My first 5k race

This weekend I ran my first 5k race. It was a trail run up and down a hill, which I thought was pretty steep! I didn't have the chance to train on a trail because it has rained every day for the past 2-3 weeks, and I was not training on hills that steep during my runs in the city. There are some tough hills in the city. I should have been running up them.

It was rough ascent during the race! However, I did manage to finish with only a brief 10-second walk near the peak to catch my breath. My time was 31:42, and I feel pretty good about that for four reasons:

1. It was my first 5k.
2. That was a really big hill.
3. That was my first trail run.
4. I have brittle bones and was trying to be cautious.

 Here we are pre-race! Let's do this!

 No Scottish event would be complete without bagpipers. They "piped us to the starting line."

 Julia getting pumped!

 Here we are at the beginning. How cool is it to start a race near some castle ruins?? Fun! The pipers played The Flower of Scotland, there was a countdown, and then we ran! Of course, I hobbled because my phone chose that moment to close my app, and I couldn't see the screen in the sunlight. I had to take it out of my band and keep running while trying to shade my phone and start my app! LAME. I blame my phone for an excess of at least 20 seconds of my time.

 Here is Julia crossing the finish line! Go Julia!!

 Now I have a medal to prove that I ran the race! Today is a rest day. My hip is so sore! It's probably due to the beating it took as I pounded down that hill!

I will never do anything more than a 5k. I feel like that's enough for my body. I would like to do another race and just work on my time. I've never been a fast runner though. I was that kid in high school that the couches made run track even though I tried to tell them that I was a turtle. They finally let me quit after they watched me at the first competition. I was the scrawny girl WAY behind the rest of the racers who got the pity claps and the "YOU CAN DO IT" yells from the stands as I ran, alone and about 40 seconds behind everybody, across the line. I don't think I could ever be in the top 3, but if I could make it to the top 10 someday for a 5k, that would be amazing! :)  If not, hey, I'm also happy to say that I ran the race and finished.