Bib pinned and race route reviewed last night.  #raceready

My friend and I left our hotel just after 6am and hit the docks in search of the run’s starting point at the Aquarium of the Americas.

It was a beautiful sunrise and the cloudy skies held their rain for the duration.  We saw a cruise liner casually glide down the Mississippi, past a paddle steamer or two, the cruise liner’s audio easily heard from where we were standing.

We warmed up to Whitney.  In the heat and humidity though, the warm up felt like a full cardio session on its own.

Stayed hydrated thanks to the on site mister machines.

And kept close to our chosen pace runners.

After a good hearted count shout down, we waved to the official race drone and began the run.

Speaking objectively and as a run novice, it was a sensational run.  There was just enough sun, the humidity was bearable and everyone was out having a good time.  The five kilometre route took us through the French Quarter which looked totally different without its usual make up on (ie hordes of revellers and colorful local characters on the street corners).

I wish I could have taken more photos along the run but I had a goal of making the run under 30 minutes.  In hindsight, though, it was probably a good thing I wasn’t stopping every five minutes to Instagram my progress.  I got to simply run, breathe, rehydrate, look and feel.  Sponataneously and with vigour.  I ran past the statue of Joan of Arc whom I am sure gave me strength to stay the course.  Jackson Square and the graceful lines of St Louis Cathedral appeared to my right towards the end of the race and together they kept my breathing regular and my feet moving.  I’m talking about those five kilometres as if they were twenty but to my  mind I was running a kind of personal marathon.

And before I knew it, I got there with a time of 28:20.  Nothing fancy but a good effort relative to my level of training.

Speaking of training and run preparation…

Raising Cane’s chicken strip meal.  That’s all you need to know.  Raising Cane is a Louisiana based chain of restaurants that serve chicken strips and meals based on chicken strips.  There is also a Raising Cane special sauce that’s a cross between ketchup and mayo with a kick of secret flavouring added.  Meals also come with coleslaw and a slice of Texas toast.  I’m going to have a hard time saying goodbye on Tuesday.

You can also get ketchup if you wish.  The nifty kind in a package you can either dip into or tear and squeeze.

I ran the run fuelled by last night’s chicken strips and this morning’s Chocolate Brownie Cliff Bar.  I’m also now suddenly hungry a good three hours after the run and the best hot shower I’ve had this trip.

Better get dressed then and find some brunch.  But what to wear?

Polo – RL, white skinnies – J Crew Factory.

White jeans?  Because it’s not past Labor Day yet  and it’s too cold to wear them in Sydney right now.

T – Loft, skirt – J Crew Factory.

Or a pencil skirt with a bright print?

I’m off to toss a quarter to decide.