Happy 35th anniversary, Edinburg 10K

Before I left for the Edinburg 10K, someone asked me a question. I don't remember the question, but I remember my reply. I said, "The only thing I know for sure is I'll return with the same medal they've given for the last two years."

​Well, Edinburg made a liar out of me. They upgraded for their 35th anniversary. This one's a keeper. You can see it in the photos above.

Here are some quick highlights from the run:

• I'll be straight with you. I don't like runs that start later than 8 a.m. This was started at 9 a.m. I'm sure that's appealing to a lot of people and there are good reasons for it, but my long runs usually end at 9 a.m., so I'm always a little antsy at races with a later start time. 
• The corrals where runners start are a bit of a mystery to me. I have no idea what some of the colored bibs are for. I thought they were for elite runners. I asked a man at the end of the run why his was yellow. He said he didn't know. He thought maybe it was because he registered early.
• There was an area at the start where runners were getting stretched and, if necessary, taped before the race. That's interesting. I usually only see that post-race.
• It's a great crowd in the corrals and always nice to see all the schools and organizations participating. 
• Like the previous years, I like to see the first-time participants' surprise as they see how quickly the lead runners double-back to the finish line. It is amazing to watch. I just wish I wasn't watching from so far behind.
• I was still afraid of having dizzy spells, so I made up a game to keep me occupied. As always, hundreds of people pass me as soon as I cross the start line. I decided my goal was to pass 100 of them. So I picked one of the shirts a lot people were wearing (I think it was the HEB participant shirt) and used those as my markers. I counted the shirts as I passed them. It kept my mind busy, so I wasn't scaring myself into a dizzy spell.
• The best cheer station was made up of middle school cheerleaders. I confess I egg cheer stations on. "I'm sorry, what? You're cheering? I can't hear you." Those middle schoolers were loud.
• I appreciate ending on the stadium track. I rarely get to run on one, and if someone's in the stand to cheer you on, they get a good view of your finish.
• One of the neat things about the Edinburg 10K is the finish line is recorded, When you check your race results, there's a link to video of you crossing the finish line. 

So, in addition the new spiffy medal, I even had someone to take a photo of me at the event. (Thank you, Alan.) That rarely happens, because that requires, y'know, friends.

​Great job on another 10K, Edinburg!