VCM race report

8 years of running friendship!

Great day!!

Beth and I ran the two-person relay, Erika ran two legs of a five-person relay, and everyone had a great day:

Morning meetup at Erika's apartment, which is located at the starting line (how great is that?!), was so perfect. We couldn't get over the difference between our relaxed, coffee-sipping, chatty pre-race morning in 2015 and our hyper-active, "WHAT ARE WE DOING???!" morning of our first marathon in 2007.

I got the first leg, and casually walked out Erika's front door as the gun went off, and hung around till I saw pace groups passing that were more my speed. I love, love, love this race. The happy cacophony of church bells at the corner of Pearl and Battery, the cow bells from spectators on Church Street, the long view of all the runners going and out and back on the Beltline - I love all of it. Even the parts that kind of suck.

I had a good day pace-wise, faster than I expected I'd be - fast enough that Beth had to interrupt her race-viewing and scramble down from Erika's roof to get to the transition zone earlier than she planned! I slogged up the hill from South Cove and was soooo happy to hug Beth and grab that medal!

I ran with Beth for three miles from the transition up Battery Hill (damn) and then wished her good speed for the rest of her run. I got on my bike at Erika's and rode out to the New North End for a short stop at a house party, and to cheer on runners; then rode back to Erika's and hiked down to the finish line just in time to see Beth cruising to the finish. And then Erika came in right at the same time!

Excellent weather for celebrating in the sun, and then more celebrating and Corn Hole at Karen and Bill's fabulous annual marathon party, and then still more celebrating with Jess at El Gato that night.

My total on the day:

Ran 16 miles + biked 8 + 1 Bloody Mary = my first triathlon

Me and Jess. (Yes, I'm wearing my medal hours after the race.)