joggers and lagers.

Oh my. Where to start with this. Maybe at the beginning? So one day on a 10 miler with my Chicago training buddy Shelley we came up with the brilliant idea to start a chick's running group where once a month we run a few miles, starting and ending at a local downtown bar, then eat and drink and be merry with fun running buddies.

Well fast forward about a month , and we managed to put together a group that we expanded to be chicks AND dudes, a Facebook fan page and BAM, we had the Joggers and Lagers inaugural run. Our home base is called The Anchor, a bar with amazing food and tons of excellent beer on tap in downtown Wichita. Our first group meeting was last month, the third Thursday to be exact. With five girls showing up and a few boys AFTER the run (so doesn't count, no fair boys, boo). We went about three miles at a walk/run pace and just had a good time. I loved it. Then the beer and amazing food after made it all even better. Joggers and Lagers was an immediate success! Of course!

*our first group of joggers and lagers, and yes the girl on the far right is pregnant, isn't she precious? the baby has since been born and mama even joined the group again last night. TROOPER!*

Moving onto this month's Joggers and Lagers. It was last night, and it was even more fun than the month before. We had seven girls this time (including the new mama) and took more pictures and let's just say it was a bit more out of control. My blahggie buddies Hannah and Michele joined in, and of course The Lawyer was there as well.

*michele, jennifer and i hanging with the random guitar statue guy in downtown. because why wouldn't we? that's why.*

*channeling rocky, but wichita style. our stairs are SO much less impressive, but we
MEANT it nonetheless! and yes we are total nerds and proud of it. SHAMELESS.*

Let me just say I learned a few lessons last night, for example if I never knew before when it comes to the "flight or fight" instinct which one I go for? Definitely flight. Another lesson? Always, always communicate with The Lawyer (also known as the keeper of the FWR). In addition, Hannah and I should not be left to our own devices when crossing streets. We do so with complete reckless abandon. It's been established The Lawyer needs to keep a tight reign on us, we were thinking shock collars...

As for the flight or fight. Well, you see. The thing is that I got up at 4:45a yesterday morning to run what was supposed to be nine miles, but ended up being a very disastrous and awkward 5.5. For those reasons I didn't want to run too far last night, one group was run/walking and the other group was running four miles. I started with the four milers and decided to go about 1.5 miles with them, turn around and book it back to the river path entrance and meet the other group of walkers. And of course I CLEARLY DID NOT communicate this fact to The Lawyer. So I booked it back to the path entrance. No group. Keep in mind at this point I realized I didn't: 1) have my phone 2) my road ID was on my other shoes. Crap.

I decided to keep booking it until I caught up, which had to be soon, I just KNEW it. Uh, no. Not the case. A mile and a half and some speedwork later and right in front of the bar where we end, I caught up to them. Right. It wasn't that I felt totally unsafe, I'm just not used to running without my phone or with someone else. And I was in downtown alone (read: shady characters wandering aimlessly around on the route i was running). The worst was running underneath a dark creepy covered bridge alone when I could clearly see a said shady looking person sitting on a bench at the end of the bridge. Shiver. Oh don't judge. Yeah, I'm a wimp. So what? Regardless I was fine, and I got my speedwork in for the week.

*running along the river, my favorite place to run in my city*

*the HILL downtown. isn't this picture just amazing, the green hill with the dark storm clouds? welcome to kansas people. it rained like a mother while we were happily eating and drinking away after our run*

After the run one of the girls' husband joined us. He is a TNT coach, he runs lots of marathons (and fast), ultras, as in 100 mile ultras and tons of other races. I think my jaw was on the table during most of the conversation I had with him. I asked if he had ever passed out during a 100 miler, he said no. I of course then, seeing how I will never run ultras, pulled out the "being taken out by ambulance in my last marathon" card. What? Hey, if you've got the card, play it my friends... just sayin'. Cause that's probably as exciting as my running career will get, my claim to fame if you will. "I fell at mile 24.8 of a marathon and had an IV shoved in my arm in the street." So you better bet I'm gonna milk it, did you expect anything else?!

In the end, month two of Joggers and Lagers was a complete success. I feel so proud!