Fun, Run, Fun

First of all, running is not fun. I like to say I am still waiting for the runner’s high. Pushing yourself to go as fast as you can for a 5K or 10K or Half-marathon or (God forbid) a marathon or ultra-marathon (those people are cray-cray) is not fun. There is a lot of satisfaction from doing the races, and a multitude of benefits from doing the runs and the training to do the runs (like legs that look fabulous wearing heels and hose), but not fun.

I generally do two 10K runs a year, both put on by the St. Louis Go organization. The spring event includes the annual St. Louis Marathon, the fall races have a Halloween theme, where I’ve run as a girl twice, including last fall.

My tradition for the spring race is to pick up my packet dressed. Yes, I’m picking up a race packet for guy me, but I have learned not to care. This year, after getting my packet, I saw a woman who regularly volunteers at triathlons I do. She would usually be out on the course wearing a brightly colored fluffy skirt, so I would usually call her “Princess”. Last year I had a chance to introduce myself and found out her name was Andrea.

So after a bit of deliberation, I decided “why not” and said hi. She was nonplussed and we chatted for a bit. I then saw her the next day–in normal boy mode–and we chatted further. She didn’t mention anything about my prior day’s presentation. 

I wore a red summer dress that I had bought four days earlier while I was shopping at a for-profit thrift store in In-Dee. I thought it was as good of time as any to break it in. I picked up my packet and headed home.

The race next morning went pretty well. I placed and had a decent time. The age group awards are small blocks of chocolate from a local well-known shop/restaurant. The box ends up on my award area (my wife calls it “The Shrine”), where I hang my race ribbons, the chocolate ends up in me.

Before the race, because of a fortunate mistake, I managed to meet up with a former girl’s athlete I coached about ten years ago. We had a chance to talk and hug before the race, and I met her husband. She was doing the marathon, her first, and she did it in her goal time. We took a selfie of the two of us that ended up on both her and my Facebook posts.

Following the race, I went to a local Y and changed into one of my favorite summer dresses for lunch with the St. Louis Gender Foundation members at a local restaurant. After my time down under, it was good to catch up.

Then, that night, fab GG friend Michelle and I went to dinner at the Tenderloin Room at the Chase Park Plaza hotel, followed by a visit to the Chase Club listening to a band. When Michelle and I walked in, the lead singer, a woman, waved to us like she knew us. Later on, while Michelle and I were using the loo before we left, we had about a five-minute conversation with the singer in the restroom (usually I don’t like to talk in the ladies’ room, for somewhat obvious reasons). As it turns out, some of the Gender Foundation members frequent another place where the band plays, and the singer thought we were them (she said they were fun). I chose a fun LBD to wear, while the gorgeous Michelle decided to go colorful.

A fun two days dressed, and a solid run in between. Not a bad outcome at all.

Editorial Comment: I want to make sure we all understand how lucky we are to have our Gwen Saturdays, our lovely Sun-Dees and Mandy Tuesdays. Thank you ladies all!