Last night I had the chance to go to a Red Sox game! I don’t think I’ve been since before Will was born. My brother was going to be in the state for business, and my husband was already going to the game with a friend and suggested that I find a babysitter and go with Alan. One of my husband’s coworkers had season tickets that weren’t being used, one of my babysitters was free, and just like that we were at the game!
The only thing is… I’d scheduled my last long run before my June 8th half marathon for today while Will was at school and a babysitter watched Andrew. I could push it off to the weekend, when we’ll be in Maine visiting with family, but I don’t want to take the time. I could not drink any beer while unexpectedly at Fenway Park for a Sox game for the first time in almost 4 years, and the first time ever with my big brother (and even bigger Red Sox fan).
OR – I could drink three beers over the course of a few hours, chow down on peanuts and french fries, watch a couple drunk guys get kicked out of the park, sing SWEET CAROLINE with the joyous frivolity only that third beer can invoke, and have a damn hell of a time of it…. and then get up the next morning and do my long run anyway.
After all, I accepted a month ago that this half marathon wasn’t going to be a PR. I just want to run it and enjoy it and keep motivated to be in shape enough to run half marathons.
So I ran 7 miles this morning instead of 9, but I had an AMAZING time last night, I have all weekend to focus on being with my family, and I know I’m going to make it across that finish line on June 8th. I didn’t let the Sox game prevent me from my run, or my run prevent me from enjoying the Sox game. I feel pretty much awesome. (Which is better than I felt after a late night and waking up to Will at 5:45 a.m. hell bent on the earliest breakfast EVER.)
Would I have made the same decision if I’d trained really seriously for this event and wanted a solid last long run under my belt? Probably not. But luckily for me, I slacked off this spring, so I can live life to the fullest! Also, nothing detoxes you from $30 worth of stadium beer like a 7 mile run. Sweat it out, guys, sweat it out.
