Running...blech!

Let's just say after October's Half Marathon, I was D.O.N.E.

I didn't want to run, I didn't want to think about running.  And so I didn't. (I did read your blogs).  D was hurt (runner's knee according to my diagnosis followed by the doctor's diagnosis of the same thing).  We talked about running and instead would go to bed.  All month instead of running we played with the dogs and drank beer and went on dates and slept.

Scuttlebutt, my Yellow Jacket

Me and McMenamin the Moo Cow

We knew we had a 5K on November 5, but frankly neither of us cared.  Tuesday, Nov. 1 we both went to the gym for a 2 mile run. We both agreed it was hard.

So we didn't go back.  Saturday, A picked us up for the Romp and Stomp 5K in Cabbagetown.  I love Cabbagetown. It is a funky little area of Atlanta, with houses really close together (which is why we didn't buy one...one goes up in flames, they all go up in flames).  The tornado that hit Atlanta in 2008 destroyed part of the area and they rebuilt. They are a solid community.    Anyway... back to the Romp and Stomp... It was a lovely 40 degrees.  The coldest it had been for some time.  I contemplated what this meant for my lungs.  Ah...

This is an annual race we all do.  It is close, it is fun, and we always have a good time.  Our friends L and D also joined us.  We talked prior to the race about various topics.  A's husband despises Facebook, so we have concluded that she must now talk about her baby's daddy when she refers to him on there.

So the race started and D and D were gone.  I ran in front of A and L and thought something must be wrong. I stayed ahead of them for .3 miles.  Then as the crowd thinned out they were able to pass me.  We ran down the road and passed all the houses and one of the parks. Ran to the coffee house/dog park.  I got a little sad.  This is the race I skipped 2 years ago, because it was the day after Porter passed away.  I missed her.  I decided to keep running hard.  Mile 1 was 11:52.

Porter (October 1, 2001 - November 6, 2009)

I ran and thought about her funny eyebrows, her complete lack of enthusiasm for anything that wasn't beer or the bed, and her complete laziness.  She was the sweetest dog ever; everyone loved her. And she loved them. I got to Mile 1.5 which was slightly up hill. I couldn't breathe.  My lungs were done.  I walked/hacked until I finished getting up the hill (45 seconds) and came back down the next street (so down the hill).  Mile 2 was 12:45.

I couldn't believe how out of shape I was.  One month ago I could run 13.1 miles, and now I couldn't run 3?  I kept putting my legs in front of each other, but I was hacking a great deal. My running slowed to a crawl.  I thought about walking again, but considering Po died of lung cancer, I decided to run, to push myself in honor of her. I don't know how much honor I gave her considering how slowly I was going.  I got to the Krog Street Tunnel, and the Garmin went out.  I sauntered through that based up on the time on my watch.  I got through that and knew I had about 3 blocks to go.  People were passing me, but all I thought about was Porter.    Silly girl.  I no longer cared that I wasn't even close to a PR.  I no longer was sad she was gone.  I knew she would have been happy if she could've been there with me, or if I would have stayed home and cuddled with her.

D and I were hesitating on what to do for the afternoon, and in that 3 blocks I knew we were taking the boys to Po's favorite places while she was alive.  If there was a patio and a beer she was happy. And we would celebrate her life, and not be sad she was gone. And with that I crossed at 39:08.

My D had chased L's D for most of the race.  L's D finished 24:23 while my D finished 26:50.  L finished at 32:12 and A finished at 34:48.  We said goodbye to L and D, and A drove us home. Despite the lackluster performance, I got to see my friends. So it was a good race.

McMenamin

Scuttlebutt

A toast to Po

McMenamin loving on D

Can I get through this fence?

Me and McMenamin

We have to go home?

Another toast to Porter