My Last Race Ever!!!*

Yup, it’s true. This weekend is my I’ll be running my last.race.evah.*

*In my current age group.

Yup, I have a birthday coming up, which is going to catapult me into a brand spankin new age group. So this weekend’s race will be my last in the 35-39 division. Hopefully I can go out with a bang!

Sadly tho, I won’t be running any of the St. Patrick’s Day themed races in Dallas. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some St. Patty’s Day fun, but me no likey the huge crowds at those races.

I’d be a giant in leprechaun village.

Instead I’m running the Chain Reaction 5k.

I chose this race for a few reasons: 1. I live nearby. 2. Registration was affordable. 3. All proceeds go to a good charity. 4. A couple times per week I run the trails this race is utilizing, so I’m familiar. 5. It looks to be a small race.**

**With small races, odds go up of placing…even in my super competitive current age group!

That all said, even though I run in this park all the time, I’m not sure how they’re going to host a 5k there. I know for a fact that the main trail is only about 1 mile around. I reached out to them for the course map, which they very kindly sent me. But to be honest, the map cornfuses me.

I can’t make heads or tails of this route.

They say it’s a two lap race, but I don’t get which directions it goes. And also, the map clearly shows that we go off pavement to dirt mud trails for a section. That’s not good because it’s been raining non-stop here in North Texas.

This is what I kept telling myself all week.

I again reached out to the race folks, who assured me the race is all on pavement. If that’s the case, then the map is wrong, so I’m even more cornfused.

Anyways, I’m probably over-thinking it. I need to just go to the race and have fun trying to run fast. But what would runners do if we weren’t obsessing over running details. Am I right?

And those who know me know I also obsess over tacos. So now I’m off for some pre-race veggie ones!

This will help me run fast, right?

Stay tuned for the recap where all the mysteries will be solved!

How bout you? Can you figure out that course map? Are you celebrating St. Pat’s? Do you have a prediction for my performance?

-Scott

St. Patrick’s Day Weekend Wrap-Up

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I love Ireland and the Irish.  I love Guinness.  I love Irish music and food.  My favorite color is green.  So needless to say, I love this holiday.

I’d be a giant in leprechaun village.

I have been to Ireland thrice, twice of which was on St. Pat’s Day.  Those are some good times, my friend.

My St. Pat’s weekend this year kicked off with a 5am run.  I met some friends and we cruised to an easy 7-8 miles, followed by a mimosa 1 mile fun walk – it was St. Pat’s after all.

I’m checking my watch, and yup, it is 6ish AM.

I was on daddy daycare duty (and doodie) this weekend, so I wasn’t able to go to the big shindig with all my peeps.

Playing firefighter selfie.

I was however, able to make it to one of the big St. Pat concerts – Graceland Ninjaz.  It’s basically Elvis singing cover songs.  It’s fun.  I was actually in one of their music videos last year.  I played a ninja, coincidentally.

In between takes with some “Felvis” dancers (female Elvis).

We had some wicked storms blow in the early evening that day, and I thought the show might be cancelled, but then we got a St. Patrick’s Day miracle.  The skies cleared and delivered us a double rainbow!

Turns out I was the pot o’ gold at the end of the double rainbow after all.  But what does it mean?!?!

The show was on!  It was a fun time!  I’m friends with most of the people in the band, and so they brought me on stage for a bit so I could perform some of my sweet dance moves to titillate the crowd.

On stage open mouth selfie.

Back up for Elvis!

The next morn we were supposed to do a trail run, but it was too muddy.  So I met my runnin buds for power yoga at Lululemon.  Afterwards we went across the street to Starbucks.

Starbux selfie! Why am I always in back?

Now I’ve never had a cup of coffee in my entire life.  So I don’t make it to Starbucks much.  But I wanted to try the turkey bacon egg sammich that Run Salt Run goes on and on about.

Salt Gal made be do it. I’m a sucker to peer pressure.

It was purdy tasty!  Thanks Salt!  However I think I pissed off the line of coffee zombies behind me when I ordered my sandwich and tea.  I’m sorry I held you up, but their system of cup sizes cornfuzed me!  Sheesh!  Like I said, it had been years since I’ve been in one of those shops.

Anyways, it was a nice lil weekend there.  And today is the actual St. Patrick’s Day, so I will celebrate with a pint o’ the black stuff in my custom etched Guinness glass that I’ve been saving for today.

Now nobody can steal my Guinness!

Another thing to love about this holiday – it doubles as my birthday eve.   Yay me!

How bout you?  How was your weekend?  Do anything special for St. Pats?  Ever been to Ireland?  Did I take too many selfies this weekend?

Generic Title: Year in Review

Last day of 2013.  I got one last run and weight session in.  It gave me time to think about the past year.  Here’s what had happened…

It started by running the 20th Anniversary of the Disney Marathon in Orlando…

Medals dang near big as yo head!

As part of that, the boy ran the Kid’s Race and won his heat!

I can’t believe he has better form than I do. He also has better race photos.

I also kept my streak alive of being undefeated against celebrities in races.  You can read about the others HERE, but this time I beat Joey Fatone….

It’s the guy from that boy band – I think it’s named – My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Explored the Orlando Theme Parks with…

Moms, Pops, Boy.

Celebrated the boy’s birthday at a fire station (his choice)…

Unfortunately, the did not serve us chili.

I then ran the Too Cold to Hold 5 miler.  You can see the recap HERE – A bunch of friends joined me…

We should’ve ordered brighter shirts for TNSR.

I ran the Dallas Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon.  You can see the recap HERE…

I know it looks like Brooks threw up on me, but don’t care cause it was cold! I needed more of that tin foil stuff to wrap me up like a baked potato.

I then got to produce a bunch more videos with the hilarious Flula…

Like our dope videos or we will fight you…in a non violent way.

I got to celebrate my birthday and St. Patty’s Day in a special way, which you can see HERE…

I’d be a giant in leprechaun village.

Then I won my age group in a very special 5k that you can see the recap HERE…

I’ll treasure this one fo shizzle.

I then got to meet up with my sis and sis from another miss in Raleigh, NC…

With my sis and sis from another miss.

After a few days of fun, we were off to the Outer Banks to run the Flying Pirate Half Marathon, which you can read my recap about HERE…

My sis and I after a recent 1/2 marathon in OBX, NC.

We had a bit of fun exploring the site of the Wright Bros first flight…

Gotcha!

And celebrated on the beach…

Here’s your typical beach photo of legs and feet.

Unfortunately, the next day was the bombing of the Boston Marathon.  I wrote my thoughts on it HERE, which I got a huge response from.  Apparently I wrote what others were feeling.

At Fenway Pahk watchin tha Red Sahx play the wicked Yankees a few years ago.

I then ran another 5k, you can read about it HERE…

Takin it to da bridge!

Then my soccer team finished in second place after losing in a shoot-out after double overtime…

No smiles for second place.

I continued running with Thursday Night Social Run...

We run. We socialize. It’s cool.

I ran another 5k, recap HERE…

Posing with a patriotic trash can.

I re-incorporated trail running into my repertoire…

It’s best to run in the back so the leaders are 1st to find snakes and spiderwebs.

Got to play a ninja in a music video…

In between takes with some “Felvis” dancers (female Elvis).

I then ran in an unofficial 4×1 mile relay race, recap HERE…

At the Relay Race – We’re both rockin the Pure Flow 2 by Brooks.

I then ran my first Beer Mile race (4x 1/4 mile + 1 beer at each).  I finished 2nd overall.  Recap HERE…

A trophy, yay!

I became a part of a new run training group – Project Run 214…

Bright and early!

Got to see Mumford and Sons with family and friends…

Went to the local Oktoberfest so that I could drink free beer cheer my friends running the 5k…

My friend wore lederhosen during the race, so we decided to celebrate.

Enrolled the boy in his first hockey class…

He looks serious!

Went to the coast of Texas to teach a class on TV production and collect some awards…

Boats on the water.

I ran my first 15k race.  Recap HERE…

Say ahhhhhh!

Tested out a new mode of transportation…

Howdy pardner. You like my ride?

Went trick or treating with the rug rats…

I’m a ginja (ginger ninja).

Do not cross him.

Cowgirls are udderly cute.

I then went to the Alamo to look for my bike…

Alamo selfie!

Won two more Emmy’s for the mantle…

Emmy #6! I’d like to thank the Academy, etc. etc.

Hung out with Nitro from American Gladiators…

Right before we went through the gauntlet!

I then tweaked something in my knee…

My tape job.

Cheered for more friends running a Thanksgiving day race…

The turkey was probably sad because it was Thanksgiving – a sad day for flightless birds.

Survived a North Texas ice storm…

All that white stuff looks like fun snow, but is actually pure evil ice.

Which forced me to the dreadmill to continue my training…

That took forever.

Helped a friend run the final few of his 30 mile run for charity…

At the mile 27 station.

Celebrated the holidays with family and friends…

All our ornaments on the bottom half of the tree.

And ate a buttload of tacos…

Mmmmm, tacos.

BTW, my knee is feeling pretty great.  I’m almost done training for next week’s Dopey Challenge (5k, 10k, 13.1, 26.2) at Disney World!  Can’t wait to get these 6 medals!

My neck feels heavy just looking at them.

In between we just kept on trying to keep on.  Hanging out at home with the fams and dogs.  Making videos.  Yoga-ing.  Working out.  Cooking.  Laughing.  Oh, and blogging.

 

How was your year?  Did you make the most of it?  How’s your 2014 looking?  Big plans?  Holla!

Running Sick and Elite Help

So apparently I’m still sick, not so that I have to take of of work, but so that I’m having a hard time being myself.  I’m tired, sore, and gots no energy.  But I’m still trying to fight through it as the Rock n Roll Half Marathon is next week.  Problem is, every time I try to run, it really saps my strength.  And I definitely am more sore and take longer to recover.  It’s crazy.  I’ve had a hard time finishing my last couple long runs all together.  But I’ll keep on carrying on.

St. Pats is coming up and maybe some Guinness will do me good.  It always has before.

But other than that, the peeps we’ve been training for the half marathon have been doing great.  However we wanted to offer them some extra info, and to our luck, local elite runner Logan Sherman agreed to speak to our group.

Some of these folks are training for a race. Some are training for St. Pats Day!

Whenever I see Logan at a race, no matter the distance, I know pretty much everyone else is running for second place. Just the other week he won the Cowtown Ultra Marathon.  But he is also about to graduate as a chiropractor.  He’s very in tune with athlete’s bodies and has certifications in all sorts of treatments like ART.  So it was very cool that he came to talk to us.  He shared lots of tips about nutrition, proper warm ups, general health, and injury prevention.  He also took the next couple hours to answer any questions we had.  Very interesting and informative.

Getting some Q&A time in. Also, when I look at people, I don’t see color.

Why do I tell you this?  Cause I think we all need to take advantage of educational opportunities that are around us.  If you’re interested in something, seek out some experts and pick their brain marbles.  You never know what you might learn and how it may help you in your endeavors.

Sláinte!