Race #3: Indiana (Fort Wayne) October 6, 2018

Something hit me after the Detroit race. It’s kind of a downer so I didn’t write about it then, but now I think I should. I have eight years to run a 5K in every state and I know it will take me close to that long to do it. The sad thing is that I have a lot of cheerleaders on my side who may not be around to see me finish. That breaks my heart. At the same time, it is a great motivator to get out there and get it done.

This came up because my mom told me she was worried that she won’t be here when I stick that last pin in the map. We all have moms, we know how they work. Could she have just asked to go with me to a race or two? Absolutely, but toying with my emotions was much more fun for her.

I said, “Of course you’ll be around to see me finish.”

I realized, though, that she may have a point. Just as she planned, then, I asked her to come with me to one of my races. She agreed  and laid out her terms:

1) No flying. It had to be within driving distance.
2) Driving distance is less than five hours.
3) And I quote, “I want my own damn hotel room because you snore.”

This brings me to race number three.

I didn’t know what my next race would be after Cleveland, so I scoured the internet to find one. There is a great website called Running in the USA that lists races of all kinds by location, by date, and by length. So, on that site, I found the perfect race. It was in Indiana and was called the Vineyard Trail 5K because the course ran through a vineyard. Oh, and every runner got a free wine slushy at the end! Even better. I thought, hey, my mom is a bigger wino than me and this race fits all of her demands. I’ll bring her. Thus, I found my next race and her plan came to fruition.

We drove down to Fort Wayne, IN Friday morning. When we got there, we went straight to Fleet Feet to pick up my runner packet. Since we were there, I figured I might as well look around at what they have on sale. I’m glad I did because this is where I found my infamous running shirt that says, “Run All the Miles. Drink All the Wine.” It sums me up perfectly.

When we arrived at the hotel, we had priorities. We both needed a cocktail and I needed the biggest steak to be found in Fort Wayne. After I dropped my stuff in my room, I went to mom’s room to have a cocktail. She was already on her second one. Now, I hope you all understand where I get it from.

Cocktails done, so it was time for food. We asked around the hotel for some restaurant recommendations.

Quick Tip: When asking for recommendations, be specific about what you want. Simply asking for a big piece of meat did NOT return the suggestions I’d hoped for.

Eventually, we found a steakhouse where I had a big-ass steak (protein), mac & cheese (carbs), green beans (dietary fiber), and of course, wine (um…fruit? Yeah, fruit). Then it was back to the hotel for some mother-daughter time (more cocktails). We didn’t stay up late, though, because the raced started at 8:00 the next morning.

Muddy Race Day

I had fun, don’t get me wrong, but this race was rough. The organizers told us at check-in that if we were worried about getting a fast time, we were going to hurt ourselves. There were hills, mud puddles, muddy hills, ugh! I had to use little trees sometimes to pull myself up some of the hills. There were mud puddles so deep that the water came up to my knees. Now, I’m a tall gal and I’m mostly legs, so those were some deep puddles.

I mean, was I running a 5K or training for jungle warfare?

I got through it, though. It was really nice to cross the finish line and see my mom there supporting me.

I went over to her, she looked at me and said, “Oh my God! You’re so red!”

“I just ran 3 miles, mom,” I replied.

“Are you sure your heart is OK for this?” she said.

“Are you serious,” I said, “Let’s just get the free wine slushy.”

“I’m going to buy you a hot dog,” mom said, “You just don’t look good,”

That’s my support system, people. Now, do you see why I drink?

Inspirational New Friends

One of the best things about doing these races is meeting people and hearing their stories. I met Deb and Vicky at this race and we became fast friends. I told them about my goal of 50 before 60 and they were so encouraging. But then they told me why they run.

They lost a dear friend to cancer. They wanted to do something to honor her memory so they started running together. They don’t do it for a fast time or a shiny medal. They do it as a way to accomplish something together. At each mile of the race, they stop and high-five each other as a way to celebrate the journey. Deb and Vicky are such an inspiration. I love these ladies already.

Back Home

We drove home after the race. It’s my habit now to go right to the map and put a pin in my race, so that’s exactly what I did.

This trip was emotional for me. It meant so much to have my mom with me. She is one of the strongest women I know and is my hero. Thank you, mom, for teaching me so much. How to be strong, how to be funny, and how to mix a drink.