In August 2007, I fell on my head for the second time that summer in what I like to think was a graceful swan dive across the Start-Finish of the Hanes Park Crit into a pileup of 15 women. I ended up with a separated shoulder and a condition called Muffintop Blowout - nerve damage that can result from being too fat for your jeans. Muffintop Blowout, coupled with a crazy whirlwind of work, and a boyfriend who doesn't like riding over an hour (I still need help convincing him that you can ride 1+ hours without your butt hurting :) ) marked the beginning of my "I'm just riding (and racing) for fun" career.
I've been dabbling in other sports that I hadn't done since high school (soccer), and elementary school (kickball...actually strike that, I played in a league in MN too). From these sports, I've learned that adult soccer games are won by the team with the fewest strained quads, sprained ankles, and torn ACL's. Kickball games are won by the team with the trickiest pitcher...and it's possible to pull your saetorius playing second base - ow.
I've also been running because it's a whole lot easier than finding a bike when traveling part of every week for work/etc. Despite having already run the "only marathon I'm ever doing" in Amsterdam in 2006, I decided that it would be fun to run the Boston Marathon, and am running Miami at the end of January (fabulous vacation weekend btw).
So, on Sunday, I blew Evie off because I didn't have a beach cruiser to ride in the Sandhills on Sunday (that race defeated me a few years ago) and ran a 10k that was running distance from my house. Here is my first note on running from a non-runner: Do not assume that downhill = easy, and do not space out and underestimate where downtown/the finish line is.
But, I did manage to run exactly 1 second faster than I did last year and got second in my age group. I got a super-awesome SPOIL OF VICTORY! A coupon for $20 off a cargo sports bra!!
The good news is that I am on track to qualify for Boston. The bad news is that I need to get faster to get back to my performance of last year in the same race when I won my age group and got a picture of an elated woman, which I later found out was a representation of a cargo tank top I would receive if I emailed the company.
Note on running #2: Do not discount the prize - maybe the ability to run with my iPod close to my breast is what I need to get faster. Someday, I will again have tips on biking...for now, this is fun.
