Out & Back Weekend - Philadelphia, PA



New Gear pre-race at the no-tel, motel, Holiday Inn

What a weekend!
I apologize for the delay in the post-run blog post, but I feel like I'm only just beginning to recover!
I need to clarify, the race wasn't bad - but you combine the 3-4 miles walking around downtown Philly prior to the run, then the race, then the after party, then the after-after party @ Geno's, then an up early road trip to AC followed by a late dinner @ Cuba Libre, another mile walk to Max Brenner for sinful deliciousness, up early for departure after a stop @ Honey's Sit & Eat (HIGHLY recommend), the drive home, the unpacking, laundry, whew!
This crew can pack a weekend, fo sho.

Friday the 29th was perfect road trip weather. We were in Philadelphia in a matter of hours. This girl got to sleep in and catch the highlights of the Royal hubbub before we departed York. We made it to the hotel a couple of hours before the Killian's (which would later prove problematic), had lunch, got changed and hit the city. A perfect Spring afternoon with only a few sprinkles threatening the cool, sunny, race conditions. I felt really good - well rested, calm, cool, relaxed. I felt that even if I began to tire during the run that I could convince myself to keep going because I KNEW that I could and had already run this distance several times.



Officially Official - yes I'm running, yes I want to be timed!



After my run in at the Under Armour outlet with the sales guy clarifying that the running gear that I was shopping for was actually for me I had convinced myself that I was just being "sensitive". The lady at the race day registration table was way more offending, however. Shawn had decided that in order to partake in the after party awesomeness he would buy a race day bib, get the bracelet and watch from the sidelines. I had already picked up my goods and met him at the registration table when the lady taking his payment looked at me and asked if I was running. I said yes. She then asked if I knew that I was being timed (my bib was different than Shawn's). I again replied, yes. She said "oh". If there was any doubt that I was being "sensitive" at that point, that theory went out the window...especially since the hubby could now corroborate the story. Sheesh! Shawn & I decided that at that moment the best thing that we (meaning I of course) could do was prove them wrong. Which I did.



Michele & I pre-race

I ran the whole four miles, and I wasn't dragging, dying, gasping or anything - well not that I could hear over my blaring music, anyway. Michele and an old friend from high school had passed me on my way "out" and their way "back" and both commented how comfortable and relaxed I looked. I felt that way too! I felt super official when I grabbed a cup of water, took a sip, and threw it down on the ground at the turnaround - you know, how they do on TV?! Michele finished in under 39 minutes then ran back to join me in my last 1/2 mile - super nice of her, especially since we royally pissed them off by leaving the hotel and wandering aimlessly around Ben Franklin Pkwy pre-race. She reminded me to keep my head up, which would help with my breathing. plus "you want to look ahead at where you are going, not back to where you been". I do love that crazy lady and look forward to cheering her on at the Marine Corps Marathon this October.

My adorable hubby was waiting, waiving, and carrying on when I crested the final & only hill at the end of the race (so cruel that they do that), I knew that I was ahead of my best time thanks to my RunKeeper app and I knew that I must have been doing really well for him to be so excited and encouraging. I crossed the finish line in 52:19. That's over two minutes that I knocked off my previous "best" four miles. It was a great feeling! You know what else was a great feeling? Beer bubbles tickling my throat at the Lemon Hill Mansion afterwards! It's still a long way to 13.1...
PS - I'm down 8 lbs even AFTER last weekend!

At the finish line...my face matching the color of my shirt!