Rodeo Run 2013

The annual Rodeo Run 5/10K in Belle Fourche was pretty crowded this year. I love how it is the morning of the 4th right amidst all the festivities in town. I love how it is ran by my friend and daycare lady. I love how it is a familiar course. I love that it was my first race back on the books after my last baby. I love that it is a repeat event for me, a constant, a home base. This is now MY event.

It is also a lot of other people's event.

I did not push Jake in the stroller this year. I made myself leave the stroller behind this time. I wanted to make the switch from a fast paced walk to a run. I couldn't get myself to do it with the stroller in front of me. Even though it was a new jogging stroller and perfectly maneuverable, I had a comfort zone with walking and it was my crutch (it did feel unnatural running with it, something I had never had to do before). I almost chickened out and brought him with but I made myself leave.

 












Our 4th of July's in Belle are either hotter than heck or cold and rainy. 2012 it was hot. This year it was rainy and cold. There was a storm moving in that morning. I was perfectly content with the 60s/70s temp.

When Chris (of Runaholic-Chris) , also known as, my friend and daycare lady's husband, set us off on the race. I took off at a run. After rounding the first couple of corners onto the first long stretch, I tried desperately to pace myself. I was crawling along much slower than my usual walking pace. It was killing me going this pace and using these long lost movements. I pushed myself to go as long as possible at even a jog. Eventually I did give in and walk a while. Then I ran again, then walked, then ran. After I did get into this groove, not a single additional person went past me and I made darn sure of it. I past one mom and her daughter she had brought along for the first time. She was telling her daughter she needed to quit alternating walking and running and find a consistent pace. I knew I needed to heed this familiar advice as well, but its so much easier said than done, and much easier done if you had been training in running not walking.


I continued on running then walking, then running again. On the home stretch rounding the park, I twisted my knee pretty good and heard a loud pop. It hurt, but not enough to make me stop in my tracks. I made myself finish out the last half mile in a slow run to the finish.



I REMEMBERED MY STICK this year!!

I had no PR to compare it to, but I had a baseline to work with. It was MUCH slower than my walking 5k time. So frustrating, BUT I did RUN for the first time and I did run about half of it. I was happy to have this as a personal accomplishment. Right as I handed in my stick and grabbed a PowerAde under the park shelter, the clouds let loose with rain and thunder and lightning. PERFECT TIMING! It almost felt as if it were an applaud to my resolve. I was happy with it.

Rodeo Run Down!