Running with Tonks

Finish Line Bliss Look at that face.  I was, and still am, so very happy.  I still can't believe how difficult it was.  I mean I knew going in it would be harder than anything else I had ever done but wow.  It was challenging both physically and mentally.  The finish line was a fog of happiness and pain.  My legs were so stiff, my balance was gone and my brain was about three steps behind.  I kept staring at the buckle thinking, OMG I did it!  The first post race challenge came when they brought the car around.  I was able to sit.  Ok, it was more of a flop into the seat but I got there.  They had to take my legs, as I had zero strength left in the tank, and pivot me into the car.  We propped my legs up on the dash because my legs below the knees were visibly swollen.   Lisa and Michelle walked the path back to the other car at Crew City while Kirsten drove me back to the VRBO.  As we were driving out of the park...

View from our Shake Out Run Holy Banana Pancakes! The lead up to this event was nuts.  COVID caused so many challenges.  The course changed but due to the possibility of more changes it wasn't released to us until three weeks out.  Also, finding pacers and crew willing to fly across the country during a pandemic was a huge challenge.  I was one of the lucky ones as I actually was able to get help.  Some runners had to attempt the 100 solo which I can not even fathom.   Actually flying there was super stressful.  American Airlines cut out flights.  I am very lucky I had already planned to fly out Wednesday and give myself the extra day.  Good thing I did! The changes left us on entirely full flights and long layovers.   I think the most "amusing" part of flying were the American Airlines ramps leading to the planes had markings of 6 feet apart. Of course the moment we sat down on the plane we were shoulder-to-shoulder.  Des...

If I fall asleep right now, I will get 4 hours of sleep... Yeah, those nights never work out well.  I tried to will myself to sleep with every trick there is but nothing worked.  I ended up just getting out of bed to eat my nut butter bagel.  Then thankfully fell asleep for an hour and a half.  You would think it would have been difficult to wake up considering I only had 90 minutes of sleep but nope.  When the alarm went off, my eyes popped open.  I laid there a minute listening to the rain.   Michelle and Kirsten drove me to the start.  There was an amusing incident on the way involving my fairly new headlamp, turning around and then turning around again but I will save that for another time.   I stepped out into the rain in a calm.  Felt so surreal.  How was this finally race day after all this time?!?  Last minute picture before stepping out of the car. "Every one here has worked so f*cking hard to be here....