St Paddy Day Dash

Here are my results and then there was going to be a cute quick story about Marna and Mark winning best costume, but I have no photo's of them. They are hoarding them until they splash into the front pages of NW runners magazine or maybe it will be next year's photo for the race, but they were darn right CUTE... Congratulations to them both. They are rock (movie) stars!

gender: F
location: Seattle, WA
overall place: 982 out of 8328
division place: 24 out of 631
gender place: 189 out of 4402
time: 26:38

The run said it was 3.58 miles.
We started in the back of the first heat, when they announced there was 5000 people in the first wave, i thought, "you better be in top 2000" Then I realized we were actually behind 5000 people who were forced to walk 400 feet after the start because of the crowd. I reminded myself, FUN, FUN, FUN, and continued in my position. Then when it slightly slightly thinned out - somewhere my head was like, this will be the biggest pick off of my life, I love it. Don't worry, I know I was no rock star, and I myself have been completely not only picked off but plucked! But still I was going to try to run past all the people without being obnoxious or some kind of crazy yelling "ON YOUR LEFT ON YOUR LEFT" - but just running and dodging without touching, only passing. I had fun.

I felt tired for a 5k, and thought about an ultra runner on a particular turn - called myself a pansy and picked up the pace. I ran past a lot of people, one advantage of being in the back. When I saw I was 24 of 631 of my age group, I was a little bummed I wasn't the crazy starting at the front pushing leprechauns down. Do you think my position would have changed? Not the pushing down, the starting in front? It didn't feel as much down hill as last year did, but I was a little zigzag.

Here is Capone - doubled in size plus 2. He is like Celsius to Fahrenheit (minus 30).

Half Mercer On Me

Catchy title, but that's about all I got. And to some, the title might not even be catchy, just a groan... however, that is still all I got.

I ran the half mercer this Sunday March 9. I thought harder than I ran, my head was on FIRE. It is the real first exercise I have done since I broke my elbow. AND this time when I broke my elbow, it was NOTHING pain wise compared to the first time. Less bones involved, but whatever it was -it zapped the LIFE out of me. So went from sleeping three weeks to waking up to half marathon.

I was analyzing every racer type, groups, front section runners, to mid section runners, picnic-ers and cotton sock wearers, skinny short girls with large calves, old men using their last steps for a half marathon, to the spry older man that has a pep in their step to thank every volunteer and police officer.

I could put 80 percent of the racers in to ten categories with actual real more detailed description but i don't won't to fully stereo type for two reasons, this blog will haunt me when I run for president, and two, I am not sure what category I fall in to.

I did run with a 12 year old -75 percent of the race -It was like I couldn't shake her. She actually deserved to have either fifteen minutes shaved on her time or an added extra two miles. She would have to run to every person that put their hand out to high five. People would yell "YOU ROCK" I would think, which makes me SUCK. I only felt sorry for myself for the two seconds, when I realized my dad's coaching motto, always run with the best, I was, she was just 12. And people kept running, by us and smiling at us. I was old enough to be her mom, both blonde and both flat chested, we could have been related!

I had no umph, no know how, power, each step was solemn, EXCEPT today, I am happy, out of my coma, excited to workout tomorrow and I have a race March 27th. Oh and I am running the st. paddy's day - Love em and leave 5k was 7:41 mile, I would love to beat that time but if I even try to be competitive with a thousand drunk leprechauns for a dash - you have full rights to shoot me.

P.S. Lululemon has hit the scene. Everyone was out full spring and the race shirts were thrown aside -despite the attempt to for a dri-fit - It was the stage of a great fashion show!

Good race. I know the people that started that race, great people, great race, great time (a day later)!

just a little more inside thoughts race day
"who ends a race on an uphill?"
"who put the finish line water further than the race itself"
"oh I bitch about running with the 12 year old - but is she doing a break a way?"
"who runs with a broken elbow?
"is it me, or is john cash annoying if your ipod gets stuck on the same song over and over"
"where is my eminem, eye of the tiger, rocky theme song?"
"I don't even run with music, why am I now?"
"If I could just catch someone I would give them this ipod like I am just a promotion out here running"
"I can't even pick people off this race"
"oh my god - I just got picked off"