We finally made it to California!
It was an interesting morning…
We rushed out the door to make it to the airport in time only to be there for over 6.5 hours waiting for our plane. They didn’t know how long the delay was going to be (or if we would ever even board) so we couldn’t leave and we had a lot of hours to entertain ourselves.
Brooke spent a lot of time working on her yoga.
She made friends with this little boy and they colored, played catch and watched Monsters Inc. They didn’t mind the delay one bit.
PS Brooke insisted on wearing her Rudolph socks over her leggings so that she could see them. Trendsetter.
The airport we were flying out of is super small. They have two vending machines and that is it. We brought some snacks because I figured we would grab lunch once we got to California but when 2 pm rolled around we were starving and look who came waltzing in…
My mom saved the day (plane delays aren’t that bad when your stomach is full and happy) and brought a Kneader’s salad for me and Brooke’s favorite kid’s meal. She really is the best.
The plane was all ready to go and we left the 18 degree weather for some warmer temperatures.
We flew into LAX, grabbed the rental car and she napped on the drive which made for a few minutes of good cuddling right before the drop-off.
The whole drop-off thing always puts me in a funk for a little bit (I try to stay as positive as possible about it in front of Brooke because this relationship is SOOO important and good for her) but it is still just all so bizarre and my brain can’t stop thinking a million miles a second.
This is where running comes in… I was going to try to make it to Megan’s (she is in Arizona right now) parents’ house yesterday but because of the flight delay it was too late to make the drive so instead I grabbed a hotel. Gotta love a good hotel gym. The treadmills were awesome and the weights sure looked nice;)
I rarely (if ever?) run at night but it felt so good last night. Each mile helped my brain to slow down and to relax and that sweat/endorphins thing… it is just the best.
After my run I hung out OUTSIDE by the fire for a bit because you can’t do this sort of thing in Utah right now.
And then I went back to my room for my Flame Broiler takeout. Veggies, chicken and brown rice (drenched in their ‘secret sauce’ after the picture).
Everybody Loves Raymond. I do too.
Time to go to church and then make my way over to Arizona for a few days!
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Have any plane delay/airport stories to share?!?! Would love to hear (read) them!
What was your dinner last night?
Do you ever run at night? How often?
50 comments
Sara @ LovingOnTheRun
I have run a few times past 11:00 PM and there is just something very relaxing about it! It doesn’t happen often!
Sometimes plane travel can be very frustrating! One time we missed our flight for a cruise, had to drive from NC to FL to meet the boat at its second stop! Not ideal, but there were some great memories made!
The Hungry Runner Girl
AHHHH missing a flight when you have something you need to be too must be so extremely stressful! There was a family at the airport yesterday trying to make a cruise and I was so stressed for them! Glad you made it for the second stop!
Michele @ paleorunningmomma
I almost never run at night – I haven’t in years! Last night we took the kids out for mexican and then ice cream afterwards which was really fun and unusual for us.
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious
I haven’t worked out at night in a really long time. When I have done it, it feels really bizarre! Your Mom is seriously the best! You are so lucky to have her and have her living so close to you too.
Daisy @ Fit Wanderlust Runner
I used to run at night when I lived in Fresno. I also worked days and somehow managed enough energy to get a quick run after working 12 hours. Definitely don’t do that now! So I had a really bad flight experience in Nashville once. I flew Frontier and they were horrible! Our plane never arived but they said they had one available. Only problem was that it was broken and waiting for parts to be flown in. They had no other available flights for us so we had to spend $1,000 to get a flight to LAX from another airline. Their customer service was horrendous and they never reimbursed us!
Laura @ This Runner's Recipes
I never run at night, but I usually strength train around dinnertime.
Flying during the holidays is so stressful! My husband, puppy, and I were flying from Seattle to the midwest and our first flight was delayed three hours—enough to make us miss the last connecting flight! Thankfully they squeezed us on a nonstop flight.
Sally @ sweat out the small stuff
I would have needed that run too! That kind of day sounds so draining to me. Mentally and physically. Enjoy your time in AZ. And yes, this is all for your girl. She will love you even more for handling this with such grace. Xo
Lisa @ Lisa the Vegetarian
That is a long time to be stuck in an airport! Your mother is so sweet to bring you guys food. I’m sure that made the delay much more tolerable!
Robyn @ Robyn's Livin' Life
I am impressed with your plane delay optimism! I also get frustrated.
The latest I ever run at night is 7 and that very rarely happens. Sometimes you just need it, though!
Sarah
Drop-offs are hard :/. But they get easier. Of course you will always miss having your little favorite around and it’s hard to be away from your kid. But one day, you will look back on the painful moments and although you will still remember the pain, it will be like it happened to someone else. You will no longer have an emotional connection to it.
My 4 year old has been with his dad this entire week in VA ( we live in CT), but I get him back today!!! Happy Day :)
Running is the best antidote for a negative mood. :)
The Hungry Runner Girl
Thank you so much Sarah! I am SO SO SO SO HAPPY that you get your 4 year old back today!!! Squeeze him tight!
Claire
Most memorable delays: 8hrs in a tiny 1 room train station…made bearable by leaving for a bit to go out to eat & shopping in Charleston:) The best was a cancelled flight in Barcelona last spring which was awesome because it meant all expense paid meals & luxury hotel accomodations for 2 days.
I rarely run at night but when I do its usually really refreshing & a great way to unwind before bed-sometimes it’s nice to get a good sweat on & go to sleep right after:)
The Hungry Runner Girl
Okay Claire, that Barcelona cancellation sounds pretty amazing ha! I would have loved that!
Margaret @ youngandrungry
Moms are the best and yours is so sweet! Last night I just snacked a little because the eating hasn’t stopped this past week! I was just stuffed. I love running at night actually. It’s not very safe in Memphis unless I’m in a certain area, but I loved it when I was in Nashville or when I’m with a group!
Sarah @ SarahRuns26
I’ve slept in several airports before thanks to delays and missed flights. That was so nice of your mom to bring you food! Glad everything turned out ok even though the day isn’t what you thought it would be!
I’ve been sick the last few days so I had soup for dinner, it’s about the only thing that sounded good!
Gretchen | Gretchruns
I’m really lucky and have never had a bad plane delay. The only times that I’ve had one was the final leg of a trip, so I never had to miss a connection. Really lucky! Glad that you made it there OK, and running is definitely the best stress reliever out there. I used to run at night all the time, but this year I started trying to run before work which I love (when I actually wake up!)
Jenny
Most of my running happened at night at this point. It’s not so bad in the summer when it’s light and warm outside but it makes it hard in the winter when it’s dark before dinner time.
Courteney O
In one of my ‘jobs’ I was a passenger service agent for an airline. We had an 8 hour delay for a flight going to Germany….not fun for us or the passengers…it’s hard to keep passengers happy for that long a period of time. :-( We did get to go on the plane and grab a bite to eat. Longest shift of my life!!! Glad you finally made it safe and sound!
The Hungry Runner Girl
I kept thinking about the poor employees yesterday because people were getting so frustrated with them yet there was nothing they could do! I bet that 8 hour delay was extremely rough for you!
steph
When our son was three months old, his dad and I thought it would be easier to fly to Colorado from SC than drive. Well, due to delays and other issues, we ended up with a three-day plane trip rather than a four-day drive. Go figure.
The Hungry Runner Girl
Okay, that sounds MISERABLE… with a 3 month old… I kept thinking yesterday that I should have driven too because it would have been faster ha!
Tedi @ Running with Infertility
I’ve never really been delayed, but I do have countless stories of me running from one gate to the next praying that I make my connecting flight.
I made a killer tuna fish sandwich and it was pretty tasty! :)
I do run at night a lot actually. I work so blasted early in the morning that running in the afternoon/at night is my only option (and I really like the warmth when running during the winter).
Angie @ Pace With Grace
Ugh, flight delays and issues are the worst but so sweet of your mom to bring food! I went out to dinner with my family last night and have a sweet potato and BBQ chicken. It was yummy! The last time I ran at night was for a race around Halloween. I am a morning runner through and through. Enjoy your time away with friends!
Loribeth
When I was flying out to college I had a plane delay in Atlanta which made me miss the connection and by the time I got to Salt Lake I missed the last shuttle of the night for Rexburg, Idaho. I had to sleep in the airport in the hard plastic chairs near the baggage claim (there were a few of us that missed that shuttle). Every 5 minutes or so you would hear the same announcement about not leaving your bag unattended and dinner was vending machine food. That was not fun. Then after a poor night’s sleep I still had a 3+ hour drive to Idaho.
I run after work most of the time, so that’s normal to me!
Christina
You are a strong woman. Have a blessed time in AZ!
Tracy
Oh, your sweet Mom!
Nina
I was stuck an extra day in Orlando in January. It was freezing cold and snowing in NY so I didn’t mind. In June I was stuck in Toronto, unfortunately this time we were at a tiny airport for 8 hours, had to find a hotel and I was not with my husband. On the other hand we found a place to stay and I wasn’t alone.
Clark
I had some of those delays trying to get home from Germany in November (I know worlds smallest violin). Stuck in Chicago as snow started to pile up and fearing getting stuck there overnight. As it was I got to my destination city 3.5 hrs late. And put head to pillow at 4:30 am.
Do be careful with the shoes on the firepit. The rubber will melt before you feel it and then you got some ruined shoes. (And I know those are your fancy schmancy ones the rest of us can’t get yet). (Sorry to be the crusty curmudgeon, lol).
The Hungry Runner Girl
Good call Clark! Luckily I just put them up for a bit for the picture:) I would probably cry if the rubber melted ha! Going to bed at 4:30 a.m. ummm that sounds pretty miserable! Hope you are having a fabulous Sunday!
Megan
Glad you are safe!!! See you soon!!!
Natalie
Hey, not sure if this is happening to anyone else, but when I come to your page on my iphone, it immediately redirects me to the App Store to some kind of casino app??
The Hungry Runner Girl
WHAT?!?!? Okay, that is so weird. Let me contact my advertising company! I am so so so sorry Natalie!
Zoe
Hey- this happens to me too. As the page is loading it redirects to the App Store for a jewel game. I click back and sometimes it does it again until I retype the URL. Only on phones tho.
Kathy McElhaney
Worst airport delay was coming home from Barcelona after a 10 day cruise. Delayed out of Barcelona meant we missed our connection in New York. 28 hours from the time we got off the ship we were finally back in California! The worst was the flight from NYC to LAX – I was so exhausted but I couldn’t sleep. But our luggage made it, so that was a plus!
Dinner last night was leftover ham made into sliders. They were so good!
I am an early bird, so I never run at night! I’m usually lights out by 10:00.
Arthi
Plane delays are the WORST! I used to travel all the time for my job and was pretty much stranded in an airport every week. I’m so sorry that happened to you!!
Margaret @ Simple Fit Foodie
Brooke and her yoga poses are so cute!! Starting young :)
No plane problems yet since we have had so little snow here in the midwest and on the east coast. Good for traveling but not so good for fun and pretty winter times!!
Jane @janerunswild
Running at night is tough when you’re used to getting up and going in the morning, but it’s fun to change it up some times! I also find that running at night is sometimes a bit less stressful as I’m not under a time crunch (sometimes I have to cut workouts in the morning short to make it to work on time!). Have a great rest of your day!
Mary
Sometimes I run at night! When I have a treadmill around, or with a group at night in the trails….
Last night for dinner I had….. Geez what did I have? OH Mac and cheese! Such a grown up.
Mia
Oof…I’m sorry to hear your plane was delayed!!
If anybody has the chance to check out my blog it would be amazing:
https://sweetpotatoesrunner.wordpress.com
Coralyn Roush
It’s too snowy here in Colorado to run at night and I have to be really careful even during the day. I do have a treadmill but ugh! I don’t like it! It’s so good that you’re encouraging this relationship for Brooke. She will thank you for it when she grows up. Last night we had ham sandwiches left over from Christmas dinner. Lately all I’ve wanted to do is eat!
Becky @Ok, So Here's the Plan
I have traveled a lot, so there have been plenty of plane delays, and I have probably spent several days of my life in the Anchorage airport alone! It’s never fun, but how sweet of your mom to bring food! :)
Dinner last night was pasta with meatballs and spicy sausage – delicious!
When my treadmill was accessible I used to run in the evenings a lot, but now that I’m running on the roads I try to keep to daylight. I do have knucks lights and a flashing vest though for when I cut things too close.
Melissa @ See Dav Run
I run at night in the summer and when I’m travelling for work (it works better for my schedule then). Favorite flight delay was Las Vegas. A very fun place to be stuck at the airport a little while longer :)
Last night was leftovers from Christmas dinner(s). Pretty sure Christmas ham is my favorite gift that keeps on giving in terms of leftovers!
Enjoy the warm weather!
Kristin
I used to run at night exclusively but since have changed my plan to run in the mornings. I was always so wound up I couldn’t sleep if I ran at night!
Amanda B @ Cupcakes & Miles
I’ve been very lucky and have no plane delay stories to share. I do always get nervous about that though.
I do the majority of my training runs at night actually. When I was training for my first marathon I was usually out at 9:30/10:00 at night getting in my miles; this most recent training cycle and the one I am in presently consists of weekday runs after work that start at 6:30.
Penelope
I have the best (worst?) plan delay story. I was on my way to a job interview in Salt Lake City, of all places, coming from Chicago (this was in January 2004 on a Southwest Airlines flight and you can google the story- this really happened). I had a plane out of Denver, and there was a terrible snowstorm, so we were delayed for hours. On the flight with me was a young family across the aisle from me (mom, dad, 2 kids maybe 2-4 years old?) and a giant group of Bikers (as in motorbikes) Against Child Abuse. After several delays, the kids were getting super antsy and starting to act up a bit (in a totally normal way). At one point, the father, clearly desperate, said to the older kid that if she didn’t settle down he’d need to discipline her. (I don’t even think he said the word “spank”.) Not five seconds later a bunch of angry bikers were breathing down his neck, saying, “you lay a hand on that kid, and you’ll have a dozen bikers on your a$$.” Needless to say, they all got kicked off the plane, resulting in another long delay.
(Also, I didn’t get the job.)
Oh, and I don’t run at night often, and when I do it’s only on the treadmill but it’s always sort of magical. Probably because if I run at night it’s only because I really need it.
Josefine
loving Brooke’s backpack – it’s from a little town in North Sweden right near where I grew up!
I do like an occasional dark evening run, sometimes it makes me feel like a running ninja!
Taylor
Ugh! I got stuck in Denver overnight once and have had a lot of long delays. We had taco night at my house last night. yum!! I don’t run at night very often, but every once in a while I do. You do what you have to do!
Nikki @ will run for pizza
The longest delay at the airport I’ve ever had, was 24 hours.
I was going on a missions trip when I was a teenager, with Teen World Outreach, and after a week of “boot camp”, they took all of the teams – probably 10 or more teams – to LaGuardia Airport at one time. Since all of the teams were going to different countries, and flights leaving at different times, we all had to wait at the airport together and then one by one, teams flew out. Of course my team – going to Brazil – was the last team to fly out. 24 hours after being dropped off, haha.
BUT! Since we were waiting there with a group – there was over 100 of us there – it wasn’t bad at all. Took naps on bags, read books, walked around, talked, etc…with a group like that, you get creative in entertaining yourself, haha.
Dawn evans
I totally feel your pain on that delay. How about having 3 kids, ages 9, 8, & 5 who just want to get to Disneyworld delayed in an airport for 7-1/2 hours. Yup, that was our family last December. Trapped in the philadelphia international airport. We dragged our kiddos out of bed at 4:45 in the morning for a flight that was supposed to leave in the 8:00 a.m. Hour to have us blissfully at the magic kingdom by afternoon. Instead we did not take off until the 3:00 hour. And to top it off when we finally got on the plane we were delayed another 30 minutes b/c they were not able to print some kind of paperwork that was needed. We finally get to the airport in FL and the airport did not have a terminal open for our plane to pull into so we were yet again left waiting. Must have been almost another 30 minutes just sitting on the plane on the Tarmac. By the time we finally got to our resort it was somewhere between 7 & 8. My husband and I had little patience left and the kids were tired, hungry, and just a mess. Totally messed up our dinner reservation that night at chef Mickey which we had scheduled months in advance.
Lauren
I’m actually catching up on your blog now as I run and clear my brain from family things going on as we visit my husbands family. The faster my legs move the slower my brain races.