Fat Girl Running

Things I learned today while doing my very first "competitive" run.

1.)  Despite the fact that I have lost 30lbs and run on a more regular basis it is still possible to feel like a fat girl running.

2.)  Always ask for the actual route or walk the entire route before running it for the first time.  Case in point.  "Just past the school and around the bend", really means when you pass the school you've just hit mile 1 and you're actually going to turn around at 2.25 miles in the middle of no where.

3.)  People will tell you anything they think you want to hear while you're running. 

• "Once you hit the turn around point it's all down hill."  Well, unless you're sending me back in another direction that wasn't how I just got here, you're lying!  If I ran up and down three hills to get the the turn around and have to run back to pass the start point to get to the finish line it obviously is not all downhill from here.  Freakin' liars.  
• "You're almost there.  Just keep going."  If you're telling me that before I hit the halfway point you're really lying, if  you're talking to me before the last mile it's still a lie.  I don't consider it almost there until I am within 1/4 mile of the finish line or can at least see the finish line.
• "The finish line is right at the corner just keep pushing."  Again, with this lying and telling me I'm almost there when I'm not.  I started running harder to have a good finish, but when the end is actually half way up the block after you turn the corner it make a difference and if you don't believe me go out and run 5 miles without knowing where the end is and let other people just tell you when to stop.  

4.)  You're body really does know best and no matter what you think you can do with your mind if your body says stop or you're going to vom.  You better stop, walk it out for a couple steps and then you can run again.

5.)  Dry fit shorts really are amazing.  They were totally worth the $30 and I highly recommend them.  No sweaty butt feeling and being completely dry by the time we got back to the car.

6.)  Other runners don't listen.  Women to the left and men to the right totally meant, keep running right where you are old man maybe they'll not notice that you're on the female side of the finish line.  I however, will notice that you're blocking me from cross the finish line.  Jerk.

I'm sure there are more things, but at this point that is all I can remember.

All in all I have finished my first "major" run.  I crossed the finish line before my goal time and I can still walk.  I'll let you know how I feel tomorrow and maybe even post some pictures.