what was i thinking

holy cow.

i did my first trail run here in florida....actually, my first trail run ever.

i should have considered the 5K but went for the 13.1 (half marathon distance).

again, what was i thinking.

it was hot.

it was complicated (roots, sand, rocks, terrain).

it was hot.... did i say that.

my running group runs in the dark...that means, no matter what the high of the day is... it is much cooler than during the day. 

this run was during daylight....mistake number 1.

a trail run..... mistake number 2.

here is what i was thinking:

something new, something challenging, something unique, something different.

unfortunately....and i have to admit for the first 8 miles, it was kind of fun. 

it was different country side, unique terrain, fun people.

and then i hit mile 9.

i was struggling....

i hit the water stop at 9.75 and actually considered turning in my bib number and walking to the finish line.... there was a 3 mile loop and then and half mile of SAND....i repeat SAND.....then the race to the finish.

i am completely convinced that if my i was not running with my mother-in-law, i would have simply sat down at mile 10 and just waited for the airlift helicopter to come and get me.... again, i was struggling..... it was a mental battle for the last hour of that run.  it was more a mental challenge than a physical one.... albeit my physical was cursing pretty loudly through that sand portion of the run.....

in the middle i thought, "I will never do a trail run again!"

perhaps, i might try one again..... but i will go shorter!

it was amazing to challenge myself, fail miserably, then realize that i finished.... and that it was pretty much an amazing accomplishment since i fought a deep, deep, deep desire to sit and cry.... but i finished. i crossed the line, running, proud of what i had actually accomplished... knowing how hard i had struggled.......

and then realizing it was over!

done....mark that off the bucket list.