5k Race Results

I've had some good runs this week. Yesterday was the Kernersville 4th of July 5k (3.1 miles) race. I ran my best race time yet of 25:42 (8:17/mile) and came in fourth in my age group of 35-39 year olds. This is my inaugural race--last year at this race was the first time I ever competed. I bettered my time this year by almost 4 minutes. Next year I hope to run it under 25 minutes.

My training group met at a track on Tuesday to do speed work. We ran a mile warm-up and then did 4 x 800's. An 800 is twice around the track, or a 1/2 mile.  We were asked to run it at 80-85% capacity, or hard enough that we felt "uncomfortable."

I averaged a 3:40 pace for my 800's, which is fast for me. Ego took hold. People shot off the line and of course I had to keep up! Ego can be a good thing in a race to keep you going, but I really will have to get a grip on it for training or I'll burn out or injure myself. I probably should have been running the 800 closer to a 4:10 pace.

We've been lucky this week with lower humidity and a few nice breezes. I think the temperatures are creeping back toward 90 starting today, which ought to make this evening's run a challenge. But I'm lovin' all the learning and running support. Ideally, this should be my schedule for the rest of the summer:

• Sunday: Long run with training group
• Monday: Rest.
• Tuesday: Speed work with training group
• Wednesday: Trail runs with friends
• Thursday: Morning run with neighbors or evening run with training group
• Friday: Rest
• Saturday: Run with whomever I can find!

Unethical Airlines

My husband is perhaps the most ethical man on the planet. He never uses his work phone to make personal calls and if he discovered he accidentally took a pen home from work, he would probably write a check to the company to cover the cost. He can be a little...extreme...in his morality. Which is why I was floored when we disagreed on our travel day about the ethics behind airlines screwing passengers by intentionally overbooking their flights.

We're sitting in the Chicago airport on Sunday, waiting to board our flight to Charlotte. An announcement is made that they've overbooked the flight and need 6 people to give up their seat for a $250 travel voucher. Apparently there were no takers as 15 minutes later they announced the voucher was now up to $450. Then they got mean and said if people didn't voluntarily give up their seats, they would have to take the last six people who bought their tickets and bar them from entering the plane.

We'd purchased our tickets far enough in advance that I wasn't worried, but I was still angry. "That should be illegal," I said to Blair. "People buy their tickets and make plans based on travel times and an airline can force you off the plane because THEY got greedy and overbooked the flight."

"They're just trying to make sure they fill the flight," said Blair.

"It's unethical," I argued. "Buying a ticket is like making a contractual agreement and both parties should uphold their end of the deal."

In the background, they were now offering a $450 voucher and overnight stay in a hotel.

"It's not unethical," said Blair.

My jaw dropped. "How can you say that?" I howled. Then I went off about how just because something has always been done a certain way and it's accepted doesn't make it right or moral. I pretty much worked myself into a lather and was ready to represent in court any of the poor people who didn't make the flight.

I still think I'm right. What other industry gets away with such behavior? If I buy a movie ticket, I expect to be let in the theatre. If I make a hair appointment, I expect to sit in the chair. Why is it then that if I buy an airline ticket, I may or may not be allowed on the plane, depending on how badly they've overbooked the flight?

Nope, nope, nope. Unethical. Immoral. And really, just plain rude.

New Nephew

 Sorry for the absence on the blog. Blair and I travelled to Chicago this weekend to meet our newest nephew, Cole.  SUCH a cutie--perfectly round head, big round blue eyes, and barely fussed at all. So far his interests include having his diaper changed and being naked (loves being naked).  Big brother Jake likes to give him kisses and calls him, "my baby."

Speaking of Jake, he kept referring to Blair as "your friend." So he'd look at me and say, "Where did your friend go?" Finally, Grant looks at him and says, "Jake, his name is Uncle Blair." Jake looks at me and says, "Where did your friend Uncle Blair go?"

Hope you enjoy this pictures from our trip. Click on them to enlarge the images.

I swear, he was all smiles seconds before we pulled out the camera.

 
Nicole was running bath water and I walked in and found Cole on the floor. Cracked me up.

I love baths!

We gave Jake a bubble gun. No need to thank us...
Snuggle baby

Movie Theatre Follow-Up

So it turns out the purse search at the movie theatre was not a prelude to searching for weapons of mass destruction. I e-mailed the Greensboro News & Record a "story idea" about the topic and one of their reporters called me to find out what had happened, then got in touch with management at the movie theatre. Turns out they were looking not for weapons or food, but for cameras. Since it was the opening weekend for Pirates of the Caribbean, they were concerned about film pirating. The reporter said the movie theatre management was apologetic for any discomfort and it was a one time thing.

I'm glad to hear it. One less mystery of the Universe to be solved. =)