Sunday, April 24, 2016

Baby you're much too fast

   It would be challenging to imagine a more perfect and memorable day for the annual trolley run, benefiting visually impaired children in the Kansas City area. It's the largest and fastest 4 mile race in America.
   Madeline and I have run this one together before, but not since she started ramping up her training, and what a difference! I had to work to keep up with her, and we pushed each other to achieve personal records. I beat my fastest trolley run by over a minute, and she achieved her fastest trolley run, as well as her fastest mile, and fastest 5K distance.
   Our spirits were buoyed by a couple who placed a hand-painted sign in their front yard, and as we ran by they were blasting Prince's "Little red Corvette" and as we ran back home, they were playing "kiss." And it turns out that my friend Daphne knows them. That was her friend, Kelly! Really is a small world. Rest in peace, Prince. We sure enjoyed your music this morning--a gift to the world.
   And, we were just getting started. We jogged back up to her house to drop off our race swag, then headed over to beer station to be one of the first 100 people to get an official trolley run pint glass. John, the owner(?), broke the news that they were actually open at 9 AM, so we'd have to come back at 11. So we walked across the street to McClains bakery and had awesome breakfast treats and coffee, then headed back across the street for our beers. We sat outside to continue enjoying the weather, and chatted up a couple of fellow racers. Runners are good people.
   Knowing that my running career may end shorter than I'd hope makes these achievements that much sweeter. I am playing with my form as I run, wearing compression socks, and getting needle therapy and massage therapy (if you had told me a year ago that I would love being jabbed with needles, I would have said you were crazy!). And it all appears to be helping: my feet never fully went numb this morning, a huge blessing. Planning to add yoga back into the mix and to do a formal running clinic to see what else I can learn.
   The best thing about today was seeing such an incredible turnout. Hoping they raised a fortune for CCVI, the children's Center for the visually impaired. http://www.trolleyrun.org/cause
   AND, we were honored to be running with (using "with" loosely, because… We are not that fast!) as the fastest blind runner on the planet, David Brown, who will be representing KC in the Rio Olympics this summer! http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article73294962.html
   Just a really amazing day for a great cause.
   Correction: I finished 1018 overall, 33:37 (8:25 min/mi). I thought my 2014 time of 34:43 had been my fastest, then found my 2010 time… 32:03 (8:01 min/mi). So I didn't beat my PR today after all. But I've never had a better time at this race! :)

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