Untouchable, Beer Mile IV

Last night was my final race of the year -- another beer mile (the event here is twice a year, once after Boston, and then once after our local marathon). 

I think I can officially say that I am untouchable in terms of women who participate in this event in Dallas.  If it weren't so painful and so fun, I would consider trying to find another local version of it to give myself some more competition.  But with the group that does this event, I really am untouchable. 

I was kind of hoping for a PR, but who am I kidding?  I'm just not in PR shape right now running-wise.  But to compound the situation, we had a rainy day on Wednesday, so the track was pretty sloppy last night.  The upside to a sloppy track was that it was a smaller field competing. 

It was my slowest win yet, another 12 seconds slower than the spring race.  And I was nervous.  As I was finishing up my third beer, the second place woman had just entered the drinking zone. 

Cutting it close...

There is always one guy in this group who finishes way, way, way behind the rest of us.  Last night, after I finished and caught my breath (and high-5'd the male winner), I saw he was heading out for a lap.  I assumed it would be his last, but I wasn't really thinking about it much.  I decided to run with him as a cool-down.  100 meters in he told me it was his third lap and he was struggling.  He actually stopped about halfway through the lap because he wanted to burp, and I was like, well, at least walk and make progress.  I was trying to point him to drier and more solid parts of the track, but it didn't help much.  He finished portions of his final beer (I think he knew they wouldn't DQ him), and then pretty much all of us set out with him on his final lap.  Good times!

Then we all went back to the organizer's house for a small party.  I only stayed until about 10 since I had to get up before 4:00 this morning -- my flight home left DFW at 6:15 AM.  Yikes!  And since I was flying Spirit (which I'd never flown before) and checking a bag, I wanted to be there early. 

Good choice on my part!  The line to drop off a bag was HUGE.  And then security took forever because Spirit apparently doesn't participate in TSA pre-check, so I had to wait in the regular line and take my shoes off -- gross! 

I planned to work the whole flight so I could wrap up early tonight and have extra time with my family, but I was just too tired and I slept the whole way.  Feeling a bit better but looking forward to a solid night's sleep tonight.  Hubby is on the same flight tomorrow, so that will be good.

It feels crazy cold here to me so I think it's going to be a lot of time indoors.  Tomorrow will be a big day of wrapping.  Ugh!  And shopping for the last gift for one person and a majority of a gift for one other person.  I also have to write out and mail all our Italian cards and 4 others.  Unfortunately, I did my shipping yesterday during the day and mistakenly put two cards into the mail with absolutely no address -- just a first and last name.  I meant to look it up but totally spaced.  Wonder how long it will take for them to make their way back to me...