The day after the Nike Human Race 10K

We did it! But what kind of ribbon do you get for coming in 152,151st? And once again, my arch nemesis Gunther Weidlinger of Munich, Germany came in first. Some day, Gunther, I will beat you. Also coming in ahead of me is my former friend, and roommate Jon Medina.

Here's what makes this so funny. In preparation for this race I have been running my butt off for over three months, lost an additional 20 pounds and have eaten dirt and twigs with a side of arugula for every meal. Jon, on the other hand, has been telling me over a pint of Haggen Daas ice cream that he really should get out there and at least try to run - once. But he hasn't had the time to train. Skinny, young people... grrrrr.

Actually, I am quite proud of myself. This is a big deal. When I topped-out at 250 pounds a few years ago, I thought my days of running were a thing of the past. When we moved to Austin a year ago, both Christopher and I decided to reclaim our health. Back in May, Christopher had lap band surgery and since then, has lost 40 pounds! I thought this would be the perfect time for me to get back into action.

I can see why people get hooked on these races. Of course, I'm an addict - and anything worth doing is worth OVER DOING! So I am registered to run in my next 10K, in November, when I visit Sacramento. The challenge is to beat my previous time. That means I am only competing against myself (plus Gunther and Jon).

Thanks for all the encouragement and support via e-mail and facebook! It really helped - thank you!

See more pics of the race by clicking here.