Schlotzsky's Jingle Bun Run

As usual, some of my friends signed up for an event, and they wanted me to come along. I aim to please, so I registered, got up at 6 AM on race day for the 30 minute ride to Temple to pick up my packet and race number. It was chilly and drizzling, but when I got to the race venue, I was excited to see a big crowd of participants raring to go. This would be my frst "Jingle Bun Run," and even though I was doing only the 5K, I knew I'd have a grand time.

                                                                 The Schlotzsky's Bun

                                                                  The shirt..too cute!

Two of my friends and I were doing the 5K and two of my friends did the half. It was great to see so many young kids running...

....and of course there were people running with their baby strollers and dogs as well. One of the dogs looked adorable in his Santa hat as he crossed the finish line!

My friend along the half marathon route

 

 

One of my friends got 2nd place and a medal in her age group! We both had personal bests for a 5K that day in spite of the rainy drizzle.

 

Another day well spent!

My first Turkey Trot!

I like to be active, and I have a few friends who had signed up for this event this year, so I figured, why not?

I had not pre-registered, so I had to get up fairly early to drive the 40 miles north just to do a 5K. Now 5K's are not my typical distance being that I am more of an endurance/distance person and not a sprinter. But, I knew that I would love spending time with my friends and that I needed to do even as short a distance as 3.1 miles so as not to feel too guilty about the Thanksgiving feast I would be having in the afternoon.

It was pretty chilly when I arrived at 7:15 to quite a crowd for a 5K. There must have been about 500 people: kids with their parents and grandparents, school kids running for their team, and people just out to enjoy the fresh air. There were walkers, runners, and joggers, and of course there were people with their dogs and others pushing their kids in the baby strollers. It was a chilly but sunny and beautiful day, and it was one more experience that I will make an annual tradition.

My friend and me pre-race

Along the rural route

Longhorn along the route

 The finish

                                                         More friends at the finish

                                                         My friend and me after the race

Rock and Roll San Antonio 2012

Every year as we have done for the past 5 years, my family chooses a 1/2 marathon location where we can all meet up, spend time together, and have those who don't want to race support those of us who do.Our first half together was San Antonio 2008. That year, my mother and my two sons and my now daughter-in-law ran their first half. Two of my sisters and my sister-in-law can always be counted on to come, and two of my brothers-in-law try to make it as well, one a finisher, one a spectator/supporter. My sisters' friends come and my friends come, and they are not always the same friends who come each year, but there are always friends. My youngest nephew, now age 7, has the last few years walked the last mile or so with his mother. As soon as he is old enough (12) he will be doing his first half in San Antonio. Last year we went off in a new direction and we all flew to Savannah to do that inaugural race. We always have a great time whenever we are together with lots of laughs and even better stories. We are discussing Cleveland or Pittsburg where we will meet up for next year, both of those being inaugural Rock and Roll races.

I have done the Rock and Roll half marathons in Nashville, Seattle, Phoenix, New Orleans (twice), Savannah (twice), Dallas (three times), Virginia Beach (twice), and of course, multiple times in San Antonio (four). I have also done the OKC half marathon, and many others as well.

There is a special feeling among these thousands of people, all of us competing for any number of reasons. I love this racing community, this extended family, this group of friends. I have seen some amazing things while doing these events, from people pushing loved ones in wheelchairs throughout the route, to people with physical hardships doing whatever they can to make it to the finish line. I see people in the 70's and 80's, including my mother, pushing through to the end. Life is for the living, and we are out there on the pavement seizing the day. I love that feeling.....

 

My brother and mother in the hotel lobby the morning of the race. My BFF sent us Salt Lake, Utah hats, and they made us celebrities for a day (can't imagine why she was able to get them on sale for $1 a piece!). Thank goodness my family has a fantastic sense of humor!

 

This is the second time Jo Dee Messina has run in the same RnR I was in. The first time was the RnR Phoenix inaugural back in 2003. Wow, how the years fly by!

Rock and Roll San Antonio 2012 medal. Love it!

My 78 year old mother after the race. She is amazing and such a wonderful role model!

                     Two of my sisters, my brother, my mother and me after the race. Woo hoo!!!

For me, this was the greatest! Jo Dee Messina still in running gear and wearing her finisher's medal as she wows the crowd with her music. I am a new fan!!

Tomorrow I am off to do my first ever Turkey Trot before heading to my friends' house for our traditional Thanksgiving get-together. Life is so very good to me!

Till next time...

Jill

Rock and Roll Savannah 2012

What a wonderful city and another great time! I love seeing some of the people whom I have seen at other races along the way wearing the t-shirts that I own, too. The camaraderie and friendliness of the runners is one of the many things that makes me keep signing up for these events. It was wonderful seeing an old friend in Savannah and discovering once again the many, many things I love about this city. I am seriously considering moving here.....but, until then, I will be back soon and often!

                            My wonderful hotel on Liberty Street in downtown Savannah....
                                             

Starting line crowd beginning to gather at City Hall

The excitement is in the early morning air!

         George in Seattle in June 2011

                                          .......and George in Savannah 2012!!
























The after race drink of choice....


                                Moving along the streets of Savannah.....

After race concert in Forsythe Park.....and some tired runners!

                                                     It's all about the bling!


Next up: Rock and Roll San Antonio on Sunday, Nov. 11th! This is the race my family chose to do en masse this year. I can't wait!

Carpe diem....

There is just never enough time to do all of the things I want to do....train for future events, go on bicycle rides, ride my motorcycle, visit family and friends, read a good book, try new experiences, excel at work....and I knew from the start that keeping up with this blog would prove to be a daunting task. Yet, here I am, still hanging on thinking I will come back to it, and today, I am here if only for a little while.

This weekend was full of work and commitments, but I did manage to steal some time away just for me, to ride unencumbered on my motorcycle, alone with my thoughts and the sun and wind on my skin as the miles roll away under the two wheels.

I like finding murals and posing my bike in front and snapping a few pictures. I also like churches and post offices. I like seeking out the new and unusual ( I have noticed this in my dating rituals as well...but that's a story for another day....)

Pictures from recent weekend rides....

Riding the Talimena Scenic Byway and the Pig Trail in Arkansas

Over Memorial Day weekend, I took my first long ride on my motorcycle. There were 11 bikes and 13 riders in our group from Southern Cruisers. I have had my motorcycle over a year now, and this would be my first extended day ride on my own bike. My total mileage for the 4 days was 1343. The temps were hot, and I was the only woman riding solo (two were riding two-up with their husbands), and I had the smallest bike, a 2011 Triumph America 850.  I have to admit I was a little leary initially after talking to a coworker who also happens to be in my riding club. He couldn't help but be amazed that I would even consider such an undertaking since I had never ridden much over 200 miles in one day. I also had never really ridden twisties at great length. I had dropped my bike in gravel within the first month of ownership, and  do not own saddlebags, nor at the time, a windshield. For now, until I have more miles on the road,  I am a fair weather rider when I am riding..no rain, no wind, no gravel, and no riding at night. I am night blind and there are far too many kamikaze deer in these parts. I love riding but am absolutely unwilling to become a statistic. So, one can understand my co-worker's amazement that I would even consider such a ride.
I became a little nervous after our talk and texted my friend who was leading the ride. I have known this man for 17 years and he even helped me in picking out an appropriate motorcycle which would suit my needs. I asked my friend if I was biting off more than I could chew in wanting to ride the Talimena Highway and Highway 227 in Arkansas. He assured me that the ride wasn't "technically" difficult and that, because of my "athleticism," I would have no problem with the endurance aspect of the ride. After our chat, I was in all the way.

My friends took me to a really cool, new cycle shop outside of Gatesville where I had a pretty neat windscreen put on, and it too me a while to get used to having a windshield. I kinda liked the clean lines of my Triumph America and it does feel differently to ride with a screen that without. Since I am a biker on a budget, I had a friend loan me motorcycle luggage and several people offer to tote it for me on their bikes. I am a lucky woman.

                                                                   Starting out, Day 1 in Nolanville

The plan was that on the first day we would ride to Talimena, Oklahoma, about 350 miles. The next day we rode to Harrison, Arkansas, and the last night, we planned on stopping in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. We stopped in Eureka Springs as well, and I had no idea it was such a biker's haven!

I had no troubles at all riding the distance and the straight-aways every day. I truly had no idea what to expect, and day one seemed pretty easy since we stopped about every 2 hours for a water and potty break. We got to our first hotel in Talimena and then went out as a group to eat at a cool little place called Pam's Hateful Hussy Diner. We ate and laughed and had a grand time.

                                                A stop along the way..............a friend and my bike

                                                             Gruesome find...

                                                         Death by Harley................

                                                        Clowning around....fun times!

                                                           Taking it easy.

                                                  Dinner in Talihina, Oklahoma

                                                     A dessert in the desert???

To be continued.....

More pictures from the ride....

Brock.... R.I.P. buddy!