Jingle Bell Run

Philip and I were asked to do the annual Roanoke Jingle Bell Run yesterday to sponsor the Arthritis Foundation. So far i’ve run only one other 5k – back in May – and two half-marathons within a little over a year from each other so in all my years of being a runner I’m still a racing novice. I must comment that the Jingle Bell run was a hit with the two of us. It’s my kind of 5k. I enjoy races that are well-sponsored and supported because it truly makes all the difference in the motivation and overall enjoyment. Even though it was twenty-something degrees at eight o’clock in the morning yesterday and we were recovering from a bitingly cold evening out at the Dickens of a Christmas festival downtown the night before, it didn’t take long before the hype of the race got our blood running. Our group leader runs towards us “here! tie these bells to your shoes!” A local radio station is blasting cheerful christmas songs, friendly faces with rosy cheeks are filtering through the door of the registration area, there are cameras flashing as other groups pose, my mom shows up with my sister decked out in their thickest apparel to cheer us on, my dad registered on the spot in a last-minute decision to take part, and we were pleasantly surprised to be joined by several friends we didn’t realize were running for our team as well.

We lined up and sprang into running mode with little waiting around when the gun went off before anyone was really ready – ha. I stayed with my husband until about three-quarters of a mile into it and then challenged myself to see just how fast I am in a short race these days. I know how to pace myself for a half-marathon, but am I fast? Apparently I did o.k. yesterday because I was awarded second place among the females in my age group for my time of 24:56. If I’d known there were prizes, I would have tried harder. After the race, several hundred runners and their families were ushered into a building for a sort of after-party. Fun. Very fun. Will do it again in a heartbeat.