Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Hi y'all!

Thanks for visiting today and Happy Valentines Day to all my wonderful blogging buddies. I Love all your encouraging words. I love to read your funny and heartwarming stories. And, hello to some of the new people who have recently visited my blog.

Welcome. Welcome!!

Usually when I run a 5K, I split it into two parts and leave you all in suspense. For those of you who hate it when I do that...you will be happy to see that I am giving you the full scoop all in one post.

Yes, your welcome.

And you can thank that chocolate covered cream filled bismark (that I will be eating tomorrow) for that since that story will be taking up my post tomorrow.

I mentioned yesterday that I have not been doing any speed work-outs to prepare for this race. My mind just has not been emotionally engaged in racing these races every since "the fall" when I fell during the race in December and had to take three weeks off of running. Then, in the next 5K after "the fall" I ran two minutes slower than the race in which I fell.

Plus it's just so cold and this winter is getting long and I just haven't felt like running speed work-outs.

So, when I got up this morning, and got out to the race site, I felt a little distracted and annoyed at the cold. It was about 5 degrees.

But, as the race started, I did my best to focus on the task at hand. There seemed to be twice as many people as when the race was last ran (you know when it was nine below zero with a wind chill of negative 16). And I recall, making sure I didn't trip over any one at the start of the race.

I also recall thinking, SunshineMeg said to have fun. I'm going to have fun!

I also recall feeling surprised at how strong my legs felt at the start of the race compared to how they felt heavy in the warm-up. Taking that as a good sign, I kicked up my heels and made sure I was lifting up my knees (you know, so that I wouldn't fall again) and kept on.

Then...this is when things got interesting...oh, at about six hundred yards left in the race. I was heading down this hill...which turned right into a major final stretch...when I heard this gal, who was about 20 feet in front of me, yell out to encourage a runner who was ahead of her.

Immediately I recognized her as my old high school running team mate...which also meant she was in my age group, and at present...

About twenty feet ahead of me...

This presented a few problems for Sunshine Mama...because now I just couldn't coast the rest of the race when I knew that I had to beat her to get first place.

All of sudden I cared about doing my best, and picked up my pace. I had this idea in my head that I would just kind of sneak on by my friend, maybe she wouldn't recognize me, you know with my head wrapped up in two hats and two face warmers...

A delusion...

After I passed her...she recognized my stride from high school and called out to me, "Go Sunshine Mama...you can do it (or something to that affect)"

And then added, "Go get those two gals ahead of you. Pick up your feet!!"

It's bad enough that I felt like a complete schmuck for not at least encouraging her when I passed her, but to top it off, she's pushing me to beat the two girls about 30 feet in front of me.

Well, any hopes Sunshine Mama had for a pain free run ended with that. I was already beginning to feel like I was dying... but I launched myself forward anyway toward these two other gals. My stomach felt like it was going to fall out from my exertion. My face was frozen with white frost glistening from my frozen lashes...all the while I am thinking...

"What the heck did I get myself into?"

Alternated with the thought, "I need to get used to this if I want to increase my time."

So, I picked it up and finished only a few steps behind those two gals.

As you can see, I did, indeed, get first overall in my age group with a time of 23:11. My friend claimed second with about a 23:30.

I thanked my friend and chatted a few minutes with her.

When I walked away, I resolved to be more encouraging to other people...like her.

I also wanted to add that my 17 week pregnant sister-in-law was able to finish the five mile race in about the same time that she did four weeks ago, with about an 8 minute mile average.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later today...after that hard run and a trip to the gym with my husband...we went out to eat.

See, don't we look happy?

"Daddy Rainmaker...Will you be my Valentine?"

"Why, yes, Sunshine Mama, I will!"

"Mmmm....kissy, kissy...smoochie..pie"

(Hey, it's Valentine's Day...there has to be some mushiness.)

At dinner, I had an awesome salad with vinegar and oil dressing.

The 5 oz charbroiled beef tenderloin was UNBELIEVABLE! The brown and wild rice pilaf was wonderful as well. I split this in half and will eat the rest tomorrow. I also ate most of this asparagus.

My husband had this rare 12 oz prime rib.
It was so huge he wondered if it was a 20-ouncer.

And tiramisu for desert. My husband picked it. After studying it for a few minutes, and thinking about how I haven't strayed from my diet once in the past four weeks, and how it was Valentines Day Eve...I decided to have a few small bites...And NOT feel guilty.

It was fabulous of course. I love tiramisu.

I loved that I was able to eat from my whole foods diet even while going out to eat.

--------------------------------

So, that's my story, folks, and I'm sticking to it!

Be sure to visit tomorrow to see me eat the chocolate covered cream filled bismark that I've waited over 30 weeks to indulge in.

Hope you're all having a great weekend!