Runnin' it out

The Cooper River Bridge Run was this past weekend and was a success once again. Historically, it's been one of the largest 10k runs in the nation. This year I was glad to accompany the 45,434 other runners. I wish I had trained more for it though. Here's a fun fact: the course record for the 10k (6.2 miles) is 27:40. A steady pace allowed me to finish in under two days. The course record remains intact, even though many thought the single span would allow people to fly down the decline. Unfortunately, the preceding 4 degree incline for over a mile took its toll.

One of the thousands of people that passed me was a guy in a wheelchair during the downhill portion. As I gasped for air, I thought to myself 'big deal.. if I was wearing roller blades I could cruise downhill too.' Then I realized what a bitch it must have been to get through the 1+ mile incline. I'm really impressed by the whole wheelchair competition in general.

If I do run next year, I'm going to go ahead and set the following rules:
1. Train!!!
2. Getting some pasta the night before is ok, but there's no need for any wine.
3. No hot sake the night before.
4. No apple sake either.
5. Nor any free sake. (Ok, there might be some negotiations on this one.)
6. No contests on who can eat the most taco bell at 3AM the night before.
6. Don't tie shoelaces so tight.

Before you consider me even more irresponsible for hitting the town the night before the race, you need to understand that the organizers of the Cooper River Bridge Run set me up.. and here's how they did it:
I had to go to the run expo on Friday to pick up my race packet since I registered so late. So I go there and of course it's packed with all the participants for this weekend. I find my bib number and grab my packet. So as I'm about to leave the expo, one of the event staffers kinda blocks my exit and asks if I've been to the vendor fair yet. She was a nice old lady, so I wasn't suspicious of her and their master plan. So I tell her that I didn't see it, and she points me in its direction. I go down there, and of course it's filled with all these obnoxious runner type people. For some reason, they're already in running shorts and sports bras the day before. They're buying granola bars, shoe strings, fitness water, etc.

I was so disgusted.

So anyway, I keep walking by the different booths until I stumble upon this table that is littered with packs of peanuts and plastic cups. I figured they were giving out some gingko/green tea concoction, but then the chick working the table asks me if I want a beer. Time froze. I just stared at her.

(liver: uh, it's 10:30 in the morning chach.)
(brain: I have been working hard, it's time for a break.)
(stomach: did someone say peanuts?)

'You heard the monkey, I'd love a beer.' Naturally, this snowballed into late night buffoonery and thus further secured the course record.

After the race (and after a few anti-inflammatories), I got to 'cool down' at a serene wedding on the beach of Alhambra Hall with these guys.

What an ill-timed, amazingly unproductive, perfect weekend.