Sea Level is for Sissies

Every Memorial Day Boulder, Colorado has a tradition of putting on one of the biggest 10k races in the country...The Bolder Boulder. Around 55,000 people celebrate this day with a 10k run or walk and the race is divided into around 60+ waves, going off every minute, starting at 7 a.m.  The race loops around North Boulder and ends at Folsom Field, the football stadium of Colorado University.

Honestly, I was NOT very optimistic about the outcome of this race.  I only trained for 7 weeks and during those weeks my knee really flared up.  After a few different pairs of new shoes and a knee band...I was ready to go.  I knew I wasn't going to beat my last 10k time, which was fine.

I ran this race with Kris and Erica...we are making a habit of running races together!  Here we are BEFORE the race.

This race was CRAZY!  With 54,000 people...you were guaranteed a few "interesting" people along the way.  The streets were lined with spectators, live bands, BELLY dancers, slip 'n' slides and pools.  Many racers took a slide or dip in the pool along the way!  I even saw Elvis and the Blues Brothers on the route.

At  mile 1, I hurried and posed with this guy...just for fun!  Erica was storing her little camera in a 'safe' place for such occasions.  At mile 2...I broke off and just tried to keep running.

I calculated that I walked about .2 miles and ran 6....which is a lot better than I expected.  The energy of the race kept me going.  Next year...we are totally going to "dress up".  There were people spray painted green-head to toe, tutu's, wigs, 80's, fairies...you name it...I probably saw it. We're thinking pink tutu's and pink boa's!  I LOVE it!

At the race summit, it was 5,225 feet elevation!  The motto for the BolderBOULDER is "sea level is for sissies".  Living at sea level for 20 years...I know that I wouldn't have been able to run this race without living at high elevations already!

When I entered the stadium, it was electric!  You could see yourself on the jumboTron and there was only 3/4 of a lap to go!  The yelling, cheering, music and the FINISH LINE just made me sprint to the end!

We met up with other friends of Kris and Erica in the stadium after the race.  Why am I the only one with the bright red face...nearly 1 hour AFTER it was over??  Holy moly! 

My time was 1:12:43...now my goal is to shave 12 minutes off that before my next 10k in July!  I have a 5k in 2 weeks in Sidney and then I'm going to run another 5k in Rexburg, ID while visiting Matt's family for the 4th of July.  I am TRYING to get his sisters to run with me...I hope they will!