Jingle Bell Run 10K

Wanting to run some kind of marathon while we were in California—I was hoping for one in Sacramento—but the only thing I could find was one up in Placerville on Christmas eve morning. Okay with me!
The description said: A Jingle Bell run among the Christmas decorated streets of Placerville. So I signed up for a 10k; thought it would be fun to run down Main Street.

After registration, I was unable to find a map for the run. So, I sent an email and got a quick response sending me to ANOTHER website with a COMPLETELY different run title: Placerville Path Mingle and Jingle.

The race was NOT down main street in Placerville, it was rather, on a running trail that follows highway 50 east up the mountain. How misleading! I was disappointed, but not enough to put me off the run. (I mentioned this to my new friends whom you'll meet below and they had thought the exact same thing.)

So, in another email I inquired as to how many runners had signed up. 97 That's it. And that was split between a half marathon, 10k, and 5k. I was more deflated. But I still wanted to run a Christmas eve race...and race fees are nonrefundable—it's just the way things are—so I went with a good attitude :) That's what running does to you. Heh. Heh.

It was in the lower 30's that morning. SO COLD. I picked up my running bib (with no chip) and Adam left me so he could go back home to pick up the cheering squad. I waited and walked around and around this bus station trying to stay warm while looking quite fashionable in my Ugly Christmas Sweater and hat.

It's funny how people tend to attract to one another...somehow we three saw each other waiting alone so we grouped together and ended up becoming 20 minute friends.
I don't even think we traded names, but we had fun chitchatting while waiting around for instructions.

I said good luck and Merry Christmas to my friends (they were doing the 5k) and grouped with my 10kers and started running when the bearded man said "go!" and pressed his official stopwatch. There were perhaps 20 of us in the 10k group.

The path was nice, forested in parts, and we didn't see the freeway much. It was uphill for the first half for an elevation gain of 449 feet! Since my training in flat Texas elevates about 115 feet... there were a few places I had to walk just to get my heart rate back down or else pass out. But knowing there was a cheering squad I couldn't disappoint, I pushed myself to keep pace!

Below: the overpass goes right over Highway 50 just outside of downtown Placerville. A few cars honked as we ran over. It was fun!

I had the pleasure of passing this awesome cheering squad twice! It was such a small race, they were the only ones cheering anyone along the path. One runner told me she felt the love.

I don't know if they truly WANTED to come—except to support me—so I am grateful! (I mean, who REALLY wants to get out of a warm bed to come cheer a bunch of strangers...?) But it makes such a difference as a runner, who's doing something hard, to know there are people waiting to cheer. It was AWESOME.

The nice thing about this race being uphill during the first half....is that the last half was all downhill! Who doesn't like running downhill? (Though, it put an unusual kind of strain on my hip, and I paid for it later. I could barely lift my leg for a couple of days and the pain was so intense I felt it in my back. The pain still isn't totally gone.)

The girls and Mo met me before the finish line and ran with me to the end. Then I hit the finish line where everyone else was waiting. So fun. I love my family. I think about this day often when I am out running alone (more like limp-running since my hip is still giving me problems. Yes, I know I should stay off it. I know. I know.)

I picked up my official FINISHER certificate...no comment...and picked up my goodie bag of kale chips—because thats what every thirsty, dry mouth runner wants at the end of a good run—and went home to enjoy the rest of the day in the usual Christmas Eve fashion.

You are all AWESOME!