Taper Nuttiness and a Great and Busy Weekend

Friday

Taper nuttiness huh…well, normally you have to be really, really careful during taper to not be clutzy, I guess one more thing to add is not give in to the temptation to go to the bar, or if you do go, don’t wear the cute open summer shoes you want to wear (these are similar but not quite right, the ones I was wearing have just a strap across the foot and then another strap over the big toe, and are a little less of a heel, but very similar and same designer and color!) and wear steel toed shoes!! I hadn’t been to my favorite watering hole in ages and I decided I should go there, even though I’m not drinking till after the marathon, I went for dinner and to see friends that are regulars. Karl 2 (there are two them I know) is there and I haven’t seen him in ages, he’s finally getting divorced (a friend of mine and he were going to be divorce buddies, she’s divorced a year now, he’s not yet filed but is on the verge of working through and getting it done)…he’s drunk too, talking to him, standing by him, my toe almost gets squished by his bar stool once, I tell him look at my feet and be more careful…he leaves and comes back, for some reason moves the stool more and actually gets it on my toe!! OUCH, but thankfully he wasn’t sitting on it at the time or it might have broken my toe. Anyway, it was only sore for a little bit, like stubbing it, so no harm, but man, that could’ve been so bad!! It was a fun evening though catching up with others and learning the new thing, fresh air is in the bar now, not outside, since the smoking ban, people smoke right in the doorway, lots of them, and you have to walk through it, never thought I’d go into the smokiest, diviest bar in the Metro (and also number 10 on Stuff magazines list for the country) and find better air than the immediate outdoors…I love the Minneapolis and now St Paul smoking bans though.

Saturday

I get up for my 12 mile run after not going to bed till 2:30…I was up by 9, tired but oh well. Went for a nice run, 9:11 pace with some heat and didn’t carry water (I know, dumb, but oh well) and only a banana for breakfast…just testing the body…anyway, after the run went home, showered and got stuff together to picnic at Calhoun. I was there till about 3 when Stacy called on her way to my place so I got headed home and we went for a bit of shopping for her to wear something that night and then back to my place to doll up. We grabbed at bite, then went to pick up Kate and Deb, Deb wasn’t there nor was Donnelle, we talked to Deb, she was a ways from being there so we gave her directions and got going…Donnelle called my cell later which wasn’t working and we ended up missing her then, which was a bummer. Anyway, we were out to see Epic Hero, great local band, and another band that was supposed to be good, from Chicago area I guess. Anyway, I drove so everyone could drink and none of them did…man, what’s the point in having a DD if you don’t drink?? The band was awesome though, everyone was getting tired though so we took off and Kate and Deb both really enjoyed though and bought CDs of the band. We are planning a good night out though in July…going to Lumberjack Days in Stillwater, was a messy night last year, we’ll see what this year will be like!!

Sunday


Grand Old Day…literally…it’s Grand Old Day in St. Paul, lots of bands on lots of different stages, arts and crafts stuff, road races in the AM and lots and lots of drinking…from 12-5, the place shuts down then, but until that time people are getting LOADED, on a Sunday…then they stay in the bars. Last year I was one of them…this year I stayed sober again offered to drive a friend and she declined and we just people watched. I don’t normally dance, but watching my fav local band, GB Leighton, and their last set a guy grabbed me, sang and danced with me and had me in his cowboy hat. He was drunk, but a very good dancer, so that was entertaining and hey, good exercise since I can’t run in this taper thing!! After the dancing Shawn and I headed out to go to a different bar, but it was packed and they weren’t letting people in. So we went to the one across the street. During this time the cops are out clearing the streets…literally they have cops on horse lined up on the street chasing people out of it…kind of ridiculous if you ask me…come to St. Paul, get blitzed but at 5 we are sending you either into the bars or out to your cars…Whatever. We ended up at Bonfire for dueling pianos and a packed house, but we were lucky enough to get bar stools and decided to order food…we people watched, kind of checked out the cute boys, but most were so drunk…had a few near mishaps with a few of them, but oh well. It was quite an entertaining night and we might have located a boat to hang out on the St. Croix in for Lumberjack days…one of the many people we talked to, that’s if we ever talk to him again!! Ah, the joys of a drunken festival as a sober person. But no mishaps on my feet and I got some nice sun even if my to wasn’t meant for dancing in!!

Oh, and training for last week I was good. I’d have 50 miles the week before, I was at 39 this week with what felt like a super easy tempo at 8:20 or so pace and 3 x 1 miles on Friday before the long run…This week I’m trying to keep it to 30 or less…ughh…I might be biking and blading to make up for it, but hopefully no mishaps from those things!!