Santa Hustle 5K

Truth be told, heading into this run, I wasn't my most excited running self.  Aside from the fact that we were mid-move, I had been sidelined by tendonitis, and I hadn't been running regularly since my half marathon.  For someone like me, someone who thrives on having a routine, a goal, and hates sitting still, it had been torture.

Brian and I talked extensively about the fact that I needed to be mindful of my injury; he told me to learn from his past mistakes, to rest when injured and to listen to my body.  In fact, he made me promise that I would consider walking the race if running was too painful.  I hate being wrong, and I hate feeling like I've quit at anything, but I conceded -- he was right.  

Bright and early Saturday morning, I was ready to test my limits (or at least see what they were) and was extremely happy to be joined by my run buddy, Jenna, and my friend, Amanda, who decided a 5K was on her bucket list.  We headed to Veteran's Park, where it was chillier than we were hoping it would be.  The Santa hats helped to keep our heads warm, and for Jenna and me, it wasn't long before warm was too warm!  We were sparkling Santa hustlers in less than a mile.  

Pre-race - it was our 7th as run buddies

The race and the course were a lot of fun.  The sun came out, which was really nice, and there were cookie, candy, water and sport drink stations on the course.  Jenna and I determined that eating while running was not a skill either of us possessed - we both barely ate during our half marathon and regularly joke about being inept at hydrating while on the move; thus, pre-race, we opted not to take the M&M's when we passed the candy station.  Lucky for us, there were plenty of goodies at the end of the run.  Lucky for me, my knee wasn't horribly dysfunctional, and I was able to run the entirety of the race (though with discomfort - oh, I do hope I run like a normal runner again); in fact, I even decreased my splits throughout and was able to end my race how I traditionally do, with an increased speed (though I wouldn't quite call it a sprint) to the finish line.  That was a good feeling! 

finished hustling 

 After completing my run, I made my way to the perfect viewing spot to ensure I could see my run buddy complete her run.  We both gathered with the rest of our group - Shannon and Nancy, who came with Amanda - and waited to celebrate Amanda's milestone.

Amanda's first 5K
Congrats, lady!! 

Post run, we warmed up in the car -- it got cold in a hurry once we were done running -- and then it was back home and back to the business of moving for me (more to come on that soon!).

Despite feeling overwhelmed, and despite being triple booked -- a run, a move, and a surprise party that night -- it was great to get out and run, and I'm glad, as I always am, that my cousin was with me.  It wouldn't feel the same without her!