walk purcell walk.. - um, what?

My girlfriend Valpey came to town from NY with her husband and her family has no electricity so I offer up my home (and bed) to them while I sleep on the couch.

Saturday we went and grabbed her grandma and took her out of the retirement home and went for a movie. Then of course, coming in from NY – she had friends and family to see. So Saturday we spent our time grabbing people, and the van just kept getting more and more full.

I also stopped by a friend’s house that had no phone that I needed to check on due to some illness they have in the family – trust me – I am no mother Teresa – cuz this night ends with much Vino and debauchery (that’s an exaggeration but it sounds fun just the same) – since she was visiting. We had many people to meet. Luckily it was all by the bar by my home – all that drinking. BLEEK!

I wake up at 7:30 to my alarm, and a text page, “Are we on for the 5k?” I thought for sure it would be canceled (that is why my Saturday I drank) - but hek yeah! I all of a sudden get really excited... Then whoa, I stood up too fast...3.5 hours sleep and all that Vino. Am I nightmare or what? My head is pulsing. I have quit the drinking down to a glass here or there.. and ZERO before race days.. Damn it! I blame the power outage.

I decided, just getting out there to run 3.1 miles, will be good. I deserve any suffering.

I got the same speech, “I am running this race at my own pace, against my own time, you want to run it, go, but I am not starting in the front”

Me, “Trust me, I am only here to hang out with you and just get a run in.” I believed it when I said it. BUT LIES LIES ALL LIES.

As I stand at the back of the line I begin to feel it. That pulse from adrenaline. Then the realization, “I am behind slow poke Rodriquez (Speedy’s cousin) – and they are multiplying.”

Count down… Five seconds to race – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.. nobody is moving! (Except the front people who are already a half a mile out!)

There is the ankle timer.. so I try hard not to panic, they said its on the mat which is the size of picnic blanket.. Which part of the mat? The beginning or the end?.. and as I cross over this mat, it’s still a slow walk – They have this monster clock ticking the time clock is all I can see, and I am in slow motion, not in my head but for real – and I can only hear ticking like in the tv show 24– tick, tick, tick (the show its more like tink, tink, tink), I am like I need through these people.. Then I calm myself down for one minute. Then I was off the mat, still walking I went for full on “I am not doing this for nothing!” It’s almost like I blacked out – I do remember politely barreling through people – can you do that politely?.. If so, I am sure I was polite about it… :)

Then boom, I finished 10th out of 150 women – for the 5k.
Should have would have could have… but I tell you, as cranky as I was starting off in back and it not being my best running time..10th isn’t bad – and I literally got to pass everyone but 9 girls! I had a blast.

No more 5k’s for fun. I need to move it up to the 10 to 12ks I need longer distance, and I need to be faster. I swear I am getting slower!