All Kinds Of Awesome

I did something new on Sunday.

No, I didn't ask a guy out. No, I didn't bungee jump. No, I didn't eat pickled onions. Now stop guessing and let me tell you already!

I participated in the Times Colonist 10K!

For those of you who aren't local, every year there's a 10K run/walk and thousands of people sign up to do it. It's pretty popular and people spend months training for it and getting ready for it and for a lot of folks it's the highlight of their fitness year.

I've always jokingly said that I purposely sleep through the 10K, but this year I didn't.

A few people at spy work said they were going to run it and that we should make a team. We were all invited to sign up and join with the team and when I heard that I just knew I was going to walk it. Maybe it's all the walking I've been doing, or maybe it's the pedometer I don't think I've told you about yet (mental note: write post) or maybe it's being a long time Sundry reader and watching Linda kick fitness goal after fitness goal in the behind lately, or maybe it's just a combination of all these things, but I asked around if there was anyone else who'd walk it with me and then I signed up.

So, Sunday morning found me waking up earlier than I get up even on work days (which, hello!??), eating a good, light breakfast and heading out the door with runners laced and race bib safety pinned on.

We'd decided to meet at my place since it's not far from there to the start of the race, but I was not ready for what I saw when I stepped out my front door.

The streets were lined with parked cars and there were TONS of people walking on their way to the race. As I waited for my friends there must have been two hundred people walked past me. I started to feel a combination of intimidated and excited and nervous.

I'd read the night before that 13,000 people had signed up to run/walk the race but I didn't know what that would look like.

Well, let me tell you; it looks awesome.

We watched the start of the race and gaped as the elite runners took off at a pace that's equivalent to me going my fastest sprint and then headed to our "walkers" start place. Standing there waiting was cool too because we got to watch all the runners start off. Thousands and thousands of people streaming along in a river down the street. It was so cool.

And when you realize that all those people are there to be fit and healthy it becomes even cooler.

It was exciting to count down to our start and then to take off. It was fun making our way through the hundreds of walkers and chit chatting the whole time.

It was amazing and touching to be cheered on by people on the sides of the road and to cheer others on in turn.

I almost cried when we passed the retirement home and saw ten or so older folks out there with pom-poms cheering us on and I couldn't help laughing when my friend pointed out that by the time we got to our first K, the elite runners were already finished the race. Awesome.

I was worried that my body wouldn't handle the walk well and had visions of me being in pain and not being able to walk, but I came home, stretched and took an epsom salt bath and I felt perfect.

Well, elated and perfect!

I'm really proud of myself even though I didn't run the thing. As my Dad pointed out, lots of people never even do that so it's something to be proud of.

I think I'm proudest that I decided to do something new and scary and I did it and I enjoyed it. I didn't back out at the last minute, I did it.

The walk itself isn't a huge deal, I'm walking between 5 and 6K every day now (see upcoming pedometer post if/when I get around to writing it) so this was really just a longer walk with friends. But it was more than that and I'm happy.

I already have plans to do it again next year and either walk faster or try to jog a bit in there somewhere to see how much faster I can do it.

Well, to be honest, we did jog a bit near the end. It was hard not to once you see the finish line. Who doesn't want to cross at a run? *Big grin because apparently I am competitive after all*

The race was super-well organized and smoothly run and I can't believe I've slept through this every year until now.

If you are local and not a walker or runner, I'd totally suggest going out to watch the 10K and cheer people on and be a part of it. It was an amazing experience and I'm really really glad I did it.