Happy post Fourth of July! Typically, Brenden and I are in Destin for the holiday but this year we were in Atlanta. The largest 10K in the world is held in Atlanta on the Fourth of July with over 60,000 people participating in this run. WOW! I thought if we are going to be in the city, we have to do at least do it once.
When we registered, we were put into a lottery. One of the criteria for your registration is a qualifying time from a race within the last year. Well, we have been out of the running game for a little over a year and did not have a qualifying time. And that is okay, but your chances of getting in are lower and if you do get in you will more than likely be in the back of the line.
The lottery numbers were drawn and we got in! But of course got put in wave X, the second to last wave of "runners." I put runners in quotation marks because there are very few people who are actually running this race in these last few waves. But thankfully Peachtree Road is six lanes wide when we started in Buckhead and the course is a gradual decline the first three miles, therefore, more people are running. But by mile 3, the road has lost the median and is now just six lanes side by side and then at mile 4 there is the dreaded "Cardiac Hill."
Cardiac Hill is a steep incline that runs right by Piedmont Hospital, Shepherd Center and a few other medical buildings. This hill is notorious in Atlanta and causes everyone a slight panic attack when it approaches. I was determined to run up it but then of course everyone had stopped running by this point and was walking up the hill. I tried to dart in and out of the group of walkers; making it a game with myself not to hit anybody and to make it through the gap before it closed with another walker. I felt like I was on The Walking Dead. And then the worst happened.
My earbuds stopped working. I had just made it to the top of the hill, feeling great, stopping for a quick sip of water (because boy was it HOT!!!) and then nothing. No sound. They had gotten wet and the music was buffering. I do not know if it was from sweat or actual water. By this point I was drenched (because again it was HOT!!!). So I just tucked the earbuds away and kept up at my measly pace. Only two more miles to go. I knew most of it would be somewhat of an uphill. Until the last turn which was a much needed downhill chase.
Just when you think people will start to pick up the pace again because the finish line is nearing, there they were again... walking... twelve people deep. This time I did not make it a game but just tried to find a way through to the end. We are soo close my legs and feet can feel it! I pushed through finishing at 1:09:36. Not my best time but given the amount of "darting" I had to endure, I will take it!
I told Brenden that my legs felt like I had just run a marathon. And I can say without sounding dramatic because I actually have ran two marathons and know how my legs felt after those races. But with little to no training involved that is exactly what I expected. It amazes me how quickly your legs can get trained and how quickly your legs can lose all that training.
This race made me miss running. The energy, the crowds, the comradery. It's all so exciting. I never thought I would trade running for weights but here I am two years into CrossFit and that is exactly what I have done. It is time to even the playing field. I have decided to add this to my weekly/yearly goal. To run in more races and to add those running days back into my workout regimen. Yes, a cross-training workout can help with running but nothing compares to putting miles on those shoes. AND having a good pair of shoes is key (another note to self).
Overall, we had a great time. We made memories and we will definitely do the race again just next time, we will definitely submit a time so we can be in the corral that fits with our pace. Brenden is extremely fast so we will never be in the same wave but that is okay. We do not really enjoy running together. But that is another post for another time.
How do you spend your Fourth of July? Do you run in any holiday races? What do you eat post race?
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