sham.......rock 5K

so unfortunately, this year's shamrock run in downtown baltimore wasn't as fun as the two i've done previously. that's probably due to the numerous participants who don't know much about race etiquette. or rather, don't know anything at all. my main gripe is that, if you're going to stop dead in your tracks, MOVE TO THE SIDE INSTEAD OF CAUSING THE RUNNER BEHIND YOU TO SLAM INTO YOUR BACK AND/OR DANGEROUSLY TRIP OVER YOUR FEET. i was so annoyed. fortunately though, i wasn't trying for any blazing times this year, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. apparently, kim wasn't too thrilled with her race experience either: http://kletco.blogspot.com/ . the freebies weren't that spectacular this year either, and i'm guessing that it's because of a change in sponsors. we got the requisite t-shirt and a nutrition bar. wheeeee....

the good part of the race: i ran the whole way with my dad. running is a thing that belongs to me and my dad. we've been doing this together for, oh..., say, 12 or 13 years? and i don't know why i didn't do this sooner, but this was the first time dad and i stayed together. we ran at an easy, conversational pace, and the neat thing was that we were right behind another, albeit younger, father daughter pair. they were probably the ages that dad and i were when the two of us started out... anyway, we talked a little, were quiet a little, and then got mischievous and decided to smoke our counterparts on the last third of the race. :)

dad and i are going to the Lebanon VA 5K memorial day weekend, a race that we've run together for 12 consecutive years. it's now our tradition. i always go home for that weekend. that's a nice, small race with a relatively flat, fast course. so i guess i can just pack away the shamrock run and look forward to the VA 5K and the bunches of other races that i'm hoping to do this year.

a favorite thing about running: it's a self-regenerative pleasure. probably one of the few things out there like that.