You know you are together too much when-----------

Just about everything you eat and wear are the same. I told Melanie after this weekend that this was going to have to be the title because it was too funny how much we think a like in things. Most young girls growing up call each other, they coordinate their outfits and prep everything to be like each other. Well Melanie and I, I guess we send brain waves to each other, without even thinking we had just about the same everything. Let me tell you our story---
Our last official 1/2 marathon was this past weekend in Tacoma Wa. we were both dreading it because we have felt so unprepared. I mean to the point I think we were making ourselves sick about it. We only ran a few 10 milers and when we did we stopped several times. Needless to say we have been trying to brain wash ourselves the past week that this was going to be a fun run and we were going to do it together and not worry so much about our time. BRAIN WASH ha ha we really tried and we didn't do too bad.
We arrived in Tacoma and after checking into our hotel we drove the course-can you say HILLS, Steep inclines, huge mounds-ok well whatever they were it was not making us feel any better. Driving it of course scared us silly and we knew this was not going to be very fun. I think we were only looking forward to the last part where it was completely flat for a few miles. We decided we better ponder this course over some pasta at Outback-since it was the only restaurant we could find without having to search.
And yes we had the same meals- Hey gotta love the pasta with fresh veggies. Since we had to arrive early for our packet pick up it left a lot of time for the rest of the evening. Neither of us felt like shopping so we decided to be little tourists and walk around town taking photos-It drizzled on us but nothing terrible. (By the way-See the jacket Melanie has up top, I had brought mine too just like it ha ha)
Don't I look like I am ready to get healthy-though I must not have learned anything (take note of the pictures below.)

There are a lot of statues in Tacoma and every time I saw one I wanted to take a photo with them. Needless to say we only did a few because we would have had to play the amazing race to find where we had saw the other ones. Here we are WELCOMING you to the city of Tacoma.

Our favorite find the entire weekend was this cute, YUMMY cupcake shop called "Hello Cupcake". We both had tiny cupcakes that were so DIVINE---I tried to steal the shop with the cute bike they provided out front but I wasn't successful.

If you ever find this cute little haven near the union pacific station get these winners and you wont regret it. YUMMERS (I am talking about the cupcakes not us of course.)

She is so shameless just making out with anyone who walks down the street-if only Chris Knew what we were up to this weekend.

Oh It's a jolly holiday for Tammy, a jolly, jolly holiday for her!!!!

We of course had fun walking near the harbor and checking out things we never have time to do. After our fun photo adventures we went back to the hotel, lounged, watched TV and went to bed at a great time. Since we were at the sponsoring hotel for the run we only had to walk a few blocks to the starting point, which means we were able to sleep until 7AM, unheard of. Yes it was raining outside but we were ready to take it on and get it over with.

Remember how I opened this blog up-well this is what I meant by it. Look at our clothes and we didn't coordinate this (I even have a black nike hat that I could have worn had I known- we would be so much a like.) We felt silly at first looking like each other but then we knew it would be a blast and it was our turn to have fun (and yes she wore it best). Plus there ended up being tons of people who dressed alike.

Since I had my I-phone with me to listen to music I was able to get a few photos (wooie). Here we are getting ready for take off in less than a 1/2 hour. The run was actually much better than anticipated. We really did good the first bit-we both had minor side aches in our right sides but we conquered every hill, we never stopped on them and we felt great. We were really staying with the pack and feeling great. I think we were both surprised because the hills were doosies and we had already prepared to be failures. Our theme for the day was "screw it-run through it." By Mile 6.5 that is exactly what I ended up having to do. We stopped to get a drink for like 2-3 seconds and just that minor stopping tweaked my IT knee and I was in pain from that moment on. I was so mad and frustrated but luckily at that point it was a minor ache and nothing I couldn't run through. The bummer part is that we weren't done with a few hills-I ran through as much and as hard as I could. Mel and I were still doing decent, cursing the Gods that the rain had stopped (oh well the temperature truly was perfect). I continued, really hurting and trying my darnedest to not let it effect me but it got to a point where I wasn't sure if I could physically move my leg anymore. I had pushed it for 4.5 miles and I knew if I didn't stop for about 5-10 seconds I was doomed. I had Melanie keep running and I quickly stretched it out and then I had to make up time to catch back up with her. I ended up doing this 2x total, and even though the stops were quick it seemed to help a tad. The last mile Melanie and I tried to pick it up but they of course threw in 2 more hills and even though they weren't huge, anything with IT and hills is not a great combination. I had tears in the eyes and really had to focus on only one mile and not letting my friend down-we wanted to do this together. Melanie was a rock star (and looked like one too). We ran and ran -and the last 100 yards we sprinted it in, holding our arms up in the air like Champions.

I was so grateful to have my friend to be with me during this humbling experience (I mean my leg has never been worse). I grabbed ice and we both wobbled around thinking how glad we were to be done. Really when we both look back at it-had we trained for hills we would have probably done even better, and had I had a leg implant we could have rocked this course and maybe even PR'd even though that was far away from our goal. Instead we finished under 2 hours and called it good. Who needs to have a perfect time (NOT ME). As we walked away from Tacoma we said we probably would never do this course again. But I bet if you gave it to us for free we might be willing-plus they had the best shirts that either of us have ever gotten on a race.

When we got back to the hotel we went straight to the hot tub in our clothes and got in-we did take off our shoes, but at that point they were so wet we could have got in and it wouldn't have mattered. IT WAS FAB. Melanie and I weren't sore whatsoever and we felt really good, minus the injury. We made sure to take time to veg for a second, then attack the cupcake shop to bring home some nummies for our kids.

I would call this trip a success and when they call a race "YOU GO GIRL" just know they are saying this is hard and you are a little crazy, "you go girl"