A Race Seen from the Sidelines

I have never actually watched a running race from the sidelines until yesterday.  The Alliant Energy 5th Season 8k race was held in Cedar Rapids yesterday.  It's a 4th of July tradition, and starts downtown, runs through neighborhoods into Bever Park, and ends back downtown.  I've run this race three times in the past few years, but this year I decided to skip it.

Luckily enough, the race went right past Bud's house, so we sat outside and cheered everyone on as they ran past.  The first runners were elite runners--they were running about a five minute mile.  I can't even comprehend that!  I was especially interested in the people who were running a bit slower--"my people".  Those runners who are usually the people I'm running with.  I studied everyone's faces; it was interesting to see how people looked.  They looked exhausted!  It was pretty muggy outside, and even though Bud's house was at the 2 and 3 mile mark (it was an out and back race), people were struggling.  These are the people that I clapped and hooted the loudest for as they ran past.

 I completely understood how they felt  and it was very easy to put myself in that race.  I think I would have been feeling pretty crappy.  I was very happy with my decision to skip it this year.  I was very happy to have the opportunity to cheer the runners on to the finish line!

Now, if only it would stop raining and stop being so humid, I can get back out and run!