Good morning and HAPPY FRIDAY!
Race weekend is finally here and I couldn’t be more excited! I’m wedged between Ali and Theodora on our Bolt Bus heading down to Washington, DC.
Last night, after a very long week at work, I was able to convince Mike and Bo to meet me for a beer, or two. 
What can I say? Last I heard, beer has carbohydrates and those are definitely crucial for a great race. Or, I could also rationalize last night’s late night with the fact that it took my mind off the race. Regardless, I enjoyed every minute of our race weekend pre-party.
By 9pm, the bars were packed with basketball fans which made staying at Sutton Place virtually impossible. Bo, Mike and I were screaming just to hear ourselves. That was not what I had in mind. Luckily, Mike suggested The Mean Fiddler, a bar near Times Square which features a thorough food and drink menu, which allowed me to find some much needed food quickly.
I enjoyed half this turkey burger with a cold Amstel Light while my male friends enjoyed the fries. It had been ages since I had a turkey burger. I forgot how delicious they can be when seasoned correctly!
Look who else joined the late night party!
Theodora saw that I checked in at the Mean Fiddler on Four Square and immediately joined us for a beer and a few laughs.
While I may have only seen my comfortable bed and sheets for six hours last night, I enjoyed every minute of our “late” happy hour last night. I rarely go out during the week but this may have to happen a bit more often.
This morning, I woke up bright and early to finish packing, double check my list for the twentieth time, and get ready for the bus ride.
One really full carry-on suitcase later, I think I remembered everything! Here are a few random things you’d see in my bag if you took a peek:
- banana
- two slices of Nature’s Pride Harvest Wheat bread (Thanks Foodbuzz)
- a jar of peanut butter
- The stick
- three Ziplock bags (I’ll use these to protect my iPhone and Gu’s in my CamelBak)
- CamelBak
- Stuart Weitzman heels
Which of these things doesn’t belong.
By 8:15 we were all in line ready to board the bus.As you can tell from this picture, including the guy with the foam roller, our bus is filled with runners! But, it wasn’t 100% smooth sailing for everyone in line. We learned a few very important Bolt Bus lessons this morning:
- You must be 15 minutes early or they’ll give your seat away
- They aren’t very nice when they give your seat away so crying doesn’t help
- They give you cheap bus fares so do not expect great customer service
- They do not have a guest list with names, only confirmation codes. Therefore, PRINT your confirmation page ahead of time. (Ooops)
- Choose your seat mate well because sometimes a 4 hour trip can turn into a 6 hour trip if the Tunnel is shut down due to an accident
Now it’s time to perfect my race play list, continue carb loading with a breakfast of champions (thanks Theodora), and take a cat nap.
Have a wonderful Friday and weekend! My next post will be from DC. 
