Monday mix tape
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Hey peeps! Hope everyone had a great weekend! Mine centered around my 6.2 mile course run and not much else!
Saturday, I woke up early and set out for my adventure. I laid out everything I needed the night before so I would have time to have a cup of coffee! My legs feel like lead if I don't have coffee before running in the morning.
It was already pretty humid and I broke a sweat on the walk to the train station from my car which was about a mile. I love Midtown in the morning. All the cute gay boys running with no shirts on and assorted relics of debauchery from the night before - some pink feathers, a condom, empty cocktail glasses and beer bottles. Just as I was coming up on the station I realized I left my water in the car. Major dilemma because the car was already a mile a way. I figured it was best to proceed without it because going back would add another 2 miles to my already big day.
I got off the train and walked a mile to Publix to pee and get some water. There was no way I was going to able to carry a Dasani bottle for 6 miles so I had a few sips and left it behind. That wasn't my best idea.
By the time I got started it was 8:30 and the sidewalks were starting to get a little full. The biggest obstacle at that hour? SMOKERS. Barf. I can't believe people still smoke much less at that hour of the morning. One guy had a cigar and I thought I was going to keel over. Next issue was people pulling out of shopping centers and fast food restaurants not looking at all. I ran into one car palms first and was so mad I smacked her trunk on the way past. It's not that hard to look both ways is it? - oh except for when you're on the phone. Pardon me! Other than that, the first three miles were GREAT.
Right at mile 3, at the base of THE hill, I needed water so I ran into Starbucks dripping wet. I asked someone for a glass of water and she pointed to the line and said they can help you. No way was I standing dripping in line so I ran to the bathroom and drank straight out of the tap. I would never have done that if I weren't desperate! When I came out there was the same lady standing with a lovely glass of ice water. God bless you woman. Whoever you are. Little did I know the Atlanta Track Club was 2 minutes ahead giving out water. God bless them too. (now I won't be so panicky next weekend and will be able to fill my bottle that I will remember to remove from my car I swear)
I got back out on the route with my water and knew I had to walk Cardiac Hill. (They call it that because it's one of the biggest hills in the city and the hospital is at the top) This hill is so steep that at times it's hard to even walk it. In complaining about it to my husband I said "it's like the freaking Himalayas. You need a Sherpa to get up it." One thing I can't wrap my head around are the people who use the other side of the street to SPRINT up it. It seems impossible but then again so did my neighborhood hills . We'll just keep taking it one hill at a time.
The biggest problem with this $%&#! hill is that once you reach the top, you have the length of the Chick-Fil-A parking lot to recover before the next 2.5 miles which are also up hill. With about a mile to go I was getting chills (not good) then ran by a outside brunch place and the big plates of food and people shoving it in their faces made me even more queasy so I just took it really easy for the rest of the way.
(I have to digress here for a second - whenever I run this route there are always at least one pair of random girls that run by me and look like they haven't been running - or even outdoors for that matter. Perfect hair and makeup to go with tiny Lululemon ruffle skirt and sports bra. They are chatting and bouncing along like it's nothing. Was that perfume? They even smell good? My shirt is soaked, my pigtails are dripping and I'm trying to keep breathing for living purposes. Oh and I KNOW I don't smell good. In yoga we are not supposed to compare ourselves to others but I feel like it's not so bad if you are looking at someone who you aspire to be?!?! Maybe someday it will be that easy for me.)
I walked/jogged the last mile and finished in 1:37 including my stops. That's over 10 minutes faster than last years time of 1:49. I felt pretty good about that and was so happy to see my car. I just sat and drank water for a while. I didn't even care that someone was waiting for my parking spot nor did I care that that someone watched me change my t-shirt. (at least I had on my cutest sports bra!)
To sum it up it was OKAY. I thought it would be easier because of how hard I've been training in my neighborhood. Maybe it was lack of water, maybe it was lack of food, maybe it was the bourbon the night before. I learned some things that I will take with me when I do it all over again on Saturday. I'm going to work on my attitude the most :)
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I'm ending the Monday mix tape here because it's already way too long and I doubt anyone cares to hear me talk about how I laid around the rest of the weekend and ate 4 Dove chocolates to cure cramps. I did run a treadmill 5k this morning (still with cramps) and it actually helped. I was fast and furious and finally feeling a little bit less snarky.
Have a happy, healthy week!