I finished Mockingjay – the last book of the Hunger Games trilogy on the way home from Las Vegas today. Ugh. I’m sad. I got really caught up in the story and was rooting for one ending until the last few chapters. Then, I changed my mind but the story didn’t change and I’m sad. I need closure with the other guy!
Okay, I know that’s weird. But, anyone else on this page too?
Anyways, Ben and I were home from Vegas by 10am. It was the best drive home from there ever (normally traffic is horrible). 
We took a quick nap and then got to business. I unpacked, ate lunch and went grocery shopping. 
A full fridge is a happy fridge 
Vegas did not help unpack…
The bad thing about traveling for races is that you end up being stuck in a car or plane after a very long run. This makes my legs super stiff and more sore. I wore my compression socks on the way home to help with recovery. 
Then, I checked my ‘To Do’ list – 2 down, 5 to go
Since the only thing I was setting up yesterday was my belly full of frozen hot chocolate, I didn’t do Sunday Set Up last night. 
So here is my Monday Set Up for the week:
Workouts:
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Monday – Walk
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Tuesday – Tempo Run
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Wednesday – Strength
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Thursday – 15 miles
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Friday – 3.1 miles & Strength
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Saturday – Yoga or Rest (I should do yoga, but let’s be honest)
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Sunday – Holiday Half Marathon
Yeah – I almost forgot I have another half marathon this coming weekend! I signed up for it the longest time ago and it totally slipped my mind.
Now I’ve got a short work shift and then an early bed time! Hopefully, I won’t fall asleep in public again, cause it’s not pretty… 
Did you race this weekend? How did it go??? I know there were a ton of peeps doing RnRLV – how did you guys do? Please share
{ 50 comments… read them below or add one }
I am in COMPLETE agreement with how you feel about the end of Mockingjay! I was not happy. The only thing I didn’t like about the series was the end! A bit lame, but I still can’t wait for the movies.
PS I am mega jealous that you ran the RNRLV Half, I would love to just *go* to Las Vegas, or actually anywhere in the US! Running there would be such a dream.
I’m born and raised in Las Vegas, so it would be expected that this was my first half marathon.
I loved it! It was a little crowded and I wanted to go a little faster, but I won’t go overboard. I’ve already caught the bug though, as I’m looking for my next. I’m thinking Pasadena, even though it seems really hilly. What do you think?
I’ve heard Pasadena is hilly, but I haven’t done it.
Ahahahahha. I fink I just died.
Happy fridge = happy Katelyn.
I read the Hunger Games trilogy about two month ago, and I’m just now ready to give my heart to a new set of characters. While I wasn’t too thrilled about the ending, I feel that it was OK. Perhaps the movie that’s due out in February will be enough to soothe your achey heart =)
I am in total agreement with you about the ending of the Hunger Games – I need there to be another book because that guy issue is totally unresolved! Also, I feel like they will have a hard time making a believable movie out of that third book… we’ll see!
LMAO at that last picture! So me + drool dripping onto my shirt.
I was there running the RnR half! It was my first half marathon and I was super excited and I thought well-trained. Turns out it was much harder than I expected. You make 13.1 miles look so easy, Monica! I cried when I finished I was so happy and relieved. Today I can’t walk without wincing in pain, haha. I figured I’d finish in 1 hour 20 minutes based on my 10K time but ended up finishing in 2 hours and 48 minutes. Yikes! I was also bummed to be in corral 29 (we started after 6 pm) and have to dodge people the entire time.
Well, that was a negative recap. I am actually really happy I kept jogging the entire time. I need to focus on the positive!
You did it! Stay positive
Jaren,
I ran my first half this weekend, too. (here in Louisiana, not in Vegas). It was tougher than I thought and I was slightly disappointed in my time, but I am so excited to train harder and get faster for my next one.
I read blogs of a lot of runners who have been marathoning for a long time, and I understand what you are saying about them making it look easy. I was almost slightly embarrassed to post my time on my blog, because everyone else is so fast!
But the night of my half, I was talking with a friend. I was kinda downplaying the whole “I ran a half marthon today” thing and he told me that I should be super proud of myself and my accomplishment. He said that while, sure, a lot of people have run half marathons, and a lot have run them faster than me, MOST people have never finished one. As a matter of fact, no one else at that party had ever finished one, nor probably ever would.
I just thought you might want to know someone else was feeling the same way! But I am going to focus on the positive, too. I ran a half marathon this weekend and that is pretty awesome!
Love this! Very true, thanks.
i ate a lot. thats how vegas went for me.
You also ran a lot. Fast.
are you doing santa to the sea? i am planning on doing it! if you are, will you let me know? it would be fun to see you
No, I’m doing the Holiday Half (they’re both this weekend, right?)
Yeah I was disappointed in the ending of the series. My fave was the first one and I’m with you that I was rooting for the other dude. But I like how she pulled it all together in the 10, 20 years down the road thing…
My boyfriend and I have only gotten through book 1 (since we figured it would be a great audiobook to listen to tegether on long drives) we really liked it. Then he went on reedit and spoiled a big part of the next few books! I’m very upset at him for it. Ha. Hoping to get through the next few with all the holiday driving!
I didn’t know how I felt about the ending. I liked the overall outcome, but I felt like it was a really brief ending for such a long story, you know? I think there could have been a little more detail and explanation…
YES! Totally agree. They tried to wrap it up in one chapter after all that.
I NEED To read these books. Love the compression socks. I have Zensah sleeves but the CEP’s I tried on at the expo were amazing!
Wow you are my hero…love how on the week you do a half marathon, it’s not even the longest run of the week!
I did RnR and did well for the first 8.5 and then got massive, massive shin splints and calf cramps. I think it was the combo of being cheap and putting 600 miles on my shoes and the cold. And then we got stuck in the Mandalay Bay mob. But the strip was pretty
And the drive back to socal today was cake.
Feel better
Are you doing Pomona?
Thanks
I’m done until Surf City. I need to take a few days off and draw up a more focused training plan. Sometimes a “bad” race is motivating!
No running for me this weekend, but I have a little fun run I’m doing with my students at our middle school next weekend. I love reading about all these Las Vegas updates on everyone’s blog. You are all so inspiring! Great job on the race! And yay for no traffic! That 15 freeway sucks sometimes!
I was WISHING I was there. Does that count?
I like your happy fridge. And your cute socks.
It was a fun weekend. Didn’t like the congestion on the strip. My brother said that he heard on the local news that RnR wants to grow the race to 60,000 peeps next year. Def. won’t do it next year if they do that. Not sure about this for next year! Sad, because I’ve loved Vegas the previous years. Maybe I’ll come for the cheering squad/designated driver next year instead!
Happy to hear you had a fun weekend!! Nice job on the half too!! xo
Wish we’d hung out more, but it was good to see you
I love the hunger games series but Mockingjay was my least favorite. I can’t wait for the movie though.
Living in Chicago, there aren’t too many races going on with our snowy winters – I’m already looking forward to spring!
P.S. If you liked the hunger games, you should read Divergent by Veronica Roth. It’s similar but still different.
Yup, I did the 10km race of the Angkor Wat Half Marathon event. Absolutely gorgeous.
I love that last image. I was on the skytrain the other day and there was a man with his bike. He had his arm wrapped around the seat to keep it upright against him, but he wasn’t really leaned against it. He kept passing out and only waking up when the bike was about to tip over, and because he wouldn’t use the bike as a headrest at all, he was sitting straight up with his head tipping back constantly, so it was really a startle when he’d wake up, hehe.
I am in complete agreement about the Hunger Games. I finished them a few weeks ago and am still annoyed at the ending.
No race last weekend, but thinking about one this weekend!
Haha, the “expectation/ reality” picture is SO true!
I was supposed to run in the Hot Chocolate race in DC this past Saturday, but the girlfriend I was supposed to run with got sick and couldn’t do it- she had my bib, so I didn’t run either. But I’ve heard that was probs for the better since no one has had a positive comment about it :/ Bummer for RAM racing…
I thought the ending could have been at least twice as long, at least, felt so rushed that I was disappointed.
My favorite thing about your to-do list is the FU emails – HA! I have a few of those that I would like to send! (Yes, I know it means follow-up but at first glance….)
The ending of Hunger Games definitely left me wanting more. The other guy was my favorite character, I didn’t need the main character to end up with him, but would have liked to have had more closure for him.
I like the ending of the Hunger Games books, mainly because I’m a sucker for happy endings. Although, I do wish there would have been more explination and not just a neat little wrap up. It all seemed to end too quickly and easily. I just re-read the series for the third time and felt SO sad when I was finished. I get way too invested in books, especially when they are a part of a series.
Me too! I feel so invested in it I’m still bummed like it’s real
I didn’t like the ending because I thought it ended to quickly and I agree about the lack of closure. The real reason I didn’t like the ending was because it was the end. Booo. I wanted to keep reading every day. I need to fill my fridge too. Have a great day Monica and Billy and I are still laughing about how funny Ben was.
I wish we would have talked about the book! I can’t get it out of my brain.
I can’t wait to read Mockingjay. It’s the last one I have left to read in the series.
I ran LV RnR this weekend too. Had a great time and can’t wait to do it again. Or maybe I just want to go back to Las Vegas and eat more. Whatever.
Oh no – did I miss you at the meet up?!
I felt the ending of the last book was way too rushed. I think a fourth book was needed in order to capture all of that. Especially since the first two have a much slower pace.
I loooooved those books! I definitely agree though, the author really did NOT wrap up the story line for the other guy. Sad
Now that I finished them I don’t know what to do with my life haha.
I loved the Hunger Games series, but was totally disappointed with the end of the third book, so I’m with you on that one! It’s funny because my co-worker and I were just talking about the last book today at lunch! Hope you enjoyed them! Love your blog too!
I agree – the third one totally did not live up to my expectations of the series as a whole.
I absolutely love your Coach suitcase! You make me want to take the plunge and get one!
Oh man, I’m still on the first Hunger Games book (chapter 14, woo!), but now I’m looking forward to getting to that last one so I can see what you’re talking about!
I love that you forgot about a half marathon. Sounds like something I’d do.
I get so gung ho after one race that I go and register for 1012901921 more, without thinking about the money, how it’s going to look on my calendar, or where the heck I’m going to stuff another free t shirt!