Seafair Torchlight 8k RECAP

What a fun run!  Any excuse to get dressed up is my favorite.  Although we didn't win the costume contest, it was still fun.  We arrived early.  I have gotten to my last 2 races early.  It certainly does make it more enjoyable. There were no lines.  They were still setting up in fact.  It was a good plan that way because we needed to get walking to get the family seated for the parade.  Michelle fit right into our family.  She looked amazing.  It was so fun walking around Seattle dressed as a pirate.  It was fun as well to have another Mommie with kids around the same age.  She always had her eye on all the kids.  We made it up towards the space needle.  My hubby and the kids needed dinner.  Subway stop.  Michelle and I noticed a large group of people.  Most in costumes.  They were doing a judging contest.  Weird.  I thought you were suppose to dress as a pirate?  There were all sorts.  Well we didn't want to miss the contest.  We stood in line.  Introduced ourselves as the Cure JM pirates, blah blah blah.  Microphone, lots of people.  We stepped aside.  Suddenly someone got an award for raising money.  I looked at Michelle.  Did we miss the race?  To our horror we were in the wrong race.  Oh the humiliation.  OH WELL  we informed about 100 people about Juvenile Myositis.

After shaking our embarrassment off, and getting the kids settle on the parade route, we headed back to the start line.  It was crowded.  We had 5 or 6 different people ask to take our picture.  Lots of people telling us we looked awesome.

The Race


It was a little disorganized.  : (   No one new where to line up. The announcer was not on the started line but in the lot next to it so it was hard to here him from there.  We were jammed packed in at the starting line.  No one knew which direction to start.  There had roped off the start into two sections.  No one knew who was suppose to start on which side.  Not even the staff standing there.  We all kept asking and the kid shrugged.  The race started.  Everyone started moving so thats how we knew.  Of course I look down and my shoe isn't tied correctly.  LOL   I had to fix it while the crowd moved around me.    The run was easy.  Little up in the beginning.  We quickly came onto the parade route.  We realized we wouldn't be seeing the family.  They were sitting at the beginning of the parade.  : (   Next glich, a fire truck suddenly pulled out.  They actually stopped us.  We stood there in the middle of the parade while the truck backed out of the garage.  It was for an emergency I'm sure but still.  Good thing I wasn't bent to get a good time.  The course was poorly marked.  We suddenly had really fast runners heading towards us.  I got over to the other side of the street.  If there was going to be a collision, it was not going to be with me.  Our next stop was some costume alterations.  Michelles wig was not staying put.  We ditched it.  She had to hold on to it.  Such a trooper.  We came to 2 signs.  They were about 100 yards apart.  It vaguely said to turn around if you were doing the 5k.  Well we were the 8k so simple, go straight.  But more than one 5k's missed it.  Some turned back before the sign.  Some way after.  Not good.  We were treated to a rapid steep down hill then onto the viaduct.  Michelle was keeping good pace.  I kind of upped it to try and make up some time.  Out onto the Alaskan Way Viaduct.   Awesome!  Awesome view, nice and flat.   They race had already turned around at the end of the viaduct down by Qwest.  So we had the pleasure of trash talking those way ahead of us.  Well, motivate.  "Let's Go! Pick it up!  I'm right behind you!".  I was calling out number having a really great time.  This was fun race.  So I began asking aloud, "is it almost done, I don't want to get sweaty."   Although I was pouring buckets with my wig on.  We had a really fun pace going.  I continued to cheer runner's on .  Including a kid who was about 10 or 11.  Called his number out and yelled he was doing great.  I thought how great is that.  To think what it takes for us adults to get out there.  For a kid to be out there is amazing.  The same kid came and found me to thank me for rooting him on.  He needed to show me he finish.  I told him what a awesome job he did.   I lost Michelle around mile 3 and 1/2.  She was only minutes behind me though.  I crossed over the finish line and turned to concentrate on finding her.  If I lost her, it would have been hard to find her. Well, we were hard to miss.  A few times we had wondered away from each other.  Alls we had to do is look for big hair on each other : ).   I love my Michelle!   Our time wasn't anything to brag about.  I hope that Seafair Torchlight can get it together next year with being a little more organized.  : (   Sorry Seafair.  No worries, I will be back.  Too fun not too.

The Best Part

We didn't win the costume contest.  BUT we raised some serious awareness.  Two weekends in a row now. I couldn't be happier.  We entered as the CURE JM Pirates raising awareness for juvenile myositis.  It was the crowds decision with applause that decided the winner.  The winners were a family posing as Tinkerbell, Captain Hook, with there kids dressed up as the characters from Peter Pan.  We were ugly pirate wenches.  Next to a six month of baby being Michael Darling from Peter Pan, we had no chance, LOL.  That's ok though.  It was still fun.



My Favorite

My favorite was getting to go to the Torchlight Parade after the race. It was the first time that I can remember going to this parade in my life.  I was born and raised here so its kind of odd.  Everyone is always scared away by the large crowds.   The crowds weren't all that bad though.  My favorite in the parade was of course the pirates!  Gary did not care for them.  They are loud and scary.   Maybe this qualifies as the best part and my favorite:  I was waited for the pirates to notice Michelle and I, because we really played the part.  One of the last pirates of the float spotted me as he walked by.  It was perfect.  He paused, put his hand to his heart, acknowledged me and kept walking.  It was great.  Michelle got it all on video too.  What fun night.  We had no trouble getting back to our car.  The crowds were deeper in the parade.  The traffic was clear.  We will be back next year : )