Runs for Cookies

Posted: 02 Sep 2012 06:00 PM PDT

After a very eventful weekend, I was disappointed for it to end today.

Yesterday, after the race, Brian took Renee and I to the beach for kayaking. I'd never used a kayak before, and it's something I never would have attempted when I was obese, so I was excited to try it. Brian showed me how to get in and out without tipping it over, and thankfully, I think I mastered that. Renee and I made a big loop in the lake.

It was a very good core workout, if nothing else! I could really feel it in my shoulders, also, which Brian said meant I was doing it wrong ;) But I didn't crash or tip over, so that's all that mattered. We sat on the beach for a little bit before going back to Brian's house. We talked about maybe going to a comedy club or a bar, but Renee and I were both pretty whipped from the half-marathon and the kayaking, so we decided to stay in and drink wine while watching a couple of movies.

Brian listed us on an 8:50 flight this morning to Detroit. He dropped us off at the airport, and after we went through security, we went into a bar/restaurant so I could have a glass of wine before boarding. Yes, it was only 8:00 in the morning, but I wanted to choose wine over Xanax this time, so I wouldn't be super tired when I got home. I picked up a muffin at a little bakery in the airport before going into the restaurant. So here is my breakfast of champions:

My jaw dropped when I saw how much the wine was. I told the server "Whatever is cheapest"--and that "cheap" Chardonnay cost me over $13!! I prayed we would make it onto the flight, because there was no way I was going to buy another glass at that price.

When we got to the gate, we saw it was going to be another close call as to whether we got on the flight. Brian was pretty confident we'd get on, because there were 20 open seats, but when we looked at the list we were the last two people on the stand-by list. After most people had boarded, the gate agent told us that there was only one seat available, and asked if one of us wanted to go. We said no, that we'd just try to get on the next flight.

At that point, there was a man and woman who were added to the stand-by list, and they had lower priority than we did. The man said he would take the seat. I was bummed about missing the flight, so I called Brian and he said he'd call me right back to tell me what gate to go to for another flight. Right when I hung up with him, there was a pilot talking to the gate agent--he was flying as a passenger to Detroit, and he said he would be willing to give up his seat and sit in the jump seat (a small seat in the cockpit)--that meant there were TWO open seats! Since we were higher priority than the other couple, the gate agent gave us the seats. I probably thanked that pilot a dozen times--it was really nice of him to do. (Brian later told me that he did the same thing for someone last week, so it was his good karma that got us the seat ;) ).

And, lucky me, I was in seat 4A--the window seat in the row immediately behind first class. I was relieved to be by a window (it eases some of my flying anxiety).

It was very cloudy once we got into Michigan. I tried to read, but it's impossible for me to focus on ANYTHING when I'm in an airplane, so I just sat and looked out the window. I had another glass of wine during the flight (and my beloved Biscoff cookies). Once we landed, and I stepped out of the plane into the chute, I could feel the humidity in the air. Minnesota was the same as Michigan temperature-wise, but it wasn't humid at all. I felt sticky and gross when we got outside.

Renee's husband Dave (and their three boys) picked us up from the airport. When I got home, the exhaustion of the weekend set in. I watched a Lifetime movie, and almost fell asleep. I haven't done much at all today since coming home. I was thinking about revising my marathon training schedule. My kids start school this week, so I think I'd like to add a fourth run in each week. Hal Higdon's schedule isn't that far off from where I am in training right now, so maybe I'll just follow the last seven weeks of that. I'll try and figure it out tomorrow (I'm taking tomorrow as a rest day as well, because I'm pretty sore today--both legs and shoulders).

Anyway, this weekend was a lot of fun, and I definitely needed the "adult time" away from my kids. It was a busy weekend, but also relaxing, if that makes sense. I already think I want to go back to St. Paul next October (in 2013) for a half-marathon called the Monster Dash. My brother runs it in costume every year, and he always has a blast.

I am going to sleep like a rock tonight!