elidia runs.

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My first race. AKA (Race to last place. :D)

Hello Internets! My name is Elidia.

This is what my neck usually looks like. Totally lonely and sans any cool medals. How boring.

All of that changed yesterday thanks to my very first race: Rockin’ the Marina Half-Marathon in Long Beach CA!!!

lbmarina

13.6 miles! A half-marathon is only 13.1 miles, but of course, your girl got lost and tagged on an extra half-mile. OF. COURSE.

I wasn’t going to actually do said race, since I stopped training about a month ago and also because I felt the promoter was not being nice. However, with some encouragement from my boss and Daily Mile Friendzies…..I went for it and I’m so so so happy I did. I wanted my MEDAL!!!!! That was pretty much my main catalyst for this night owl getting up at the pleasant, lovely hour of…wait for it…..wait for it…….*ahem* FOUR AM.

The night before my race I was dreaming about my medal. I woke up at about 2AM and groggily searched for it around my neck and in my sleep-induced haze I panicked when it wasn’t there. (Doesn’t everybody sleep with their medal around their neck? No? Just me? Moving on then.) I searched for my medal high and low: on my neck, in my bed and then around my room. I wasted 20 minutes of my life looking for that bloodly lil’ bugger before I realized the race was the next day and erm…..I had not actually received said medal yet. (Note to self: stop watching so much BBC.)

I got to the race site one hour early. I discouraged people from coming but that didn’t stop my momma or a certain party crasher….but I’ll get to that shortly.

Look how cute my moms is knitting in the background. This is one of my eyes. Hello Internets! Notice something missing from my neck? Well, not for long!!!

Below are the racers. Only a handful. Do you see me? 55 were signed up, but the promoter scared them away with his cranky attitude. He sent an e-mail a few nights before telling the runners not to bring people or banners to cheer the runners on b/c it’s distracting…to.the.runners. UM. MOVING ON.

Speaking of distracting…this dude’s legs were distracting me. They are so well-formed and sinewy. Jealous I am.

I don’t know this stretch:

Anywhoo, back to my party crasher. So, two days before my race when I was still debating whether to actually still do it, my boss D announced that she was crashing my race to walk a leg of it with me. I cracked up laughing b/c who does that? I sorta thought she was joking, but alas, about 4 miles in there my boss was honking and cheering away for me in her car. (UH-OH…don’t tell the race director!) Then she parked and met up with me so we could race together. I was concerned having my boss crash my race would piss off my already cranky race director, and that he would not give me my beloved medal….but, my boss said she already cleared it with him. I have a feeling she told him moreso than asked him and I love her for it. She made my race so much easier to do b/c she has a fantastic energy about her! She told me I inspired her, but she truly made my first race a million times more enjoyable. She also gifted me a pedometer when I finished my race! What a sweetie-pie.

The party crasher and I:

WAIT A MINUTE, HOLD THE PHONE WHAT IS THAT AROUND MY NECK????

MY MEDAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAHOO!!!!

Truth time. My first reaction to this picture was to mentally start listing the ways I looked unflattering….BUT then I saw my medal…MY MEDAL!!!! MY VERY FIRST HARD EARNED RACE MEDAL!!!!!!!!! TA-DA!!! And all of my self-criticisms melted away and I post these pictures proudly.You can bet that bad boy will not be leaving my neck all week long. I went to a party last night and it was my main accessory. OH. YEAH.

So, to recap: 4:00, 13.6 miles, I jogged the first 4 point something and walked the rest with my party crasher. I am pretty sure I came in last place as I was not really prepared.,…but whateves, I still did it!!!!…..and now my medal has taken its rightful place around my neck for the next week.

Thanks for everyone’s support and thanks to my momma and boss for completely ignoring my wishes and coming out to support me anyway! hahah

Lots of Love,

Elidia

elidia runs.

Race #2: SF Color Run!

My first race. AKA (Race to last place. :D)