Monday, May 30, 2011
Fun in Boulder
Although I said earlier I would no longer publish on the weekend, I could not resist putting up these photos I took earlier today at the "Bolder Boulder" run-- a world famous annual event. (Every once in a while I like to put up these more personal and "off topic" posts.) Some 54,000 people registered for this event. Fortunately for me, the race took place almost directly in front of my apartment.
First came the "real runners," the experts, the elites. They ran so early I missed them. Next were the less qualified (but still outstanding) runners, then the joggers, then the walkers. Mostly I saw the joggers and walkers. The course itself was fairly short, maybe 3 or 4 miles. The best runners finished in about 30-40 minutes, the rest two or three hours (my estimate).
I found the energy quite lovely. Everyone was having a great time--some in silly costumes, some parents with their offspring running or walking beside them, some with their kids on their shoulders. The music was loud and electrifying. The singer sounded just like Janet Joplin, one of my favorites. I went up to her at one point and asked what era the music was from--it was the eighties--so I have been playing eighties music on my internet, but so far have not located these pieces.
From the top down, the pictures are of:
Three expert stilt walkers standing on the sidelines and dancing
The singer I mentioned above--just great!--and a member of her backup ensemble.
Guy in funny hat
Sign for clean energy (this is Boulder, after all--one of the major centers of ecoconsciousness)
Funny costumes
About 99% of the runners and walkers were in great shape. Diet companies would not make much money in Boulder. Most, however, were (or appeared to be) under age 40, until you got to the walkers and strollers--these were under 50, with a few more elderly puffing to keep up.
I heard on the T. V.(later) that the elite women's competition was won by--I believe--Kenya in first place, followed by Ethiopia in second and third. Next came the U. S. and then the U. K. The T. V. camera took shots from above, and you could see that the first two women's elite to finish seemed to glide along effortlessly on tall thin bodies made for running. The ones from the U. S. and U. K. were good runners, but they seemed to be "forcing" their bodies more, rather than allowing their bodies to lead them. (Note: my ranking may be flawed, but it is approximately correct.)
The weather station had predicted wind for later today, and already the trees outside my window are tossing and turning. I won't walk to the grocery store after all, since the wind stirs up a lot of dust and pollen, and these affect my eyes. Oh, well, as always I have lots to eat in the house and need not worry.
