So...those 3 races in April I told you about... (part 1)

 A couple months ago I mentioned that I had three races planned in April, which was a big deal for me, not having participated in many organized events in the past few years.

The first one was a 5K in Texas that my sister Christy found would be taking place the weekend I was there visiting.  We both signed up.  In the meantime, I found out that a fellow blogger, Kim, was also going to be in Texas that same weekend, visiting friends with her husband Stephen - and not far from where my parents live!  The race venue was not too far from where Kim's friends, Gina and Steve, live, and so they offered to meet us at the finish of the race.

Christy and I got to the race venue early enough to watch the kid's mile fun run - there were lots of little kids to cheer on.  I texted Kim our bib numbers so they would be able to watch out for us at the finish - we had never met in person and you always wonder if you're going to recognize someone from pictures.  And then Christy and I set off.  The course was an out-and-back around some baseball fields, a lake and a park - the weather was pretty nice for Texas - not too hot, but warm enough to be enjoyable.  And the field of participants was small, very small - maybe 200 people.  I ran at my usual comfortable pace (finishing in 35 minutes as expected).  As I came around a turn towards the finish line I could recognize Kim's posse waiting at the finish, and I started waving.  It was so fun to have them cheer me in!

Once we finished the race we hung out for a bit at the park - Kim, Stephen, Gina and Steve were all great and willing to wait for the organizers to announce age group winners, because, having seen who came in before me, they thought I might have won an age group award.  And Gina and Steve's son Luca was such a charmer!  At first it is a bit strange to meet someone you know through blogging in person - you actually know a lot about each other just from having read posts throughout the years, but you're still technically strangers.  In my experience, though, having met (and ran a race with!) Dutch blogger Fran a couple years ago, you quickly get past the initial awkwardness and the conversation starts to flow as if you'd known each other for years!  Same thing with Kim!

And then - what a surprise - they started calling out age group winners - and I won first place! Everyone tells me I shouldn't say this, but - full disclosure - there were only four people in my age group - LOL!  But I don't care, it was a first for me to win an age group award, and having new friends and my sister there to celebrate it with me made my day!  

And I actually got to stand on a real podium.

More soon about races #2 and #3...