TERRI'S TRAVELS: Broadway Bridge 10K

My old college friend, Laura, drove all the way (12 hours) from Birmingham, Alabama, to come see me over the weekend.

Okay, not really just to see me. Mostly to run the Broadway Bridge Half Marathon as training for her upcoming Chicago Marathon.

But either way, she was in KC and staying with me!

She got in late Friday night and after my super hard track workout Saturday morning (lots of sprints and stairs -- this will come in to play later in the story), we went downtown to pick up her race packet and get details for the race on Sunday.

Somehow, somewhere along the line...Laura actually convinced me to run with her.

It went something like this:

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Me: "Sure, I'll drive you down here in the morning! I might go back home, or maybe I'll just stay here."

L: "Oh, well if you're going to drive me, you might as well stay. And if you're going to stay, you might as well just do the 5K!"

(insert more begging and convincing comments from Laura about how we could rung together)

Me: (looking at the map) "Hmmm, I guess I could at least jog a 5K. (contemplating...) Nah, 5K is too wimpy. Not even worth my time (because I know I'm not fast). If I'm going to run, I'm going to wing a 10K."

L: "Yes, good girl. Let's sign you up right now before you have time to change your mind."

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She even had the people working the event coaxing me in to it, too! "Oh, come on. You look like you're in shape! You can run a few miles!"

I swear, I'm such an idiot sometimes, haha. I mean, winging a 10K on a semi-damaged foot? Sure, why not. Sign me up. #peerpressure

"Yes, it's official now. I've got the shirt. This is happening."

So after a day of shopping on the plaza (ie on our feet walking aaalll day) and an early Saturday night, we got up at 5:30am on Sunday and were in the car at 6am on the dot.

OH WAIT - back up to last night. We also convinced me roommate to run the 10K, too, haha! Poor guy. He couldn't say no to BOTH of us!

KC Skyline on the drive downtown at 6am

Is it bad when you're already sore from sprints and stairs before you start running a 10K -- that you haven't trained for?

Hmmm...probably not a good sign, huh.

Oh well. Let's do this!

Here goes nothing!

Laura had to run at a slower pace than I wanted to go, so Jeff (roommate) and I only ran with her for the first few blocks really. Some plan we had to run the first half together, haha.

Jeff wanted to finish under 1:15 and I was determined to get it under an hour. I mean if I'm going to run a 10K, I'm at least going to run it hard.

(Plus, Laura told me she didn't think I could finish under an hour with my foot. Noted, and challenge accepted. I'm too competitive for my own good sometimes.)

Running slow enough around mile 2 to take pictures = going to have to pick it up later

The course had WAY more hills than I was expecting -- which was zero. So that wasn't cool. Jeff stopped to walk up a long hill around mile 3, and I just couldn't call it yet. So I kept going and told him I'd slow down at the top and wait for him. Buuut I didn't, haha. I was feeling pretty good and knew I was going to have to pick it up if I wanted to get my one hour time.

The first couple of miles we got passed a lot. The last two miles, I didn't get passed once. I was the one doing the passing.

It actually felt pretty good to be out running again. Well, it felt good right up until the last mile when I realized I was going to be cutting it close and had to really speed things up. I was pretty sure I was going to throw up at one point...

Good thing I did pick it up. I crossed the line with just under 2 minutes to spare! Yikes!

I was okay with that time. I mean, it's certainly nothing to write home about, but for no training and a sore entire body from a killer workout the day before, I'll take it.

(Definitely would not have done a hard track workout before a 10K...had I known I was going to be running one, of course!)

Post-race selfie! Hardly even sweating because it was so COLD out!

Jeff finished a few minutes behind me -- still an awesome time, especially for another non-trained, non-runner! We were feeling pretty good about ourselves! ;)

Laura had given us these tiny little tablet looking things that expand in to a towel when you put water on them. We didn't need them during the race, but we some fun with them when we were done!

Jeff and I had about an hour to kill before we started looking for Laura. So we snacked and drank and stretched...and tried to stay warm! I went back to the car, took off my sweaty sportsbra and just put on a hoody. I had goosebumps!

Apparently the hills got the best of Laura, too, because she finished well after she had anticipated.