- When I am around my college friends, I feel happier, healthier and more excited about life.
- Sometimes you have to wait for things you really want.
- It's always better to be two hours early to a race than two minutes late.
- This world is much too small, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
- The hills in San Francisco aren't as bad as everyone makes them out to be.
- N*Sync's music will help pick up your pace around mile 9.
- It's better to start out slow and finish strong than to wish you had.
- Compression socks and coffee are like a dream come true after a hard run.
Let's be honest... it's been over a year since I got out of bed after the first alarm. Usually I hit snooze 5... okay, if we're being honest... 15 times. I wish that was a joke. After an extra hour of sleep, I'll roll out of my comforting bed, exchange my flannel with some workout clothes and go make breakfast for myself and Scofield. Today was different though. Friday night, I stayed an hour after work to compete in the challenge. I pushed fairly hard even though I knew I was supposed to be resting. Problem was, I had homemade vegan cookies at home that I knew would be consumed (by me), so I had to burn some extra calories.
After an hour of intense exercise, I walked home and finished packing (after eating my cookies, of course- nom nom nom). Knowing I would be spending six hours in the car on Saturday, I decided to go on iTunes and buy some new music for the car ride. YES!!! More country! YAYYYYY! And Justin Bieber! Good thing I was driving alone. By the time I finished downloading and creating a new playlist, it was almost midnight. I had to force myself to fall asleep, but eventually I was out and sleeping hard.
It must have been the excitement to see Renee that helped me get out of bed after the first alarm sounded. I sat up tall, went to the closet and pulled out some comfy, warm car clothes, fed Scofield, grabbed my things, dropped my key at the Janke's and took off. Surprisingly, I was on the road by 6AM, dancing and singing to Taylor Swift and Jason Aldean.
Saturday. 11:30AM. Moraga, Ca.
Renee's home was perfect, just as I suspected it would be. Perfect fall leaves falling from the perfect trees out front. Perfect brick step with perfect pumpkins to celebrate the season. Perfect mother with the perfect tennis outfit vacuuming her perfect living area. Everything was pristine and spotless. I was in awe. I felt as if I had walked into a Home and Living magazine shoot.
Renee and I took a walk around the neighborhood for an hour then got ready to go into the city and get our packets for the race. We took the BART to Union Square and walked to the expo. There were women in running shoes everywhere we looked. Tall women. Short women. Skinny women. Not-so-skinny women. Women with jeans on. Women in scarves. Women with their husbands. Women with their girlfriends. Women, women, women galore. The line looked long, so we walked up toward the Disney store, hoping to find the end soon. Then the line made a curve so we followed it another block. Then the line curved again... This was insane. Renee asked one of the volunteers where the end was... it was where we had started. The line literally wrapped around Union Square two times then zigzagged inside until you reached the tent entrance, where more lines awaited you. It was like the Disneyland of race expos.
Once inside, we decided to check out the sponsor tents... not much to see. As we passed the Nuun table, I saw a man who looked incredibly familiar. His arm was around a much shorter women who looked up into his eyes with the same adoration she had been giving him since I met her 5 years ago. It was Kiley, my RA from my first year of college! I snuck up and grabbed her side. We hugged and caught up while we tasted all the different Nuun flavors, deciding finally that the tri-berry was the best.
Saturday. 6:00PM. San Francisco, Ca.
After saying our goodbyes and exchanging good lucks with Kiley, Renee and I tried to hail a taxi cab. It was my first time trying to hail a taxi and I was completely in the dark. Finally we waved one down and took it to meet Renee's friends for dinner. The total was a little under $6. "Make it $8," Renee told the taxi driver as she handed him a $20. He gave her eight dollars back. Uhmmm... Yeah, I don't think that's what she meant...
We ran across the street, ten minutes late for our reservations. They had given our table away and seated Renee's friend Brianna and her fiance Cameron at a separate table. It was a small establishment and the owner was VERY Italian. We asked if we could somehow be seated together, but they said tough luck. Fortunately, we were served quickly, so after dinner we stood outside and conversed.
Saturday. 10:00PM. Moraga, Ca.
"So we'll take the BART to Union Square in the morning," Renee planned. "That means we should be up by 5:30." The race started at 7AM, so I was nervous we would be cutting it close. "Oh Em Gee," Renee exclaimed. "This can't be! The BART is closed in the morning! There's a race! Why would they do that! This must be wrong." She made some calls and found out it was indeed correct. "Well, I guess we will wake up at 4:30 and drive."
Sunday. 4:30AM. Moraga, Ca.
My alarm went off and I snoozed it once. I heard Renee do the same. Sleepily, I rolled out of bed and threw the items I would need in a bag: Sweater, Hammer gels, water, snacks, cell phone. Downstairs, I mixed my walnuts, oatmeal, craisins and peanut butter, chasing it down with some water. We hopped in the car, turned on the tunes and into the dark morning we drove.
Sunday. 5:00AM. San Francisco, Ca.
The cold air was nipping through my Lulus. I looked around at the women in shorts and tanktops and wondered how much sanity they had left in them. Around 6AM, Union Square began to fill up. We took our place in the crowd under the 7:30-8:59 pace sign. As we chitchatted, I looked over and noticed a man taking my photo. He looked familiar... and way too excited to see me. Oh! That's why! It was Roger from my home group! I ran over to say hello and he informed me that his wife had a college reunion there that weekend, so he decided to take a morning walk around the city and just happened to see me in the crowd. So funny.
Renee and I tried to warm-up a little by jumping up and down without bumping into the people around us. As a girl passed me, I felt a hand squeeze my butt. I looked at the girl quizzically but realized it wasn't her. It was Kiley! There were 25,000 racers and I had run into Kiley twice now! How could this be!? She wished us luck and made her way to the front of the crowd.
The race clock counted down. One minute to go. We got ready. We got set. We went. It was hard to find a good pace as we ran through the city. There were so many people that it felt like you had to jump over the short ones and duck under the tall ones in order to keep your rhythm. The last woman didn't even start the race until 40:00 after the race clock started due to the extreme crowd. Renee and I were able to stick together though and it was fun to look over and make sure I was still with her from time to time.
When we got to the first mile, a gospel choir encouraged us along. I looked over at Renee and smiled... just like college. We neared the wharf at mile two and Renee and I parted ways. I spotted a woman whose pace was similar to mine and I locked onto her. She had no idea, but she paced me for a good three miles before I passed her and continued on my way. Looking to my left, I noticed Fred and Sarah from one of the gyms I work at. I hollered hello and zoomed down the hill, side-by-side with Elvis.
Between mile 8 and 9, I began getting really tired and wanted to walk. That's when I heard it... the vocals of Lance Bass and Justin Timberlake. A man in a ninja outfit with a boombox on his hip danced along the street singing along with the music, "Baby, Bye, Bye, Bye". I giggled and decided to stick with him even though he was faster than me. His music was inspiring and I needed some motivation to keep my feet moving and grooving.
As we came up on the 10th mile, I found more speed and passed N*Sync man. With only three miles left, I decided to try to set a new PR. I pressed forward and picked up my speed. My feet were hurting and my left hip flexor was giving me pain. Hips forward. One step at a time. Do this.
Upon the final descent, I passed a man who was sitting on the ground, rubbing his leg. He was a quarter mile away from the finish and his legs had seized up. That's no good. I thought about stopping and helping him, but I didn't know what good that would be. So I tried to pick up my pace instead. Unfortunately, my legs would not go any faster. I glided past the finish line and the clock read 2:02. Dang it. Definitely not a PR. But I was okay with that. It was by far the best race I had ever run. The beauty of San Francisco, the crisp Autumn weather and the energy of the people was phenomenal. I collected my Tiffany's necklace, my finisher's shirt a heat blanket and a banana and made my way back up the course to run Renee in. I found her running strong and began to run her in. Without even training, she finished in 2:44!
It was an incredible birthday weekend and I loved every moment of it. Renee is such a beautiful woman inside and out and I am so blessed to have her in my life. I can't wait until my next adventure with this lovely lady!
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