Midnight and other madness

DH and I just got back from a great weekend in So Jersey/Philly. We went down by train last Friday night, all the way to Philly where my dear friend Lori's DH retrieved us. We planned this weekend visiting around a race called the Midnight Madness, part of a 24 hour relay/endurance event. Our race would consist of one, 8.4 mile loop along the Schuylkill River, starting at midnight. Illumination was a must and most illuminated would get a prize. (Lori, with a crazy pair of LED specs, won! A Nike sport watch!) The race was the impetus to get us there...but visiting with Lori, and meeting her new little one, plus meeting up with a bunch of my dear friends from my running community was the real reason to go.

The race itself was...interesting. 80+ F and 80+ humidity at midnight made for hot, belabored, uncomfortable running (so hot, I eventually stripped off my reflector vest and ran in just a sports bra and shorts...if it hadn't been dark that never would have happened, let me assure you). I was as close as I've ever been to throwing up during the entire run. So close, I had to stop moving all together to ride out the nausea. We ran slowly and walked parts, but finished running and smiling.

Overall it was a great race...but more importantly I got to spend time with some of my favorite people enjoying what we do, sharing stories and aches and pains and laughs doing something a little mad and very very fun. It might have been weird and wacky and even sorta dumb ("you're gonna run Fairmont Park at midnight? do you have police protection??") but it's the kind of adventure every adult needs to remind them that life is about doing what you love and spending time with those you love.

Even if you have to feeling pukey while doing it.