Phoenix-Day 3-The After Party

So where were we? Oh yes, I'd just crossed the finish line and realized that it wasn't about me.

Every TNT runner had to go to the finisher's tent and check in so that the volunteers could go home and not spend their night walking the race course calling out our names.

I had to go to the tent to meet Becky!

Becky has been commenting on my blog for a while and told me that she was going to be in the tent. I was so excited to meet her! I quickly checked in and started asking people if they knew a Becky.
I found her by the mountains of Jelly Sandwiches. She told me that sweet little Boy Scouts had made lots and lots of PBJ sandwiches...then they found out peanut butter had been recalled...the Jelly Sandwich was delicious. Becky was sooo sweet! She even took a picture with me in all my sweaty, salty glory.

Speaking of sweaty and salty...I was really impressed when I saw pictures of the Angels later. We all looked pretty good!

This is my sweet friend Lorene. We knew each other in college. She is one hot mama and lives in California with her adorable son. Even though she's a working mom, when she bought a cookbook from me she sent a little extra with her check. It was not necessary, but just like her. She might be joining the Angels for our reunion race in San Diego in June 2010.

So what do most half marathoners do after the big race? I'm sure most go back home and put their feet up. But if you're part of the greatness that is Team in Training, you have dinner...oh, and a dance.

Dance? Are they crazy? Well, they might be on to something here.

I am Nazarene. Does anyone know what that means? It means that I don't know how to dance. Since my high school never had dances, just banquets, I've just never learned. I did have one boyfriend at a different school who took me to a dance. Since the school was in the country I came away from that evening knowing how to two-step...and not much else.

But you know what? When in Phoenix...

I caved into a little peer pressure and walked to the dance floor. Imagine my surprise when I found out dancing is just a little swaying, a little twisting, and a little bouncing. I can do that! Luckily I took my camera so I could stop from time to time and take pictures.

I wasn't the only Nazarene on the dance floor. These three women are all married to Nazarene pastors.

When they tried to dance the only thing that happened was a little Nazercise 'Sprinkler'.

Sadly, most Angels made me promise not to post dancing pictures. I luckily thought that they might have some interesting ones of me, so a deals a deal! But when you have a group of women dancing together...some interesting men show up.
Especially this one.
Oh wait. That's the devil of our Angels. Tracy's husband and Mitchell's dad. Poor thing, he was surrounded by women for almost 5 straight days. He did survive, but just barely.

After a few more pictures...

One with my favorite coach, Mark...

And my awesome roommate Becky...
I took my worn out body, walked back to the hotel, and crashed.

What an amazing journey. I feel honored to be an Angel and a TNT team member. If you are ever given the opportunity to work with this amazing organization, please do. You will come away better than when you started.

And you might just learn it's not about you.