It pays to hear the announcements....

I did something at today's Tour deCatur 5K that I have never done before. I started in the wrong race!
I heard the announcer call for everyone to get lined up at the start, so I did. I noticed other folks with 5K race bibs on, but there were also tons of little kids. You guessed it. I lined up for the one mile fun run!
I realized my mistake as we came back toward the finish. But I also saw the other 5K folks lining up for that start, so I scooted out of the one mile fun run race and queued up for the race I intended to run!
I got a four-miler in today!

Early luck of the Irish

I ran the Shamrock N Roll 10K just a week after the half marathon.
It was a crisp, clear morning. A really beautiful morning for a race.
At first, I wasn't sure how I would do because I'd been so tired after the half marathon that I hadn't run at all.
This is that two loop course around Atlantic Station. The course isn't that great. And there is that hill up Northside Drive. And as a 10K participant, I get to do that hill twice!
As it turns out, I did pretty well on this course. I ran it in one of my better 10K times.
There were photographers along the course and this year the race photos were free. But then, sometimes you don't want the free ones. I mean really, you can't get me when I'm smiling? Because I did smile at you Mr. Photographer. And I waved! Where is THAT photo?

I must be thinking how much I dislike this course!

Oh well, what are you going to do? I had the luck of the Irish on the course, but not with the photographer.

A running party in New Orleans

I've completed a race in my 22nd state, and not only ran a race, but did so in the party city of New Orleans.
We had great weather, great food, and great drinks!
I ran the race with my long-time running buddy Jessica, and a new running buddy, Nicole.
We got in a couple of days before the race and got our race materials, then wandered the French Quarter. We ate a muffuletta at Central Grocery and even had some pre-race hurricanes at Pat O'Brien's. Even so, we made it to race start!

Me, Nicole and Jessica at the start

We're jazzed to be here!

Here we go!

This race was part of the Rock N Roll running series, so there are bands all along the course. We started near the French Quarter and then headed down toward the Garden District.

A jazz band along the course

 The course seemed to go a long way down the Garden District and we traveled along the trolley car tracks, then turned around and came right back.

Mardi Gras beads in the trees

 The race was about two weeks after Mardi Gras, but evidence of the celebrations were all around! There were beads up in the trees. There were broken beads along the road, too.

Bagpipers along the course

Running near Jackson Square

We eventually ran through the French Quarter, right by Jackson Square, before turning up the Esplanade and then to City Park, where we finished.

As you can see, we had glorious weather. 

Finished!

How every half marathon should end

 We finished the race and made it back over to Pat O'Brien's, where I had a hurricane, fried oysters and chicken gumbo. The gumbo was only so-so. I should have had another dozen of those oysters. The breading was made with some of Pat O'Brien's bloody Mary mix and they were so good!

The new bling

Yummy post-race lunch

And so I've checked another state off the list. Louisiana makes No. 22. It was good to be back in New Orleans. I was there about 20 years ago and I loved being back.
I hope it's not another 20 years before I'm back again.