Torchlight 5K

92 degrees with lots of humidity and lots of traffic. We had to "race" to the registration table and with minutes to spare we registered SG and picked up our t-shirts. The race began at the Basilica (the oldest and largest in North America) If there was a patron saint of hot, humid 5K's we were going to need them.

Basilica, originally uploaded by TRIMAMA.

With 3000 of our closest friends and thousands of parade spectators lining the sidewalks we begin our 5K Odyssey.

race start, originally uploaded by TRIMAMA.

I took pics along the route, the blurry ones are when I was running-so jump up and down and this will look normal-ok, ok then.

spectators, originally uploaded by TRIMAMA.

One of my favorite historic theatres in downtown. Note what's playing- "The Little Shop of Horrors" classic.

The Orpheum, originally uploaded by TRIMAMA.

Look mom, I have beads of sweat-I've never had beads of sweat! It's the little things-isn't it?

beads of sweat, originally uploaded by TRIMAMA.

The one mile water stop. You simply haven't run a race until you have passed a water stop, thrown water over your head and chucked the cup to the sidewalk. Live it up HG!

water stop 1, originally uploaded by TRIMAMA.

At about the 1.5 mile mark we arrived at this expansion bridge-not Golden Gate, but amazing all the same. A model of efficiency, they built it from the two banks but discovered a 1 foot differential when they met in the middle-oops!

Expansion Bridge, originally uploaded by TRIMAMA.

Aaahhh, Grain Belt. Possibly the best summer beer available. So, you can imagine my dismay when they closed the factory a few years back. There was such a public outcry that another local brewery (in Wisconsin!aaagghh!) purchased the name and recipe. Unlike football, Wisconsin knows cheap summer beer though and Grain Belt is Back!

Grain Belt, originally uploaded by TRIMAMA.

There are numerous bridges that span the Mississippi and Minnesota River, but none more celebrated than the Stone Arch bridge. No, really, every solstice and equinox all the local pagans dance and celebrate on the bridge as it is rumoured to have mystical power-I'm not so sure about that, but it did our running legs good to know it was the last bridge before the finish line.

Stone Arch Bridge, originally uploaded by TRIMAMA.

So we ran a little, and walked a little and ran a little more. Step by step we made our way towards the finish line. The girls didn't quit, they didn't cut corners, they cramped and they ached, but they kept running.
We made it! The Finish line! Way to go Hypen Girl and Swinging Girl!

Finish Line, originally uploaded by TRIMAMA.

We raced to the Humpty Dome. Minnesota-ens are a nice group, this guy even waved for the camera.

Finish Line, Dome, originally uploaded by TRIMAMA.

Gotta love a race that ends in beer! As promised, Michelob was serving up no carb, no taste, "it's raining beer" post race beverages-thank you thank you thank you.

Beer, originally uploaded by TRIMAMA.

Cheers to Hyphen Girl, Swinging Girl and Tridaddy (yes, I shared) welcome to the world of 5k ers.