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Of all the things I dreaded the most about this weekend, it was this 2 hour drive. I usually get tired. And what exactly do I eat? I gotta eat... I was hoping for a Wendy's. I figured a baked potato or something but eventually settled for another run at Subways.
Anyway, got to the hotel without an issue and without pulling over to nap. Checked in and found out, that I need to pay for parking. Seriously?!?
I asked when checkout was and they told me noon. Now, the race starts at 7am. I wasn't sure I would do less than 5 hours and anyway, it was a 20ish minute drive to/from race site and a walk to the car from the race. I immediatly asked for late checkout and sour face dude finally agreed to give me 1pm.
I went upstairs, used the bathroom and showered and tried to relax a little. This 5K thing was probably NOT a smart idea but it did give me an opportunity to find the place so it was worth it for that.
Drove there and parked and talked to 2 females and we walked down together to the race site. Race site was at The Grant House and there was no parking there.
I went to check in and the volunteer could only find my 5K bib. Oh oh. She called someone over and he showed her where to find the other bib. It was because I was doing both. Cool.
My plan for the 5K: Go EASY! Go SLOW! Nothing to prove. Race day was the next day. This was just for fun and my right knee was a little achy. The 2 hour drive did not help...
Some cops were doing the race in full uniform carrying 27 pounds of gear. Nice! I started talking to a female officer. I asked her what time she was hoping for and she told me that she doesn't know. She doesn't train for stuff like this. She trains more for crossfit runs and she won her age group the previous year and she would be happy to do it again. She then saw a friend and went to talk. I kinda got the feeling that she didn't really want to talk to me anyway which was fine.
I started EASY just like the plan. My right knee was protesting a little so that was fine. We started by going down a hill a little bit and then up this wooden bridge thing. The female officer who took off like a bat out of hell was going fast up the hill. Now, I have no problem getting chicked, but at that moment, my competitive spirit woke up and I decided that it would be nice to at least catch her. I went down the hill to the turn around and then ran up. We went on this dirt trail and I still didn't see her. Mile marker 2 was there and then I saw her and she was hurting. I passed her and as I did, I asked if she was ok but she was still listening to her music so oh well. I ran and seriously started chasing people down. It became a mission to get "just one more", just like the scene from that movie, Hacksaw Ridge.
Another hill, the last one and I am running. I wasn't gonna let anyone pass me but I'm still chasing. There was a 12 year old girl ahead of me and I decided to get her next but she spied another 12 year old girl and she gave chase. Normally, at this point, I would chase, but I didn't have it. I still moved fast but no sprint. I got another dude as the girl passed the other girl But she then relaxed a little and right before the finish, the original girl who got passed, sprinted and took it back. I had the biggest grin on my face. That whole scene was awesome. The effort of both girls was just superb. I finished tho. Checked the results for fun and What?!? Got 4th for my age group. Time was slow for me 25:42 but 8:19 average pace per mile and 4th for age and that's after a Marathon and a long ass drive. I was happy. Back to the car and the hotel for me. I'm ok with the 4th for age but of course, now I'm thinking.... Maybe if I would have started chasing a little earlier... Hm...
On the way to the hotel, I stopped at 7-11 for some junk food and the area seemed a little sketchy but it was close to the expensive hotel I was staying at and so I didn't think about it too much. Still, the NYer in me, always keeps my eyes peeled. I then decided to get gas too because who knows what Sunday will bring. Got gas and again got a weird vibe. Not a good neighborhood. Leaving the gas station, I spied 3 prostitutes working 3 corners and a drug deal on another. Glad to be out of there and into the hotel. Another shower and some food and sleep time for this idiot.
I was really anxious about this whole 1pm checkout. It just didn't seem feasable. Around 3am, I went downstairs to talk to the front desk as no one was picking up the phone. MUCH nicer guy. Boom! He offered 2:00pm. I asked about 2:30 and he said done. Cool!
Continued getting ready. I decided to pack up everything and load the car up in the morning on my way to the race. This way, I'm set either way. Got a go-bag already too for the quick shower.
Went to the race site. Parked in the same place and hit the port-a-pottie. I didn't eat enough last night but I was hoping it would be ok.
Met up with Karen and Glen. I had already told Karen about the 5K option the day before but Glen didn't know. I told him and I kinda got the feeling that there was something there. I beat him yesterday (fluke) and did the 5K... Hm.
The race started and right away Glen took off. Whoa!!! I caught him within a half-mile. I was talking to someone and we just passed him. I ran with the dude for about 6.5 miles. Guy was an ARMY CID guy and we had a great time together. I gotta look up his name.
This race was 2 loops. You go out for 6.55 miles and turn around. Do that twice. Right around the turn around, I let my new friend go. He was feeling it. I needed to walk a little. The course went through a little bit of the city and into an industrial section and then into a nice trail that hugged the water. That section was beautiful.
I did see a bunch of cops on the course and I ran about a mile with one of them. The story here was that an officer had just been killed on duty and the cops were doing this as a relay in his honor. Each was in full uniform carrying about 27lbs of stuff and a thick wooden baton. The guy I ran with... The officer that was killed was his Training Officer so it really meant to him. He was escorted by a guy on a bicycle.
Coming back, was an almost complete return but toward the end, we turned off and remember the wood bridge and the trail and the hill from yesterday's 5K? Same thing...
The half-marathoners left an hour behind us and while I was running back, I saw the lead overall runner. She looked awesome. She looked so strong and always had a smile on her face. Such a great sight.
Well, I was at mile 12ish, when she passed me. Chasing her was another female who was NOT smiling. Chasing them and going for 3rd overall was 1st male. He also did NOT look great. Still, they both finished the half before me. I did the first half in about 1:20. The winner did it in 1:18. What a great sight to see first and second overall were women.
I also saw Glen...He was chasing me. He knew I was there. That's ok too.
After I crossed the mat to start the 2nd loop, I saw the winner talking to her friend. I went and interrupted and told her that she looked awesome and that I loved her smile. I continueed. Made a new friend. At around mile 14, Glen passed me. That's ok too ;)
I knew what the course handed out and so I did my thing. I was very hungry and felt the fact that I didn't feed correctly. This was also my 3rd in 2 days so there's that.
Step by step, ever closer to the finish. At one point on the boardwalk, I saw a guy massaging his leg. I asked if he was ok and he was hurt and therefore answered kinda gruff. I offered some Tylenol and his demeanor changed. Not sure how fast the drugs would work and how much the placebo affect worked but he took the pill and I'm assuming finished. I had an interesting thought about this later... Would you ever take Tylenol from a person that you don't know? Any meds in fact... But at a race? I think anyone would take drugs from anyone offering...
In any case, on we go.
Finally I spy the turn-around. Seems like as I was approaching it, it was moving away but I finally did catch it and that last turn felt good. On the way back. Only 6.55 to go. Left the water and into the industrial section to the cityish section to the wooden bridge to the dirt trail. Where the hell is Glen? And there he was doing the last climb while I was heading to the last out-n-back small addition. Hated that section. Wasn't gonna catch him. I was hoping to.
By the way, after the turn around, I did run into Karen. Now, Mikey already warned me that she sometimes make comments. She still says something to him like, "I can't believe you broke Julia's and JC friendship"... So, she sees me and says, "I can't believe Glen past you... That's so good for you... I mean, that's so good for him". OK... Not sure what to make of it but this is state 28 and I'm all happy so we will just let that one slide.
Anyway, I finish and they actually pronouce my name right. Yay. I go congratulate Glen and it turns out he got 3rd for Age. Whoa... By the way, Karen I think got 2nd. I went to check and I'm 4th for age. Again!!!
Got some sweets and walk to the car. The hotel shower was good. Had plenty of time. Screw it...Airport. Jeremy suggested that I return the car and go see the city. I'm NOT walking around the city with a carryon so returned the car and through security by 2:45.
What to do? What to do? I went to my future gate, D6 and checked out the scene. Got food and some floor real estate and chilled out. Gate D6 was for Minneapolis. People started milling in. I'm on the laptop. The airplane arrives and people start de-planeing. Cleaning crew goes to do their job. They leave. Suddenly an annoucement. Apparently, the fuel truck hit the plane and dented the plane. Soon, 3 firetrucks came over, just in case. Now, excuse my ignorance but there are only 5 possible reasons why this happened in my mind.
Surprise surprise but people were pissed even though they were promised a new plane within 2 hours. Some people hung around while others left. I stayed. What the hell was I going to do anyway? The new plane did come around and started boarding at D10. Everyone went over there. I stayed (as usual). Eventually the ticket agents left and new ones for the next flight showed up. And eventually so did those people who left, came back except that the ticket agents didn't have a clue as to what's going on. And so, from my place on the floor, I chimed in with "D10" while pointing in that direction. They kept asking. The ticket agents still didn't know what's up. I kept saying D10, until the agents realized what's up. They asked and I told them that the plane was boarding at D10. The people left and more people came in. Geez...
I enjoyed a huge berry sundae with whipped cream! Just wanted to put that out there.
Eventually I boarded my plane. Had a great seat at 8C. Got into my seat and eventually the window person showed up. In the airport, I wasn't wearing a mask but on the plane I was. She did too. Cool. We talked a little. Eventually, when the plane was almost full, our middle seat neighbor showed up. Already she wasn't happy, as she had to put her carryon near rows 22. Sucks.
She got into her seat and immediatly started fidgeting all around. Oh boy. I made myself small so as to not get jostled constantly. I closed my eyes but did see her take some medication. Oh boy... The plan WAS to sleep the redeye...
We left the gate and while taxiing, I had fallen asleep. While 30 min into my sleep, I woke up. The flight attendant was talking to my neighbor. My neighbor was freaking out. She was having an anxiety attack since the meds hadn't kicked in yet and her TV wasn't working so she couldn't focus on that. The flight attendant kept apologizing. What was she supposed to do about it anyway? Well, my neighbor asked for a compensation and the flight attendant said that it wasn't an issue. My neighbor asked how much and the big compensation? $20...
And now I'm awake unfortunately... My neighbor, a Staten Island resident who works in an ER in Brooklyn who was not wearing a mask (SERIOUSLY of all people???), was not in a good place and I did NOT want to get diverted to somewhere and so, I tried to help her out. Low voice, distract her and try to help her connect to the free WiFi on her phone so she can stream something. By the time, I got her on to the WiFi, she told me that her meds were kicking in... And she turned her phone off and put an eye cover so she can sleep. Cool... Still, I'm awake now...
Landed at JFK 30 minutes early... Yay for that. Didn't get diverted... By the way, turns out I got 3rd for age at the 5K, so a quick email and they sent me the stuff in the mail. Yay...
Click here to read part 1 of this crazy weekend.
