C'est La Vie

I did it, you guys!! I ran my 1st race in years and I didn't stop once, well only for a second or two because my running buddy couldn't work the camera :)

It was already an emotional day, to think that I would be running in a race and to top it off that I'd be running along side my dad! I've said it before, my future goal is to one day cross the finish line of the ING NYC Marathon with my dad. But this was equally as special. The Emerald Midnight run was his first race, some years ago and I remember waiting for him to finish the race when my sister and I were little.
This time around they waited for both of us!

 I had little crying fits throughout the day and as the hours winded down to midnight I started having fleeting thoughts of running away, or just saying that I was feeling sick or something, so that I'd have an excuse for not doing the race. But all my tweets, messages, and texts that I'd received throughout the day and days leading to New Years Eve made me think of all the people thinking of me and rooting for me, plus wasn't this what I'd worked so hard for?!? To run my first race!

 I put on my running gear which consisted of a red sparkly skirt, pink sneakers, LED earrings and Sparkly Soul red headband. I was ready to bring it on!

With my dad, a few minutes before the race started!

The fireworks started going off and off we went running into Central Park. I felt good, ecstatic and pumped. There's no better energy like that than being surrounded by a bunch of runners, screaming happy New Years while doing something they really loved - running!
I'll never forget the feeling of looking up at the sky and seeing it light up with colors and screaming Happy New Year Daddy! Sure it was a cold night but I felt warm and happy.
I didn't get any cramps and my asthma was perfectly under control, what was even more exciting was the fact that I didn't stop once to catch my breath. I've been running every morning and every single time I did one those morning runs I've always stopped to catch my breath. This time I didn't!!! I didn't!!!
 My feet didn't let me stop, I couldn't, and I didn't want to. My dad said words of encouragement the entire time, "You can do it, chiquita", "Your doing great", "We are almost there", "Your doing it, Chiquita"  and the moment we both saw the finish line, we started racing each other. It's a feeling like no other, I felt like a little girl again, running and giggling with her daddy as she crossed the finish line. I shed tears of happiness and I felt proud of myself .
I set my heart on something and I did it!!

My boys

With my seester and niece or nephew :)

With my dad & mom!

This girl right here has set her heart on running a half marathon in 2013 and SHE WILL!!
Because she can!!
Cheers to what's sure to be an epic 2013!!

Love,
Kary xoxo

P.S. Stay tuned to the MyCommitent race which was done only a few hours after my New Years Eve race! I was on a roll that day :)