These memories will last

I can already look back and laugh at several memories of today's race experience. Starting with friday morning when I was doing my hair. Blow-drying with a round brush. I turned my head to one side- and clink, there it was, a new kink! I started yelling swear words. A kinked neck the day before my race! It actually wasnt a very bad one, and didnt cause me too much trouble, luckily.

Next funny component- We were supposed to park at the end, and then ride the tram to the beginning. The tram was so crowded with runners, and still had to make every stop- continuing to get more and more crowded. We were standing up because all seats were taken. When the driver hit the breaks, we'd bump into the people around us. Marcie got stuck by a guy who was really trying to hit on her.

The next funny thing was that we lost the car key when Marcie unloaded gear on Hannah at mile 11. We really had a good laugh at the finish line.

And then there was the Seinfeld moment in the parking garage where we couldnt find the car on any of the 5 levels. We kept going in circles and passing this same little boy on a bicycle. I think he was a ghost, because that level was pritty empty, but he kept riding by us over and over.

I ruined our Kristin-Paige finish that I had been looking forward to, when I lost Marcie in the crowd- 2 miles before the finish. Darn it. Maybe next time.

There were lots of fun things to remember about this race. Ill bet we will laugh about them for years. Maybe we'll even embelish over the years, and it will get even better. But most of all I will remember that I got the chance to run with my friend, the same friend who used to run to Conoco with me for icecream.

On the way to the race, I was very nervous, as I always am on a race morning. Marcie turned on some music- Coldplay, which I love. She asked me "Do you like Coldplay?" And I immediately answered "Oh yes, its like the comfort of being with an old friend". As soon as I said it, it struck me that this is exactly what I had today. The comfort of an Old Friend. I couldnt stop thinking about that the rest of the race. And I couldnt stop smiling during the race. The feeling of the wind in my face, the adrenalin and excitement in the air, the pavement under my feet, and an old and dear friend close by, it doesnt get better than that!