AllState 1/2 Marathon Recap

After much deliberation and ignoring sage advice from people who know better, I decided to run the race in spite of the following factors:

1. Lack of training (only ran 10 times since my last HM in October, longest distance of 8 miles)
2. Recovering from a flu
3. Jason dropping out of the race because of his cough

Running turned out to be a great decision.  Although I did not race it, I didn't get a Personal Worst.  My chip time was 2:15 and change.  I'm calling it a win.

The race course was ideal, mostly flat with mostly beautiful ocean views.  I say mostly because we ran by a sewage treatment plant and I found myself holding my breath.  Let me tell you, holding your breath while trying to run is not a clever idea.  Also an ocean view is great except that it's super cold by the beach in the morning.  It took me 5 miles to feel my elbows again.  I don't think I ever did get feeling in my face.

At mile 2 I found someone who was running a pace that I liked and tagged along.  After about a mile, he seemed to notice I was following him.  By that, I mean he started turning back and looking at me every quarter mile.  I figured the time was right to introduce myself.  Have you ever tried shaking hands while running?  I'm surprised I didn't trip. 

Jeremy turned out to be a really nice guy and motivated me after mile 10 to keep going.  We chatted the whole time about our jobs, our families, and our life goals.  Funny all the things that you can cover with a stranger in 2 hours.  Around mile 11, I was beyond needing to pee.  Jeremy volunteered to wait for me at the next portojohn station and I up to the next available grouping.  All the doors were locked (I guess they were full, ewwwww).  In the distance I could see a truck was coming with new ones.  I didn't want to wait, so I kept running and for the first time ever, I peed my pants while running.  Let's all say it together, "ewwwwwwww!"  Fortunately it wasn't a lot, and it was dried by the time we got to the finish.  Or at least mingled with the sweat.  I'm just glad it wasn't poop.

I really wished I trained better because it was the perfect race to get a PR.  It wasn't too crowded, the cold numbed any pain, and the course was really familiar to me.

After we got home, we took our now tradition photo with the B wearing my finisher's medal.  I'll get it from Jason and post it later.

In B news, I'm proud to say that we are 99% potty trained.  She has an accident now and then but it's becoming more rare.  The key was to get her to think it was her idea.  I think that may be the key to her behavior in general.  Here is a snippet of our once daily conversation.

B: Bonnie push (gesturing a pushing motion with her hands)
Me: Who did you push?
B: Bonnie push Cameron
Me: Bonnie, that's not nice.  We don't push our friends.  Did you say you were sorry?
B: Bonnie push Cameron.  Lucy says, sorry Cameron, time out
Me: Did you say sorry?
B: Bonnie time out, Bonnie sorry.  Bonnie hug.
Me: You know that pushing is not nice.  Please don't push anymore.
B:  Push no nice.  HUGs nice.  (hugs mom)

Trying to keep a stern face during this conversation is always hard.  Especially since she is so excited to tell on herself when I get home.  Also, how can I frown when I'm getting a hug.

Do you ever find it hard to maintain a stern face while parenting?

P.S.  I'm quite aware that you're probably laughing at me because I think that 41 degrees is freezing.  Here's a funny clip from Kimmel on LA weather.  Kimmel on weather