Embarrassing 1st 10k story (Read 465 times)

I completed my 1st 10k, this was my second race ever. My first was a 8k about 6 months ago. The race was held at the lincon park zoo on the Chicago lake front. I trained hard for this race running about 3 days per week. Upping my distance about a mile per week. 11.0 Mi 12.0 Mi 13.3 Mi 14.6 Mi 16.9 Mi Now for the embarrassing part. My sister wanted to come with me. Of course this meant come race day I would be ready to leave eating my pre race meal and she would just be waking up. Well I arrived at the race with only a few minutes to park which had me a nerves’ wreck. 75% of the race was lined up at the start with numbers and chips on so I jump out of the car run into the zoo looking for packet pickup. I find the booth get my number and race shirt. Make my way over to get my chip. By now I think that they are going to start any minute now so I don’t know what to do with the race shirt I picked up so I put it on over what I was wearing. I was not so pleased because It was hot that day would rather have given it to my sister to hold. I put my #on and chip laced. And made my way to the back of the race. . The race starts. I’m full of energy because I made it! I was not going to be late. Running through the zoo was horrible very narrow in key points. Once I calmed down I start to realize something is up everyone’s pace is slow and there are little kids running. At mile 1 I remember there is also a 5k run walk !!! I ask a volunteer has the 10 k hasn’t started yet has it? She says no luckily the 1 mile mark is where you leave the zoo near the start. I make my way out of the race and to the start of the 10k I was so embarrassed , worried that I wouldn’t have a time because I already went over the chip start. I line up anyway and finish the race not knowing if I would even know my time. And would have to guess my start time. By the time I was done I was happy with how I ran and the training that I had done to prepare for it. A day later I see it gave me a correct 10k time of 48:50, 7:52 / mile

What a cool race...or maybe I should say warm, heh. What in the world is the Gorilla Gallop, though? You did great, especially under stressful circumstances. I'll bet future races will go smoother.