Rock n Roll Denver Half October 21, 2018

Original plan ↑↑

Actual  ↓↓

Denver brought summer back all weekend long.  It's still a little cool in the wind at the start line, I spend quality time clinging to a cup of tea waiting for the sun to rise.  I also move back a few corrals as I'm being realistic about my time (or lack of).  Everything is easy, plenty portas, space to get in corrals, good tunes, excitement.

The first 5k is perfect, I'm running with a pacer and my watch is telling me good things, almost back-to-normal running form things.  I am invincible!  I stop to check out Coors Field then I'm on my own.  At 10k I realize my watch thinks I've done about a km more than the markers.  Oh.  That's why.  Nevermind.

The sun is out in full force by now and it mostly makes up for the realization I'm still actually quite slow.  At 12k we enter City Park, it's beautiful.  Again with the blue sky.

All kinds of fun stuff going on.

Late October has never looked so mid August.  

Crab apples on the ground.  

A passing runner kindly stops to take a pic, though when she grabs my phone I assume I'm being robbed.  That's normal right?  SORRY.  

At this point I've decided this will be my last Half ever (I'm tired, there is drama) so I'm focused entirely on enjoying the course, the weather, the other runners, my tunes, the cops stopping traffic for us - all the race things.  

I love this sign.  I walked most of the second half except for when a wasp chased me, then I had un petit sprint (did you know sprint in French = sprint?) #learningmoment

The final stretch takes us toward the Capitol.  We actually go right past the front of it before descending to the finish line, one of the nicest race finishes ever.

All done at 3 hrs+.

This uncomfortable looking pose is what happens when you try to simultaneously hold in your stomach and your back fat.

RnR did a fantastic job with the medal design, this is one of my all time favourites.  Even the detail in the ribbon is excellent.

All the bears agree.

*I was provided with a TourPass for race entry as a 2018 member of RocknBlog.  This gives me a good excuse to travel to interesting places.  All thoughts and opinions always my own.