Hey guys! I finished the Heroes in Recovery race and it was awesome! Let me recap the experience for you:

Saturday morning, I made the long hike from my house to Roswell to attend the race at Riverside Park. About halfway there God had other plans because it started to rain. Rain + cold weather + someone who just got over a really bad cold = not a good look. I debated continuing on to the park but I decided (after 15 minutes of riding in circles) that I wasn't a quitter and that I was going to finish this race - umbrella in hand. 

I made it to the park and completed my registration process, which was a breeze by the way. It would have been nice had I remembered to pick up my packet earlier that week but the staff was amazingly organized and had my bib ready to go and off we went!

I started out with a great pace and then...shin splints. I'll admit that I wasn't training prior to the race they way that I did for my last one but I was not going to let the pain stop me. Instead, I let it motivate me and I pushed my way through. I found a group of ladies who I "chased" down the entire race. I figured if I could keep up with or pass them, I was ok LOL.

My pacers LOL

Here are some markers from the race

1K Honest.Hope.Healing.

Right about here was when the pain really subsided and I kicked it into high gear. I was able to run intervals and speedwalk as much as possible. 

Almost there...

Take it on home...

Just before the finish line, I had to cross this bridge. There is nothing more challenging than during the last stretch to the finish line when you can hear the people cheering and see the end but can't quite touch it. I allowed myself to take it all in before hauling tail across the finish line.