The change up

Every now and again, I like to change up my running routes and routines.
I recently did both, and benefited immensely.
The first change up was to my running route. The weather has been a little stormy in the evenings in Atlanta and I was running my usual route around my neighborhood recently when I heard thunder. I decided I'd probably better cut my run short for fear of rain and lightning and turned down a side road I don't normally run. That's where I found this beautiful art as part of a mailbox.

The Phoenix

I just love this art. So cool.
Then last weekend I met a friend and co-worker for what I thought was a 5K run benefiting women with gynecological cancers. I corralled Doug to do it with me, and realized when we got to the event it was not a run at all, but a walk.

Doug and I before our non-run 5K

 We had really wanted to run the 5K, so we decided to forgo the walk and head to a nearby park with a running trail. Doug is a much stronger and faster runner than I am and keeping up with him challenged me in a very good way. Doug was chatting away easily while I was trying to catch my breath during our run together.
But I didn't mind at all.
As a runner, you need to run with fellow runners who are faster and slower than you are to change it up, make your body work in different ways.
I got a great workout and new experiences.
All because of a change up.

A kid in a candy store

As I've mentioned before, I do get to do some fun things through my job, and recently I was invited to Loews Atlanta Hotel to see its new event space it calls The Overlook.

The hotel created three different themes within the event space to show how the space could be used. At one end was a black-light room, complete with an ice bar.

The ice bar at Loews Atlanta Hotel

The ice bar served up a variety of ceviche, including tuna, scallop, and shrimp. It was all good, although the tuna was my favorite.

A little later in the evening, the black-light room even offered some performance art.

Performing in black light

Glowing art

The middle part of the event space was pretty much a straight up bar area with some food tables displayed. But this was a fun display area, and I could not stop eating the smoked salmon lollipops! They were so good.

Salmon "tubes"

Smoked salmon lollipops

But the really fun area of the event space was a candy shop.

Welcome to the candy bar!

I brought home way too much candy from the candy bar. Good thing I had some 5K runs and training runs to work it off! The candy bar was filled with jelly beans, candied fruit slices and other retro candies.

Entering the candy shop

Sitting in a bath filled with gum balls

I'm not exactly sure how comfortable the model in the bathtub was all night, but she sure was a trooper. So many people were taking her photo (including me) or posing by the bathtub with her. I did ask her if this was one of her more unusual jobs and she said it was.

On an unrelated note, I ran the Tucker Road Race 5K last Saturday and found 32 cents along the route, including a well-worn quarter. For me, finding the cash made me feel like a kid in a candy store.

If you haven't got a penny, a ha' penny will do

I ran the Big Peach 5K on Saturday, a race I've run before.
There are some serious hills on this course, so I was pleasantly surprised that I came in around 37 minutes. I think that was better than last year.
But the most interesting part of this race was the found money I collected along the route. I found a penny and then I found another. Well, sort of.
I've said before, some of the cash I find while running and walking is road weary. Here is what I mean.

A half, or ha' penny

I have to wonder when I find a penny like this: How in the heck did that happen?
I found this penny last year, and again my question was: How the heck did this happen? I even tried to unbend this penny with some pliers and a hammer. None of that worked, clearly.

A bent penny

On the way back to my car on Saturday, I found a quarter, so the pig got fed this week, 26 and 1/2 cents. It's the ha' penny that was the most rewarding.

Take Back the Night, Take a Nap

This past Saturday I ran the Take Back the Night 5K for the second time.
This evening race on April 28 reminded me of why I swore last year I wouldn't run it again.
Starting temperature was 84 degrees. Whew!
Summer temperatures have arrived very early in Atlanta.
Here's me huffing and puffing toward the finish line.

Finishing strong at Take Back the Night 5K

The race starts and finishes at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, which is really a lovely campus. This race is fun because they throw a pizza party at the finish. So I didn't feel so guilty having a slice of pizza after the 5K.
This week was a bit trying.
On Sunday evening, my cat Felix disappeared again. I called my neighbor and asked him to check his tool shed. He did, but couldn't find Felix and Felix wouldn't come out for him when he called. I got home from work Monday and called to Felix, who peeked out from the tool shed. Stinker.
On Tuesday, I brought Pollock in to have her abscessed tooth extracted. Well, turns out she had really bad teeth. The vet removed three of her four canine teeth and one molar! Now she's my little snaggle toothed kitty. She's recovering and eating pretty well, so I hope all of that is behind us.
With all this activity, I'd really just like a little nap.
Hmmm, I wonder who could show me how it is done.

Felix taking a true cat nap

I envy that he can just fall asleep anywhere, including my window sill! Wish I could sleep that soundly!