Runner's World 10K 2012

Ed -

Finally met Bob this weekend.

Not nearly as anti-climactic as I thought it might be.

Of course I jest.

And I speak in short, overly enunciated and arrogantly condescending tones as I write.

-shew-

Have no idea why I went that direction, but I was hanging out with Bob all weekend.

It was an absolute blast.

I drove up Friday with a couple of other high school friends who actually knew Bob in school and liked him a bunch.  Back then I only knew he was super cool, had great hair and was the fastest white guy I'd seen run track.  This weekend proved he is freaking fun to be around.  A bad influence, sure, but still a lot of fun.

It started with a brief greeting outside a Pennsylvania bar and Bob was all ready a blur:

 

 

From there we had dinner with a group of folks from his running club and that started off with a shot of tequila and a Smithwicks Ale or twelve.  I figured it was important to carb up for the next day's 10K.  And apparently I thought I needed a lot of protein because I ordered half of a dead cow for my dinner.  Who knew anyone even served 86 ounce strips?  Phenomenal.

 

The people were really cool and it was a fun evening.  Everyone was friendly, funny and were seriously into running.  One guy I sat next to did the warm up run that day with Shalane Flanagan the Olympian!  Very cool.  Here's the crowd:

 

 

 

But with the race the next day we decided to call it quits early and get some rest.  I think it was around 1:30 am when we finally passed out in the hotel.

 

The location of the race was Bethlehem, PA and started at the old steel mill.  What had been abandoned after the collapse of the industry here has become a vibrant center of the town and hosts concerts and other events like this race.  The bands were great, the venue incredible and the course was challenging.  Up, up, and then a little downhill through Lehigh University, historic Bethlehem, by Moravian College, and across the Lehigh Canal.

 

 

 

 

 Here's the mill and the registration tents.

Even the porta-potties were in nice shape (although I avoided them as previously instructed by Bob) ...and a decent distance from the actual race....Bob was so happy.

I had been warned that there was a lot of hills, and I wasn't disappointed.  The first three miles followed the pattern: run up hill, turn, run up hill, turn, run up hill.  As we approached a tight turn I said to the runners next to me, "Boy I hope there's a hill around this corner, but what do you think are the odds of that happening?"

He just half grunted a laugh, then we ran up another quarter mile hill.

Seeing as how the finish line was back where we started, I figured we'd get to run downhill, too at some point.  Yep, I'm smart like that.  Figured it out all by myself.

I was really enjoying the cool old houses, and pretty streets so I decided to call my wife and share it with her.

"Hey hon."

"So, how was the race?"

"I'm still doing it.  About mile 4 right now."

"You're running and calling me at the same time?  You're going to trip."

I told her about the beautiful town and fun time I was having.  She told me that was nice but I should shut up and run.  I could call her later.  She's smart like that.

I snapped a self portrait . . .  because, I'm vain like that, and decided it was downhill from here, so it was time to do some running.  I pushed up the pace and checked my garmin now and then, and for the last mile and a half or so I clicked along at about 6:30.  Felt really good.

Here's some shots along the way:

The start.  Captain Obvious strikes again.

That's the finish area.  All the people getting their medals.

...and me at the finish line.  Phone in one hand and a cowbell in the other.  I brought the cowbell along to cheer for the volunteers (nobody does that!) and one particular race fan.  He's the son of one of Bob's (and now one of mine) friends.  I rang it, then gave it to him to thank him for coming out.  What fun.

The night of the race we got to go to a Halloween party and it was a total blast.  We ate ridiculously well . . .

 

in this house with gorgeous old oak floors . . .

 

 

and saw some of the funniest costumes I'd ever seen . . .

 

 

The buttons they're wearing say, "It was a tie."  Bwahahahahahah!!

 

 

All in all a wonderful race weekend and just one more reason to get out and run!