23 April 2007

Bloomsday 12k - aka "Uh, where did all these people come from?"

I officially signed up to run in Spokane's Bloomsday 12k in two weeks. I am pretty excited because this will be my first real race and I've been telling everyone about it. But remember - I'm new to running and new-ish to this area so I don't know much about the big races around the country. So, most responses I get are something like this:

Them - "Good for you." Smile and pat on my back.
Me - "Thank you." Smile and pat on my own back.
Them - "Good luck."
Me - "Oh, thanks. I'll be okay, though. It's just a 12k (puff of my chest). I've been running about that distance already."
Them - (chuckle) "No no no. I mean with all the people."
Me - (bad imitation of their happy chuckle) "What do you mean the people?"
Them - "The (readjustment in their chair/position) 50,000 people."
Me - "Could you spell that out for me?"
Them - "Fifty-thousand."
Me - "But this is Spokane. Washington."
Them - "I know. I don't think anyone's figured it out yet."
Me - "Well, any idea where I can park?"

3 comments:

  1. Yeah...that's what they DON'T tell you about B-day. You have to park AT LEAST 12k from the race start, so you've got a race before you ever get there! :) Do they have a shuttle system in place at all? Shane's staying in Spokane Valley that night, so you can always park where he is- but that's a good distance from the race. Maybe he could drop you off...maybe I should check before I volunteer him! :) Good luck!

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  2. Bloomsday is my favourite race. I've run it for 15 years ... and yeah, they have shuttles. They give you a brochure at the trade show.

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  3. You know you and Jeanie are family to me. I can hook you up with my brother or mom or mom's husband, who would gladly let you park at one of their houses and drop you off at the race. It is a lot of people, but it's a super organized, controlled event (notice the word "event" instead of "race"). I've run it nude several times.

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