I was turning a lovely shade of red myself.

The course was pretty hilly and I wasn't really expecting that.  And as we trekked up the steepest hill of the course, our cousin, Jeff, (yes another cousin..... remember...... we're in the south...  we're all cousins somehow) zipped past us with his two kids in a double stroller.  Crap!  Now we gotta speed up b/c he is not going to let us hear the end of this.  Huffin' puffin' strugglin'..... aw forget it!  Just go on Jeff!!!!!     

We finally come around the the next corner and there it was!  My favorite site (besides my kids and large slice of cheesecake)!!  The finish line.  Amy didn't say a word and she didn't slow down either.  I could hear my mind yelling "go Amy, go Amy!  You're going to do far better than you thought you would!  You came out here on a whim with me and you conquered something for the first time!  Your first 5K!  And I was a part of it.  I'm proud of you!  Keep going!  Keep going!"  And we did it!!  We crossed the finish line at 31:58.  My Nike tracker said we had actually gone 3.44  miles in 33:03.  Either way you look at it, we did it.  She did it!  I'm more excited for her than I am for myself.  We are now planning our next one in two weeks.

Way to go Amy!!!  I love you!