Run The Bluegrass

Last Saturday, March 31,  I ran the Run The Bluegrass 1/2 Marathon. This is a fabulous course that starts/ends @ Keenland, flowing through some gorgeous horse farms. There are a few challenging hills, which are barely noticeable when you're running on a cool sunny spring Kentucky morning. A couple of times the thoroughbreds out for their morning exercise were inspired by the runners and began galloping (apologies if thoroughbreds don't actually gallop) across the fields. If you've never seen these animals running up close, you are missing something truly special.

For me, the most difficult part of the race was from mile 9 - 91/2 where the elevation rises from 850 to 950 feet.  I was glad to have this challenge, though, given that Flying Pig also includes some pretty dramatic hills.

Other highlights:

Glancing hopefully at my phone about 6 miles in and seeing that, yes, Denise had texted me wishing me luck shortly after the start of the race. She's the best!

Walking back to the car after the race and passing who I now know are Jonathan Feddock and Shannon Florea. Jonathan won last year. This year he 'hung back' with his wife who won the women's division in 1:30:44. Oh, by the way...Jonathan pushed their kids the whole way in a twin in a stroller.

The bluegrass band we passed on the way out and back in. Don't know who they were. Couldn't hear them with my headphones on. But, how can you not smile when you see a banjo player while running?

Passing Becky Ashcraft volunteering at a water station. The woman is, literally, everywhere.

Running my best 1/2 marathon time, 1:49:02. Not world class, I know. But, encouraging for the Pig, especially given that I felt great when it was over.

Hearing the U of L fight song on my playlist about 3/4 of the way through. Given that Saturday night was, perhaps,  the biggest game in the history of the Louisville-Kentucky basketball rivalry (I'd argue that the 1983 game meant more), and that I - a U of L fan - was running with about 1500 Cat fans (their fight song was blaring on the p.a. system just before the race began) this just made me all warm and fuzzy inside. Not quite as warm as the couches in Lexington later that night, but pretty warm.

Here's the complete playlist:
O Fortuna
This Is It (Kenny Loggins)
Wake Up (Arcade Fire)
Addagio for Strings (Beaten Track)
August 30th (Deliriou5)
Don't Change (INXS)
Don't Stop Believing (Journey)
Thank You (Led Zeppelin)
Enter Sandman (Metallica)
The Sorcerer's Apprentice (New York Philharmonic)
Run Like Hell (Pink Floyd)
Carmen / Prelude & Sur la Place (Royal Opera House)
Blue Collar Man (Styx)
Louisville Fight Song (U of L band)
Where the Streets Have No Name (U2)
Chariots of Fire Theme Song (Vangelis)
The Flying Dutchman
Ride of the Valkyries

Which reminds me - I'd still appreciate your suggestions for my Flying Pig playlist!! :)

The last mileish my playlist had ended. Now, I listened to my breathing. To the sounds of dozens of pairs of shoes padding pavement in varying rhythms. The increasingly audible cheering at the finish line. Runners encouraging one another to finish strong; many of them calling out to the guy who ran the race in a Spider Man Venom costume (you see all sorts of things in these races).

Then - it was over and I was soon on my way to Pittsburgh with my girls. More on that later.