A Weekend Full of Learnin’ Bout Stuff

I meant to post earlier this week, but I was without wireless for two whole days. GASP!!!!  So here I am, in a hotel room, blogging.

I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m currently in Georgia, to take the Level I USATF Coaching Certification class. I got up this morning at 4:30, got all ready, decided last minute to take all my stuff on carry-on (Hello? Can you say easy?!), and got to the airport in plenty of time. Funny, I ended up seeing and talking to a few friends who were headed north for a weekend of fun. That’s never happened to me before, but it’s kind of cool to live in a place small enough where you actually know someone at the airport! I was playing Candy Crush and reading my Oprah magazine through the two smooth, short flights.  Another thing I may not have mentioned is that I’m really afraid to fly. I don’t know why, and I used to love to fly, so it’s annoying. Bigger planes are better for me, so thankfully, they were bigguns today!

I have to laugh at the “economy” rental car my husband booked for me. I would have chosen economy too, but when I saw this:

All this baby car wants for Christmas is to be a real car. Beep beep.

I let out a giggle. I’ve never driven a car so small. Whatever, because I wasn’t there to drive and if it saves money, I’m all for that. I do know that it gets REALLY good gas mileage and it does NOT like to go over 65ish mph. Kinda gets angry and “gerbils in a wheel” sound when you try that.

I got to Marietta early, so decided to see if my hotel had my room ready by chance, then go check out Life University, where the class is being held. Yeah! My room was ready, so I checked in, changed into my running clothes, and headed to go run. It wasn’t the best place to run at, but it was gorgeous, both scenery and weather.

A very short trail, but it was beautiful.

Very cool.

I got in somewhere around 4.5 miles, including two laps on the Life University track. The run did not feel good, and of course, the pain is back. Some days are good, some are not, but I’m seeing a physical therapist to see if we can get to the bottom of this. I also know I will have two days off since class and travel will take up any time I may want to run this weekend, so that’s good. I’m going to have to make a decision this week about what I’m going to do about this marathon….. I was feeling cautiously optimistic the other day, and now, I’m just feeling defeated. So who knows what I’m going to have to do.

Here’s one more.

When I was done running and stretching by my rental gerbil car, a lady drove by and asked if I was part of the USATF class and if there were good places to run. We chatted a few minutes, and I look forward to talking more to “Maria” tonight. Yeah, now I can say I know someone!

So why AM I taking this class? Well, there’s a need for coaches. Educated coaches. The county where my kids attend school does not have a middle school track program. They want one. They need one. They don’t have the facilities for an actual program, but we run around the outside of the football field. It works. I’ve learned a lot from coaching a group of 15 6th graders in Stride. I know that I don’t know that much! But I know they want the program to continue. I know I really like coaching. The obvious step for me was to get as much education as I can and go from there. You just never know where it may lead.

Oh, the lure of the track.