Matt and I, pre-race, most definitely freezing.
Note, the prolific use of hats, gloves, and multiple layers. These were not shed as the race continued, as impossible as it seems, it only got colder as the morning progressed.
The race was challenging, because, hey, this is Nashville and that is how we race. We like to find every hill between downtown and Vanderbilt and run up it during the course of the race, sometimes twice.
Around mile 6, the wheels started to fall off. It was a mix of walk/run and cursing my stupid ambition for signing us up for a 9 mile run in the dead of winter. Needless to say, my legs were tight, my lungs were burning from the cold, and my right knee was on fire....
Blissfully we closed in on the finish line. Not a moment too soon, as I wanted this travesty to be complete. My all time worst time was just put up. I consider it a feat of hard headedness that I even finished this race.
Note that abysmal time above my head!
After that finish, I needed to get my stretch on. I parked it by a tree while Matt headed to the finish tent to collect up our collectors mugs of hot chocolate and fondue, really the only saving grace of this run.
He headed back over to me and handed me a mug with a warning. Matt says, " the race ladies were putting prizes and trinkets in the mugs, I think I saw them slip something in yours near the bottom." As I love surprises and annoying trinkets like you get out of a Cracker Jack box, I started digging.
What I found looked like a lego boulder, in fact it was a lego boulder.
A lego boulder with a sweet rock inside.
Matt set his stuff down and said, "you gonna marry me or what"?
He nailed it. He included what we love....
Running: check
Legos: check
Country song: check
The answer was of course yes.
We got a little sloppy and had some quasi-inappropriate PDA.
So there you have it. Now I'm fixin' to get hitched.
I received my information to raise money for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. I am committed to running 13.1 miles for the best cause I can think of..... kids.
