Time to write

So its been awhile. There has been running, tears, arguments with the husband and finally today, sick children. The latter of which being what sat me down to write, finally. Even with all that time I still have no direction, no theme, no real subject. I know, total failure of topic Mrs. Grindal.

The last time I had anything to say, it was really just that I had run my first marathon. Since then, there have been more races and now there is another marathon looming in the next couple of weeks.

In April I first went to Atlantic City. Sadly, I did not see any of the Real Housewives of New Jersey. This is very disappointing. I wanted to see tables thrown. This race was nice.  The most interesting thing about it was the hotel experience. My BRF had gone up with her mom and I took my husband so we had separate hotels. I had booked what looked like a nice, safe rightly price room two blocks off the shore. For those of you familiar with the area, please don't choke on your coffee laughing. My husband and I got there, and he looked at me. The area was not nice, but in I went, checked us in and up we went. My husband opened the door and looked around. "I can't stay here," he said. I tried convincing him it was only for one night. After all, it was paid for. He looked in the rest room. "Gross! I can't sit down on this!" He tried convincing me to get a new place again. One night, I reminded him. He looked at the beds, "I can't sleep on this with you! Who knows what those marks are!" As he was working up his rant, I looked around myself. Uh oh, no coffee pot. Wait, the ad said in room coffee. NO COFFEE??!! I turned to my husband handing him my already dialed, ringing phone to Trump Towers, "Get us a new room." We ended up on the boardwalk a bit of a ways down, but safe, in a large CLEAN room, with plenty of coffee. The first hotel even graciously gave me all my money back. There were really nice folks, just not in a safe area and with no coffee.

We went to dinner and met up with my BRF for some gambling. Clearly, I am not a gambler. Its good to know I can go to Vegas and I won't gamble away my house. I tried penny slots and freaked out at the money I was watching disappear. My BRF just laughed at me. I tried black jack. Not my thing either. I lost what I had left in two hands and the drunk guy told me I didn't know how to play. My husband, however, did all right. Nothing big, but broke even.

Atlantic City Board Walk April 2014

The next morning we raced. Running on the boardwalk was nice. You could see where they had repaired from hurricane Sandy and the boards had give. The section at the middle of the race was on the road, also being repaired, and that sucked. It was rough, very canted and just generally not in good condition. Fix the road and I would run it again, without the gambling.

 

 

A week later was the Dismal Swamp Stomp where I totally failed bathroom protocol. As my running friend Susan says "Go early, go often". My mistake. Won't happen again. It was a local race on a course I had trained for the marathon on. It goes out just past eight miles so its easy to get long runs in for those of us who hate running in circles. I am not a cartoon character and I don't want to run like one, despite what race pictures may reveal. I got there in plenty of time, with plenty of rest. Met up with some running friends for pictures. Went to the rest room. I don't eat breakfast on race day, so usually lots of potty is not on the agenda. (Bad Kris, bad. O.K., consider my hand smacked, I will work harder at fueling.) Chatted with friends and lined up only to think "Oh no. Naw, can't be." Yep, had to pee, again. Off goes the gun. I am slower, so you would think at the back of the pack, I probably still had time. Nope. Small race. The back really wasn't that far back so I had to make friends with the first potty on the course. There went any thought of a PR. The line was 4 deep. Apparently I wasn't the only one who forgot to read the race potty hand book. So I waited, and waived to my friends running by, and waited. Finally it was my turn and then I had to hurry to catch up. Having to do that at the beginning of the race sucks, what with all that not going out too fast and stuff. Totally blew all those rules out of the water. Over all, it was a great race after that. A little hot, but always a pretty course and anytime I meet up with running friends its fun. Plus they had pizza at the end. I love pizza. They should make a pizza race. Yum!

Not sure who took this, but credit goes out to them.

 

May was the Nut Job in Frederick Maryland. I quite enjoyed this race. It had hills, a little rain and historical landmarks. All things I like. I went up with a couple of race friends and we met up with my BRF. First night was shirts, bibs and a quick 5k. The race started on a race track, down the hill and back up the hill to the race track again. However, there was no 5k medal. What?! If you are running a challenge, one that says you're nuts, why isn't there a 5k medal? My running friends were very disappointed in this.  Up again the next morning for more running! Yep, now you know why they give you a Nut Job medal. The half was even better. Rolling hills, through a very quaint town, pretty neighborhoods, good race support and back up the hill for the Nut Job medal and half medal. After we showered, we went exploring. Frederick has some wonderful historic sights and we went to the cemetery to see Francis Scott Key. All in all, an awesome race, even with the late night calls from my daughter at Girl Scout camp for the weekend.

June is the Race for the Dream half. Last year it was sooooo hot. I was taking two waters. One to dump on my head and one to drink. However, its a 'local' race, so you can't miss it. This year was the complete opposite. They changed the course and the start place. The morning couldn't have been prettier. After a cat snafu, I got to the hotel late the night before and didn't get much sleep. The start was right at the hotel though, so I got up, met my friend in the hall (we had somehow managed to get rooms across from each other despite booking separately) and down to the start we went. Best advice of the day- "Run, my friend, just go run." The day was gorgeous, I felt good, the course was awesome, hills and all, so I did. I just ran. Hello my new PR! I didn't quite break the numbers I wanted to, but everyone has to have a goal. I am VERY happy with how I did.

Now reading this, and past blogs, you think, "What the heck?! Does something happen at every race?" Good question. No coffee, crying kids at night, cat issues, maybe I am writing about the wrong thing, or maybe I am just pessimistic, always finding bad things. Either way, its time to make it better.  To have positive things happen you have to be positive. Its ways been easy to blame myself for all the bad things in the world and convince myself I deserve them. What a horrible way to look at things. So no more. Stuff happens, friends come and go, but my running will always be there. My husband is a great guy, my daughter is a wonderful child. I really can't ask for better. I love running. I love seeing all the new places it takes me. I am a bit shy in making new friends, so if they want to be there great, if not, a team is not required to run. I can love what I have accomplished for me and support others without having it be a bad thing.

On that note, up next is Rock the Canyon. A half on Saturday and a whole on Sunday. It should be amazing. It looks soooo pretty and when I am done, I can say I did it. Plus, I can mark PA off the list and there will be a covered wagon ride, how awesome is that?! I can't wait! More great company, history and hills. My favorite! Bring it on!