HUGE RUN IN THE DARK BLOG!!!

    Today is WEDNESDAY, or THE RUN IN THE DARK DAY!!!! I have been training for about a month now leading up to today. I have been running anywhere between 3KM and 5KM for the past month every night. I stopped 3 days ago running with a 3KM run. I did a 3 Kilometer run in under 14 minutes. The next 2 days I did not run, because my Mom talked with other runners, and they said leading up to a big run, they would not train 2-3 nights before it. It was good to let my legs rest, because my legs (especially my right leg) was very sore from all of that training.

     Monday, and Tuesday passed, and Wednesday came. I had a Half Day Wednesday. I had a piano lesson right after school, but before my lesson I went to get a snack from a nearby shop because I would have no lunch. I had a very good Piano lesson, and Im learning a new song called "Golliwogs Cakewalk" It is a upbeat kind of funny song. I might record it once I have learned it. I went home Wednesday, and got ready for the run.

        GETTING READY:
                 To get ready, I got my envelope that had my running number on it that I put on my shirt to display, a yellow wristband that lights up that everyone wears because it is a "Run in the Dark" and also my zone bracelet. I was in the last Zone which were the people who thought they would do the 5K in more than 35 minutes. Luckily when I got to the Custom House (where the run began) Ms. King and Mr. Hickmott were there and they gave me a Zone 2 Bracelet.

      I had 2 pairs of Gloves that I was wearing during the run. Me and My Mom left and walked down across the Liffey. We got some beginning pictures when no body was there. I got a picture infront of the Custom House, the Starting Line, and my Mom got to meet my friend Pierce!

My Running Number and Yellow Wristband that lights up!

Me standing in front of the starting line! (Custom House in the Background)

Custom House from across the Liffey!

Starting Line!!

Me and Pierce getting ready for the Run in the Dark!

         When I got to where my Zone was, (Zone 2) I saw a lot of other people from St. Andrews in a group with Ms. King. I went over and my Mom was there until we were about to go. She took my Sweatshirt so that my running number could be visible. I put my Yellow Light up band on my leg because it was easier for me that way. I got some cool videos of people lining up and running. My mom got this cool picture of where I was, right next to the Run in the Dark stage where they were playing music and talking to people with a microphone. 

All of the 10,000 people lined up ready to start the Run in the Dark!

           When we started running, I got separated from everyone I knew, because everyone runs at their own pace, and I wanted to do the best that I could. I started out pretty fast, I was passing a lot of people. There were certain areas where people could pass people like on sidewalks when most people running were in the roads. I was doing a lot of passing people. It was kind of interesting to weave in-between so many people running so close together. I did not listen to music. 

       Some people were out of breath around 3km and panting, and that just reminded me that the most important thing about running (or for me at least) is breathing. I try to not breathe a lot, and I take deep breaths, slowly, and I keep my breathing as slow as possible, and that helps me not cramp up in my stomach. When I saw the 3km sign that told me that we were 3km through the race, I was thinking we might be almost half way through, so It was re-assuring to see that we were more than half way through.

       I never really sprinted at the end, but I did speed up a little bit. I tried to keep a steady, fast pace throughout the run, and I had no energy to sprint at the end, but I did keep that constant speed. I think that all of the energy I could have used to Sprint the end, was used weaving through all of the people, and passing the people that were slower than me. Pierce came in about probably 1 or 2 minutes after I finished. His watch said 26 minutes. Im hoping I got under 25 minutes or even 24 if im insanely lucky. 

Me and Pierce after the Run. (Glad that they had free waters at the end)

Me at the end (everyone else is ending also)

St. Andrews Run in the Dark Squad. 

          I was really tired at the end of the run, but most of all, my legs really hurt. They will probably hurt worse in the morning, especially my right leg, which always hurts more for some reason. I will probably not run at night for about maybe another week, than start running every night again to train for next year, maybe a 10km!

      Oma, Levi and My Mom were there to greet me at the end of the race, and we walked home. On the way home we stopped at a store next to the Pierce Street Dart station to get me a snack for like a reward for doing the Run. Then we finally got home. It was a fun experience, and I wore the shirt that my Grandma Nancy got me, its really cool and its from Peru!

-November 16, 2016