RACE REVIEW: FALL CLASSIC 5K

Amanda, Myself, Stacey & Jess

#birdsistas

Last Sunday, I met a few of my fellow Oiselle birds over in Cambridge to run the Fall Classic 5K.  Originally, I had planned to skip the race review for this one.  Even though we had a good time hanging out together pre and post race, the weather was brutal, the race itself was sort of "meh" for all of us, and, in the end, I didn't feel like there was a hell of a lot worth sharing.  But then on Wednesday, Jess, one of the birds who ran with me, who also happens to be my neighbor, came over to grab her race shirt which she'd left in my car.  After we got to talking, the race stories started flowing and some good laughs were had between us.  I then realized that no race is not worth re-capping.  No matter what does or doesn't happen.  Because, really, something always happens.  And usually, when you throw in multiple women who like to have a good time together, there are some quality tales to tell.  True, none of us crossed the line with a new PR or setting any world records,  but it was still a boat load of fun.  Okay, there might have been a few other issues....

So what if my only hair elastic fell in the urinal when I peed for the first time?  That's what hand sanitizer is for, right?
So what if the line for the port-o-pottys was so long when we got back after our warmup that Amanda and I had to sneak over to a condo complex and squat in the bushes so we wouldn't miss the start?  That was a wee bit awkward and slightly inappropriate.
So what if it was 80 degrees along with 100% humidity and all of us were totally soaked through before the race began?  That pretty much sucked.
So what if the race was so big (over 1400 runners) that it took us 10 seconds to cross the start and a solid 30 more to bob and weave until we had some space to run.  That was stressful.
So what if I looked like death warmed over at the finish?  Not cute (see left)
So what if I overheated at the end and had this weird desire to take off all of my clothes and run through Cambridge naked?  Again, awkward.
So what if Amanda threw up on her new singlet in the finish shoot?  Major bummer.  Though, she still managed to look super cute in the photo.  How did she DO that?
So what if we were all disappointed with our times?  Ain't no one gonna PR in that "fall" heat.
So what if Jess had to run 9 more miles in the worst possible weather AFTER the race to finish up her scheduled long run which meant she couldn't stay and have coffee with us.  Not fair at all.  Oh wait, she chooses to train for marathons.
So what if the bakery we went to afterwards was out of bread so I couldn't get an egg sandwich?  Wait, what?

What does matter is that we all motivated, coming together from several different corners of MA (huge thanks to Stacey for making the 1.5 hr trek), ran our guts out (literally), managed to take a good team photo (see above) and had some solid conversations over good coffee afterwards.  Soooooo, that's what.

Listen to this:
Thousand Miles - Tove Lo