Turkey Day 10K

I had not run for four days leading up to this 10K and this made me NERVOUS. I had a sinus infection that wouldn't go away even with medication and the 5K the Saturday before was my last run.
With one goal in mind (completion) I met my buddy Amber and some of her friends in Ft. Mitchell to carpool into the city.
We found a great parking spot - shuffled into the cold air downtown and starting finding familiar faces...our Get Fit Family!
After two bathroom visits we settled in at the 11minute mile marker on the start line. Amber had a goal to finish under 1:15 so we put that at the back of our minds and began. After the first line of starters took off we had a 10 minute shuffle to get our start line to the actual start. Nerves were VERY high at this point and I was juggling taking pictures, and starting timers as we stepped onto the blue mats to activate our timing chips.
The first 3 miles felt good. In fact they felt great. I remember crossing the 5K mark thinking, why have I ever walked a 5K? I just ran one without a stop?
Each mile marker caused for celebration - a high five- a time calculation and a new determination to keep on moving. The water break wasn't until mile 4 and we both needed some desperately. As we slowed to walk to swallow some water the only word to describe how my body felt was PAIN. The pain in my hips as we walked for a few seconds was excruciating. I decided then and there that I would not walk again - and we didn't. We solidiered up the last hill to the final bridge to cross the Ohio river and it started to hit us - OH MY GOD we are running an entire 10k!!!
Emotions teetered back and forth from pain  to disbelief, to pride and accomplishment. The last .6 was difficult - I didn't want to make another turn - I just needed to see the finish line. People who had already finished were crossing the run line to get to their cars and spectators were cheering.
There were strangers with signs for us strangers encouraging us along - a funny one said "This parade sucks - where are the floats?" ~ that made me laugh but at that point around 4.5 or so - I couldn't let my mind wonder too far.

When the final banner (same start banner) was in sight it was automation that had taken over to allow us to finish. My hips were burning and Amber's foot was in a lot of pain - but by George we DID IT!!

I would like to say the runners high lasted all day - in a way it did - but my body was in shock. I enjoyed some Hot Flow yoga the next day to stretch out all sore and wounded feeling parts and would highly encourage that or a good massage for these longer runs. I can't imagine running for longer than what we did 6.6 miles in 1:14 (under our goal time) - but I guess we have to because we have a 13.1 mile race on our docket for March!