"I am the Tortoise; Fear is the Hare" - Run for Ryan House Race Recap

This weekend was (finally!) my first race of 2013.  I had wanted to participate in a trail run a month ago, but I wanted my shins to feel better more, so Run for Ryan House was first on the docket.
Ryan House is for children what Hospice of the Valley is for adults.  It offers palliative and end of life care for children, and it also offers respite for families who might just need a bit of a break from the 24-7 requirements of severely ill and special needs children.  It's a wonderful facility that can offer families the quality of care that they need regardless of the situation.  My friend Christie takes advantage of Ryan House's respite opportunities for her daughter Sadie, and Ryan House is also where Lily passed away in December.  While I have had no dealings with it, Ryan House certainly has made an impact on the lives of my friends and, as such, an impact on my heart.  The least I can do is participate in its yearly fundraiser.
The event has a half marathon, an 10K, and a 5K as well as a 1-mile walk (participants can also walk the other distances if they so choose).  Initially, I had hoped to train for the half marathon, but after that overuse business back in December, I knew that I'd need to stick with the 10K.  Christie and Alicia were joined by Sadie and Alicia's son Jacob in the 5K, which they walked (check out a pic of all of us here).
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this year's race was that this race bib was the first I've had that had my name on it.  It's the small things.

757 - I believe I can fly!

The race doesn't permit dogs, so this is the face that I left in the early morning; she knows something about making me feel all sorts of guilty:

Y u no takez mee tooday, Mom?

Fortunately, a kinder sight met me after I parked:

By the time I was at the starting line, the sun was above the hills.

Side note: buying arm warmers, even if I don't use them again until the fall, is the best decision I've made in a long time.  It was chilly at 7:30 when the 10K started, but by mile 4, I would have been too warm for a long-sleeved shirt.
The course was the same as it had been two years ago, starting off flat for like five seconds before The Never-Ending Hill of Horrors.  Two years ago, I had to walk part of the way, not having properly prepared.  This year, now that I've been making the trails part of my weekly routine, my legs were far less rebellious, and I completed the entire race without stopping for a walk.
My shins still hurt a bit into the second mile, but I focused my mind on a few words instead of the discomfort:
"I am the tortoise; fear is the hare."
I'd love to be faster or be able to go farther sooner, but I don't run to beat anyone but myself and my doubts.  While I want to be cautious and smart with my training, if I stopped to walk, it was only because I was afraid of something.  Fear was out front that morning, and I was lagging behind.
"I am the tortoise; fear is the hare."
After a while, I realized that I hadn't felt my shins in a while.  I'd kind of zoned out, but my shins didn't hurt anymore.  Unfortunately, I'd slowed my pace more than I would have liked while I was in that zone, so I picked up the pace from there on out.
I finished with a slower time than I did two years ago, but I finished feeling stronger and better than after that previous race, too, and the knowledge that I didn't stop to walk made the 7 1/2 extra minutes worth it.  Now that I'm a stronger runner, I can refocus on becoming a healthier one again, too.
I mean, heck, I even had the energy to take the most flattering self-portrait ever after I was back in the car:

Shexaaaaaaay!

So.  The Stats:

• Chip time: 1:05:26
• 136th (of women)
• 27th (of age group)
• 242nd (overall)

Next year, I move to the next age group, and I'd love to plan for the half marathon.  I am having some trouble finding a half marathon for later this fall, so it might be my next 13.1.  In the meantime, I'll continue my work on the trails, and yes, I'll make sure that Zooey isn't left at home too much.