Sun Run 2013

You know Spring has really sprung when the Sun Run arrives. Shauna and I participated again this year.

The day before the event involved some shopping. Since the weather was forecast to be cold in the morning, and we are familiar with the startline delay, we decided to dress warmly. I had a fleece pull-over that I was going to donate, but Shauna needed a suitable garment. Off to Value Village we went; we picked up another sweater with none other than a chocolate manufacturer's logo!

Then of course we had to find a yellow accessory to compliment our blue, in solidarity with Boston.We were a bit late off the starting block on that idea; the yellow sports wear racks were picked clean by Saturday. In the end we resorted to sharing one pair of yellow shoelaces between us.

Watching the runners cross the finish line on the big screens inside BC Place post-run I saw a guy in a Boston Bruins jersey. It's probably the only occasion in that guy's memory that he hasn't been harrassed into hiding for wearing it, what with the Boston/ Vancouver hockey rivalry in this town, especially as we inch closer to the playoffs.

My elapsed time wasn't stellar; 60:58. Oh well, that's pretty much my average over 8 SunRuns. I'm trying not to get hung up on it. I did jog the whole thing, which was my overall goal, with only 3 brief walks to consume some H2O at water stations. Over the years I've found it impossible to actually swallow any water from those little sample cups while trying to maintain a jogging pace.

And the best part is (besides being able to participate with my lovely wife, of course!) was that we didn't get rained on during the event. Upon awaking that morning it was raining, but the weather report assured me that downtown was dry at that point. As our staging area neared release onto the course patches of blue sky began to appear. During the Run it was mostly sunny. However after brunch, upon emerging from a Roundhouse-area restaurant, the wind had picked up fiercely and ominous grey clouds predicted a soaking. We ducked into the Yaletown subway and hightailed it to Oakridge whereupon we were subjected to a hail shower(!), minus the warm fleece pull-overs we'd previously donated at the start line. And departing the Fraser bus we walked into a 45 degree angle pelting from the heavens. Better then than mid-run I suppose.

How's that for a late Mother Nature's April Fool's prank?