Sunday, November 18, 2012

Coming in second

I ran the inaugural Quest to End Homelessness 5K yesterday, and because it was such a small field (which is common for a new race) I came in second in my age group! And I was not a speed queen by any means yesterday.
The race was almost entirely in the park, which is very hilly. That explains why I wasn't so speedy. I had to walk some of those hills.
The race benefits Quest 35 Housing, which helps find housing for the homeless. In this case, the race benefited homeless veterans.
It was a cool, crisp morning. It was a little tough to get out of a nice warm bed yesterday to head over, but I am very glad I did.
I didn't take any photos, and I should have. CEO Leonard L. Adams Jr. was there and he seems to have a fun personality. He was really getting the crowd excited about the race.
I got some nice swag in my race bag, too. I got a jump rope (which I think will actually work. The one I got from another event was plastic and isn't weighted enough to make it a good jump rope. This one is more rope-like, so it may work), I got crayons, and a couple other items.
I was so pleased with coming in second that I treated myself to a new pair of running capris. Other women treat themselves to jewelry or other items. I treat myself to running gear!
I also signed up for the Jingle Jog 5K on Dec. 8. I've run that before. It's fun, but HUGE. It's actually hard to run that race because it is so crowded. But my friend Kellie said she was going to run it with me. I hope she does!
And now a little catch up on "what I've been eating lately."
I've been trying out some new restaurants in Atlanta. Earlier this fall I tried Yebo restaurant + bar, a South African restaurant from the same owners as 10 Degrees South, also a South African restaurant. Yebo, which is in Buckhead, is more of a tapas place, however.
Popcorn with peri-peri salt

Yebo interior

Soaked martini with pear juice, lemon and St. Germain

shrimp & grits
It was a great evening, and I was out on the outside patio, which was lovely.
Last month I went to Article 14 in Midtown and had the lobster roll.
lobster roll
The meal, which I shared with my friend Erin, was yummy. My only complaint was that the roll was very buttered, so my hands got greasy every time I tried to pick up the sandwich. I ended up having to use fork and knife to eat it.
I've tried a few other restaurants this fall, but I'd forgotten to take photos of the food until it was too late (which means I'd already taken a few bites.) Whoops!
I won't have a chance to eat at any restaurants, or run any restaurants in the next couple of weeks, since it is almost Thanksgiving here in the United States.
I'll have to do my running closer to home. At least when I run by myself, I'm assured of coming in first. ha!

Sunday, November 11, 2012

World Run Day

Got up this morning to participate in World Run Day.
I've been pretty spotty in my running, unless it is a 5K race, so it was good to get out and get some more miles in this morning. It was also a beautiful morning. About 10 degrees warmer than yesterday morning.
And what a surprise find on my neighborhood running route, this little gem!

Little free library
 It is a little free library. The owner has placed a couple dozen books in there, for neighbors to take and enjoy and return (or return with some other book). There was a book in there I am interested in reading, but since I was on a run, I didn't really want to carry it. I'll have to go back with a little backpack. And I've got some books to put in there.
I saw several of these libraries at the silent auction at the recent Decatur Book Festival, but I don't know if this was one of them. There were about a dozen up for auction.
Now I want one!
I think these are a great idea and I hope to enjoy this little library often.
What a satisfying day. I enjoyed a good run, and I found a good read.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Git 'er Dunn

Today's Dunn Run 5K certainly felt like a November morning race. It was 36 degrees at the start.
You wouldn't really know it now. It's gotten up to nearly 70 today. Allowed me to get a little fall yard work done, but I did discover that my daffodils have enjoyed the mild fall and are starting to poke up. Darn it. I hope that doesn't mean I won't have any lovely spring flowers!
The Dunn Run 5K was held in Sandy Springs, Ga. At the start of the race, the race director told runners this was a fairly flat race. I'm not one to call the man a bald-faced liar, but his idea of a "fairly flat race" and my idea of one are completely different.
I ran this race last year, and the course is slightly different to get rid of a really tough hill. So maybe, compared to last year, it WAS fairly flat.
Not a bad race. I found a dime. I haven't found much cash on any race lately, so that was a nice find. My little piggy has been pretty darn thin all summer. Nice that I could feed it today.
So, I ran a 5K and fed the pig today. I got 'er Dunn.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

A wrinkle in time

Once again this year, I ran a 5K race I swore I would not run again, but this time, I really enjoyed it.
This morning, at 1:50 a.m., I ran the Anything is Possible 5K. In the states, the race begins 10 minutes before most of the country returns to Standard Time. We "fall back" an hour. So at 2 a.m., it becomes 1 a.m. And all of the runners finish the race before they even started it.
I ran this last year by myself (my friend Nicole was sick and couldn't run) and in very cold temps.
What made this race so much more enjoyable this year were 1) I ran it with my friend Kellie, 2) the swag was a pair of pajama bottoms and 3) it was about the balmiest November night I can remember. It was in the upper 60s when we ran. I wore a T-shirt and capri running pants and about half way through I was wishing I had worn my running skirt!
Now, that temp won't last. We are already supposed to head back down to the low 60s and upper 50s for highs this week.

Kellie and me before the race
 Kellie and I adorned ourselves with glow bracelets and necklaces. Some runners really got decked out with blinking lights and glow sticks. Others were running in their pajamas. One woman ran with curlers in her hair. That was funny. I should have gotten her picture for this blog. I hope those curlers stayed in while she was running!
Kellie is a much faster runner than I am, but what is turning out to be quite nice for me, is she waits at the finish line and snaps a picture of me crossing.
Finishing up
What was funny about the race was the time on the finish line showed your actual race time, but also your "negative" time, with the clocks moved back. The one part that was kind of off-putting in the race was the area where they had set up strobe lights and called it the "Time Warp." Mostly it was hard to see with those strobe lights.

At the end of the race there was food, music and fun. Kellie and I stayed a little while, but then headed home. I put on my new PJ bottoms and hit the bed. Getting up at midnight to go run a race has left me feeling a little bleary-eyed all day.
There was a little pitfall this week in my family's life. My brother's oldest son, Chase, fell and broke his collar bone on Halloween. However, ever the trouper (and a 6-year-old who wasn't going to miss trick or treating), he got out to get his candy. I'm not sure he was able to wear his Batman costume. My brother said he was the "one-armed Ninja." All's well that ends well, I suppose
Chase sporting his sling and Gavin sporting his monkey blanket
If I could go back in time, I think I'd try to prevent the broken collar bone.
But since I can't, I'll just have to settle for a fun "wrinkle in time" 5K.