2 down, 4 to go… and Happy Halloween!

This post is only minimally food-related, so skip out now if running or cute kid pictures bore you.

Okay then. The second race of the Austin Distance Challenge, the Run for the Water 10-miler, was this past weekend. Since the course is a hard one with lots of hills, and since we have a few injuries in the group (including my own nagging yard work-related hip issue), the coach suggested that we look at the race as a training run rather than all-out racing it. I am a competitive person by nature, though, so even though I accepted that advice in advance, once the starting gun went off, it was all out the window.

It was a beautiful, perfect day for racing — clear sky, temperatures in the low 50s, max — and the course was absolutely stunning. The route took us west out of downtown, along Lake Austin, and into the hilly surrounding neighborhood before winding its way back to the 1st Street bridge. When I wasn’t totally blissed out by the beautiful day and the gorgeous scenery (which wasn’t too often!), I was daydreaming about living in one of those hilltop mansions.

Back into downtown and back into reality, I was still feeling great. So great, in fact, that I was kind of kicking myself for not having left more on the course. I had been following a couple of people — guy in a singlet and girl in a running skirt and socks that made her look like a Catholic schoolgirl (not sure if the look was intentional or not) – who were setting a good pace since the second mile or so. At that point, I kicked it up a notch and passed them, and never looked back. Somewhere in mile 9 I saw my coach and she cheered me on, and I kicked it up another notch. When I rounded the corner and saw the finish line, I knew it was almost over and I gave it all I had and sprinted it in to the finish.

That’s me in the middle, kickin’ it.

A friend of mine caught that photo and I simply adore it. Instead of looking like the girl who is dragging along and about to puke (my normal race-photo effect), I look like a total bad-ass — just like I felt! So awesome.

Anyway, I kicked it and crossed the finish line in just over 1:34, which was pretty much my goal pace. Hurrah!

What is the food-related portion of this post, you ask? I stopped and got a half dozen piping hot Krispy Kreme donuts on the way home. I don’t usually crave them, but for some reason, I saw the sign and I needed them. Please do not ask me how many of the donuts I ate personally. It simply would not be polite.

After a nice hot shower and some coffee, I finally started being able to feel my fingers again. My legs have been a little heavy for the last couple of runs, but, all in all, I am pretty much recovered and ready to run 16 this weekend. Maybe cupcakes instead of donuts this time?

Also, since I do know it is Halloween (we’ll be enjoying some neighborhood trick-or-treating in a little bit), I just have to share a photo of my munchkin.

So speedy.

She’s a marathoner. My DIY butterfly costume was not exactly a fail, but I needed more time to get it in presentable shape, so we went with the same costume she wore for Rogue‘s brew and grill run last weekend. I do believe she is the cutest marathoner I’ve ever seen!