I undertrained, underplanned and underprepared but by golly, today we ran the Hot Chocolate 15k! I love this run. We get to wind through the downtown Seattle area, past Pike then back toward Woodland park via the Aurora Bridge. The past two years have been really HARD for me. The weather hasn’t helped, either. But this year? This year the race went by really fast and before I knew it I was headed back into the city! I think it has a little to do with confidence and experience. This isn’t my first Hot Chocolate run, it’s not my first time on this course and it’s not even my longest distance. Maybe I’m at the point where nine miles is fun? Maybe??? As I ran today I had random noticings that I texted to myself, so I’m just going to share those, here:
- There were two really older dudes running together. Clearly their running relationship went way back as they chatted on and on, mile after mile, white hair blowing in the breeze. I tried to catch up to them but they were too fast for me and all I could think was that when I’m in my 80’s and I’m working with a limp like that one guy had, I sure hope I have the tenacity to run nine miles with a good buddy. It was beautiful. Fitness and friendship goals all over the place…
- Some people have fabulous costumes. I tend to like the more subtle ones that make me feel like I’m being let in on an inside joke, so I loved one woman’s Stitch, of LILO and Stitch, costume. It was just Stitch colored and had markings to look like him and it made me think I need to start getting creative….
- Which brings me to my next topic: I need to make a rainbow tutu. I have the rainbow hat, socks and schwings, I just need the tutu and I’ll be a vision. Or something.
- Wedgies. Butts. There they are in front of me as I’m running for two hours and they’re what’s moving around in front of me, bouncing, wiggling, jiggling, flexing so I often find myself unintentionally just butt watching. In a race like today’s one becomes a booty anthropologist. Everyone is wearing tight stuff, butts are out. Big or small, flat, round, wide, long… But what makes me most studious are the people with the mega wedgie. Like, their running pants or shorts are so high up in their crack that the cheeks are separated into two entirely singular entities. You can see muscle tone and it gets pretty intimate, sometimes. 😂🤣🤣 I wonder how that feels. Maybe it’s an excellent way to run, I don’t know…. Anyhow, it would drive me CRAZY to have a wedgie of that magnitude driving a wedge betwixt my own situation and I want to ask! Not to make a scene or embarrass them- I truly want to know. To each their own, though! To be clear, having a wedgie is fine, I just wonder at the effectiveness at reducing chaffing and just that wedgie feeling rubbing around in there for nine miles, you know?
- My favorite moment of the day was when I was on my way back across the bridge and you get to see the people who are last. The walkers, bringing up the rear with a sweeper car slowly stalking them. No pressure, right? There was this one lady, though, looked new to running, chubby, third from last, but she had a cheering squad! I’m assuming here, but her husband, who was not in the race, he had signs, cowbells and three little boys who were parading around and next to her as she made her way across the bridge. They must have seen her right at the start bridge and they started making a hullabaloo, letting everyone on that bridge know that she was loved and they believed in her. YOU CAN DO IT! GO MOMMY! WE ARE PROUD OF YOU! It was a gorgeous display of love and support and I couldn’t get enough of watching them.
- Because this was my third year in a row, I get a medal for being a legacy runner. Who knew? They were out of them, though and are mailing it to me. Lol
Sounds like you had a great race day. Another one for the 2018 season!