This Race Blows! Race recap!

No really... This Race Blows was the real name! It was to "blow away cystic fibrosis" and I do believe we did some damage to that wicked disease, raising a lot of money! The organizers of the race did a fantastic job and we all had a great time.

Here are some pics of us getting ready for the race... I need to get my friends to send me pics during/after the race, but here's what I took at home:

getting their game faces ready

faster! 

the ladies

girls rule! 

why did I have to make that face? eyes crossed, tongue out. Really? 

We started with the 1-mile fun run for the kids... they all had a great time, sort of. Pete sprinted the whole thing and did amazingly well... Sam and his bff Gavin walked and held hands and giggled and danced around the whole time, and Leah wanted me to run with her b/c she was so nervous, so I did. She ran 1/2 the mile and then started crying because of a cramp, so we walked, and then she tried to run and cramped more, and cried more. I was trying to encourage her to cross the finish (which she did), but I'm pretty sure I looked like a psycho mom abusing my daughter into running... I totally wasn't! I swear! She wanted to finish so she did, just sobbing. Great. Another awesome parenting moment in the books ;-). But, the kids all got medals, so it was worth it, apparently :).

Once that was over, we checked all the kids into childcare (we were running with our bff's, Brian and Taryn), and we started for our start line. I'm not gonna lie, running a race at 7:30 in the evening on a HOT day is weird. I didn't eat anything after 12:30, but I drank a lot (of water, ahem) to stay hydrated. I had a few sips of a gatorade-type thing before the race, and that was a BAD idea. I didn't have to pee, but I cramped and had "sloshy tummy" which is seriously the worst thing ever when you're running in general, and especially if you want to run fast. I think I was adequately hydrated, so next time I'll avoid those last few sips before a race.

The race itself was fun! I was happy with my pace- I averaged 8:25 per mile. I was beating all my buddies until the very end, when my ANNOYING husband, running his first race ever, who I had been solidly out-running the entire time, came sprinting up and then sprinting past me in the last 1/3 mile. He finished in 25:45, and I finished in 26:08. Couldn't make my legs catch him!!!!! Oh well, I was proud :). Zach came it 40th out of 217 runners overall, 32nd out of 94 men, and 13th out of 33 runners in his age group (31-40).

I think if it hadn't been so hot and I hadn't had the cramp/sloshing, I could have run faster. I'm a morning runner so that different time messed with me. But it was a great learning experience! I came in 7th out of 51 for my age group (31-40) and, let me point out, I beat the WINNER of the 16-20 year old females by a solid minute. Just sayin'. I think I was 10th out of all 123 women and 48th out of all 217 runners. Feeling pretty good about that for my 2nd race! I'm not a fan of the 5k distance and would much rather run longer and slower, but it was good to try and I'll definitely do more.

So that's that. I'll have more pictures soon! In the meantime I'll be on full-time mommy duty while Zach survives this hellish dental school week. Lots and lots of hard exams. I'm calling in the back-up troops (my sisters, parents, in-laws...). I LOVE my kids but we all need a little support sometimes! My kids and I will like each other better and have way more fun with our big fam helping us stay sane while daddy is deep in the books. Have a great week!