Richmond 05/08

I've got to apologize for the lack of blogging that I've not done. I have no real excuse, just life took a hold of me and I got behind. Before you dive into the blog, I need to set a few things up. For some crazy idea, I thought It would be challenging and fun to enter into a 10 mile running (yes I said running) race after talking to a friend of mine. Well, as it turned out she wasn't able to do it, but I still went full steam ahead!!!! Why, you ask...ummm I guess deep down I wanted to see if I could do it! Well, I prepared like I should have by building up to running 5-6 miles 3 times a week and 3 miles the forth day. I was doing great, felt good etc.. Then Easter Day happened! Yes, Easter Day....We had a great time with the kids , did the whole egg hunt and then decided to watch some basketball down in the basement. We made some snacks and I got a glass of water and started down the basement steps then........BAM!!! I fell on my a** going down the basement steps and messed my back up pretty bad. 2 WEEKS!!!!!! before the race in DC. OMG! So, I couldn't train for 1 week. I was able to run 2 days and took the rest of the week off because my shins were hurting me. Only running a couple of miles...ummm not good! So we plowed ahead with getting ready to leave for DC on Saturday, April 5th. We made it to DC, no problem. My neighbor Kim and her husband Ken offered us his Mother's apartment to to stay in while we were in DC. Sweet! What great friends they are and it really did work out so nice for us. The kids enjoyed riding the Metro all over and seeing the city. We had a beautiful day on Saturday and probably walked a good 6-7 miles that day. It is now Sunday, April 6th........Race day.............to be continued below.......................

It is Race Day! You can see that it was a dreary morning! Scott took a picture of me before I lined up, then one of me in the starting corral, and then me taking off. God help me! Let's hope that I don't picked up by the scooper patrol for not keeping above a 14 min mile. Please just let me finish.......................................

I DID IT!!!!! I ran the whole 10 miles......OMG! The rain,
cold weather, and wind could not stop me! I was emailed the
Official times today and, I did better than I thought I did. I
Ran a 9 min. 27 sec mile and finished with the time of: 1:34
and 30 sec. and placed 6374 out of 12,309 runners. In women

only I placed 2,389 out of 6,402! And in my age group (35-39) I placed 324 out of 883!

SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the link to the Cherry Blossom 10 mile run page:

http://www.cherryblossom.org/course/course.htm

They raised 1 million for the Children's Miracle Network!

This is the WWI Memorial for the soldiers that served from
the DC area, a fountain with coins, a few more friends that
we met along the way, and the beautiful Cherry Blossom
Trees in full bloom.

The George Washington Monument, and the Korean War Memorial.

Here are some friends that we met on the way to the Lincoln
Memorial.

The Lincoln Memorial.

Jessica and me at the WWII Memorial in Washington, DC.
Saturday April 5th, 2008

Jessie took these cool pictures of the WWII Memorial.
Great job Jessie!!!!!!