It was definitely a comical first experience. There were about, oh, maybe 100 people or so (I am really bad at estimating crowds), which normally wouldnt be many at all. But we were running through these teeny tiny narrow trails through the woods which made it very difficult. There were many points where groups would bottle-neck and you would be slowed to a walk. There were HUGE mud pits (glad I wore my old running shoes and not the new Brooks!) that people were sliding through, slipping in, falling down in, and just causing a lot of frustration. There was no room to pass or be passed without being slightly rude and cutting people off. At first, I was getting very antsy and bijiggity because I couldnt pass people as I wanted, and I felt it was really messing with my pace. After about 10 minutes of feeling anxious and pouring pressure on myself, I realized I needed to just chill out and enjoy the run. I still pushed myself, but I really tried to just go with the flow.
Despite all of the hurdles along the way, I finished in 32:13 (unofficial), which is only 2 minutes longer than what I was hoping for. Considering the environment, I am beyond proud of myself.
And yes, I did the dance...
Oh, and a HUGE thank you to Maureen and Kate. They calmed my pre-race jitters (which were out of control) and I was so happy to share this experience with them! Thank you so much!
Next challenge: 10k on Feb 26th! Bring it...
UPDATE:
I checked the results....
-415 people total ran the race (yes, I was WAY off)
-Overall, I placed 239th
-In my age bracket (25-29) I placed 8th (out of 24)
-10:38 pace
-Net time: 33:01
