Wow, was it a whole new experience for me. First off there were over 6,500 people signed up for the day - split between a half marathon and a 10K. So between the actual runners, spectators, and volunteers there was definitely an abundance of people. The race started at 8AM and by that time it was already pretty hot. I think it was around 84 when we got there and it only got hotter and the morning progressed.
The half marathon took off first and it took about 20 minutes for all of them to clear the starting gate and the 10Kers to get set. Luckily my friend Lani was running and she has raced before so she knew where to go and what to do. We finally started off around 8:30 by the start of a gun shot we couldn't even hear because there were so many people and we were so far back.
As soon as I passed the start line I could feel the adrenaline going which made me extremely parched, something I had not experienced in my training before. We started going right up onto the bridge and the feelings from the heat and being without water kind of disappeared because it was the coolest thing seeing the thousands of people running across and back over the massive bridge. It was also really neat to be running right over the lake - I'd say one of the coolest things I've ever experienced.
The run overall was good. I had been training so it wasn't extremely difficult for me, but with the heat, being in the direct sunlight, and lack of water (they ran out by the time the 10Kers hit the course) it was definitely a challenge.
Overall my first experience running a race was pretty good. Would I do it again? Yes. It was a fantastic way to kick start getting in shape - I've lost about 8lbs total so far. It kind of forces you to find time in your schedule to run and train throughout the week. And it also tests your limits and makes you realize what your body is capable of. I've never been a runner so this was a huge accomplishment for me. I went from being dead tired and completely out of breath after just a few minutes of running to be able to run for over an hour and actually enjoying it! If I had to do it different I would probably start with a race that was a little smaller - less people so you could enjoy the course more, or maybe a shorter distance so I could really get in to timing myself or something. But overall I wouldn't have traded this experience for anything!
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