Sunday, July 31, 2005

Seafair Torchlight 8k Run


I ran my second Torchlight race last night. The 8k course started at Seahawk Stadium, took us up 99 North through the Battery Tunnel, right around the Hostess Bakery (the smell of powdered doughnuts was intoxicating), on Dexter past KEXP up to Denny to Wall, left at Uptown Espresso and along Fourth, all the way back to Seahawk Stadium.

The highlights of the race include the beautiful, albeit roasting hot (it was 90 degrees) view of Elliott Bay as we raced along 99; seeing Pa and Na perched on the sidewalk in front of Uptown Espresso--approximately halfway through the race; and running along the Torchlight Parade route on Fourth where thousands of people cheered the runners.

There were several things that kept me from passing out from the heat: my Camelback (which Pa froze the night before); being outrun by a giant Jamba Juice banana; and the songs on my MP3 player:

We Used to Be Friends - The Dandy Warhols
Taste the Summer - Duran Duran
Godless - The Dandy Warhols
Mr. Brightside - The Killers
Somebody Told Me - The Killers
(Reach up for the) Sunrise - Duran Duran
Bedroom Toys - Duran Duran
Midnight Show - The Killers
Point of No Return - Duran Duran
Nietzche - The Dandy Warhols
Jenny Was a Friend of Mine - The Killers
Every Day Should Be a Holiday - The Dandy Warhols



Of all the races I run every year, the Torchlight is my favorite!

2 comments:

princess kanomanom said...

Wowie. I think I ran that once--a little hilly, no? And a frozen Camelback: Does it jiggle around much on your back? That's my fear w/ those contraptions....

LeFemmeMonkita said...

Hilly--yes, the onramp to 99 is really long and steep, as was the hill on Dexter to Denny. But Fourth was flat until we passed Westlake to the library. From then on, it was all downhill.

I was a skeptic at first with the Camelback (I hate the jiggle), but freezing it produced a solid mass, so no jiggle! It stayed frozen for hours too! C filled it halfway with water, laid it flat in the freezer and then I filled it the rest of the way with water on my way out the door.