Bitterly Colder-Boulder

Darn it! Yesterday in my email inbox was a note from the Bolder-Boulder coordinators. The Bolder-Boulder is a 10K race every Memorial Day in Colorado. I’ve finished the race seven or eight times. Weddings and babies will occasionally pose a scheduling conflict. More often than not, however, I’m part of a mob of several-thousand runners at the starting line.

I first ran the Bolder-Boulder ten years ago. My friends Lisa and Ann convinced me to give it a go. The race still hits one of the high marks of my year. Even the requisite road-trip to transport me and my running shoes to Boulder is nice. Naomi has grown up enough to enjoy the flat-irons. As a runner, where else would you encounter a “Kegs & Eggs” aid station set up in somebody’s front yard?

When I started this Bolder-Boulder running effort I set the goal of finishing the 10K in 60 minutes or less. Hasn’t happened yet. I came close two years ago with a 63 minute time. (Not that I hold a grudge...but...boy, did I feel like those three minutes were just thumbing their nose at me!)

Anyway, back to my email inbox yesterday, I got a note from the race coordinators. Each year the organizers pull together the Colder-Boulder (5K) at the six month mark from the Memorial Day race. This email was notifying me that my race times qualify for participation in the Colder-Boulder.

Here’s the darn it part: this email landed in lap of a woman in no shape to run a 5K. I have been heavy into yoga and swimming recently. Aside from my occasional 20 minute jump-rope and funk music excursion I’m a dud with the running shoes. Factor in the altitude difference and Sunday's run is a no-go.

I’ve never had a qualifying time to participate in…well…in anything! Adding insult to my injured pride Colder-Boulder race participants get this handsome alpine-fleece cap. After you’ve sweated all over the darned cap, yeh, you get to keep it.

I feel like the girl who just got asked to dance and froze up because she, she can't. It's a bitter pill to swallow having to skip a trip to one of my favorite places on the planet, and the chance to run in a goofy, fun 5K race. Throw in a fashion accessory, like the cap, and it's flat out painful.

I laced up my shoes, for the first time in months, this noon and went running. Should this old girl receive an invitation again some day she intends to be prepared.