VA Beach hates me and that damn juggler is back!

So last weekend I ran Rock n' Roll VA Beach.  Last year was my first time with this race and it kicked my butt!  This year was not much different, except it wasn't nearly as hot.  Don't get me wrong it was still hot and humid, just not as bad as last year.

I was running this with my friend Shawn.  We have decided that this horrible race will be our race to run together.  So we are already registered for next year.  Why did I say this could be our race?! Well I hope next year I kick this b#tches a$$!

I drove down on Saturday morning and headed over to Shawn and Kristi's to pick up Shawn and head to the expo.  Of course who should we run into at the expo?

Why Gary of course!  His teacher radar works well in VA Beach! lol  Doesn't matter what city we are in, or how many people are around, somehow Gary always shows up and can be found.  Or maybe it is Gary can always find me?  Who knows.  

Didn't buy anything at the expo.  You know you have gone to one too many expos when you do not buy anything more than some margarita shot blocks.  

Saturday night I headed to a concert with Kristi and some of her friends in Portsmouth.  The concert was the perfect price..free.  We saw Hank Williams Jr.  Since I spent nothing on this concert I didn't mind the fact that I only knew one or two songs.  It was lots of fun.

After the concert I dropped everyone off and Kristi and I headed home.  I knew I wasn't going to get much sleep since Shawn and I were leaving the house at 5:45, but I wasn't too worried because I don't sleep well the night before a race.  I am always worried that I am going to sleep through my alarm.  

I had no problem getting up, since it didn't feel like I really went to sleep.  Shawn forgot why he set his alarm so early and kept hitting snooze.  Fortunately he remembered and I didn't have to pound down his door to wake him up.  We headed out the door on time and found parking at the Arts Center.  Kristi was going to pick us up at the finish and drive us back to my car.  

We started out at 7 and it was starting to feel a bit warm and humid.  Not nearly as bad as the previous year.  By the first mile I was already sweating.  I was feeling pretty good.  I remember last year feeling horrible from the beginning on.  So hopefully this was going to be a better run since I was feeling better than last year.  I knew the Kristi and the girls were going to be hanging out at mile 6 cheering.  And rumor had it a treat may be there too.  We ran near the boardwalk and then headed over the bridge away from the boardwalk.  The great thing was I just ran most of this area a few weeks ago. Between running the race last year and running part of the course a few weeks ago I was not feeling lost on the course.  Not that you can truly be lost, I just like to feel like I know where and what is coming up on the course.  I headed towards where the girls were and Ali was the first to see me and yell "Aunt Pam!"  Love it!  I need them to be cheer me on every mile :)

They brought me a coke icee.  Yum!  The best drink on the course!  Ali didn't want me to touch her because I was gross and sweaty.  lol  Yeah I know Ali, I am gross and sweaty. It was great seeing everyone but I had to continue on with the race.  I was doing pretty well with my time.  Ah..thinking that is the kiss of death...

Mile 8 and I was starting to fall apart.  I was hot and hating life.  Ugh...here comes the walking/running.  At around mile eight there was a man with a tupperware bowl with ice.  Now normally I would not just dig my hands into a bowl of ice with a bunch of strangers, but hey runners don't care.  That was the best ice I have tasted in  awhile!  I rounded  the corner at mile ten looking forward to some lovely cold sponges..yeah they ran out..grrrr  Around 10 1/2 there was a homemade gatorade stand..a bit of blue gatorade coming up!  And one large ice cube.  I was taking anything and everything cold from the people on the course.  Then I turn and see him...the juggler..it took him 10 1/2 miles until he caught up with me.  For those of you who do not know I do not like the running juggler...

I feel like he is mocking all runners..look it is so easy I have to juggle while running.  Well he was there..but he was feeling the heat and humidity too.  He dropped a ball and I didn't think he was going to pick it up.  It looked like he was hating running and juggling.  He kicked it forward and finally bent down to pick it up.  He wasn't juggling as much either.  Look even the juggler was not enjoying the end of this race.

Right before the bridge there were some people handing out pop ice.  Yum!  Cold flavor-ice pops..how smart!  I was heading up the bridge when a woman told me that I was her hero since I was running with a fake leg.  Umm..it is real...just messed up from a car accident. lol  She made my day!  I headed for the finish and was not feeling great.  I was super hot and hating life.  They ran out of chocolate milk.  I just wanted to lay down and die..

I headed to the letter P to meet up with Shawn.  He wasn't there so I waited in the hot sun.  I was getting really hot and not feeling well.  I should have gone into the ocean, but I couldn't imagine being hot and wet.  I was already wet from every sprinkler.  I couldn't imagine being really wet with salt water and then sand..so I looked around for some shade.  Not much shade on the beach.  I really didn't feel well...did I mention that.  Finally Shawn shows up and I tell him I was debating going to the medic tent because I was so overheated.  Shawn convinced me to go.  They put some ice on the back of my neck.  They also gave me a new cold towel for my face.  Ah...heaven!

One of these days I will conquer VA Beach!  Not this year, but sometime I will come out a head of VA Beach.  Hopefully next year it is cool and  humidity free..who am I kidding..I just hope it is not 100 degrees and feeling like pea soup. :)