race for the cure 2011

Last Saturday I ran Race for the Cure, which has been on my to-do list for quite some time. I experienced a wide variety of emotions during the day and just now I am realizing that I should probably write about things just as they happen because I usually forget exactly what did happen. So here is my memory of how Saturday went. (For those of you who were there, please feel free to send me corrections.)

6:12a.m. Alarm goes off. I think to myself "yeah I'm not doing this today. It's Saturday for crying out loud!"

6:15a.m. Mark's alarm goes off. I think to myself "well crap."

6:45a.m. We leave to meet Katie. I eat a banana.

7:14a.m. Pull up to Katie's house. I am VERY hyper. I do running karate kicks in Katie's driveway. Mark and Katie look at me like I'm insane.

8:00a.m. Parking garage. Still energized and ready to go.

8:10a.m. I have to pee. Bad. Porto-Potty is NOT my friend. I almost die.

8:15a.m. Mark asks why we are here so early. Still hyper. I tell Katie to sing a motivational song to me when I start walking ("Don't stop runnnning" to the tune of Don't Stop Believing).

8:45 a.m. Mark asks why we are here so early. Still hyper, but getting less so. We set up a meeting spot so everyone can find each other when they are finished.

9:00 a.m. Race starts. I'm excited! Run, run, run, run. Tons of people in my way.

(I lose track of the actual time here so for this portion I will approximate the mileage)

0.5 miles Hell yes. I rock at this. I can't believe I thought this would be hard with no practice. Damn all these people in my way.

1.0 miles Grab water. Try to drink water while running. Not that coordinated yet. Try to run across road to politely throw bottle away instead of throwing it on ground like other people. Not even close to energized anymore.

1.25 miles "Hey Katie, that girl has our shirt."

1.30 miles "Hey Katie, that girl has our shirt."

1.35 miles "Hey Katie, that girl has our shirt." Now tired of talking.

1.50 miles Walking. Eff this. I hate running. It is stupid and dumb.

Miles 1.5-2.5 Alternate between me walking and Katie motivating me to keep going. I growl at her. Katie sings Don't Stop Running. I basically tell her I'm going to stop and the song doesn't help. Katie says "when we get to those people with a stroller, we run" I say "No they are headed in our direction, we need a fixed target like that sign over there...or that billboard way far away." Katie calls me a brat. I growl.

2.5 Miles I think this might be where we get it together (we meaning I). I want to stop and kick a mascot in the face (he was for some reason laying on the ground). I don't. I tell Katie I want to walk and she says "You'll be so mad at yourself, we are almost done!" I keep going but I'm not happy.

3.1 Miles We cross the finish line. No happy feelings. No joy at my accomplishment.

9:36a.m. I ask "where is everyone? Nobody is at the meeting spot??" My thoughts towards Katie: "Friendship. OVER." I don't mean it.

9:40a.m. We finally find each other and I force everyone to get some swag at the booths. I enjoy a cupcake and a nice assortment of magnets, pens, and key chains.

9:45a.m. I apologize to Katie for being a brat. She is the best.

Later that afternoon...I find my time online. "HOLY CRAP! I just beat my last best time!" I am shocked considering this was probably the most bratty run I've had. "I can't wait to do it again!"

We ran for my Aunt Joy and Mark's Aunt Carol

Me, Stephanie, Heather, Jaclyn, and Katie



Heather, Stephanie, Katie, Jaclyn, Me, and Mark