First Time's The Charm

Especially when it’s a 5K. And definitely when it’s in Las Vegas! You know this is one of my most favorite running destinations as evidenced here! and here!. Even #MedalessMonday was an adventure! It’s 2015 and time to do it all over again. And clearly, since I was here for the inaugural Las Vegas 5k, I gotta come back! #LegacyStatus

The crew has changed though. I gifted a 5K entry to my little-ish sister for her birthday. I’m such a good sister. Giving people things I totally love and would definitely want for, well, any reason, actually. Huh?? Maybe that’s why I’m single. Anyway, she’s been working on her running and doing a good job of it, so what better way to induct her into nateezy’s running fb posts of fame than this, right?! Right.

While planning for this event with Alicia Keykey #ThatsRunningBae #NewAliasAlert who always complains but signs up anyway #NOLA, a fellow Bruin connected with me. She wanted to know if I was running in Las Vegas. LOL, it’s funny because it’s true. She happened upon a groupon for the 5K and felt like she wanted to be down with my running crew. So, of course that happened!

I just love it when a plan that I didn’t plan at all comes together.

We made our way to the Expo early Saturday morning because flight delays are totally a thing #SouthwestAintLoyal. While at the Expo I showed my sister all the fun running stuff. You know, free samples, running trinkets, and awesome things we’d get to do because we’re runners #WristbandsActivate. We passed a super awesome blown up picture of Meb…

I wonder if my friend is here. I’d love to see him!

What friend?

My friend from UCLA. That’s his brother right there.

Oh wow, who’s that?

*suppressing my runner’s ‘wheetttt?’ face because she actually doesn’t know* That’s Meb. Suffice it to say he’s a running rockstar. Like kind of a big deal.

*she shrugs and keeps looking around*

*I internally gasp, clutching all the pearls*

I’m such a running snob. And I’m not even that great a runner to be snobby about it. Gimme a second to get my life. Thanks. Needed that.

We caught up with my friend. Exchanged hellos and brief life updates. I keep on with my encouraging him to get back out here with us runners. He continued to think it over. We took our picture with Meb and hightailed it out of there.

We have a run to prepare for.

START: Okay – this is your race. We don’t need to stay together or anything. It’s your first Las Vegas 5k – go out there and do what you came here to do! Let’s get it! #RunLeaderPepTalk #ImSooooEncouraging #OrBossy #YouChoose

Mile 1: Yo, it’s chilly out here homey.

Mile 2: Yea, I don’t want to do this anymore. Meanwhile, my thighs feel great. All warmed up and whatnot. I mean, I’d rather warm them up with a martini, but well, warm.

Mile 3: This is a much better race route than last year. Sure I’m running back and forth in a parking lot. Point is, the path is lit and I feel safe. Well done. I also would like food now.

Mile 3(0.1): Yea….it’s going to be freezing tomorrow.

FINISH: I bet they killed it! I can’t wait to see their faces.

I made my way to gear check to pick up my bag and check on my sister. She wasn’t doing too great, even though she did a GREAT job in the 5K. As she updated me about how she was doing, and how the race went, I noticed that I didn’t see her medal. So, while she’s trying to get me up to speed about her health, I ask, Um, where is your medal? because that is clearly more important than life apparently. I didn’t get one, I didn’t win.

What? Gurl, bye.

I love my sister, Lord knows I do, but I just couldn’t Jesus. We had a long discussion about how this whole running thing works, how I’ve never “won” a race in the coming in first sense, but how we win every time we show up and do it.

She didn’t seem impressed by that. But we got her medal anyway because, well, we paid for it. 

We eventually caught back up with the Bruin Homey, and I gave the both of them a little bling of their own…of the candy variety. Firsts are awesome. Don’t you remember all those wonderful firsts you had? And perhaps some that weren’t so wonderful, but you remember them anyway. It’s important to make them memorable. Make them memories you’re always going to come back to. Memories that will inspire some other first.

Another successful adventure in medal’ing. Another Vegas almost completed. And took a whole 35 seconds off my 2014 5K time. It’s the little things.

Half. On. Deck. Son. #IsYouReadyOrNah #Nah #DefinitlyNah

#15ThingsIn2015 Challenge

5 new states (Louisiana, Texas – 2 down, 3 to go) #iShouldWorkOnThisOne #2MonthsLeft

4 new friends (OldieButNewbie #RunningHubby; My Child; WickedWineRunCrew (6 people!); Ragnar Napa Valley (10 people!); Cuzzo; NotQuiteTwinSister & BruinBuddy – 22 down)

3 new running events (Shamrock Half; St Charles Road Race; Orange County Half; Wicked Wine Run; Ragnar Napa Valley; Let’s Go 510…5k; Monster Dash 5k – 7 down)

2 back-to-back running events (Rock N Roll San Jose 5K & Half; Ragnar Napa Valley & Let’s Go 510…5k – 2 down, Rock N Roll Las Vegas 5K, 0 to go)

1 Half Marathon PR (Rock N Roll San Diego Half! 6 minutes!, Rock N Roll Las Vegas 5K – seconds to spare! – 2 down!)

 

The Bruin Reunion #RnRSJ5k

I keep telling myself that I’m going to stop doing all these repeat running events. But there is something to being hella loyal, and well, you know me. Of course I had to make it back for Rock N Roll San Jose! I mean, I live like a handful of miles away. I can walk to the starting line from my friend’s place. So, yea, I’m totally going to do that. Again.

And, I totally do these events like all the time, so basically they are expecting me to be there, right? It’s like, they roll out a special purple carpet for me because this GirlieGurl is definitely going to grace this running event with her presence, right?

*enter the expo*

Well, that’s weird. There are two races, and I only have one race bib number. Surely someone just got things mixed up. Surely. I’ll just go to the Solutions booth and get this worked out.

*waiting in line*

Hi, can I help you?

Yes. I was trying to get my race bib numbers, and there was only one coming up. Can you get me the race bib number for the other event?

I’ll take a look. *goes into the Matrix* Well, actually we only have you registered for one event.

Wheetttt? *surely you must recognize me, there has to be some mistake…did you not see the processional?* Um, there are two races. Why would I just sign up for one?

The person next to me can check into this for you. She can see more stuff that I can.

*waiting for the next person*

Yes. The woman next to you said that I was only registered for one event this weekend.

*looks into the Matrix* Yes, I see you are a tour pass holder. You’re registered for the 5K and you registered for the Half in San Diego and Las Vegas.”

Uh…and San Jose.

I don’t see that here. I see that you have another tour pass registration to use.

Well, I register for these things all the time. I literally pay for other people to run these events without them knowing, so um, why in the world would I not *make sure I’m getting all my medals* register myself?

We can totally get you registered today. If you take this card to the registration booth, they’ll get you registered for the Half.

*they better…or this will be the 10^th and final year of this event homey…ask about me in these streets*

Okay, it was actually more dramatic than it seems. Like for real. You know I am a snob about my running. And yes, while everything was taking care of, this was the year of bacon themed race bibs…so that awesome bacon name I came up with is forever lost.

…and you cannot replace that. #PRandBacon #NeverForgetSanDiego #iWasGreat

Okay, so the 5K…

Start: Okay, let’s get this money. I mean medal. I’m hungry.

Mile 1: I’m glad I stretched. Cause that would have hurt if I didn’t get that good stretch in. #iDidntStretchWellOrMuchAtAll #iHurt #ForReal #ItsNotAnApp

Mile 2: Good thing you’re almost done and you’re not running anymore this weekend. Because you didn’t almost show your entire arse in the Expo trying to get registered for a Half Marathon the next day. #YouDid #YouCouldHaveSleptIn #ButYoullBeBackHereRunning #YoureSoSmart

Mile 3: I need to take that dress back to Banana Republic. Or see if they can replace the belt. How did I buy that super cute dress and not get the belt? It came with a belt? It was there when I tried it on? What happened to the belt? #ImDeliriousAtThisPoint

Mile 3(0.1): I’m going to need that beer. I think I just used my last carb.

Finish: Bruh. -_-

I do not know how people stay so committed to their training over the summer. I mean c’mon, the sun is out! Sun dresses have been collecting dust ALL the other seasons long. I mean, it seems almost criminal not to, well…you know, live it up.

So another summer of limited running and training. I mean, sure I got the Wine Run in, but let’s face it…wine.

But that’s not what makes this awesome. I got to see one of my favoritest people I never get to see at these events. A fellow Bruin. It’s so interesting all of the people that intersected into my life during that time. And this guy, class act. Kind. Funny. Caring. Thoughtful. Genuine. Real.

Who happens to have a brother who is a running rockstar! Like, accomplished like none other. You know, the guy that helped me to figure out the winning in running?! Yea, that dude. 

Who was also the dude that took our group usie.

Because, no matter how famous you get, that sibling connection trumps all medals. You could be the person to cure cancer *hey, totally do that*…and your sibling could have you, minutes later, doing their laundry…because ‘member when you came in the house past curfew and you scratch the car?

And that medal ain’t saving you from Mama so…. what angle you want this usie? … fluff and fold, right?

#15ThingsIn2015 Challenge

5 new states (Louisiana – 1 down, 4 to go) #iShouldWorkOnThisOne

4 new friends (OldieButNewbie #RunningHubby; My Child; WickedWineRunCrew (6 people!) – 8 down, -2 to go)

3 new running events (Shamrock Half; St Charles Road Race; Orange County Half; Wicked Wine Run – 4 down, -1 to go)

2 back-to-back running events (Rock N Roll San Jose 5K & Half – 1/2 down, 1.5 to go)

1 Half Marathon PR (Rock N Roll San Diego! 6 minutes! – 1 down, 0 to go)

...and we stiiilllllll togetha!

There are some things that just break my heart. Siblings fighting happen to be one of them. And I am admittedly kind of a hypocrite typing that, right? I have certainly had some interesting moments with my sisters. And though my real feelings and my actions on a couple of (okay, few) occasions have not been congruent with my genuine sentiments, the fact remains – it broke my heart every time. And still does.

Literally. Makes. Me. Sick.

And because we all owe this life a death, our parents will not be with us forever. The hope, if you can call it that, is that a mother will not have to bury her son. But I sometimes wonder about the unholy thing I will surely become should I have to put my father to rest. And what will happen next? What will that loss do to me? To the six other people I shared Mommie's womb and Daddie's DNA with?

Whatever we become, I hope this does not become our story:

As a minister of the Gospel, the thought of selling my daddy’s Bible troubles my mind, vexes my spirit and weighs on my soul. The thought of profiting from the sale of the Peace Prize Medal, which my father accepted 50 years ago this year on behalf of the greatest demonstration of peace this nation has ever seen, is spiritually violent, unconscionable, historically negligent, and outright morally reprehensible.

I hope I never have to write those words. I don’t know them like that. And I only know one side of the story. An impassioned plea for Daddie’s Bible.

And that is what we are gathered here today to discuss folks. Daddie’s Bible. Not just any Bible. The first Bible Daddie ever gave me. The same Bible I use today, some 26 years later.

I was in Church one day a few years ago, carefully flipping the pages of that tattered Bible. You would have thought it was a poorly preserved World War I relic or something. That Bible has been through some thangs! Not quite like Jesus, but it has been tested for sure. The person sitting next to me leaned in to share their Bible with me. I think, they maybe had some pity for my pitiful looking, gold name engraved, Holy Bible. Pages falling out, torn, stained…even the leather bound cover is sans that black shiny finish.

The Sunday Struggle is REAL ova here!

     Person: You’ve had the Bible a while, eh?

Me: *happily* Yup. It was the first Bible my Daddie ever gave me. It just sucks when I get to this one part of Matthew, I lost one of the pages.

Person: *not sure what to think* o_O

Me: I know it sounds crazy, but it’s the only Bible I’ll ever use. I’ve got a brand new one at home. Rarely will I open it. Crazy, I know.

My sisters have pissed me off. We’ve gotten to points and places in life where we would not say a word to each other. Miss the phone call on purpose. Ignore the text message. Act like we were not just tagged in an old memory on Facebook. Could be sitting next to each other on the SamTrans going home and not even share a glance. We can be stubborn #ImARealLeoOtherTimes…

But I cannot imagine a time or a circumstance, in which there would even be a question about Daddie’s Bible. Daughters of a preacher man, profiting from the Word he freely dispensed? There is no object on Earth that can replace the loss of a loved one – of a parent. Nothing will replace my father. But if we think of things like Lord Voldermont, then there are some objects in which we hide parts of ourselves – purposely and accidentally. Objects that become the essence of who we are. And I hated even sharing my Daddie with the kids on his school buses.

My Journals. My Music Collection. My Shoes. Damn, my race medals! I imagine that those who know me best will have a worst time going through these items when I dearly depart this world. These are the horcruxes I have accidentally made, and will have to purposely leave here. Again, without knowing the story behind her post, if I were asked to part with something so central to everything my Daddie ever was, I think I would have a really bad day. And night. Basically Life. Life would be bad. I’d be restless too Nneka.

I still remember that day, in 1988 when I got that brand new Bible. April 24, 1988. An adult Bible. The King James Version. Because the other versions we had to read as kids seemed too watered down for me. I wanted the good stuff Daddie was yellin about behind that podium in the auditorium. I sat in that folding chair, ruffled church socks and pig tails – glowing! I concentrated so hard on that first page in my brand new Bible. Writing my name. The name a good man gave me. And the great name of the God fearing man who gave it to me. I had to put my middle name on the second line, with an arrow pointing between my first and last name. He gave me two good names, and saw fit to share his last one with me. Even the Jr. Everyone who knows me, knows that I am my father's daughter. Jr.

…and when I meet ole’Poochie that fateful day, on the other side of Jordan’s River, I pray my babies left wandering this here dusty Earth are reading passages from Mama’s beat up ole’Bible. I kinda think that was one of Dr. King’s dreams too.