Alzheimer’s Walk 5K

Well, it has been a hell of a week. Sharon's death, and 2 other life events, and we were ready to drink our sorrows away Friday night. I was off most of Friday and made a Guinness Cake and some pupcakes. The Guinness Cake was left on the counter against the wall to cool.

Doug and I went to Manuel's and broke our rule of no drinks before a 5K. We had 2 each. So we left, and got some beer for Porter's Party.

Got home and went into the kitchen and 1/8 of the cake was gone...Guinness was licking her chops. We really didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and just started shaking. It turned into laughter. So I cut off the cake, and frosted it abd Doug put it away so we could have it for Porter's Party.

We tried to watch TV, but both of us were going through the motions, and we went to bed. Last words before sleeping...Why are we running?

So at 6:30 AM, Doug woke me up. He had already started the grill for the brisket. I brushed my hair, got dressed and put on my shoes. Then he got dressed. We watched the news and there was a shutdown on the Interstate, so we decided to leave to be in Kennesaw (30 miles away) to avoid any major traffic. We got within 1 exit and traffic came to a halt. We looked at each other and said it figures. We went the wrong way down the Barret Pkwy exit (got off on the on ramp) and continued. Parked. We went to the desk, and the people asked us if we were here to volunteer. They said the registration desk was somewhere else. Doug thought it would be nice if they had signs, but they were under the desks doing nothing. We went to the registration desk and signed in, and got our t-shirt tickets. We went and got the t-shirt, and decided to put them in the car. We got to the car, and looked at each other. We got in the car and drove home...no we didn't run. So then having so many people who supported us (we raised over $800) we felt bad and selfish, so we decided we would run at the track.

Went to the track and the parking lot was closed, so we would have to drive to the other side of the track. Instead we just went to the gym.

Warmed up, and hit 5K on the dreadmill.

I was watching the news, and started get dizzy so I stared at my feet. Ran. Thought about Nana. How I didn't have many memories of her, but she was the one who got me over my fear of Swiss Cheese. For some reason I was afraid of the holes, so she would stick her tongue through the holes, and taught me to do the same. Because she looked so silly I could eat the cheese. She also taught me how songs with no words (classical) needed them and just make them up.

Mile 2: I thought of Grandma and how she used to joke she had Oldtimer's Disease, and it used to make me so mad that she was so indifferent to my Nana. Now it is different. If you know me, I try to joke about things that are serious to deal. I think that's what Grandma was doing. OK, so now I was tearing up.

The hill setting set in on the dreadmill. I always turn them off. I decided I didn't deserve to turn them off, and kept going. I tried not to think about Sharon, because I was pissed off. Not at her, but the circumstances that prevented her to get checked. I thought of the first time meeting her and how I thought she was so nice. And how she thought it was so funny that the "girls" had to pass daycare tests to get into doggie daycare, and how she always sent us cards for our anniversary, how she helped us get Doug's mom's Christmas present. Overall, I didn't know her well, but she was one of those people that was just a really good person to know.

Amazingly, I didn't tear up thinking all this, like I am writing it. At .25 miles left I looked and saw that my time was going to be pretty good.

I turned up the speed, and looked up. They were talking about the 3rd place finisher at Chicago Half-Marathon. I don't kow what they were saying because I was listening to Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer. But I ended the race at 43:10.

After walking and drinking Gatorade, we went and got ice and flowers for Porter's Party. Then like every other Saturday...I took a nap.

10 K and other events of the day...

Got up at 5:45 this morning. This was after Guinness decided to play at 2 and I put her under the bed to sleep and Porter had to go out at 5 (thanks Doug!). Went to the bathroom and couldn't figure out why I was up so I got back into bed until 6:25. Got up and got dressed and got back into bed. Finally got up for real. Dogs went out, Body-Glided my body, and had a Clif Bar and water. Doug finished getting ready and we were off.

Got to the 4 Seasons. Free parking. Checked in. Got our numbers and walked around. Many people around, some tools, but mostly normal looking people. I checked out everyone's legs and they were all different, and lots of different sized people. 10K was getting started so I went to the back of the line (proper etiquette if you are slow). Doug stayed with me. And we're off. Bye Doug.

Mile 1: Down 14th and to Piedmont. Past the Driving Club. Ew! Glad I chose not to get married there. Sewage issues! Guy- really, just run, don't run backwards to stay with your girlfriend. That's annoying. What's this? Mile Marker 4? Turn into the Botanical Gardens. There is MM1; He yells out 13:01. Geez I must slow down if I'm going to stay at this.

Mile 2: Through Piedmont Park. Oh this is the festival J must have told me about. Lots of people out this morning. Who is this person waving at me? Oh that is Z? Big wave! Must remember to not ask if she is pregnant later. The park is nice. Water table is coming. Oops missed my lips. Oh well. Mile guy. 26:07. OK going way too fast.

Mile 3: Where did these hills come from? Why didn't they level this city when it burned and make it flat. Decline. Yay. WTF? Another hill. There is Flying Turkey. Another hill? OK. Still going. Crossing Peachtree. When do I turn? Jock's and Jill's hill is killer. There is W Peachtree. ANOTHER HILL!? I can't go anymore. That's ok, I trained with walking so here I go. That's where Element is?
I won't go there. R Blais is the biggest arse. Downhill!!! Start running. Mile 3- 42 minutes.

Mile4: Still on the decline. Turn onto 14th. Ugh another hill. Just look at your feet. There's the 4 Seasons. No, that's the Marriott. Keep going. There's the 4 Seasons. Where is everyone? Who cares. Hi Copper. Thanks for stopping traffic. You are so nice. Back to Piedmont. Ew the sewage. OK these hills are killing me. I'm going to walk up every hill and run down. Yes that's the plan. Mile
4: 59 minutes.

Mile 5: Whose idea was it to walk the hills? The Park is flat, so I have to run the whole thing. OK mmm Famous Dave's. I love Pork. Maybe I'll just run in place right here. No keep going. OK, festival people in your motorized cart. I am not THAT fat, either pass me or stop revving your engine. Oh you aren't going to pass. Well screw you. I'm going to run in the middle of the path. hahahaha! Thanks festival man for cheering me on. Through the park. Dammm, that means the hills. Mile 5: 73 minutes.

Mile 6: I think I will stick with that walking plan. There is Flying Turkey. How do these walkers walk so fast? Keeping up with them is hurting my butt. WTF is W Peachtree. Oh there is Jock's and Jills. Hi Copper! Still walking. Onto W. Peachtree. I really dislike R. Blais. I hope this restaurant fails. Haha, you lost Iron Chef with your stupid hair tuft. On the downhill. Where is 13th street? Back to running. 12th street. There is Doug with the volunteer. Here is 13th. Finish is down the hill, Doug says. He jogs, but lets me get ahead of him. OK Baby stroller people won't let me pass. Boom right into them. But I have finished. Here is my tag. WTF is the water. OK I said that out loud to the stroller people. Live with it. The little boy has water. Hooray.

Time 74 minutes. That cannot be right. I couldn't run a mile in a minute. My watch says 94 minutes, so I'll go with that. (official time is 93:07)

Doug and I get some water and I eat part of a banana. T-shirts. We get them and double check. 2XL. Yay, I got my T-shirt.

We leave and go buy dog food and beer. I can drink 7 with no guilt.

Go to Johnathan and Anne's at 3:30. Dave, Johnathan, Anne and Mr. Dave's Dad are there. We watch the Michigan/ND game. I think a group of 6 yr olds could play better. Ep, it is 5:15, off to Tech. Drink and eat ribs. Go to the game. What is happening? We are getting bad calls, can't execute, argh!

Go back to the coolers. Drink some more. Decide to go to Milltown to ... drink.
Having a good time shooting the shit and telling stories. In walks a guy with a red shirt. I swear that looks like his butt crack. Clay tells him he has to leave. He says he has shoes and a shirt. Clay carefully walks him to the door. I see his full package. I SEE JUNK! Clay gets rid of the chair he sat in. We ask Clay later about it, and it seems normal for this guy. The funny thing was he walked home that way!

Lights in the bar come on. Clay calls us a cab, and to home we go. 430AM. Ah to be 21 again.

Wake up hungover. Ah to be 33 again.

The 5K Sucketh

OK. Got up at 6:30 to take a shower. I'm not sure what that was about, but I felt the need to shave my legs. Plus I was excited.

Opened the door for the dogs and it was a sauna out there. Steamy 75. Dang!

D and I finished getting ready and drove to J and A's house. A was running with us.

She took some pics of my face for me to compare from last race. So we walked from their house to the race.

We get there and they give us everything.
US: Can't we get it after?
Them:No, because if you pre-registered we want to
make sure you get your shirt.
US: Ok... XXL.
THEM: Oh we don't have XXL.
US: Ok, XL,
Them: we don't have those either.
US: Give me the largest size you have.
Now we are registered.

D put all our stuff under a tree, so we wouldn't have to run with it. A was nervous and talking and D was looking at all the ugly runners. I started looking around and realized there was going to be a problem. I was the heaviest there by 40 pounds. All these people were runners. Even heavy set women, had the thin runners legs.

OK, stop Al, you're fine.

They said some stuff I couldn't hear, and we were off. Most people passed me, not a big deal. First mile done.

Second Mile started with a hill. I run hills, I'll just take it slow.

Clod, click, clod, click...WTF is that? A 1-legged runner is passing me. OK, she is probably an Olympian and used to this...yes, that's it. D later said she could go faster because she was missing the extra weight...thanks Hon!

Out on the main road. 2 MARTA busses...I thought they ran on Natural Gas. cough, cough... how is that truck in Atlanta with all those fumes. Now I can't breathe. Here is mile 2. I can't breathe. I have no clue what volunteer is telling me. I can't breathe.

Brain1: OK if I walk, life will be good. I can't breathe.
Brain2: You're weak if you walk!
Brain1: Shut up! OK, if I' don't walk, I'm going to die.

So I walked to the hill. Then I ran down it. Who is this...Granny is passing me? Geez I am slow.

I thought we finished on a downhill, where did this hill come from? I can run it.

Lady walking passes me...oh no you aren't passing me. Get to the top of the hill and see the finish. 44 minutes. That is horrible. Walker woman you aren't passing me again. There is D, I love him. There is A, J and C. They are great.

I crossed at 45:23.
I had to immediately fill something out. I was a bit disoriented. A gave me some water. I drank that and went to get some more. There wasn't any. I got some gatorade...one of the last. And had a banana.

Sweat everywhere. I think J took a picture.

We walked back to A&J's house, A knew I was disappointed with
my time. She reminded me that I hadn't been able to run a mile
last year oreven in February. D pointed out from my
hills training last weekend I was on point.

We going back to their house. I looked at my HRM. I had burned 1100 calories.
Thats 4 beers to drink with no guilt.

All is right in the world again.

But the dang T-shirt doesn't fit!

Komen 5K 5/12/07

The race went pretty well. It was crowded and REALLY muggy. We (D and I) got there at 7:15 and looked for my friend Thorny. Finally found her at 8. We said hi and then Doug and I went and got in line to run. We were in the middle of the pack. We walked 5 minutes, and then said bye to each other. I ran 5 minutes, and then got to the hill at 12th street and walked it. It looked monstrous and huge. Started running again, at 10th street. Ran 2 minutes. Walked 2 minutes. Ran 8 minutes. Had to run in the street (where cars were) because it was so crowded. The police told the walkers to use their common sense and walk toward the middle, and let the runners have the outside. Walked 8 minutes. Now I was back on 17th street.

The water table I passed (didn't stop) said I was at 2 miles. I thought I was going fast. I ran 2 minutes, walked 2 ran 3 walked 3. I saw Doug near the finish realizing I still had about a mile to go. I walked/ran some 1 minute intervals. I ran the last 4 minutes and got there in 49 minutes (about 15.8/mile). Doug was waiting for me at the finish line. He finished by 41 minutes. We then went and got our T-shirts.

The honorariums people had on their backs was really moving. I remember thinking the future doesn’t bode well with “In memory of Mom and In honor of my 3 sisters.” I choked up at a guy with “In memory of my wife X and in Honor of my wife Y.” The one that really got me though was “in memory of Mom and Dad.” After that I stopped looking at them.

Thorny took a picture of me and Doug, but she accidentally erased it. She got the pic of me and her. I look absolutely HUGE!(I'll use it as motivation to lose more weight or as resume fodder to become a linebacker for a football team). I believe since Doug and I started training for this he has lost 13 pounds and I have lost 4.

But in the end, I was really proud of us for committing and doing.

We went for a run yesterday. It was really SLOW (much slower than that 15.8 min-mile I ran in the 5K).