Firecracker Race

4th of July
Saturday we alternate, one Sat. with the team and coaches and the next is buddy training or you train on your own.
I decided to enter the 4th of July Firecracker 10k Race in Santa Cruz with my Friend Susan.
This was very exciting for me because it was my first official 10k race, however I had no idea what I was getting my self in to.
The Race started at Harvey West Park and looped around the park and led us down River street, than turning onto a side street that led us up in to Pogonip area. This started the incline uphill which steadily increased to a steeper incline, for what seemed like forever. As we are making are way up the hill (at this point I was thinking we were doing the thrill of the Hill, WRONGO) they had these really great motivational signs posted saying, "Are you Ready to Embrass the Challenge Of the Hill", and I'm pretty sure one also said, "Are you Ready To Meet Your Maker. So we Finally get to the Water Stop and the Nice lady that hands us water informs us that the best it yet to come oh, and she also says in her cute little english accent, " It is rather tricky, that hill it is", I'm thinking bring it on. Well It definatley was a Thrill alright, it turned out to be one of the steepest hills I have done. By the time I finished the Ginormous Hill my legs were pretty shacky, and at this point we still were no where near finished.
The view was great at the top of the hill and the trail was awesome, I was really happy that we were in the woods shaded by trees and done with the Thrill of the hill.
We passed through the woodsy area pretty quickly and this let us back on to the streets, and looping around the urban area. On every block of the streets we had people rooting us on and giving us water, it really was nice to see so many nice people out there that really cared.
Now we got to the down hill part and we started to go a lot faster especially knowing that the finish was very close YEA.
Susan and I must of got a second wind so we decided to start jogging, this really didn't feel to bad so we kept it up and came in jogging.
It felt so great completing my first 10k race, It really made my day to see my good friend Emilee waiting for me to finish at the finish line..
I have to say that it sure seemed alot easier having my friend with me, it really went by faster just having her there.. Thanx Susan