a porta potty adventure + a late race + a terrible time = a great weekend!

We had a great trip to Charleston! I loved spending time catching up with Cindy, my cousin that lives in too-far-away-Charlotte. Okay, she's only about half an hour away, but that's just too far! It was also fun to meet her new roommate, Britney. The three of us drove down on Friday morning and spent some time bumming around the expo, and then downtown Charleston.

We were stuck in traffic for awhile on the way into Charleston (something about 40,000 people running the race causes traffic. Odd, eh?), and I REALLY had to potty. Bad! So, as we were stopped beside some porta potties lining the road (for the following morning's race, of course), I hopped out to potty really quick hoping to get back out to the car before the cop at the light decided to let our lane drive.

Well, half way through my, uh, potty break, I heard cars moving. Sad times. I came out to new cars in front of the porta potty parade, and my cousin's car nowhere in site. I wonder what the people in the cars thought about the girl that randomly came out of a porta potty with a confused look on her face. Anyhoo, I ran down the sidewalk trying to find her car, and thought that maybe they just went on to the expo, which was only about a block or so away. So I give them a call, and finally found them (yay!). They had pulled up on a sidewalk the next block down and was waiting for me. Apparently Cindy tried waiting for me at the porta potties, but multiple cops came running towards her car in an attempt to get her to move, so she had to drive on. Of course, this all happened in a span of maybe 3 minutes. Fun times!

Oh, and I can officially say that I've used a sparkling-clean porta potty! The seat even had plastic wrapped around it, saying it was newly sanitized. God bless the porta potty sanitizer people. I couldn't do it, I'm afraid. But I'm glad someone did!

I had another interesting porta potty experience the next morning before the race. This one included me wearing a tutu in the teeny tiny porta potty. But we won't go into that experience. *shudder*

Anyways, the run was fun, however not my best at all. Lack of sleep (I randomly woke up at 1:15AM and didn't get back to sleep), starting the race an hour late (yes, they started an hour late - more on that in the next paragraph), standing around for almost 3 hours before the race ever started, not eating for 4 hours before the race, a crazy sharp cramp, and some lady issues didn't make it my best time at all. At. all.

Remember how I said they started the race an hour late? Yeah. Apparently there were some issues with the shuttle buses taking people from the Charleston side of the bridge (finish) to the Mt. Pleasant side (start) and people were still on buses at like 7:30 (30 minutes before the race). Then, the buses had to clear the bridge before we could start. So, instead of starting the race at 8:00, they started at 9:00. Which means since we got there round 7:30, we had to stand around for an hour and a half before we started. We also stood in line for the buses for about an hour before we loaded our bus to be taken to the start. I think I was mentally done before we ever started. lol

So, my time. My goal was under an hour. Last year, I did it in 1 hour and 3 minutes. This year, not so much. I finished 1 hour and 10 minutes (+ some seconds). I am honestly proud that I was able to run and finish the race in the time that I did. However, I am so competitive with myself that my time totally bummed me out. But that's okay! I'll do better next year. :)

Okay - done complaining!! I really did have fun, and although it wasn't my best run, I most definitely will do this race again next year. The experience is always completely worth it.

Cindy did an EXCELLENT job during this race! This was her 2nd 10k, but I don't really count her first one since she had a broken tail bone. She ran it in an hour and 18 minutes! Yay!! So proud of her. :)

-Cindy and I finally made it on the bus, after waiting forEVER! All smiles here though. :)
-Everyone was wondering what was taking so long to start. The people behind us were making jokes like, "I never practiced standing around for an hour before running 6 miles before! I'm not prepared for this!" I decided it was a good sit down and rest your legs time.
-One of my favorite pictures from the weekend! Cindy and I are waiting for the race to start. And the guy standing behind us totally photobombed our picture. Nerd! Funny nerd though.
-LOVE the bridge!! This picture makes the race totally worth it. Such a pretty run!

Lesson learned? God can humble us even through regular life experiences. I was so pumped up about running the race in under an hour, yet I was completely knocked on my rump with everything that lead up to the race. I don't exactly deal well with failure, but I'm learning to slap on a smile and clamp my mouth shut! Not sure I did a great job at that this weekend though. lol

How was your weekend? :D



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Get Your Rear in Gear ...in a pink tutu!

Last year, when I was just getting into running, one of my students' parents mentioned putting together a team for the Get Your Rear in Gear 5k benefiting colon cancer. I jumped on the chance to be in the team, and we were eventually named the Wise Cracks (haha!).

We ran the race again today. Our team just about doubled this time though! We are teachers, spouses, friends, and children. Here we are...

(You've guessed it - I'm the one in the pink tutu.)

My big brother Aaron (affectionately known as Bubba to me) ran in the race as well.

I helped him pin his race number on.

*ahem* Can I just say that I beat my big brother in the race?! :D Aaah...victory! I still love him though...and of course, he still loves me...even if I do rub it in his face just a few times. :)

Quick picture before the race.

The race went really well. I didn't remember the course being very hilly, and it really wasn't. There were a few hills, but not an abundance, and they were completely bearable.

I always do a really big sprint at the end of the race, trying to beat the clock.
I must say that I'm pretty much a beast at running when I do this.
I run hard, and I run fast.
If only I could run that hard and fast during the whole race - I'd beat the pants off everyone there!

Okay, so..my time for this race. The clock as I crossed the finished said I ran it in 30min 36sec (boo!!). But when I started thinking about the course, they didn't really time it very fairly. Instead of starting your timed chip when you crossed the start line (having it be a true measure of your race), they started timing when they started the race. So, although I was probably in the middle of the pack, meaning I didn't cross the start until probably a minute or so after the first people did, they timed me as if I started at the front of the pack.

That being said, I checked my Nike+ time, and I ran the race in 28min 59sec!!!!! Yes, yes...that is UNDER 30min, people!! Woo!! I was so proud!!

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Side story! So, in the last picture I have up there, take a peek at the tall guy with the blue shorts on. Okay, now rewind to last month when I ran the Cupid's Cup 5k race. This guy was standing around near me and some friends waiting for that race to start. He talked with me a little about my tutu - he was wearing bright pink shorts, so we teased about switching so I would wear his bright pink shorts and he would wear my pink tutu. I saw him briefly after the race, we said good race, and went our separate ways.

Fast forward again to this morning and this race. Shortly after the race began this morning, this random guy ran up beside me and was like, "HEY!!! Remember me?! Wanna trade still?!" It startled me, but totally made me laugh!! He continued running...buuut! I caught back up with him and finished just a second or two behind him at the end of the race. I wanted so bad to run back up beside him and catch his attention before we crossed the finish, but he was just a hair too quick. That's okay though. I still finished in under 30minutes. :)



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cupid's cup

The Cupid's Cup 2010 was my first race ever. My cousin Cindy and I ran it together in honor of my grandma - she died December of 2009 from heart problems. The Cupid's Cup benefits cardiovascular health. Cindy wasn't able to run this year because she broke her tail bone snowboarding. Sad times.

I'm proud to say I shaved a little off my time this year (even if only by maaaybe a minute and a few seconds...haha).

It was a fun race - including a "cupid" at the start and finish of the race. He had lots of muscles!! ....they were fake though (sad). It also included a pink tutu - yay! This may be my new race outfit from here on out - but I haven't quite decided about that yet.

So, here you have it...me, my pink tutu, and cupid.

He kept kissing my hand while we waited for my dad to take the picture. Can't tell it by this picture because he finally came up for air, but good gravy! It was a bit awkward.

Cupid also saw me approaching the finish line and had a fit. He hollered at me (he remembered my name...??) and said he'd been waaaaaaiiiiiiiiting for me...and then he proceeded to run to the finish with me. No fun pictures of that though.

Some of the other teachers from work ran as well. Sad to say I didn't catch a picture with them. Next time, ladies!! (not that they read this....)


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