Spitactular adventure

You'd of thought I was trying out for the next summer Olympics, 'er somethun, the way my nerves were flip-flopping over this spitacular event on Saturday! How ridiculous! I wasn't even going to be running, for heaven's sakes....we were just going to be walking! This was going to be an event entirely new to me, and it proved to be so very curious, as far as "watching myself" go through the process. I had always wondered why people actually took part in the Spit Run. I mean, why spend your Sat. morning doing anything fast?! Weren't Saturday mornings for relaxin' and drinking your gallon of java while checking your email in your jammies? Maybe I'd get up early to hit the yard sales, or pack my bag for a paint-in with my Watercolor Society buds, but, this was an entirely new gig. But then, knowing the company I'd be keeping that day, I giggled to myself, thinking of the fun new memories we would make together. It would be a good day. "Just relax, will ya?" I told myself.
Things were off to a terrific start with a bay that didn't have a ripple in it, and a sky filled with glorious sunshine. How did we ever luck out on THIS one? Wow, unbelievable!


Once at the high school parking lot, where the race was to begin, I leaped out of my car and headed towards some folks that looked like they knew how to organize a heap of people to do anything. There, I took care of registration, and got my "number", as well as instructions on how to pin it on my chest. "Don't pin it too far up, so they have to grope your bosom at the finish line, ripping off the bottom of it", one smiling official told me. OK, I'm new to this. Just where IS a good place to pin this thing, to avoid "gropance" at the end. I was clueless. Glance around at the pros, I thought. I'm fooling no one with my ignorance on all the highly important details of the day.


Oh goodie! Here come my friends, "T" and the "Singer Sister" ("SS"), to sign in, too. We discussed the "gropage" dilemma, and just picked the navel as the rip-off location for the officials to grab the bottom of the bib at the end. I re-pinned mine at least a half dozen times, imagining the embarrassing assignment these poor officials have at the finish line. I decided to give them my nervousness, and there I left it.

After emptying our bladders for the last time, "T" and I warmed up with the super athletes, just moments before the race began. That was us, the "cut-ups" in the back, having trouble balancing on one foot, and marveling at all the intense seriousness on the racer's faces. We weren't planning on making this a sober event by any means. After a few hip circles and calf stretches, we were getting pretty psyched about getting this mega-walk underway! As all the competitive runners, including "SS", intensified their concentration at the starting line, we chatted away, sharing a laugh or two and a wave at others who'd sacrificed their "coffee and jammies time" to be there for the big event.



It was announced that the person to begin the starting gun for the race, would be John Chapple, who is the oldest of 3 generations of Chapples running in the race. He is 86 years old, and this year walked every inch of those six miles, as he's run or walked for many, many years. Cool! Well, if 'ole man Chapple can do it, we should be able to pull it off, too.




At the shot of the starting gun, bodies plunged forward. The front of the pack moved swiftly, and soon it felt roomy and nice, back where we walkers trailed behind. We headed out with our wide strides and smiles, downhill for the first mile, past Sr. citizens holding back traffic with fluorescent orange caution flags. (what a feeling of power!), and through neighborhoods, before hitting Beluga Slough.





Just as we were crossing the Slough, whom should we see, but "T"'s husband,"M" himself, accompanied by his "hula truck" and airplane! (always travel with two forms of transportation...then you always have a back-up, in case of lost keys, flat tires, leaking radiator, etc...). Wise man, that husband of hers!

O.K., now we're heading out. We're getting serious here. This Spit trail is ours. We walk this all the time. All the rest of you have special permission to join in on our trail gig today. We know every inch of this path. We feel like we're home.

Oh yeah, we've got sun, and no breeze. Wow, we haven't been out here when it's this calm all year!









We stroll past Johnny Depp's pirate ship! "Oh, JOHNNY! Come JOIN US!!" (oh well, he must still be in his jammies, and too shy to come out on deck.) Never mind, we'll catch ya on our next walk. "T" shares our "treasured" information with other walkers, about Johnny residing inside. Their jaws drop open in awe. They're not sure what to think. A wide grin blooms on their faces.


After an hour and a half'ish, we've rounded the last corner of the Spit, towards "Land's End", where the finish line looms in sight. There, we see "SS", who's already been there for a half hour, manning her camera, and wearing a big smile! She did it in just an hour! We're so proud of you, Singer friend!!
Here we come, sprinting in to the finish line, fighting our way through the crowd, fiercely competitive and wanting to get down on our hands and knees to crawl to the finish line...(o.k., we decided to spare the theatrics).



We decide a choreographed finish is a stylish way to end this dramatic morning.
Good news....no groping by officials, only careful removal of the lower bib. :0)

Wow, we really did it! Our goal was completion, so...hey, we WON!

Here we are with some of our loser friends, from Monday nights.

Ah...a cold beverage to cool our parchness, on the deck of Land's End. A perfect moment!

Reviewing the day, and enjoying the beauty of Kachemak Bay.

What a day to remember!