Wine at the Line

I don't think I wrote about my race from last week...I thought I had, but maybe not.  Anyway, so I was set to run five miles last weekend and I wasn't sure if I would make it.  Honestly I hadn't trained much because of stress and just pure laziness.  And the one time T and I ran outside together, it kicked my ass and I thought I was going to die the whole time.  So I wasn't hopeful.  It didn't help that it was raining the entire day of the race and was muggy as all get out.  But....I signed up to do it, so by God, I was going to do it.  Or die trying. 

 

 

So what the race is - it's called Wine at the Line.  Mallow Run Winery, which is a winery just miles from our house, does this race every fall.  It includes a 5 mile race and 5k run/walk.  Last year I did the 5k.  So you run all throughout the country and end at the winery, and part of the finish line includes a free glass full of Mallow Run wine.  I mean, you can't beat that, right?

 

 

T's family came down for the race, as did my own.  T's dad ran it as well, and T's mom is not able to take care of Aubrey by herself due to physical limits so my parents came to help.  I was kind of freaking out by the time we got to the winery because it was so muggy and I did not want to do it by myself.  Luckily I actually connected with a friend of mine who runs at about the same pace as me, which thank God I did because she kept me going.  I think I would have quit had I not had someone with me.  The reason?  Aside from the muggy weather, the course is a huge square.  Go a mile or so down a county road surrounded by corn, turn onto another and stay straight on that for a mile, turn, etc.  I mean those roads were just brutal.  No scenery really other than farmland and usually with races you at least change roads more often.  Those straight stretches just kill you.  But we finished!  1:05, which is slow for me but I finished and that's all I have to say about that. 

 

 

The lesson learned?  I need to run more and maybe do more of these races so I can hold myself accountable.  We are definitely doing one on Thanksgiving morning called the Turkey Trot, but these races kind of give me a goal.  They don't all end with a glass of wine.  They should, though.

 

 

Speaking of running....positive thoughts this Saturday as my brother runs the Chicago marathon.  26.2 miles is pure craziness but he's been training like crazy and I have no doubt is ready for this.  Good luck, A!