The 25th Annual Shamrock Run

One thing I love more than running is racing (fast), but good lord they add up! So when my friend Jen wanted me to run  Indianapolis's St. Patrick's Day run and told me it was a mere $25, how could I possibly pass up that bargain! And was super stoked to get my first race in with Jen, a dear dark-thirty friend that I started running with this fall, (and a super fabulous Kindergarten teacher too : )

Even though it was two days post my favorite holiday, the St. Pat's spirit was surely in the air. Festive wear was a plenty and post race green beer was ready. Packet pick-up for this race was 'easy peasey' and gear check was conveniently located in the toasty Columbia Club on this balmy 38° morning. 

Getting to the front of the race was easy to avoid walkers, as this race hosted a 4 and 1-mile loop, with medals for the kiddo participants. The route was fast and flat, starting at Monumental Circle, south downtown, then to historic Fountain Square and back. So scenic, we decide to run in a second time for a cool down and selfies, stoping where Jen was married 😊 

All in all a fabulous race; a 4-mile PR for the both of us, 3rd and 4th in our age group! With our goal being 8 minute miles on tired legs, which we smashed with a 7:36 mile average and an 30.25 finish. And we even made negative splitting look pretty 😉

Shamrock 5K: sometimes you just have to "let it go"

I'm excited to say my 2016 racing season has started! And what a better way to start out with the Shamrock 5K, (even if the Garmin said 2.85). It's a 3 year tradition on the running, and what a better way for a couple former college swimmers and a diver to bring in St. Patty's day celebrations. Lord knows it's hard for me not to run a race hard, but this one is purely a social event with a little cardio mixed in. 

We added Jason into out three some, but we go waaaaay back to UINDY swimming. We do our best to catch him up on 18 years of inside jokes and he tolerates the many viewings of the 1998-2001 UINDY slide shows, so we include him the group texts from time to time. But I am so blessed to have Ward (aka "Uncle Ward" to our kids) and Bri still in my life, it's often as if nothing changed, but we are obviously way more mature and classy ☺️

Don't be fooled by our running attire, it's pretty much a walking/run tour of several Indiana breweries., (hence why I ran 10 miles earlier that morning). We could have walked, but it was way more fun to weave through people and try to catch Jason who was apparently going for a course record. And we almost made it to the first stop, but port o potties selfies came first. 

As we were mainitung our 10:55 pace, photo ops were still feasible. I loved that the course ran us through historic Foutain Square, and found the perfect pic for Ward's profile. 

Meanwhile, our kids were safe and sound back in the Burg with Gigi, doing photo shoots at the park for their new albums. Even if Jason's phone died, containing the number of our ride home. 

And most importantly, we had to re-enact the ever famous picture. As St. Patty's day always holds a special place in our heart, as the first time we ever exchanged numbers, (and huge props to my SIL) for capturing this picture.  Even we get old, this picture recreation, never does. I pray we are still doing this in our 90's, even if the cups are filled with Miralax!