Run like a slow animal is chasing you!

Yesterday was the 36th annual River Bank Run! It was also my first 25k race. Or... not. As my loyal 10 (being generous, more like 5) readers know, my spring training has been plagued by inclement weather, life stress and general low motivation. I struggled through the last weeks with the thought of running 15.5 miles on May 11. Sure, I had completed a half marathon in April, but I swore I would not run another race so unprepared in the future. So in the end, I took the easy/hard way out. As a ridiculously stubborn person who is hell-bent on pushing my limits, it took a lot to pull back - and it was the best thing! Instead of dreading yesterday and fretting about it all week, I approached the 10k race knowing with confidence I could finish it, would be able to walk straight today, and would not mess up my approaching marathon training.

The joy and sense of accomplishment that runners get is the #1 reason to do it. Not the t-shirts. Not the medals. Not the ability to eat and drink 1,500 calories guilt free. The 25k was hanging over me, weighing heavy on my mind and on my legs. So I decided to trade the sense of accomplishment of running my longest distance with bringing back the joy. Bring in 'da noise, bring in 'da funk, bring in 'da joy, so to speak. Dreading the race was keeping me from properly preparing. The thought that at 12.something min/miles the 25k would take 3+ hours was horrifying. Like that little girl from "The Ring" crawling out of your TV. "Psycho" shower scene. Severus Snape being a good guy. Yeah, that bad.

I went to the Race Changes booth and they just crossed off the "25" and replaced it with "10" on my bib and ensured that I'd be entered into the computer to change my race distance. I was able to trade in my 25k tech t-shirt for the LAST WOMEN'S MEDIUM 10k shirt. This is very important, as I told the woman that if I got and wore the 25k shirt, it would jinx me and I'd never finish a 25k. She looked at me like I was insane, but did not slap me (as I would have been tempted to do, if a woman was shrilly freaking out about a damn t-shirt). That was that. I'd run the 10k, just 6.2 miles confidently and hopefully smiling.

In short, the pre-race was great, seeing my Aunt Jean, Aunt Beth and cousin Justin who were running the 5k. We found Uncle Gary and my cousins Ross and Lauren who were competing in the 10k as well. I was so cheerful in the morning and on the ride there that Mike and Kari were genuinely concerned that it was a sign of the end of days. Luckily, by the time we reached our destination, I was back to my cranky morning self and was swearing in a church parking lot. The world made sense again.

The race was a little chilly with the wind on the river, but I race confidently, but not quickly. I was afraid to push it in the first half, not sure how I'd do in the last 3 miles. I'm glad I didn't go out too fast, as I've not done any speed work this season and would've had a tough time. I did, for once, have enough to kick during the half mile and smile for the finish line cameras, so I was happy with the finish. My only criticism of the finish line area is that they didn't have pretzels. I always want pretzels. If you organize a race, have pretzels. PLEASE.

The absolute best thing that came out of this race will be 12 months from now. With all the Helsen family members already at the race, we got an idea. An awful idea. A wonderful *awful* idea. Oh wait. That's the Grinch. This was just a wonderful idea. Next year, we'll round up as many of our 60+ members to enter the River Bank Run 5k for Mother's Day. Call it the Mother's Day 5k. Call it Forced Family Fun. Whatever you want. Whether you're a kid, a grandkid, married into the family, or just hang around the family of Ike and Dorothy Helsen, be at the River Bank Run next year. We'll have t-shirts. At least 15 people are already in. We've got some babysitters committed.  And we will run, walk and jog the 5k as a FAMILY. Kick ass, y'all.

That's it. I ran 6.2+ miles yesterday. Probably walked over 3, given how far away we parked. And it was great. And about 1/2 a mile from the finish, somebody had a sign that said Run like a slow animal is chasing you. I pointed at her, yelled, "HEY! That's ME! I'm that person!" and kicked it into gear. Pretty good little Saturday, if I do say so myself.

10k Results - Would have been a PR, had nature not called while I was at the John Ball Zoo water station.

Cousins! Check out Ross' sexy legs!