Weekend Wrap Up!

Happy Monday!

I hope you had a great weekend.

Mine was pretty busy since I had a girls weekend in Baltimore to run the marathon relay!

My morning started with my first run with a Garmin in several weeks! (Spoiler Alert: Paul found it, but I am getting a new one and I need your help with that! More tomorrow!) I was pleased to see I was no longer running my sluggish summer paces and moved on to my fall pace... which is anywhere between 30-60 seconds faster per mile!)

Work was easy because I only taught two classes. I had a personal day in the afternoon so Meranda, Ana, and I could head down to Baltimore. I did have a lot to prepare for the substitute, though!

On my way home from work, I ran some errands and finished packing. It was so nice to only be going away for one night. I didn't have to pack too much! Meranda picked me up, we grabbed Ana, and then we drove down to Baltimore to meet Heather and Lacey. Meranda, Ana, Heather, and I were a relay team called East Coast Bloggers and Lacey was running the full marathon.

It was so nice to be a passenger and not drive!

I'll have more details about our race weekend on Wednesday!

After checking into our hotel, we walked down to the expo to get our bibs and shirts. Then we walked to the harbor to have a yummy al fresco meal. I had a kobe burger. Omg... I hate spending $16 on a burger, but this one was good!

The view from our dinner spot.

Then we all went back to the hotel for a good night's sleep!

Even though I was running the third leg of the relay and could have slept in longer, I got up at 6:25 when Ana did. (We shared a room.) Before I had to walk to my relay exchange point, I had about two hours to kill alone in the hotel. I drank coffee, listened to a podcast on gluten, took my time eating breakfast, and did some writing. 

At 9:30, it was time to head down to my exchange point. It was about a mile away and I had no problems getting there. The race was going on all around me and I was starting to get excited! Race energy is contagious!

I waited at the exchange for about 40 minutes, and then Meranda passed our timing chip to me and I was off! My section was a little over 6 miles. The sun was HOT and a lot of my leg was just long, continuous gradual uphill. I didn't do any specific training for this race, but I did try to push myself. I was proud that I averaged in the 7:40s by the time I saw Ana at Clifton Park. I gave the chip to her, and off she went for the finish line!

Getting back to the harbor was a shit show. I had to take a shuttle and the driver got lost. It was very frustrating but I'll get into that tomorrow. The short story is I finally made it back. I was getting frustrated with the crowds, Ana had finished before I even made it to the harbor, so I just walked back to the hotel. I was over the craziness.

Bus picture. Not happy.

Our relay team ended up doing really well and Lacey crushed the marathon! Before we left, we grabbed lunch, then we headed home to PA. I had so much fun gabbing with Meranda and Ana during our car rides.

What!? I never get to just relax on a car ride!!!!

When I got home, I dropped my stuff off and then headed over to my brother's house for his annual Fall Festival. I had so much fun hanging out with my family and meeting some of Tyler and Debby's friends. When it got dark, most people left, but some of us stuck around and sat by the fire. We played games, told jokes and stories, and sang songs.

Me and cousin John!

Debby and her sister, Suzy!

BABY CLARK!!!!!!

I can't freaking take him.

Before I went to bed that night, I watched the fifth episode of the Oxygen series on Maura Murray. IT WAS SO GOOD! There is only one episode left and this all better be going somewhere...

When I woke up, I had the sudden urge to decorate for Christmas. Don't worry, I didn't do it!

Look how my babies sleep with me in the morning...

I had quite a few odds and ends on my to do list, which is typical for a Sunday. I lifted, did yard work, packed lunches for the week, laid out all my clothes, dyed my hair, took Paul to Weis for some beer, and did some cooking. 

I made this butternut squash casserole. It's really good! 

We opened a nice bottle of wine, Paul made fish, and we actually ate at the table!

As soon as we were done toasting, Chrissy hopped in the litter box (right beside us in the dining room) and went to town. 

I also had a lot of blogging to catch up on. And some puzzling. And reading. What a day!

Tell me something fun you did this weekend!