Be My Valentine Run

This past weekend I ran the Be My Valentine Run put on by one of my college cross country/track teammates, Ceci.  She has created several races in the past two years that are fun, lively and hard to get into if you wait too long.  She is making quite a name for herself in San Antonio.  I have signed up for a few of her races before, but I have been unable to make it~once I was busy have an emergency C-Section, another was about the time Trey had his seizure.  I almost missed out again due to....I will diagnose myself to spare you some details....a stomach bug.  I decided that although I was drained and didn't feel up to it, I would surely regret it.

Don't you just love Ceci's run logo?  This would totally be me and HR!

I ran into some old faces from college, and I had a blast running the course which was on the river.  It started and ended at the San Antonio Museum of Arts, which my husband and I took full advantage of after the run. The scenery was beautiful.  I ran nice and easy and chatted up some of the runners (Ceci, you and your runs are definitely well liked!!!)  I had goals for a run time, but I didn't end up trying to pursue them.  I just took it in.  It had been a rough weekend, full of disappointment, but I made the best of it all, including the run.  I ran close to a 9:00-9:15 pace, but finished in about 29 minutes, due to having to stop a couple of times to retrieve my sock which had bunched up at my arch and was causing a blister.

One of the race sponsors was Alamo Beer.  After the race I got a beer for HR.  While he was drinking it he noticed something floating around in it.  It was very likely some plastic from the cup itself. So, while he's looking down and swirling it, some guy walks over and asks if there's something wrong with the beer.  HR tells him there's something floating around.  The man says, "Well swirl it around a little more and maybe the Virgin Mary will appear and you could charge people to see it."  THEN, he proceeds to introduce himself as Mr. Alamo Beer himself.  The founder/owner in the flesh.  We had a drink with him.  I totally name-dropped and told him that Ceci was a good friend and got me hooked on it.  He was a pretty cool, down to earth guy.

One of the things my husband loved about the run is the intimacy.  I've been running since I was 9 years old, and I don't think I've ever participated in anything like it.  The bib numbers are personalized and as you come in every person is called by name and cheered in.  The owner of Alamo beer was walking around introducing himself and making sure everyone had a good time.  Ceci was taking single/taken photos.  It was well organized, well run and well worth the travel (it's a 2.5 hour drive for me) even if I didn't get to "race".  There was just a feeling of....well, like everyone is family or friends.  It was such a good time.  We didn't get to stay too long after because the boys weren't feeling well, but I can tell from the pictures that we missed out on even more.