The Very Last First Time (To Race)

           I've only been training for the last 3 years. Today marked my very first 5K, and it was awesome.  I never really wanted to run alone, so I was stoked when Mary (our 11 year old) decided to train for the 5K starting a couple of months ago.  A new friend I made tipped me off to the Queen's Romp race just in time for us to get a discounted entrance fee and for Mary to train. One of the fun parts of the race was custom making tutus to wear during the race and seeing all the crazy get-ups people were wearing (my personal favorite was the woman who was wearing a stuffed flamingo hat).The weather was perfect,  even though it was supposed to rain. Thank you, God, for hearing our prayers!
           I thought I'd have the upper hand since I've been training longer; but a little after the halfway point, Mary took off down a hill (Charles informed me that the correct terminology for this is that she went into "beast mode"). I was happy for her to beat me soundly. Her time was 28:49, putting her in 4th for the 15 and under age category (and 40th out of 977 runners). My time was 29:17, putting me in 8th place for my age group ( 44th out of 977 runners).
         I didn't win any medals, but I met my goal of running it in less than 30 minutes and running the entire time. My mom came to watch and Charles kept the other 4 kiddos in line while I raced. It was so sweet to see Mr. Blue Eyes in his daddy's arms stretching out his little arms to me at the finish line.
           Most of all, I'm grateful to have the company of my sweet first baby, Mary, to run with (and at the end of it all, to try to catch)! I've had people try to say that I'm a runner (since I regularly run), but it didn't feel right somehow. Now that I've done a real race, I actually feel like a runner. It may have been my very last first time, but it won't be my last race.