That sounds wonderful, Michael - so glad you’re able to combine the things you’re most passionate about! I almost want to start bicycling!
I agree with Sabaray! Maybe I can do the “4 hour” version. 
That sounds great, Michael. I’m glad it went well. You are such a strong rider! I’ve done several 2 day rides, but I hate pace lines- I’m too afraid of getting tangled up with another bike and I’m just not good at it.
It’s the people I ride with who are strong; I’m just a vampire, (i.e. I have developed what is fondly referred to as “sucking a rear wheel” to an art form) lol. Riding a pace line can be very unnerving and in some cases flat out dangerous. It takes time and mentoring to develop one’s own pace line skills sets, to understand the do’s and dont’s and to be comfortable and trusting of those riding the pace line with you. But when you’re with the right group and it all clicks it can be a magical experience as you find yourself falling into sync with cadence, gear changes, coming out of the saddle and sitting back down. It can be like a ballet with the sound of the tires on the road, whirring of the chains and the clicks of changing gears providing the music for the dance. I’ve been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from and ride with elite level and former elite level riders and coaches. They’ve taken my cycling to a level of nuances, if not performance, that for me is very special.
Wanted to share a tip for some of the newer racers here- Remember that the courses are measured with tangents- I.e. The shortest way. Make sure you run the tangents and shorten your route since that’s your race distance. Try not to weave too much. It’s not always easy to do.
abasket - yea, that’s it. There are knockoffs but the Color Run is the org that popularized it. I fully get why serious runners wouldn’t want to do them. But for someone like me who was super intimidated, they felt accessible and low key. I’ve gone on to do other 5ks that were more “serious” and chip timed. I don’t really count this one, as I walked with my friend, then ran ahead and jogged in place as I waited for her, and repeated. Of course a lot of people do them just for fun, but they do serve as a “gateway” to running for those of us gym class flunkees! I just wear the shirt though - I don’t wear the tutus or other stuff (nttawwt, I just don’t).
It’s a gimmick - but for me gimmicks keep me motivated. Couch to 5 k is a gimmick too but I couldn’t do it on my own!
I found this to be a helpful article re: running the tangents if you’re like me and are geometrically challenged.
http://sciencebasedrunning.com/2014/12/the-basics-running-tangents/
Quite a few organizations in our area do color runs as fundraisers. They are quite popular for that purpose!
Love the title “Science Based Running” - perfect for science geeks like me.
I’m starting over on the C25K program as a good way to come up from 4 weeks off due to hip problems. And I’m dragging my daughter along with me. It’s fun to have a run buddy. I hope we can do a 5K together before she heads back to college in August.
Go @Gertrude - hope the hip is feeling better. I backtracked three weeks after a week off and I know it was the right thing to do.
It’s great to see your posts, all! Thanks for keeping me motivated. Gertrude, I’m glad to read you’re feeling better and that you are getting to run with your daughter.
Here I had a good run this morning – it wasn’t too warm yet, yay! I hope everyone is keeping hydrated in the heat.
Michael-your ride sounded amazing. Riding in a pace line like that sounds like an incredible experience. Your descriptions of the scenery and the towns you rode through sound spectacular. What a fantastic opportunity!
Gertrude-I’m glad you’re going to re-start the C25K and that your daughter will be doing it with you. I had several fits and starts getting through the program and the time I finally did, there were several weeks that I repeated before moving on. It still amazes me how daunting some of those weeks seemed and how now a 3 mile run is like nothing. It really is a fantastic program for building you up to be a runner. I sure hope you get the chance to do the 5K with your daughter, I’ll bet you’ll have a blast!
MOWC-I had a really hard time with weaving in races and still do sometimes. What helped a lot is realizing that I should start as far forward as I feel comfortable doing. I always started towards the back of the pack, thinking I wasn’t good enough to be up in front. Now I start where I should and usually the amount of passing/being passed in the first few miles is much less.
PG-I think the gimmick races are a great thing. They get a lot more people to participate who wouldn’t otherwise and that’s a good thing. There are plenty of runs for serious runners so I don’t think the color runs and the Donut runs and the like cheapen the sport - I think they are a way to get people involved and build up their confidence to potentially try for more. And the more we can get people off the couch and out there moving, the better!
Thanks all - I’m feeling VERY grateful to be running again. Following the hip problems, which were (are) slow to heal, then a stunning family tragedy (my niece’s 29-year old husband was found dead on Sunday - probably due to his congenital heart condition, but we don’t have confirmation yet) - I am just so grateful for my own health and that of my family. Being in a condition to exercise and enjoy it is truly a gift!
Gertrude-I am so sorry to hear about your niece’s husband. What a tragic situation. It certainly makes us pause and be grateful for good health. It truly is a gift to be able to exercise and enjoy it, especially with family.
I’m so sorry, Gertrude. Life is precious!
A couple of things on color runs.
First- some unfortunate scams.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/run-away-from-these-scam-color-runs/
A post from a serious runner:
“I’m not a fan of these, myself, but like the idea of getting people into running that otherwise would’ve sat on the couch.
The biggest thing I dislike about Color Runs is the fact that I didn’t invent them, and as a result am not currently sipping champagne, sitting in a bathtub filled with rainbow colored cash.”
Two events I’ve done this year were the Hot Chocolate 5K/15K and the FroYo 5K, where you get the title item at the end of the race. These were excellent well-run events. The Hot Chocolate one also included a cup of warm chocolate fondue with stuff to dip in it. That definitely caught my younger daughter’s attention when I brought most of it home for her.
Gertrude, so sorry about your niece’s H.
The beer, chocolate, etc. runs, IMO, are a good way to teach the body that it needs to “earn” the calories if it wants the treat.
I personally prefer smaller, community programs-benefitting races without commercial organizers. My first marathon was in a small rural community with the proceeds going to the local XC programs for kids. It was staffed by a small number of very enthusiastic volunteers, and HS athletes, including football players and cheerleaders, showed up to cheer the runners on. It was great. The BQ run was just as awesome. Imagine running all the way to the turning point of the first loop of the course and being greeted by a group of HS swim team members dancing in their Speedos. Lol!!!
“The beer, chocolate, etc. runs, IMO, are a good way to teach the body that it needs to “earn” the calories if it wants the treat.”
Agreed! Though I have to say, the hot chocolate did not really hit the spot after running, but the FroYo sure did!
Thanks for the kind words about my niece’s husband. This is such a tragic situation - they have a 4-week old baby still in the NICU who has been diagnosed with the same heart defect as his father, part of a group of symptoms called DiGeorge syndrome caused by a chromosomal deletion which is very likely inherited. Now of course we are even more concerned for the baby’s prognosis. My husband and I have been struggling with a bit of “guilt” over our simple lives and healthy children while his sister & her family deal with so much.
GertrudeMcFuzz, so sorry to hear about your niece’s husband. So young. I am occasionally chided about my annual regimen of stress tests with imaging, blood work etc. you never know if something is creeping up on you.