Running 55 and Under!
Labor Day Weekend! Scenic 5 (Mile)! We did it! I know it’s been a week but I’ve had school. I’ll always have school…but for now this is about the race.
If you have been following along, I was running five miles fairly easily. In about an hour or less depending on traffic lights. (I said easy–not fast)
So I was pretty confident I could do under an hour, for sure, in the actual race. And I did! And thanks to my running partner, Wayne, I was able to aim for 55 minutes or less. And I got that! My official time was 54 minutes and 32 seconds. I consider that pretty good. I was ninth finisher in my age bracket. I made the top 10! (In my age bracket) (Oh and did I mention that there were only 17 total IN my age bracket…) HAHAHA. I don’t care! It still counts!! I was 304 out of 372. That’s pretty funny too! I was on page 8 of the results. Next year, I’m going for page 7. Oh yeah. High hopes! Small steps! Also, I almost threw up at the end. I really hate when that happens! When I crossed the finish line, I started dry heaving. I felt bad for the nice woman who was trying to give me my finishing medal. She’s reaching out, I’m dry heaving, she’s recoiling in horror…I got it together and was fine in a few. Luckily I never eat before I run. Lucky for all of us. That’s probably enough gross stuff.
Wayne did good too. First race for him, and he ran coming off of surgery and an ankle injury, and I still couldn’t beat him! I was actually slowing him down but he (kindly) said he was speeding me up! True. Thanks Wayney! He beat me by two minutes! He was on page 7!! Curses!!
Next year. There’s always next year. Here are some photos. Forgot the camera, but I always have my phone.
The line up to start.
Wayne. (In black)
Me. I have to laugh at this because my hair and leg makes me look like I'm just speeding across the line, robot-style, all 9o degree angles, but in a movie and in slow-mo, and really I was just trying not to be sick. Funny.
When last you heard from me, I was on my way to school…
…with high hopes for the rest of the evening. When suddenly…Tequila! (And that was TWO days ago.)
I did go to school. I got the “pre-heads-up” to the actual “heads-up” classes I have next week. Signed some paperwork. Got some questions answered. Payed for classes. Bought more books. Drove home excited as hell, but unaware of the complicated nature of what I am about to embark upon.
I have three books and a syllabus right now, and I have three more books to buy. Definitely the most I have needed so far. When I trained for EMT I was on an adrenaline rush for hours after every single class, for like 4-6 months. It was crazy. And I have that same crazy feeling just looking at these books. Two years and god knows how many hours are about to go into this program, but I am ready. I’m not sure my body can take the intensity. I had trouble sleeping before, but I guess that will just help me on the job! I talked so much on the phone to the BF just driving home from a pre-class class, that I, “low-battery-powered-off”, the cell phone. The damn thing drained out good. First time I talked to the cut-off. Even after I plugged it back in it wouldn’t turn on for a little while.
So I take a closer look at this new book. Calculating With Confidence. Drug calculations, measurements, math conversions…OMG, it looks hard. Drug labels, syringes, pills, liquids, fractions, decimals, cc. mL. mg. oz. You need: Aspirin gr 10 p.o. q4h p.r.n. for pain. You have: Drug label, that suddenly makes no sense whatsoever. And tell me how much, with how much diluent, time of day, route of administration, but don’t forget who you are giving it to, how much they weigh, what else they are taking; now mark it on the drawing, and don’t “F” it up because you could kill someone…. I’m paraphrasing…but that’s the idea. Once you take off the plastic shrink wrap, the front cover has a skull and crossbones on it. They don’t want you to see that until it’s too late. And you thought that the nurse handing you two Tylenol in the hospital after dinner didn’t require any skill. HA!
The amazing thing is, that in 2 months, that book is going to make perfect sense, and I’ll be calculating in my sleep (not literally), but for now…we better go to Pepe’s and think about the future.
So the guy that has been working there since he was a child, really, (I know, because we as a family, collectively have been going there for his whole life basically, I even remember a time when he was out in the parking lot trying to drive off in his older brothers car…he got in trouble for that…) anypepestoryway…this kid/adult now (Ricky? The name would not come to me, don’t judge, I’m approaching 40, but Mason and Stevie both agree, yes, on the name) made me a killer, and I mean KILLER margarita. I took 4 drinks and I was feeling the heat. By one third gone, I was TWO thirds gone. I wish I could say I was joking, because I was getting “altered” and fast. (My teeth were numb and I tried to walk out of the clear glass panel NEXT to the door, when I left the restaurant) I ate some chips and salsa and some shrimp cocktail on crackers and a tamale and a chili rellano but food was failing me fast, so I concentrated on finishing the medium margarita that, based on my morning calculations of how-long-it-takes-my-body-to-filter-out-the-alcohol (years of research have perfected this system) there must have been at least, 5 shots of tequila in my drink. I can say that with confidence because I was still slightly drunk at 7:30 in the morning. And I even tried to move the alcohol along with activity and oxygen before I fell into dreamy-drunky sleep the night before but sometimes you can’t keep a good buzz down, or up, or whatever. End of story.
I dragged myself up, took out the garbage, diluted my remaining blood level of tequila with coffee, and watched Regis & Kelly with Pat Tomasulo subbing for Regis (!!) I wrote it on the calendar! Busy schedule, yeah yeah, I’ll be working soon enough and you’ll miss these long, rambling posts. (More Pat Stuff)
The Pat Down. For your enjoyment. And since this is Chicago, we have 2 newspapers…here’s the Trib version. Ok, I think I’m done now.
Then I really pushed the limit with a five mile run. Five point one something something, to be exact. I ran the water bill to the Village Hall, which maps out at 5+ miles. MapMy Run.com. 30 minutes there. 34 minutes back. One hour, four minutes. I will take it. I ran on the sidewalks. Concrete, hard on the shins with lots of hills, (dang Park Forest doesn’t have a completely flat spot 10 steps in a row), and chock full of tripping hazards. Broken cement, uneven, crooked, weeds, rocks…I’m not sure what the village is doing all the time. It seems like they dig holes in random spots all around town just so there’s something for the kids to fall into. At any rate. I was done for the day. Kids got home about 3 ish and we ate ice cream and talked about all they did last week. Stevie made cupcakes! First time on her own and no crunchy ones from egg shells! (So far) So proud. Then dinner and a movie. (Burgers on the grill and Smokey and the Bandit from Netflix) unpack the bags, go to bed and poof! Here we are. Today.
I’m going to skip the run today, maybe go take a walk at the nature trail if I can get the kids out there. Mason has grass to finish and we are open. I have the pictures you have been waiting for…I didn’t forget, it’s just time and energy and getting them off the cell phone. I even have video! The kids wanted to play in the water, but we don’t have a pool. We have a hose. So they filled up larger, plastic, Tupperware bowls and put their faces in them or dumped them over their heads. They would swim in a wet sponge if they could. Then they played water-hose-jump-rope, which is actually pretty funny. So that’s coming too! And all that other stuff I said I had…Remember my theme: Everything is always two days ago!
Cupcakes!
Half with sprinkles, half without! Tasty!
No rest for the wicked…no rest for the Warrior!
Back on the Trail! Next up is the Park Forest Scenic 5. (Five Mile Road Race)
It’s a good way to stay in the groove for the fall and winter season. One race every other month works for me. Keeps me less chunky and somewhat in shape.
I’m already thinking about how to modify some training for the Warrior Dash next year. Since, I had trouble at the Wall, I’m going to need to work on some arm strength and jumping to get me up and over WITHOUT needing a boost. Not that I didn’t appreciate the help! Thank you boosters!! You rock! We would have been there even longer without all your help!
And since it was on a lot of grassy, hilly, uneven, gravel, nature-trail-like course, I will be running at the actual Nature Preserve Trails that we have in our village. It’s almost identical to the course. Maybe less “spooly” and “walk-the-planky”, but similar just the same. I’m still excited. I can’t wait!! I’m not training for Mud Crawling or Fire Leaping though, I’ll just play that by ear.
I also noticed people on the internet comparing bruises! Hilarious! I just noticed a few myself last night! I have one on my forearm and one on each leg where I struggled to hoist my booty over the Wall! Next year I’ll do it gymnast style and never touch the wood! Yeah right. I did see a good suggestion for a springboard and THAT would be totally cool and fun! We could really get some air with something like that!
Alright. Anyway, back to today. My son was so inspired he wants to start racing with me and my sissy. I took him this morning and got him his first running shoes. Nothing fancy. Just the basics. The first race he is hoping to run is in December. Plenty of time.
We hit the Trail together. Run ¼ mile, Walk ¼, Run, Walk, etc. He managed to hang in there the whole 3.6 miles. There were moments. But in the end he managed to run One and One Half Miles, plus an extra tenth of a mile or so right at the end, out of the total!
So proud! Not bad for his first time. He even said he is ready to do it again tomorrow! That’s the spirit!
I took pics of this because he really gave it his all. Please check him out below and give him a positive shout out! I told him that the running people are the best people! They always enhance and never detract! Smile and say keep up the good work! You can do it!
This is for you Mason! XO. Mom.
One mile. Sweating and cranky, but still manages to flash the peace sign.
One and one quarter miles down. Sucking it in! Looking good!
One and one half miles! That was the goal! Nice job! Still have to walk another half mile + though back to the car.
Kickin' it out on the last tenth of a mile! Finish strong! AND he didn't throw up! ALWAYS a good thing!
just shy of pretty 