Last Sunday, my running pal Mary and I participated in an annual event. . .the KANSAS CITY EXPRESS MOTHER'S DAY 5K RUN/WALK FOR WOMEN!! This was my fourth year to do this run and it was Mary's sixth.
The promoters of this 5K go all out in making it a great occasion. . .full of many fun and special details.
One such detail is having this awesome " start/finish" balloon arch!! This is the arch from last year!
We arrived early enough to meet up with the special artists who own the business, UP UP and AWAY, as they were putting the finishing touches on the 2014 arch!!
Last Sunday morning it was very, very windy. . .making the task of keeping that arch in place a bit challenging! However, they pulled it off and it was amazing!!
Mary and I took a photo op moment, as did several other runners, to stand beneath the arch before the 5K started!! NOTE: PINK flower!!! :)
Here's another design! It had been at "packet pickup" on Fri. and Sat. and it still looked wonderful on Sunday at the run!!
As I said, it was really windy around 7:45 that morning. . .note the arch in the distance! It did recover in fine order so we could cross beneath it when the run started at 8:00 a.m. .
The official shirt color this year was purple, but you can see tons of PINKS on the participants, too!
Mary is such a good sport. . .as are my other running buds. They KNOW I'm gonna be getting a lot of pictures of our times together. This is a "selfie" I took of us as we were in the crowd, getting ready for the run to start!!
Mary's husband was there, too! He's becoming very good with snapping photos!! Here we are as we were moving toward the start line! :)
I am in a much different place this year than I was a year ago with respect to my running ability. Last year my time was sooo much better and I ran the entire 3.1 miles. However, this year, I'm still recovering from a strange leg issue that kept me from running for several weeks. In fact, it wasn't so long ago that I couldn't jog for more than 5 steps without pain, so my ability to run the first 1.5 miles of this run without stopping was pretty good, I felt.
Not only was it windy that morning but it was SOOOOO muggy that I struggled with my breathing. . .mainly because I'm still majorly out of running shape (endurance). So when I stopped to run/walk, it wasn't because my leg bothered me , it was because I wasn't in condition to totally run the rest of it.
The following picture has floated around the internet. . .and I normally can soooo identify with it!
However, this time I was sooo tired by the time I finally crossed the finish line , I knew I would look like it on any pictures that I'd happen to be in.
Mary's husband DID get this one of me not too far from the finish line. . .I looked like I was walking, but it was really an extremely slow "run" at that point! ha ha. The one good thing I observed in the picture was that I wasn't bent over as far as I have been in other pictures. . .a very bad habit I have been trying to work on. . .I get tired and I slump and it isn't good for running!!
So, all in all, I was pretty happy with what I did that day as far as running goes. That was the third weekend in a row that Mary and I had participated in 5Ks. . . and I was able to "run" the first third of each of them. . . a big improvement over just a few weeks ago!
Besides those special balloons, they have special porta potties, too, and LOTS of them. . .which is great when you have over 3,000 females participating in the 5K!!
Each year they have a Porta Potty Decorating Contest!!
There were many cute designs, but I'll just show you a couple today. I loved this one with the Wizard of OZ theme. . .after all, we were in Kansas that morning!!
Loved this one, too!
This one had a great sign on it. . .SOOOOOOO another "selfie" was in order!!
This was taken after we'd recovered from the run. . .hence the sweating hairdos. . . but the happy faces of "determined" women!
THE STONE RABBIT always enjoys hearing my Running Reports . He was especially pleased that I'm slowly getting my running endurance back. . .he hated the weeks that I was hurt . . .mainly because I was a real grump about the whole thing!!
Life is better for him, too, when I can run!! :)
Please be sure to visit our Pink Saturday Hostess, Beverly, at HOW SWEET THE SOUND! You will find a long list of other bloggers who are ready to share their PINKS with you!
Have a great PINK SATURDAY!
DANA
I love those balloon flowers - what a great idea! The fact that you even run these distances is impressive to me so your time and your form are completely inconsequential to my way of thinking! The ports-potties being decorated is a great touch!
Happy Pink Saturday!
Robin
Posted by: RobinfromCA | May 16, 2014 at 04:15 PM
Congratulations!! I am in awe you are so inspiring you and your friends are beautiful inside out. Looks like a wonderful race. Happy Pink Saturday!! Grace xoox
Posted by: Grace | May 16, 2014 at 07:36 PM
What you are doing is a great thing. Wish I was up to it. Great exercise for you.
Posted by: LaVoice | May 17, 2014 at 11:38 AM
I had some girlfriends run this one. You are inspiring for sure.
Ann
Posted by: ann | May 17, 2014 at 11:51 AM
Happy Pink Saturday, my running friend. I love that arch! Amazing! Just like you!!!♥♥♥
Posted by: Beverly | May 17, 2014 at 12:14 PM
Happy Pink Saturday! Laughed out loud at your 'what I feel like/ look like... you are too funny!
Posted by: Susan | May 18, 2014 at 04:07 AM