What a fun race! I have never run a race where I didn't completely care
about my time. This was a first. I started out nice and easy with
Suzanne. We kept a nice 10 minute pace for a while and then picked it
up a little. There were 2 brutal hills by the Liberty Memorial that
after we conquered we got going. Mel was at Mile 5ish with her dog
Bronx. Gave her a huge hug and told her I would see her at the finish
and then we kept moving. We passed through the Plaza and then saw
Christine. Gave her a huge hug too and thanked her for coming. About
mile 8.5, a girl asked us how far we had gone and how long we had been
running. I told her and told her we were holding about a 9:40 pace.
When Suzanne heard that she was so surprised! She says, "I've never run
this fast before". That was it, I was staying with her the whole way
and she was going to PR whether she liked me or not. We kept going and
then saw John a little farther up. I sprinted up to him and gave him
the biggest hug and chatted for a bit, then decided should probably get
going again, I had a race to finish! 3 miles left, Suzanne kept telling
me - Go ahead!.. But why would Ieave her with so little. Within 2
miles, we knew she was going to PR if she just picked it up a little, SO
PROUD OF HER. She held on strong and crossed that line! How amazing
to watch someone do such an amazing race and run something they thought
they could never do! But she did and I couldn't be more proud. She
thanks me so many times and told me that all she wanted to do was
strangle me when I wouldn't leave her so that she could slow down but is
so glad I didn't - I know that feeling so well, when you want to just
stop but don't want to because of the people that are with you. This is
why I love my running clubs so much! I even PR'ed on this course by
over 6 minutes!
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