Awesome run, Awesome-r Brother

Work today was alright...the restaurant was busy, but I had soooo many tables that sat FOREVER. We usually turn our tables pretty quick because not too many people stick around after breakfast, but my tables were extra chatty today. Which is fine...but when you're two people sitting at my table for six and then only leave me a three dollar tip...I get a bit annoyed. Note to readers: tip your servers well, they will really appreciate it! :)

Busy busy day today! The MARYLAND game was on right when I got home from work, so I watched them have a pretty good battle against Duke. (We flipped back and forth between that game and the Illinois game...although we gave up on the Illinois game once they were officially getting bombed my Purdue...my dad wasn't too happy.) Right when the game was over, I quickly changed and headed out for my run, as my brother is in town and we were headed to dinner right after...it was getting late already! My run was INSANE, however. Check it out:

Saturday, March 14 (Pi Day!!)
9.08 miles in 1:05:42, avg pace of 7:14

Ummmmm I don't know where that came from!! I kept thinking that I felt good but that I should slow down, and I felt like I was slowing down, but then my garmin would beep and my pace was still super fast. Gives me better hope for a good marathon, although it will DEFINITELY be at a slower pace than today...I'm not sure how much longer I could have held it for, although I kept saying that during the run and the miles kept clicking off. I'm probably going to pay for that tomorrow, but it was so nice out (in the 50's!!) and I had lots of energy. I must have ran past at least six cops...I didn't know the downtown area of my city (suburbia!) was going to get crazy for St. Patrick's Day, but I guess the cops weren't going to take any chances.

After the run, we headed immediately out to dinner to celebrate my brother officially getting out of the Army. (California Pizza Kitchen! I tried the buffalo chicken pizza...yum!) He went to West Point for four years, then served in the Army for five and a half years (including two tours in Iraq), and then spent 15 months in the Reserves. He's been ruled 40% disabled as a result of his service, as he has trouble breathing with exercise (he was a runner!) and he said something about a head injury. He also received a Purple Heart while in Iraq, as a rocket-propelled grenade hit a building he was in, but he said he was up and running before he realized he had shrapnel in his leg and that his pants were all bloody. I always looked up to him when I was younger, as most of my interests are a result of me liking them because he liked them. Examples: Running, playing the trombone, baking. Although I definitely never had any plans to join the military. The funny part is that on his old myspace profile, under "Heroes" he wrote, "My sister. She does everything I do, but better." Awww. My family is very happy that he is done with his service...I'm not sure my mom (or brother!) could handle another deployment.

Off to bed, working at 5:30 tomorrow morning! Good luck to everyone racing this weekend!