DONNA Marathon Weekend: FIS 5k Race Report 2026

What a roller coaster ride it was to even get to the start line for this race! I signed up for it months ago because I’d heard from a lot of other people that running the Donna was a big deal. When I signed up, I {of course} had to pay an extra $7 to get a shirt in my size. But more specifically, there was no mention of packet picket not being available on race day. There was nowhere to pay extra (like with Gate River Run). So, silly me, I assumed that I’d be able to pick up my swag on Saturday morning.

Fast forward to about a month before the race, and I get some pre-race emails from The Donna Foundation, and they specifically said that there would be NO race day pickup, and that all racers MUST pick up their packets on Friday.

Yah, that won’t work… I live about 90 minutes away from the race location, and it makes no sense to drive there and back, or drive there and stay the night, for a simple 5k race. So I replied to that email on January 13^th, asking if there would be any concessions for out of town people, or if I could swap to the Virtual Option (they were the same cost). I got no reply. About a week later, I reached out via The Donna Foundation’s website contact form, with the same questions. Still no response.

At this point, I was so frustrated with the lack of communication, and the supposed “bait & switch” with having to do pickup on Friday that I began to entertain the idea of saying fuck it all and just not going… I can afford to lose $50, but I didn’t really WANT to, ya know? So in a last ditch effort, I messaged them via their website one more time, and I finally got a response (apparently they had disabled the contact form because it was glitching). The person who responded (let’s call them MM) offered to swap me to the Virtual Option or race day pick up for $10. I told her that I would be fine with race-day pick up (though I was still ticked off about all this), and requested specifically that a W3XL shirt was set aside for me (since I seem to keep getting screwed on receiving shirts that I pay extra for!). She told me that she would personally pack my bag and bring it with her to packet pickup, and not even charge me the extra $10, since I’d had such a frustrating experience… that was very nice of her!

Now that we got that all sorted out, it was time to look forward to race day, and oh yeah… now there’s a crazy cold front on the way. I’m talking temps IN FLORIDA under freezing for race day. Oh, and some rain. I jut had to laugh… I fought so hard to get packet pickup, only to be rewarded with a cold as fuck rainy race? But at this point, I couldn’t not go!

When I went to bed Friday night, it was supposed to be about 55º when I took off, but unfortunately, when I woke up on race day, I was looking at low 40s. Hubby took the day off, so I drove up extra early, to ensure that I could get a good parking spot (so I wouldn’t get lost) – parking was at a hotel 10 miles away. When I got there, I assumed that the shuttle bus would pick up near the hotel, so I parked there. I went inside to use their potties, then asked the front desk clerk where the bus picked up – turned out that the bus picked up at an outer lot about a quarter-mile away, so I moved my car over there and got a good spot right by the bus stop (easy to find when I get back!).

I stayed in the car (toasty and warm) for about 15 minutes, but once I saw the line begin to grow, I decided I should probably get in line. I dressed in a base layer and shirt when I left the house, then tossed on a beanie and running jacket and got in line. Within five minutes, though, I realized that I needed another layer, so hopped back over to my car to get my puffer jacket and a pair of gloves, then got on the shuttle. I’d rather be too warm than too cold.

So many people still behind me (waiting for the bus)

Bus ride took about 10 minutes and it dropped us off a few blocks from the start line. The start area was quite hectic and not well organized. There were some tents on the left side of the road, some tents on the right side of the road, with the ‘corrals’ in the middle of the road – but no way to get to either tent area without having to swim upstream through the corrals. A walkway or sidewalk would have been extremely helpful!

I found the tent to get my packet, and shocker, I ran into my Race Shirt Nemesis – Blue Hair Carol. I gave her my bib number and said that she couldn’t find it. I told her that MM told me that she’d set it aside, and someone pointed to a bag on the chair behind them, which ended up being my bag. Without missing a beat, Blue Hair Carol told me that they didn’t have a shirt in my size, blah blah blah, but I could come back later and hopefully they’d have one in my size (remember, I paid $7 extra for this shirt that she says they don’t have). I opened my bag, and MM came through for me – my W3XL shirt was nicely folded inside. I may or may not have given Blue Hair Carol a smirk as I walked away. I found an empty table, folded up my bag and shirt as small as possible, and tucked them into my waist pack, just minutes before the race began.

The energy as we took off was amazing, such girl power! Lots of survivors and supporters… I almost felt like an imposter. I have no skin in this game, why was I here? But off I went at a fast walk, gaining energy from so many spectators waving and cheering all of us on.

Start Corrals on the left, Tents on the right, and past the corrals on the left

I didn’t warm up very much at all during the entire race, maybe unzipped my exterior jacket by the end of the race. Coming in to the finish line, everyone was so energetic and amped, but then the race announcer Fitz turned off the music so she could relay something she was just told – a finisher told her that she did this race every year, but she’d just gotten terrible news and expected that she wouldn’t be here next year. Or any year after that. Fitz was in tears, repeating fuck cancer, man. FUCK cancer. Someone next to me said “There’s no quit ‘til you’re cold.” I took this to mean that you don’t quit ‘til you’re dead. And I completely agree. You absolutely never know when something can change or improve.

Never give up; you never know what is in front of you

This sounds selfish, I know that, but… this announcement sucked all of the energy out of my own finish, but this woman (the one with the cancer) got SO MUCH SUPPORT from everyone around here that I didn’t even care. I wish I knew who she was, so I could check to see if she comes back in 2027.

I finished under an hour, at 56:29, and was 1761/2262 total runners, and 118/149 in my age group. Anyway, I got my medal, and well… It kind of looks like a vagina with dick arms. It’s a pretty medal, like a suncatcher, all glistening and pink (but, um, aren’t all vaginas glistening and pink?)

It's cold and getting colder!

I wandered around the after party, but there wasn’t much there – there were some places selling food or coffee, but not a lot of fun swag. I picked up a bottle of Electrolit (tasty) and a few Strawberry Watermelon Bloom drinks (also tasty). I headed back to the bus, riding in the cool kid single seat in the back, back to the nearly empty parking lot (being slow makes it easy to find my car!).

Same seat I sat in when I was in high school

I took the car over to the hotel again so I could change clothes and visit the expo (there’s a half and full marathon tomorrow). Then I went to Shake Shack for lunch (not impressed), hit up Trader Joe’s and Dollar Tree, then grabbed a soda and headed home.

Shake Shack Bacon Cheeseburger, Fries, Coke Zero, Vanilla Milkshake - $25!

ETA – A few days later, I found out some cool stuff:

• There were participants from all 50 states, and 11 countries
• They raised a quarter-million dollars for The Donna Foundation
• Fitz (the race announcer) is from Gainesville (possibly still lives there?). Also, she beat cancer herself, which explains why she is so powerfully emotional about this race. Who doesn’t love a confident, healthy, hilarious, kick-ass, conservative woman? Instant follow on X! 

Race Notes                                                          

Location: Jacksonville Beach

Host: The DONNA Foundation

Race Fee: $30 (Plus extra $7 for Women’s 3X Shirt)

Packet Pickup: Near start line; chaotic

Parking: Miles away, at Host Hotel

Support: One water stop (accessible twice), lots of cheers near start/finish line
After Party: Big, but mostly food trucks and concession tents ($$)

Results: https://my.raceresult.com/380156/results#1_979DAD

Give Me What I Paid For! - IQ Fiber Winter Beach Run 5k Race Report 2026

I’ve done the summer version of this race a few times, back in the mid 2010s, and the last time I did it (in 2016), I got heat exhaustion! So I’d decided to not do this race anymore, at least until I was in better shape (i.e. not fat). I haven’t done it since… But there’s also a winter version that I’ve wanted to try but never remembered to sign up for… until this year!

I left home around 6am and had an easy drive to Jacksonville Beach. I got there around 7:45am (for a 9am race), scoring a great parking spot in the lot right by the park. I went up to get my packet, and I was told that they didn’t have any Women’s XXL shirts, and that I could check back afterward to “see if any showed up.” I asked to get a different size, and the volunteer kept telling me that they couldn’t swap or substitute before the race. BUT… I wasn’t trying to swap or substitute – I was just trying to get a shirt that was owed to me for signing up for the race. I was getting pissed off, because I specifically paid $5 EXTRA for a shirt in my size, and somehow ended up with NO SHIRT?!?

After a few minutes of trying to be rational with this woman, I gave up and went back to the car. Where I decided to tweet about it. Like, I didn’t expect any sort of outcome, but I was just so damn ticked off, that I needed to name and shame the company at this point.

I headed back to the park around 8:40 and as I was walking I heard my bib number being called over the speaker, telling me to come to the Info Tent. When I got there, I was told that they just randomly had someone turn in an WXXL shirt (yeah, sure) so I was able to get the shirt that I paid extra for. Was it the twitter bitching? Did they find an extra one in a box? Did someone actually turn one in? Who knows, got mine. I wasn’t happy, per se, but satisfied. Like, I don’t take pleasure in having to shame someone publicly to get what I deserve. I took it back to the car, then back to the park to finally line up and walk this race.

A tiny bit of the race was along the Seawalk sidewalks, but the majority of it was on the beach. Trudging through the soft sand always sucks, but then you get to the harder-packed sand at the water’s edge and it’s easier to walk. I didn’t do any running, but I did want to run, so that’s a win, I suppose (I feel like my body is fighting back from a year or so of not training).

I finished under an hour – 58:54 – and was 445^th out of 486 total participants. I was last in my age group, and ironically, I could have beat the 22^nd lady if I was just 20 seconds faster!    

I wandered around the ‘after party’ which was sad as hell. A perk of this race is hot cocoa after the race, and even though it was already in the high 60s, I got some anyway, and y’all… I kid you not, there were cases of individually packaged cocoa mix under the table, with the cocoa being kept in those large Igloo cooler dispensers. Someone had to sit there and open thousands of Swiss Miss packets and mix them all together! As you can imagine, the cocoa wasn’t all that hot, and not super-tasty. The only other thing there was some rando handing out almond granola. Not an almond fan, so I didn’t get any. The after party was very sad!

I walked around the adjacent Jax Beach Arts Market, which was as sad as you’d imagine, then headed back to the car. I changed at a local gas station then headed north to treat myself to a platter of fried deliciousness at Safe Harbor Seafood. There were about 30 Navy men in their fatigues, waiting in line. As I stood there looking at them, they all looked so YOUNG! I’ve reached an age where I can look at new soldiers and realize that they could all be young enough to be my child. Bless you all, my dudes, and stay safe as you make your way through the world.

Anyway, I got the Fried Shrimp and Scallop basket, and took it outside to the patio. I forgot how much I hated these stupid, hipster, aluminum seats (they aren’t meant for big butts). Sadly, the scallops weren’t cooked all the way through (I guess?) because they felt kind of mushy inside. The shrimp was delicious, nice and plump. I need to remember to skip the scallops and just get shrimp! Although I’m beginning to wonder if the product is worth the hype anymore? This meal cost me about $25, and I only ate about half of it.

With a full belly, I decided to check out the St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop. Everyone raves about St. Vinnies, but this one wasn’t impressive. It was very small, and felt bougie. Good for them for marketing their wares in a great way, though! I felt like I was shopping at a boutique that caters to 60-year old women who like to lunch. I ended up getting a small fleece blanket for a buck, that I use at work (our building is 200 years old and not well insulated).

Next, I headed to Hope’s Closet Thrift Shop  and HOLY MOLY, what a store! I didn’t know what to expect, only that the store looked like it would be big, but wow. It was probably 75% clothing, so at first I wasn’t all that thrilled – it’s hard to find Plus Size clothing at thrift stores. This store was weird, though. They had some items that looked brand new with tags, like they got it from a warehouse or outlet, but then they also had racks of typical thrift clothing. Racks were very well organized, by type, then size – including Plus Size! This made me so happy, because it meant that I wouldn’t have to dig through racks and racks of clothing just hoping to find my size! I could simply go to the Shirt rack, and look at the small selection of Plus Size, and then move on if I don’t find anything. I ended up wandering this store for three hours, immersed in the hunt! I scored a few pair of nice (like really nice) work pants and some little tchotchkes for Valentine’s day décor.

I thought about hitting up another thrift store, but it was late in the day, so I grabbed a soda and just headed home, exhausted! 

Race Notes                                                          
Location: Jacksonville Beach, FL
Host: 1^st Place Sports
Race Fee: $25 at time of registration (Plus extra $5 for Women’s 2X shirt)
Packet Pickup: Easy to find, unsatisfactory interaction
Parking: Across the street, but I got there early
Support: One water table (accessible up and back), beach was not closed to tourists
After Party: Pretty much nothing! Some rando with granola, an Igloo cooler with Hot Cocoa
Results: https://my.raceresult.com/378077/results#2_EB48B6

Endless Summer 5k Race Report 2025

When I registered for this race, I kinda forgot that I'd already signed up for a 5k just last weekend, so yeah... A back-to-back! 

I didn't do a Race Report for the other race, but it was the Wounded Warrior Project Carry Forward 5k. Always a good time, easy race because so many people are just walking. Nothing amazing happened. I got an amazing parking space about 1000 feet from the after-party, which was great. The tee shirt is super comfy. Picked up half a dozen bottles of Core water (love those for work because they're sturdy and refillable). Finished 56:38 and got a great medal. 

Carry Forward 5k Medal

Anyway, so on to this race, the Endless Summer 5k on St. Augustine Beach. I did it back in 2021, and I said that I wasn't impressed, but that I'd give it another shot, so here we are.  

I got there with plenty of time to spare to ensure that I got a parking spot in the lot within the park, and went to the front to get my packet, and that’s when shit hit the fan. I was told that they didn’t have a shirt in my size – a Women’s XXL, which I paid extra for. The old blue-haired cat-lady  “allowed” me to get a Men’s XXL instead, which was just so frustrating… Men’s shirts suck because they’re so boxy, which is why I chose a Women’s shirt, and why I paid EXTRA for a Women’s shirt that would actually fit my large woman body… At least the reusable tote bag and sticker were cool.

Size 11 Flip-Flop for reference

As I walked around and made my way over to the start line, I got a text on my phone; it was my old boss asking if I was here – he said he thought he saw me! We texted back and forth a few times before we found each other, gave each other hugs, and then he went back to his family.
 
We took off and trudged through the soft sand to the hard-packed water line. I won’t lie, my only goal today is to stay far enough in front of my old boss so that we don’t have to chit-chat for an hour, or do that awkward “walking near each other” dance. So I put some speed in my steps and kept my pace pretty quick (of course, “quick” is relative, lol). Didn’t end up working all that well, because we finished within a minute of each other, and only 10 people between us.

Finished 59:42 (353 out of 463 Total Runners)

I got my medal and photo, then headed back to my car. I hit up one of the beach showers to wash all the sand and yuck from my legs before I headed out. I changed my clothes and headed toward downtown to get some fudge, but sadly, my “super-secret parking lot” directly behind Savannah Sweets has been turned into private parking! So I drove around for a little bit, looking for parking, but it was just busy EVERYWHERE, what the hell? Before I knew it almost an hour had gone by! I gave up on fudge and went over to Schooner’s for lunch, and when I asked the waitress why it was so busy in town, she told me that today was the first day of Nights of Lights. Yep, that’ll do it! Everyone was here to see the town lit up in millions of Christmas lights, no wonder there was nowhere to park! Also explains why I kept seeing a lot of “Park Here for Shuttle” signs – being a person who goes to Saint Augustine a lot, I assumed that those were for something specific, and probably cost $20 to park! Oh well, no fudge for me. Instead I got delicious fried shrimp. After that, I hopped over to Walmart for some pre-vacation shopping, then made my way home to pick Hubby up from work.

So, now that I’ve done this race twice, do I think I’ll do it again? Nah, probably not. The shirts are cute, but this is twice now that they haven’t had a shirt in my size (ahem… THAT I PAID EXTRA FOR), and it’s just not special enough to overlook that. Being in Florida, there’s lots of options for on-beach races, if I want to do one of them instead (and I will… spoiler alert!)

Race Notes                                                                                        

Location: Anastasia State Park (Saint Augustine), FL

Host: Don's Friends

Race Fee: $45.29 (Saved $3 with promo code ACRR)

Extra Fee: $2 (Women's XXL V-Neck Shirt)

Packet Pickup: Easy to find, didn't have my shirt size

Parking: Got there early enough to park in large Park parking lot; more parking available along the roads

Support: One water table (accessible up and back) 

After Party: A few vendor/expo type tables, good snacks (Utz pretzels, Rice Krispie treats, bagels, bananas, water); No music or entertainment afterward

Results: https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/25416#resultSetId-606552;perpage:5000

Potatoes & Parkrunners - Spud Run 5k Race Report 2025

Clockwise from me: Ava, Kristen, Luis, Samuel, Cliff, Jon, Dustin, Troy

I've never been a trendsetter before, but you guys! I spread enough awareness of this run amongst my parkrun people that there were a bunch of us there! Whenever a group of us at parkrun are standing around, it never fails that we talk running and races! Last year, two people heard me talking about Spud Run and they ran it (I didn't know this at the time). A few weeks ago, I saw one of the guys wearing the 2024 shirt, and we started chatting about it, and he told me that he never would have known about it if not for me. As we were talking, another person asked about it, so I told them about it, and they told me the following week that they signed up to do it in April. Word got around and by race day, I think we were up to almost 10 people! Luis, Cliff, John, and Samuel all did the 15k challenge, where they ran the 10k first then the 5k. The rest of us just did the 5k. 

I got there pretty early and got a good parking spot really close to the starting area. The library was closed off this year, so packet pickup was outside. I got my bib and shirt, and I was a little frosty... They didn't have any 2X shirts - why offer them if you aren't going to order them?! The XL fit, but is definitely tighter than I'd like, so for now, it's been relegated to a "hang around the house" shirt. I picked up my bag of potatoes and brought everything back to the car. I walked toward the finish line to cheer on any 10k parkrun finishers, but I could see Clifford's Big Red Truck and he was already done, so I made my way over there instead. We BS'd for a while then I went looking for others. I found Luis, who said that he finished the 10k in about 40 minutes! After that I found Kristen & Troy, the rest of our parkrun people, did the group shot (above) then lined up for the 5k. 

I tried, y'all... I was looking forward to getting some running in, but my IT Band was not happy, so by Mile 1, I went back to straight walking. Kristen & Troy caught up with me and we walked together for about a mile, then took off on their own intervals (they finished maybe two minutes before me). 

I actually beat my 2024 time, coming in at 56:32, wow! 278th out of 317 total finishers, I was the 160th female (out of 190) and the last finisher in my age group.  

Yes, that medal is shaped like a potato!

Finish Line Video

Afterward, we all picked up our potatoes (I got a second bag, in lieu of cabbage) and went our separate ways for the day. I was kind of bummed, because I'd psyched my introverted self up for a group breakfast or something, but at the same time I was relieved that I didn't have to suffer through a group breakfast or something. 

These potatoes were so freakin' delicious!

I changed clothes and got a soda at the nearby RaceTrac then spent the day shopping around St. Augustine. I was on a mission to find a nice pair of work pants and/or a nice dress that made me feel pretty. I've been feeling down on myself lately, and I wanted to change that. 

First stop was Bealls Florida, which I thought was going to be a Beall's Outlet, but was actually their department store. I've actually never been in a Bealls Department store! Their Plus Size section was a good size, but their dress selection was small. I found a cute A-line dress that fit well, only made me look like a small tent, but none of the patterns were cute on me. I found a few cute shirts, but they didn't fit well (either too big or too tight across the bust). This store is interesting in that it truly is just how they advertise... "The Florida Store." All of the clothing was light, breezy fabrics that would be cool in the Florida sunshine. Lots of pineapples, flamingoes, nautical, or tropical vibes. The only problem is that I'm not much of a Florida fashion kind of gal. So all I ended up with was a blousy blue top and a cool running hat with a hole in it for a ponytail (I've been wanting one of these, and this one was on clearance for about ten bucks!)

Next up, I checked out the Burlington; now, I always have pretty good luck at the Burlington in my town, but boy, oh, boy... this Burlington was nasty. It looked like the store was going out of business, and there was about a month left before it closed its doors for good, and management didn't give a shit if the store looked good anymore. It wasn't going out of business, of course, but it looked that way... The Ladies fitting room was closed and blocked off by two tables full of clearance items and surrounded by carts full of junk. The wired locks that secured the more expensive purses were just dangling from hooks in the purse section. There was random crap on the floor. Racks were picked over and messy and overstuffed so you couldn't move stuff around. After about five minutes of walking around and trying not to flee from the ick of it all, I gave up... I felt like I was in a thrift shop where bad things happen in the back. And don't get me wrong, I LOVE thrift shops! 

Okay, so that was a bust; I regrouped with a corn dog and pretzel from Sonic then headed over to my all-time favorite Dollar Tree and found lots of goodies to bring home! I got some snacks, some root beer, a ready-to-finish vase, and some fake flowers to make a few new arrangements for my office. I bought a bunch of acrylic (okay, plastic) drawer organizers, but now that I'm back home, lord only knows what I'm going to use them for... It seemed like a smart buy at the time, I swear!

Next up, I wandered around Beall's Outlet, since I was still on a mission for pants and dresses, but they had nothing, so I went over to Marshall's. I was ready to give up at this point... These types of stores rarely have anything Plus Size, and if they do, it's of the Clown or Tent variety, so I didn't even look for anything really... I ended up with some undies and a bag of Butter Toffee popcorn. 

At this point, I was super-tired (I've been dealing with some PMS-like symptoms this week), so I decided to call it a day. I picked up some Chick-fil-A nuggets and a drink and made my way home. 

Getting Stretched by a Stranger - Santa Suits on the Loose 5k 2024

Hello, and welcome to a very melancholy race report, brought to you by the letters D, E, A, T, and H. 

For those who may not know, our cat Clover was diagnosed with Lung Cancer a few days after Thanksgiving, and after giving a kitty middle-finger to the nurse who estimated she had a very short time left, she passed away on December 13. 

Yesterday. 

Over the past year, personally, I've been trying to get myself back into some semblance of a routine, and getting back to running and doing races. I signed up for Santa Suits on the Loose way back in the spring, so from that standpoint, this was the worst day for a race to be on for me. If Clover was still alive, there was no way I would have left the couch, but when I went to bed last night, I thought that this would be good for my mental health. I've been moping around the house a lot this year, because of Hubby's health issues, my own health issues, and then Clover's health issues. So, I decided to go and kind of force myself to be jolly. 

I drove out to St. Augustine (as always, leaving too early), and parked in my favorite spot. I put on some of my festive gear (like my cute skirt and my Christmas Tree hat), but I just felt like a faker. I walked around everyone else feeling like a robot. 

I honestly can't tell you anything that stood out from this race... There were cute dogs and babies and costumes and a marching band. But I have no funny stories, or random thoughts that I had at Mile 2. It was like I was just programmed to walk and think of nothing at all. And, in a way, I'm so thankful for that. It was an hour of not thinking, or feeling loss, or actually crying. I was able to just zone out and stop feeling at all. I didn't have to think about Clover. Or work. Or Christmas. Or anything. I simply existed to put one foot in front of the other (okay, Winter Warlock). 

On the upside, because I wasn't thinking about anything, I wasn't thinking about how far I was walking, or how long it was taking, so I kind of just "arrived" at the finish line without realizing it'd been an hour! I picked up my medal and a bottle of water, and a few snacks. 

As I was walking around, heading back to my car, I saw that there were a few tables set up, for what I assumed was massage, but then realized it was for a company called Stretch Zone. Usually after races, these types of services are either busy because they're free, or empty because you have to pay. These were free and they were empty! So yeah, you bet I walked over there! After a short chat with the employee, telling him that I usually felt pain in my upper external calves and lower external hamstrings after a race, he moved ahead with a full lower-body routine. I figured that this would be more akin to a quickie chair massage, but I was on this man's table for at least 20 minutes! He stretched my leg up toward my head, out (like a straddle), in across my body, bent my knee and shoved my foot toward my tushie, rotated my knee out like a frog... There was a lot that he did, and holy shit, it all felt so good... well, as good as it can with my jacked-up muscles. He said that my hip flexors were severely tight (no, you don't say?!) and that I should work on them at home. As I got myself back together, I thanked him for his stretching, saying that I'd never experienced an actual stretching session before. He reached into a box and pulled out a Goodie Bag for me! He said that there was some swag in there, as well as a gift card, and took a photo of me for social media (I wonder if they'll use it, lol). Back in the car, I checked out my goodies, which included a container of Tic-Tacs, some lip balm, and y'all... a $50 gift certificate to the local Stretch Zone! Yeah, they're probably really expensive then, right? Nah, I don't think so. I looked them up later, and they look to cost about $100 for an hour-long session, so basically, it's half-price. I plan on using it soon, next time I'm in St. Augustine (maybe after Gate River Run in March... that's only an hour's drive south). They also have something called a Flex Membership, that is $100/month that includes two stretches per month, with the ability to pay a smaller fee for extra stretches. Honestly, $50 is about what I spend for my massages... And I found out that they have a Stretch Zone in the city I live in! I'm really wondering if it's beneficial to get me limbered up to a point that I can take over and fix myself the rest of the way... 

Anyway, after a delicious stretch, I headed over to Culver's for lunch, picked up some groceries at Aldi, then headed home. I felt a little better by the time I got home, but when I parked and didn't see Clover in the window, I remembered that she was gone, and it just hit me all over again. I went inside and snuggled with hubby for a while then had dinner and went to bed early. Today helped a little, but not nearly as much as I wanted it. 

ETA: I don't think it fixed as many of my mental issues as I thought it did... I kind of had a little meltdown about a week after this post... Not my finest day, but a totally understandable one. 

The Saga of the Mysterious Abdominal Pain Remains Unclear (Part 3 - July 2024)

If you've missed any parts of this saga, you can catch up with the links below:

Part 1 (April & May)

Part 2 (June)

Plus   (Baby's First Coloscopy)

So, an upside of Hubby's continued (unofficial) leave from work was that I was able to run the Celebration Run 5k in Jacksonville on Independence Day. It was hot, as always, but nice to just get away for a day and not have to worry about doctors and appointments and labs and pee and meds and, and, and.... I carried a medium flag this time (not the big boy on the flagpole), and it was better. I finished at almost exactly one hour (1:00:19), and I'm fine with that. This was cathartic, not athletic. Afterward, I hit up Dollar Tree and Walmart for a few things, had delicious cheese curds and custard at Culver's for lunch, then headed home. 

I love a big medal

That Friday, he did another round of bloodwork and 24-hour urine collection, prompting Dr. L to change his blood pressure meds. 

He was set to go back to work on July 8th but another round of insomnia showed up and pushed his return back to June 11th, and it was good for a whopping two days. More pain showed up and he skipped work on Saturday - Monday. It sure made going to Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine much easier, though! I finished with a better time of 58:00, went up to IKEA then had lunch at Cheddar's, detoured back to Buc-ee's before going home. 

St Augustine always puts on beautiful sunrises

Thank you to the random youngster who chalked this... I needed it!

We got his colonoscopy results - one of the polyps that had been removed was a Tubular Adenoma. That kind of adenoma could develop into cancer, but they got it before it did, so all is fine, and they want him to come back in 2027. 

On July 25th, he met with his new Primary Care doc, ARNP LeBlanc. She listened to everything he said, and then had her attending (Dr. M) come in, as ARNP LeBlanc was stumped. Dr. M was the first doctor out of all of the people we'd seen to suggest that his LLQ pain may be something like scar tissue or internal adhesion. And unfortunately, the treatment is to go back in and try to fix what might be wrong, or learn to live with it. But it's not really something that can be seen on X-Rays or CT Scans. They also recommended a Gastroenterology consult, and an MRE of the abdomen and pelvis (similar to an MRI). Unfortunately (but as expected) their poking and prodding brought on a new bout of pain, and he was away from work until August 7th. 

I Am Here - Spud Run 5k Race Report 2024

After a less-than-stellar "running season" over the past few months, I knew it was time to get my running shoes back on and hit the course. 

When I checked the weather the night before, it looked... okay. Like, overcast, a nice temp, but no rain in the forecast until 10am or so, definitely after I finished and got my medal. But that was not to be the case. I got a few drizzles on the way there, nothing more than spittle. 

I parked and went in to get my bib, then got in line for the potties, behind two women who brought their little toe nipper dogs - not service animals, just pets - into the ladies' room. The dogs felt that it was fine to stick their heads under the stalls every chance they got, and yet barked loudly and annoyingly when it was their owner's turn in the stalls! Ooh, it's just a peeve I have... dogs are not children!!! They don't need to go everywhere with you, like inside libraries, inside library bathrooms, or inside library bathroom stalls. When it was my turn in a stall, a huge boom of thunder announced the incoming deluge of rain that had just begun. It was pouring out there! Oh well... Sugar melts, but spicy sticks around, so I went over and got my potatoes and took them back to the car, getting absolutely drenched. I chilled out in the car for a bit (I'm always either way early or way late!), watching the raindrops on the window. 

Still Life, Car Park, Water on Glass 

It seemed to abate when it was time to head to the start line, and the sky actually looked like it was clearing, so I debated bringing my rain jacket, or just get wet if it started again, but I decided to wear the jacket. It was 70º when I left the car, but a wet 70º is much different from a sunny 70º! 

Deep enough to get my ankles wet if I stepped in it

And it turned out to be a smart decision because within two minutes of starting the race, the downpour came back. It felt delicious, honestly, warm and welcoming on my face. I heard random people nearby who were complaining about the weather, but whatever... it's just water! I put my headphones in and just walked. Oh, yeah, I'm just walking now. I'm still dealing with some leftover bullshit from February/March, so my goal was to walk this entire thing and see how I felt at the end. 

Honest confession... I don't know what's up with my camera settings, lol

The first two miles of the race were uneventful, just wet. I was happy to be back at it, happy to have some time to myself with my thoughts (it's been a hard two weeks since we got back from Arkansas), and happy to be able to move relatively pain-free. 

At one point, the rain was just pounding us, the heaviest it had been all morning, and the song I Am Here by P!nk came on my playlist, and y'all... I'm not usually that person who heavily identifies with music, like at ALL, but for some reason a few lines really just hit me in the right way...

I can think of 1,000 places

Much worse than this

But I am here, I am here

My face is also a potato

Like, yeah, it's raining, and I'm tired, and my legs are hurting now, and I'd much rather be in my nice, warm bed, with my nice, warm hubby, but damn... it could be so much worse! It made me realize how blessed I am to be happy, healthy, and here. 

The last mile was rain-free, and warmer, so I took off my jacket and wrestled with it for the entire time (it's slippery and didn't want to stay tied around my waist). I finished with a chip time of 57:49, which wasn't terrible, given my lack of training, plethora of pains, and the weather. Though we all know at this point, I'm not doing this for PRs... I'm never gonna get faster. I was 252nd finisher out of 272 (even though only 411 people registered for this run... I have a feeling the weather kept a lot of people home this morning!), 148th out of 165 females, and 10th out of 11 in my age group. The last finisher came in at 1:23:17. 

I was able to score another bag of potatoes on my way back to the car, and then made my way over to Race-Trac to change and get a Pepsi, before driving up to IKEA to pick up some shelves I needed for the living room. And then (logic be damned), I drove all the way back to St. Augustine to get some maple fudge (IYKYK) from Savannah Sweets, hit up Buc-ee's and then drive home. 

Wounded Warrior Project Carry Forward 5k Race Report

This'll be a super tiny race report, mostly because I forgot all about it! I've been focusing so much on my Lasik surgery, I didn't even realize I'd registered for this until it popped up on my calendar a few weeks ago! Whoops! 

We Still Miss Each and Every One of You

Anyway, I got the okay from Dr. Sweeney that I could do it, so I headed to Jax and walked a 5k with almost two thousand other folks. Everything was fine except for one issue of severe dry eye... I'm still so new to this "good eyeball" thing that I didn't even think to tuck some eye drops into my pocket. Ever try to walk down the road with your eyes closed? I don't recommend it. 

Here's just some random photos from my morning. Finished in about 58 minutes. 

Masses of bodies all over

Ready to walk on this chilly November morning

So many people!

He pulled a TIRE and still beat me!

We all earned the same medal, though

Afterward, I had a thoroughly pathetic breakfast at Whataburger (the biscuit was good, the chicken was not), then I spent way too much time and money at Hobby Lobby and Dollar Tree (it's Christmas DIY time!)

Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit & Hash Brown Sticks

Now, it's time for me to give my eyeballs some more time to get better!

An Upside of Appendicitis? I Can Run This Race! - Memorial Day 5k 2023

It's been a weird spring, y'all! Right now, I'm dealing with Steve the Cyst and a Hubby recuperating from having an appendectomy. He's doing much better now, thank you to everyone who has reached out to ask about him. 

I realized a few days after his surgery that, since he would be off of work, I would be able to run the Orange Park Memorial Day 5k this year! Usually I either have to skip it (since it starts so early) or he has to take the day off. But he's already off! So, yes, I paid the whole $45 race fee, donned my most patriotic gear, and drove up to Jacksonville to run with a thousand of strangers.

 

Ready to run... well, walk!

Really an uneventful 5k. Seriously, I went back through my camera roll and it's just a bunch of crowd shots, and then a cat in the middle of the road. Everyone stopped to pet the cat, who refused to move. 

Pet here for power

I finished, sweaty, with a time of 56:06. I was 662nd out of 688 total runners. And look what I got!!!

Something looks... off?

Yes, that says Finiser. It's a Finiser medal. 

Row after row of Finiser Medals

The thing that's so funny is that I never noticed it at the time. Held it up, took photos. Took a photo of the table full of medals. Hung my medal from my rearview mirror as I drove around town. Nope, didn't notice it until later that night when I was cleaning up my camera roll. 

Anyway, me and my finiser medal headed over to a local donut shop, Daily Donuts, for a half-dozen donuts. The Maple Donut was delicious, with a good yeasty chew to it. 

Blueberry Cake, Maple Frosted, White Cream Filled (x2)
Chocolate Frosted, Glazed

I popped over to Sam's Club for some groceries, then wandered around JCPenney at Orange Park mall for a while, but I was starving so it was time for lunch. I'd heard good things about Brewer's Pizza, which is a part of Pinglehead Brewing Company. It was dark inside, and felt like a good "hole in the wall" pizza joint. There was a large group in the middle that had just played in a Pickleball Tournament nearby, and listening to them chit chat just really annoyed me. I hate to say it, but they all sounded so rich, entitled, and overly "we're better than you." Every one of them seemed to have a special request for their pizza, or demanded something extra during their meal. Like, come on people... I just want to order my pizza before I eat my own foot over here! 

I ordered something called a Florida Smacker; a personal deep-dish pizza, with pepperoni. Because of the large group, it took a while for my Smacker to get to me, but damn, it was worth it! It looked similar to a Little Caesar's lunch pizza, but it was worlds apart, in terms of taste and quality. It had that delicious greasy, tomatoey, spiciness to it that a good pepperoni pizza should have, with a thick and chewy crust, with toasted cheese edges. I was able to eat 3 of the 4 pieces, and I cannibalized the final slice, eating the toppings, because I needed the calories. 

Pepperoni Florida Smacker... sooooo good!

(ETA: Sad to hear, they closed in November 2023... They just couldn't recover after stupid Covid restrictions and the aftermath).

On the way out of town, I hit up Old Time Pottery, grabbed a soda for the road, then headed home.