I've been dealing with post race depression big time this last week. The Eugene race/weekend has loomed large on the horizon for months. The training, anxiety, excitement, anticipation all boiled down to two days. And it went by so fast! (I am clearly ill prepared for how fast the wedding weekend is going fly if Eugene took me for a ride.) 

I could barely leave Hayward on Sunday. I was just loitering, up and down the bleachers, over to the post-race area, back to the bleachers. Owen was so patient for a man who'd been there over four hours and was happy to leave. He just followed me around in my weird haunting of Hayward.

Finally I did tear myself away and rewarded myself with a Klondike bar on the way back to the hotel. BUT before I leave Eugene in the past. Here are the moments that made this weekend so awesome!

1. PR + 3rd woman

2. Overcoming my side stab thanks to advice from THE Lauren Fleshman.

I've tried and tried to deal with the side stab, making myself so nervous because it's the only pain that can end my race. Everything else I can push through. My breathing was getting better thanks to my inhalers, but the closer I got to race day the more side stab showed up. Lauren said it might be acid and that in the NYC Marathon she took a little Picky Bar packet of Maalox. So on race day so did I. When side stab showed up I bit the bag and drank straight Maalox. If you are wondering how gross Maalox in a bag looks like and tastes like. I can tell you, gross. But comforting. The side stab didn't take me out. My future of racing with Maalox... weird.

3. A banana cheering. (This could have easily competed for #1)

 A series of tweets starting with the fact that Sally's bib would read Bananas so people would cheer, "go bananas" during her 26.2... ended in Meghan in a banana suit. People in banana suits are easily one of my favorite things in the world. I laugh every time I see one. I'll let her tell the rest... the story is awesome. Plus she has some great footage/summaries of Emily, Sarah, Sally ... race days.

4. Beers with friends, and beers with down-to-earth superstars.

First stop: Nikasi brewery with Owen (obvs) my buddy Jason (if you are in college you might know of ShadyPeeps. That's Jason.), then joined by bloggers (Sarah, Sarah, Emily) and Mason ...then Sean stopped by. Patio with prime sun + beers + new and old friends = awesome afternoon. 

Then it was off to dinner with the Flomas' (Lauren and Jesse), Meggie, Sally, Lesko, Mason.

4b. Meeting people in real life, like Meggie!

5. The road trip with Owen. During which I saw this speedy gma.

 It was a great weekend, and now it's time to look ahead to new running goals and wedding-bonanza!! July 7th is coming right up :D