Viva Las Vegas! #StillRunnin #Race16Medal15

I’m back. And it’s sure to be amazing because 3rd time is the charm, right? There was 2011 #nomedal #neverforget and then 2013 #VegasRedemption...because when you leave your very first half marathon without a medal you go to Spain the next year. And now we’re here. Back at McCarran Airport, praying that your bag comes out of any carousel, except 13.

 
This year was the very first Remix Challenge for Vegas. You know, that silliness I did in San Jose #5kSaturday then #13pt1Sunday?? I’m back at it. But this time it’s different because it’s at night. I get to rock the strip at night, twice!

They still won't let the #HalfOfTheHalf be great. SMH

 

But....I should probably pick up my race bib from the expo. Because yesterday was Friday, its Saturday morning, and you’re running tonight. To the expo I go!

This year, Tour Pass holders got to meet Meb Keflezighi. Autographs and photos! Right? You know, just the guy who won #NYC2009 and #BostonStron2014… You know, just another runner… He was hella excited to meet me! Anywho...I got to the front of the line, introduced myself, shared with him my congratulations as he’s gonba be an Uncle again *his brother & I went to school together #Bruins #BruWins, I’m not like family*, took a picture, and he signed both my race bibs. Awesomeness.

 

The rest of the afternoon was spent staring out of the Aria room hotel, wondering about that. My real life interaction with a real life winner. Then my phone reminded me of the Black Girls Run Happy Hour, so I made my way to Yardhouse. 

There, at Yardhouse, was the most excitable groups of black women from all over the United States, ready to rock and run. Women from everywhere and every level or running. One of which, was doing her first 5k that very evening. Her run cherry being popped in the city of sin, just like my half marathon cherry in 2011. And they let me tag along to see it.

Start Line: Remember, you and Ketel One had an intense conversation last night. You couldn’t keep your hands off of him. And you have to run like a whole heap of these 5k’s tomorrow. Nobody cares what you do here. They’re all drunk and gambling.

Mile 1: I swear I hate vodka. My chest is on fire... Oh, hey Mr. Black Men Running…you just gonna GoPro me and my new friend here running? Oh, okay? Maybe I should look like I’m excited…Okay…

         

Black Man Running: You ladies warming up, right?

         

Black Girl Dying (me): Yep! We sure are! Just getting warmed up! *please Jesus let him hurry up and run past me…I…Can’t…Breathe…And…Smile…And…Run* #atthesamedamntime #MyHeartMightFail I mean, he looked like he was cute…well sounded like he was cute…anyway…Maybe I should try to see what we looks like…or breathe. Maybe I should just do that.

Mile 2: That was close. For a second there, I thought I signed up to do a 5k in Vegas the night before the half. A night after epic #AriaShenanigans.

Oh wait. Dammit. Wait...where did all my friends go? Dammit!

Mile 3: HOW DARE YOU OFFER ME A DELICIOUS DRINK MADE WITH VODKA! Please sir, go back to your gambling. I am a serious runner and would never take a drink (from a stranger) while running! The nerve! What kind of woman do you think I am? #HeActuallyKnowsMeQuiteWell

Mile 3 (0.1): I wonder where that guy went? I didn’t even ask him what kind of vodka was in that drink. I was sorta rude...

         

Finish Line: There they are. Each one of my friends…and I don’t know any of their names. Waiting for me to finish. Not only do #BlackGirlsRun but #BlackGirlsRock too!

We ended the running experience just as we began. Making sure the group was together as we traveled through the packs of people. Taking pictures of every moment. Smiling for selfies. Posing for group pictures. Trying to talk the MarathonFoto people into hooking us up with a picture or 10, you know, runner stuff.

It’s amazing the people I have met, the courses I’ve seen running, and the incredible things I have been able to do. All from the discomfort of my Saucony’s… I got to enjoy that race experience with people I just met…and was greeted by my dear friends who desperately made their way to the finish. Of all the things I have been during this running experience, I have been lucky. Lucky to experience such acts of love.

But there was this one thing that happened before the start of the race. There was this super tall and completely obnoxious white guy behind us pack of #BlackGirlsRunning being a total jerk. First it was funny photo bombing our group selfies… But after the 10^th time, it got a little old. Like his dry humor and corny jokes. But we let it slide because runners stick together and ish, right?

Well…he thought it would be funny to scare me. Righttttt? So he acted like it was running from something behind me, and kind of shook my left shoulder, to startle me. I obviously reacted like a person would, with unknown chaos behind them.

He and his friends erupt in laughter… Awww, did I scare you? I’m so sorry…We were just playing…Are you okay? So everyone is looking at me, my new friends, to make sure that I am okay and checking in. I look back at him. And he’s expecting me to laugh it off. But, um, I’m trying to figure out, when did homicide become comedy? Because I was ready to end the life of whatever it was behind me. Sure you’re 7 feet tall. However, lest you forget at 5’2, you groin is easily assessable. And my elbow was made in Texas… Sir, count, your, blessings, that my Mama told me to act like I got some sense in public. My mother saved your life. And bail money. The fact that I don’t have enough bail money saved your life.

Jerk.

This Race: Rock N Roll Las Vegas #StripAtNight, 5K, Las Vegas NV
Medaled Miles to date: 89.87 miles

Total Raced Miles to date: 102.97 miles 

-1 Medals To Go ǁ 107% Complete

(Challenge Medal 3, 18 Medals ǁ 129% Complete)

Pure Genius, #Race13Medal12 #ChallengeMedal1

I’m trying to get my Cali Combo Medal RnRSJ is soooo happening… That was me 22 weeks ago (says Instagram) when I was in #100DaysOfHappy mode. I’m certain Pharrell was not thinking about this when he was happy.

The night before a race is spent eating all the pasta in a 10 mile radius and resting. Because, miles and miles to go before I medal, right? Typically. But not this day. I ran a 5k. Then I went to a wedding. And it was homecoming at my place of employment. And because tailgating and tickets to the game are free, at 8:00pm the night before my race, I’m in the stands of Spartan Stadium with JRock.

See? Genius.

I know what you’re thinking, you went home right after that right? So you could get some rest, right? Wrong.

Good Idea: Staying on campus the night before so you can walk to downtown where the race begins and ends. This means you can sleep longer and not have to worry about parking.

Bad Idea: Realizing you left your iPod with your running playlist in your car parked at your Uncle’s place. He lives 20 or so minutes away. And you can’t get there – because your car is there. And you’re 20 or so miles away from it.

So you get out of the bed, wait for your Uncle – who will probably never do anything for you, like not even open a can of soda for you, because he hates everything you represent – to bring you to your iPod. And car. Because he’s not taking you back to campus. He doesn’t like you. At all.

Good Idea: Getting comfy in the bed to recoup the sleep and rest you did not get because you did the worst job planning your day and you don’t know how to deal with peer pressure very well.

Bad Idea: Deciding to stay on campus during Homecoming because students are so well behaved throughout the year, especially during Homecoming. Because nobody will pull the fire alarm in the building you’re staying in, which also activates the alarm in the parking garage making a normal fire alarm activation a 2+ hour ordeal, beginning at 3:00am.

Like I said, I am literally the smartest person you know. And yes, I signed up for 2 races. On the same weekend. #ThisChallengeIsSilly

Race Day: *fire alarm hangover* I could just stay in this bed all day.

Start Line: I don’t think I can do this. Like seriously. Unlike any other start line, in any other city, for any other race… I am literally in fear that I won’t make it. But I want that medal tho. #ChallengeBackOn

Mile 1: I need to use the bathroom. Dammit.

Mile 2: Awwww, lookie at one of my old student staff members volunteering at the race! That’s so cool. Now pass that water bruh, it’s hot out here. *sees bathroom* *Thank the Lord*

Mile 3: I wonder if JRock still out here? I might need somebody to come get me. #iHurt #ThatsNotAnApp #ThatsMeInPain

Mile 4: *wondering why I seem to be hurting this early in the race* Ooooh Yea. I ran a 5K yesterday. Then went to a wedding. And wore heels. Then a tailgate. And a football game. And a fire alarm. Oh, okay. Makes sense.

Mile 5: It’s 91 thousand damn degrees out here tho. #WeShouldaDelegatedTheTemperatureToMoses

Mile 6: I could almost be done right now. Like my friend I think I see passing me. You know, the smart one that’s doing to 10K.

Mile 7–9: Don’t ask.

Mile 10: Why do I make life so difficult for myself?

Mile 11: You couldn’t pay me to walk down this street. Ever. Wait… I’m actually paying to run down this street. #FacePalm

Mile 12: This isn’t Rock N Roll San Jose. This is Rock N Roll Hades. Who in the hell *literally* turned the heater on in the Bay Area?! It’s October. Ain’t nobody got time to sweat 2 week old braids out!

Mile 13: Hump. This looks familiar. *shrugs*

Mile 13(0.1): *realizes this was the same corner I was turning just a day ago* Yea, I’m not doing another remix challenge again. This is stupid and silly, and the people who organize events and challenges like these should have to appear before Congress. This may not be too hard for God, but this is extremely difficult for me.

Finish Line: *queues up choir* I just want to Thank…You…Lord…

The day prior, I thought to myself, I will live to regret this. And I did. Only it did not even take a full 24 hours. I was in pain most of the race. Between that and the sauna known as San Jose, I was miserable for the last half of the running. I feel like, if the race starts before the sun comes up, then it should stay where it is until I cross the finish line. #mannersSJ #manners

Though so many things connected to this experience pounding the pavement sucked (by my own design and piss poor planning/preparation), there were a few bright moments. One in particular that made me smile.

As I was stretching, convincing myself that this was totally a great idea and I was going to have the most amazing time ever, a woman got my attention. She asked if I was part of the Black Girls Run group. I responded No because I realized right before I answered that question, that I never actually “signed” up for it. A friend added me to the Facebook group, but aside from that, I did not complete my membership application or apply for my card. Hell, I don’t even have a Black Girls Run tee yet.

But I’m in the group. I’m connected to the community of black women who buy things at running stores. And she is too. She also did her first marathon in San Diego. You know, that place where I had an #EpicSummerRun and learned a lesson in chivalry? Yup, she was there. And, she’s going to be in Los Angeles when I do the ridiculous again and run in back to back events. Only this time, I was brilliant enough to put a flight and 340 miles in between them. Oh, and she is planning to rock the #StripAtNight too!

We took a picture and went to our separate corrals… #SheIsWayFasterThanMeTho #GoGirl #RunBlackGirlRun. And I thought, you were kinda creepy asking her all those questions…you really get real weird about this running stuff 'Teezy…you need to chill out. And after that I realized that she will probably run away from me in Los Angeles.

Eventually, I saw the novelty of it all. We all do this for our own reasons. We register ourselves. Commit to our training with varying levels of effort. Safety pin our bibs. Find our corrals. Start. And finish. And many of us never meet the thousands of people running past alongside us. But we are all there. All connected. All together. And we all get it. Unlike all the other people watching us run, cheering us on, or wondering why we would ruin a perfectly good weekend with a 20-mile training run, we understand it. It makes perfect sense.

Kind of like working in student development. It looks crazy from the outside.

From the inside, we know exactly what kind of crazy it is. And we show up again the next day. That’s the genius in all this. #LevelsAndLevelsAndLacesToThisBro #LevelsAndLaces

This Race: Rock N Roll San Jose, Half Marathon, San Jose CA
Medaled Miles to date: 67.47 miles

Total Raced Miles to date: 80.57 miles 

2 Medals To Go ǁ 86% Complete

(Challenge Medal 1, 13 Medals ǁ 93% Complete)

This Is The Remix, #Race12Medal11

I’m only doing this race because it’s a 5K… We will just call those famous last words. Because that really was the only reason I signed up for the race.

That’s also a lie. Um, there was a challenge medal involved and I decided that I wanted that challenge medal more than anything, even though, I had not seen said challenge medal, and this was the first year of such an event.

I go crazy for the bling. Half crazy. Full insane.

This was an interesting experience at the race expo. If you’ve ever done a Rock n Roll series event, then no matter the city, the experience is typically the same. There are large bulletin boards with names and bib numbers. Stations for you to complete running waivers. A specific entrance into (and out of) the expo. Race tee and swag bag pick up #tearsoffshirttabfromracebib. And then the Expo! Free stuff. Merchandise for purchase. Vendors. Giveaways. This super cute guy at the Alaska Airlines booth #ishouldhavesaidsomething! You know. Same ol’ same ol’…

But not really. Because when I went to the bulletin board to find out my bib number, I noticed that my name was there twice. Same name, 2 bib numbers. Well isn’t that odd? #ItWasnt #ISignedUpFor2Events #ActingHellaBrandNew. I expected everything to be the same about this experience that was nothing like anything I had done before. On a Saturday, I was running at 5K. Then I was going to go home, go to sleep, wake up, and return. To run a Half Marathon. And when you do that, you can’t write in the different bib numbers on the same form. You have to complete 2 separate forms, wait in 2 different lines, show your ID to 2 individuals, and get a race tee and swag bags from both stations.

Because you’re signed up for 2 races. #ChallengeOn

Race Day: This was a dumb idea. I pick the day I have THE MOST going on to run. I’m literally like the smartest person I know… Hold Up?! Is this parking space literally around the corner from the Start Line? #WontHeDoIt #PraiseDance #QuickNapSinceIGotAllThisFreeTime

Start Line: It’s 3.1 miles. You need to make this happen as quickly as possible. You have a completely full day today. Your cousin is getting married.

Mile 1: What time is it?

Mile 2: I should consider moving faster.

Mile 3: This was stupid. And it’s hot out here? It can’t be October.

Mile 3(0.1): *turning the corner* Someone definitely moved the Finish Line. How can I not be finished yet Lord?

Finish Line: Oh, this medal is nice?! All this for a 5K? Yasssss! I wonder if this will match my dress. For. The. Wedding. OMG. Why. Am. I. Still. Here? *eats banana while pondering that*

And when I got my life and realized that I had to get back to my car, shower, get dressed, and make it to my Uncle’s to head to my Cousin’s wedding, I moved with a purpose. I actually ran…just a little. If you know my Uncle then you know that while he is super sweet and will move mountains for his nieces, when he says be somewhere, you be there, on time.

I stuffed my achievements and my boobies into the cutest dress so I could spend the afternoon in the sauna otherwise known at San Ramon. It was so hot out there. I watched my cousin vow to his love, and his love return the vows in kind. It was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

Then I stood up. And realized that I ran super hard on the San Jose city streets just hours ago, did not a single stretch, unless you count that sprint up and down the stairs, and I have been walking around in 5 inch steve madden peep toes.

Everything about my feet hurts. And now they’re playing the wobble.

I will long live to regret this. I’m sure of it. 
#itwasthewobbletho #TURNUP #andtheysteppin #andthecupidshuffle #andmichaeljackson #dammit

This Race: Rock N Roll San Jose, 5K, San Jose CA
Medaled Miles to date: 54.37 miles

Total Raced Miles to date: 67.47 miles 

3 Medals To Go ǁ 76% Complete

71% Complete and 7 Medals To Go. Wait. What?

When Alicia maKeykey, Dr. Splits on Trees and I set out to do this here running thing, I had no idea what it would look like, or what I would be like coming to the end of the year. I mean, honestly, I only thought this was possible in theory. Not so much that a person could achieve such a feat, but that I could be that person to achieve it. And though race after race happened, and I changed the color of the text from black to green on the calendar, I was not convinced. I was not persuaded. But, time just kept on passing me by all that same. And races. And medals. And paychecks. But I’m in the 4^th Quarter, and I am finding my inner Jordan. It's 1992.

Well, the end of the year sucks because quite frankly I’m not sure I like myself, and I want my goals to be as difficult as humanly possible to obtain. With that being said, I am officially signed up for six (6) more races. Four (4) of them are next month.

…on back-to-back days. Because I haven’t done this before at all (see THIS and that THAT, to have that last line made null and void), and I totally believe that running back-to-back events is good for you. Yeah. That.

See? I need counseling.

So I didn’t mean to do it. I Promise. I Swear. It’s just that when I see medals I have delusions of grandeur, and I’m like the greatest person you know, so I HAVE TO DO IT NO MATTER THE HUMAN, MATERIAL, OR FINANCIAL COST. I have to run. I need medals. I need them to survive.

Wait, I don’t need counseling. This is totally normal behavior. For a runner.

Okay, so hell is the month of October. And it’s marked by the following running events (not even counting Halloween):

1.    Rock n Roll San Jose 5K (Saturday) – 1^st race in the SJ Remix Challenge

2.    Rock n Roll San Jose Half Marathon (the next Sunday) – the 2^nd race in the #IRunTheCoastChallenge & the 2^nd race completing the SJ Remix Challenge *additional challenge medal earned

3.      Let’s Go 510K (a Saturday later in the month) – the 3^rd race completing the #IRunTheBayChallenge *additional challenge medal earned

4.    Rock n Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon (Sunday, in Los Angeles, as in I have to get on an airplane after I run a 10K and get my challenge medal to prepare to run 13.1 miles with my BabyMama the next day) – the 3^rd race in the #IRunTheCoastChallenge *additional challenge medal earned #HeavyMedalist

There’s that. …and then there’s November.

1.    Rock n Roll Las Vegas 5K (Saturday night) – 1^st race in the LV Remix Challenge

2.    Rock n Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon (that next Sunday night) – the 2^nd race completing the LV Remix Challenge *additional challenge medal earned

I mean, there’s Thanksgiving, I might love medals, but I NEED my dressing #NotStuffing #ItsDifferent #TrustMeImARunner&HolidayEater, and ham and other delicious life sustaining foods. I ain’t got time to be running when there are collard greens that need’a cookin!

So, December comes along and…

…I don’t have a single race scheduled. Mostly because I cannot decide what race I want to end this epic #14in2014 experience with. It’s got to mean something so this year means something to me when my ovaries finally do something useful besides remind me they are here once a month (I HEARD AND FELT YOU CLEARLY! Grrrrr!) and scramble one of my eggs with my somebody son’s genetic material. That thing we create in my uterus will need to know how this ended. And that story will need to be great.

…and you still have time to be part of my greatness. You can still run with me. You can start. You can finish. Just like I did in January. And, every month after that. Except July, August & September. #ItWasHotInTheBay #ThenIGotLazy #AndAllUpInMyFeelings #ohAndAYearCuter(Older) #andThenTheSemesterStarted

Just like what I’ll be come December.

This is perfectly normal behavior.

*still in my feelings* The 4th Quarter is going to be amazing. It always is. And, it's always the beginning of the end. I think I planned for evey contingency except for this ending. *le sigh*