A typical day for me, right?
I signed up to do the Hot Chocolate 15k, my second 15k and fifth or sixth Hot Chocolate Race, “The Sweetest Race in America”. I picked up the packet yesterday, as I mentioned and there was my bib and an embroidered jacket. Embroidered? Did I sign up for that? Nope, it was a perk of registering early! I like it! All the jackets had the name of the race, the special ones say Atlanta 2016, pretty cool! The women had blue trim and the men, orange. They also coordinated the bags this year, only orange or blue.
The only things I bought at the expo were throw away gloves, a hat and a neck scarf, kind of like the ones I wear to ski, but this has the Hot Chocolate logo and it matched my jacket!
I didn’t even realize I had paid for parking, but I had and I’m glad I did, I didn’t have to search for a place to park or take a shuttle, bad part…the lots closed by 6:30am, so I had to be there before they closed and my corral didn’t start until 7:40am! I was staying with RJS, so much fun, as always. My alarm went off at 5:30, then I snoozed and about 10 minutes later I heard “JJ, time to get up!’
I got dressed, got in the car and was out the door by 5:50am, in the parking lot by 6:20 and I could not fall asleep, so I hung out until about 7:30 and then braved the cold to head to the start.
When I say cold and Georgia, no one believes me. It was TWENTY FOUR degrees and with the wind chill, it felt like 15! By the time I crossed the finish line it was 29, ooh, heat wave! I had hand warmers that I had gotten when I was in NYC, but I didn’t think about food warmers, I wish I had!
My corral didn’t start until about 8am, I wasn’t going to run at all, because I haven’t trained or run since the half marathon in Lisbon October 18th, but…it was so cold I said f-it! Sorry for those of you who are sensitive, I know that was harsh! Just to warn you, there might be more!
When we started, I ran because I couldn’t feel my toes, so perfect thing to do to get the circulation going. I ran about half a mile, then walked, then ran. I ended up walking most of the way and I’m ok with that. About mile two they said you could split off and do the 5k, especially with the weather being so cold. I was thinking about it and I said, nah, f-it! I want my medal, so march on! Look, it was really cold, a little harsh language was called for!
Let’s just say that in the end I was pleased with my decision to keep going, but about mile 6 and 7, I was thinking, this is f-ing nuts! Then it was mile 8, then 9 and there was the finish line. There were times I was tricking myself, just like everyone else “It’s just three 5ks” or “We just did a 5k, let’s do another” “I just finished the 5k, only 6.1 miles left” “Less than 2 miles, you can do it!’
I crossed that finish line and I was so happy, I got my medal and headed towards the after party. As I was passing a police officer, I joked, because I had the scarf around my face “We could go from the finish line to roving a bank”, he laughed. I said on not going to, he thanked me.
Speaking of thanking, I made sure to thank a bunch of volunteers and police for being there today, awesome people.
I went to RJS’ to shower and head out. If I had more time, I would have taken an ice bath, I really need that relief right about now. I never would have believed it before I tried it!
I visited with RJS a little while longer, then headed to Decatur to meet some friends for brunch. It was C & J C and their adorable son, M, doll baby!
M had even made me a card and put some candy in a bag for me, I loved it! You know me, anything hand made!
We had a really nice lunch and caught up, then after I stopped in a store and bought something for PSM, I think he’ll like, then I went to meet TS at the movies. We had decided on Hotel Transylvania, but Goosebumps was there, so we saw that instead, it was great! And I am not a Jack Black fan, so I must have really liked it!
We got into the theater and there was no one in there until about five/ten minutes before the movie, we sat in the theater and talked until everyone else showed up, then it was quite packed.
From there, I went up to see L&AK and their three girls, K, J and K. Whenever I am here, it’s like no times has passed, like we had just seen each other or spoken last week. One of my favorite things, all three girls call me Aunt J…they were the first and I love them so! L is like a sister to me, we’ve known each other forever, I love this family!
L had picked up a salad for me at “Whole Paycheck” otherwise known as Whole Foods and she and I sat and ate, everyone else had eaten earlier. We talked about everything and no one, we were all caught up. I talked to her husband A, during the commercials, he was watching football and I love spending time, just being around my girls.
L and I talked until about 11:30 and then shuffled off to bed. Here I sit writing to you ready to crash out when I finish this post.
So, we covered a race, a brunch, the movies, dinner and a visit.
I’m sure your day was just as fabulous, what did you do?
Peaches Prattlings 