Everything but running

I have taken about a week off from running and 4 days away from the gym. I figured I would let everyone going to Chicago run for me. And from what I have heard and read, most everyone rocked. Way to go!

But just becasue I wasn't running doesn't mean that my life has stopped dead in its tracks.

Last Thursday, I drove down to Tulsa for the weekend. I did dinner with the parents on Thursday night, had breakfast with the grandparents on Friday morning, and then it was off to the west bank of the Arkansas river for a little Oktoberfest fun.

Oktoberfest in Tulsa is a long-time tradition for me and my college friends (and one of the 10 best places worldwide to toast Oktoberfest). We show up at 10:00 am and volunteer in the beer tent selling beer for about 4 hours. Volunteering is fun. We dance, we sing, we talk smack to the other beer vendors. Oh, and we drink free beer. Our crew this year has dwindled down to just me and Marty, but his boy will be picking up the slack soon enough.

So there I was, just before 11:00 Friday morning drinking my first beer of the day. We got off work, if you can call it that, around 3:30 and wandered around the festival ground for a little while before heading back to das bier garten (aka the big beer tent) for the evening. We ate, drank, danced on tables. It was a great time.

Until Saturday morning.

Saturday morning was rough.

And the worst part was on my way out of town. I made the mistake of driving down Riverside Drive. Riverside, as the name sounds, parallels the Arkansas River and the riverparks trail system. It was a beautiful morning and the trail was packed with runners. It killed me being physically unable to run because of my hangover. Argh!!! Stupid hangover!

I would have stayed in Tulsa Saturday night had it not been for the date I had with the yet to be nicknamed new girl in my life (according to alejandra's rules of blogging, I am not allowed to use her real name here and I am still working on the nickname). This was technically our fourth date, but the first "real, saturday night alone on the town with both of us on the same page that it was a date" date. We had a blast. In fact, we are clearly becoming that "in a new relationship where we laugh and joke and everything is funny and perfect" couple. I don't know how long that this stage is supposed to last or how long it will last, but I hope the feeling doesn't go away any time soon because I have a blast when I am with her.

Finally, on Sunday, I took my yet to be named girl along with Scott and Shannan, who trained for and ran the triathlon with me, to the KC-San Diego football game. By Sunday night, I was worn out.

I did get in a 45 minute swim today and my hiatus from running ends tomorrow when I knock out a quick 6 miles. I think the time off from running was needed. My body feels as good as it has felt in a long time. I am rested and ready to go.

And this is good because Vegas is just 6 weeks away!