Post Season

Hello All!!!  Guess what time it is......

That's right, you guessed it!!  We are knee deep in post season baseball and it makes me so happy!!  Don't get me wrong, I love me some football but when my St. Louis Cardinals are kicking ass through the month of October, nothing makes me happier.  For the past 2 weeks I have worn the same red articles of clothing over and over again.  My red stripped sweater may be worn out before I know it.  Its a time where I become so superstitious, it is kind of crazy.  For example, the Cardinals played to Dodgers on Monday night in LA, they held a 2-0 series lead.  My 2  Cardinal tervis were dirty so I grabbed my 2011 World Series Champions cup instead...HUGE mistake.  I jinxed them.  Lesson learned, Trust me!  In 2011, it was rally undies

I think my favorite part about post season baseball in St. Louis is how the entire city gets on board.  Businesses put huge signs on the sides of their buildings to show their support of the Boys in Red.  The stadium fills with excited fans game after game, never leaving an empty seat in the house!  This is the time when heros are born and memories are made.  I can't count the times I have been downtown celebrating a cardinals post season victory and run into old friends or made new friends.  You can only imagine how fans are during the post season when in 2010, we lobbied to get Opening Day a Missouri Holiday!

Right now the Cardinals have a 3-1 series lead over the LA Dodgers in the NLCS.  This is a familiar place for us.  Last year, the Birds appeared to be unstoppable as the they took at 3-1 lead over the Giants, only to be stopped dead in their tracks.  That sting takes a while to wear off.  We spent our winter reading what we  can and trying not to believe all the rumors.  We wait and wait for the day when pitchers and catcher report to Spring Training.  And finally, that fateful day in April is here...Opening Day and it is a new year...a new time and what happened last year is a thing of the past.  While we never forget, the excitement of the upcoming season takes over.  A winning streak in April means we will win the World Series, a drought in July means we have no chance at the Post season.  The unexpected success of a division rival makes for an interesting and exciting season. Taking the NLDS to game five against a high flying Pittsburgh Pirates had all of Cardinal Nation holding their breath.  We sent our Ace to the mound and he did exactly what he needed to do.  With the help of good hitting and some great defense, we find ourselves here, playing in the NLCS, against a young and very talented Dodger team.  The wins and losses through out the season don't matter now.  The slate is clean.
Well accept for the All-Star...that one still  matters.  All that matters now is that you come out on top today.

I will put money on the the fact that the bars today at 3 PM will be full of people in business attire "taking a meeting" or "having a late lunch".  I say that because I know that I will be one of them.  Bosses understand, they want to, or will be doing the same thing.  The entire city is behind this team.  As much as a series win at home is nice, we would all just prefer they win.  I am literally counting down the hours until the first pitch.  I can't wait!  So until that time comes,


Eat, Drink, and Be Mary

On the Run

I need to get much better about posting, I mean, its not like I don't have the time, comes more from being lazy.  This week, another tragedy happened....there was a bombing at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.  I mean honestly, what is wrong with people these days??  First of all I am a "runner".  I put that in quotes because as of late, it is not something I have done too much of.  I played college soccer and have been doing  half marathons since the summer I graduated, I think it is ok for me to take a little break!

We have made running a family thing in my family.  I got my dad hooked and it was a trickle down from there.  We are all participating in some capacity in the Carle Clinic Race in Champaign in a couple weeks.  I am looking forward to doing my first marathon relay and enjoying some fun times with family.   While everything is fun and exciting, I hate that from now on, runners may be afraid.  Afraid of what will happen to them as they approach the finish line or cross a certain mile marker.  I just don't understand it.  Why are people so horrible?  I feel like I was brought up to believe people, in general were good, and the bad ones started good.  I am learning now, as I approach 30 that, sadly, people are bad.  The good ones are hard to find.  I am lucky enough to have tons of good people in my life and I am so thankful for that.  Isn't there enough bad in this world that we can't control?

Family Pre-Race

Obviously, the deaths and injuries are the worst part about this whole situation.  I cannot imagine what the father of the 8 year old boy that died is having to deal with emotionally....I actually would prefer not to think about it.  As I sat and watched replay after replay, one thing I noticed was that the first bomb went off in the middle of all the flags representing the different countries that runners come from to run this race. This event is supposed to bring nations together regardless of what is going on in the world. 

 The Boston Marathon is a chance for people, real people, to be at the top of their athletic field and they travel from all over.  Yes, some may be Olympians or the best from their countries but some may be a guy like my future brother-in-law and his friends.  They love to run and because of that,  become one of the best.  To even qualify is an amazing fete in and of itself but I cannot imagine what people feel as they cross the finish and know that they competed with the best of the best, in the world.   I only run half marathons at this point and in discussions, people say "Would you ever do a full?  Would you ever try to qualify?"  In the running world, you ask that question and everyone would know what you are talking about.

I will tell you, that I will run and continue to do races and trust the amazing people in charge of keeping me safe.  I will put faith and hope in our government that they will find the sick person that did this and punish them to the fullest extent of the law.  I refuse to let bad people dictate what I will or will not do with my life!

Dad finishing his first Marathon, Miami


Until Next time,
Eat, Drink and Be Mary

Family Post Race