RICHMOND — Determination helped me cross finish line in 30 minutes  — Tinsley Carter

Frost sparkled across the grass at Keeneland on Saturday morning as runners gathered around the barns, stretching and jogging to warm their muscles up. And I was one of them.

Lorie, her husband Steve and I forfeited our day to sleep in to run our first 5K race since beginning our training in January. We participated in “Run for the Hill” benefit race for Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Center.

Butterflies were turning in my stomach as the man in charge called all runners to the starting line. I wasn’t finished stretching! But I cranked up Prodigy’s “Invaders Must Die” album and prepared my mind for the race ahead.

With the sound of an airhorn, off we went. The first three-quarters of a mile were a gentle uphill climb and I was feeling pretty good. Then came a nice downhill, and before I knew it, I was at the one-mile mark.

I didn’t train much the two weeks prior to the race because of illness, so I started feeling the start of the second mile. It was a slight incline, running all the way up the Keeneland drive where it connects to Versailles Road. People in front of me stopped running and began to walk. And then, on the other side of the road, here comes the first place runner. And he’s leading the rest of the pack by at least a quarter mile. It turns out he finished the race in about 15 minutes. That’s running at about a 5-minute mile pace!

I reached Versailles Road and turned back around and enjoyed the rest of the second mile, going at a slight decline. More people started walking, and I was thinking, “Man, for not training very much for the last two weeks, this is going surprisingly easy for me!”

I was picking people in the distance to try to pass. If I couldn’t pass, I tried to pace with them.

With only one more mile to go, we turned left, and ran up a pretty good hill, and looking ahead, I saw a mountain. Well, technically, it was just a steep hill, but when I got to it, breathing hard, seeing people stop to walk up it, I thought I couldn’t make it. I had to stop. But I knew if I did, it would be difficult to pick up my momentum again. And I knew I would be letting myself down, and would hate to think about that moment. So I pushed. And at the top of the hill I felt like doing a little dance I was so happy I made it!

I was so tired at that point, but I knew I only had a half-mile or so before the finish line. And it was all downhill until then. So I lengthened my stride and picked up the pace.

I caught up to Steve, who passed me at the 2-mile mark and we ran it into the finish. He crossed right before the clock flipped to 30 minutes. It was a few seconds over when I crossed.

I did something I’ve not done in 11 years – something I thought I’d never do again! I ran a 5K race. And I finished. Without stopping. And in 30 minutes.

As I crossed the line and walked through the chute, I thought I might throw up. But that passed, and euphoric wouldn’t even begin to describe how good I felt at that moment.

I’m excited about running. I can’t wait until the next race. And I can’t wait to start training to run more. 10K, half-marathon, here I come! And my next 5K, I will break 28 minutes.

Through my training I have come to realize my determination is so strong. There have been so many times I felt like giving up, or stopping or taking a break. And with sheer determination, I go on and work through the thoughts in my head telling me to stop.

The C25K program really works. Saturday is proof of that. I’ve gone from barely being able to run a minute and a half to running a 5K in 30 minutes.

All it takes is dedication and determination, and following the motto, “NO EXCUSES!”

Add 5K runner to my description — By Lorie Love Hailey

Friday night, I could barely sleep because I was so anxious and excited about my very first 5K race. It reminded me of my childhood, when on the night before the first day of school, I would toss and turn and think about what was in store the next day.

Would I be able to run 3.1 miles? Would I have to walk any of the race? How long would it take? Can I do it?

My mind raced with thoughts and questions, regretting runs I had missed and days I had cut my workout short.

Eventually, I fell asleep and woke ready to run!

I remained nervous until the race began. But once it did, I started running, trying to keep my normal, steady pace. I had to stop one time to adjust my shoe laces, but I jumped right back into the race.

A man who seemed to be about seven feet tall stayed in front of me the entire race. And he walked most of it. He looked like a head on top of very long legs. I would pass him occasionally, but the next thing I knew, I’d look up, and there he would be.

I remained steady and enjoyed listening to my eclectic music list. “Party in the USA,” “Poison” by Bel Biv Devoe, “Boom Boom Pow,” “Faith” by George Michael, and “Blind, Crippled and Crazy” by the Derek Trucks Band were among those that kept me going.

It was not as difficult as I expected. It was challenging, but so fun and exciting to see what my training had accomplished. My body is different now because I am a runner.

When I got to mile two, something inside of me changed. I knew that I had never run more than 2.5 miles in my training, but I was now convinced that I could and would finish this race. I felt wonderful. Empowered. Giddy, even.

As I got closer to the finish line, I began to run even faster. The cheers from Steve and Tinsley, who already had finished, propelled me on.

I crossed the finish line at 35:52 seconds. And I was thrilled with my time! I figured as little as I had run in the last week, it would take me at least 40 minutes to finish the race.

It truly was amazing.

We felt energized by our accomplishment, not exhausted by it, and even went on a hike later that afternoon.

I am a runner. I can now say that with confidence.

I’m looking forward to my next 5K, which is March 28.

Who knows how far we’ll go? The sky is the limit when you have no more excuses.