Race Report: Electric Run

Charity: Ainsley's Angels (They went along with us.)

Finish Time: 0:49:35

Mister knew I needed this.

About a week ago, I mused that, even though my running is not quite there yet, I should probably do one of the virtual runs I have signed up for. You know, just to get a race in this month. I mentioned that the original plan was to do the Electric Run, but ...

Mister said, Why not? One way or the other, I'd be doing a bunch of walking rather than running. But if the goal is to finish ... well, why not have the experience?

Sweat is my glitter.

Of course, it ended up being one of the hottest days of the year (107*). Some days I'm made of a whole lot of Stupid.

With Robin. Because JLA.

I suited up with some modifications--neon pink shirt, neon bracelets and tiara (custom from Groovy Baby Action Gear, natch--as I said, I had been planning to do this one for some time). The most inspired addition, if I do say myself, was pinning several glow stick loops to my waist to make a Lasso of Truth.* Several people took pictures of and with me, which is always gratifying to my cosplayer heart.** Yeah, this is a little like a rave for all ages, and NOT wearing some kind of costume makes you look pretty lame.

There was a lot of waiting around at the beginning. Rather than having designated wave times, everyone was herded into a single chute and let out a little at a time. Of the whole evening, this was the worst part of the event. It was VERY hot, and a lot of people were packed into a small space. As the DJ threw stuff out, people were not paying attention to the space around them. And, as they let groups go, I found myself toward the beginning of the pack; I had concern about being run over, so I worked my way over to the side. Conclusion: if you have crowd-aversion (which I sometimes do), I'd stay toward the back. It's not like it's a timed event.

Once we got going, it was really fun. Like a Disneyland ride, the route wound in and around itself  to make things appear "new." It was clearly marked with volunteers along the way to make sure everyone was staying on course. Only a couple places made me worried--at the beginning, where there were a bunch of plastic sports drink bottles on the road that couldn't be seen, and one part with a big curb that was dimly lit. The light elements were pretty, and the music was great to move to (although I hated how things slowed down for picture takers). There were twice as many hydration stations as other 5Ks I've done, which was super smart and very appreciated.

As for me, I did just fine. The standing at the beginning was tough after a while, but once I got moving, I felt better. I ran at the beginning and the end, and I walked the bulk of the route, just taking it in, as was a majority of the other participants. I confess that at one point, the last six weeks of recovery--as well as my doctor's comment from a visit this past week on how truly gangrenous my gallbladder had been--all hit me. I wanted to cry. I wanted to throw my hands in the air and scream, "I'M ALIVE, YOU MUTHA-FATHAS!" Instead, I mouthed the words to the samples of The Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams" that was playing and kept moving.

And Mister, while being supportive of my brand of insanity, is not insane himself. He and Miss hung out in a nearby Starbucks during the race, collected me at the end, and had a iced non-fat chai waiting for me in the car.

Sweet dreams are made of these, and truly, who am I to disagree.

* For some reason, I get asked about this accessory nearly every single race. It looked so good and got such a good response, that I'm wondering about a permanent addition at some point. Mister thinks an LED rope.
** I also had a couple young men get really flirty with me, which is a standard female cosplay thing at cons but I was not expecting it. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with being a Cougar.