As I’ve said before, I started this string of running events 7 weeks before I started the blog, so I have a little catching up to do…

I had a great time at this race! I spent the morning meeting some really inspiring runners. This was the first race back for a man I met who adored running, but had to take quite a bit of time off due to chemotherapy. I met a lot of people who were coming back from illness or injury of some kind. That seems to kind of be a trend in 5ks – a race to help transition back into what someone loves after something kept them from it.

This race took place around the Pomona fairgrounds, with a nice part of it on a track. The people here were awesome! The volunteers were super nice and runners were taken care of like no other. It was only a 5k, but we still got nice technical shirts and tons of snacks at the finish. They even wrapped us up in the plastic at the end as though we were honest to goodness marathoners!

Considering I had another 5k the next day, and was still pretty new to running, yet again, my goal was just to finish, but around mile 2, I realized that if I kept pacing the way I was, I could finish in under 45 minutes (which didn’t seem real to me considering my last one took close to 50!).

I moved along, watching the clock, with the new hope to finish in under 45. And wouldn’t you know it? I finished in 44:07!

At the finish line I started asking a woman “can you believe it?! We did it!” She was a sweetheart. We waited together (not long at all) for her friend. That’s how I met my two new friends Betty and Charlotta. This was their first 5k, and they’re ready for another one!

Tagged: Holiday 5k, Pomona