I've been running such a long time.

Good weekend. I'm so sad that it's Sunday night at 8:19 pm already. I would like more weekend please.

On Saturday, I spent most of the day running errands. I had stuff to mail, groceries to get, and I also had to go pick up my race kit. I also went for a run at the gym; I find running before a race prepares me mentally... If I can do it the day before on a treadmill, I'll be able to do it the day of, right?

I met up with Jason in the evening for a nice splurge-y dinner (cheeseburger, fries, two big glasses of wine, and we shared two desserts - carrot cake and chocolate bread pudding). Then we went to a late performance (10:30 pm) by Louis CK, a comedian whom I only really knew from this:



It was a really funny show. The guy's hilarious. Even when he says something totally wrong, at least he follows it with "that was the worst thing I've ever seen in my life." I think my favourite jokes revolved around how he has two daughters, and part of the problem with parenting is that it's rather boring. For example, there are fifty books about Clifford the big red dog, and the only thing that really happens in them is that Clifford is always big and red. I also liked his jokes about Monopoly, a psycho kid with the pseudonym Jazanthepus, and the awesomeness of bears.

This morning I was up at at them for my final 5K of 2011. I can't believe that I've run four of them this year. Last year at this time I would have thought it was impossible. Anyway, today's race started rather far away - all the way at the Exhibition grounds. However, there were shuttle buses that you could take from near finish line downtown to the starting point. There were so many shuttle buses available. I was amazed by the organization.

The race itself was great. It was a cool day and the rain thankfully held out. I was so happy when I crossed the finish line: this race was my personal best, and I came in about three minutes faster than my last race in September. I credit my friend the phys ed teacher (for whom we're having the baby shower tomorrow) for giving me a good training tip.

Jason met up with me at the finish line. It was kind of amazing that I came across him in the crowd so easily. There were an estimated 20,000 people participating today in the marathon, half-marathon, and 5K. We were separated by a fence until I got my medal and picked up some food. Jason got a pic of the insanity of the food station.

I grabbed an apple, a banana, water, and gatorade. The idea of a huge dry bagel after a race didn't really sit well with me. Plus, I knew we were going out for lunch, so the banana was perfect. (I saved the apple for school tomorrow.)

Next on the agenda was my brilliant plan of how to get out of my sweaty running clothes without having to a) change in a gross washroom somewhere; or b) go all the way home. A new Goodlife gym recently opened up at Yonge and Adelaide, right by the finish line, so I took advantage of my membership privileges and showered and changed there. And wow, this new gym is so new and shiny! It's seven stops farther south on the subway than my regular gym, but I think that if I have extra time, especially on a weekend, I'll trek out there to enjoy its beauty. (And then go shopping... after I complete my shopping diet. I'm 9/31 days of buying nothing besides essentials for myself.)

After I was clean and changed, Jason and I headed to Kensington Market for my post-race treat: a meal at The Grilled Cheese. The soup (butternut squash with pear or something like that) was delicious, and I just had an original grilled cheese (made using aged cheddar) with bacon. Perfect comfort food on a gray chilly fall day.

Anyway, I've spent my evening relaxing, napping, watching some silly TV, and now blogging. I should be marking, but umm, I can do that tomorrow, right? What a shame that I dragged ten pounds of it home. Oh well, I consider that some additional strength training.

Being that I live in a temperate climate, that will be my last race of the season. I'm already planning my goals for next year. I'd like to try an 8K race in the spring, and also make it a goal to get my 5K time under 30 minutes. Heck, if I shaved off three minutes between September and October, by April, I'll be running 5K races in about twelve minutes, ha-ha. But seriously, I will run a 5K race in under 30 minutes in 2012, and do the spring 8K too. I have about six months to prepare myself.

Well, more silly TV and some reading are calling my name. Oh, I also have to make a playlist for the baby shower tomorrow. Happy Monday all!

p.s. A hundred year old man participated in the marathon today. Wow.