Last Place Is The Last Loser

Today, I did it. It's been done. I survived one of my fears and hope to never relive this one.
I believe an adequate amount of time has passed. I can now talk about it without reliving it (sort of).

Ever since I started running 5k's (like a month ago being my first), I've had this fear of finishing dead last. However, EVERY 5k I've run had like a bajillion people in it so naturally, even though I wasn't fast, the likelihood of me leading the pace car in, wasn't....likely. Until today. I ran my fourth 5k. There were warning signs but I ignored them. This morning I was tired and trying to convince myself I was sick. I hadn't ran in over a week b/c of our vacation. I was trying to justify my participation fee as a donation to the cause. I ignored all of these voices and pushed forward. After all, I figured I'd regret it if I didn't run it and wouldn't regret it if I did run it. Um....this proved horribly wrong.

We showed up to the event and saw VERY few cars. The racers I did see were already sprinting down the road, jumping, stretching, warming up. These folks were fit I tell you. After checking in, I asked the lady how many registered. "Uh...I believe we have 50 registered". I'm thinking WHUH? You're kidding me right? So again I ignore the voices telling me to just get in the car and go home. After all my biggest fear could likely come true - I could be last. I pushed through it and got to the starting line - quickly scoping out the "heavier folks" that I could keep pace with and thought surely I could finish with them. (There weren't a lot of "my kind"). Most of the racers were "Albino Kenyan Runners" (as John so politely put it). So, the gun goes off, and in the words of Forrest Gump..."I was rrrunnniiinnngg". But obviously not fast enough. I managed to stay about 5 people from last for most of the race. The heat was enough to make me nautious and dizzy. But every time the "slow girls" and the cop/pace car caught up to me, I'd start running again regardless of nausea. This happened for the majority of the race. However, within the last 1/2 mile I thought...screw it, to heck with my "time", at this point I want to end the race in the vertical position. Yes, visions of me passing out were running through my head, along with visions of me jumping in the cop car and aiming the A/C straight at my face as we drove to the finish line (that one sounded tempting). But I figured if I was going to be embarassed I'd rather opt for the slightly "less embarassing" moment and cross the finish line last. So that is what I did. About 5 seconds after the "slow girls". I was DYING when I crossed it. It's pretty sad when the workers are packing up the race route signs as you pass them. :(

So, I lived one of my worst fears today and I survived. I blame my embarassment on the lack of publicity they seemed to acquire for the race. And honestly, there were NOT 50 of us....MAYBE 30 but that's pushing it. And yes, they were all the size of my pinky and likely ran for their professions. And after all, I was only a few minutes off of my best time and I blame that on the heat. Me and heat NEVER have gotten along. So for anyone afraid of finishing last in a 5k, take my advice, don't sign up with albino kenyans and don't join any race that has less than 30 people registered.

I'm almost to the point where I can laugh about this now....almost.