River People

Oh my....

Has it really been over a week since I last wrote? I don't think I've missed a whole weekend update since I started this blog... It's been so long since I last updated, I had to re-enter my password in Blogger...

My excuses? The usual. Work. Kids. Work. Life. Work. Blah. Blah. Blah. The good news is that the semester is almost over and I'll be back to my regularly scheduled lurking, commenting, posting life.

In any event, I won't bore you with the excruciatingly dull details, but I do have to post this little update...

Two heffers, and one heffer offspring won age group awards at the first annual San Diego RiverFest 5K on Sunday.

A bevy of medals! Alice 2nd - Women 46-55, Mik 2nd Women 35-45, Turbo 3rd Men 12-18

Let the disclaimers begin...

• First of all, and let me make this perfectly clear, it was a REALLY small field. You ask, "How small was it Alice?" It was so small that even though I registered the morning of the race,  my bib number was 42. In other words, no need for a wave start.

Mik, Betty and I pre-race...can you see the crowds around us? Yes, we parked our asses on the VIP parking area...If we weren't VIPs, I don't know who else was...

Turbo and Walter (numbers 43 and 44), standing on the San Diego Chargers old practice field.

• Second, it wasn't really a 5K. My Garmin says it was more like a 2.8 mile (how many Ks is that? 4.5K?) run. My finishing time was 27 minutes, and let's be honest. I do NOT run sub 9 minute miles.
• Its a shame it wasn't a full 5K, because I was on pace to have a new 5K PR.

The start (I know...duh)

Turbo at the start...yeah, I know, you're starting to wonder whether or not there were really even 40 people there, aren't you? Yes, Turbo sprinted the first 1/2 mile at full speed. He does need to learn. Still he placed third in his age group (please don't ask me how many were in his age group, but it did include a 2 year old in a stroller).

• Anyway, the guy starting the event gave us some directions...we were to run the perimeter of the parking lot at Qualcomm stadium, follow some cones, run around the stadium, then follow the cones back into the Chargers old practice field 
• BTW...it was a complete surprise to me that there was, in fact, off of the parking lot to the football stadium, a grass field.

• Third disclaimer (or at least an explanation)...there actually is a river that runs alongside the stadium parking lot, although we didn't see it...maybe next year.
• The starter said, "On your marks, get set, go!" and we were off.
• It was actually a pretty nice run...relatively level although the parking lot has some pretty serious cant to it (in addition to being a parking lot, I also think it's part of the flood channel). When we ran around the stadium itself, I stayed as close to the building, where it was level, as I could. I might have shaved some distance off this way.
• With about a 1/2 mile left, I actually passed the woman who eventually came in first in my age group, but I couldn't stay ahead of her.
• When I crossed the finish line, I could see the race official look at me, look at the clock and then write down on a large poster my time and my number. I was pretty sure right then that I'd come in second.
• I heard the race director decide that since there was nobody running in the 55-65 age group, and since there were 3 kids (including a 2 year old in a stroller) under 18, that they'd just do an under 18 division. Turbo got a medal.

So, all in all, team heffer swept the team medal race (if there was such a thing). Most importantly we had fun, we laughed, and I have my first place medal...gotta be happy with THAT.

Turbo, Me and Mik with our bling-bling

After the race, we wandered around some of the booths, got some breadsticks from Pat and Oscars (a local pizza & chicken place with just downright awesome breadsticks). Betty, Turbo, and Mik climbed the rock-climbing wall.

No, I did NOT attempt this feat...

Betty made friends with the firemen who's station is (and I am NOT making this up), in a trailer and an effing TENT in the Qualcomm lot.

Seriously...the fire station is a TENT! WTF?

The two firemen we talked to were very cool (as firemen usually are). They explained that they ARE the fire station for that area and that someday a real fire station might be built. I told them I'd give them a shout out and harass some local officials for allowing those who are willing to risk their lives to save us to be stationed in a trailer and a TENT! 

Honestly, something is seriously wrong with that...or am I alone here?

Gotta love the potted palm trees on wheels though

So...got a really busy week ahead of me, so I might not even be lurking much. This weekend, I've got an 11 mile run planned for Saturday AM, the DramaGirl and I are going up to LA to see GLEE with Penny (can't wait, can't wait, can't wait!)

Have a great week everyone!