Some thoughts and discussions from me.

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Alternative Titles:

-The Time I Ran a 10k without Running at All for the Past 6 Months

-My Only Race in 2014

-This is How You Run a 10k

Yesterday I ran the Bolder Boulder 10k (and checked another item off of my 30 Before 30 list!) – the self-touted All-Time Best Race in America!

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It has more than 54,000 runners, and this year was the 36th annual race. And it summits 5,391 ft!

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I signed up primarily at my friend, Lauren’s urging (who sadly wasn’t able to run it due to ACL surgery) and then also because, slip ‘n slide.

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Heck yeah buddy! Best part of the race right there- and I went through twice! Actually, turns out, slip –n-slides are awesome…until you have to run 4.5 miles after being sprayed down with a hosed and sliding across a wet, muddy, piece of tarp.

Obviously, this race isn’t the most serious of races, and the alternative titles of this post are not meant to brag on my behalf of any sort. Yes, I ran the entire time, but it was more of just a jog , and we also stopped for slip –n- slides and various other race pit stop adventures.

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Like free Kombucha!

I was actually very interested in how I’d do, endurance-wise. My only cardio for the past 8 months, really, has been interval/HIIT-style via teaching 30 minute spin classes, finishers tacked on to my workout, and endurance-wise, hiking.

While my legs felt like lead the rest of the day, and my hip began to bother me during the last mile, my cardiovascular system was just fine! In fact, I didn’t really feel winded at any point during the race.

Perhaps I had ample distraction, though, in the form of neighborhood bands, keg stands, slip –n- slides, and belly dancers.

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Oh, and of course these purty rocks.

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I ran the race without any expectations but to have a good time with my friend, Lori, who ran alongside me. And that we did.

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Cheers! Aside from keg stands along the course, all race participants also got free beer. I took a couple sips, and threw mine out. After 1.5 years of drinking delicious Colorado beers, I just couldn’t stomach a Michelob Ultra.

Now, I’ve probably filled my running quota for the year after yesterday, but I’m all for saying yes to life. Even if I would have needed to walk more, slow down, or walk/run it, it still would have been a fun, successful race. Life’s not all about competition, PR’s, making gains, being the best, or putting in your hardest effort. To me, it’s about smiling along the way! Open-mouthed smile

Are you a runner?

What’s the most fun race you’ve done?