Nobody Saw

December 2nd, 2012

It's a lovely Sunday morning and since Parker is playing a little WII I figured I would write about my adventures of yesterday. Anyone who pays any attention to me at all knows that yesterday was my very first timed running event. I had to work all night so after work I went home, changed into my running clothes, put some gas in my truck and went to grab Ashley. We headed to the run and signed in. Then it was time to wait.....This is when I started to get nervous. I had been a bit nervous for a few days but this is when it hit me, I was doing it. Not that 2 miles is a big deal for a runner, but it is for me. I only mildly consider myself a runner. I run 5 out of 7 days a week, but that doesn't mean I am good at it. Perhaps after my first 5k I will consider myself more of a runner. As I discovered at the run, anyone can run 2 miles. Anyway, back to the waiting. When it was finally time to get in the starting spot Ashley and I stood next to eachother. Some guy started talking, but a bit into it I could no longer hear him over everyone else talking. So I turned on my music and just let my mind go. We did the national anthem and then it was time. The front of the pack started moving and then I was going. Just letting my feet do the talking. My music was pounding and my feet were moving and I was seeing the people all around me moving with me. I have done walks before but being in a pack of people that are running is a totally different feeling. These people have a place to be they aren't just leisurely walking about. I could actually see Ashley for a little while. Then about 5 minutes in I realized I was going too fast and I had to slow my pace.

Fast forward I round the last corner and I can see the end. I realize this is it. All the training I have done thus far has lead to this moment. The moment I cross my first finish line. I saw people lining the side of the road, all the people that had come to cheer on their runners. And just as I crossed the fininsh line I realized that none of those people were there to cheer me on. Of course Ashley was out there finishing up her 5 miles, but there was noone on the side of the road cheering me on as I finished my first run. I have to admit, this realization hit me pretty hard, I knew there wasn't going to be anyone I knew Brian was at home in bed and I knew that Parker was at my sister's house. But for some reason some little part of me had hoped that Brian would have changed his mind.

It was an awesome feeling, knowing that I had done what I had set out to do, and noone saw me do it. I have to give a huge shout out to my bestie Ashley, without her I never would have done it! My official finish time was 26:41. I had set a goal of finishing in 30 minutes, so I did indeed beat my goal and I was feeling pretty good about it until I looked at all the finishing times and realized that I am slow. I talked to a guy that Brian knows after the run and he ran the 2 miles with his kids, and he never practiced even once, and he ran it in 19:38. So then I felt like crud. And it didn't matter anymore that noone saw. And to make matters even worse, they spelt my name wrong in the official timing results. My last name is 3 letters long and I ended up being Victoria Gay!!!! On one hand, I guess that this unassociates me with my ex husband, but on the other hand, Victoria Gay, REALLY?!?! Don't get me wrong, I am in no way against anyone that is gay in any way at all, however, I can't imagine going through life with the last name, and now everyone that looks at those results will get a good laugh at me.

Enough of the self pity, so I didn't do the greatest in time, so they spelt my name wrong and everyone can get a good laugh. I got my finish line picture with my best friend and it feels great! My first run in my year of runs is complete! After the run, I dropped Ashley back off at home and then went to my sister's to pick up Parker. Then we went home and I took a much needed shower, grabbed some lunch with Parker and Brian, took Brian back home, and Parker and I met Ashley and her super great son Ayden at the local coffee shop for some cookie decorating. We had a great time decorating cookies, even though the competition for best decorators, boys vs. girls, was declared a tie. We came home with some yummy cookies to eat. Any time hanging out with Ashley and Ayden is a good time though, I love it so much that she lives close again! Our sons get along great even though they are a few years apart. It is so interesting watching them interact with eachother. Ayden will make a great big brother some day when Ashley and Jay have more children. He is very helpful whenever Parker needs assistance, but of course when it's game time it's every boy for himself.

Just in case you were wondering, I never got a "congratualtions" or "I am proud of you" or anything of the sort from Brian. He asked how I did and then kind of went back to what he was doing and that was the end of it. But in the end, I didn't do it for him, I did it for me. And I did it, that's all that matters. I will keep training and working hard.

Color My New Year 5k Run countdown begins!!! 30 days......

Until next time!