A wash out

For the first time in my running history, a race was washed out.
I've missed races due to weather, to be sure. One time it snowed here in Atlanta and I couldn't get out of my driveway, but the race went on as planned.
I've had to bow out of two races, one because I was in a car accident in 2002 and ended up in the ER with a suspected broken leg. (Thankfully, it was just badly bruised, but that put the brakes on the race). I bowed out of a half marathon when I was suffering a pretty severe running injury.
But I've never had a race canceled on me.
This morning was supposed to be the Atlanta Women's 5K, put on my the Atlanta Track Club. I ran this race for the first time last year, instead of the Tour deCatur, which I also like. But the Atlanta Women's 5K won out because of the fitted technical T-shirt, and I signed up for this one back in January.
Too bad Mother Nature didn't cooperate today.
I woke up to rain. That's not enough to dissuade me, although without the proper foul weather running gear, it makes a 5K unpleasant.
But as I got to the race, it was raining buckets, and there was lightning and thunder. Despite the weather, I had a hard time finding a place to park, because there were many like-minded hearty souls out there with me.
My friends Erin and Angela both showed up!
Erin and I found each other first, and took shelter under a tarp that was protecting the speakers, meant to announce race directions to us runners.

Me and Erin taking shelter under a tarp

As Erin and I waited under the tarp, we were joined by some other women, who followed our lead, because they saw our feet. :)

Some new found friends

Me, Erin and Angela trying to keep dry 

 Erin and I found Angela, and we sought shelter under a sponsor's tent.

Then we heard the announcement that the race was canceled. I was disappointed, but only slightly. I had family from Minnesota in town waiting at my house, so I got home in a hurry.

Now, my Minnesota family arrived late Thursday and Friday we spent the late morning at Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta. My nephews Gavin and Chase LOVED the dinosaurs.

Gavin and Chase at Fernbank Museum

But they REALLY loved my cat Pollock.

These boys are my brother's children and my brother is allergic to animals, so the boys don't have any pets except fish in their house. They loved Pollock, who was really a good sport around the boys. She let them pet her and love her and be very excited around her.

I'm so happy that Pollock was so good with them. She even came out of the safe bedroom to sit with them in the living room to be petted.



Pollock getting some good lovin' from Chase and Gavin

Yet there was a part of me that really missed Minnie this weekend. Minnie would have demanded attention from the boys. She would have completely been all over them and loved the attention she got. More than once I told my brother the cat who would have loved having the boys in the house was the cat who died.

The whole family left shortly after breakfast this morning. The rain tapered off as we ate at a local restaurant, so at least they had pretty good weather to their next destination in South Carolina, as they continue their "friends and family spring break tour."

The grand irony of the morning? The Tour deCatur was held, despite the bad weather. Me and my family saw the runners as we were trying to get to a restaurant this morning for breakfast.

I did learn a few things today.

First, I really need to invest in some foul-weather running gear.

Second, a 13-gallon trash bag is really too small to try to run in. A leaf and yard trash bag would have been the better choice.

Third, once you step in a deep puddle and get your whole foot wet, you'll never feel warm until you get home and get in a hot shower.

So, only the Atlanta Women's 5K was a wash out. The time spent with my distant family was anything but.

Luck of the Irish

I had the luck of the Irish this past weekend, which included St. Patrick's Day on Sunday.
Saturday morning I ran the St. Patty's Day 5K in Piedmont Park. This race is the former O'Highland's Jig Jog 5K, which I did a few years ago when it was held in Atlanta's Virginia-Highland neighborhood.
This race day was fairly warm. I got to wear the old Jig Jog T-shirt.
This year's race was entirely within Piedmont Park. It wasn't too bad.
Then on Sunday I met my friend Jessica for a long run. Jessica has very nearly convinced me to sign up for the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Nashville, Tenn., next month -- the old Country Music Half Marathon. That will certainly allow me to add Tennessee to my list of states I've run a race in.
We met up on the Greenways trail in Alpharetta and got seven miles in. It was a beautiful morning.

Along the Greenways trail

The trail follows along Big Creek and is very nearly flat. Jessica and I had a great run, and I even found a dime as we crossed over Kimball Bridge Road. Luck of the Irish on St. Patrick's Day!
But I was lucky for another reason.
This was the distance I felt would let me know if I could run a half marathon again. If I could do seven miles and my IT band not give me too much trouble, then I felt I could do the whole thing. I'm hoping to get out to do eight miles this weekend again with Jessica and then will likely sign up next week.
It will be good to do a half marathon again. I honestly believed endurance running was behind me. But maybe not. I'm ready to press my luck.

The race against hunger

For the second year, I ran the Hunger Run 5K in downtown Atlanta.
Last year I ran it by myself, but this year the race was more fun, as I ran it with friends Erin and Mary.
If you read this blog at all, you'll have read that Erin and I ran a 5K trail run last weekend in near freezing temps and snow. This past weekend could not have been more different in Atlanta. It was sunny and in the mid-60s at race time. I ran in a T-shirt and capri pants and I wished I had worn shorts! Look at the blue skies!

Me, Erin & Mary pre-race

The race starts and finishes at Turner Field in downtown Atlanta, at it really is a party atmosphere.

There were tents, food trucks, a stage with singers and performers from the Imperial OPA Circus in Atlanta, including this guy, who had a frisky flamingo.

Erin, Mary & friends

There were hula hoopers, jump ropers and sidewalk artists. We even got in on the act.

Leaving our mark

But soon the race started, with more than 10,000 participants. We headed down Hank Aaron drive, and under the Olympic Rings, part of the 1996 Summer Olympics that were held in Atlanta.

The race has started

Erin, Mary and I got separated during the race, so I ended up coming in a little ahead of them. But I found a nickel and a penny on the course. After a little bit of a dry spell, found money!

Mary and Erin finish!

It was a nearly perfect day for a race in metro Atlanta.. And it certainly beat last weekend's conditions. But more importantly, it was a great way to help a great cause. I know I'll want to do this race again next year.

Along a snowy trail

Saturday was a first for me in running, I did a trail run 5K. And I did it in some snowy weather, which I think may be another first.
Saturday's race was the Red Devil Dash 5K, which I did last year. However, last year's race was up near Druid Hills High School, the mascot of which is the Red Devils. The race last year went through Lullwater Park, which is a lovely park, but is not a trail.
This year's race was at Druid Hills Middle School, home of the Dragons, and was a three-loop course along the cross country team's trail behind the school.
The morning's temp was 34 degrees and overcast, and as I left the house, I could see flurries in the air. I met my friend Erin and soon the race was on.

Erin and me, pre-race 

Why is this course nearly all uphill?

 The course was very hilly. Usually the saying is "what goes up, must come down" but this trail didn't seem to have heard of that saying.
I won't say trail running is for me, but it was different and I'm glad I've done it at least once.

Erin said she was hating the trail

Posing along the way

You can sort of see that the trail was very well marked. The cross country coach had gone through and marked it with white arrows and marked with white paint some of the obstacles and tree roots. That helped, but both Erin and I nearly tripped at least once on the course.
So when two roads diverged on this snowy trail, we did not take the road less traveled, but we sure did run a race that was a first for us, and that made all the difference.