Deleted from our Dictionary...

First, let me thank all of our fans out there, (all 3 of you), who have either texted, facebook messaged, or merely commented on missing our blog. There's no good reason we haven't been blogging. I wish I could tell you that we've been super busy curing the swine flu or house sitting Kwame's mansion while he's gone but the truth is we just got lazy and uninspired and didn't think people would care if we let it go for awhile. I'm happy to report that a few of you do care and for those people we have a renewed commitment to entertain you! So without further ado I will start this blog off with a post on a word that has only recently become part of my vocabulary. Chafing. I am finally ready to talk about this word after a recent experience with its meaning. Nine days ago my mother-in-law, her sisters, family friends and I boarded a plane for Nashville, TN to run in the Country Music Marathon. Now let me just make clear that I only ran in the half marathon which is 13.1 miles. This was our second time running this race and we all assumed that our better training and knowing the course would prove a easier feat then last year. We were wrong.

Because this race is in April and we live in Michigan, the majority of our training takes place during the cold winter months and if we're lucky we get the opportunity to do a few outdoor runs when there isn't ice on the ground. I did three 11+ mile runs; one was on the treadmill while I watched Flatliners, (not a good movie to watch while running if you're already balance challenged), and for the other two runs I got a break and was able to run outdoors in around 55 degree temps. In general I don't sweat, and no I'm not trying to say that I "glisten" instead of sweat, I have a hard time getting a good sweat going and it often requires sprints, intense cardio or high temps to really get sweaty and even then, I'm not someone who drips sweat, my face just gets salty and dewy. So cut to last weekend when the whole east side of the country was experiencing unseasonably warm temperatures for April. Coming in at a balmy 88° for the high each day was Nashville.

Fortunately the race started at 7am when it was only 68° and humid but by mile 2 when the sun was shining without a cloud in sight I suddenly found the ability to sweat. My face began feeling overheated and within 10 steps of hitting 2.5 miles I began the fun task of disrobing while in motion. I had brought along my camelbak pack which is a little mini backpack with a water tank and a hose that fastens onto the front of the pack so you can take sips of water whenever necessary. If you've ever run a race and been assaulted by clumsy people throwing their half drunk paper cups off to the side only to hit you or the ground just in front of you so that you get a nice splash of Gatorade all up your leg then you'll know why I wear this contraption. I began the removal of my backpack until I remembered my ipod nano armband and headphone cord was intertwined with it so I started over with the ipod first, the backpack next, oh and then the really fun part, your official race number which needs to be displayed at all times. I was attempting to keep moving while holding the backpack, ipod, and t-shirt in one hand and the safety pins for the race number in my mouth. Finally I got all re-situated and sped up back to my normal pace. Within another two miles the backpack straps started to rub my now bare shoulders and the thought crossed my mind, "it was never warm enough in Michigan to go without a T-shirt when wearing this damn thing."

By mile 7 the temperature was definitely in the mid 70's and my previous difficulty in sweating was history, I was drenched. Sweat does really interesting things to your body, like produce salt which in turn rubs against your skin and rubs it raw. My shoulders were now permanently stinging when every step rubbed the straps against them and my feet were starting to feel awfully damp as well. I've never had any blisters before but once again the sweating does things to your body you can't control. After sucking down the liquidy chocolate snot, commonly known as GU, around mile 9.5 I'd already seen a handful of people on the side of the road with medics administering oxygen, water and salt. By Mile 12 I was beginning to think oxygen looked pretty damn good and so did a a little nappie in the shade.

The last three miles of the course were the most unshaded part and by this time it was at least 80. I began thinking how nice it would be to just slow down to a walk but that would have meant more time in the hot sun so I kept my feet moving as fast as they would go. The toes on my right foot were definitely blistered but I pushed toward the finish line and the promise of relief! I hit the last water station and grabbed two cups of water to pour over my head and face which of course ran the salt into my eyes. I looked blearily ahead and finally crossed the finish line a few minutes after the 2 hour mark. I was so happy to have finished that I didn't remove my backpack until much later when I noticed the red chafe lines down my shoulders and around my neck. Now it could have been a lot worse, and some people I was with did experience worse but it was enough to make me question why I do these races. Well it was enough until the Monday after when I signed up for another one anyway! Oh and by the way, this is not what I look like when sweating...