The Hills Are Alive ...

… with my burning thighs.

Those would be the bluegrass hills of Lexington, Kentucky, where I completed the Run the Bluegrass Half Marathon. The rolling hills of Lexington are quite lovely – if you’re riding past them in your car. Trekking up and down them, and up and down them, and up and down them for 13.1 miles – they aren’t quite as lovely. Not that I was looking at them. I was mostly cajoling my brain to convince my thighs that we could make it up the next hill. Here's an idea of the ups and downs of it all:

Elevation Profile

1043 ft.

960 ft.

876 ft.

793 ft.

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1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

It was a lovely morning for a wog – a little cool, but I wore my race long-sleeved tech shirt for the race. Unfortunately for any spectators (and my official race pictures), the shirt was a snug fit, and no match for my more-than-ample midsection. In other words, it inched its way up my belly to where it looked like I was running preggers. Whatever – at some point I have got to come to terms with my body shape so that I will do something about it. Today may just have been that point!

Anyway, the race was a good one. Beautiful weather, great volunteers and support, and a horseshoe for a medal at the finish. I saw Skinny Emmie along the way and the nine-year-old boy who finished in 1 hour and 47 minutes (Just for the record, I did not finish anywhere close to that time, unless you are counting my half-half marathon time. I did manage to beat the 8-year-old girl who finished in 3 hours and 27 minutes). I did not get picked up along the way, nor was I the last person in. My left hip tried to go wonky on me at Mile 8, but I kept going and it gave up and quit its wonkifying. The worst was when at Mile 11, my left ankle tried to twist sideways. Luckily for me, it only did a half-twist, and I managed to finish on two feet. I got to see horses and foals and riders and lots of fences. It was a great morning, and Steve was there waiting for me at the finish, where in spite of all the ups and downs, I posted the best time I've had in quite awhile (which is still SLOW, you nosybodies!).

It's been a great weekend, and I am just a bit sore and tired, but in a good way - whatever that means!

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Today's blessings: Half marathon and finish time; Big Mac post-race; beautiful day for a race and a road trip; family time when we got back home; Krogering with Molly; Maribeth back home after two weeks in Cuba