At 6:00am sharp, Trudy’s phone starts beeping. She hops out of bed and gets in the shower and goes down to the lobby to get some coffee while her laggard husband sleeps in. The race, he figures, doesn’t start until 8:20, so there’s no rush.
She comes back up as he’s tying his shoes. They pin on their running numbers and gather their jackets and gloves and go downstairs to the breakfast bar for eggs and bacon and fruit and pancakes. The race, they figure, doesn’t start until 8:20, so why not?
They drive the short distance to the Alamodome where they pay the dime and park in the vast parking lot beside the starting line where the 1,500 or so runners are assembling. It was in the 40s last night, but the sun’s coming up, and they toss their jackets back into the car. The race doesn’t start until 8:20, and by that time it’ll be even warmer.
And then 8:20 comes.
From their place near the end of the line, they start moving to the starting line. It’s a gorgeous, sunny day with a clear blue sky. And the weather’s perfect for a 10K run.
Trudy leads the way. David shuffles along. Although he gets speedy a few times, he comes to his senses in each case and returns to his plodding pace.
It’s an out-and-back course, and almost as soon as they start out, half-marathon runners pass them going back the other way. And then there are more of them. And then there are 10K runners, too. And then there’s the bridge over the railroad tracks. And then there’s the rock-n-roll girl-band cranking loud tunes. And then the turn-around. And before you know it, there’s the band again and then the starting line in the distance.
David picks up the pace. Trudy whispers words of caution. And of course, it turns out that that’s not where the finish line is. So by the time they enter the Alamodome, Mr. Speedy is back to his reliable, plodding pace, again.
Now they’re running out onto the track. Music is blaring from loud speakers, echoing off the ceiling far above them. They round the turn. And they’re in the final straightaway, side-by-side. The announcer calls out their names. And as they cross the finish line, hand-in-hand (corny yes, but true), they hold their hands up and an image of them in their red-orange jerseys appears on the jumbotron. And then there are snacks: apples and bananas and bagels and peanut butter cookies. And there’s a band on stage playing KC and the Sunshine Band.
What a good way to start Trudy’s birthday day. And since the race started at 8:20, there’s still so much day left.