Weekend Review {1/13}

FRIDAY

I left work early on Friday to go to the Charleston Marathon expo for packet pick up with Teh Bestie.  Picked up packets, purchased new socks (since some of mine need to be replaced), purchased new bib dot (magnets that hold your bib on), perused the rest of the vendor tables (meh), then headed out.  We decided on Poogan's Smokehouse for lunch because: PIMENTO CHEESE FRITTERS ARE LYFE.

After lunch, I dropped of Teh Bestie and Teh Chief Smartass at her car and then headed to the finger doctor's office.  My first finger has been hurting consistently since November-ish and when it started getting bad, I was in the middle of semester hell, so that was a no go on scheduling an appointment.  By the time my schedule cleared up, it was mid-December and that's a no go since that money towards my insurance would be wasted.  So I waited until January to make the appointment so whatever I paid went towards my 2020 deductible.  This is adulting at it's finest.

Xrays were taken and the doc explained that my bones are beautiful and the spacing between them is good and there are no signs of arthritis.  WOOT.  Based on the xray and my areas with pain he said I probably have tendinitis in the tendons around my finger.  AKA, I have tennis elbow, but in my finger.  Welcome to my life, Gentle Readers.

So now I have 2 $5 velcro bands that I use to buddy wrap my fore finger to my middle finger to take off some of the work and some lidocane cream for the area.  This is my new normal for the next 3-4 weeks.  Rah.

When I got home, I stopped by the empty lot where Roux's Humom was doing family pics with Teh Bestie, Teh Chief Smartass, and the beasts and offered my assistance where necessary.  After that was done, we came home and I did some work things and hung out with all the company.  Matilda arrived in the evening and we had spaghetti for dinner (without the meatballs because I forgot and promptly got a lot of shit about it).

It was a quiet evening and we were in bed by old people time, it was fabulous.

SATURDAY

The alarm went off on Saturday and no one wanted to budge.  But I managed and I even shaved my pits and legs since the weather was NOT conducive to sleeves or pants.  Teh Bestie was running the 5k with Teh PT Wife and another neighbor while Matilda and I ran the half.

Matilda and I separated before the race started and I made my way to the start line and did some moderate stretching.  Finally, it was go time.. annnnddd there was walking because of all the congestion.

My phone dropped out of my pocket and I had to run back and dodge runners to pick it up (always the worst since it's very much like the wildebeest stampede in The Lion King).  Then it fell out again and I didn't notice and a super nice dude grabbed it and handed it to me.  After that I had to stop and take off my toss shirt and put my phone in my skirt's zipper pocket, which was awkward since that's not where it normally stays during runs.

In a turn of good fortune/motivational opportunity (since I was mentally struggling with running 13 miles and it being so fucking hot (70°F + 1000% humidity at the start with intermittent rain along the way, 78°F by the end) and dropping my phone TWICE), I happened to see one of my fave professors walking his daughter and dog through campus as we were running through.  I stopped to chat for a brief moment and petted his dog Jack, who I've been crushing on since Fall 2017 when I first saw Jack as the professor's desktop background, and introduced myself to his daughter, who was born shortly before my first semester at The Citadel.  Prof was like, don't you need to go? Aren't you worried about your time?  Me: Nah, I'm in it for the participation medal, I'll get there when I get there.

But I did carry on.  I ran 99% of the race.  I stopped to talk to Prof and to take a selfie in front of the library where I did my bridal portraits and I walked through all of the water stations and then up the lone course hill at mile 10.5.  My shoulders and neck started giving me serious problems around mile 5 and progressively got worse as the miles tacked on.  By mile 11 I was considering walking, but then I heard my time and realized there was a chance I could make it under 2:30 and kept running.

My official time was 2:28:47.95.  UNDER 2:30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At the finish line, where I was tearing up because 1- I made it under 2:30, 2- I managed to run through my toes rubbing the edge of my shoes, 3- I survived the heat, 4- I ran almost the entire race, 5- I finished another half marathon.  But I pulled it together as my peer pressured running team surrounded me at the finish line: Teh Bestie, Teh PT Wife, and another GL Cool Kid.

I met Luna while wandering around after the race.

I checked out the food/beverage offerings with Teh PT Wife and then headed back to wait for Matilda to finish with Teh Bestie.  And we waited.. and waited.. and waited.. and turns out, she finished quicker than we had anticipated so we had missed her coming through the finish line!  She ended up finding us at the finish chute.

This is how Olive took advantage of our early departure:
Keeping my spot warm.

On the way to the car, we let the guys know that we were headed to brunch and they said they'd meet us.  While we were stretching and changing before we got in the car, Teh Chief Smartass called and said that Olive and Secret had a scuffle and there was "damage".  In an absolute terrorized panic, I started calling vets to see who could take in two emergency situation dogs.  My vet disappointed me to the max when they said that they couldn't take in an emergency since there was only 1 doc at the office and that they closed at 12.  It was 11:30.  #RAGE.

We ended up at the emergency vet in North Charleston after another vet's office gave me the number to call.  I send then info to Teh Chief Smartass and after getting the dogs loaded up in Teh German's truck, they headed to us.  We had to call Teh Chief Smartass to ask if the either of the dogs were in critical condition because the only assessment he gave us was "damages" and that was enough to put us in a blind panic.  Next time, more adjectives and descriptions will be required.

While Teh Bestie and Teh Chief Smartass did paperwork and the girls got settled, Teh German, Matilda, and I went to pick up Willow and pick up not-brunch.  We ended up at Chickfila since that was close by the vet and a people pleaser (well, except for me, Chickfila does not please me).  As we returned to the vet, Teh Bestie and Teh Chief Smartass walked out and said they were being sent home since the vet wasn't sure how long it was going to take to assess the "damage" that had been done.  Siiiiiigh.

So, we went home, ate Chickfila, showered, and didn't nap. 

Matilda left us around 4:30 to get to the airport to catch her flight, which ended up being delayed, boo, and Teh Bestie and I headed to Pet Supplies Plus to buy harnesses for the girls since the wounds on their neck would prohibit the use of their normal tag/martingale collars.  We brought Pax with us to ensure that the harnesses would fit on the wonky greyhound body then sized down since he's a big dude and the girls aren't as large as him.  He was being weird about the pet store and as a treat for his impatience, I took him bird watching. 

If it wasn't murder, I'd totally buy a bird or two and let my dogs have at it.  They get so excited about birds and vermin and critters.

We headed home after picking up the harnesses and waited on the vet call.  Eventually, it was dinner time and Teh German declared that we are never again having frozen burgers ever again.  Alrighty then.  After dinner, Teh Bestie and Teh Chief Smartass went to pick up the girls and bring them home.

Widdle Dashy-Washy snuggled with me while his parents were away.

Once the girls came home, there was an attempt to get them to settle downstairs, but I suggested just having them settle upstairs so they don't have to resettle for bedtime.  They did eventually settle and shortly after, it was 2-Legger bedtime.

SUNDAY

Sunday was a moderately slow start.  I got up by 0930 and breakfast (fried potato, sausage, and egg bowl) was cooking by 1000.  While things were being prepared, we separated the bigs (Secret, Olive, Pax) and littles (Meri, Dash).  Meri and Dash played for a while, then were confused about being trapped upstairs and there were cute photos to be taken of the "jailed" dogs.

After we had breakfast, our visitors loaded up and hit the road.  The rest of the day was spent being lazy AF, stretching, and napping.  Evidence:

Teh German went over to Teh PT House for some man/cigar time, which was fine with me since I was napping anyways.  He had dinner there and I had leftovers.  I managed to walk the beasts so that way I was keeping up with my Ragnar Challenge.  When Teh German came home, we watched Modern Family until bedtime.

______________________________________________

This weekend didn't feel like a weekend.  Rolling out of last week, which was insanely stressful for reasons I'm being vague about until they are completely worked out, I was looking forward to some stress-free time.. and then those bitches got in a fight and required an emergency vet visit and everyone was stressed AND I DIDN'T GET MY POST-RACE NAP!  Like, more than anything, that's the worst.

But, I did have a good time with all our visitors AND I ran a sub 2:30 half, which was my goal.  Also, Dash and Meri got to play which was a-fucking-dorable and I loved it.  Meri was exhausted and that's one of my favorite things since it's almost impossible for me to drain her batteries.

This week holds many adventures.
-Teh German started his new job today.
-I got my post-race massage and adjustment today.  Both were absolutely needed. 
-School starts on Wednesday.  IT'S MY LAST SEMESTER!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Hall's for fancy dinner on Friday night.

Next weekend is probably homework and I need to get in a decent distance run because of this ridiculousness:

Upcoming runs:
25 Jan: Charlie Post Classic 15k
1 Feb: Save the Light Half (Folly Beach)
8 Feb: ?Hilton Head Half
22 Feb: Charlotte Hot Chocolate 15k
7 Mar: Myrtle Beach 5k
28 Mar: DC Rock n Roll Half


Happy (maybe) Winter, Gentle Readers.
It's not been winter here, so I'm hoping that if you're getting winter you're enjoying it more than I'm enjoying mosquitoes being in my motherfucking house in JANUARY.