Impossible to Be Sad

Today was the Bolder Boulder 10K. I ran this race in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. This year I couldn't run it due to my back issue. But, aside from a few twinges of regret on seeing the buses and the bibs as we drove through Boulder, I was OK with the DNS (for once). Why? Well, because exactly seven years ago today, this is what I was doing.

Walkin' down the aisle with my brand new husband Dan, May 28, 2005. Yes, I did wake up that morning at 4 a.m. to run!

Cheesy pose......Note that I am wearing make-up, a rare thing reserved for weddings and other such special occasions.

We're not Jewish, but our Jewish friends made sure we had a hora. We had break dancing too.

So given that today was our 7th anniversary (with nary an itch in sight!), we decided to commemorate it with 2,700 feet of elevation gain: a hike up Green Mountain, an 8,100-foot landmark in Boulder's foothills. (Ultrarunner Anton Krupicka is famous for running this trail almost every day of the year. We didn't see him today.)

With many of Boulder's badasses down below, burning up the streets with Deena Kastor and company, the trails were emptier than they usually would be on a crystal-clear and cool holiday morning. We made it to the summit in an hour and a half and took our time up there soaking in the views of Indian Peaks.

The Indian Peaks, looking west from Green Mountain.

On the way up, with Boulder in the background.

We got a nice runner wearing a Barr Trail Mountain race shirt and a worn pair of New Balance minimalist shoes to take our photo at the top, but apparently he's a better runner than he is a photographer because the photo was so blurry it's not worth posting. We took our time getting down, stopping to watch the military planes whose flyover always concludes the Bolder Boulder festivities. Unlike in the past, this time we were actually higher than the planes! And once down, we retired to an Indian restaurant and stuffed ourselves at the buffet. Bucking my usual "Sunday-only" rule for sweets, I let myself enjoy chocolate and rice pudding and some jelly beans.

Afterwards, we took the kids over to the home of Karen, the family friend who watched the kids for us as we hiked....and has a swimming pool. I took this picture of Dan, Ruthie and Will:

It was a great day NOT to be sad about not being able to race.

Next year, the Bolder Boulder isn't on my anniversary. It's the day before. Hmmmm.....race on May 27, 2013, and an 8th anniversary hike the next day. Sounds like a plan!