Wow! There's so much to talk about when you stay out of the air for two whole weeks! It didn't quite feel like a vacation, as hoped, but it was pretty magnificent. Should I go into every detail, hit the highlights, or just pick the best thing? I want to remember it all but let's see what hits the page.
My first weekend was focused on the Columbus Half Marathon. While my training has been somewhat consistent, and I knew the 13.1 was doable, I was not anywhere in the shape I could and should have been. I'll forgo the excuses and just say that I finished without injury but it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 minutes longer than my last half. I will do better at the 10 TV Commit to be fit 10K in July and the Parkersburg Half in August. Finishing the race was somewhat anti-climatic without a cheering squad along the route or at the finish line. The only person I saw along the race was my old trainer, the one who dumped me, and an old friend who I hadn't seen since 2004. Of course, there was no stopping to chat on the course. I sipped my finish line champaign, ate a bagel, and went home. There was one acquaintance I should have looked for at the finish line but I wasn't feeling it. Instead, I went home and had lunch at Max & Erma's alone. It certainly wasn't the post race shenanigans that make training so hard worthwhile. I need more fitness minded friends in this city.
Marathon night, Baby Brother joined me for Crew vs New York Red Bulls. We lost 0-1 but it was a quality visit with the brother and we had a great time. A few drinks and dinner with friends completed Saturday night. On Sunday, I explored a flea market at the Seventh Son Brewing Company with a few friends. I only came home with two refrigerator dishes but the day fully evolved into a Sunday Funday with BS. It's a good thing I ate and properly hydrated throughout the day! I was very disappointed that my first food truck experience since moving back was so mundane. The chorizo tacos from thatfoodtruck.com, for which I had high hopes, were soggy and without any spice or flavor. The corn fritters were tasty treats but a food truck has to get their main courses right. When something is hand written on the sign as a special, it shouldn't taste like an afterthought.
This is reading more like a book than a journal entry. Let's see if I can speed things up! Started with a new trainer on the following Wednesday. I was still a little stiff from the half and tore up my knee on a skater cardio drill. A week and a half later it finally no longer hurts, but I'm waiting until this Wednesday to run again. The following weekend included a Roller Derby bout. We should have stayed for the All-Stars because they were much more talented than those playing the first bout of the double header. We had to roll out to catch the Crew play Colorado. We lost. I spent Mother's Day with Mother and at my nephew's fourth birthday party. My daughter took her first grown up vacation to Philadelphia, NYC, and Niagara Falls with three girlfriends. I feel old.
Since nothing interesting is likely to happen on this work trip to Dallas, I'll save this past weekend's German Village adventures for return trip content!