Celebrating Memorial Day

Life has been a little crazy.

One of my New Years Resolutions was to run the BOLDER BOULDER
I have been training since January- in between knitting of course.  In May I stepped up the pace and the week before the race I was singing, THE LAST TIME
I was thinking, oh why did I ever sign up for this.  The training brought feet issues- I had to get a very expensive shoe to continue, my back started hurting, my knee- you get the picture.  The Friday before the race my quads hurt so bad, I thought gosh maybe I'll be walking on Monday.

I got up early Monday morning, had a bagel with peanut butter, banana, OJ and water.  I wasn't nervous and I felt ready.  I had a friend who is an excellent runner, she started much earlier and was finished and in the stadium before I even started so I was on my own.  To my delight I ended up standing by a woman who had made it her resolution also and so we talked training all the way to the start.   When I heard the starting pistol I was thrilled- I was getting close.

starting line

I am supposed to be in this picture somewhere, 50,000 plus runners.  I heard THIS and I knew my time had come, they shot the pistol and I was off.
I didn't realize that this would be fun- bands all over, (the two songs I remember are: FORGET YOU -I love this song and it got me going, and COME TOGETHER ) people on their lawns cheering, a slip and slide set up, people dressed in costumes and an energy that was amazing.  I had a smile so big and such joy inside it was indescribable.  I ran the whole 10k and felt great, 70 minutes- ok so I'm more of jogger.

around the 6 mile marker

rounding the curve to the finish line

When all the runners were in they had a ceremony including a 21 gun salute, a jet flyover, taps, 2 interviews with WWII veterans and parachuters.  Very touching, taps brought a tear to my eye.  Many people ran in honor of fallen veterans, I thought of my great Uncle Buck.  I didn't know him but have always heard about him.  He died in WWII.

I am already planning for next year, I need to beat my time!

Some Interesting Knitting

Greg had some minor surgery this week, (varicose veins).  I drove him there and thought I would knit in the waiting room.  I went in with him and thought they would ask me to leave but they never did.  I positioned myself so all I could see was the back of the dr, and Greg's face.  I tried to not think about what was going on and cheerfully talked to Greg about anything I could think of.  I did pick up my knitting because I found looking down at that was easier than seeing the slightly bloodly rags that popped up occassionally.  I don't know how Greg watched the whole thing and asked questions- no valium for him. 

He is doing well.  The other leg is scheduled in two weeks so I will keep my kntting handy.

View while knitting

The wildlife have been very active this month.  I saw 8 coyotes the other morning when I was jogging at crown hill park.  They were all in a field with tall grasses. I might not have seen them except a couple dogs were running around and they stood up to see what was going on.  When I told some friends about this- ( I was in such awe of the whole thing and felt so lucky to see them)- they looked at me like I was nuts.  They all said they would have been afraid, jogging alone and seeing so many.  I didn't think of anything but the thrill of being able to see so many at once.

We live on a hill and I can see my neighbor's roof from our house in the winter. We have lots of trees.
Today I looked out our window to find a fox sleeping on my neighbors roof.  Two of them have been in our yard quite a bit lately.