Sunday Sippin' Wine Sort of Day

Pull up a chair.

Here.

On my porch.

I've got a great bottle of wine for the two of us, so we can sip…and sip some more…and shoot the breeze.

Catch up on things…this crazy life, that we're both living.




If you were here, sitting on my porch, sipping some wine…we'd talk about running. Because, really, if you read here at all, you know how all-consuming it's become in my life.

And I'd tell you that it's a GOOD thing, this running…not that I'M any good at it - not at all - but I'm still learning, and I'm still pushing, and I'm still determined to get better at it - even if it kills me.

Which. Seriously??

It had better not.

I'd tell you how much fun it's become, this setting of goals…this striving to meet and beat some challenges…just to see if I can.

I like those words: "I can."



So much better than the alternative, "I can't."

Because who wants to live life, saying, "I can't"?????

Not me.

**********

If you were here, sitting on my porch, sipping some wine…I'd tell you about the fabulous plans we have coming up this summer…

…including a two-week trip to Europe, where we'll be visiting some seven countries, including one I've hardly ever heard of (Liechtenstein, anyone??!!), and some that have been on my Bucket List foooooorrrrrreeeeevvvvvveeeeerrrrr.

Like, Switzerland.

And I'm hoping for some FABULOUS adventures which I can write about in my own unique way, which will have you, my Dear Reader, feeling as if you'd traveled right along beside me.

London. Paris. Venice. Vienna. Switzerland. Germany. Liechtenstein.




What does one do in Liechtenstein?

Please tell me if you have any suggestions, because really, I'm at a loss.

I think I just like saying that word…"Liechtenstein"...it rolls off the tongue, it does…especially after a few (few??!!) sips of wine.


**********


If you were here, sitting on my porch, sipping a bit more wine…I'd tell you how I still struggle dealing with the death of my father. Oh, I realize it's been over seven months now…but there are some days when the grief and the pain and the tears are as fresh as that day in October, when I got the phone call that changed my life forever. Something so innocuous as a smell, or a song on the radio, can trigger a flood of emotions that almost cripple me sometimes.



This year of "firsts" sucks…the first Christmas without my dad, the first birthday without my Dad, etc, etc…even going to the first Royals game this season sucked, because it reminded me that the last day I had with my Dad before he passed away was at a Royals game.


Sigh.

Death sucks, right?

I know you'd agree with me, if you were here, sipping wine….


**********


If you were here, sitting on my porch, sipping some wine…I'd tell you how awesome my gluten-free diet has been going.

You'd probably laugh, and then roll your eyes, but I'm totally serious.

It didn't always go so well, after getting the diagnosis almost two years ago of Celiac…I can't tell you how many times I accidentally poisoned myself with wheat, and how debilitating those times were. Nowadays, I can go weeks - if not months - since my last "poisoning" - and that's a good thing, trust me.

I'd kill, though, for a donut. I can't believe it's been almost TWO FREAKIN' YEARS since I've had a donut.



If I knew I had only one more day to live…I'd seriously stuff my face with a dozen of those beauties…gluten be damned.


**********


If you were here, sitting on my porch, sipping some wine…(or perhaps by this point, we'd be guzzling the wine, and really, would that be a bad thing? I think not.)…I'd tell you how crazy-busy our family has been…what with baseball games, and symphony tickets, and end-of-school-year activities, like Academic and Music award nights, etc, etc.

I've learned, more so than ever, that life is short, and by golly, I'm going to cram as much living in to every. single. damn. day. that I can.



Cuz you just never know.

Peace.

Running With the Cows: A Review

"The only thing we have to fear…is fear itself."

A famous quote…perhaps you've heard it?


This quote could sum up last weekend's race, the Running With the Cows Half-Marathon in bucolic Bucyrus, Kansas.

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I'd like to point out that this is probably the first time I've ever had an opportunity to use the word "bucolic" on this blog…it's a proud moment.
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This was my 5th half-marathon overall, since I delved into this semi-long distance last October. You would think after running four previous halfs, that I would have some semblance of confidence.

You would think wrong.


After my somewhat disastrous half-marathon three weeks prior, at the Garmin Half Marathon in Olathe, Kansas - I was a tad bit anxious for this latest race.

Wait. "Tad bit" anxious??

Yeah, right.

I was scared to death.


All week, negative thoughts consumed my every waking moment…and were often the last thoughts I had before drifting off to disrupted sleep each night. All of those anxious "What if??" questions racked my brain…"What if I can't finish?" "What if my back hurts?" "What if I do even MORE horribly??!!"


Yup. Pretty much. This was me all week.



This is what's interesting about running for the non-elite runners - the good majority of us, actually - who strap on running shoes and head out each weekend to run in local races in our community.

We're not out there to win. We're not out there for the glory. We're not competing against the thousands of other runners beside us at the Start Line.

We're out there to compete against ourselves.

We're out there to push ourselves…to go harder…faster…better than our last race.

We're out there to test our limits…both mentally and physically…to see just how far we can go.


Truth.


And my negativity about this race had me firmly convinced that I had reached my zenith at a previous half-marathon, and I would NEVER improve…NEVER go faster…NEVER get better…and thoughts like that can defeat you before you ever line up at the Start Line.


It had not helped that I'd had a somewhat disastrous training session the previous Tuesday with my personal trainer…she'd pushed me - HARD - and I'd crashed and burned…huffing, puffing, praying for death…one speed drill shy of throwing in my towel and retiring my tennis shoes forever.


So…race day approached. The weather forecasts were ominous…calling for severe weather, hail, overall doom and gloom.



That didn't help my anxiety, but I knew - short of a tornado - I could run in the rain, and I'd just run wet. Fortunately, the temperatures were projected in the 60's - so I wouldn't be super cold. I could do this.


Packet pick-up was the day before the race, and I did get a kick from the bright and cheerful race shirts & bibs:


The front



And the back.

How cute is THAT??!!

Maybe this race won't be so bad…??


The night before the race, I set out Flat Me:



Another of my Sparkle Skirts…cool, comfy, and POCKETS to carry important stuff, like a phone! Hubby told me that I looked like a Catholic school girl, which somewhat fit the theme, because the race was benefiting a local Catholic school, Queen of the Holy Rosary School, in Bucyrus. Only because I was in black, I felt more like Britney Spears, in a "naughty" Catholic school girl uniform.


Our alarm went off at 4:30 a.m., as we needed to be on the road by 5:00 a.m. It was going to take a good hour of driving to reach the race location, and because of heavy rains all week, the race organizers were going to park us in odd locations along the sides of rural roads and then bus us to the Start Line.


This poor town. Thousands of cars parked all along the rural roads…it was surreal.


Because I had been so anxious about this race, I'd literally typed out a checklist the night before - and noted everything that I had done WRONG at the Garmin race…so I would NOT make the same mistakes again. Everything went smoothly as we were getting ready…but then…I began to feel sick.

As in, I'm going to puke, sick.

Gah.

Was this real? Or was it anxiety? I tried to do some deep, focused breathing on the drive to the race, but I was still just…sick. Bleh. Just what I need.


After parking on some road out in the middle of nowhere, we hopped on the school bus and rode a short 2 miles or so to the staging area. Dawn was breaking, and there was a bit of a chill in the air…but they'd opened the doors to the school, which provided a welcomed respite while we waited for race time. The kids at the school had done some awesome decorations in preparation for the race:



My personal favorite, though, was this guy - who seemed to sum up my mood all week:




The school had a bag check, snacks, coffee, and tons of amazing volunteers. It was practically a party BEFORE the race even began.


Kristin and I before the race...


I was walking through the cafeteria, when I saw someone sitting on the floor, stretching out, who looked familiar. I gave her one of those, "I know you from somewhere…" looks…and realized she was giving me the same look. Recognition suddenly dawned; it was Heather, a fellow blogger here in Kansas City who writes at "What the Heck, Why Not?" I'd discovered her blog quite awhile ago, and had been wanting to meet her "in real life." It was great to FINALLY meet in person!!


Me, Kristin and Heather


You can't tell from this picture, but Heather is Kenyan. She's one of those super-fast runners who basically finishes races an entire time zone ahead of me. But this is what's cool about the running community - everyone is so stinkin' NICE, no matter how fast or slow you run. Everyone is there to support everyone else.

It's pretty cool.

And speaking of bloggers, I also FINALLY got to meet ANOTHER local blogger/runner, Allison. I didn't get a photo with her, but she writes at Dailey Runs…and she's ALSO Kenyan. Sigh. If you want to know how the other half lives…i.e., fast runners…check out Heather's and Allison's blogs.


Beep Beep!


At this point, I needed to get outside and do some running to warm up. This is one of the mistakes I'd made at Garmin - socializing too much before the race and NOT warming up - and I wasn't going to repeat this. In fact, I think my unofficial mantra for the morning was, "Don't do a Garmin. Don't do a Garmin."

So…heading outside…I ran for about 5-10 minutes…enough to loosen everything up…and it was then time for more socializing.

Because that's what racing's all about, right??!!


Actually, it was time for a group photo of the Half Fanatics…which I'd qualified for after the Garmin. I'd somewhat organized this photo op the night before on Facebook, determined to get a picture of all the Half Fanatics running, because, by golly - I'm now IN this darned club, and there'd better be a darned PHOTO:


A HUGE group of Half Fanatics were represented!!! Awesomesauce!!!



It was now time for me to say goodbye to everyone - including Phillip, Bill, Sandy, Paula, Kristin, Hubby - and sadly, even THIS guy, the Cow:



I needed to get into the corrals and start focusing on what was ahead. Time to get the electronics all turned on (Garmin watch, headphones, music, etc) and make sure everything was working. Time to breathe. And I was STILL feeling pukey. Bleh.


My trainer had set a goal for me to finish this race in 2:38…which would give me a 2-minute PR (personal record). So, I lined up by the 2:40 pace group, thinking I could hang with them most of the race and then push out a little ahead at the tail end, giving me that 2:38.

Speaking of goals…the night before, I'd read a bit of "Meb for Mortals: How to Run, Think and Eat Like a Champion Marathoner", and I'd specifically focused on the chapter dealing with goals.

Meb suggests that you set not just one goal, but several goals, for a race: an A Goal, B Goal, C Goal, etc. His A Goal is obviously to WIN the marathon, but if he can't win, then what's his runner-up goal? If he doesn't make his runner-up goal, then what's the NEXT runner-up goal? And so on, and so on.

Taking this into account, I'd set up the following goals:

A Goal: Beat 2:38 (which would be a PR)
B Goal: Meet 2:38 (which would be a PR)
C Goal: Run 2:38 - 2:40 (which would beat or tie my previous PR)
D Goal: Beat 2:47 (which is my worst time so far - Garmin - gah)
E Goal: Beat 3:00
F Goal: Just Finish


My ultimate goal was the A Goal…but I'd settle for any of those.


Soon, the gun went off, and we were off.


The Start Line from above...



In my attempt to "Don't do a Garmin" for this race, I was determined to be caught smiling and having fun at ALL photo ops. In this first one, I did not disappoint:




The course consisted of mainly straight, long, hilly passages…with a few sharp turns thrown in. The race advertises itself as "gently rolling hills" - and they weren't kidding…about the hills, anyway. I'm not so sure about the "gently" part. Some of those hills were long…and I was determined, though, to take them slow and easy and not get wiped out too fast, too soon.

Don't do a Garmin.

The school children had done some awesome chalk art on the roads the days before the race, which somewhat broke up the monotony:



Running with the 2:40 pace group, though, was presenting a problem…they were going just a tad bit TOO slow for me. Without realizing it, I found myself slowly creeping up on the 2:35 pace group. Checking all my systems, I was assured that I was NOT going too fast, too soon…and I told myself that if I had to fall back at some point during the race with the 2:40, I still had that option. So, I kept going.


Conditions were near perfect. It was still cool…still cloudy…and there was a gentle breeze blowing in. The 2:35 pacer, Kelly, was running 3:1 intervals, with slight slowdowns as we climbed the hills, and a slight speed-up as we crested and cruised over the top of the hills. By Mile 3, I was totally in the groove, thinking that my A Goal was still within sight.

I had studied the course ahead of time, and knew EXACTLY when to fuel up with my GU gels, and when to grab water. Again, this was a result of Garmin. I was not going to BONK and hit the wall too soon.

Don't do a Garmin.


My music was amazing…I have over 800 songs on my running playlist, so I never really know what's going to come on. I listen to everything from Tom Petty to Aerosmith to Johnny Cash. At Mile 4, I had to laugh…as Britney Spears (don't judge) began singing, "Hit Me Baby One More Time":


Wearing her naughty Catholic schoolgirl uniform….


Around this time, I ran up on a running maniac, Sandy, who's a rockstar…we chatted for a bit, but then I was off.

Around Mile 5, I ran into Kathi, my Red Cross buddy…we chatted for a bit, but then I was off.

This was becoming a pattern, it seemed.

Before I knew it, we were at the halfway point, where we turned around and began running back in the other direction. My A Goal was still in sight, as I was still hanging with the 2:35 pace group, with no issues, other than I was starting to feel a blister burning on my left foot - right where my beloved (not) bunion is.


More hills…more pasture…more cows…the only break in scenery occurred when we'd come across the numerous aid stations scattered throughout the course. The volunteers here were pretty amazing; most of them appeared to be kids - probably the kids from the Queen of Holy Rosary Catholic School.


At Mile 8, we began "The Climb." This was the longest, and steepest, hill on the course…it went on for what seemed like forever. I looked up ahead, and could not see the crest anywhere in sight. I swear to God, we were climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, and I began to struggle a bit mentally, wondering if I would EVER make it to the top of that darned hill:


What it looked like from my point of view...



Running is 90% mental and only 10% physical. It's that 90% mental that I have to work on…so I was, once again, DETERMINED to "Don't Do a Garmin". No negative thoughts were allowed to cross my mind on this day. As soon as I began to feel defeated - especially on this stupid mountain - I pushed them out of my head and focused on my goals.

Especially A Goal:

Beat 2:38.

It was still in sight.

And again, my music came to my rescue. "Deep Way Down Deep" by Selah came on, and I knew I had to dig down deep and push through for about 3 more miles. It's funny how we hear the songs we need just at the right time.


After what seemed like forever, we crested The Mountain, and began a long, slow downhill for awhile. Everything was still going right…I was fueling when needed, and feeling strong (other than the blister pain.) Around here, I ran into another friend, Paula, and it was good to chat with her. These little chats with friends are uplifting and supportive, and I always appreciate running into a familiar face along the road.


Soon, we were approaching Mile 13.

By now, I realized, that unless disaster struck - like a tsunami, earthquake, or tornado - I would reach my A Goal.

I was going to beat 2:38.

And I was one happy runner, as this photo bears out, taken at Mile 13:



Turning the corner for the last .1 mile to the Finish Line, I kicked it in to high gear. Running as hard and as fast as I could (thanks to my Beast of a Trainer, who makes me do this on my Speed Drills), I gave it everything I had. Wanting to puke, but not wanting to mess up my Finish Line photos, I gunned it…and soon, the Finish Line was in sight:








My time?

2:34


COWABUNGA!!!!!!


My best time EVER!!!!




After the race, Hubby and I stayed for awhile, cheering on the other runners and chatting with friends. There was a potluck luncheon in the school, which I heard was FABULOUS, but being Celiac, I tend to stay away from those…which sucks, because I was STARVING at this point.



Eventually, we caught a bus and headed back to the boonies, where our car sat, forlornly on the side of a bucolic pasture road…and it was time to head home and call it a day.

Oh, and that doom & gloom weather they'd been predicting all week?

Didn't happen.

And neither did the puking that I was SOOOO feeling all morning.

Life is good.


Things I Liked:

1. Organization
2. Shirts/Medals/Cowbells
3. Aid Stations/Volunteers - plentiful. Oranges, snacks, Oreo cookies, milk, candy, etc.
4. Weather conditions
5. Indoor facility to hang out before the race


Things I Didn't Like:
1. Parking.
2. Hills - although none too steep, there were a LOT of them. That last hill was a killer.

Trolley Run 2015: A Review

Sometimes, well-meaning friends and family members have asked me why I keep training, and pushing myself, and signing up for races that start at ungodly hours on a weekend morning…

…and the answer, my friends, is bacon.


I confess…I have a love affair with bacon.

The aromatic smell, the crispy crunch as I snap a piece off in my mouth, and then...the smokey taste…nom. Nom. Nom.


I run so I can eat bacon.

And the Trolley Run, a 4-mile downhill race here in Kansas City, offers an opportunity to run WHILE eating bacon.

Win-win!!


Let me back up.

The Trolley Run, now in it's 27th year, is one of the largest 4-mile races in the country. With a plethora of 5k's (3.1 miles) and half-marathons (13.1 miles) around, it's always awesome to find a 4-mile race, as it offers that perfect (for me) distance that's a tad bit more challenging than a 5k, but not near as grinding as a half marathon. The race benefits the Children's Center for the Visually Impaired (CCVI), so it's not unusual to have blind runners, along with their guides, running along beside you. Way cool.

The course follows the old streetcar/trolley tracks, and for the most part, is a gradual downhill course. SCORE! I love downhill courses. Almost as much as bacon. Almost.




I wasn't sure how my legs were going to be for this race, after having ran two half-marathons the two consecutive weeks prior to this. They were tired, but I figured that four miles was tolerable…surely, I could do this, right? Hubby and I had done this in 2014, and it had been my longest race at that point, to date. I had finished last year in the blinding speed of 49:10, with an average of 12:18 mile. I had placed 114 out of 264 women in the age group 50:54.


Me, last year. I hadn't discovered the beauty of Sparkle Skirts yet.


Could I top that this year?

I had certainly spent the last year training hard…so would it pay off?

Or would the two half-marathons I did the first part of April slow me down?


The night before race day, I had laid out "Flat Me":



If you haven't figured out by now, I have a serious addiction to Sparkle Skirts. They are da' BOMB. Built-in running shorts underneath, with POCKETS - SQUEE - that do NOT ever, ever ride up. And they sparkle. With glitter. Which is awesome.


Watching the weather conditions, it was going to be a little cooler than I liked…I began second guessing that tank top I had planned. When we woke up at 5:15 am, we also discovered that there was a northwest wind that was creating a windchill of 40 degrees. Yikes. I decided to add a base layer under the tank top, as well as a running hat to keep my ears warm.

I would end up regretting that base layer…and I'm learning that I really, really need to trust my initial gut reaction on what to wear, and to QUIT second-guessing myself.

Anyway.


Hubby and I made the 25-minute drive to the Country Club Plaza, which is where the Finish Line was located. This is a point-to-point race, so we needed to park at the Plaza and then ride a free shuttle bus the short 4-mile distance to the Starting Line, located in the Waldo neighborhood of Kansas City. We had no problems finding a parking spot on the Plaza, and then walked a short distance to where the buses were lined up - and HOLY COW.

We were met with mass pandemonium, as thousands of other runners all squeezed, pushed and shoved, trying to get on the few buses available. This race is organized by waves, and one of the race organizers began barking loudly that anyone with a red or blue bib needed first dibs on the buses, as those were the first two waves. Well, Hubby was red, and I was blue, so we hopped to the front of a line and quickly got on a bus, and although we didn't have a seat, we were just happy to be on one, and not still in the mass chaos. I used this short ride to go over my mental game plan, after having learned my lesson at the disastrous Garmin Half-Marathon.


Arriving at the Starting Line, a light drizzle was falling from the sky, and most of the runners were huddling under the awnings of nearby shops. It was surreal to see the Starting Line near empty this close to the start of a race:



Seriously. There's over 5,000 runners, so where the heck is everyone??!!



I almost had one of those, "Am I here on the wrong DAY???" moments, which NO runner ever wants to have. That's the stuff of nightmares.


Plenty of port-a-potties were available, and after making a quick visit, Hubby and I went to a side street to begin warming up. I've found that this is crucial, CRUCIAL, to how I'm going to perform in a race. When I first start trying to run - no matter how slow, or no matter the occasion - my entire mind and body will go into somewhat of a state of shock, and immediately rebel against this forced exercise. Seriously, it's like my legs don't even know how to function, and they'll stumble blindly down the road, each one going off in a different direction. My brain will be all, "Whah??!! What the He$$??!! What IS this foreign thing you're trying to do right now…RUNNING??!! We don't know what that is, and we DEMAND that you STOP!!! NOW!!!"

I've learned that if I warm up for 5-10 minutes, and push through these treacherous thoughts and motions, I'll eventually settle into a rhythm, and my mind & body will be all like, "Oh…we get it now! Running!! We know how to do that!! Silly us. Okay - we're good. Continue."


So. I warmed up. And I got into the groove with about 15 minutes before the start of the race…at which time, I kissed Hubby goodbye so he could go up to the Red Wave, while I settled into the Blues.


Sometimes, Selfies are NOT your friend.


While waiting, I checked Facebook, because, I mean…well…isn't that what everyone does before a race??!! I discovered that one of my Red Cross buddies was also at this race, so I texted her so we could say hello before the race:


Meghan and Me



It wasn't long before the national anthem was being played, sung by THIS guy, and he was really, really good - and I could HEAR it, which was even MORE awesome:




After that, a drone flew overhead, which, although drones are a bit creepy, they're also a bit cool:


SMILE! You're on CAMERA!!!


It was about this time that I started to get my Garmin 220 Forerunner watch started…and to my horror…it DIDN'T start!!! Ack!!! It was somehow…frozen…and it would NOT turn on! A brief panic attack ensued, as I wondered how I would ever, EVER hope to run four miles without a watch.

And then my brain settled down, and I realized it was NOT my watch that was doing the running, but my legs. And my legs were fine. Rather than trying to run/walk with intervals, I told myself that my new strategy would be to "run" the course…run as much as I could for all of the downhills, and walk, if needed, only when there were uphills or I was just too freaking exhausted to run anymore.

Whew. Panic attack averted.


The gun started, and the Red Wave took off…and a few minutes later, it was our turn - the Blue Wave. I had settled towards the back of the corral, not wanting to get caught up in a deluge of runners at the beginning of the course. My strategy was to get a good "pocket" of space around me, so I wouldn't waste time bobbing and weaving around slower runners or walkers.


There are a few uphills on this course, and most of them are at the beginning. Compared to the hills I'd been running the last few weeks at the Rock the Parkway and the Garmin, these hills were NOTHING. I just ran. And ran. And ran. I kinda' felt like Forrest Gump, in that it seemed that all cylinders were firing, and everything seemed to be settling into place: I just felt like running.




Before I knew it, I was already past the Mile 1 Marker…I was so focused on running, that I TOTALLY missed the race photographer stationed along the sidelines…



I know. I'm shocked, too. I'm normally on top of those things. No cheesy smile for the photographer?? I'm so disappointed in myself.

However - take a second look at that photograph, and notice the visually-impaired runner behind me, alongside his guide.

That is WAY cool.


Although my legs were feeling really good at this point, I was getting pretty hot. As in, this is how I felt on the inside:



So hot. So freakin' hot.


This is the 2nd race in a row I've worn that base layer, and the 2nd race in a row that I have COOKED. I obviously heat up on the inside like a race engine, and I need to just leave that thing at home - or send it to some needy kid in Siberia next winter. Gah.

I had to resort to my old standby…at every aid station, I would sip the Gatorade, and dump the water - over my head. As in, let's get totally soaked in 40-degree temperatures. Smart, huh?

By now, we were heading north on Brookside Boulevard, which is one of the prettiest streets in Kansas City. Not only are there some really cool houses along this stretch, there are some pretty awesome residents, who pull out all the stops to cheer the runners along every year. They'll set up lawn chairs and boom boxes, and sit there with their kids, their dogs, and their friends, yelling encouragement to everyone who passes by. They have awesome signs of encouragement, and the kids all offer their hands for "High Five's" as you run past, and I, of course, being the Queen that I am, happily obliged, high 5'ing every kid I passed. Ah, my loyal subjects - thank you for coming out on this chilly Sunday to support your Queen.




Not to mention, I got lots of compliments on my AWESOME skirt.



And as awesome as the music, and the signs, and the pooches, and the high 5's from the kids, and the skirt compliments were - there was one thing, and ONLY one thing, on my mind, at this point.

The bacon.


It's a well-known tradition at the Trolley Run for one house, along Brookside Boulevard, to set up their grill and fire up bacon. Which they then pass out & distribute to anyone and everyone running along the course.

BACON!!!!



I had missed this famous "aid" station last year, but there was no way in H.E.L.L. I was going to miss it this year - so I kept my eyes - and nose - peeled. And I found it.



I know. I look like a wild-eyed crazy bacon stalker.



However…a curious thing happened. I discovered that attempting to run - really fast - while chewing on crispy bacon - is not the best combination. My mouth was too busy trying to focus on sucking air, and I was now attempting to force it to chew, and SWALLOW, bacon.


Yes. Instead of walking and chewing gum…as the saying goes…I was attempting to run and chew bacon.




I failed. One thing had to go, and if you think I would sacrifice the bacon in order to race faster - you thought wrong.

I sacrificed some time on the clock to savor the bacon.

Priorities, peeps.


As I was slowing down to savor the bacon, a woman ran by me and said, "NOOOO!!!! Don't slow down NOW!!!!! You've been my pacer!!!!!"

Which totally shocked me, as I'm normally the one globbing onto someone in front of me like a cat on velcro, and here someone had been globbing onto ME!!!




After my bacon break, it was time to push on…and before I knew it, I was approaching the Finish Line at the Country Club plaza. Without the use of my Garmin watch, I had NO CLUE as to how fast I'd been running…had I been running too slow? Too fast?



Yup. Clueless.

I crossed the finish line, and you can somewhat see the doubt and confusion on my face here…I haven't had time to get my official results to see how I'd done. Had I sucked? Had I rocked it?


Okay. Not my best look. But I was still very, very confused.


As I stumbled through the long chute at the end, grabbing a water bottle, a banana, and whatever else they were throwing into my hands, I frantically looked for Hubby, and couldn't find him anywhere.

This was odd. Normally, he's RIGHT THERE at the Finish Line, ready to greet me with open arms and the adulation that I deserve. Huh. Weird.

As I was looking for him, though, the lady that had said I'd been her pacer approached me and thanked me, AGAIN, for pacing her. I said, "But…you passed me! When I stopped for my bacon break!" She replied that I'd soon passed her, and as I'd been running the "perfect" pace, she'd tagged behind me the rest of the way. And she'd managed to set a PR, so she was extremely appreciative.

Not to mention, she liked my running skirt.

Duh.

I made my way to the spot where Hubby and I had agreed to meet up, in case we got lost, and as I sat waiting for him, I managed to check my results.

And I was Blown. Away.


I finished this race in an amazing time of 42:04, with an average mile of 10:34. I had placed 89th out of 311 in the 50-54 year old females.

I had shaved almost seven minutes off from last year.

Whoa.


Soon, Hubby found me…and he admitted that he'd missed me at the Finish Line, as he didn't think I'd be finishing that fast.

Whoa.


It was the Sparkle Skirt.

Or the bacon.

Maybe both.




Things I Liked About This Race:

1. Pretty much everything. The course is awesome, the aid stations are situated just right, the crowd support is amazing, and the after party is to die for.

2. Bacon.

3. Did I mention bacon?


Things I Didn't Like About This Race:

1. The only negative thing is the bus situation at the beginning…always a bit chaotic. I don't like point-to-point races for this exact reason….