All about my first race ever!!

This weekend I ran my first race ever, it was a 5K and I did it in 25:16. I have thought long and hard how to start this blog post. Unfortunately I have been really upset/frustrated/impressed with myself. Why is it as women we always contradict ourselves and are never happy with ourselves!!!! I set 2 goals for the race. 1.) A time of under 25 minutes, which I didn't accomplish. I really wanted to do it in 22-23 minutes (I don't know what I was thinking) 2.) Get at least 3rd place in my age group (which would mean I get a medal.) I did accomplish this goal and got 2nd in my age group. The women that got first beat me by only 30 seconds and I was in the 20-24 year old age group, 20 year old!!! I am 24 and have 2 kids, that should add about 5 years onto me. I also got 51st place overall and 10th in the Women overall. Yet after the race all I could feel was disappointment in myself.  I did learn a lot though. I didn't get the best start, and I learned how you are suppose to pass people.  A good tip: don't just stop behind people and don't zig zag all over the course to pass someone. It will add a lot of distance and time. So I think next time I could easily take 1 minutes off from everything I learned. I am SO glad I did this race before the marathon. I learned a ton. I also got very discourage at the end. When my running app told me I had been going for 23 minutes and I still wasn't at the end I almost cried. I didn't make my goal :( Then as the minutes went up to 25 I just got more and more discourage. So instead of it lighting a fire under my butt I really just gave up. I think that is what I am most upset about. That I didn't give it my all. I kept thinking after everything I've been through (the weight loss and training for a marathon) that I don't have to work hard anymore. That I can just cruise through life and not have to worry about gaining weight and staying fit. I think more than anything I have learned that I LOVE doing races and that I am now addicted to working out. I cannot wait to run the marathon and do another 5K!!! This is what I love to do and I now have a desire to continue to do better and improve my health!