Happy Birthday to Me

Yeppers, today is my birthday! One more year and I'll be racing with the masters!

Exciting, isn't it?

I actually did most of my birthday celebrating yesterday. I took the day off and started things right by sleeping in until 9:00. Then I took my bike to the shop for new tires and to get checked out for the spring ride season. The owner of my LBS is a friend of Dan's and expressed doubt that he could get to my bike this weekend because he was over-biked and short-staffed. "Want me to ask Dan if he has time to come help you out?" I asked. Jeff brightened up immediately and said to have Dan give him a call if he wasn't too busy.

Next I dropped off my RX-7. It had been making a funny noise. We popped the hood and found -- oops -- a broken alternator belt! Amazing that the car was still cranking. So I gave the mechanic the key and walked home, about a mile. It was a nice day for it. I stopped at Walgreen's on the way for a few things and was annoyed that they didn't have multi-packs of 60 watt fluorescent bulbs. I'm trying to change over to all fluorescents as the incandescents burn out, but I can sure get a better deal than $7 per bulb.

So I went home, got the Toyota, and went downtown to the Houston Marathon Expo. OMG! For whatever reason, this was totally my year! I ran into several friends, including Burt and Sally of Luke's Locker, and my massage therapist, Mary. I bought a new pair of Brooks Adrenalines. I ate ice cream and Clif Bar samples. I watched sock demonstrations. (How sick is that?) I visited the animals at the Humane Society booth. No rabbits, darn it, but I dropped some money in their donation jar anyway. I totally ruined my "old school runner" creds by buying not just one but two sets of matching running shorts and tops. I bought socks. And miracle of miracles, I found that Brooks still makes the pants that match my super-soft, ultra-special jacket that I bought last year. The pants were softer than cream and 20% off the $55 price. I grabbed a pair and have found an excuse to wear them everywhere, since. I was about to splurge on yet more socks when for the good of my pocketbook I decided I needed to get out of that hell-hole of worldly temptations.

So what did I do next? Uh… I went to my favorite consignment shop and spent a lot more money.

Right. Aren't other people supposed to buy things for me on my birthday? What's wrong with this picture?

I spent my last $5 on stamps on the way home so I could send out a magazine subscription renewal, then went home and dragged all my loot upstairs. I was still prancing around in my new Brooks pants when Dan came home. He was unimpressed. I looked great in them and they're just so, so soft! What's not to like?

Okay, I'll shut up about the pants.

Dan went and helped out at the LBS today and paid the ticket for my new tires and for trueing the front wheel. We had lunch at the Indian place around the corner and it was a nice, quiet day.

Tomorrow morning is the marathon. I wish I were running, but the hip still hurts. I noticed that next year the marathon will be on my birthday-- my 40th. Now how cool would it be to run my first race as a master on my birthday at my hometown marathon? Maybe 2007 will be the year I break the jinx.

I'll be at mile 23 tomorrow morning to see the runners and check up on my friends. Full report will follow.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Recent Workouts
Today: 1 hour elliptical, 9 mile run
Friday: rest day, some walking