Race ya!

I'm back in Portland this week to spend four days talking ad nauseum about the exercise and buying habits of thirtysomething females. We have had these discussions quarterly since I started at this company four and a half years ago and although I thoroughly enjoy the process of creating a positioning statement and dissecting ad campaign comps, sometimes it also makes my head explode for a few days. So before I get completely sick to death of anything related to health/fitness/women/running/confidence/me time/head clearing/mind/body/spirit/blah/blah/blah I figure I will finally post some photos from the half marathon and be done with it! After going to bed relatively early on Saturday night, Corey and I got up around 5:30 to get ready and walk over to the starting line. We took this photo and then I gave up the camera and blackberry normally surgically attached to my hands so I could just enjoy the run.
And enjoy it I did. I already droned on about the run itself a few posts back. Now I would just like you to concentrate on the fact that nothing looks better after a 13 mile run then firefighters in tuxedos holding little blue boxes from Tiffany's. Nike really nailed it with these finisher necklaces. The FIRST question I get when I tell anyone I ran this race is "did you get the Tiffany's necklace???". Maybe it's easy to be a marketing genius when money is no object but I'll give them major points for finding something that really resonates with that female consumer. And then served up on a platter by a hot guy? Yeah, pretty good idea swoosh.
Emily met me at the finish line where I took the first of many, many unflattering photos of myself.
I ran into Betsy who was sporting the awesome post race blankies. She ran the half as well which is why although we have had cuter days, we also don't look like are about to die.
Oh but neither did Corey and she DID run the whole thing. I have another photo of us being slightly more honest about how we felt about the course but-this is not an R-rated blog.
We walked back to the car-some of us frontwards and some of us trying to baby our quads.
We hit the showers and rested up a bit and then headed to lunch where we obeyed my post race EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT rule. A plate of garlic fries, huge burgers and so much Diet Coke later, we headed back to the Kane's to pack up.
Even though what we really wanted to do was lie in a heap on their couch for the rest of the day.

OK birthday week-THE END!