Newport 10 Miler

I just can't!

I picked this race as a goal a wicked long time ago. I was on track and then BAM! hernia, snow, life.

I had to restart.

I had to relax.

Finally the day came, June 7th. Compete to complete.

I woke up before my alarm was set to go off at 4:30. Clothes set. Food eaten. Coffee, protein shake and snacks packed. 

I finally let it go. Showed up and just decided to do it. 

This was the tunnel into Fort Adams. Very cool and beautiful. 

This is inside the fort where number pick up began at 6:30am. I decided to lighten the load by renting a locker and dumping a layer and all the other none essential items. Best $5 I have ever spent at a race. They did have free bag drop inside but I had a shirt, wallet and car keys. This seemed way more secure.

While I waited for the 8am start I checked out the fort. I would love to come back and see more of it and this area.

So here we are 2800 crazy birds deciding to run around Newport on an incredibly gorgeous Sunday morning. Seriously couldn't have been a better day. 

I really did want to do my best time so I didn't stop and wrestle with my cell phone for photos although the views were breathtaking. After reaching the 5 Mile I decided I could take a quick one. Just running by the mansions people. 

Marble House is all it's glory.

So some races have a few bloopers that just make you laugh. First I was running with a new arm band for my phone. I am running along and need to fix the volume but Nooooo. Instead the screen is on Runkeeper and it says you have paused your run. I am now fumbling and running because Hell if I lose a minute and it now says thanks for saving your run. WTF! Anyway I take it off restart it and now I am receiving my first mile update about mile 4.5.  Oh well, at least I know the pace. I decided if I can hold it at 11:20 I can easiely walk the last 2 miles and still finish in 2:10.
Now I am doing Olympic math of 2 miles plus the lost 4.5 miles of the previous run and whatever just keep running.
Next thing I know I am passing the 8 mile marker. What, what?!?  What  the hell happened to the 7 mile mark?  Turns out I heard that from a few people so I did not imagine it but that means I did 8 miles and hey I am walking a few short bursts but still feel like I am able to maintain some speed.
I know the 9 mile marker is on the driveway to the park so as I round the corner into the Fort parking lot I realize I fucking did it! The driveway is long and the race started outside in the parking lot but ends inside the fort. i quickly realize you need to run around and enter in the back.  As I run around the bathroom I am hit with the full view of the bay and the Pells Bridge and I start to cry.
If you remember the Pells Bridge race was my last big goal when I completed the Coach to 5K. It is a 4 mile race I ran in October. That race was tough for me but one I would run again.

I can not explain how excited I was to cross that finish line under 2 hours. Never would I have expected to do that. I still feels like a dream.
During this journey I have found I have some really awesome friends who support me without judgement and criticism. When I say I am never going to be able to do it they say of course you can. I would like them to know I wouldn't have made it without them and their encouragement.
On my way home I got a text from one of these friends that shocked me. She says today I am biking a race that you did last year. I was thinking of you today. I remember last year you walked this 4 mile race and exactly 1 year later you ran a 10 mile race.
Holy Shit, she is right.