All Dirt 5k Race Report

If there ever is a chance of me winning some type of running award, it will probably be for this race. I'm not sure the total number of 5k participants because runners were mixed in with the dualthoners but there weren't many. Maybe the women ahead of me were older; maybe there were only 3 runners total for the female 20-29 age group; maybe I really was the only one on the trail?? At times it certainly seemed like it after everyone left me in the dust, zooming up the side of the mountain at the start of the race.

The trail was fun! It was about a foot wide and had various switchbacks between ravines and over creeks. It was fun dodging rocks and running through the tall grasses. The trail provided a great view of the lake and much more pleasing smells than suburbia!

For a brief moment, I know with absolute certainty, I was last. Then the runners ahead of me started dropping like flies. I've seen a shirt that reads, "Is it rude to count out loud as you pass people?"...or something like that. After seeing the look on their faces as a slowly trudged pass, I can confidently answer yes to the question now. The pack dwindled as the 5k'ers went one way and all others went another way. Towards the end, I passed one more runner. It was an uphill finish which was very hard! I was breathing incredibly hard and the people towards the end weren't cheering or anything unlike with the Firecracker 5k. There were very few spectators. Most people standing around were part of the Dualthalon or the team relay so there wasn't much hoo-rah at the end. The clock read 35:00-ish but I'm waiting to see the posted results. Maybe enough flies dropped that I can pull a top 3 or 5 finish. LOL - I'll take it however I can get it!

Bleh, I say.

My "To Do" list seems to be growing faster than I can take care of anything on it. That's not so great considering that I have under 4 weeks now until the responsibilities of school get piled on top of everything. Bleh, I say. I love school. It's one thing I know that I'm good at. But I could really use a vacation before it all begins. A real vacation - not one to PoDunk, America or one that gets cut short because someone close to me has a heart attack. Yeah, I know it's not going to happen. Bleh, I say. Being pulled in 20 directions isn't fun. There are only so many hours in the day and lately it seems, other than sleeping, the time I get running is about my only "me" time. I'm not looking for sympathy, I'm just saying "Bleh." I like the variety that my chaotic schedule provides, I just wish I could just stop the clock every once in a while.

I Don't Like Mondays

Mondays usually don't faze me. Maybe it's because Monday really isn't my Monday because of my screwy schedule. Sunday has been my Monday for a while now. Yesterday, however, was most definitely a Monday in every way possible. And just like everything else in my life, I can relate my craptastic Monday to something on The West Wing. Yes, I'm that obsessed. Good television can do that to a person.

The Season 4 opener has a musical montage at the end set to a song called, "I don't like Mondays." And in grand Sorkin fashion, the gloomy song is juxtaposed to one of the most loved President Bartlett speeches in which he says, "The streets of heaven are too crowded with Angels tonight..." after a pipe bomb killed 44 people on the Kennison State campus. It always makes me think of Sam saying, "Oratory should raise your heart rate. Oratory should blow the doors off the place." Yeah, it should. Too bad there's not much of that around these days. Anywho, crappy Mondays always remind me of the montage. The clip below only covers the speech, the montage is longer...

Run, Worm, Run!

The Firecracker 5k was just a jog in the park - literally! I'm happy, no...I'm ecstatic! When the alarm went off this morning I wasn't too thrilled but I got to moving and then I got excited. There were way more people at the race this year than a few years back when I went to watch. The newspaper said they were expecting 800 or more. There were definitely more of us than that.

I was quite a ways back in the pack when the race started. It's a fun start, it just kind of goes down a hill and you kind of curve off onto the road by the lake. After one trip around the lake, it's back down the same road with the start line and back down the hill and then out for a wider loop around the park and golf course.

I didn't have any major problems along the way. I just settled in at my pace and tried to not let all the crazy people bug me. I did grab a water at the 2 mile marker. Water up the nose wasn't very fun, but it did clear the sinuses, which helped! I was beginning to notice the heat on the last stretch back to the lake. There wasn't as much shade then. I started to speed up a bit but probably not as soon as I should have or as hard as I should have. The last 500 yard stretch up the hill to the finish was fun. There were a lot of people hollering and stuff so that's always a good time.

I didn't hit my watch right away so when I did later down the chute it was 34:20. Not too shabby. That doesn't include the 30 seconds or so it took to actually get past the start line at the beginning. The official time will probably around 35:00. I'll take it! They have another race on the same course in August that I'll shoot for. I'll try to improve my time now that I've actually run the course!!

Now I can just kick back and take the rest of the day easy! The history geek in me really wishes that I owned 1776 The Musical so that I could jam out to some, "Vote for Independency!" Ah well, bring on the fireworks!!

My boys are back!

Yes, my boys. Hanson. The pinnacle of my fangirl geekiness is my hidden fascination with these boys. Successfully putting their "mmmBop" days behind them, they are releasing their fourth album The Walk on July 24th. That makes me happy. I can proudly admit that I wasn't a fan during the long-haired "mmmBop" days but discovered them when they hit their rock like stage a few albums later. I think the last CD that I actually purchased was their last one.

I'm enjoying their Underneath Live DVD at the moment - great stuff. It seems I'm much more comfortable airing my oddities these days and I can guarantee that if they ever come within the state lines again for a show, I'm SO there. I'm seriously debating whether or not to buy the shirt from their website that says, "Hanson - Freshly Squeezed Rock 'N' Roll." I love me some cheese!

iWantOne!

I just said no to Furbies. I refused to participate in Beanie Baby mania. I even managed to avoid the Tickle Me Elmo. I'm not so sure however that I'll be able to avoid the iPhone craze. I was playing around on the Apple site (bad, Worm) and I've decided that I need an iPhone. Yes mom, just like a need another hole in my head! When I read about the plan through my carrier Cingular, er, I mean AT&T (talk about a company with an identity crisis!) I didn't realize it came with the unlimited data thing. Spiff! If only the phone itself didn't have that $499 price tag. I figure by the time my phone is up for renewal, the price will have dropped a tad and I'll get some type of discount for renewing, again. Just imagine - I could blog from anywhere, anytime. What's that?? You're willing to donate to the cause! Perfect! Simply address all checks to Worm, One Door Shy Of the Nuthouse, Colorado!

I Ain't Quittin' You!

I've seen Brokeback Mountain. I've also seen what seems to be the hundreds of spoofs of the infamous, "I wish I knew how to quit you" line. None of them top Owen Wilson's perfectly delivered "I Ain't Quittin' You!" line in Night at the Museum. I have no idea why I didn't expect it coming though. After watching the little sparticus man Octavius yell, "Save yourself" and cowboy Owen yell his Brokeback line, I'm not sure any other response would have been as hilarious. I laughed loud enough that it scared my cat right off the back of the couch. It was a fun movie. If I ever work for a museum, I'd love for that to happen to me! It would be even better if I could pick just what in the museum came to life! While I'd love to play fetch with Rex and wander about with Teddy Roosevelt, hanging out with Neanderthals wouldn't be much fun - I get enough of that in real life!