On the run

On Saturday morning, I got up early to participate in the Music Row Road Race, a 5K benefitting St. Jude’s. My friend and running buddy Alisha had signed up to run it with me, so we met at my place about 7:15 a.m., amid the rain, and traveled down to downtown Nashville.

Let’s just say that this was NOT the day I had in mind when I signed up for the race. I thought it would be sunny, maybe a little breeze. I didn’t think it would be raining cats and dogs, then clear off for the race but be muggy. Let’s just say I know how to pick ’em!

The race got off a little later than planned since an organizer fell and had to be taken away in the ambulance. I was right there in front of him and saw nothing. Because I’m too short and apparently not very observant.

When it finally got time for the 5K to begin, the organizers showed that this was their first event. No instructions were given about how to line up and people were just sort of squished into the corral. Walkers and people with strollers should have been at the back, but alas, that didn’t happen. Also, before the race, it had been kind of cool and rainy. So, I had put on a hoody sweatshirt jacket thing. And then, just to prove how stupid I am, I had pinned my racing bib across the zipper. As soon as we started running, I realized two things: A) it was now humid and muggy and B) I couldn’t get this thing off! To make matters worse, the race started out uphill (which, I admit, is better than finishing uphill). So there we are, running up this long incline known as Demonbreun (a street in Nashville) headed toward Music Row’s dancing naked statues and I’m stuck in this sweaty jacket that I can’t remove without stopping to unpin my number. And, seriously, ya’ll, I’m not willing to mess up my time to do that. Finally, though, after sweating like a wrestler intent on making weight, I had to get that thing off. So I unzipped the jacket and left the stupid bib pinned on, got my arms out of the sleeves and tied them around my waist. So my jacket was now held onto my body by the sleeves and the pinned-on number (which we will not discuss, Mindy!).

I. was. so. cool! Seriously, I was HOTT! (Just imagine it: I’d been rained on, had icky rained-on, sweaty, and slightly frizzy hair because of the humidity. I wasn’t wearing makeup. I was SWEATY because I don’t know how to dress appropriately! Beautiful!) But we did beat Jo Dee Messina, who was kind of the “face” of the race.

In other news, Alisha and I ran a good portion of the race (I’m sorry for making us walk, Alisha! I was TIRED!) and finished in a little over 30 minutes. Which I’m choosing to look at as a time to beat the next time we do a 5K. Because there will be a next time. I have to get free T-shirts from somewhere. . . .