Halloween Race Report: Part One (Pre-Race)

  Yesterday morning started out very Halloween-esque (ie: completely nightmarish).  It began innocent enough, I woke up on time, got ready while the boys were still sleeping and took a few more pictures :)   My son was the first of the two to wake up, I got him fed and ready and got together some of the things I wanted to bring.  At this point it is getting close to the time I wanted to leave and Matt is still sleeping, I ask him to please get up because I want to go in 10 minutes.
   A little background: a day or two ago, Matt was complaining about waking up early on a Sunday and how he had work to get done and can't your dad go to the race with you so I can have some quiet time to work.  Well, I did not take those comments well at all, this race was really important to me and it was also Nolan's first ever fun run, I wanted him to be there and I thought he would want to be there.  Suffice to say things were a little strained between us because of this.
   So he wakes up and I am already sensing attitude about having to get up,  I have to ask him to get Nolan's shoes tied please so we can get out of here on time.  I unplug my iPod shuffle that has been charging overnight, I purchased a few new songs and made a play list the night before and I could not wait to listen to it while running.  If you ask me what is the WORST possible thing that could happen on race day I would say forgetting my iPod, seriously this is the kind of thing nightmares are made of.  So there is no way I was forgetting it, it is the one thing I make sure to have.

Dressed and ready to race, at this point I had no idea what
lay in store during the next hour.

     We are finally on our way out the door, a few minutes later than I wanted, but the race is only 10 minutes away so it should be fine and I have iPod in hand (ie: everything is good in the world).  Matt backs out of the driveway and we are in the street right outside the house when he asks if I have the camera so we can take pictures of Nolan's fun run.  No, I don't.  I am starting to stress out at this point but I hop out of the car, run into the house, grab the camera and rush back to the car.  Back on the road Matt tries to stop at 7-11 and I say no way in hell are we stopping right now, I still have to register, you and Nolan can go get food/coffee after you drop me off and go to park the car.  This is when all hell starts to break lose:
    It is around 8:10, we are still 5 min. away and the race starts at 8:30;  I suddenly realize I have NO IDEA where my iPod shuffle is.  I had it on my lap, but then I got out of the car to get the camera and in my frenzied state I don't remember if I brought the iPod into the house with me.  I look all around my seat, under my seat, in my back pack and determine that it is definitely not in the car anymore.  I am completely freaking out, I don't think I can race without my music.  Matt asks me if I want to go back, but we don't have time.  Also he is still not being nice in the least, does not help me look for the iPod at all and is stressing me out even more.
   We reach the race area, a volunteer directs us on where to park and I realize in horror that I am still a good ways away from the registration area and it is 8:20.  I get out of the car while they go park, I'm almost in tears and I don't even know if I'm going to make it on time.  I run down to the registration area, a few tears rolling down my cheeks, I am a crying football player (so much for my tough stance).
    I get there, fill out a form, and get in line behind five people, it is now 8:25.  Finally I make it to the registration desk, get registered and pin my number on.  At this point I start to relax, it is 8:28 and I need to get to the start line, but I notice that there are a good number of runners around me still  and they are all making their way to the line in no big rush.  I walk down to the line with the pack, find a good position for myself  and find out the race is not going off till 8:40.   Score!  I have approx. 8 minutes to calm down, get my wits about me and prepare to rock this race!

to be continued. . .