Weekend Review {02/04}

FRIDAY

Pre-birthday Friyay!  Work, then German class, then "beer lunch", then work, then home, then sushi for dinner, followed up by The Office until bedtime.

Teh Twins and Teh Twin Mom came to beer lunch with us.
I can't believe I've literally known a human being their entire life.
Also, how cute are they?!

These typos made me lol.  IDK why Asian restaurants don't find an English speaker to look over their menus before printing.
Calamary and cream chesse.
Yum.

SATURDAY

In order to stay trained up for the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon March 2, I signed up to do the Save the Lighthouse Half this year.  It wasn't overly expensive, so I was pleased.  It was a week after the 15k, so ya know, "training" and shit.

But I'll be honest, I was NOT excited about this race for lots of reasons.  Mainly, the course looked boring AF and after the 15k the week before being painfully boring, I wasn't excited about it.  Also, there had been ZERO pre-race communication.  NUN.  This was so alarming to me that I posted on the FB event page, and the Charleston Parks and Recreation (CHS P&R) FB account replied at that all the info was on the website.  Yep, I know that, but I've been running races since 2014 and this is the first time that I've not received anything before a race.  They hadn't even posted on the event page about packet pickup, so it was just weird.

Also, because the race was so small, packet pickup was only offered from 4-7 on Friday and then before the race.  I sure as shit wasn't driving down to Folly Beach on a Friday night to just pick up a packet and come all the way back home, so I waited until before the race.

I left home around 6:15 on Saturday morning.  Teh German had to work on Saturday so we woke up at normal M-F time, which was convenient.  I made it to Folly shortly after 7.  I was able to park for free at the Tides Hotel since the money collector hadn't set up yet, close to where packet pickup was and the start/finish.  It was a painless pickup.  With less than 300 participants (which would explain some other things), pickup was fast.  I was quite disappointed when I was told that I hadn't registered early enough to guarantee that I got a shirt, and that they had already run out of the size I'd requested.  I asked if I could get a different size and they told me they weren't allowed to do that.  Uhhh, wut?  Turns out, I wasn't the only one that had been shafted, and no one was pleased at the CHS P&R response that it was stated on the website.  Again, in previous races, if they ran out of your size, you could generally get a different size.  Masking my annoyance super well OR the lady who gave me my bib was an epic smartass, I finally gave up after the lady said, "Thank you for being so understanding."  Look, bitch, I'm not being understanding, it's 7am and I'd rather be asleep right now and fighting with you about a shirt isn't high on my list of priorities right now and I'm slated to be asleep in the backseat of my car within 15 minutes.

I took my bib and headed back to the car for Megan burrito time.  I set an alarm for 0810 so I could get up and get race ready and pee.

I made it to the start line with 5 minutes to spare and then we were off.

When I run races where the 5k goes along the same course as the longer distances, I never understand my life choices to do the longer distances and it's always such a temptation to do the shorter distance and spare my body the inevitable pain.

The race course wasn't as bad as I had expected it to be.  We did have to do a loop and repeat a majority of the course, but this worked out for me since I opted to stop and take some photos of fun things I'd seen along the way.  I guess if I compare Folly Beach and Sullivans Island, Folly definitely had more "fun" stuff along the course.

The course took us out to the lighthouse that they are wanting to save, and the paved path to the lighthouse had spray painted doodle on it that were cheesy at first, but when I saw this one, I finally got the attitude adjustment I needed.

I've encountered this lighthouse at several local races.  I'm not sure if it's always the same person, but it's still pretty impressive to carry that for 13 miles.

During my 2nd loop, I stopped to take photos of interesting things I'd seen along the way.  This was a nice break from the tedium.

919 also happens to be the area code of my phone number, which is the Raleigh/piedmont NC area.

This Wolfpack encouragement was parked at the "3.5 miles left" mark.
It was definitely much needed encouragement.

Sooo, it was a tiny medal.
I've definitely become a medal snob.

Teh German had planned to surprise me at the finish line, but I surprised everyone when I came in at 2:26, instead of my expected 2:30-2:45 time.  He had even picked up flowers and a happy birthday balloon.  I was kinda sad, but he gets credit for trying.

Instead, we met at Smokey Oak for lunch. 

Post-race sweet tea is one of life's ultimate gifts.

After lunch, Teh German headed to the fish store to do salt water tank things and I headed home for a epsom salt bath and my post-race nap.

When I woke up from my nap, I took care of some laundry, of course.  Pax helped.  Of course.

When Teh German came home, I put my flowers in a vase while he "aquascaped" an actual term for setting up the rock formations in a tank of water.

I considered homework, but I took the birthday excuse and opted to not.  Instead, we had leftovers for dinner and watched The Office.  I did also get a wild hair up my ass and decided to make the box of brownies that I've had stashed in the pantry for decades, approximately.

If you're not aware, one of my life skills is making perfectly fudgy brownies.

I was pretty tired fairly early, considering I had a nap, so we were in bed by 10:30, like the old people we are.

SUNDAY = BIRTHDAY DAY!!!

Teh German and I had agreed on going to Millers All Day for brunch, which is special since 1- it's downtown, 2- we'd never been there before, 3- it'd been on my list of places to go for a hot minute.  So when Meri decided we were done with the sleeps at 8:45, we got up and got ready.

Teh German had taken my package from Teh Running Bestie out of it's hiding place for me by the time I made it downstairs.  Matilda and Teh Running Bestie got my special birthday ears!  #WIN

After opening my presents, we headed downtown.

Birthday perks = not having to pump my own gas.

We arrived to Millers right on time, shortly before 10.  Within 15 mins, there was a waitlist.  #LikeABoss.

I subbed out bacon for livermush.
YAAAAASSSSS.

After brunch, we went to the mall so I could redeem some Victoria's Secret coupons.  After waiting 30 minutes for them to open, I discovered that my $15 off coupon was MIA.  Uggggh.  I did redeem my free panty, and had them hold the bra I was going to purchase.  While I was standing in line, I had Teh German go and pull the car up.  I grabbed my VS card and my ID out of my wallet and handed it off to him so he would have the key (this is relevant later).

When we got home, I took a nap.  It was my birthday, so I do what I wawnt.  After nap time, I halfassed some homework.  I didn't get far into it when I decided to check my backpack for the missing coupon and found it.  Then I opted to go back to VS and pick up the bra that I had put on hold. 

When I got to the mall, I got some cash from the ATM to tip the massage lady on Monday, and then headed to VS... where I discovered my ID and VS card were in the pocket of the jeans I'd been wearing earlier, which I had taken off to nap... instead of putting my jeans back on for homework, I put on some gym pants... and had opted to go to VS in that instead of changing since Teh German wasn't going with me.  #MeganFail.

Dejected, I left the mall and headed to Walmart for groceries/things.  I had texted Teh German of my trials and he had offered to bring me my cards, but I told him not to worry about it and I'd just go by VS on my way home on Monday.  BTW, they could have looked my card number up, IF I had my ID, but it was also in my pants.  By trying to be prepared the first time, I'd fucked myself later.  That's a pretty real analogy for my life.

When I got home around 5:45 from Walmart, I put away the groceries and we headed over to Teh PT House to watch the shittiest NFL event in a long time (i.e. the Super Bowl).  I had to rush Teh German out of the house to catch the National Anthem.  I socialized during the first half and critized through the halftime show (no, really, what WAS he doing with those weird hip moves?) and then I went home to do homework.

While I had been next door, Teh PT Kid gave me my birthday present from their trip to Universal: Slytherin magnetic bookmarks.  That kid gets me.  I was able to immediately put one to use after finishing some of my homework in the German book we're reading!  #WIN

Teh German came home around 10:30 and I was just finishing up.  We went to bed shortly after.

______________________________________________

Overall, a very relaxing weekend.  I mean, I took naps on Saturday and Sunday!  I was also smart and put KT tape on my left knee after the race, which REALLY helped me be able to use my leg on Sunday.  Next time, I'll tape both knees and see what happens.  Or I'll tape both knees for the race and leave it through the weekend for support.  We'll see.

Next weekend is the actual Megan's bday gathering.  We're meeting for dinner and then going ice skating!  WOOT!  I still need to determine a dinner location, order/pick up a cake or ice cream cake (ugh decisions are hard), pick up plates/eating things, etc.

This week includes actually catching up on homework.  Please, Lawd Jebus, I need the ability to give half a fuck so I can focus and pound out some homework.  I've been taking that birthday excuse VERY seriously.

Yesterday (Monday) was mostly a circus and they were my monkeys, so I had to wrangle.  A 2 hour massage turned into 3 hours since she didn't have a client after me (yes, I know, what a rough problem to have), but it meant missing some things that I had to catch up on later and missing class.  It also means that my entire body is a sore spot today (Tuesday), which is extra funny because Teh Sister is also an entire body sore spot for all her life.

I have my last? laser hair appointment on Friday morning, which is bittersweet (yay no hairs!  boo ouch!).  Saturday is homework and birthday gathering.  Sunday is recovery. 

YAY for birfdays!
Also, if you reached out and sent birthday greeting, you da bestest and I appreciate you.
If you didn't, that's ok too, I still appreciate you as a Gentle Reader.  This is a no obligations situation.