Santa STAMPEDE!!

Yesterday was a great day.  It desperately tried to start off horribly by waking me up at 12:30AM to throw up, but I didn't let it beat me and it turned into a great day.  Grace Jessup and I are just flat out determined to run through our pregnancies, or as long as we possibly can.  I think its been great motivation for me especially when I feel like nothing else but the couch will do.  There is something ultimately rewarding about throwing up, putting your clothes on, pushing the baby for 4 miles and then making it home.  Don't ask me how, but it helps.  No, running doesn't make me feel like a million bucks, but mentally I have this whole new strength when I run.  

So, of course, as I was perusing the Denver race list I ran across the Santa Stampede 5k/10k and decided, after my 8 miles last weekend, that I was going to do the 10k.  After all its only 6.5 miles.....no biggie!  I couldn't wait till yesterday!  Unfortunately, not only did my morning get started off to a wretched early start, but, without too much detail, I am dealing once again with the dreaded constipation that comes with my "glow."  Trust me, don't do pregnancy like I do.  It stinks (literally).  All of this makes for a seriously demoralizing start to any day, let alone the start of a 10k run.  I am so defiant though, and I had this firey woman that came out yesterday morning saying, "Okay, so you want to be nauseous and constipated?  You do that...........I am going to go and kick a 10k's butt."  OOOO I was hoppin' mad.

Bob rode his bike to the race and met Lily and I there.  We huddled inside one of the warm buildings while I donned my Santa hat and race number.  You can see I was ready to go!  After a few minutes of waiting, we went out to the shoot waited for the countdown. 3...2...1....and I was off!

I was determined to run the race in under an hour.  Guess with all the body drama and the fact that I didn't have to push a 30 pound kid, I felt empowered.  I got about a mile down the trail and had to pull into a restaurant to tinkle, yeah, I wish it would have been the other thing, but no such luck.  So I left about 2 minutes there.   Oh well, I knew a full bladder was going to slow me down.  And yes, I went before the race.

  

Lily thoroughly enjoyed taking part of the oranges as well as playing in the leaves while she and Bob waited to see me a few miles down the road. 

Here we were, just about at the 5 mile marker and I was feeling good and strong.  I was simply determined to meet my goal and seeing Bob and Lily was the motivation I needed.  Me and the baby waved furiously and kept on truckin.  Almost there!

I rounded the corner for the finish line right around the 57:30 mark and easily scooted my way across the finish line at 57:43.  Whoo Hoo!  Who says pregnancy has to slow you down?  Not this Momma!