Bloomsday 2016

I finished my seventh Bloomsday yesterday, which is quite an accomplishment since I live in Salt Lake City (over 700 miles from Spokane) and have more than a few extra LBs around my middle these days.  ;)

When Scott said he wanted to fly to Spokane for Bloomsday again this year, I hesitated as to whether I wanted to join him.  Of course I wanted to see our friends, but the idea of spending a bunch of money to run a race while 32 weeks pregnant didn't sound like my idea of a great time, especially since everyone was meeting at a brewery post-race, and I wouldn't be able to enjoy the festivities in my condition.

Thankfully my hesitation was short-lived, and we planned our trip.  We got into Spokane on Friday, enjoyed some friend-time with Diane, Buzz, Aaron, Edie-Marie, and Stacie on Saturday, and then ran the race on Sunday morning before our flight left around 5:00pm.

Diane Kelly-Riley, me, Scott over Spokane River

Edie-Marie Roper, me, Scott, Aaron Whiteman, Stacie Olsen-Wilkes, Buzz Nanavati at The Blackbird Tavern + Kitchen

The race was actually just fine.  Although my hands and feet swelled up something awful, my big, pregnant body handled the 7.46-mile walk just fine, and Stacie and I had two, full hours to catch up on our lives, enjoy the bands, and get some sun.  We stopped once to take a picture with the anti-abortionists, once to stand in line for the portapotty, and twice for Otter Pops.

Edema/Sad hands

Activist Annie #MYCHOICE

My walking buddy, Stacie with Otter Pop

Our/my finish time was 2:24:20, which figures to a 19:20/mile pace.  Granted, that was slower than my 18:00/mile training walks around Liberty Park in SLC, but we did stop a few times, and we also had Doomsday Hill to consider.  Overall, I'm pleased to have finished even if I was much slower than I've ever been (and much slower than the average 34 year-old Bloomsday runner, whose pace is 14:21/mile).

Two Bloomsday finishers

After the race, we enjoyed seeing SO MANY of our Beer Chaser and Pullman friends.  They embraced my belly and me with wide open arms, and although I really wanted a beer and hard cider,  I had a great time with everyone sans-frosty beverage.

Aaron and Edie-Marie, practically twins

Drew Polley, Emma Polley, Nicole Froelich, me, Scott, Dan Froelich, Graham VanderShelden, Stacie Olsen-Wilkes (not pictured: The Cornelius Family, Linda and Jeff Greene, Michael Riley, Doug and Sue Jacobson, Jim Ekins, Mike and Tammy Bonney, Paul Chisholm, and other wonderful Beer Chasing friends who fill my heart with love and happiness)

 <3