Live from the balcony of the Hilton Oceanfront Va Beach…it’s Felicia Baxter(insert applause here) originally published in Facebook September 2009

Hey Ya’ll!!! Just wanted to share a few post race thoughts before I hit the road. First, not all Hilton’s are created equal, the only thing that saves the Hilton Oceanfront is my unobstructive view of the ocean from my balcony. The cost wasn’t bad at all because I booked via one of the many promotions through Hilton Honors. But what makes this place aggravating is no paper in the morning, no minibar in room, and jackass front desk staff(told adamantly I didn’t have a reservation and accused me of booking at the wrong Hilton, but home girl didn’t know what she was doing kept me waiting for 20 minutes and freaking me out, and I had already been checked in) (Next statement made as a reaction to the screaming kid and the 12 year old picking up the cold cuts with his bare hands…Where in the helicopter was his mama?) Also, trying to figure out, when did executive lounge come to mean 5 year olds screaming that they hate Frosted Flakes? Where is the family friendly lounge or a lounge where childless people can go and not be annoyed. (Yes I am a pediatrician, but I still don’t like other people screaming children outside of my hospital shifts)
And what makes this hotel a bit ghetto is there is no spa(they use the 1 massage room in the fitness center)…the concierge forwards you to the manager of “spa services” her cellphone and the hotel charges you$.95 for a local call. I am still salty that this is race weekend, 20000 people partcipated and like me a lot of people are staying at the Hilton and we all have jacked up feet. But there were no nail techs, why don’t people take advantage of opportunities. People would even tip well because you take the pain away. Also any hotel that charges 12 bucks a day for wireless when I know for a hotel this size it cost less than 3 grand to hook it up is just plain trying to rip me off…

Genetics really can limit you in what you are able to do at times. Flat feet and the resultant malalignment that gives you sore or fallen arches, tendonitis, bad ankles, bad knees and back pain makes it difficult to run just something that has to be overcome…short distances NB ok, saucony better…Nike hasn’t figured it out yet.

The Cytomax(gatorade wanna be) that they hand out at the water stations and is suppose to be better than water…turns out it gives you gas and diarrhea, not a good scene in a 13 mile race.

Sad when someone in a wheelchair blows by you in a race , even sadder when you are concocting a plot to jack them for the wheelchair for your own use because your feet are hurting so badly.

(Ok next few statements are only observations. I am not skinny, and I don’t have a runner’s body, actually I am from a family of women with ghetto booties and bad feet and I inherited both of those traits… but I was just stunned that there were people more out of shape than I was trying to run a 1/2 marathon.)

If your running shorts don’t cover up all the cellulite on the back of your thighs wear longer shorts that view for 1 or 2 miles is nauseating.

Also if you have cellulite on your spare tire hanging over your waistband don’t pick the size of the T shirt you want to be, get the XXXL that you truly need to cover it up. Crop tops or fitted Tees really aren’t made for everyone.

The inches that your gut hangs over your waistband is directly proportional to how long it will take the paramedics to revive you after you lose consciuousness(sp) after your coronary. Consider this and do something else to take the weight off before you enter a 1/2 marathon.

Also, if when you run and your breasts are leaving an imprint in your forehead Nike, NB, Sugoi all make appropriately fitted sport bras…get 1.

There is no place for men outside of the Tour de France in biker’s shorts…none. If you are not Lance and on a 10 speed wear something else.

I would love to do another 1/2 marathon but really would like to do it relay style. I ran the first 6.5 miles and spent the last 7 walking and cussing.(Most of the course in Va Bch takes you around in circles at Dam neck, that got old…redeemed by the frozen smoothie bites at water station)

These are just my random thoughts, take as seriously as you think they were intended.

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