Trip Report: Columbia, SC

Sonsabitches and a friend heading towards the finish line.

ROAD TRIP, BITCHES!

Months ago, the bitches and sonsabitches decided to road trip it down to Columbia, SC for their marathon weekend. At the time of sign up (months ago), I thought it would be my comeback marathon. Sadly, the winter had other plans and I had to drop down to the half. 

Thanks to some nasty weather the day before we were supposed to leave, the trip ALMOST didn't even happen. But, I was so ready to get away for a weekend and The KoB wasn't scared to drive all 6 of us through icy roads to get out dodge, that we managed to make it down to Columbia with plenty of time to go to packet pick-up, check into hotel rooms, and grab dinner on Friday night.

It was glorious. The 7 hour car ride on the way down was full of hilarity and snacks and I think we all bonded over seeing an older, larger man changing clothes out in the open at a rest stop. THANKS FOR POINTING HIM OUT, MELISSA. NOW WE ARE ALL BLIND.

I lived in Columbia, SC for 4 years while attending The University of South Carolina (GO COCKS!). And I hadn't really spent any time back there since graduation. So, I was pretty excited to go back and see the changes and show The KoB my old stomping grounds.

Saturday morning the weather was a perfect low 40s with a bright sun and the course was absolutely beautiful. It took you through the prettiest, quietest neighborhoods in Columbia. But, the price for the beauty was pretty steep. Like, literally steep. It was the hilliest half marathon I've ever ran. HILLY. 

See that little bitty elevation chart in the bottom

right corner?

YEAH ME NEITHER!

Despite the hills, it was one of my favorite races of all time. I finished in 2:06-2:07 and ran with a smile on my face the entire time. It was fantastic.

After the race, I met up with the Bitches who had already finished (of course, bitches). Melissa won Masters in the 5K and Cheryl somehow missed the finish line of the Half (uhhhh... It was a huge inflatable finish line with the words FINISH on it. Not sure how that happened). Tanya and Cheryl headed back to Tanya's mother's house (her mother lives in Columbia) and Melissa and I headed back to the hotel to shower before spectating the SoBs marathon finish.

It was not that cold. We are just pansies.

Anyway, they finished and the race was hilly and I would not really recommend for a PR attempt, but I would recommend as a fun, low-key race. 

ENOUGH about the race... now the good stuff!!

After the race, we met up with my friend Dustin who drove down from Charlotte to hang out with us.

The Cocks Alumni of the group:

Tanya, me, and Dustin.

GO COCKS!

The Run Bitches at the Historic Horseshoe

Grabbing a beer at Hunter Gatherer

After gallivanting all over campus and having lunch, ice cream, and beers, Tanya invited us over to her mother's house for more alcohol and snacks.

Melissa's face: I don't believe a word this bitch is saying right now.

Not sure what everyone is so pissed off about in this photo.

THERE WAS MUCH WINE.

After I had a bottle of wine, I wanted to go back to the hotel and have a drink in their Vault Bar (the hotel used to be a bank and the vault was now a martini bar). MUCH TO MY DISMAY, THE FUCKING BAR WAS CLOSED FOR A PRIVATE EVENT. So we went up to the rooftop bar and I don't remember much of what happened after that:

This photo accurately depicts my memory of the night.

Holding onto Jeff and The KoB with death grips, because

I was probably one breath away from falling on my ass on the ground.

And somehow, Cheryl always looks like she just walked out of a 

magazine advertisement in photos. BITCH.

The next morning I woke up with a helluva hangover. THANKS WINE. And we packed up and headed out of Columbia. 

The ride home was just a fun as the rest of the weekend, complete with a guy on the interstate trying to tell us that something was wrong with the side of our rented Suburban. We pulled off and saw...

 Um. Nothing.

In the end, it was a PERFECT weekend with PERFECTLY suited friends. I am looking forward to more bitch trips in the future...