A long, long way to run

I ran the Tufts 10K for Women today. I have to say, I'm wicked proud of myself. Ask me last year if I'd be running it today? No. Hell, ask me two years ago if I'd be running it today? Bigger no. But there I was, in the rain, running for 6.2 freaking miles. And it was glorious, people.

I was so nervous before the race started -- would I be able to finish? Would I have to walk? Would I trip and make a complete idiot of myself? My goals were low, and none of them involved time. I wanted to finish (upright and without puking), and that was about it. But once it started, I got into the spirit of the event. It was really cool to be running with all these women -- women who'd been running it for the last 29 years (and who were in better shape than me) and high-school girls running with their track team (who, it turns out, weren't necessarily in better shape than me). At one point, the course doubles back, and all of us normal human beings could watch the elite runners go past as we struggled forward. The woman next to me said, "Now that is a beautiful thing." And it was. It was even better when I got to run past the walking Pito and give her the high five -- I swear that kept me going for another mile.

I finished in 1:07:14, which was a lot faster than I anticipated. Pam was cheering us all from the finish line -- joined by Jen, and Candace and Stephanie once they finished. And when I finished, I cheered on Pito (that ACL is healing, girl!). That was the best 6.2 miles I can remember. Same time next year.

Update: My race photo set. More race photos here.