built for Speed?

I am a brick. HOUSE.  I'm built to go the distance.  I have ridiculously HUGE quad muscles on a ridiculously short frame.  I look like a tank.  It's OK.  I'm OK with this...  I don't go out to 5K's to win anything.  I'm not built for speed.  I'm an endurance runner.

I go out to raise money, hang out with my friends, do a "speed workout", test my latest heart rate/fitness level.  This is why I do 5K's.  I don't train for them, I certainly just figure that I'm always 5K ready.  I've run some stupid 5K's too.  For example, raise your hand if you've run a 5K during a Tropical Storm?

(me)

SO, as a marathoner, who just raced a 10 miler 8 days ago, who didn't taper, train or prepare for this race beyond the purchase of a few additional toys for the Tots and a cute pair of socks, I arrived to run a 5K Sunday.  In the cold.  Rain.

Of course, this is the social event of my Sunday - so let's get to the important stuff... I wore this:

and Kc, Honey, we need to get you some more color.

We met 3L and Kara (who's really going to need to get a blog name ASAP) and prepared to run our 5K by standing around gabbing in the rain.  

good stuff.  The pre-race photo looks a bit, "bundled"...

Kc, g., Kara & 3L

We made our deals and our plans, and lined up at the start.  I know these ladies are fast.  I decided I was just going to CHASE them.  

We blew out of the start going WAY WICKED too FAST.  I knew I couldn't hold a 6:40 pace, and pulled back.  At about mile .4 I saw 3L for pretty much the last time.  I spent the rest of the race on Kc's and Kara's heels.  I was just trying to hang at a sub 8 for the whole race.  WTHeck.  I'm not built for speed.  This body does NOT enjoy sprinting.

I sloshed and pushed and slushed through the rain, and my personal favorite, WIND to a nice and happy 20 second PR!  Twenty Seconds in RAIN on a 5K!  Yea, I was pleased.  Then we went to see if 3L had won her age group.

We harassed Q for a bit, watched Kara's car get jumped when it wouldn't start, all hanging out in the hopes that they would announce the winner for 3L's group.  Q gave us the good news that 3L had indeed won, but the official results were not up.  I wanted to stay so I could snap a photo of her getting her ribbon.  

Alas, my babysitter called, it was getting "long" and Kc & I had to leave.  At least we left KNOWING that 3L had indeed WON!  

But the best thing came about 15 minutes later.  A text from 3L to ME...

"You won your age group."

No.  Way.

"Way."  

Kara won her age group.  3L won her age group.  Kc placed 3rd in her age group.  Seriously, we were just a PACK of Galactic BA**s today.  There's no other way to put it!