Redemption Thy Name is 5k Mini Marathon

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Here was my redemption moment, could I really ask for a better way to go out with a bang here in Thailand. I have just a few weeks left here, soccer failed miserably, I now have an obsession with running and BAM this 5k run falls into my lap like a gift from Santa.

I had to prep all my crazy superstitious ways, so my outfit was ready, the breakfast prepped and the bandana bought. I chow down on a very delicious although not so sports bar like breakfast while stretching out to some P90X. Naturally nerves are wanting to bust on in but I'm punching them in the face and keeping them away.

The alarm sounds to let me know that I should head to P. Aajong, who will also be running the race. He is my coach and thank God he's not a chick because there is no NO way I'd ever beat him in a race. As we hop into his janky pick up truck and take off he asks me where my white shirt is. After some time I realize all us youngins are suppose to wear a white shirt. Of course nobody let me know this so I have my lucky teal shirt on and I'm thinking to myself thank goodness I didn't know this rule otherwise I'd have to wear a new white shirt which is just oh so unacceptable.



We are one of the first to show up and unsure as to when the race is suppose to start (I am told it will start in 20 minutes but I have my doubts) I continue a bit of stretching and punching those nerves in the face and it is working out pretty well. My biggest fear is that I have no idea where on earth we are running and the trail is not marked at all, so I'm crossing my fingers hoping I won't get too lost.



After many more minutes than just 20 it is time for us to line up. This process takes longer than it should, AND in the mean time I am handed a white shirt. I smile at the lady loaning me the shirt and go and change from my lucky one. Okay nerves are slipping in with my defenses down. They continue to slip in as we are told where we are suppose to run. I am catching some words and when to turn and where to turn the only problem is I have no idea where the school is and where the church is and no doubt I have missed something crucial.



We all line up, there are 17 women in my age group, 39 women all together and around 70ish people all together. All I have to beat are the 17 other women, BUT i wouldn't mind beating all the chicks and most of the dudes, that would make me pretty happy. Lined up we wait for the whistle to blow and it does and EVERYONE takes off at the speed of light, everyone including myself. And then a hot second later I compose myself and realized, "Erin you want to burn out before you hit the first k mark? That would be embarrassing, take a chill pill and start breathing again." It is a good thing that my brain can be so rationale at a time such as this, because after getting back to a realistic pace I began passing people. In fact I was passing people like it was my job and before I knew it I had passed half the dudes and all the chicks.



Each kilometer was marked out with a ribbon I had to collect, this isn't an easy task. I rarely grab water during races because I fear it will throw off my stride, these ribbons are doing the same thing and yet I am grabbing away.



It becomes evident that no chick is passing me any time soon but I see some guys up ahead and I think what the heck I'm going to pass them. My pace is quicker than I've ever ran three miles but I have to say it is feeling good. My whole body feels awesome, my legs feel like they could go forever at this pace AND those guys are left in the dust.



Around 2k I'm pretty much on my own, I hear a few people behind me and way off in the distance there are the guys at the head of the pack that I won't be able to catch up to so from 2-3k I run pretty much on my own.



By 3k I've caught up with a straggler from the lead pack. I pass him and a hot second later he runs as fast as he can to pass me. He then slows down again allowing my steady pace to catch up and pass him which in turn makes him speed pass me once more. 3k-4k go like this the entire time and when we hit the 4k mark another fellow has joined us.



He is running a steady pace and I have no idea where he has come from but my goal is to beat him. So the three of us are constantly passing each other. It is fun for me, I don't have much to lose at this point, but the young kid seems determined not to let a chick beat him and even the older guy seems pretty persistent. In the end I pass the older one without a problem and the younger kid and I come in pretty much at the same time. He may have beaten me by a hot second but I can't be sure because we had different lanes to come in on. My watch claims I did 5k in 20 minutes. Seems more impressive than I could have hoped for which makes me question whether it was actually 5k BUT I like to think that I was able to do that anyway.



The men waiting at the end cheer for the farang and when I'm handed a little card the fellow says" Number One." I was 99% sure that I was number 1 but despite all of this I jumped up and down like a lunatic and nearly gave the fellow a hug, something I'm sure the fellow would find highly uncomfortable but totally hilarious.



Jumping up down for the next 10 minutes I high fived anyone who would accept a high five and then collapsed into some stretching. That is when my crew saw the dog bite on my leg and rushed me to the hospital. Oh did I forget to mention that last night while I was running a dog came out of nowhere and bit me on the ass, yes pretty much on the ass. Does that mean I have to get bitten by a dog every time before a race now?

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