Monday, May 28, 2007

The race results!

RACE DAY RUNDOWN!!






The Run went surprisingly well! Kayla did GREAT!! The day started at 5am when the alarm went off. We got to the park and ride in Boulder at 5 minutes to 7 this morning. But despite the early hour, Kayla ran the entire way except when we got water at the mile markers and just walked while drinking and we got back to running fairly quickly.

She also stopped to walk the last 1/10 of the final mile on the final stretch. We lost each other at that point, after keeping up with eachother the WHOLE way before that (it was not easy)!! But we found each other again at the finish line!! I'm very pleased with how well Kayla did!!

We passed SO many walkers. I was disappointed that so many people walking the course were in waves in front of us, they registered as runners and they should have registered as walkers and that wouldn't have happened. It was just SO hard to manuever around them. I am sure we ran an extra 8/10 of a mile from all the running from one side of the street to the other, weaving in and out of people trying to get around them.In a sense, the race is like a parade.

Many people run the race dressed in all sorts of silly costumes (costumes like graduation outfits, peoplewrapped in towels and their hair in shower caps, santa claus suits, bikini's,etc...). It was kind of silly and kind of fun to see all sorts in the race!! All along the course people are lining the road spraying us with gardenhoses and playing music - little bands or playing music from stereos, but mostly it is the bands. I would imagine they are people trying to get a name for themselves! Some of them were pretty good!

The race ends in the stadium on the University of Colorado Campus in Boulder. It is a BEAUTIFUL setting with the rugged Flat Iron Mountains in the background, not too far away! At the end of the race we were given a snack pack which was a cloth sack lunch bag with a velcro closure. Inside was a huge white bagel,from Thomasville, Boulder Chips, some various types of snack crackers, a breakfast cookie, some Celestial Seasoning Tea packets (they were one of the sponsors), a package of baby carrots and an energy bar. We were also given water and a Sprite. We could have opted for a Michelob Beer instead of the Sprite if we had wanted!

Then we all went back into the stadium where tons of people were all ready sitting for a special Memorial Day Tribute. 6 Skydivers camedown and landed in the stadium. They were all carrying different flags, one from each of the armed forces, an American Flag, etc... They had patriotic music playing like, "God Bless the USA." (That song always brings tears to my eyes.)


The Skydivers coming in. (This is a picture from a previous year when they had 4 F-16's do a flyover. This year we only got 2!)



Then they had a guy who is a school teacher in the Greater Denver Area sing the National Anthem. He had a beautiful voice. In the middle of his song we had a flyover with 2 F-16's. That was cool! Then they gave a special tribute to a guy from Gallup, NM who was a veteranof WW II, I think. He killed 10 enemies and then helped our woundedand then was taken as a prisoner of war for 2 years.

Anyway, it was a beautiful program, it made me very teary. We then walked for a long ways to go and catch our shuttle back to the Table Mesa parkand ride where we were parked. We got home around 1pm. Oh, I forgot to mention we ran the 10k in just over an hour - around an hour and 5 minutes. So actually we did MUCH better than I had thought we would!!


Oh, I forgot to add, while we were running just past mile marker 3 we saw a man who appeared to have collapsed from a heart attack receiving medical attention. He had just started breathing again as we ran past. I was so hopeful for him! He looked to be in his 60's. I was disappointed to read online that he ended up dying! He is the FIRST person to ever die during a Bolder Boulder, and this was the 29th year that they have held it.


Also, one other thing. Our camera has disappeared and I hope it turns up soon. Laren took pictures of us before the race and then when we went to take some post-race pictures it was gone! I hope it turns up soon!!

9 comments:

jenny said...

I didn't know that Kayla ran it with you. Congrats on such a great accomplishment!! Your time was awesome as well. Doesn't it feel good to finish something like that?

Hope you get some good rest tonight--I am sure you won't have any trouble sleeping :)

Victoria said...

Good job Kayla and Kari!! Proud of you both!

Unknown said...

What an accomplishment! It sounds like a fantastic time (well, except for the running part. :-) Seriously though, I had no idea that had some ceremonial tributes for Memorial Day, which I think is fantastic. I'm glad you had such a great time (and hope that camera finds itself soon!)

donna said...

Way to go girl :)

Lucy said...

Congrats! Running into folsom field is so fun. The last little hill into the stadium is probably the worst. Funny how they happen practically at the same time.

Good for you! That is a great time. You'll get a better wave next year. I've just been using my times from each previous year and I swear, I move up each year! Even though I keep getting slower!

Didn't you feel super fast passing everyone? Annoying, yes, but better than getting passed. that is disheartening.

michelle said...

I am totally impressed! Good job!

Krista said...

Congrats! That is an awesome time too (liitle over a 10 minute mile with a tween is amazing). And the program sounds so touching. Hope you find that camera soon. Would love to see the pictures.

Heidi said...

very cool! Very exciting - We still need to see pictures of you two!!! Dang - I'm VERY proud of Kayla! (you, too, old lady!)

Bridget said...

Way to go! I really want to run that next year. Wouldn't that be fun?!

Love the Boulder campus. It is so pretty. My husband's stepbrother is the assistant coach for the cross country team at CU and his wife went to Law school there and both attended college and ran CC there as well. We have been there for a few things.

Can't believe that poor man died! How horrible!

Hope you find your camera soon. :)