Ms. Kristen-Crayon Can: Life According to Instagram, Week Sixteen.

Week Sixteen

April 15th - April 21st, 2013

1. Very much into my new necklace from Anthropologie.

2. Flip-flip weather is slowly emerging.

3. Last run before the 10k on Saturday.

4. Appropriate art school campus graffiti.

5. On April 20, 2013 I ran my first 10k (first ever anything), Sole of the City.

After lots of ups and downs in my training (mostly surrounding being sick all the time), I wasn't sure if I was even going to go through with the 10k, especially because at the last minute my running partner backed out because of a work conflict. But I knew that if I didn't TRY, I'd regret it. I told myself that if I needed to walk parts of it, that would be okay. I told myself that it would be an adventure.

So on Saturday morning I woke at 6am and planned on taking the Charm City Circulator down to the race area. Went to go wait for it around 7am and after a little research via iPhone found out that the CCC doesn't run 'til 9am on Saturdays (good job planning that one, Ms. Kristen-Crayon). Woke N. up to let me back in the apartment (no keys on me) and he *thankfully* offered to drive me to Locust Point, where the race would begin.

It was surprisingly cold on Saturday morning, in the high 40s. I was freezing, even in a hoodie. There was no bag drop-off, so everything you needed had to stay on your person. Check-in was a little chaotic - 3,300 runners had signed up! I had to pick up my shoe tag and bib, and people were passing out blue and gold ribbons to honor the Boston Marathon tragedy. Before the race I talked with a nice guy-- we were mutually confused about where the start line was. Eventually they announced the location and we made our way over. Opening remarks were made, had a moment of silence for Boston, National Anthem played, and we were off!

Had a rough start from being so stiff from the cold, and Anne Hathaway's version of "I Dreamed a Dream" came up second on my playlist (not all that motivating, haha). The light was beautiful over the Inner Harbor, and I got pretty sentimental about leaving Baltimore come June. This was the first time I had ever run outside and there were definitely challenges-- wind, puddles, cobblestones, hills (we ran through Federal Hill, after all!). There were highs and lows, mostly involving comparing myself to other runners, but overall I'm SO PROUD of myself for running my first race, alone, somewhat out of shape from being sick so often, and definitely intimidated. I wonder what other running goals are in store for 2013?