Yesterday, I ran the Annapolis 10-mile Run.

It was my first time in Annapolis as well as my first race in Maryland, which now brings the number of states I’ve run in up to three (California, Virginia, Maryland).

Because Annapolis is about 38 miles away from Washington, DC, I had to rent a car to get there. Driving on the East Coast has been an interesting experience. Let’s just say, Californians are much better at marking our signs and exits, plus our drivers accelerate while switching lanes and pass using the fast lane (on the left).

All that aside, the Annapolis 10-miler was amazing.

Annapolis is a beautiful, quaint little town and running down main street really made me embrace the culture of the East Coast: cobblestones, small mom-and-pop shops, tight-knit communities.

I was determined to go out there and have a good time.

Before the race even started at 7:45, the sun was already out and beaming down.

Note to self: Wear a hat next time.

Honestly, since I’ve moved to Washington, DC about two weeks ago, the longest distance I’ve run was the 3.5 miles at Run Amuck.

I thought I wasn’t going to finish the 10-miler. But then I decided that I was going to run for fun. It is true that races are about finishing time but running is about enjoyment.

For the first seven miles, I was beaming with happiness. I was all smiles, high-fiving all the race supporters, waving a children, living in the moment.

The scenery was gorgeous. Running across the Annapolis bay bridge (I think that’s what it is called…), I was just blown away by the sight. The sun glistening off the water, the boats in the harbor, the trees covering the mountains. It was beautiful. I couldn’t have asked for a more scenic run.

However, included with the scenic run are elevation and hills.

I do not train on hills or inclines as much as I should (read as very rarely, if ever). But I refuse to be defeated by a hill.

I plodded my way through and even though I was only at mile four when the elites were making their way to mile 9 (cue fast runners finishing 10 miles in less than an hour…), I didn’t care.

This run was about me. It was about my determination, my desire to finish, my strength to prevail.

At mile 7, half of my race bib came undone, so I decided to walk for a few minutes so I could pin it back on.

And it was during this walk that I experienced the worst side stitch I have ever experienced. It felt like abdominal seizures, like a charlie-horse but in my lower abs and sides.

I can’t decide if it was from being dehydrated or over-hydrated, because at that point, I had just past a water station and chugged 1 cup of Gatorade and 3 cups of water. My belly was sloshing around, and I was experiencing the half-puke half-burp sensation. (Too much info? Nah.).

Mile 7 also happened to be where the runners all started climbing a steep hill, probably the steepest of the entire race.

Curious about the elevation profile?

All I could think about was how close to the finish line I was.

I did not run more than half of this race to quit now.
I did not put myself through heat and hills to not cross the finish line.
I did not drive all the way to Annapolis to give up.

And so I persisted.

Eventually, after my stomach stopped feeling like a water balloon, the side stitch went away. I also saw the mile 8 marker at this point and I knew that nothing was going to stop me now.

I ran the last two miles.

Towards the end, it wasn’t the easiest of runs, but what I learned was that if I go into the race aiming for fun, it makes things so much more enjoyable.

Smiling throughout a race really does make the miles fly by.

I finished in a bit over 2 hours (not sure on the official time yet), but what matters most is that I finished.

 
What I learned from this race?

It’s time to get serious about my full marathon.

Running is supposed to be fun. Don’t ever forget that.

Finishing is the most important. It’s about completing what you started.

I can do it.

 

How do you train for hills?

What have you learned from races?

I am still sorting through all the Drop Dead Gorgeous by December entries for this week. Check back tomorrow!

Never wear high heels – wedges or not – three nights before you’re supposed to run a 10-mile race.

I have given much thought to this, and my final conclusion? High heels suck.

They are HORRIBLE for you! Yeah, they might look cute, but they deform your feet, hurt your back and posture, and contribute to osteoporosis and abnormal musculature development. Yet women wear them all the time, sometimes for hours and days on end.

Why is it that we do this to ourselves?

I almost feel like high heels are even worse for you than high fructose corn syrup. Most people see a red stop sign when they read “high fructose corn syrup” on the nutrition labels, but very few women think DEATH when they see a pair of heels in a store’s window.

Why is it that we love footwear that is uncomfortable, painful, and can deform our feet?

I am guilty of this. Whenever I walk past a shoe store, I glance in and immediately think Oh, cute! and very rarely do I think about how painful it would be to walk a mile in those shoes.

I honestly believe that high heels are completely created for vanity purposes, so that women can look good but be rendered useless. I’ve never seen or heard of somebody running a full marathon in heels.

And I sure as hell hope that day will never come.

After I tortured my poor feet for four hours on Thursday night, I decided to go back to what I knew was completely comfortable, natural, and nourishing for my feet: Vibram FiveFingers.

Walking around DC fully barefoot would render even more awkward looks, so I decided to settle for the next best thing. So far, my FiveFingers (aka gorilla feet) have yet to fail me.

I enjoyed the lovely weather last night as I walked a few miles around town, soaking in the scenery.

And I learned that a few hours of vanity is not worth a few days of pain.

Never again.

I leave you with this: Few women resist buying heels, and most don’t even consider the detrimental effects high heels have on our bodies, yet MANY people – men and women alike – question how “safe” barefoot and minimalist running is.

Barefoot running is completely natural. It’s what our bodies were meant to do.

Heels, on the other hand, are designed with only vanity in mind.

 

Are you an avid heel-wearer?

Or are you a barefoot supporter?

What questions/concerns do you have about barefoot running?