Accomplishments and ambitions

Picture it, Patuxent River State Park in Upper Marlboro, MD, early November, 2009. It was a crisp, cold morning where Doug and I were participating in a 5k and 10k race, the 10K being my first.



We stood in line to get our bibs and then made our way to our respective starting lines.



Hi honey!



That's when I encountered my first race crazy of the day, grown men in tights not included.



What you see is not an optical illusion. That would be a grown man in women's fleece pj pants. I have no explanation for his choice of running clothes and am not really sure I want one!

Mile 1, complete.



The course took us across this lovely wooden bridge.





Mile 2, complete.



Oh, hello again race crazy. I shamelessly had my camera in hand waiting for him to come around each and every corner!



We left the asphalt for a nice run through the woods. This was a first for me, but was enjoyable.



Mile 3, complete.



Hello, dead corn?



Mile 4, complete.



And I crossed the wooden bridge again. It told me I was doing a great job! I believe I gave it the finger after mustering up some energy :)



Who knew swamps could be so picturesque?





I was pretty famished at this point and would have gladly sampled the red berries had I not feared dying a slow death in a swamp.



Lucky for me, a water stop was just ahead! Is it just me, or does the fish remind you of the deck of Go Fish cards we played with as kids?



I feared coming in last, but didn't really care with this peaceful, beautiful road ahead of me.



Not terribly flushed!



Do I have to even tell you that I SERIOUSLY contemplated crossing the field to my car?



But I didn't, thanks in part to this strategically placed sign.



One word came to mind when this lady passed me after having ALREADY completed the 10k and was running it AGAIN!



5 miles, complete.



6 miles, complete!



Rejoice!



Double rejoice! We won 2 plants as door prizes, both of which are now frozen to death on my front porch :)



What's next, you ask? Is a half marathon in June too ambitious?