2 minutes.

A lot can happen in 2 minutes ...

... pop a bag of popcorn.
... watch a movie trailer.

... microwave a Lean Cuisine.
... download a movie/song from iTunes.

I can also miss my goal by ... only 2 minutes.

This weekend was the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, SC. I picked up Tabor from the Charlotte airport Friday night at around 7:30 and we drove down to Charleston to start the weekend! I haven't seen Miss McKenney since she left us in December for the stupid state of Kentucky ... so I was so excited to have her back in the great state of North Carolina!

We arrived around 11:00 that night ... watched some Oregon basketball ... our gracious host is a die hard Oregon fan... and I layed out my race clothes and set my alarm ... and honestly debated just skipping the run all together...slightly jealous of those out enjoying a Friday night in Chucktown.

For those not familiar with the race -- it is a 6.2 mile (10k) that begins in Mt. Pleasant ... goes over the Arthur K. Ravenel Bridge (which as a steeeeeep incline) and then winds through King St and ends in downtown Charleston right at Marion Square.

Saturday morning I was up before my alarm even went off ... not out of excitement ... but more out of fear of over sleeping I think. Luckily we weren't too far from the start so we left the house about 30 minutes before the race started and Jeremy dropped me off about 1/2 mile away and I walked to my corral and just waited for my wave start to begin. Then, as I'm standing there ... Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs walked by. Lanterns, axes, wigs, elf shoes ... and everything.  I knew it was going to be a good run.

awesome. OH! and they also were singing "Hi Ho" as the race started.

The race started off well ...this year was the first year that the race involved a "wave start" meaning instead of 40,000 people starting at once ... we left in 3 minute intervals. The course was still crowded at the beginning and especially on the bridge on the way up ... but I could definitely tell a difference from the last time I ran it. I saw lots of interesting costumes ... including the Tortoise and the Hare, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, Couch Potatoes, and more ... which always makes the run more interesting.  Along the wall on the bridge too was the Chick-fil-A cow ... some VERY cute Charleston fire fighters and EMT trucks... (part of me wanted to fake an injury .... ha!)

I ran with my phone this year ... and decided to take a few photos while making the 6.2 mile journey to the other side! It was harder than I thought as I didn't want to actually stop running...so I only got a few.

waiting the corral for the race to begin!

more festive running outfits...

making our way UP the bridge!

but clearly -- the professional photos are a little better

LOTS of people trying to get over the Cooper River.

FINALLY - crossed the FINISH LINE -- at a time of 1:02 !

Beat my previous time by a minute .... but was 2 minutes past my goal.

Here's the REAL kicker ... I walked. At the top of bridge I hit a bit of a cluster and walked a little while I made my way around them ... then a little ways down the road... I walked again as I got my water....and then right before mile 5 I took another quick break.

 I didn't run with my Nike+ timer since I couldn't find my chip before I left Charlotte and I was unaware of where I stood with my time. I honestly thought I had already missed my goal ... so I didn't push myself to run faster as I ran the last 2 miles -- come to find out -- 2 minutes was all I needed.

 So .. yeah, I'm a little angry at myself for breaking down and walking.

My friends are sweet and trying to tell me that it was the fact that the course was still so crowded at the beginning and over the bridge that equaled my delay 2 minutes. However; one of these days... my chip time WILL be under an hour.  Although, next year...I think we are all going to walk/run it for fun and in costumes of some sort. Take some pictures with other people as we go. Austin wants to be a chef...and chase his friend Derrick in a Lobster suit for the 6 miles. I'm sure our creative minds will think of something for the rest of us ...

I ran into fellow co-worker, Kim who shaved 8 minutes off her time and finished at 1:24! Congrats!!

Post-Race shenanigans started out a little rough. First -- some of my friends didn't run the race. Second, those that did -- went back to the hotel and showered. The rest were waiting for the bridge to open back up so they could get to us and join us in downtown. So when I finally got in touch with them and tried to meet up with them .. I walked all the way to COAST. They were down the other direction at TOAST. So here I am after running 6 miles....walking ALL over Charleston, by myself --- I'm tired and hungry -- and as my friends know ... the gremlin needed to be fed. and sit down.

Finally, we caught up and ended up getting a table at T-Bonz ... Tabor, Jeremy, Joe and Kellen made it over the bridge -- and we had lots of good food and drinks :) and I got in a much better mood! I also asked for Jeremy to let me borrow a long sleeved shirt -- it was SO WINDY and I was so cold!

"are we going serious faces? or happy face? wait. you go serious. ill go smile"

believe it or not -- the Vanassa's ran ... but showered before lunch.

After a shower ... and more importantly a nap -- we made it back out for some college basketball and some more celebrations!!!

Ross, Austin and Matt

Tabor and Bean ... ready for the UK game!

(sorry guys!)

The ride home on Sunday might have been one of the best drives. ever. It involved all the windows down, sun roof back ... and Justin Bieber.

After listening to the 2 songs that Tabor had on her ipod .. she looked up at me from her phone and asked

"How do we feel about completing the album?"

Done. and done.

The following...oh 2 hours consisted of the Justin Bieber album... twice. and then just the songs we liked on repeat. literally .... for the rest of the ride home. and I think the saddest part is that we never tired of it. never. I will never say never...I will fight til forever... 

I think we just got hit hard with Bieber Fever. FOR REALS.

Overall ... another successful weekend in Charleston. clearly.