What could be better than running a half for your birthday? Lot's of things really, but I chose the ING half in Atlanta. My race bib even said "Birthday Girl" (their doing, not mine). Once again I failed to book a hotel in advance, this time ending up very close to the starting line, but in a hotel that was far from up to standards. First, it had doors on the outside (a deal breaker for me). Second, it was hosting some Black Georgia Rally and these people were as thug as they come. I was seriously frightened when we heard the door rattling at around 2am but it was just a drunk guy at the wrong room... talk about a good night's sleep...The race started and ended at Olympic Centennial Park. It was about 40 degrees and raining, a good 20 degrees colder than the weather gurus had predicted. I had on pants but most of the runners around me hadn't brought any and were literally freezing their asses off. As the gun sounded the front line took an uphill climb which was neat to watch as you could see what looked like an entire army of runners spread out for miles. The route led us down into old Atlanta past the house where MLK was born. There were churches on nearly every corner and most of them had a choir out front singing us towards the finish line. We needed it as it started raining about this time and we were all wet and miserable. Being Atlanta this was a super hilly course, and the Virginia-Highland neighborhood was no exception. Running past mansions is pretty though, and it went by quickly. After a quick jaunt through the Georgia Tech campus we were back on Marietta Street and at the finish line! This was not a moment too soon because by then there were gale force winds of about 20mph. Wrapping in a sheet of insulation foil did nothing. I got my race bag from the holding area, stopped for a cup of coffee, and shook my way back up Spring Street to the hotel where I took the hottest bath of my life in the dirtiest bath tub I've ever seen.
Finish Time 2:14:39
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