Race Report: Never Give Up, Never Surrender - The 50th Virginia 10-Miler

This is the 50th anniversary of the Virginia 10-Miler.  I signed up for it months ago - in fact, I was one of the first people to sign up and so I got a free pair of Feetures socks at the expo.  

Once I got all the way to the race, I realized I had left my bib at home.  

I sent a Snapchat to my family (all in different parts of the state this weekend) that I was just going to go home.  I felt so defeated.

My daughter Snapped me back, saying, "Go home and get it and run!"  I called her as I got in the truck, pointing out that I wouldn't even get home until just after 8:00 when the race would have already started.  She said if it were her and she'd been looking forward to it for so long, she'd run anyway, starting after the gun.  I decided to dig deep within myself, pull myself out of my sorry funk and do it.  

Once I got back to the parking lot (over a half mile from the race start), I started my Garmin watch and ran to the starting line.  The fastest 4-milers were just beginning to finish.  Not wanting to interfere with that, I ran around the outside of the starting line (which meant there would be no Chip Time for me).

It was very strange to be running that first mile out, totally alone, with the fastest 4-milers coming toward me on the other side of the street.  The spectators looked a little confused to see me coming but I sure did get a lot of cheers like, "Better late than never!"  I told people my new goal of the day was to catch up to the back of the pack.

I even heard several current & former students yell, "Go Mrs. Craig!" as I came through those first couple of miles.  Some of them were running the 4-miler and others were spectators.  I waved and it sure gave me a boost.

I think it was during the 5th mile where I started to catch up to people who were running (I had passed some walkers earlier).  Once I got to Riverside Park, I actually felt like I was part of the race because there were people around me.  

As I came through the finishers' chute, I collected the special 50th anniversary medal and blanket.  I felt so proud of myself for NOT GIVING UP.  I could have just gone home and felt bad about myself all day for stupidly forgetting my bib and then throwing in the towel.  It probably would have taken me a long time to get over it.  

Even though my official time is a 2:01:43, which is a PW (Personal Worst), I do not care.  This might be the race after which I felt the most victorious.  I did not give up.  I did not surrender.  

During the race itself, I was mostly just feeling glad that I was there and doing it.  So I didn't pay too much attention to my time or splits.  Since I had started the watch back in the parking lot, the splits wouldn't align with the course anyway.  After the race was over, I decided to look and see how I did.  My Garmin tells me I ran 10.77 miles in a 9:13 pace overall!  Holy cow!  Maybe it was the adrenaline?

I'm very glad I was able to take part in this 50th anniversary race.  Many thanks to my daughter for encouraging me!