world run day birthday

This is Suzanne, me and Paula today on world run day which happened to be my 55th birthday and entry into a new race category. Look how good we look for women over 50! I am the oldest (in the middle). Paula and I ran for our friend Bob, who died of ALS about 6 weeks ago, and his wife who has cancer. We will donate some money to the Utah ALS foundation. Suzanne ran for her four children and also for the Best Friends Animal Shelter in Kanab - it's a wonderful organization that saves a lot of animals, including Michael Vick's dogs. My daughter, across the country in Carlisle, PA, ran too, with sweet Lewie the dog.

Anyway, we ran about 15 miles - give or take. We did what we call the Devonshire run - one of our favorites and also our friend Bob's favorite run. It is a hard route. Suzanne and I ran about 1.5 miles to the start of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail where we met Paula. Then we ran to the zoo and above it (pretty hilly run) to Devonshire street which is as close to the base of the mountains as you can get. This picture shows us on our way back with the cloudy Salt Lake City view below us. The day turned out great...it was supposed to rain and snow, but we lucked out and it was a warm 50 degrees. I felt pretty pooped but a few jelly beans and some Luna moons and Gatorade kept me going. And I should mention that I ran 3 miles with Sid, my 83 year old friend, at 6:30 Am - it has been our date for the last 2-3 years. So I got some good miles in for my birthday and to prepare for the Austin marathon.

Happy birthday to me! I feel lucky and happy to have made it one more year into a new race category and am grateful to be healthy and have such great friends and a great family! I should have more words of wisdom to impart, but I don't. Life is good on the run! Yay for the 55-59 age group!