Running the Ramblin' Rose!

I haven't written in a while... and it all goes back to the same excuse as always: I am BUSY. It doesn't help that I got sick for a week and was unable to run, go to the gym, move... I worked from home, which consisted of several naps in between various doses of antibiotics/mucinex/tylenol/sore throat syrup and cough drops. Oh, and in that time, I still had to manage a golf tournament and go to class. I did have to skip out on a 5k last weekend though. It would have been my 9th for the year, but I woke up on Saturday and knew there was no way I was capable of running.

I had signed up for a 5-miler this weekend with a classmate, but my illness kept me from preparing. I haven't run 5-miles in who knows how long, I've done some 3-milers, and a couple 4, but not 5 in a long, long time. So today was a bit of a struggle, but I made it. Crossed the line in 48:03. Sprinting the last little bit and beating my friend (she was actually ahead of me for most of the race).

Usually after races longer than a 5k, I'm set on "never running anything that long again," but today, I came home looking for more races. I don't feel bad, even though it wasn't my best time, or effort, I am excited to run.

Today was my 9th race of the year, so I'm still on track for 12 races in 12 months. Signed up for #10 in November (the Color Run). Just have to find 2 more to do between now and December 31st and I'm all set. I've completed my first 8k this year, my first 4-miler and my first 5-miler. I'd like to do a 15k but it looks like most of those are in the midwest right now for some reason.

I'm motivated right now to be active. I joined 2 yoga studios... one because it's close to my house and one because they have really awesome classes. The one closest to my house doesn't offer "hot yoga" only warm, but it's still a good class. I've gotta get back in the swing of spinning and weights too. Worked out once this week and have had upper body pain for the rest of the week. Maybe I'm just getting old?

Running... and high hopes while hiking!

Wednesday was my 3-year anniversary with my boyfriend. However, I had class so there was no celebrating to be done on Wednesday. So yesterday, my boyfriend told me he had a day o' fun planned for us... starting with hiking at Crowders Mountain. And hiked we did.... 5.2 miles... 5.2 miles that make your ass sore kind of miles.

 We got all the way to the top and I was thinking to myself... THIS would be the perfect spot for a proposal. Sitting on top of the world, peaceful, together... but no. I won't drag it out because it's simple.. it didn't happen. Although, he was super sweet up there telling me how much he loves me and how great our 3 years together has been... still no ring.

All hope was not lost, because we had a delicious dinner reservation at The Fig Tree and that too, could be the perfect place for a proposal. Romantic dinner in a darling little house set in Elizabeth... we were dressed up so pictures would be amazing afterwards. So we had appetizers and salads and entrees and dessert and coffee (and some libations)... and the night was winding down. I was pretty sure when the check came that it wasn't going to happen there... and THEN...

He suggested we go for a walk in the park across the street. Meanwhile, my friends are texting me/blowing up my phone asking if anything exciting has happened. Of course I agreed to the walk in the park, which lasted all of 5 minutes before he suggested we go back home and watch a movie in bed.

There you have it folks, I'm still "single" by all legal definitions. I'm still just the forever, live-in girlfriend.  I still don't get to start planning my happily-ever-after because for all I know, it's never going to happen.

Maybe I should just start running... and see where it takes me.

Running & Memorial Day!

I had an incredibly active Memorial Day weekend - which included an extra day off work! Who doesn't LOVE a 3-day weekend?

My fun really started on Wednesday, when we saw Dave Matthews Band at Verizon. What an awesome set list! We heard so many songs that we hadn't before and he played some of his new ones. Seriously an amazing show. Totally worth being tired and slightly hungover at work on Thursday.

Thursday, we went to the Charlotte Knights game with some folks from work. I really have some awesome girls that I used to work with (BF still works with them). So glad that we've stayed in touch and I get to spend some QT with them outside of the office.

Friday, I decided to run when I got home, went for a 3-miler but it was so hot (87 degrees) that I had to stop & walk three or four times. I still finished in 28 minutes, so I was proud that I was able to make up for the time that I walked. I also took my dogs for a mile long walk after that. Then we had an AMAZING dinner (shrimp & grits!) at The Fish Market in Baxter Village. Yum! Should be on everyone's restaurant bucket list!

Saturday, I took the dogs for another long spin and spent most of the day outside soaking up the sun (with sunscreen on of course!). We went to NoDa Brewery for some afternoon beverages and had the chance to taste Maki Taco Truck's tacos. Basically like heaven in your mouth. Seriously, the freshness and deliciousness combined was enough to give you a stroke (in a good way!)

Sunday, we took the dogs to Lake Wylie for a little morning hike before the temps got too high and then we went to Mac's Speedshop. This was really our weekend of good food and good beer. I needed a high-intensity workout after so many days of beers and big meals, so I hit the gym. I was doing intervals on the treadmill. Finished a 5k in 24:43 - pretty proud! My PR is 24 even. We ended up at the White Water Center afterwards for some music. Our friends had told us to check out the Black Lillies, so we stopped by for a beer and some jams.

Today, I did Body Pump to start the day and then took the dogs for a little over a mile long walk. My legs are begging for BioFreeze today. Seriously, so much pain. I'm a little nervous about how I will be able to walk tomorrow... should be interesting. But totally worth it because we just had a week that should go down in the record books. Loving life. And best of all... I'm going to be an auntie this week. Damon is due on Wednesday.... we'll be *patiently* awaiting his arrival until then! 

Running... Cooper River Bridge.

We finished! Yay... what a RELIEF to cross that finish line. And then go an extra .2 to find water. My official time was 1:03:14, and although I'm usually one that hates excuses, let me explain why...

We woke up at 5 A.M. Pumped! I was running the race that 44k other people also wanted to run. I was running with one of my very best friends. And my boyfriend, who loathed running when we started dating, was going to run his very first 10k with me. I was stoked to get out there, get it over with and have a Blue Moon in my hand by 9:30 A.M. (It's legit if you've run a race and are drinking at that time, otherwise, you may want to review your priorities).

The bridge is closed down to allow the buses to transport runners to the start line. We get there at 6 AM to stand in a 2 mile long line. We figure this is the norm with 44k people running the race and waiting their turn to be taken over. So we wait... and wait... and wait some more.

It really wasn't bad waiting, we were with good company. However, we started questioning how they were going to stop running the buses at 7 A.M. if all of these people were still waiting? Surely they couldn't NOT take us over to the start line... could they? So we continued waiting... finally finding a bathroom (which of course also had a line!) I went, and came out only to find that our position in the never-ending line hadn't progressed much. Disappointing. And it was 7:08 at that time. One of the race coordinators made an announcement that the buses got lost?! We're not sure if that's really what happened but if so, all of those drivers should be fired! How do you get lost doing the same thing 20 times? Don't you do this EVERY year? Hasn't the race been a success in the past?

Finally, shortly after 8 A.M. we were loaded onto a school bus and taken (most of the way) to the start line. It was at least a 15 minute bus ride, if not more, and then they dropped us off more than a mile from the start line. So before I even started the race, I had walked 2 miles to stand in line and walk back to the front and then another mile to get the the corral I was  starting in. I was supposed to be in "D" but as we were passing "K" they mentioned the race was starting in 2 minutes, so we hurried up and ran to "G" and hopped in. Here we GO!

Nope. That was corral A that was getting to go.... at 8:56 A.M. Almost an hour delayed. For those of us corralled in "G" ... we started at 9:21 A.M. At this point, I had been up for almost 4.5 hours, had a banana and 1/3 of a Cliff bar and my GU gel. My water had been finished while standing in the longest line ever. My mouth was dry and all that excitement I had at 5 A.M.... also gone. I literally did not want to run the race. And it showed... my friend Liz caught up with me at mile 2 and asked if I was okay? Nope. Struggling. Need water. And not the hot water that was offered at water station 1 before mile 2... then I found out, the next water station was beyond mile 4. I was kicking myself for not enjoying the bathwater they offered at the first station.

We finished. And my sweet, amazing boyfriend finished in 1:10 which is INCREDIBLE for someone who had never run more than 4.3 miles before, someone who is not a "runner" by definition and someone who would have rather been sitting on the porch of the condo having his morning coffee than weaving through 44k people on a bridge with an average incline of 4, which covered mile markers 2, 3 & 4. I am SO proud. We felt fine after the race, although there was not a Blue Moon waiting on me. Disappointing. There must have been lots of complaints about the race, they have issued an official apology.

It's definitely not something I will do again. Once was enough and now it can be taken off the bucket list. I just signed up for my 4th race of the year, the Elizabeth 8k in Charlotte, NC. First official 8k I will be running, just hopeful for a better experience than the Cooper River Bridge Run.