Running with the Bulls (sort of...)

It's no secret that everyone on Team WestEnders likes to run--for fitness, for stress relief, for the sheer physical satisfaction...and sometimes for the double whammy of a charitable cause, combined with family solidarity, as is the case with 5Ks we participate in together. Every year we try to pick at least one race that all four of us can commit to, taking into account our disparate schedules, sports obligations, and time constraints.

This Summer, it turned out that we got to revisit one we'd signed up for before, in 2015 (and which had conflicted with vacation plans in subsequent years, preventing us from repeating until now). However, only Derek, Riley and I had ended up taking part, since Husband had to bow out at the last minute due to a work-related travel issue. So in 2018, the whole gang was ready to rock the Bull Moon Habitat (Ride and) Run (obviously joining the foot parade, rather than the wheeled portion), benefiting the Durham chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

We like this one for several reasons (besides the obvious "money to a worthy charity"), including the fact that it's one of the few that takes place in the evening, with the bikers pedaling off at 7:30, followed by the runners at 7:45. The organizers hand out glowsticks to anyone who wants to drape them somewhere on their body; on top of that, many folks show up in their own bedazzled, illuminated, or reflective apparel, all of which adds to the festive atmosphere. And then there's the point that the event itself starts and ends at the DBAP--the Durham Bulls' Athletic Park--which happens to be not only an iconic landmark, but also one of our favorite spots on the planet.

As usual during any activity at the field, they close off the street in front of the entrance, for pedestrians to wander freely--and in this case, for the swath of vendors that line either edge of the sidewalk with their food and drink offerings. The mascot, Wool E. Bull, prances among the crowd, spreading enthusiasm and inciting squeals of glee from the small children in attendance. A DJ cranks high-energy tunes, loud enough for you to have to raise your voice to talk to one another, while encouraging people to dance... you know, just as an appropriate pre-race warm-up.

Yep, it's a big old fiesta, y'all...oh yeah, and then eventually it's time for some exercise...or whatever. Even though we'd only experienced it once, the boys and I recalled the course as being a hilly and tiring one...and memory did not fail us. To add to the...let's go with "challenge"...consider this: even at dusk, it was still hovering around 85 degrees, with 90-something percent humidity, making the Heat Index...a balmy ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE. (Or if you'd prefer it in non-meteorological terms, "Slightly Hellish". Also, in belated 20/20 hindsight, I reeeaaally didn't need to know that before pounding the pavement. Oh well...) Yeeeaahhh, it was not what you'd call "comfortable". Or "pleasant". But definitely "super-sweaty" and "Oh, good grief, are we DONE yet?"

But we've got a few of these under our belts by now, so we know how to get the job done. We plugged along, pacing ourselves, each doing our own thing (although Husband and Derek hung together on this one, for once). Not surprisingly, my per-mile time came in on the upper end of my normal range, but I wasn't fussed--3rd in my age group, 149th out of 466 finishers....I'll take it. Husband and older son cruised across the line slightly less than a minute--and 30 people--ahead of me, for a respectable showing as well.

But after the 3 of us had grabbed water, we went looking for our youngest family member. He was already chilling (metaphorically, since that wouldn't actually be possible in those wet-blanket conditions...), stretching, and hydrating, as a good athlete does after working out. When asked about his run, he shrugged nonchalantly and said that it had gone pretty well. It was only after I prodded him to accompany me to the results table that I found out the kid had been the FIRST FINISHER...out of EVERYONE. No wonder he appeared so relaxed when I found him, since he'd crossed the line a full ten minutes before me. Holy Bat out of Hell, where did this child get his speed? (In case I haven't been clear: NOT FROM ME!)

So of course we had to wait around for the awards presentation, to see what kind of prize he'd won (a $40 gift certificate to Omega Sports--very useful...and fun!). The extra time wasn't a hardship, however, since another thing that sets this race apart is that the entertainment continues, post-run...with the addition of adult beverages (although we opted to stick with H2O. Okay, okay...I did get all wild and crazy for a minute and toss back a frosty, refreshing....Coke Zero. I know, I know: we are Party. Animals. What can I say?), sandwiches and cookies provided by Sheetz, fresh barbeque (because of course, "the South"), soft pretzels with hummus dip, samples of yummy new Kind bar  flavors, and apparently, cheese--which absolutely cracked me up, because every time you'd walk by, someone would wave a toothpick at you and call out hopefully, "Cheese? Want some cheese?"

It was quite the shindig, I tell ya. But once we'd had our fill of tasty snacks, and Riley had been given his swag, we were ready to call it a night...and most importantly, hit the SHOWERS. So we put this one in the books--our probably one-and-only full-squad run of 2018--and made our way back to Chapel Hill. Time to start looking for the next one...but maybe I'll wait a month or two, and use that interval to pray to the Weather Gods for cooler temps by the Fall! (It couldn't hurt, right? Wish me luck...and a nice breeze...)