Weekend in the Maze

This weekend went by much too fast.  Like a blur really.  Saturday morning I woke at my usual o'darkthirty to prepare for my long run.  As I was fixing toast I said to myself, "What's that noise?"  That noise folks was rain.  So I put the toast down and crawled back in bed for another 3 hours!  There is just no sense in running a 20 mile training run in the rain.  After my battle with walking pneumonia earlier in the school year I am just not going to risk the lungs in wet cold!  After a nice little sleep in I was able to get into the studio and do a few more paintings for Marist this weekend.  And then......Mailey and I were off to Uncle Shuck's with the Girl Scouts for a little maze fun!

This place was pretty cool.  There were 3 maze courses to follow with a map.  The goal was to find each marker, punch your card then follow the map to the next marker.  I found out real quick like that you do NOT want me as your guide in a corn maze.  Yeah.  I was only seeing the negative space of the map, which meant every road was a dead end in my mind.  Artsy brain issues.

Each year the maze is trimmed to a different design.  This year from the areal view it was a hillbilly in a rocking chair with his shotgun.  Hilarious hearing, "Hey, Mrs Holly are we walking on his barrel yet or are we still in the beard?"

After the day maze we all went to eat.  These girls are so cute ordering for themselves, learning how to pay and tip their waiters.  After dinner we headed back to the maze for the haunted maze.  Now, growing up in Birmingham we always went to the Jaycee's haunted house.  Scared the pee outta me every time.  But I love that kind of thrill.  So I was SUPER excited to go through the haunted maze.  Especially when I heard the chainsaw roaring up and the fog rising from the corn.  Oh heck yeah bring on the scare.  So we waited in line.....and waited....then got to the entrance box.  And Mailey and Julie had complete mental break downs with bulldog tears.  And wouldn't go in.  And held up the 200 person line.  And made the rest of the scouts freaked out.  Yeah.  Good times.  So I grabbed them and ran away from the entrance with 2 others in tow.  The rest of the troop entered with Holly.  Only 5 ended up scared to death and exited by escort through the corn.  Only Holly and Beaneth made it all the way through.  13 waited in line, 2 made it.  HILARIOUS.  No really.  I was super embarrassed at first but then just had to laugh at the entire surreal experience of Mailey being so afraid. SO afraid.  Funny thing is she'll watch any scary movie with me.  Go figure.

Sunday we woke to a gorgeous day.  I set my sights on the 20 miles ahead.  I felt great.  I can always tell within the 1st mile if it's going to be a good run or a struggle run.  Immediately I knew it was going to be good.  My body was craving the miles.  Until mile 3...when the dang calf muscle stressed out again.  I knew I should have worn the knee brace and taped the calf.  But I didn't.  So I kept running.  Have you ever had a "Charlie horse"?  That's what it feels like.  I was able to get 15 outta myself before deciding to call it quits.  The crazy thing is my lungs, head and other parts were ready to keep going.  But dang that calf hurts.  I finished the 15 barely out of breath folks.  And even with potty stops I ran it under pace.  I've got 2 more long runs before the race.  Lesson learned....calf taped and brace is on.  If I can make it 15 miles in pretty good pain I know now I can make the 26.2.  I just really wanted the last few runs to feel good you know?  This week starts the tapering.  I'm getting very excited.  Thanks for being my little cheering section!