About half an hour ago, I completed the Army Ten Miler in Washington, DC.  Myself and 26,000 runners looped our way through the nation’s capital, beginning at the Pentagon, passing the Washington Monument, Capitol building, and running through the Mall.  This race kicked serious butt. The course was challenging, especially with the mind-fuck of the Mall where you see runners on the opposite side of the street and secretly hate them.  I started to hit my wall at mile 9, the first half of which was uphill and suuuuuuuucked.  However, it ended on a downhill, then a straightaway filled with cheering spectators, so I was able to sprint out the last 400 (this after practically race-walking the first 800m of mile 9 like a 60 year old woman).  I finished in a race time of 1:57; my chip time will probably be about 20 minutes faster, since I started in heat 2.  I’ll post an update in the comments section with my actual chip time when I receive it.

Alright… for you non-runners out there (and for those of you who watched me suck my way through a pack of cigarettes at Grape Street this past Thursday), allow me to explain to you what would push me to run in 80 degree heat for 10 miles with 26,000 sweaty people.  First, and I said this in my Broad Street blog, runners are hot.  In this case, there were not only hot runners, but really hot Army men everywhere.  It was a girl’s dream, had I not been running the race for my manfriend 1st Lt. Kent who’s ass is coming home from Iraq this week.  Second, the comraderie of runners is amazing!  I love being seeded with the 9-minute milers, because that’s where the fun begins.  You hear slogans like “I’m not here to race, I’m here to run!,” everyone is over 100 lbs, and you’ll probably see most of them at the bar afterward.  I met a father of two from Harrisburg with whom I chatted before we approached the start line.  I was stretching and noticed we were both wearing the same socks from the Broad Street Run.  We talked for about 20 minutes, trading stories (mine about the Army and being 24 in Philly, his about being a dad, both of ours about being runners) and starting the race with a firm handshake and a truly meant “Good luck!”  I thank him, because whatever nerves I had were gone at the start.

Finally, this race had a corp of athletes that you wouldn’t expect to be runners, much less runners who make it through 10 miles of rolling streets.  These guys were disabled veterans, running with Missing Parts in Action.  Today I witnessed several single and double-amputees run in and complete a 10 mile race.  Everytime a pack passed them, applause and a resounding cheer of “HOOAH!” rose.  They are the reason that I run – because I can.  I don’t have to be the best, I don’t have to run a marathon, but I can run because these guys gave their all for this country and can still run.  I admire their strength and could only hope to match that strength myself.

How do I feel?  Awesome.  I’ll feel better one I have a cheesesteak and a beer and my ass is sitting in front of a TV watching football.  My right IT band hurts like hell and was part of the reason I turned into a race-walker momentarily.  But I feel awesome.  I had gotten so bored with training and fell into a routine of being lazy, but it’s races like this that renew my passion for running.  I proved to myself that I can do it, and I officially kicked the Army 10 Miler’s ass.

Rage on… :)

Some personal thanks: City Sports 19th St (esp Kate “MF’in” Jersey), Maggie and Keli for letting me stress out/crash on their couch, Victoria for not letting me get drunk on Thurs (love ya girl!), 1st Lt. JDK, Ray who ran his 10 miles carrying the American flag, Ari, Mom, Caitlin, Katie, Tina, and everyone else back in the Illadelph who gave encouragement before I left!  You guys rock… and you’re running it with me next year!

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