Cascade 10k = Laughing/Fun Times!

Today was a rainy, windy, cold day in Oregon.  Not unusual where I live.  Today I ran a 10k in said rain, wind and cold.  That is a little more unusual.  Especially lately.

But today I got to watch my little girl (okay, she really isn't that little anymore, she is 14) run in her very first 10k.  AND I got to run with my friend Shannon, who a year ago didn't think she could run a 5k.  When she kicked that race off the list last September I asked when she was going to do a 10k and she said she could never do a 10k.  lol  That sounded so much like me!

I talked her into doing this race.  It is a nice easy course I said.  It's flat the entire race I said.  It's just an out and back, two 5k's I said. The weather might be a little sketchy I said.  But that's okay, it will be fun and I will run with you!  I'm surprised she didn't want to say many bad words to me today.

Little did I know when I had this conversation with her in September that I would make a decision to not actively run while in grad school.  While I know it was the right choice it was hard knowing that this race was coming.  I was worried that I would let my friend down by not being more prepared for the race.  I ran a couple of times during the holidays but not the kind of training I really should have done for a 10k.  Here I am worried that I will let her down and she was worried about the same thing.

We both should have chilled out!!

This race morphed from being me and Shannon into me, Shannon, my daughter, my husband and our friends Josh and Wendie.  Wendie just happens to be Shannon's cousin.  :-)  So there was no doubt in my mind that no matter what we were going to have fun and there would be laughter involved.

We arrived at packet pickup which is done in a nice warm gym at Cascade Middle School.  It's always fun to see old friends and get our bibs and shirts.  Shannon is asking about the proper race etiquette for wearing the race shirt and Josh is harassing her about it and telling her all kinds of silly things.  We also got to see an awesome young lady that was promoting the Bend Beer Chase which is put on by the awesome people at Cascade Lakes Relay.  Joe and I were woo hooing about Cascade Lakes and how we are so looking forward to being back this year.  Wendie and Josh will be joining us and they were telling her how excited they are to experience the relay for themselves.  Wendie got a Cascade Lakes bandanna and I got a bottle opener.  :-) Joe's little sister and her family were also running so it was fun to get hugs and pictures before the race started.

Mel, Meighan and Mom (with a photo bomb by Joe)

Miss Meighan and her Auntie Dee Dee

Group Selfie!  Haven't even started the race yet and the laughter is going strong!

We head back to the car and get all situated with our bibs, chip timers, water bottles, Garmins, fuel and whatever else we needed to carry with us.  When I list it all out like that I have to laugh because there really is a lot of stuff to think about before we even get started.

Wendie's dad (who is also Shannon's uncle!) had come out to cheer us off at the start.  He also parked his car along the way and we got to wave and say hi several times.  That was great fun to see him and get a little extra encouragement along the way.

Pre-race hug from an uncle is a pretty great way to start!

Shannon has her Badassery face on!  (Word invented by Wendie Gum) :-)

Here's to getting healthy!  So proud of this amazing lady!

We took off and my first thought was "Oh no, this is going to be ugly!"  But we were talking and laughing and that got my mind off my own struggles.  For me, the priority was encouraging Shannon through this 10k.  After all, I was the one that got her into it.  After the first mile we were setting a steady pace and still able to talk and laugh so life was good.  The rain started pretty much when the race started which was funny.  It had been decently dry for the hour before the race, go figure.

Since it was an out and back we were able to start seeing runners that were making their way back.  Meighan is a faster runner but has to walk a bit here in there so she had taken off ahead of us.

Here comes my awesome girl!

Getting a high five from Wendie.  A wee bit wet but still smiling! 

We saw her when we were getting to the turn around.  She was drenched but still smiling! So proud of my girl!

The rain had tapered off, which was great!  But when we headed back towards the finish line we realized the wind was now in our faces.  That made things a bit colder.  But being the badass women that we are we kept plugging away.

Running into the finish! *Photo credit Joe Van Veldhuizen :-)

Done!! Photo credit: Joe Van Veldhuizen :-)

Yay!!!  Photo Credit: Joe Van Veldhuizen

After race hugs are the BEST! Photo Credit: Joe Van Veldhuizen

The smiles say it all!  Photo Credit: Joe Van Veldhuizen

It was so much fun to finish this race with Shannon.  This race was my very first 10k too so I still remember how excited I was for going farther than I ever had before.  I had so much support and encouragement when I did it for the first time (Joe, Dwayne and Faylene!!) and today was about paying that forward.  It was my turn to support and encourage!  SO. MUCH. FUN!!!

One of the best encouragers in the world!!  Love this guy!

This trio had a ton of laughs today!  Epic day with fabulous, badass women!

Beyond proud of this young lady!!

I have been working really hard the last few months in getting my head into a better place and not get so discouraged and not compare myself to others.  I feel like I am doing a MUCH better job of this.  That doesn't mean that I don't occasionally take a step backwards.  Friday I went on a field trip with an amazing group of 7th and 8th graders.  We had a total blast visiting a local college.  At the end we had a picture taken of the whole group and the two teachers.  The first thing I noticed when I saw the picture was how big I looked and how my stomach had big rolls.  It was really hard to look at the picture and see anything else.  I am so very thankful that we had this run today to help remind me that even if this is my forever me I can be as healthy as possible and have a great deal of fun along the way.

So although it is not a picture I like, I am including it here so that others can understand that this isn't an easy journey there are a lot of amazing things that happen along the way.  While I may not see the physical changes I want, I am certainly making a lot of mental changes that will be nothing but good for me in the long run.

Little blurry, I had to crop the students out.  :-)

I'm still running in place and getting nowhere fast in a lot of areas.  But I'm kicking ass in a whole bunch of others!

Nothing else for me scheduled right now until summer.  I start my 11 week practicum on Tuesday and that will be my focus for a few months.  Once grad school is behind me I am looking forward to setting new goals and see what adventures I can come up with.

TRUTH!!