Wendy Mastripolito

Saturday, September 18th I snuck out of the house on Saturday to run a local 5K race(3.1 miles). I didn’t have to go far.. in fact it took only about 5 minutes to get there… and that’s because I drove slow….. YAWN… I have gotten really lazy lately... my pre-race routine used to be.. warm up, stretch, then some sprints... heck I will be lucky if I actually raise my heart rate while napping in the truck.. I check out my competition (while napping)... lots of 40 somethings ...W-H-A-T-E-V-E-R... no big plans, just go out and run …. but I better get outta this truck.. i line up...and sorry fat chick.. instinctively… my body does lunge forward on take off.. Around the first turn, I pass two young gals and I am now leading the race.. um.. excuse me... ? LEADING THE RACE!?… WHERE IS EVERYONE!!?? ..finally a guy passes me.. I am now in 2nd place overall with 65 or so people behind me… BUT NO PRESSURE... At mile 1.. two more guys pass me and I am now in 4th… I am lead female.. I am not sure how...

I can't seem to get a grasp on how to actually write all that’s been happening because all the stuff keeps happening!!!… one day… our life will slow.. and when it does… Sunday, September 19th Joe really doesn’t function well prior to say… 8am… TIME TO GET UP! 4AM... RACE DAY! Today was the ING Philly Half Marathon (13.1 miles) and somehow I convinced Joe that it was fun.. and that he should do it with me… (SUCKER).. We arrived in Philly around 6am, parked and started our trek to the start… thankfully only 8 blocks away and we got there early enough to christen the port-o-pots, and oh yeah.. watch the sunrise from the art museum steps… Life was in fact …Good..! OK...time to line up… 20,000 people in 22 or so corrals.. thankfully we are near the front!.. Joe in corral 4… I corral 5… then off we go… yeahhhh.... running free... free...FREE.. and strong.. strong.. STRONG!... ain't no one stopping me....I ... AM... ....... Freaking tired as shit!... b y mile 5… I was done.. toast....