Race 3 in 3 days. What was I thinking? Massachusetts.

When we got back to my friend's house, we looked up the race for Monday: Tufts 10K. It's held every year on the Monday of this weekend (Columbus Day).

The race was $50 to register and the website said $50 for same day registration as well!  Sweet, we can just make up our minds in the morning.

The legs were a little stiff, and really I'll just say a little. I was quite surprised the legs weren't more angry with me. I don't know if the adrenaline wasn't worn off yet, or if the yoga in addition to the running was really helping me.

Race morning, Athleta sweater goes quite well with a black race tank!

Same day registration. . . what can I say. Oh, right. it was $60 race day, plus computer use the day of to register, so it was actually $65 to register.  I wasn't happy, but the other side of leaving then was *inconveniencing friend who drove me here
*driving half an hour into downtown Boston for 'nothing'
*WHO KNEW that one could have 'same day' registered at home on a computer for the $50!  What race has same day computer registration?  

Further on the negative side, no one told me I could get a race shirt, or packet, or from where. I figured it out by watching other people head to the shirt table. It wasn't a matter of not having enough shirts for same day registrants either. There were hundreds, if not a thousand, shirts left over at the end of this race!

On the positive side, there were plenty of samples (i.e. food for breakfast) to sample and coupons to obtain. Many were foods that were gluten and soy free. YEAH!  This made me happy and makes me want to do the race again! 

Further, amazing women runners started the race for the little kids:
Joan Benoit Samuelson 
Olympic Gold Medalist
Boston Marathon winner

It was an inspiration to hear her speak and be so close to her.
Really, there's not a zoom on my camera!

I really wasn't sure about this, but so much was already invested. I was tired and I hadn't thought ahead of time to really needing to pack three separate race outfits for three separate races, so I have on this hodgepodge including the "throwaway" shirt of a race I've not partaken:

Getting ready for the race start. Yes, the street is packed full of racers!  So inspiring to see, and so much energy to share!

I have no idea where we were in Boston, except at a Green space, and race across the Charles' river.  Please forgive me, as I don't know streets or landmarks here. 

We ran down the start/finish street and then made an immediate left hand turn. The street was packed for this final race of mine.  There were folks walking, folks sprinting, and folks running. Mostly women, although there occasionally was a male runner as well.  Young runners and old runners. I think I passed an 80 year old women. Inspiring for so many reasons. Take the energy where you can find the energy!

About mile two my right foot HURT. It wasn't the bottom that had taken a pounding, it wasn't the toes that were hitting the ground. Instead, it was the part right under where I tie my shoe. OMG the pain was so much.
*I ran a bit trying to go tippy toes. That didn't help.
*I tried to go with heal, that didn't help.
**I resigned myself to walking the rest of the 10K. Bummed!

I would not give up--especially after I found 50¢ in various coins on the ground!

I found I could run at times, when the pain subsided. Then I yelled-internally of course, I was in public--for running through pain. 

Coming up this hill was painful, but the top leveled off and my foot was feeling better. For whatever reason, it felt good to run downhill--so I did, after taking this picture.  

At the bottom of the hill I walked again, stretched my foot and ankle on the curb and generally yelled at myself for doing three races in three days---even if I was taking it easy on the last two of them!


Then I turned my head and spied this beautiful scene:

Women running across the Charles River FOR FUN. 

INSPIRATION again.

My run/walk method was taking me there. I ran for the camera guys, I walked where I needed to. I avoided all the potholes I saw!

And then as I finished down this road and we turned left I recognized where we were--at least knowing it was close to the Green where the race started, and the energy was flowing again. 

The energy cont'd to flow as I spied the "best dressed" water stop. Even gents in tuxedos here!  

(yes, I asked, and received, his permission to take his photo for the blog)

We ran around the backside the park opposite where the race was staged and then came to the street that ran between them. I ran (hobbled, I felt) towards the finish line and then I *heard* my name!  My friend was on the street, cheering me on!

As I got up to the finish line I wished I hadn't put my phone away, for who was cheering us on as we finished, but Joan Benoit Samuelson!

When we finished, we were looped through a finishing area, grabbed a bag, stuff it with whatever refreshments one wants (no chocolate milk, but there was yogurt!), and then head out to the park to spread out. I'm not sure what kind of entertainment was to occur at the stage, and we didn't really stick around. I immediately loosened my shoe strings on the right foot and stretched my legs.

[when I got home, and saw a running friend at yoga, she suggested i might have done something on the wet pavement during the first race, and the adrenaline of the events didn't allow the pain to come through until Monday. Seemed reasonable!]

Three races. Three days. 

Three races.

Three days.

Would I do it again? 

Probably!