10K

The forecast for Sunday, May 15, 2011 ~ 100% chance of precipitation, 54 degrees.

Excitement for running in the rain ~ only enough to have the story to tell.

But we don't have that story to tell because it was just a foggy misty morning in Downtown Cleveland for the 34th annual running of the Cleveland Marathon, Half, and 10K.  Just doing the 10K this year...
After running 12 miles in the last two weeks I was a little nervous, but I woke up at 4:55 this morning to my legs feeling good.  (I think the injury is more due to oldness than anything major)

Mike and I started together, and that was the last I saw of him.  Unofficial time (according the the results page on the website) for Mike: 48:12 ~ for me: 52:37.  {official time ~ according to the results on the website a few days later ~ Mike: 47:37 and me: 52:02} Running felt fun today for the first time in a long time.  It was a most awesome 6.2 miles.  (I pretended that the blue 26 mile marker next to the green 6 mile marker was really mine ~ but only for a second.)  Yep, I have zero desire to run a full marathon.  I repeat, zero.

I had the just-right playlist on my ipod too:

1. Thunder Road
2. Let's get it Started ~Black Eyed Peas
3. You Shook me all Night Long
4. Girlfriend ~ Avril Lavigne
5. Firework ~ Katy Perry
6. Single Ladies ~ Beyonce
7. Red Headed Woman
8. Fat Bottomed Girls ~ Queen
9. Raise Your Glass ~ Pink
10. My Life Would Suck Without You ~ Kelly Clarkson
11. Remember the Name ~ Kanye West
12 Spread Your Winds ~ Queen
And that's where I finished.  I had four more songs planned, just in case...
There is such an excitement being a part of that kind of crowd ~ the excitement ~ the challenge ~ the strength you feel.  I'm oh so very glad I have started running these races.  I'm inspired by the people who keep on running and running no matter what the age.  I'm also inspired by the little kids that zoom past me and the crazy fast "kicks" some people put on at the end of the race.  Oh to be able to run like that...