San Antonio End of Day 2 and Oh My Pie The Half is Here on Day 3:

          The start of Day 2 came very early (so early I can’t even remember, I just know it was before 5am). I had to pick up my bib day of due to the delayed flight the night before, but glad I could at least race. The original plan was I would get to meet up with Lauren, a friend of a friend through November project and Team Hoyt.

Which we did! We got a picture through barricades 10 minutes before the start. The true best surprise was seeing the Angels team!!! Stephanie walked up to me in the start corrals and said “You were in vegas, right?” It was instant laughter and friendship with another team from there. We got a picture with Des Linden too! For those who aren’t in the running world she won the Boston in 2018 and is a 2 time Olympian. The start of the race as always was phenomenal, those 3-5 minutes on the course where we lead the pack and are the only ones is pretty special.

                The course overall felt pretty easy, though there were some significant hills for sure. After the race I connected with Angels Team and we made our plans for dinner. A not so quick visit to the expo and I walked out with another hat (I guess this is going to be my think with my races?). Exhausted I went back to my Airbnb and slept. I really needed more sleep but only got a couple hours. After a nap I headed to old navy. I am breaking the cardinal rule and wearing leggings I’ve never worn before (yikes!) but that’s better than being super cold and guaranteed breaking out with hives. Anyways after that I went downtown and hung out on the river walk and did walk around their mall. I know where I’m going today (mararitaville, baby). I mean I don’t know but it sure sounds like a great motivator for after the half marathon this morning. My dad says I’m weak for drinking alcohol since he has been on a no alcohol kick since his time with cancer this year. I pointed out how he regularly tells me he doesn’t know how I have overcome what I have and that he couldn’t, so I deserve a marg.

                Speaking of this year. Wow. It was 11 months ago that my year started on some of the toughest times literally starting with new years day. Sometimes I get asked why I roll. I race and roll because the time I’m in the racer its about bettering myself and it gives me a reason to get out as much as possible with some of the greatest people I have ever met. After losing almost every sport I’ve ever gotten to be good at, I found something new to push myself in. I like the way a friend said it recently “You’re intrinsically athletic, and there is an awareness you have about your body to do things that don’t seem possible for you (to others).” I race because I love that runners high and it gives me a challenge (I don’t have enough. . .obviously). Seriously though, racing gives me a chance to choose my challenge. I love the feeling of being ¾ of the way through and my body goes into endurance mode, or whatever you want to call it. The past 5 months of races are directly correlated to my ability to hit remission again so I’ll take today. I’m going to try not to take a moment for granted today and be gentle with myself. The last picture is of this morning because having the shit I have means waking up early to pre-treat. No lung function drops today is the goal.

San Antonio Day One End and Start of Day Two:

         We left off when the flight was delayed which is the perfect timing to make friends (my airport buddies can attest I have no problem with breaking the ice). I spent about an hour talking to a wonderful individual whom happens to be the director of a phlebotomy department at a major hospital in Denver. Come to find out their brother and they went to CSU back in the 70s (not a surprise). The real surprise is as we talk I mention my passion for Craig and they state they are very familiar, their sibling was in an accident during their time at CSU and makes annual visits to Craig still!!! Even crazier, the sibling was an RA at CSU and no surpise, CSU made a non ADA building ADA to make that a reality. After our talk I made the promise to look into the PA program at Rocky Vista. I still feel like I don’t know what I am doing next year let alone 10 years from now even though I declared I would go to nursing school. And that’s okay, the beauty of this journey is taking the exits that I choose to and following the roads I want to follow.

                The flight was pretty boring, I met a family with kiddos with severe food allergies and we bonded (surprise surprise). Than I made my way off the plane and to my wonderful rental car. I was tempted to pick the VW Tiguan but I drive that everyday so I am in an equinox. A short 15 minute drive to my cute Airbnb that is quite the set up! So peaceful, I have my own room in a large house that is accommodated for around 8 airbnb rooms, all individually booked it looks like. Anxiety was high so I pumped up the tires in the racer and hit the road for 20 minutes. After quick shake out run, I called a few of my favorite people including Dr. Pastor Russ Brown. I couldn’t have been happier to share the progress I have made, but also mention the hesitations I have this weekend. The name of the game is “margin for error” as my dad would say. Making choices for the long term and no “screw it, I want to do it” decisions.

With that in mind I called my other fav, Sam, and we prepped for my short 4 minute set at the Blind Tiger (shout out to Jay Whitecotton for letting me  on his amazing showcase)! I stuck around through half the showcase but had to go to head off for breathing treatments and bed time. I loved the room at the Blind Tiger, and am so very proud of my growth as a comic! If you want a see a glimpse shoot me a message and I’ll send you a clip. For now I am wrapping up my nebulizer treatments and am rocking a solid 350 (perfect score for my breathing test without treatments so I’m doing great managing). Hives are moderate and come and go so we’ll stay on top of the benedryl and hit the ice packs hard post race. Goodnight from San Antonio, in the green room! (literally bahaha)

San Antonio Rock n Roll Marathon Weekend- Day One: Part-Let The Shenanigans Begin

Let me just say I miss my traveling companion (Katie. . .and the friends we made Anthia and Bridget). . .and so the adventure begins! A 4:00am alarm was the start of the last chance to squeeze in some work. The plan was getting at least one airport ride, a few other side rides and make a couple hundred dollars to pad the trip. A few rides in all was going well and I got an airport trip, but something felt off with the car. I couldn’t tell immediately what was wrong. A kind stranger rolled down their window and said they noticed my right rear tire was looking a little flat. I told my rider that I’d need to pull over and check the tire, if it was indeed running flat, they wouldn’t need to pay for the distance I’d driven them, and another driver would pick them up. Sure, enough it was flat. I had pulled over at Jiffy Lube where they happened to be coming into the shop at that time. The guys were kind enough to swap out my spare tire for me for free and observed there was a screw in the tire. A quick trip to Big O Tires where they fixed it for free just in time for me to go home pack and head out the door. The budget is a little tighter than preferred and we will just have to make do with that.

                An easy trip to the airport was followed by my first solo experience of going through airport security with the racer. I made the decision that it would be easiest if I could carry everything and sit in my racer. Somehow all fit in the bags and balanced well enough that I got through security easily. I even ran into fellow Kohawk, Palmer!!! The only hard part about traveling in the racer instead of another chair is it doesn’t fit super easily in all elevators, something Katie and I learned going to Vegas. Again we’re making do and its working out. A very anxious me settled into my gate where I am writing about the beginning of this adventure. The flight of course is delayed which means I will have to pick up my bib for the 10k tomorrow morning (an even earlier morning unfortunately). I will get into San Antonio around 7pm tonight. Hopefully getting my first ever rental car goes smoothly and getting to the AirBnb goes smoothly.

I forgot what it feels like to be super anxious until this trip, haha oh the irony

that I can’t even begin to explain here. So for those of you that watch my facebook, blog or whatever and think I’m superbly confident and fearless, I am absolutely not. Half the time I am using some therapy technique to accomplish my dreams, which are definitely big ones.

 I am getting ready to finish my lovely lunch after meeting a really nice human at the airport who not only helped me grab my lunch (lines with the racer aren’t exactly easy) but treated me to it as well (all to kind!). We exchanged Facebook info and quickly expressed how we both made each other’s days! Natasha will be coming out to races this summer to see me and whenever I’m at the airport I’ll get to say hi!