The Legends Live !!!

Last Sunday we ran a marathon in Bellevue. As a relay team. 4 of us.... Gina started us off strong on the long, hilly portion. Pam, the speedster, sped thru 5 hilly miles. New gal, Shannon Fitzgerald, had the Irish wind at her back as she cruised thru 7.5 hilly miles. And I gave my best thru the 6.8 miles of "down hills". As a team we ran a 3:56 marathon. That's a nice average of 9 minute miles. Not bad for a bunch of 50 year olds.

Did I mention that the course was hilly?

The night before the race, Gina led us thru our pre-run instructions. All thoroughly noted in a spreadsheet; what time to get up, to get the car, to drive to relay point, how fast to run, etc. etc. We drove a portion of the course to decide where to park the car between legs 2 and 3.

I took the shuttle bus to my station. That was good for a story afterwards. Obviously, the bus drivers could have used a training session with Gina, and one of her spreadsheets. The bus I got on was the wrong one, cuz I wanted to go to relay point 3 (which is Leg 4). The terminology got a lot of folks messed up. The drivers did the rest. They were heading to the wrong spots, and the maps they were given took them to points on the race course that they could not cross. Of course, she sat there for an eternity thinking the cop would let them thru when there was a gap in the runners. That doesn't happen. Fortunately, a person on the bus knew the 'hood and got us to our spots. But it was nerve wracking. But I have a low b.p. and couldn't let it bother me. I was too busy trying to remember what time my spreadsheet said I was supposed to warming up.

Anyway, we're pretty sure we won our age group. Although they only posted women's, men's , co-ed, and corporate divisions. We were 6th out of 16 teams in the women's, and I'm pretty sure the other 5 were not 50+.

I was thinking that the 4th person should wear a shirt that says something to the effect of "I'm on a relay team, I just started, I have fresh legs, Sorry I'm dusting you in your 23rd mile" . I really felt guilty. Not that I had fresh legs or was really dusting anyone.

Then we beat feet to go watch the end of the World Cup game. What a disaster for France. I know some people think it's necessary to defend the honor of their mothers and sisters, but not with such a violent act. and at the expense of your team and the game. Trash talk is just that. Deal with it at an appropriate time.

But I still do not like Italy. Bunch of ruffian, melodramatic divers.

Then we went to a surprise party for another buddy who turned 50. Jeez, this group is getting OLD.

Just spent the last 5 hours watching a taped version of today's Tour. I LOVE Thomas Voeckler !! Or should I say "poor old Thomas Voeckler", as Liggett calls him. What a courageously stupid venture he went on. But I always like to ride like him cuz he's so easy to imitate.

Discovery Team is done. (Coach is holding out hope for Jose Acevedo)
Floyd's the man. Perhaps he took a sip of water in Lourdes as he passed by to help his ailing hip bone.