The HOTTEST 5K of my life

Esprit de She

June 25, 2015

Koka booth Amphitheater

Cary, NC

FOMO is extremely real. I have been on a mission to regain my running mojo. I signed up for lifetime 5K training program. Between the zero dark thirty shift I work and how lazy Johanna kicks in around the evening I've only made 1 group run. I signed up for the target race Esprit de She 5K.

Since summer showed up with a vengeance I knew I would just take it slow and easy for the race. I had been hydrating pretty well for days leading up to the race. A true sign you are drinking PLENTY of water you spend a lot of quality time in the ladies room. "I've gotten a meeting in the ladies room, I'll be back real soon". Random song verses just pop into my head these days.

The race is at Koka Booth in Cary which is pretty much like the other side of wake county. As I'm turning into regency parkway to Koka booth I see ladies with their packets walking to their car. I'm thinking OMG is there no closet parking. I keep following the event parking signs and I see there is parking nearer the entrance to the amphitheater. I'm in the 2nd lot which seems like miles away but it really isn't lol.

I back into my parking spot. Shout out to my coworker Anthony Cooper who chastises me for not doing this at work. I'm getting all my race gear on. A car parks next to me. I start talking to the lady who gets out. I ask her is she's ready, excited or nervous? She tells me all of it. I tell her that's normal because my tummy has already talked to me and not in a good way. She tells me she hopes to finishes the race as this is her 2nd attempt at a 5K. Apparently her 1st attempt was the commitment day race back on January 1. I tell her that weather a race would have been a breeze compared to the heat storm we have today. I pull out my frog tog. She tells me I'm a professional. I laugh because I am so not a professional but I sure do prep like one as I put on my camel back.

As I'm leaving my car I see a lady I know but for the life of me I can't remember her name to save my life. I tell her didn't you do Fit-Tastic. Turns out her name is Michelle. 

I walk through the 1st parking lot and I see 1 of my TIFL sisters Ayuna King. She is trying to talk herself out of doing the race. I tell her you're too late you're already here. In my Ed Lover voice "come on son". We head to the runners village inside the amphitheater and I spy with my little eye another TIFL sisters ride. Her car is like mine full of stickers that tell the story of our adventures, it's Claudia Mello.

We head to the entrance and I see another TIFL sister Maureen Broderick Walters. We both think we are cra cra for being out here in this heat.

I haven't been to Koka booth in a few years. I like it so much more than Walnut Creek.

I hang out near the registration area and I run into my FAV mother/daughter running team Ellen and Brittany. These 2 ladies ROCK!! My new haircut is shocking everyone because no one has ever seen my hair this short. I run into another running buddy Rebecca Sitton from NCRC. Another TIFL sister comes over and ask me is there anyone I don't know. Story of my life. I tell her I don't this lady right, I point to a random lady in line who just cracks up. 

I walk towards the pavilion and cop a squat on a bench to chill out and test before the race start. TIFL sister Connie walks over to me and ask me if I have picked up the free swag. As much as I like free stuff I'm way to lazy and hot as this point to go get it and take it back to my car.

The race DJ is making announcements like we are in school. Countdown n everything. It's 6:40 at 6:45 head over to the start line. It's now 6:44 head over to the start line. Good gracious that brother must don't get out often.

It's 6:45 and as a good girl I follow orders and head to the start line. These wonderful angels are passing out ice cold water. I use it to re-wet my frog tog. Who do I spy with my little eye some of my #TriTribe, Val, Renee, barb and Lillie who I haven't seen Ramblin Rose. Did I mention there was a rumor going around that I was injured and my drink tickets were being auctioned off to the highest bidder. Turns out Johanna also means Julie who was injured and not at the race. For those who aren't familiar Julie Erin and I are known as the 3 amigos.

We are at the pack of the race. I get my Garmin and RunKeeper ready for our latest adventure. At 7pm we are off to knock out 3.1 miles. I'm sweating like a sinner in church (that's a line from Princess and the Frog). My playlist starts off with the Fugees ready or not. I hear my name being called so I take out my headphones. It's my fellow runner/triathlete sister Serena Hutchins Flood. She introduces me to some fellow BGR sisters and tells them she's a triathlete. the race goes up a slight incline and it passes the parking lot. For a split second I'm really tempted to turn n head for my car. I don't. Ladies are passing me telling me "you got this" I'm breathing for dear life and drinking my camel back. I'm really wondering why am I doing this. Race is 90% mental and 10% physical. At this point I'm already ready to call out but I keep moving. Michelle catches up to me. She said I told you I was going to walk wit you and that's exactly what I'm going up doing. She's my hero because it always help when you struggle with someone during a race. We keep walking and talking. One of the bike monitors rolls up besides us and i realize we are the end of the race. He tells up once we hit the HILL it's pretty much downhill after that. We hit the 1 mile mark and we head past it and there is a dude who is yelling "ladies you got it" he's one of those serious hype volunteers you need to give you sine energy. He ends up walking with us. Turns out he works with Michelle at SAS. I spy with my little eye an Iron Man tattoo on his right leg. He tells me he's done a full and a half Iron Man. I'm like you are an official bad-ass. In my book anyone who has done any part of an Iron Man is a bad-ass. We get to the next corner and its wife and other son there. The whole family volunteered. He tells the wife "these ladies are killing it" Michelle and I just chuckle. We keep on walking and we make it to the lake. At this point you see what you have left to do on the course. We see the turn around on the parkway. We wish we were already at that point. We are around the lake and u swear fore God it's gotten more humid. We are making it back around the lake and I see a U-hal truck picking up cones. I tell Michelle "they are closing out the turnaround". As we get closer to the end of the lake path, the bike course monitor tells us the EMS team has decided to close the course and open the road up because of the thunderstorm that's headed our way. We miss about .20 miles of 3.1 miles. We are not all choked up about it lol. We turn left and I tell Michelle "I hope the finish line is still there" as we make that last turn its still there. I cross the finish line and think I'm glad that's over with. My official finish time 01:16:58 827/827. Next adventure 24 Hours of booty July 24-25 in the Queen City

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