One hour and sixteen minutes!

WE DID IT!! We ran the Cooper River Bridge Run 10K! I still can't believe that we did it. Our goal was to finish the race in one hour and ten minutes - I'm happy to just finish the race!

We started the day really early - the race started at 8am in Mt. Pleasant and finished in Historic Charleston. We left the hotel just before 6am so we could park close to the finish line then take the shuttle bus over to the start line. We soon realized that everyone had the same idea that we did!! We ducked down a side street and luckily a parking space appeared!! I'm sure it was the last space in the city! We climbed on the bus for a 20 minute ride over to Mt. Pleasant.

The atmosphere was electric. Everyone was really pumped for the race. I was getting pretty nervous at this point. What have I gotten myself into? It's too late to back out now! Is there some strange illness that I can come down with? When 8am very quickly approached my heart was just pounding! Tod was really excited and ready to run!

Five ... 4....3...2...1..BANG! Forty thousand people started the race. The first two miles were pretty crazy. I was trying to find a good pace so I didn't wear myself out! People were passing us left and right. Tod was saying, "Hey - didn't we eat there last time we were here?"

The bridge was the hardest part. I had to stop and walk about 3 times going up the bridge. Looking around, most people did have to walk some. It was a tough incline. Total we walked about .2 of a mile. The bridge was amazing. Once at the top of the bridge a Coast Guard helicopter buzzed us! Cool!

There were some strange people who passed us in the race. A group of guys were dressed up in cardboard "Nascar's". There were 5 girls running in wedding dresses. Our favorite was a guy dressed in a sombrero and poncho and big mustache and two guys chasing him in sun glasses dressed all in khaki with "boarder patrol" written on the back of their shirts. They played the part for the entire race! We also had an injured Marine pass us with a hydraulic prosthetic leg. Many grandparents and kids were running (and passed us!) in this race!

Once we were over the bridge we only had 2 miles left. At the bottom of the bridge is the poorest area of Charleston. Everyone came out of their houses and lined the streets cheering us on. It was so moving to see. These people who didn't have much gave us that extra oomph to get through the rest of the race!!

It was so neat to run through the streets of Charleston. Once we rounded the corner from King St to Calhoun St. we had the finish line in our sight. I got so emotional that I almost hyperventilated right there in the middle of the street. Tod said' "Come on - We can do this!!" The streets were lined with people cheering. We finished strong. Tod checked his watch. I just new it was going to read WAY over our goal. He looked shocked. One hour and sixteen minutes!! I cried - of course!

We are so proud of each other for this race. NYC Marathon - here we come!

Here is a picture coming down from the bridge. Not many people are smiling!! Couldn't find us...I'm sure we are way in front!!!