The Stone Rabbit

Sweetheart Shuffle 5K/10K 2017

 

A couple of weeks ago , on a pretty warm February morning, several friends and I signed up to run or run/walk the Sweetheat Shuffle 5K/10K!  

In this photo, I am with a couple of the ladies I run with about 3 times a week....and two daughters of one of them!  We were waiting for the race to start!

We did this same event last year, but the weather that day was COLD!!

 

 

Our fellow running buddy Karen and her beautiful dog Gracie, were there, too!  They did an amazing job of supporting and cheering and taking photos!

 

 

I did the 10K that day...6.2 miles.....I wasn't really ready to go that distance and it showed on my finish time.  However, the awesome event company that puts on these races doesn't charge any more for doing the longer distance, so I decided it would be a great way to practice extending my mileage.  I have three half marathons coming up in the months ahead, so I need to be getting used to more miles again.

Karen got this photo as I was heading out to complete my second loop of 3.1 miles.  I looked happy, but by the time I hit about 4 or 4.5 miles, I was tiring.  It was at that time that I met up with Sherri,  another running buddy who was also doing the same distance.   She, too, was doing the 10K for additional miles practice.  We had a great time talking for the last part of the event.  We both do run/walk intervals when going over 3 or 4 miles, so we were a good match that day.

 

 

Karen captured us crossing the finish line together....you can see Gracie's sweet head in the lower left part of the photo!!  

 

 

 THE STONE RABBIT is showing off the awesome finisher's medal and age division award I earned that day!    One of the advantages of being an older runner.....there aren't as many of us, so we have a better chance of placing in our age groups, even if our times aren't real great!  haha

Actually, there are many races where women in my age group are amazingly fast!!  I admire them so much and feel lucky to be able to trail behind them!!

 

 

I hope you will visit Beverly's blog, HOW SWEET THE SOUND! There you will find several other bloggers who are ready with their weekely Pink Saturday shares!

DANA

 

LET THE SUNSHINE !!!! LET THE SUNSHINE IN!!! THE SUNSHINE IN!!!

 

THE STONE RABBIT is making the most of this wonderful warm weather we are having!!!

He says getting out in the sunshine, on a blanket with a little drink and some great music, reminds him of the good old days when he was a footloose and fancy free bunny.....without a care in the world!

Oh yes.... LET THE SUNSHINE IN!

 

We hope you are having a fine weekend, too!!  Be sure to visit Beverly's blog HOW SWEET THE SOUND for a long list of other bloggers who are ready with their weekly shares, too!

DANA

 

 

KICK-OFF 5K 2017

 

In the past, the KICK OFF 5K was held in the area around Arrowhead Football Stadium here in Kansas City.  When I signed up for it this year, I thought it was still there!  However, right before the race, I found out it had to be moved.  At first I was disappointed as running around that location is pretty neat, but I knew the KCRunning Co., the folks who put on this race, would still make it a fun event......and they did just that!

The KCRunning Co retail store in Leawood, KS, was the location of the start and finish of the race, with the course being on Nall (on the West), 127th st. on the North and Roe on the East.   Their store is in the upper right background of this photo.

 

 

 

My friend Karen came along to cheer for us that morning.  We were hanging around in the store before the race started.  They were offering nice discounts on some of their items.....we each bought a really nice stocking cap.

The weather that morning was nippy, but very sunny.  I hadn't planned on wearing my hat in the run, but I later changed my mind and put it on.

 

 

 In fact, here I am with my daughter, who also ran the race.   We both decided to don those hats.

 

 

And we were off!

 

 

The KCRunning Co has photographers taking all sorts of pictures before, during and after the race.....and they are free to download!!  This is the one they got of me on the course!  haha  Sometimes it just doesn't work out.  However, what I like about the picture is a glimpse of part of the course.  It was one hilly 3.1 miles!!

I was OK til I hit the 1.5 mi mark and then I faded.  It was very obvious I wasn't as hill ready as I needed to be.  I took about 4 short walk breaks from there to the finish.  The hills, while not steep, were pretty much on the entire course.

 

 

 Even though I walked more than I wanted to, I was still OK with my finish time, which was officially 32.54.......  3 seconds faster than my last 5K....where the hills were not nearly as bad.   Three seconds are three seconds!  :)

 

 

Karen took the previous photo and this one!  :)   I was checking my watch to see my race time......just part of the fun.....or not.  :)

You can see that I'd removed the new stocking cap by the time I crossed the finish line.....as well as my jacket and gloves.  I wish one day I would learn to not overdress for these events.

 

 

There was this great photo op for us to take advantage of.  I'm with running friend, Mary, in this picture.   We were sporting our medals and division trophies.

 

 Following the race, we were treated to a wonderful "tailgating" array of yummy food!   

 

 

We also received very nice black hoodies embellished with the race logos!  

 

 

THE STONE RABBIT was impressed with my trophy!!  I told him that, while my time was good for me, the folks who crossed the finish line first did it in about half the time I did.  He promptly reminded me that I'm also twice their ages.   Yes..... 

I do know there are lots of really fast folks who are my age. . .I won't ever be one of those, but that doesn't bother me.  Being out there on such a beautiful day, with my daughter ( who  I watched through proud tears as she took off and ran her own race ahead of me ), and my good buddy Karen (who I met through running and spent her Sunday morning with us) and so many others I've also met through running (young and not so young)....well, that makes it all a lot of fun.

 

 

We are having a gorgeous weekend here!!  Tomorrow I will be doing a 10K!   It will be slow, cuz I'm not really ready for a  6.2 mile race right now, but it will still be fun. . .many friends will be there....and the weather will be nice.

Please visit Beverly's blog HOW SWEET THE SOUND for a list of other bloggers who are ready with their weekly shares!!

DANA

Acts of KINDNESS

 

Recently I went to the grocery store.  While  putting the groceries into my car I realized the sacks were decorated!!  What a wonderful surprise!

When I arrived home, I called the store and asked who had embellished the grocery sacks.  I was told that children from a nearby elementary school had done the artwork as part of Kindness Week !

Wow!!!  Those sacks could not have come at a better time.  With all of the ugly and unkind things we are seeing on the news, TV shows and social media lately.....I'm referring to the political related remarks.....those little kiddos just totally lifted the spirits of a lot of us shoppers with their wonderful acts of kindness!!!

 

 

THE STONE RABBIT fell in love with the sacks, too.  He hopes the kindness shown by those kids will help adults behave in similar ways.

 

 

We hope you visit Beverly's blog, HOW SWEET THE SOUND, to see all of the shares other PINK SATURDAY participants have ready for you to enjoy!!

HAPPY PINK SATURDAY!

DANA