29:13

What’s with the title you ask? Oh that’s just my time for the 2010 Portland Shamrock Run!!! I ROCKED that 5K!

Now, I certainly did not get the fastest time in my group, but that is the fastest I have ever finished a 5K! I’m so proud of myself! And I felt like I was running slow!

It’s not often that I get a Sunday off. And when I do, it is generally because I want to get out of town. So it is even more rare that I would spend a free Sunday in Portland.

I could not have asked for a more perfect day.

I woke up bright and early get get a banana and some oatmeal in before the race (gotta get those carbs!) and headed over to Johnny, Jori, and Jakes house to head out to Beaverton to meet all the other Next Level runners. We all made it down town with about 40 minutes to spare before the 5K race started. Perfect opportunity to take a few pictures before we ran!

The whole Next Level group before the run! *Notice the sun isn't even up...

Me and Lisa, my former trainer. I miss her!

Jo and I after we'd both passed the finish line! I'm so proud of both of us!

One of the things I really love about The Next Level is the sense of team... whoever finished first was waiting at the end to cheer the other’s on. It was fantastic. One of the Next Level runners, Gladis is 75! It was so great watching her pass through the finish line. She is such an inspiration... and proof that it is never too late to get in shape and take care of your health!

After everyone was done running we were all starving! I went with Jo and the rest of her family to Marco’s Cafe and had the yummiest bacon and cheese omelet! At breakfast Jo’s brother, Mat offered me his suite tickets to the Blazer game that night (with free parking included)!

GO BLAZERS!!!!

Of course I couldn’t turn that down so I got ahold of a few people I thought might be interested which turned out to be my sister, my good photographer friend Quavondo, and his friend Jason. We had a blast at the game and of course, because they’re just awesome, the Blazers won!

Can you see Jessica? She looks so official!!!

Anna and I having a chin-off... who do you think won? I think I got her beat by about 5 chins!

Quavondo and I rootin' on the Blazers!

Jessica was in town for the night to work with a guy who does something big and fancy for the Blazers. She got to eat all the free food she could manage while she was working so after the game she wasn’t too hungry, but she made sure to let me know that dessert was a must! ;) Well where else would one go at 10PM on a Sunday night in Portland but Papa Hayden’s!? Sooooooo delicious! I got a triple chocolate cake and she got some yummy raspberry chocolate cake-thing. I do not regret it, not even a little. I can’t wait for next weekend when I finally get to go up to the Tacoma/Seattle area to see her new digs! She has to work while I’m there, so I plan on keeping myself entertained with H&M therapy :)

Well I hope everyone’s week is off to a great start. Wish me luck on my final tomorrow night! I will feel such relief when that damn test is over and done with!

Till next time...