Aramco Houston Half Marathon - January 19, 2014

I'm such a bad, lazy blogger.  :O)

 

I know my readership has gone WAY down and I'm OK with that, but sometimes when I think I just want to make this little space on the internet, go dark, I think, well I do like keeping track of certain things in my life, just not as much as I use to ;o)

 

And clearly I don't really think I'm lazy, just lazy about blogging.  I mean why blog when there are so many other things better to be doing; and at the end of the day, something gets written, just not always in a timely fashion.

 

So let's back up a bit...

I arrived in Houston Friday around noon, got my rent car, found a BofA to get money for free for a change ;o), then made my way downtown to meet up with a few at the Expo.

 

Got there, got my packets for both races, walked around with C, saw some friends...then I realized, hmpft I havent eaten anything but a banana since getting up at 5am in Denver.  Nice.

 

So I grab a sandwich, eat the insides before heading to LaPorte.  Felt a bit better but clearly fueling and resting were not only going to be important on Friday, they wouldn't be important on Saturday either ;o)

 

N and I did go have a nice dinner, where I did eat some bread, shared crabcakes for an appetizer then had shrimp and grits as an entree.

 

It was delicious.

 

 

After the 5K on Saturday, after a couple of hours I did eat 2 breakfast tacos.

Then the next thing I know, its almost 6pm and I havent eaten anything BUT those 2 tacos.  ALL. DAY. 

 

I had driven out to BFE to see my nieces new house, Lord its massive and absolutely stunning.  I mean, Jesus I was in total shock.  But she works hard for all that damn money, and you can't take it with you.  :O)

 

So needless to say, after getting back to LaPorte late, we just grilled, I ate a small piece of chicken and some grilled veggies, and 1/2 a cupcake.

 

Awesome.

 

And while I made myself go to bed somewhat early to be up at 4am, I didnt sleep much because I kept waking up every hour .. totally normal for me night before a race.  Plus in a not my house etc, I dont always sleep well so again, I'm sorta use to it when I travel.

 

Off I went, stopped for coffee from a gross 7-11 (blech!), went N instead of W on 610 which freaked me out but was only a bit longer of a drive.  Made my way downtown and found a $10 lot just a few blocks away.  AND brand new clean porta potties (this was all right next to Minute Maid)

 

Got inside, found some folks, including a coworker here from Sidney.  Amazing considering his phone he forgot in his room.  He is trying to 1/2 marathon in all States.

 

Weather was just about perfect.  45ish?  Can't remember.  I do remember how INCREDIBLY FOGGY and muggy it seemed, but by the time it was race start it had burned off and we had nice clear blue skies.

 

I found it HYSTERICAL at everyone around me in tights, long sleeves etc...I was in my shorts and no sleeves.  Lovely, just lovely!!

 

BTW, I'm gonna get a bit quick here just so I can finish this out.

I'm kinda over detailing it all out at this point :)

 

• GREAT GREAT GREAT NEW COURSE!  I just absolutely LOVED IT!!!
• For the half route, I would say that 90% of it is in the shade; only do I remember the sun baking me in the short distance between Waugh and DT as you come up Allen Parkway.  Had I been faster, it wouldnt have mattered much even
• Saw some great and familiar friends spread out along the route, including in the corral I was in (some KW friends) which just was that much greater!
• Family and friends around mile 10
• Just took my time, enjoying being in Houston again!  Running in Houston again!  Running with myself, but yet seeing people I knew was so much fun!
• Garmin time: 2:24:xx

I absolutely loved doing the double and will continue to do so!  Might try and do them a bit differently next year, not sure though. It was fun just running, and not being competitive except I do always have my 'not go over this #' goal(s).

 

I doubt I ever return to that runner girl that felt the pressure to get faster, and be deflated when I dont perform up to the standards I use to put on myself, which were really what I thought would make someone else proud of me.

 

Gah.  So glad killed and buried that old June.

Do You Believe in Love After Love?

I know.  I know.

 

I don't know how many people actually still read this over and above those that find their way here via search engine...

 

But I will say that I DO HAVE at least half of my 2nd half of my Houston marathon/half marathon/5K weekend blog post thingee written...I'll finish it, I promise!

 

Honestly the blog and how I approach it are how I approach most of lifes events now...with the fact that life is AMAZING...and God how boring was I when all I had to write about was running?  Or that I thought running was everything? (not that I'm not still running because...duh!)

 

I do remember why actually...what a sad time in my life then.  When I finally peeled back the layers of why I did so many things that I did and thought I had to do...Sad indeed.  And I am so thankful for realizing, even if it was after a couple years of unhappiness, that my life was worth more than the disrespect of someone I held dear for whatever reason.

 

Anyway as I was saying....life is so unpredictable...explosions of happiness abound these days I tell ya.  My heart explodes every single day at the joy that a baby can bring!  The feelings are so overwhelming I feel like I'm going to burst sometimes.

 

Not only do we have a bundle of joy in our lives now, but there is just so, so, so much more.

 

I'm excited to document it, its just going to take some time. 

 

Even after the bundle of joy came on February 11th, life didnt stop there at being surprising.

 

Now I am in a state of wonder...that things that were meant to be, actually might be meant to be!!!

 

We'll just hashtag this 'SecondChances'

Or 'LoveTheSecondTimeAround' #QuestionMark  #GetMeHomeToTexas  ;o)

Today in My Little Town. :)

Up to my knees :)