I'm still working on completing my Couch to 5k program. Between the craziness with Rex getting sick and the general craziness at my work and the hot, hot, hot weather (100+) for a few days in a row, I just complete week 7 yesterday.

But I decided, with the encouragement of the Zombie Apocalypse Training group that I belong to on Ravelry, to sign up for a 5k last weekend. I ran the 5k Foot Pursuit to benefit the Sacramento PD Chaplin service. The weather was fantastic and I came in 291 in the field, 43 in my age group and finished in 33:42.4. Not too shabby.

There were professional photographers on the course taking pictures. I'm going to order a couple but here are a couple of the proofs.

I love this picture because of the Tower Bridge in the background.

It's a Sacramento landmark.

Powering up the first long hill, right about the 1mile marker.

The Sacramento area as a general rule is pretty flat. My town especially is flat. I guess that's to be expected when you live in the middle of some the biggest farming areas in the world. Of course that makes training for hills a bit difficult. So naturally, for my first 5k I choose a hilly one. I wasn't expecting it. The course map made it look flat. Trust me, it wasn't. Almost the entire 1st mile was up hill. Then there was a steep down hill section. Then steep uphill followed by a down hill, into a tunnel under I-5 and an uphill to the turn around. Then back into the tunnel, up the hill, down into an alley, up out of the alley, then steep down hill, very steep uphill followed by a long, hot, sunny, no shade flat stretch for about 3/4 of mile. Then down, then up to the finish.

To say the least it was challenging. But totally awesome. I felt so amazing to finish. And really my time wasn't shabby at all. I'm super proud of. Hubbs was there to cheer me on. I was so nervous before the race that my breakfast didn't want to go down, I didn't sleep well and therefore was cranky before the race start. But now that I have the first one under my belt I will definitely be doing more of them.

I only have week 8 and 9 to finish up before I finish up the Couch to 5k program. I'm already setting my sights on 10k now. I'm looking forward to the challenge of going longer distances.