Crazy Irish Jog - Just the Thing to Get Me Out of a Rut

It had been over 2 weeks since I did any real exercising.
And a particularly tedious week at work.
On Friday morning I was sitting on the back porch enjoying a cup of coffee looking forward to getting off work early (we get done a half hour earlier on Fridays) and coming home to relax, put the week behind me and get in to enjoying our house.

Then I remembered.
I had signed up for the 26th annual  St Patricks Day 5k Irish Jog.

It was after work.
Not enough time for me to come home to change, had to bring my gear in and change at work and go.
I was bummed!
The thought of having to stay in town, and then go 3.14 miles, after such a week, and when I was looking forward to just hanging out, chillin'.
BUMMER.

But I had committed to it. I wasn't so bummed that I would blow it off.
So I packed my bag.
Workout pants, shirt, socks, shoes, ponytail holder, hat, tom tom runner, headphones and hand-me-down ipod.
As I was packing, the bummer feeling lifted and I realized this was getting me out of my rut.
I was in a big rut. Nothing worked to get me out of it until this point.
So heck, I may as well enjoy it.

This crazy course was perfect for kicking me out of my rut too.
I didn't realize really now windy it was - and it makes a nice little picture there too.
I see wings of some creature there. Do you? Or am I still on 'the runner's high'.
So I did what I hadn't done in so long. I took pictures while I was wogging.



It was crowded. Very.


There was far to much green. Green hair, big green hats, tutus, costumes, little green hat.

And the shirts weren't even green this year.

I never really tried taking pictures WHILE I was joggin.
Until this race.

And then I realized WHY I don't take pictures WHILE jogging.

I didn't even know I took the pictures until I got home and was showing hubby.

We had a good laugh.
But this course is actually great.
Winding path, green grass mixed with little roads (for the golf carts).

Well mostly green grass. A lot of it was brown.
We need some rain, and no, the golf course is not open for golf anymore.
Thus the brown grass.
The tutus were many.

And I still don't know how little kids get through a 5k.
I swear the last thing I wanted to do in elementary school was run, or even walk, 3.14 miles.

But the course, again, is not too shabby.
You twist and wind, and go up and down tiny little hills, and finally get to see North Sound.
Not too close to it, but still.

And then you turn around, and get the beginnings of a sunset.
It was still a wee bit too early for the rich colors, but at the end of the race it is certainly a nice view to be rewarded with.

I was a hot sweaty mess at the end.
I was incredibly thirsty - I stopped at every water station on the way too.
So I attacked the orange wedges, drank a bottle of water, and threw up a little in my mouth when I past the BAR, yes there was a bar featuring Baileys Irich Cream. After a 5k? Blech!

So I had another orange wedge and walked to the car sucking the orange from my teeth.
Called home, they said 'We will order the Chinese Food so you can pick it up on the way home!'
Now THAT is a reward.

I am happy to say that the race did get me out of the rut.
I went out this morning and did a nice 3.3 miles wog.
It felt really good, even though I was still a little sore from Friday.
And I brough my phone and took pics again.
But this time I stopped to take the photos.

Yes that is a duck on a fence.
There were 4 on the roof of the house of this property, but that pic was just too blurry still.
Stopping to take the pic didn't help that one.
I will practice, I like getting back in to this wog picture habit and out of that rut.
And my neighborhood course has a nice reward too.

One of these days I am going to just run right into the ocean and take a swim......
Now that would really be me getting out of the rut.