Way too much adulting going on around here today. Well woman exam done, colonoscopy consult scheduled, ultrasound scheduled, gym membership I never use cancelled, and old homeowners insurance cancelled. Oh, and a follow up phone call to the lazy boy people since my part hasn't shown up - she said she called to verify the address to send it to last week and was waiting on that. All I had was an unknown number on my phone and no voicemail, geez. Anyway she's sending that out today finally. I want to recline again! Doctor also went over my lab results from last week while I was there and seemed amazed that everything was normal - apparently by 50 things are supposed to start going haywire. She just couldn't get over my awesome cholesterol.....yes, young doctor lady, I'm healthy.

Weird morning for me. Not only did I have to adult, I didn't run. This is the first morning in over 7 weeks that I haven't run and it feels strange. I'm going to the track tonight to meet with my group, although I think I'll go early because I want to run a different and longer workout than they are running. I really didn't know if I'd be able to handle running every day, but once I got used to it, my legs and feet actually started feeling better. I do have one or two rest days scheduled next week and the following week with races coming up.

Kat, nice report on MCM. I knew you could do it. I remember someone spectating as the Grim Reaper in the middle of that bridge when I ran it.

Liz, awww, Ruger is going to love daycare. Being with other dogs will be good for him, and having playtime and stuff instead of the crate all day will make him happier and more relaxed. We are actually having amazing weather for an entire week, lows in the 40s this weekend! Of course this weekend is the race I decided not to do.....so races the next two weekends the weather probably won't be as awesome.

Diane, your recovery plan sounds good. I would say no hard workouts for a couple weeks. Nothing but XT and slow and short, easy miles.

Susan, how cute that Skye loves getting out to run so much. I took Riley out for a mile yesterday in the middle of my run and DH said he was lying on the floor panting and happy for a long time after.

Cathy, yeah, especially with it being so close to the end of the year I can see why you'd want to wait. Painful massage helped my foot a lot. He would spend 30 minutes just on feet and calves. Hurt like hell and once I even cramped up on the walk back to the office (I would go over lunch), but that seemed to do more than anything else for me.

Damaris, enjoy the 7 and Pilates. Any weather relief at all headed your way? I saw a map that showed super hot out west and cold in the middle and east, but I know Miami is often exempted from the cold.

Tessa, looks miserable out your way. I don't blame you for sleeping in. Oh, hooray on all the kittens finding forever homes so quickly! I have no problem with real books, it's just easier and saves time and gas to get books electronically rather than go to the library. Not to mention a lot easier to carry several books while traveling. But I'm happy to read a real book if I've got it.

Lori, you are definitely exhibiting signs of the taper! You are going to be fine on race day. And MP is going to feel so much easier than it did today. You know this, even if you find it hard to believe right now. Trust your training, girl.

Okay, better get back at it. My sparkling flapper dress for the mystery party just go delivered, gotta go try it on!

karen

Karen – Of course the good weather comes on a weekend you ardent racing. That is just the way it is! Awesome news on the lab results!! Look at you running 7 days a week. Good for you! Have fun tonight! Take a break from all that yucky adulting. I can’t wait to see how Ruger did!

Hello hello friends!  Home and unpacked and dreading work tomorrow.  Keeping an eye on emails seems I will be returning to a big ol' pile.  Ugh.  I suspect a major emotional crash tomorrow after such a FANTASTIC weekend!  Let's see what I can remember...

Got to DC about 4:30 Fri - headed straight to expo schleppin rollerbags.  Was a bit of a pain but smart idea on RBs part so we didn't have to take the time to do it on Sat.  Pretty good setup.  RB bought a replacement 26.2 sticker for her car and a 0.0 for her DH haha.  Me?  Nada.  Gramma is frugal.  Finally got to our hotel 1/2mi from East Falls Church stop about 8pm and grabbed dinner nearby at a Turkish place.  Good stuff!

Saturday breakfast at the hotel then took the Metro in and walked the Mall a bit waiting for the Air and Space museum to open.  Pretty interesting.  Lunch at Mexican place and Kat was kind enough to Uber over and meet us!  SUPER fun!  Figured after lunch was the perfect time to go find Lizzie's favorite cupcake place!  Ubered over there to Georgetown.  Cute area!  A bit of a line but it moved fast.  Plus it was a nice day though the sun was warm.  I got a cupcake called Uniporn and Rainhos LOL.  Yellow cake with funfetti and a green colored buttercream frosting.  Super good but super sweet!  I brought some back for my sister to try the next day.  From there, RB and I left Kat to wonder around a bit.  Found our way to Union Station and decided to do the Hop On Hop Off bus for one trip around the city since it was getting late for them and we caught the last bus of the day.  I love those things!  Always thought they were cheesy until I did one once and now often do so.  Found pizza for dinner in Union Station and headed back - we had a marathon to run the next day!

Marathon Sunday!  Up just after 5am.  No breakfast at hotel.  RB had brought her usual pre run fuel of muffins.  I had grabbed a bagel from the day before.  Metro opened at 6am so we were there about then.  Luckily hotel DID have coffee - fresh ground Starbucks that we found last minute in the lobby.  Phew!  I nibbled on stale day old bagel on the train haha  Train got PACKED the closer we got to Rosslyn.  Then it was just a ZOO of people trying to get up the escalators out.  Pretty much followed the crowds about 1/2mi (?) to the big parking lot. Dropped our bags and were in line for the port-o-potties by 7:25  FINALLY done and walking to start at 7:55 (start time!)  Saw the cannon - didn't even hear it.  Was supposed to meet up with Kat at the 5-5:30 marker but we never got close.  Race had started but we didn't move for a good 20min.  I had no idea start was delayed, Kat!  We were clueless back there.

I pretty much hated the first 4 miles haha.  I had never looked at the race profile and didn't know about the hills.  Plus I was sorta chilly and stiff.  It was decent out - mid 50s but chilly to be standing around in a tank and shorts.  Military dude with AK47 around mile 2 clearly searching a big building for snipers was a bit unsettling.  Once we got out of the hills, like Kat, that was my favorite part - running through lots of trees with nice shade.  I decided to just run with my RB the entire time.  She's naturally a bit slower than my normal pace which is good for me in what was to be a warm day.  Saw Kat on the course about mile 8/8.5.  That was fun!  The blue mile (11) was sobering.  Saw two runners knelt down sobbing in front of one of the pictures.  Ooof.  Very somber and quiet mile.  Now there is hardly any shade and the sun is warm.  At mile 14 I checked in with RB and she said she was feeling tough but okay.  Just before mile 16 she turns to me and says "where the f&*% is the next water station."  That's when I KNEW she was really starting to suffer.  She's not normally like that but was feeling dizzy and nauseous.  Probably dehydrated from lack of water on Sat  I felt fine and felt bad for feeling fine for how much she was suffering.  Hit the 17mi bridge with about 30min to spare.  Then she wanted to walk.  Told me to go ahead.  I said I didn't want to.  But, also said if she would rather suffer alone to let me know.  I've been there and get that.  Sometimes you just want to be in your own misery.  At about mile 18 1/2 or so - just before the capitol she shooed me away.  I was worried but she's tough and knew she would be okay.  i just felt bad for how shitty she felt.  The I settled into my own pace.  Just cruising along.  LOTS of walkers at this point so lots of weaving for me since I was running.  Tootsie role aid station around mile 19 was ANNOYING.  I stepped on one and then had to stop and stumble to get it off my shoe haha.  Then the bridge.  Oh that damn bridge was awful and felt like it was five miles long.  ZERO shade.  No water.  Never so happy to get off that damn bridge.  But, then there was beer!  Heck YEAH!  First time I had beer during a race.  All of two shot glasses worth!  But I said "No" to the Fireball haha.  Then it was some weird little out and back.  But, nice and distracting looking for RB and Kat.  Saw RB and she smiled so I felt better after that - at least she didn't seem to be suffering quite as bad.  Saw Kat, too!!  I had NO idea what my time was since I didn't wear a watch.  I would look at the running clock but could only guess we started about 25min after gun.  Long hot stretch in mile 25 I saw a cute guy walking so walked and chatted with him.  Got tired of walking and really just wanted to be done so jogged it in.  Turn left, up the hill (not as bad as I thought it would be), high five some young Marines and finish.  Woohoo!  Pretty much had the choice of boys to medal me - wasn't coherent enough to care.  But, boy that choked me up.  Not sure I've been saluted before!! Good golly.  Shuffled through the finish, SO MANY PEOPLE.  That's the part I think I hate the most.  RB and I had made a plan to meet at UPS truck 3.  I wasn't entirely sure how much time I had before she would get in.  Wandered trying to find the free beer.  Finally asked someone and head that way only to find a annoyingly long line and both runners AND non-runners in the sectioned off area.  THAT bugs.  How do you get free beer when you didn't run??  Bah.  Wasn't about to stand in the line so shuffled back to UPS trucks.  No beer for me.  RB came shortly after.  And then we got to see Kat, too!  Kat is the one that actually told be my time LOL.  I did look it up later - 5:30:39  If I wouldn't have stopped to chat with cute guy from Tampa I woulda broke 5:30.  Ah well, this was all for fun. Also not a PW and I felt fine the entire time.

I really enjoyed the race - SUPER organized.  A bit warm but since I took it so easy it didn't really bother me.  i actually only had 3 Gu though did take quite a bit of Gatorade and usually at least 3 cups of water at every stop.  Not too humid which helped a TON.  Though, I do have quite the tan line on my back from my tank.  Marines are SUPER cute but good golly are they young haha  Yep, they called me ma'am.  Shuffled back to hotel to shower and then shuffle about a mile to finally meet up with sis and bil for dinner.  They got in late the night before and ended up walking almost 12mi that day seeing all the sites!

Monday walked a LOT.  Feeling decent but I think it was too much.  Segway tour last night was a HOOT!  Woke up this morning with a very painful and swollen left foot.  Very weird.  Area beneath big and next toe hurts like mad and I can't bend it back.  No idea what that's about.  Icing now.  Hobbled through the airports and now relaxing.  Kit kat was happy to see me haha.

Goodness this is LONG! Thanks so much for everyone's positive comments.  I'm so pleased I finally took the plunge this past spring (?) to start posting after lurking for so very long.  First time ever meeting someone I had initially met on the Internet and it was like I knew Kat already!  Challenging for me to bridge people together (RB and Kat) but, I could just tell we could chit chat forever  SO looking forward to meeting more of you.  And looks like it'll be Lizzie in May!  Fargo here we come!!  I'm pumped to now rest a bit and then hit that training hard.

Alright, gonna be lame and skip the shouts.  I tried to read and keep up but will start fresh tomorrow.  Congrats to HCK and Diane this weekend!  If you've read this far, reply with a cat emoji.  LOL - kidding.  Kind of a word vomit for sure.  Have a great night everyone!!

Hi all,

Gloomy, windy and rainy here. 3 miles on the treadmill. Always grateful to have a treadmill when it’s windy and wet out. I run slower on the treadmill, not sure why.  I can keep a decent pace going but it feels much harder than running outside so I usually just run slower.

Lizzie,  Nice 6.3. My DD takes her dogs to a doggie daycare. The dogs are always excited to go  and DD likes it because it tires them out.

Judy, thanks for the advice, I will try to be more mindful of my body language. It was probably a harmless encounter but the whole, hey, honey let me give you a ride home and after I said no continuing with the honey you need to ride cause it’s not safe made my creepy alarm go off.  Do you take a yoga class or practice yoga on your own? Taking a yoga class is on my never ending bucket list.

Dhuffman, harassment during a race?!!?  I’m impressed with you wanting to jump into another 50k so quick.

Crazysue, nice 5.

Turtles, if your new health plan year starts in January it wouldn’t be a real long time to wait and then enroll in the PPO.  Probably shouldn’t listen to me though, i can be a penny pincher when it comes to health care.  😂

Docket, nice on getting 7 miles in along with Pilates.

Arimathea, I like holding a “real” book and the feel of turning pages. Old school, I guess. You must be a speedster to get 5.66 in at noon.

Kats, Isn't it a good feeling when our dogs are so excited to see us,

berthaslayer, you can do it!

Karen, whew, that’s a lot of adulting!  Interesting how running 7 days made your legs and feet feel better. Does it have any impact on your energy?

Seloc, congrats to you!!! Great RR. 😺 Does this qualify as a cat emoji?

HC, nice 4.7.  Do you have any upcoming races?

Happy runs all.

Huronheart - Kathy