My man got 3rd in the state race. Yep, that's a good title.

If I have to run ONE MORE STEP on this seawall.

Devin and I ran our first official half marathon in Galveston.  

 

13.1 miles of pure Texas beach goodness.  This was, of course, my brilliant idea which I mean quite literally, but later, when I start talking about wishing that pelican would come pick me up and feed me to Jaws, that's where I would apply that with a pinch of sarcasm.

Texas enjoys drastic temperature changes with each day.  So, unlike the weekend before, this race day called for a high of about 80 and sunny skies.  That sounds glorious to anyone not running 13 miles.

We woke up at 4:30am to get dressed and drive the hour drive to Galveston.  We both scarfed some peanut butter and honey toast and munched on cherrios on the way there.  With map in hand, I navigated (by that I mean sang ridiculous songs originating from the 'no one should be up at this hour' delirium) and I must say kudos to the Seawall Half staff for the excellent parking organization.  We headed into the Moody Gardens visitor center for packet pick up.  My shirt was too big.  The usual.

Devin pinned my race number the "right way" aka the "cycling way" which I will admit...is the right way.  It doesn't fall, it doesn't weigh on your clothes, and I look baller.  From there, we left everything in the car and got in line for the bus that would take us to the starting line.  We left everything there.  Even our water.  Because every race has water at the starting line.

We got to Stewart Beach as the sun came up- it was beautiful.  I headed to the bathroom line where a man walked up to me, rubbed my lower back, hugged me, looked me in the eye, and said something that rhymes with, "Oh shmeesus!" and he apologized.  A great way to get pumped for a race is NOT a hug from a strange man, but I was laughing.  He was so embarrassed.  Also, he was in line behind me later at the post-race party and the girl he was with looked NOTHING like me NOR did she have on the same colors as me.  I still do not understand.

Speaking of what I was wearing- I know that usually you're supposed to show what you wore for a race and be all matchy but I have yet to purchase or obtain any running clothes that match.  Also, my running sunglasses make me look extremely butch (Devin uses other choice words) and I look manly and unmatchy.  Stay tuned for race photos when I get them.  Exciting!!

When I came back from the bathroom, D and I warmed up and I decided, you know, I would love some water and maybe something to eat because it's been 3 hours since I ate peanut butter toast.  Let's find the water.  Except there was no water.  There were EIGHT fuel stops on a 13 mile run and not one single Dixie cup of water at the starting line.  Nothing to eat, no gels...nothing.

Dear Seawall Half staff, I blame you for what follows and also don't ever EVER depend on a race to have its act together and provide things they said they would.

We got in line with a pace group we thought we would hang well with about 15 minutes before the start...then the start time passed...and they would make announcements no one could understand on the muffled speaker...and then at 7:48, the race began.  Devin does not enjoy the weaving process of starting a race- I don't think anyone does, but we were out the gate fast trying to get away from the girl screaming WATER!!!! every time there was a puddle in the road.

The first 3.5-4 miles wound on a narrow road (little room for spreading out) through a neighborhood of Galveston- pretty houses, some fields, and not much to look at.  The race website had advertised live music throughout the course but I had yet to see..oh wait...there they are....2 men about my dad's age having a jam session to a song I know I knew but it didn't really...sound...right.  And I think I heard an F bomb and I'm all, "Dude.  family race, but also, it's too early for that".  Then on the way back from that loop, there was a guy/girl duo who had just finished what was probably their third song and uh I think they were taking a break?  I don't know.  Anyway, not much went on for the first part of the race, but, oh! at one point a ravenous creature leaped across the road RIGHT AT DEVIN.  I grabbed his arm and stopped him which resulted in me completely saving his life and him owing me all sorts of favors and chores.  Field mice are vicious.  I would like to thank Rhonda and Warrior Dash for teaching me to run while laughing and hurdling obstacles.

So by the time this super boring 4 miles was over, I was MORE than ready for some beach scenery.  But, like, not 7 miles of it. And also I was sort of thinking about getting some water.

7 miles of running down the Galveston seawall.  Did I mention it was 80 degrees?

Around mile 5 or 6, I was having some, um....digestion issues? and D's knee was hurting.  I stopped for the bathroom, we both stretched and got water, but I think we both knew that we wouldn't be able to catch up on our hydration.  We had not trained in weather this warm in weeks, we were sweating a LOT...it just wasn't going to happen.  We were half way and we were both like, "Wanna go get some breakfast instead?"  But we settled for some gels which is NOT the same as pancakes.

So, if you don't know this, a pretty good sign that you don't have enough water in you while you're running is you get abdominal cramps.  I'm not talking about the side stitch you get when you haven't worked out in a year and 8 months and you up and decide to run one Wednesday morning.  I am talking about full on cramping of the abdominal set of muscles- all the way across and it is so strong that it will bend you in half.

Let me interject here and say my core is so weak that that field mouse could have karate chopped me in the belly button and I would not have been able to protect Devin any more.  So, I learned from this race that I have to start doing core workouts if I am going to make it through this marathon.

Anyway, so I started getting those cramps at about mile, what D?  8 or 9?  I tried to stretch it, breath with my stomach, exhale quickly, all of the tricks and finally I told Devin "I can't run unless I run like this" [make a mental image of Steve Urkel walking with a sprained back.  What you can't make your own mental image?  I will provide one].

The crashing waves of the Gulf of Mexico, the beautiful white beaches, Devin, the brown one, and me the fluorescent one.  Got it?  Oh and Judo Mouse.

Anyway, so I'm like I can only run if I run like this, and Devin is all, "Uh, so run like that".  PROFOUND!!  I married an Aggie for a reason.  They're so dang smart.  So I ran like that off and on for miles.

At around mile 10, Devin was like, "I am waiting for the right turn off of this road".  Seriously.  The sun was beating on one side of us.  Devin got tanner, I produced more freckles.  On half of my face.

We finally turned off of the seawall and I knew the home stretch was coming soon.  When I had Moody Gardens in sight, it just got closer and closer and I knew we were so close.  But, what?  My watch said we still had a mile and a half to go.  Fine, whatever.  Little did I know, they would wind the finishing mile through some freaky version of Candyland with all of these Christmas lights covering weird cartoony shapes and this is about where I got goosebumps, which is never good if you are running in the heat, and then D said "Babe, the finish line is right there" and I sprinted and beat him.  I am lying.  That's a lie.  We finished together and we have never been happier to finish a run.  Except for the catch.  I finished the race and begged the boy scouts for a drink and they handed me some nastyface Gatorade recovery milk shake in a warm carton.  NO WATER AT THE FINISH!  At least on my side.  I threatened to rip that boy scout's "Tie a donkey to a tree using your teeth and a q-tip" badge off of his vest if he didn't find me water fast.

I love the scouts and all that they do.

We headed straight for the massage tent where there was a line but also a sign up sheet?  It was a mess but worth the wait.  We hoovered some BBQ, half a beer, some ice cream for D, and we were out of there.

Devin treated me to our favorite coffee spot in Galveston where we sat and talked about the worst run ever and how we can't do the marathon.

Jokes.

But seriously, pray for us.

We have 67 days.

I can sorta run, but I canNOT jump

This weekend, 6 girls and one hero of a man (maybe my husband) set out to Corpus Christi to run the Beach to Bay Marathon Relay.  Each leg was around 4.somethin miles.
As we were driving into Corpus through a massive downpour, we were positive the weather would be okay for the race.
Fail.
The race started at 7am and it.poured.the.whole.time.  Our 1st leg had to run on the beach and our 3rd leg had to run up and over a causeway in the hardest part of the storm.  You would think that once you got up and over that thing, the rest of the leg would be cake.  Except that the wind was in her face.
I ran the anchor and probably one of the easier parts of the race.  It was still raining and the wind was blowing.  Apparently these conditions are ideal for me because I ran my fastest race pace ever.
And then, of course right after I finished, the sun came out and the rest of the weekend was gorgeous.  But, I think we all prefer rain to heat.  Maybe that's just me?

The group post-race at the top of the madness that was the after party.  We look dang good for running through a hurricane.

And then Erin suggested a jumping picture.  Not my forte apparently.

That's where Mel and I karate chopped each other

Yeah that's me on the ground.

 

I think the problem here is that I jump way too quickly for everyone else.  Like lightening.  I'm up and down before you can blink.  No?

There it is.

Don't worry, after this we went to the beach so I could get some sun and not blind you with my fluorescence.

This handsome man was there too...

It would have been absolutely impossible for us to do this race without him.  He planned out our leg times, figured out the circus show that was the shuttle system, drove us to our starting points, picked up runners, held umbrellas, ran to the truck, ran back to the truck, cheered, high fived, took pictures, and when the race was over, he lugged our cooler down to the beach for us.

He. rules.

High five to Crossing the Line Jelly Jelly Shake Your Belly for an epic race.

WARRIOR DASH

3.5 miles

14 obstacles

mud. clay. more mud. more clay. mud where there shouldn’t be mud. more clay.

We’re hard core.  It’s not a big deal.

Who knew it was so hard to fold a bandana without looking like a nurse maid?

Shout out to J Money for the stealth glasses.  We really needed them for the wind tunnel tornado machine that I was so worried about.  Wait.

Here were some parts of the course.  I had to snag some pics from some friends and the race photographers because like heck I was taking my camera on this run.

 

Do you understand how hard I laugh every time I see RDB hoppin those flames?  She was so nervous about it.  Rightly so. 

 

beast.

and this is how we looked after…

special.

It’s pretty much impossible to look good/skinny/pretty/attractive/decent/nonmanly/not gross after a race like this.

RDB and I beat DC’s friend, Eric, by a landslide.  A 9 minute landslide.  Don’t feel sorry for him though, I’ve promised to train him for next year.

Post race we grabbed some grub and a seat on the lawn

 

Turkey leg = delicious in my mouth.  But really, I just look like a warrior savage.  Which is kinda cool but mostly gross.

The costumes via creepster phone pics…

Hansel?

Hulk

“Run like Betty White”

Best race ever with my best girl.

Turns out we didn’t need goggles…or a pole vaulting pole like I thought

But next year we’re wearing capes.

Bed, Breakfast, Buddies and Bicycles

I feel like I still haven’t recovered from our weekend in Dripping Springs.  Sleep. Deprivation. Too much excitement.  Too much fun.

Here’s a recap, a sorta kinda race report, and a lot of pictures.  Relax, get some more coffee, go to the bathroom, get comfortable.

This is our bed and breakfast in Wimberley.  Seriously awesome.  It was in the middle of nowhere, and we pretty much had the place to ourselves.  We’re going back.  Love.

 

Our view from the porch of the B&B.  Texas scares Kstan.  Views like this remind her of No Country for Old Men or something.  It was beautiful and someday, Kstan, I will take you there.

 

   Tell me this isn’t the cutest picture of Devin ever taken (baby pictures don’t count) & I will say you’re absurd.  He never smiles like this.  I can’t get over it.  I feel like I want to print 11 copies of it and give one to all of you. 

Moving on to race day.

 

 

 

There were lots of bikes to try, lots of vendors with all of their goods.  Much like a bike carnival.  Or something else that is way cooler.

Lance thinks of everything- boy/girl portable toilets?  Genius.

The start, as if you didn’t know.  This was Devin’s group lining up.  I think.  There were a lot of races, ok?

Bing, Bong Boom…BANG!  They’re off…

Lance Armstrong and Bryan Fawley (and JHK on the left).  This is about as far as Lance got in the race, I think.  I decided not to edit this picture because I like the spectators in it…but…

Here is the cropped version for the someonewhowillremainnameless who asked which one is Lance.  He’s in black.

Chad lookin’ cool as a cucumber representing the Aggies while carrying a little girl on his back.  If you zoom in on this, it is way funny.  Or maybe I just think it’s funny.  Yeah, it’s probably not that funny.

Dev starting.  Love the green.  Could do without the neon in-my-face sunglasses.  I love you.

Dan, Shane, and Ian looking down at the course figuring out where our first photo spot will be.  The racers looked like little ants on bikes, which I was thinking may be even more efficient for ants.  Again…I haven’t slept enough lately.

 

Chad takes racing really seriously.

Dev dominating a creek/hill of misery.  A handful of riders fell here, and if you know me, you know I cannot control my laughter when people fall.  It’s not that I think it’s funny, it’s like it stresses me out so much that I just laugh.  Anyway, if I laughed at you, I really just felt bad for you.  I’m not making this any better.

This guy won the race.  I think I got this shot as he was looking back at Dan and Ian who chased him like 12 yr olds chasing the Jonas Brothers.  Totally weirded me out too, JHK.

David Wiens…you may remember him from the Race Across the Sky documentary.  What?  I’m the only girl who got talked into going to that?  Sweet.  Anyway, he is an epic rider.  Look at me using boy words.

Ian using a classic Looney Tunes tactic to try to slow Chad down.

Still goin, lookin good.

Devin’s fans running part of the course with him.

And he’s done!  He finished!

And there is mud.

Lots 

AND lots of mud.

 

Dev finished 32nd out of 53 race starters at 2 hours 25 minutes and 15 seconds! 

I am so proud of him for the following reasons:

1.  He did not crash

2.  He finished the whole thing!  And the mud was killer.  Only 38 racers finished this in his category.  Lance was not one of them.

3.  He beat this guy!!

4.  He stepped it up and raced in a class that was challenging instead of racing with the Cat 1 19-29 men and creaming them.

5.  He was and always is a good sport

He inspires me