And we’re off!

So Nate and I made it out to Sacramento for CIM, but I wanted to give you a snapshot of the craziness before we left Thursday evening:

I originally planned to go for a 5 mile run and see Jim, my chiropractor, over my lunch hour.  As it drew close to 11, though, I knew that wasn’t going to happen.  I had a 1:00 meeting where things just weren’t pulling together quite right, and I knew I needed to have everything polished, able to explain things, etc.  So — plan B: take off from work right after the meeting, run in Red Wing, and then see Jim (hours begin at 3:00).

After the meeting ended (went well, yeah!), I ran to my office, grabbed my things and headed out.  Two miles into the run, I started doing the math… let’s see. 

It’s 2:30 now, I’ll end just after 3:00…

Then see Jim, 3:15.

Then cruise home, 4:00 (45 min. commute)

WAIT!!  Oh shit (I think I did swear out loud).  Our flight is at 5:30 – and we live about an hour from the airport!!!!

WHY hadn’t I thought through this before?  I had honestly been so busy getting year end stuff done at work that I hadn’t thought about it – at all – until this very moment.

I decided to turn around at mile 2.3 or so (took me approximately .3 miles to get to the “oh shit” moment, and this was an out and back run).  As I neared my starting spot, I see a line of cars waiting… for a train.  Ugh.  I don’t have an extra minute!  There was nothing I could do, so I just kept running back and forth, waiting for it to pass.  Guess this was God’s way of telling me to do my full workout, not skimp out at 4.6 (ended up being 5.5 miles – long!).

I ran into my car, still in sweaty spandex and headed over to Jim.  He did a quick adjustment, wished me well, and I was on my way home.

I sped the entire way.  Please, Mr. Policeman, don’t be out today… please!!  I weighed in my head the probability of getting caught, the amount of the ticket, the time I’d waste being pulled over vs. the time I was saving by speeding… I like being analytical.  I’d also like not to miss my flight.  So I shut off my analytical brain and just prayed.

Looks like a guy who would rather be hanging out at the bakery downtown, doesn’t it?

It worked!  Ha.  Thank goodness.  Still no tickets ever to my name. 

I called Nate on the way, leaving a frantic message, apologizing for being so dumb about this – but assuring him all I needed to do was throw on clothes and grab my bags (a lie, but I could have gotten by).  I told myself he’d be home, have the dog and everything already packed.  We’d be okay.

I pulled into the garage to notice that Nate wasn’t home yet.  I paniked!!  How is he not home?!? Was there a patient that went late?  Oh my GOD, we are going to miss this plane.  Maybe I can drive to Faribault after I load the dog and bags and pick him up on the way.  Yes, that will totally work out.

I let the dog out when I get home and run up stairs, throw on my “plane outfit” (strategically set out to maximize clothing pieces, since we’re only flying with carry ons (illegal carry-ons, likely – I hope airlines don’t follow Spirit airlines’ policy…)).  I throw some food in a bag since I haven’t eaten much all day (worked through my lunch).  I then call out to get Mesa.  No response.  I then check my phone to see if Nate is still at work (Yeah, Find My Friends).  He is!  And no call yet!! Argh!!!

And then it dawns on me…

Our flight is not until 7:30.  SEVEN THIRTY, not 5:30.  Oh my GOSH.  I think I hit my head with my hand.  I am such an idiot.

First thing: I call Nate to tell him about my realization.  Second thing: I heat up a bowl of oatmeal (carb day, yeah!) and sit down and eat it, slowly.  Mmmm, food tastes so much better when you’re not rushing to shovel it down your throat.  I breathe.  Third: I then make a list of all of the things that I really should do before we leave (i.e. pack food for Fri/Sat/breakfasts for the race, etc, grabbing a few clothing items from the laundry, etc).  Fourth: I shake my head at myself.  This is just silly.  Why hadn’t I stopped for a second, checked – or even checked the timing of things, discussed with Nate the DAY BEFORE?  Leave it to me to keep life interesting, I guess.

Nate gets home at 4:50.  Goal to leave at 5.  I’m pretty much ready, just a few things to go.  I call for the dog.  Still nothing.  Oh, gees.  Yep, she’s missing.

Super.

Nate gets in his car to drive around our neighborhood, finding her 10 minutes later with two 8 year old girls, walking her to our house on a leash.  “She was really hard to catch, Mister!”.  Nate thanked them and Mesa was hauled into the car.  She’s covered in POO.  Again.  Seriously, this dog hates it when I taper.  Second time this week.  And it was 2 times the week before NYC.

We take off her vest, throw it in the laundry room to deal with later.  She still smells.

Nate decides to throw it in a bag to give to his parents.  HAHAHAHAHA, I laughed hard at this.  Here, in-laws, here’s Mesa to baby sit.  She’s crazy because she hasn’t been run, she is covered in poo, and here’s her vest which also smells.  Thank you for taking care of her!

So… nothing else really to write or comment on… we made it to our flight on time, Mesa is with the in-laws safe and sound (I’m sure they love us!), and we’re now in Sacramento staying with Jaymee Marty a super fast masters runner (someone I met through the blog world – so awesome!).  And yes, it has been raining for almost the entire time we have been here. More updates to come tomorrow and Sunday after the race!!!