PRR Recap

Three Things I Really Didn’t Like About the PRR

-The completely insane walk back to MARTA…that part of the race should be called the MARTA 2K!

-The heat…the hills…the humidity. Enough said!

-Spending 45 minutes trying to find my car at the Lindbergh MARTA station after the race. Story below...

Three Things I Loved About the PRR

-The patients from the Sheppard Center cheering for you on Cardiac Hill…it’s so inspiring!

-The first 3 miles being downhill!

-Running into a childhood friend that I haven’t seen in years! Story below...

So...this year I decided to park at the Lindbergh MARTA station instead of at Avondale simply because it meant I was only 1 stop away from the Lenox Station instead of about 10 stops away and I knew it would take less time. I parked in the parking garage, got on the train (which was almost empty which never happens the morning of the PRR), got off at Lenox...and went on my merry little way to my starting coral for the race. After the race and the freaking insane UPHILL walk to the closest MARTA station to Piedmont Park which is the Midtown Station, I thought I was just going to hop on the train and go north one stop, get off, get in my car, and go home. Well...that's not what happened. When I got to the midtown station, they were using the buses to shuttle us to the Lindbergh Station..so I hopped on the bus and off we went. When we got to the Lindbergh Station, they dropped us off (I still haven't figured out where they dropped us off) and I immediately knew that I didn't know where I was. I followed the crowd and things started to look familiar...I saw the train platform and saw a parking deck...and then another one...and then another one...and so on! After going through 3 different parking decks and not finding my car, I decided I needed to retrace my path from the morning....so I walked up to Piedmont Avenue to get my bearings straight and finally figured out which parking deck I was in. I knew what level I had parked on but for the life of me, I could not figure out how to get to that level...there were gates down, the doors to the stairs were locked, etc. I was using my little key thing and could hear my car when I unlocked the doors, I just couldn't see it. Anyways...about 45 minutes after I got off the shuttle bus, I finally found my car...don't think I have ever been so happy to see my little Camry!

Now here is the fun story...every year I have done the PRR, I have run into someone I know...someone from school, an old neighbor...but nothing, and I mean, nothing could prepare me for this year's surprise run-in. It was before the race and I was walking to my starting coral just minding my own business and taking everything in. There were people everywhere, helicopters swarming overhead, and just an excited feeling in the air. As I was walking, I noticed this guy from behind me start walking towards me kind of quickly. The next thing I know, I hear him say "Melissa H- - - - -"...and then I instantly knew who it was...it was the guy who lived next door to my grandparents when we were growing up! I said, "oh my gosh...Chip!" We hugged and stood there and talked for a few minutes and then both realized we had to go to just about the same place to so we kept walking towards the starting corals together. We had the best time catching up with each other. We figured that we hadn't seen each other since my Nannie's funeral and even then, it was only for a moment or 2. It was a total surprise because neither of us knew that the other was a runner/walker. We probably talked for about 40 minutes and then we each headed to our start location. It was just such a nice surprise to run in to him!!