The Schmoopy Post aka Mystery Man Revealed

WARNING: This is mostly a non-running related post. Furthermore it's about as schmoopy as schmoopy can be. With that being said, here goes the unveiling of my mystery man! I know how much ya'll love a good scandal/love affair, so hopefully this doesn't disappoint. I think it's pretty frigging spectacular, but then again I am biased. (Gentlemen feel free to promptly click the red "x" in the top right corner if schmoopy's not your thing or proceed directly to the comment section to leave your smart @ss comment)

Begin Schmoopy.

After my rather cryptic OUC 5k Race Recap on Sunday it seems I have some 'splaining to do. Actually a few of you picked up on past cryptic posts and have been asking questions for awhile but I've been purposely putting it off. Why you ask? Because I do what I want! HA!

But seriously, a few of you have known about this for awhile (and I thank you for keeping my secret) and maybe a few of you had even figured it out or suspected (thank you for not stealing my thunder) but for those of you have haven't figured it out (which seriously, I don't know how you haven't... just saying...) here goes:

Way back in July a gentleman blogger stumbled over here and left me a comment. Being my gracious self I in turn visited his blog and found that he too was training for Chicago and was from my homeland! *Cue inevitable excitement* Over the next few months we kept in touch, hashed out about our respective training and eagerly counted down the weeks til the big day together... except as the days dwindled closer to Chicago I think we anticipated meeting almost as much as running the marathon. You know where this is going right? Have you figured it out yet?? No?!?!? Well let me direct you to a few posts here, here, and here (the vaca recap at the end...).

So yeah, that blogger meet-up at the Chicago Expo was a wee bit loaded with more than just a casual meeting of great running/blogging minds. Now let me just be clear here, the last thing I wanted or needed was to meet some stupid boy from Michigan. In fact I hoped I wouldn't find him attractive at all so we could meet up, have fun at the expo, race and drive up to Michigan and that would be IT! But sometimes that's just not how things work out...

The expo meeting was brief, I spent the entire time avoiding him like the plague and making him talk to B.o.B & my cousin because I have the dating tactics of a 5 year old; When I like a boy I act like I don't, but I already couldn't wait for our impending drive up to Michigan together. We spent the weekend texting and had a few late night convo's with encouraging words for the race but that's about it. Cue Race morning... When B.o.B jumped in with me at 22 miles the first thing I asked her was whether or not he had BQ'd, and he had! I was so happy for him and hoped that maybe I might get to hug him at the finish line. (Little did I know he was already there, waiting for me...) I finished, called the fam and then called him. He found me outside the finishers area and picked me up and twirled me around... there was a moment, caught up in the excitement, where I almost... ALMOST kissed him. I'm such a hussy. The moment passed... (hello my DAD was RIGHT THERE!!!) ...and instead we ate girl scout cookies and regaled in the excitement.

Tuesday after the race we had planned to meet up in the city, hit the aquarium and then road trip back to Michigan. We had a blast at Shedd's, but it was one of those scenario's where both of us where unaware what the other was thinking so there was a lot of charged looks and casual brushes of arms... When it was time to go we hit the viewing area for one last glimpse of the city... it was d@mn near magical. I had him jump up on a pillar with me to snap a pic and so came another moment... that again, passed unfulfilled. (For the record I constantly give him ish for not kissing me then!!! You should too just for good measure!)

We headed to the car and began our journey North. Ate far too much candy and genuinely enjoyed each others company. Before splitting ways in Jackson we arranged to hang out again that Friday; He wanted to take me out to dinner, a date if you will. Each time we talked after that, the date would entail more activities... First dinner, then add a movie, "What about we do our long run together? You have a long run Saturday right?" I was starting to think that maybe he kinda liked me?!?

Thursday, my birthday, ended up being a crap day/night. We were texting and before I knew it I receive a text; "I'm on my way." Like a knight in his trusty Earth destroying SUV steed he drove down to Jackson and "rescued" me. As we headed back to Spikeville, Bambi's mom made the mistake of jumping in front of said SUV and cue evisceration of deer/front end. Not exactly the best way to start out a romantic weekend but whateve's... we were fine and a good humored friend picked us up and deposited us at our intended destination.

Now I had intended on catching an early flight home Saturday morning but instead, held captive in Spikeville, I was forced to have the most amazing couple of days ever. Poor me huh? Flowers, a super fancy dinner where I so class-lessly flung shrimp across the restaurant (Can't take me anywhere), catching "Zombieland" at the movies and thereby starting an ongoing joke between us, tailgating at MSU, an autumn stroll around his stopping grounds, crappy bowling and finally cuddling on the couch, watching a NOVA special on Marathon training. (How romantic huh? Only runners...) The whole weekend was nothing short of amazing, where hours slipped by unnoticed and filled with many a schmoopy look... and just for the record, yes we finally kissed. Total. hussy.

After I left he spent countless man hours trying to convince me to date him, those d@mn lawyers wear you down every time, eventually I caved and relunctantly became one half of a L.D.R. Endless hours spent on the phone, un-godly amounts of texts/emails, more than a few posts filled with hidden messages to one another and last Thursday couldn't get here fast enough... I will now sum up the weekend in list format with pics! Yay!

• Thursday: The most gorgeous flowers EVER arrive at my work just before the end of the day (In keeping with his surprise tradition... first the box of leaves and then the cookies)
  
  
  
  
  His arrival @ MCO followed by a schmoopy look filled dinner at HUE in Thornton Park
  
  

• Friday: Thanks to the crap weather I had to cancel plans for the beach and instead dragged him around to run errands with me. 2 1/2 hours in the courthouse waiting to pay an expired tag ticket sure was romantic! LOL!
  
  Lunch w/ Beaker Luv & Fam which means he got to meet the always adorable Baby RJ! (I received the thumbs up text from Beaker Luv shortly after leaving lunch)
  
  Then it was off to see Ninja Assasin. Worst.movie.ever. Seriously.
  
  After a quick stop at Taco Bell (because it was Taco Bell Friday - What can I say he's a freak of nature that eats TB every Friday without fail) we met up with my whole crew of peeps for a meet & greet / dinner & drinks session.
  
  

  
  
  
  
• Saturday: OUC 5k - Read his recap HERE. We both took our age groups. Random huh?
  
  
  

  
  Rocking our Recovery Socks we headed over to the Orlando History Museum followed by a stroll around Downtown Orlando and Lake Eola.
  
  

  
  Then we had a fancy schmancy date night at Citrus! Mmmm!!! (Yes I know we look like we're going to Prom. Shut it!)
  

• Sunday: Time to say goodbye until next time... :(
  
  

So there ya have it... this little Redhead really did have a whirlwind love affair the likes of which romantic comedies are derived from back in October. He is the absolute most thoughtful, amazing boyfriend I have ever had and the whole scenario is the craziest thing that's ever happened to me but I wouldn't change a thing... except maybe the whole 1,200 miles that lay between us... details, details...

We found this post card @ the History Museum - How appropriate right?

This Redhead is totally smitten by a Spike. *le sigh*

End Schmoopy.