I still can’t believe I ran a 10k on Saturday. Me?? A wannabe athlete like me?? If I can do it, anyone can!
I woke up before my alarm on Saturday morning and started getting ready. I tried to choke down a bagel with peanut butter and banana, but my nervous tummy wasn’t too pleased. I managed to eat about half of it. I woke my husband up around 6:20am, much earlier than he wanted to be awake. Hehe. But he was a trooper, drove me to the race, and stayed to cheer me on.
We got downtown around 7:00am and parking was already at a premium. We took advantage of knowing the side streets and parked in a residential area. Knowing we only had a half hour until the race start, I kept a quick pace as we walked toward the starting line! I actually think that brisk walk helped loosen me up before the start of the race. I felt great and ready to run when we got to the starting line. Minus that nervous tummy of course. 
There is always a huge expo-type gathering in the park where the race starts. We walked through it for a moment, but decided it was too crowded. We make our way to the starting line and I found the 11:00 minute mile marker. My goal was to finish in 1:15:00, or about a 12 minute mile.
(After taking this picture, my husband asked why I always pose that way. I have no idea. Maybe I get the thumbs up from Angela? Hehe.) SO excited!!!!
I knew that one of my Twitter friends, Megan, planned to run the 10k too. We found each other at the starting line. So much fun to meet online friends in real life!
Megan and I run a similar pace so it was so nice to have someone out there near me during the race! Since my sports watch had died, she made sure to always call out the time to me when she saw me since she had her Garmin on. It really helped me keep perspective about how long I had been out there!
I’m really hoping we can do some runs together in the future!! I actually saw a few other people at the starting line that I knew. One of those people is my friend Jaye. Jaye and I actually met at the Madeira Beach Triathlon. Our transition areas were next to each other and so we just got to chatting. We later found each other on Facebook and realized we knew many of the same people! And the funniest thing? We are both lawyers! Go figure.
Jaye is a speedy little runner, but always made sure to cheer me on when she saw me out on the race course. She is currently training for a marathon and hoping to qualify for Boston!
Jaye made her way up to the 8 minute mile marker and Megan and I chatted up until the race start. Catching up with friends is a great way to cure pre-race jitters! Before we knew it, we were on our way!
I start out with a strong, slow pace. I felt great. My husband tried to get a photo of me starting the race, but no such luck. I think I’m probably somewhere behind this guy’s arm.
The first two miles flew by. We ran out and around the St. Petersburg Pier – beautiful scenery! But then around 2.5 miles, I hit a wall. I started getting stomach cramps and had to walk. Megan passed me at this point and said we were 28 minutes in at 2.5 miles. Not too bad!
I passed the 3 mile marker pretty quickly, and then it seemed like the world stopped. At the 3 mile marker, the course turned down 1st Avenue North, and was an “out and back” type route on that road. It seemed to take FOREVER. I kept looking for the 4 mile marker but it never came. I got so frustrated, I really thought about quitting. I was walking more than I wanted to due to my stomach cramps, but I would try to just walk until they went away, then start running again. We FINALLY passed the 4 mile marker and a woman near me called out the time on her Garmin – 53 minutes. Whoa. I laughed. I couldn’t believe I had been going that slow! So much for meeting my goal! I tried to just let it go, and finish strong.
Then, before I knew it, there was the mile 5 marker!! I knew it had to have been less than a half mile since I saw mile 4, and later Megan confirmed my suspicions. No wonder that third mile felt so long – they had mismarked the race course! Suddenly I felt like I was on cloud 9. Five miles down? I could do this!
Around that time, the 10k runners merged with the 5k runners. They were like a breath of fresh air. The change of scenery was great! I felt my pace pick up as I ran with them. Behind me, I heard some people chanting cadences about beating breast cancer. It was the Army!
I knew I had to be so close to the finish line. And then there it was, mile marker 6! I made the turn toward the finish line and saw my husband.
Look at that smile on my face. You know I was feeling good!
I saw the finish line ahead and the clock read 1:14:50. Could it be?? I sprinted toward the finish as fast as I could. The clock just passed 1:15:00 when I crossed the finish line, but I knew my chip time would be better – and it was!
Official chip time: 1:14:30!!!!!!!
JUST under a 12 minute mile!
I couldn’t believe it. Despite all the walking, I still beat my goal! I felt great at the finish, probably because I had carried a water bottle with me the entire time and kept myself hydrated. Like I said, I still can’t believe that I ran a 10k! It just goes to show…don’t underestimate yourself. You are so much stronger than you think!
Have you ever surprised yourself by a race performance?
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WTG, Callie! How awesome! Nothing like overcoming adversity! That mental attitude and really make or break your will and you beat it! Congratulations!
I love it, I love it, I love it! You are so inspirational, and your recaps always make me want to go out and run a mile and take care of myself. Also, I think you are one of the very few who looks just as pretty with a Bondi band on! I always look like a tomato.
It was great meeting you too!! I was thinking the same thing – that we should do some future running together. Great job on your first 1ok!!
Great job!! Even with your stomach upset you still met your goal! Looks like you need to set a new goal
Great work on your first 10K. Can I give you a quick tip that helped me get a faster pace in my workouts and then ultimately my runs? If you notice your last picture, you’re about to strike with your heel. For me, it has helped significantly to strike more with all of my foot or even the balls of them first. This aligns the body to keep moving forward as well. Let me know if you decide to try it
Great race. Congrats!
Way to go Callie! Sounds like you had a great time- such a good feeling, isn’t it?!
You are totally my hero.
I’m still struggling to break out beyond my 3 miles…but I know it’s possible. Just gotta keep on working at it!
Congrats!
Yay Callie! You rock! That’s an incredible 10K time – you’ve inspired me to sign up for one.
Also- thanks for racing for the breast cancer cure!
OMG!!! Congrats!!! YOU GO GIRL!!!!! I am thinking of working my goal to do a 10k. I am such an awful runner but I know I can do it
So happy for you! <333
Way to go! Isn’t it a great feeling to cross the finish line at goal pace? Hooray for another 12 minute miler!
Awesome job!!!!! Finishing a race is such an amazing feeling. You’re awesome!
Congratulations, Callie!!! You must feel great!
Way to go, girl! Next up–half marathon for us both! Eeek!
WooHoo!!! Way to go! You are such an inspiration! I am training for my first 5K! I can’t wait to move into 10K training! You make it look so easy! And I agree with Carly…you look great in a Bondi Band!
I read that you carried a water bottle the whole time…what water bottle was it, and did it bother you at all to be holding something while running?
Honestly, I just carried a cheap water bottle I got as swag for my last triathlon! I started carrying it on my long runs when I trained for this race. At first it bothered me, but after a while, I got used to it. And having the water in the intense FL heat is worth any discomfort!!
It makes me laugh that you say I make it look easy. There is nothing easy about it for me! But if I can do it, you can too.
I thought about buying one of those hand held water bottles with the strap around it for your hand…I’ll just have to practice with it! And I almost understand about the heat, I’m in Southeast Texas and the heat and humidity is awful here also! Our winter is in the 50′s and we think that is sooo cold! Haha
Good luck on your future training! Maybe a half-marathon in your future?!? 
I’ve been looking forward to this recap since you announced you were running a 10K! I am just SO EXCITED for you and proud that a fellow wannabe athlete can do things I once deemed ‘crazy!’ You have changed my mind set on races longer than 5Ks! It may take me a while, but you can bet some day I’ll run a 10K. THANKS!
Congrats girl! Way to go!
Congratulations Callie!! I don’t know why you underestimate your abilities (of course, it’s natural-we all do) but you are one of those people that accomplish anything you set your mind to.
Congratulations Callie!! I don’t know why you underestimate your abilities (of course, it’s natural-we all do)… you are one of those people that accomplish anything you set your mind to.
Congrats on the 10K! That is awesome – way to tough it out and finish with a great time!
For my last few races I have been posing for pictures with two thumbs up too! It just happens naturally – it must be the spirit of race day that makes you wanna go “heck yeah this is awesome!”
Congratulations!!! I am so impressed, and I totally wish I could do a 10k…maybe some day in the future (especially since it has started to cool down here…I can bear the thought of running)!
Congrats! Now you’ve got to do a 15k, then a half-marathon, then…
Way to go! I ran my first 10k in March in finished faster than my entry time…which was my goal. That is the best feeling! Congrats.
I just found your race recap, and wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS! I also just ran in my first 10k four days ago (my recap went up today) and still can’t believe that it’s actually over and that I finished!
I love that your husband had problems taking your picture at the start. My boyfriend always gets me at the start, but has missed me at the finish in all three of the races I’ve run!
I can’t wait to sign up for another 10k!
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Just found your blog via Meals and Miles, and have been clicking around here and there. So excited to add you to my reader, you sound like just the girl I’d enjoy reading about.
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I did my first 10K in April of 2009 on a whim with a friend. I had run a few 5Ks, but definitely wasn’t a runner by any means. It was a miserable race… cold, windy, and mostly uphill. But I survived and made it in 1:18.
I had a baby, stopped exercising, yadda yadda yadda… then in March I decided I needed a healthier lifestyle. I began eating better, and used the C25K program. In May I ran a 5K in 33 minutes. I kept running, but got a little bit injured and was having a hard time really training for a 10K. But for some reason I woke up on July 4th and decided to do the community 10K around the lake. I finished in 59 minutes. I was completely stunned. I have never run that fast in my life!
Can’t wait to see you work back towards that healthy lifestyle with a baby in tow. It isn’t easy, but you can do it!