Cross 10K off my Bucket List...

I ran my first 10K yesterday as part of the Rock & Road in Kinvara and was delighted to have shaved 4 minutes off my best 10K - Here are my official results:

Everything in life is such a learning experience and yesterday's race was no different. I have learned the following key lessons in life which I hope I will never forget:

1. Never drink a pot of tea before a race: As we were in Kinvara and registered with over an hour before the race started, we went in to the Pier Head for some tea to warm ourselves up. I needed to pee which before the race - and while we were in the starting area, I needed to pee again. As I had a few minutes before the race started, I went back to the toilets only to find the feckers in the Pier Head had closed the pub (probably to keep people like me out!). The queue for the portaloo's was too long so I went back and started the race. I thought I was going to piss myself going around the 10K
2. Never underestimate the kindness of strangers: Sometimes we forget how good natured strangers are. Yesterday was amazing to see the amount of people who sat on the walls of their houses and cheered us on as we passed. There were kids high-five'ing us and cheering us on. My favourite was the older lady wrapped up in her big jacket standing outside her house with a big bowl of haribo jellies. She told me to 'take as many as I needed, I was close to the finish line'.
3. Never judge: As I made my way around the course I was having my usual 'state of yer wan' type conversations in my head. You know, not in a bad way but in a kind of a judge-y internal way - we all do it. Anyway, I overtook this lady around the 2K mark, I don't know why but I just had my mind set on overtaking her. She had slowed right down and I smiled to myself as I passed her. She didn't cross my mind again until she overtook me at great speed around the 8K mark...
4. Never underestimate the power of a friendly face: As I came in to the final stretch of the run, there was my Mam and Nana standing on the sidelines cheering me on. This only heightened my already emotional state. It was funny the feelings that rushed over me as I came close to the finish line but seeing my Nana is her little jacket waving me on and my Mum calling my name was really special. They hadn't told me they were coming up to the race. As I turned the corner, I saw my brother-in-law Niall and his wife/my friend Emma with my two little nephews - then I saw my other half cheering me on with some friends of ours Rachel (who's boyf was running too) and Aisling. The gang from work who had already finished the race were cheering me on from the other side of the finish line. People really are great aren't they!
5. Never underestimate YOURSELF: If you had told me 6 months ago that I would be running a 10K in 61 minutes, I'd have laughed in your face and called you demented! Today I proved myself RIGHT - I knew I could do it. I've unlocked something inside me and given myself something new to work on and towards. That is why I have signed up for the Burren Half Marathon in May... And I KNOW I'll do it.

Below is a pic of me at a friends birthday party last year (left) weighing in at over 19st versus me yesterday after finishing the 10K and weighing in at nearly 4 and a half stone lighter.

What a brillaint experience! I'm proud of myself and look forward to running my next 10K in under an hour... Now, I'm off to find a 10K I can do between now and May to keep me focused!