Joan the Jet.

Quick report on the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile race this Sunday.  Great weather (50's, sunny, little wind) and a record number of finishers. I emerged without injury, and never fell or tripped anyone else.

The only thing out of wack was my pre-race routine.  Arriving 30-40mins before my 7:40 start didn't cut it.  Record runner numbers also meant record lines at the porto-johns.  Race brochures promised a bank of 100+ portos near the start, I counted about 35.  The line moved slower than Congress on health insurance reform. Painfully slow in every way.

I crossed the start mat seconds before it closed at 8a.  Probably should've flipped a mental switch, made it an easy social run.  But, feisty on caffeine and general pissedoffedness, I picked my way through runners, thinking it had to clear at some point. No such luck. Ten miles of packed road.  Visions of cattle crowding that would've sent Temple Grandin screaming. Never got out of 3rd gear. Dammit.

Running with the herd at least provided eye candy. Not that there are no ladies running 6:30 miles, but the guy:gal ratio is much prettier. As roughly the 15,218th runner to cross the start, I had an opportunity to see everyone.

Re fast women, Joan Benoit Samuelson ran. She started with the 7:40am group, where I woulda-coulda been, and she ran just over an hour (60:52).  I've run 63mins the last couple years, and tho I had no time goal I would have loved to turn myself inside out trying to keep her in sight. She's a Legend!  Among other things she won the first women's olympic marathon in the '84 LA games, 2:24:52.

A special salute to the grinches at the Marriott a few blocks from the start.  The restrooms buried in the rear lobby there have been a loyal, little known refuge for, well, forever.  No more.  Locked tight.  A security fella could unlock 'em, if you can produce a current guest keycard.

Gas is $2.91 and climbing for the cheapest of the cheap stuff.

GET WELL BILL!  Lots of people are thinking of you and Marge.

 

Pay-Ree Roo-Bay, Mon Cherry

The 2010 race coverage is on Versus TV network, Sunday 4-11-10, 6-9p. 
I'm pulling for George Hincapie (US) and David Millar (UK), and Big Jens Voigt (German) if he's riding.

Most of all I'm pulling for Bill & Marge out in CO.  Knowing them both, I'd put every penny on them to kick the snot out of Guillain-Barre.

Here's a taste of the race also known as the Hell of the North. 



Hincapie targets this classic every year.  He's never won, 2nd once. Bad luck often sabotages him.  His handlebar stem snapped on the cobbles in 2006.


Watching Paris-Roubaix should be a nice way to put the feet up and finish off a solid April Sunday that will start with the Cherry Blossom 10 miler.  Should be about 50F, sunny and standard 5-10mph winds at the 7:40a start.  I think I've got sub70 in me.  But can I take the Mayor?

The plan was to double up the Cowley factor and run it with Dad.  Life intervened, however, and he is headed to Denver to lend a hand to B&M. 

This year the Cherry B is streaming live video available at the race link above.