Best Run Ever - Charities Challenge Halloween Fearless 5K

Today I had the honor of being by my oldest daughters side when she fought the good fight to a PR on a 5K.  We finished the race hand in hand.  It wasn't the day I had planned or the finish I had planned.  It was better and I couldn't feel better.

THE RACE

Today I ran the Halloween Fearless 5K.  The race is about using exercise as part of an overall plan to combat health issues.  It was a small race with a great environment and wonderful people.  The race director is passionate and open about using exercise to help cope with lives challenges.  If you have ever struggled and need a break give this race a try.

The plan was to race so I screwed up the courage to start at the front.  This is a big step for me.  I did not cry I step up with confidence and said to myself you deserve to be here. As I stood at the start I chatted with a couple of women around me trying to figure out if I could use one as a pacer. 

One woman said she was shooting for a 23 or better so I though, ok, I will run with you.  The other woman said she was hoping for under 20.  I wasn't ready for that.  We jumped and leaped trying to stay a bit warm while the race director cheered, explained the rules and raise a rally call for the race.  He made the atmosphere great and encouraged everyone to have a great time.

As they started the race, I took off with the two women, wait two?, I was certain I was going to pace with one and the other would be off ahead of us.  But ok, maybe the fast gal had a plan. So there were three of us charging along just behind a couple of men.  At the time all I could think was I gotta stick with this woman.  Just like when Nichole paces me.  I can do this.  

About half mile in my quads were screaming and I was breathing really hard.  The legs shook and I felt like I was falling apart.  I knew I didn't have it in me to fight to the end so I pulled over and made the decision to run with my daughter.  I wanted to finish this cycle in a fun way.

When she came along she was running pretty slowly.  I pull along side her and said we will do this together.  She kept slowing down on the first loop, I would run ahead and then jog back to her and start the cycle over again.  After a bit I reached out to her and said take my hand...I will stay with you through the whole thing.  We ran hand in hand for nearly the whole race.  That might seem difficult however I have been a guide runner so this was not new to me and I know how to match my stride to my partner.  In this case I couldn't have asked for a better running partner.

At one point we had stopped holding hands and I started to outpace her.  As I turned around she reached out to me.  She was tired and couldn't talk.  I reached back, grabbed her hand and started to tug a little while encouraging her..."You can do this", "Have faith in yourself", "You are an amazing woman!".  I cheered her on nearly the entire race.  Words Nichole says to me..."You are strong!", "You can do this", "Just this step", "Give what you have to this stride", "The last stride doesn't matter", "You are amazing", "Keep working".  At one point we passed a woman that was walking, Karen I think her name was, and she asked if she could join us because the cheering was so much fun.  She ran with us for the last 1/3 mile.  She was nursing an IT band injury so was just fighting to finish.

Once we could see the clock I started to really push Bronte.  I encouraged her to watch the clock and see if she could make it in under 30.  SHE DID IT!  29:48.

Sometime you just have to trust that the plan you have isn't always the best plan or the one that will give you the most satisfaction.