Lost because of the potty break…

Star date 05012010 7:23am (if you just started following the blog you can click on "older posts" at the bottom to catch up from the beginning)

Jennifer here…

How do you prepare for a run like that? Some eat lots of carbs the night before, get their gear together the night before, and mentally tell themselves over and over that you can do it! Others, like myself, do all those things and then also worry about things like “what happens if I have to pee along the way? Where will I go?” My running partner, Monica, did some research and learned some disturbing techniques of peeing while standing. You know, when you nonchalantly swipe your shorts to the side and tinkle without landing it in your shoes. Pee soaked socks could cause blisters. BLECH! I CANNOT BELIEVE woman actually attempt to perfect this technique!

So, the morning of the 18 mile run came too soon, but I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to run! I drove 45 minutes to the joint team meeting location – NOT our usual running spot. We joined up with the other group for this particular run. I was focused, motivated, and in my head. WOOHOOOOO!

We had a little team meeting and reviewed the route… WELLLLLL… it was like 35 turns in the Dilworth area, which is SO not familiar to me. Plus, I am completely directionally challenged and get a little panicky when I get lost! My running partner went to the wrong address so she was late, LOL! So, she missed the route review. Thankfully, we had sheets of paper with all 35 turns to carry with us.

The group started and I asked one of the couches about potty stops since I had yet to have time to perfect my standing tinkle moves and I wasn’t familiar with the area.

Off we go… Head south down South Blvd. Turn left on McDonald… We trudged along down S. Blvd. The LLS person said that we would run long distances between turns, so we weren’t looking for McDonald right away. BIG MISTAKE. I stopped and pulled out my GPS and realized that we went 1.2 miles TOOOOO FAR!!!!!!!!! We completely missed the turn. ACK!

Considering this is how the run started it didn’t get much better as we went along. I separated from Monica once we were on the right path and I got lost 2 more times and was concerned that I was lost at least 5 other times. I had to stop and start to figure out my location. UGH! I was so so so angry and frustrated. And I was worried about potty breaks??? If I started with the group I wouldn't have LOST them!

17 miles in… one of the couches finally found me. This was not a good time emotionally for me to be found. My head was NOT in the right place to have a good “go team” conversation. He chatted me up a bit then offered to give me a ride back. By his calculation, I got my miles in since I got lost in the beginning. It took all I had to hold back my tears. I was just nasty and curt too. Then, he asked me how fast I normally run… WELL…. This sentence was MORE THAN I could handle. I broke down in tears. Next thing I know, I am cursing this man out. This man who I barely know. This man who volunteers his time to be a coach. YUP… cursed him out. I said the “f” word like 8 times! Shit came out like another 15 times. I pointed to the list of directions and went off “This list is bullshit. This doesn’t work for me. I can’t concentrate on what I need to concentrate on when I don’t know where the hell I am going.” YEAH… I just lost my shit on this poor guy. He was such a trooper too. He just listened. I cried more and he just listened.

I calmed down, stopped bitching @ the coach, and finished my run only to find out that Monica was also lost. She was SO lost I had to drive around to find her!!!

After all was said and done and I was in my car in the cool air conditioning as well as full of Gatorade, I had the opportunity to chat with the coach again and APOLOGIZE!!!! APOLOGIZE and apologize again! I was MORTIFIED at my behavior!!!!

So, lesson learned, TRY to know your route BEFORE you start!!!!