DreamBig 2014 - #34 New Jersey

State #34 - Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton Double Cross Half Marathon
Finishers: 1,439

November 6, 2014
I had been counting down for this race for some time now because I got to spend a whole 4 days with Kali! Kali, if we don't remember, is my good friend who I met while working in New York in 2012 who also ran half #8 in Wisconsin and #15 in her hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. She tries to run at least one a year with me, and so far so good! Kali and her new fiance, Ryan, recently moved to New York City where Ryan took a job at one of the hospitals and Kali transferred to Deloitte New York... but is working in Chicago...I just won't begin to explain what we do. REGARDLESS - I flew up to NYC late Thursday night and Kali picked me up at LGA and quickly alerted me that Ryan had been drinking at a work happy hour and this was her first time driving in the city. If you know Kali, this is where you pause to say a little prayer to the Holy Spirit that he guards you for safe passage. I was in for a ride. We safely made it to their humble abode in Astoria and settled in for the night where we caught up on things while painting our nails before going to bed.

November 7, 2014
Since the race was only a 40 minute train ride away in Trenton, NJ, we were in no rush to get anywhere and stuck around NYC so Kali could work and I could visit some friends. I ventured out on the subway to meet up with my friend Anthony who worked at Deloitte and I had met a few months back at our training facility (Deloitte University) and stayed in contact with since then. I met him in Midtown and we ventured off to find breakfast sandwiches and explore. We ended up buying shopping and buying some Rangers gear since I was going to my first hockey game Sunday! We grabbed lunch at The Smith and then went to explore the HighLine while Kali finished up work.

Ash and Anthony exploring the HighLine

We met Kali back at the apartment in Astoria and then made him hang out with us while we packed for the race and our train ride later that night. Before we jumped on our train, we stopped for a few slices of pizza at New York Pizza Supreme and then caught our New Jersey Transit ride to Trenton. It was a short ride and once we got to Trenton, we realized it was very late and we were not very safe. We somehow got an Uber from the train station and the driver told us a few of his friends had gotten shot in Trenton and we weren't very safe. Very reassuring. We were staying at the Wyndam Hotel which is where the race expo had been. Of course, me being me, I had made arrangements with the race director to have our race packets delivered to the front desk so we didn't have to get to Trenton too early or wake up early to get them before the race. We set out our stuff, locked the doors and called it a night.

November 8, 2014
I woke up ready to Rock N Roll and despite the cold we were both excited to be running together again. We bought random breakfast at the train station the night before and enjoyed our meals before catching the shuttle to the start from the hotel.

Morning Shuttle to the Race

It was a bit chilly but we just got ready jumping around to the prerace music. Kali's rubber band in her hair snapped before the race...of course....so we had to do some rearranging and accommodating to make sure both our hair looked good. The race started and I was chatty as a child. The weather was brisk enough to be comfortable to run in and I was just happy to have my best friend with me! The first couple of miles were along highways and over a bridge into Pennsylvania (don't tell anyone...this was a little bit in PA). I was sprinting up the hills, as always, and then I would settle my pace and let Kali catch up. I was getting a little worried because it didn't seem like she could get her breathing to normalize. I made sure to keep the conversation (one sided) going to attempt to distract her but I could tell she was in a lot of pain. Before Mile 7 there was a big hill and we had decided to take our gel packs at Mile 9 for the extra boost, but Kali decided she needed hers now. We looped around a park that had pretty fall leaves and then at Mile 9 at the water station I took my gel pack and was entertained by a giggle as one of the volunteers was saying "Water, Gatorade, Phone Number!". I thought it was hilarious. This was my first time trying the Montana Huckleberry Hammer Gels and I was in love with the flavor. I have read mixed reviews but maybe because I spent a little time in Wyoming and Idaho this year, the Huckleberry taste had grown on me. I put it back in my pocket when I was done to remember the flavor to order later...

Huckleberry - yummmmmyyy!!! 

I was still feeling pretty good at Mile 10 but Kali said her legs felt like bricks and kept telling me to leave her - to which I would respond, Kali - I came here to run with you, I don't care about my time. I just want to stay with you. Brick legs is the absolute worst though - your legs literally won't move. They just mildly cramp up and don't let go so you feel like you are running with wooden stumps as legs. I wouldn't let her walk because I know if I was her I would never start again but at Mile 11 she pretty much demanded I leave her. After someone asks me like 20 times to do something, I assume they mean it so I told her I would meet her at the finish line and took off. I was FLYING - again...I don't wear a watch but I swear I had some extreme negative splits. The race finished by running around the outfield track of Arm & Hammer Park where the Trenton Thunder play, and then right across home plate. I literally did a jump across the finish line crossing  in just over 2 hours.

I wish I could track down the full version of the far left picture - but really...jumped across the finish line

I grabbed my medal and then ran to the entry of the park to see if I could spot Kali coming into the stadium. I was on the phone watching people run in one by one and all of a sudden Kali comes up behind me with her medal. She told me just just had to stop for a few minutes and stretch before other runners started cheering her on to finish the last 2 miles. We took a few pictures and got a soft pretzel and then did our long walk back to the hotel through downtown Trenton. We got holla'ed at a few times by passing cars, my favorite line being "Hey girl - I think you left yo booty at the finish line". Freaking HILarious. But we made it safe, grabbed a quick shower and then got a free shuttle to the train station where I got some Eagles coffee from Dunkin and got our train back to 

Half # 5 for Kali and #34 for me!

Finish Line in the Background

Just in case you forgot what state this is....

Official Race #34 Photo - New Jersey complete!

But we made it safe to the hotel, grabbed a quick shower and then got a free shuttle to the train station where I got some Eagles coffee from Dunkin and got our train back to NYC! Kali passed out while I worked on responding to some emails for the JMac Gives Back logo contest.We arrived back to Penn Station and Kali went to go take a nap and I met Anthony to head to Tavern on 3rd to watch the Auburn Game and was thrilled to run into one of my favorite Auburn friends ever, Miss Felicity Wood. It was just destiny that we were in the same place at the same time in NYC. After the game and a few brews, Anthony and I head down the street to meet Kali and Ryan for Mexican before heading to Keats to do karaoke (Yes, Whitney Houston made an appearance). After a very long day Kali and I head back to Astoria for a much needed night of sleep.

Night Night, Kali

November 9-10, 2014
Just so I don't forget the rest of the weekend fun, I wanted to bullet out some of the other fun things we did:

• Sunday
• Mass on Sunday followed by brunch, Whispering Wall at Grand Central, shopping for Rangers shirts, and eventually made it to another bar where I did my first Irish Car Bomb (ew.)
• My FIRST NHL Game at Madison Square Garden followed by continued drinking and taking the subway home way later than anticipated -- at one point Anthony was doing squats with me across his back waiting for the train to come (normal?)

First NHL Game at the Garden! #twinning

Outside Madison Square Garden

• Monday
• Kali and I took a train to Philly from Penn Station and met a friend of hers, Rosie, at Geno's for Philly Cheese steaks before heading to the Monday Night Eagles game at Lincoln Financial where we tricked a stranger named Jeff into buying two out of towners beers -- whoops, he never asked!
• Heading home to the hotel at 11PM, got a call from Erin, Jeremy's girlfriend, to meet them at Chickie and Pete's for food where I got to meet Cody Parkey (Auburn Alum and the Eagles new kicker)

Great Seats for the Game!

I was a little too excited to meet Cody Parkey - and Jeremy embarrassed me like a true friend

So happy we got to not only see an Eagles win but got to see this guy (and Erin!!)

Overall, it was an awesome race weekend! I absolutely loved getting to see Kali, Ryan, Anthony, Erin, and Jeremy (and Cody)!

34 states down - 16 more to go!
#DREAMBIG