Reflections on the Peachtree Road Race

I promise that other than posting some photos later this is the last you will hear of the Peachtree Road Race from me this year!

Thanks to all those that encouraged me and had to listen to me complain about doing this Race.  Thanks to Katie and Robyn for the running tips. Thanks to my son and daughter-in-law for including me in the race with them.  Thanks to the rest of my family and friends for having faith in me for knowing that I could do it when I wasn't sure that I could.

I would have never put this event on my "bucket list", but I am glad I did it.  Will I do it again?  Maybe.

I'm not one of the flag waving Americans that tout my freedom all the time.  But, as I was walking/running yesterday I was proud to be able to do that knowing that our freedom is many times taken for granted. I was so humbled by many that I saw walking and was proud to have been among them.

Here are some things I observed during the day and things I will remember for a long time:

• The Giant American Flag at the beginning of the race (television doesn't do it justice)
• The friendliness of all the runners
• The many funny slogans on the backs of people's shirts
• The families watching with their young ones along the way
• The men running in their kilts
• Running through "holy water" at one of the churches and having a priest throw "holy water" on you
• The bands that played along the route
• An older man stopping me to ask me to dance in front of a dixieland band (which I did)
• A radio station booth along the side of the route playing "frosty the snowman"
• Couples holding hands as they walked the course
• A 92 year old man walking the route with help from friends and family
• The little girls and boys along the route wanting to give you a high five
• The colorful tutus that many of the girls and women were wearing
• The two firemen that were dressed in full fire gear to honor those fire fighters recently killed in Arizona
• The Shepherd Spinal Center patients in their wheel chairs out high fiving and encouraging us on -- very moving
• the hunky firemen that were in one spot and all the pretty girls wanting their photos taken with them - I'm not sure who had the bigger smiles!
• The mud at Piedmont Park at the end of the race -- I actually got stuck in it
• The sweet and juicy peaches at the finish line 

I didn't do my personal best as far as time is concerned, but I was fine with my time.  My coveted Peachtree Road Race shirt will now get framed!