Virtual 10k triumph!!!!

Today I ran my first ever virtual 10k sponsored by racingwithbabes. My only goal was to beat my best 10k race time, well my only 10k race time, lol. So goal time to beat is 58:23. I'd planned to get up early before clients got here and run my 10k, but when I woke up and heard the rain pounding down that got nixed. So I went back to sleep and got up an hour later for my group, (who totally rocks by the way!) Then I hurried off to teach spin...killer class! By now the weather had cleared, so I could do my run outside, YAY! I like the treadmill, but it doesn't really seem fair to run a 10k race on it.

So ate some breakfast, did some chores and then headed out. My hubby took his garmin to Africa with him, so I didn't want to try and figure out an exact 10k so I just looped my exactly measured 5k route twice. As I got going, I was feeling kind of sluggish and kept thinking up all the justifications I would use for not meeting my goal. I didn't get enough sleep, I did a killer leg workout yesterday, still recovering from the 56 mile ride on Thursday, already did spin class, you never run as fast by yourself as in a "real" race, its hot outside..... on and on... Then as I hit the 1/4 way mark, I realized I was ahead of my needed pace! WOOHOO!

My legs still felt like lead..... but it was encouraging. When I finished the first loop of my 5k route and headed out for the second loop, I was still ahead! On the way back I have my "5 minute" mark. Meaning I know that I will be done in 5 minutes. Ok, right on schedule to do it! What a surprise, I was sure I wouldn't make it. Coming back into the subdivision it was all I could do to keep putting one leg in front of the other... My friends lawn looked so inviting, I just wanted to collapse on it! But I had to make it to Karen's mailbox, the magic finish line. About a hundred yards out, I gave everything I had, "GO LEGS GO" Crossed the line at 57:40!!!!!!!!!! 43 seconds better than my 10k last year!! The Pink Flamingo flies again!