Berry College Race Day.

Jessica Cornwell, on her 39th birthday drove 1 1/2 hours to Rome Georgia from Southside, AL to run in her first 5K. It was pitch black, except for the  lightning that lit the sky.

It rained steadily even as I arrived at Berry College. I checked in and picked up my packet but by this time my feet were already wet, it was only 7am. The race had already been delayed by an hour at this time so I took my bag to my car and pinned my bib on. I then waited. I waited, and I waited some more.

I stayed in the gym for a bit, in the dry and warmth, but the amount of people in there was smothering. I walked outside to the runner's refreshments tent and got a drink. I walked back to the gym. I walked back outside and back to the runner's tent about an hour later, or at least it seemed. I then decided to find me a place, semi-dry because by this time NO PLACE was dry.  Then it came, Half was cancelled. The 5K & 10K were still on tentatively, but, and the announcer made this clear, if there was one more lightning strike it was over. As if to test him, lightning streaked across the sky and thunder boomed. About 10 mins after the cancellation of the half came the announcement that and along with it my goal of running my first 5K as a birthday present to myself had ben cancelled. A young girl who was there to run her first 10K and I were both on the verge of tears. I am not sure if mine were because my hopes were dashed or because I was so freezing cold I thought I was going to die. Hell it was probably a combination of both.

Today though, I am sick. I could already feel myself trying to catch the stupid cold that has been going around work but I went anyway. Can I just say that water repellant it not good enough to keep you dry. I am not sure anything would have been good enough to keep me dry yesterday short of an indoors run and even that would have been questionable. I can say at least I followed through. I signed up, the day came and I got up at 3:30 in the morning, I drove to the race in the awful weather, I signed in and I stayed. I was prepared to run it. A year ago I would have never even signed up. I guess you could say I fought the battle and won right?

Now excuse me while I go take another dose of Nyquil.