Everything’s Coming Up Virtual

Cinco de Mayo celebration passed me by yesterday and, because I can’t stand the smell of cheese, I didn’t even poke my head into the Community Room to see how the Nacho Social was going.

I did, however, pay homage to the day by having tacos for lunch -- that is, if you can call slapping leftover turkey chili into a gluten free corn tortilla shell, along with avocado, salsa and slaw a taco.

In addition, I had the same for dinner, except, I tried out a recipe for Coliflor Arroz Rojo, adding Mexican Cauliflower Rice to the meal.

The cauliflower rice was amazing. Had I not made it myself, I’d have thought I was eating one of those packages of Spanish Rice-A-Roni, that are so bad for you nutritionally speaking but which I was so fond of until angry gut changed my easy peasy pre-packaged lifestyle.

At any rate, that was my stress-free Cinco de Mayo, which may seem lonely and boring to others but surprisingly, the only times in my life when I felt lonely and/or bored has been in the company of others.

According to a flyer on the bulletin board, now that the Community Room television is back in business, in addition to bingo and the nacho social, the seniors were also scheduled to have a movie last night.

Content in my unit, plus I've seen it several times on television, I let Movie Night pass me by as well, but three events in one day … whew!

Gonna be some tired old folks walking around today.

Speaking of walking around …

I saw on Facebook this morning that Irvine California’s Great Donut Run 5K is offering a virtual this year.

Though it’s a party and always great fun to participate in person, it’s just not always feasible for me as I can’t hit the road at 4 a.m., drive a long distance AND participate that same morning. I need to rest. Consequently, I usually drive up the afternoon before and spend the night in a local hotel.

That’s fun too, but it was expensive, plus I got so tired of holding up medal ceremonies at races where everything was paused until the last runner/walker crossed the finished line and I was always the one to be last.

Even though I was 70, 71, 72 years of age at those times, and even though the other participants were supportive, standing around clapping me across the finish line, encouraging with “It’s not how fast you are, it’s that you finished”, and even though I was lucky and grateful to be able to accomplish such feats at my age, it was embarrassing, so I turned to virtuals.

Those virtuals seem to have caught on to where more and more of the races are now offering virtuals. Like last year’s Diva Run, Run Like a Diva, Black Girl’s Run and now this month’s Great Donut Run.

Everything's coming up virtual.

I’ve been out of commission on walking events since injuring my foot on uneven concrete, while participating with daughter at last year’s Mission Inn Run. I exacerbated the injury by ignoring the injury and participating with daughter in the Turkey Trot a few weeks later. The pain finally forced me to bow out of the Citrus Run and off walking events for the last six months. I kept active, however, by purchasing and putting together a Schwinn 130.

The foot feels ready to get off the bike and hit the concrete, so I registered as virtual for the May 21st Donut Run.

Looks like I get a t-shirt AND another cool medal for the board.

What I don’t get are donuts.

Those participating in person encounter donut stations along the course … Krispy Kreme no less.

Race organizers are also offering a Gluten Free Donut option -- “We will provide these specially formulated donuts … We've been testing these donuts all around town and we'll make sure they're as yummy as the rest of our donuts!"

There’s even a Donut Hole Zone near the half way point “where delicious donut holes will be passed out by our Donuteer Team!”

Sounds so fun that I was tempted to spring for a hotel and participate in person, but decided not to test my gut with gluten-free donuts and settled for a solo walk.

I’ve not been to the area of the local golf course for a while so, instead of the university campus, I’m envisioning a 3.12 mile route up a hill, down a hill and around perimeters of the golf course.