Raced. Finished. Didn't Collapse.

I'm happy to say that the 10-K went relatively well this evening.

I had a few minor goals going into the race: 1) finish, 2) don't stop to walk or collapse, 3) complete the 10-K is less than 50 minutes, and 4) have a good time. I'm pleased to say that all these things happened.

I will admit that there was one point during the 4th or 5th mile when I really wanted to stop and walk. That's when I literally began praying to God for strength. He got me to the finish.

One additional point of interest came near the 5-mile marker. As I was running along, I realized that there was a snake in the middle of the path in front of me. About a second later, I recognized the two-foot-long snake as a Copperhead. By that point I was almost on top of the serpent. Not knowing what to do, I simply ran past it a few feet from its mouth. The snake, frankly, seemed bored with my presence.

In the end, it went well. Tonight showed me that I am getting older and still need to drop several pounds. It also reminded me that God gives us strength even during the less important things in life - like a 10-K.