Can I just share with you how NUTS I am??? I thought it would be so much fun to pick up a 5K while we were here in Alaska. So Noah, Abbey, & I all talked about it. "Do you want to run?" "I don't know... are you gonna do it?" "Well, I haven't decided - that's why I asked you! Ha!" "Well, I kinda do & I kinda don't..." "Yeah me too." "I think it would be ok..."
As you can tell, this went on this way for a while...
One thing, though, I really wanted to do it & get a t-shirt. You know race people... "Will Run For T-Shirt"... And we all wanted a t-shirt to wear back home that said, "Hey! We ran a race all the way up in ALASKA!!" So it was decided; Let's race!!
So can I just tell you EXACTLY how much I am paying for that little moment of insanity???? Aaaarrrrgh! WHAT was I thinking??? This morning my feet hurt, my hips ache, my legs are so sore and stiff I can barely shuffle down my sister's hall. And going to pee... Oh the agony!! I never thought I'd want to 'hold it' because I didn't want to have to assume the position on the toilet! Somebody tell me WHO's dumb idea this was anyway???
Oh... well... thAt would be me.
So, you know how when you're travelling, you never drink enough water? I mean, first, you don't always think of it, second, it's usually massively inconvenient to find a bathroom while you're out and about (an in Alaska you better be looking for the largest tree to get behind that doesn't hide a moose...), and third, a diet coke just tastes REEEEEALLY good while you're on vacation, darn it!!
RACING TIP: Six large glasses of water the day of the race WILL NOT make up for six DAYS of improper hydration.
Going on vacation and the days preceeding the trip are just so hectic. Preparing to go, going, and even while you're there, it's just really difficult to keep up with your work out routine. Going here, going there, sightseeing... Having time for your workout takes some real dedication. And when it's your vacation... well... it's just hard to find the motivation to do more than be comfortable and enjoy yourself.
RACING TIP: Running a 5K (3.1 miles) will not make up for only running 3.1 miles in the entirety of the previous month. Also may cause pain... Ok... WILL cause pain.
Who would have thought that there was ANYTHING good about humidity?? Well, it's Arctic Tundra up here. That means, pretty much, cold desert. And desert air is DRY. Yes, take a moment to let that little piece of information sink in... DUH! Be prepared, right? A mint in the mouth or something, right? I thought that running in the hot humid air at home was about the worst thing ever. And it is bad, but...
RACING TIP: When running a race in any type of dry air situation, such as in Alaska, carry a little bag with you to catch the lung you are going to cough up during the first half mile. Maybe it can be saved...
For real, you should never assume. Know the old saying? When you assume, you make an... well, you know the rest. I ASSUMED that there would be a water station half way in this race. I've never been to any kind of race, no matter how short, that didn't have at least one water station. So, of course, since I had ASSUMED that there would be water, I didn't bring any for myself. (Yeah, can you say "Katrina victim"?) Dry air, dehydrated, not exactly on top of getting in my miles... By halfway, I was dying for some water. And really looking forward to it. When we got halfway and there was NO water, I was like, "Whaaaaa?? Where's the water station?" The resident Alaskans racing around me said, "A water station? There will be water at the finish... crazy funny accent lady... geez..." We were running along the Chena River and it was really nice... Until I kept visualizing flinging myself INTO it and trying to hydrate from the outside in!!
RACING TIP:Do not ASSUME anyone will have water for you during a race. Bring water for your own dang self! Be responsible! Don't be a victim...
At my house when you do something reeeeeally not smart you get the title: Dumb Head. It's quite the coveted title amongst the visiting kids that aren't mine but might as well be... It's usually pretty funny seeing who's going to get the title for the day: Noah, Jonah, Rebekah, Ryan, Taylor, Ben, Austin... Any regular at the Corbin household gets an opportunity to bear the title. But for this segment I think I know who qualifies the most:
Y'all have a great day.
Signed,
Dumb Head
