Ok folks, get ready, this is going to be a douzy! We’re packing two days into one post! I owe ya!

Picture it..July 4th 4am! What? Yup, that’s when my day started…along with a bunch of other people in Atlanta, getting ready to participate or volunteer, or both, for the 45th running of the Peachtree Road Race.

I got up, hoping not to wake SDL or Miss A and I was successful. I got up, dressed and out of the house by 4:24 and I was on the road by 4:26. I made it to Phipps Plaza to park  by 5am, they were closing the road by 5:30. I met up with CKM and checked in for my post. It was our 5th year volunteering for the Peachtree Road Race and this year, we got a special pin! We get a pin every year we volunteer and every five years you get a special commemorative pin and we earned it!

Then we went to our post at the start, we were going to be corralling the seeded runners, getting them ready to line up to go forward and run their hearts out. First there was the Original 110. This group consisted of some of the original 110 runners from the first Peachtree Road Race in 1970 and there were also some of their grandkids, it was really cool. http://www.peachtreeroadrace.org/press-center/history

Next came the wheelchair racers and they were fantastic. It’s a lot of fun to watch them take off, it’s like a giant windstorm came through. They have several rows of the racers, the last row are the runners who push the wheelchair participants, makes you feel all warm and fuzzy and so proud! The men’s and women’s winners were both American! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peachtree_Road_Race#Wheelchair_race_divisions

Then came the Women’s 10k World Championship followed a few minutes later by the Men’s 10k World Championship. Both the men’s and women’s winners were American in this race group as well! http://www.peachtreeroadrace.org/articles/view/landry-hastings-win-on-picture-perfect-peachtree-day

Before The Original 110 group, a duo sang America the Beautiful and before the Championship races, they sang The National Anthem. It’s amazing to see the flag flying, all the participants looking up at the amazing flag with their hands on their hearts, some, like me with our hats in our hands covering our hearts and to feel such pride as I listen and sing and know that it has so much meaning to me and to this country and I will be honest, there is no other song that makes me tear up when i hear it as The National Anthem.

Then Group A followed a few minutes later by Group B and at that point CKM came running across the road to return her placard, I had already returned mine, since I was on that side of the street and as soon as Group C went, we jumped in at the very end, crossed the start and we were off! 

We had a lot of fun, walking, talking, hi-fiving kids and adults alike, seeing great costumes and signs and enjoying the beautiful 67 degree morning! Yes folks, I said 67 degrees in Atlanta in JULY!!! That was unheard of, but it was perfect! I actually had long sleeves on for a while!

It took us officially 1:49:33. Out of 28693 women participating, I came in 25589. I’m pretty proud! There were 28478 men, 29694 women and 57171 total finishers. Not too shabby if I do say so myself! 

I really enjoy the tradition that CKM and I have had for the past 6 years and I look forward to volunteering and participating in the Peachtree Road Race as long as we win the lottery and get numbers!

There was another cool thing that happened. Meb Keflezighi, who won the Boston Marathon this year and was the first American to win the Boston Marathon since 1983 was doing the Chase Keflezighi, fundraising for Kilometer Kids, a kids running club, hoping to raise $75,000 by starting LAST at the Peachtree Road Race and had a goal of passing 22,500 participants!!! You know he did it!  http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/keflezighi-runs-down-pack-at-ajc-peachtree/ngZBG/

After we crossed the finish line, we made our way with thousands of other participants to get our coveted finishers t-shirts. I know I always say that I do these races for the t-shirt and this is one a lot of people will say they do for the shirts. This is one of the few races that you only get your shirt after you finish the race. It really is a coveted shirt and people wear it proudly like a badge of honor!

After the run, we got our shirts, some fruit and popsicles and ice cream and started to walk to get something to eat. I want you to keep in mind just how much we walked. We just finished a 10k, that’s 6.2 miles. Then we walked about 2.5 miles to get to the Flying Biscuit Cafe for some breakfast to include some creamy dreamy grits! Oh My! So worth the 45 minute wait, with everyone else! http://www.flyingbiscuit.com/

After brunch, we started walking towards the MARTA [train] station and decided we didn’t want to get on the train with everyone else so we were going to walk down to the next station on Peachtree Street. Neither one of us remembered that there isn’t a MARTA stop on Peachtree until we were almost back at the start so…we walked the 6.2 miles back to our cars! What? In total we walked about 16 miles! That is crazy! CKM realized she had walked a half marathon, unofficially is what she said while she was laughing through the pain! [Please send good vibes to her for the seven blisters she got on her feet!] Yes you did! And it was great practice for me for the half I’m doing in February. Although…I might be doing one in Las Vegas in November, I’ll keep you posted! I need to get her a 13.1 t-shirt!

Tired yet? Just hold on!

After we got back to our cars, I headed out to Suwanee to see my friend LK and her family. I met them at the pool and we had a great time! As soon as I changed into my bathing suit, I jumped in the pool and stayed there until we got out to go home two hours later! It was great, we talked, I played with the kids and got some extra sun.

At the house, we made pizzas for dinner, the kids had friends over, there was a lot of laughter, shouting and fun. After dinner, we showered and dressed, I carved a watermelon basket, I’m getting better at them! And then went up the hill to the top of the cul-de-sac for some snacks and fireworks! I talked to a couple who’s son lives in…wait for it…Broomfield! What are the odds! and some other very nice neighbors they have. One of the older neighborhood kids were letting off fireworks, some of them were really good and some just noisy.

About 10pm, I walked the youngest, K back to the house, we put on jammies and cuddled under the blankets and a little while later everyone else came home and found us dozing on the love seat. After she sent the kids to bed LK I sat, folded laundry and talked, it was really nice. I know I’ve told you about LK, we grew up together and being in that house is like being at home and I love it. 

Like the last time I was there, I had an allergic reaction to something so I took a Benedryl and got a little sleepy, let’s just say. I wrote to you and then passed out, waking today about 11:40am, it was awesome! I had woken up about 6am and then 8am and I decided that was not going to be the final word and fell back asleep, I got a text that woke me telling me there were pancakes on the counter! Thank you! It was so awesome to catch up on some sleep and I will be able to go another few months on 3-4 hours a nite! SO NICE!

I got up, showered and dressed, had some pancakes and then everyone came home from wherever they were. At 2:30, they were all heading to the pool, so I kissed and hugged everyone, got in the car and headed to TS’ house.

I told you this would be a long one!

At TS’ house, I found SF and her friend C, they were going to a movie nearby and wanted to see TS’ new furniture. It was nice to catch up with them and after they left, TS and I got down to business, catching up in person!

I have to tell you, she was the first person to tell me that reading my blog was like sitting across from me at the table, she always knows what’s going on in my life and sometimes feels like she’s hearing things for the second time when I tell her a story!

We talked about going to a movie and then time got away from us and we talked until it was time to cook dinner and we cooked together, it was great! Eggplant with pesto, sauce and mozzarella [well, the cheese was for TS], asparagus and multi-colored baby carrots and some cold salads she had picked up, a feast!

After dinner, we kept talking, finally her cat, Molly came downstairs to say hello, we cuddled and TS and I kept talking. All of a sudden, we realized it was 12am and we needed to get some sleep, we’re going to tour the Oakland Cemetery tomorrow, which I’m very excited to do since I have never done it!

Tomorrow or Monday, I will post photos from this weekend! Right now, I wish you all a great night and get some sleep, unless you already fell asleep from this long post!