Yum & Yuk

Whew, long but great day yesterday! First up was the Pear Blossom 10 mile run. It was crisp and cold out, which was actually perfect for running. I didn't keep track of my time or pace, but I was thrilled to check the results and see that my overall pace worked out to be 9:47. Generally I aim for about an 10:30 or 11 first mile, a 10 min mile the miles after that, and hopefully a push at the end. But, like I say, I don't monitor it (I still want to get that awesome watch/hr monitor I've had my eye on, but it's just not a priority money wise). I've gotten to the point where I can feel if my body is at the right pace, which is pretty awesome. Also awesome was running the race would about 10 of my amazing bootcamp ladies. One of them has overcome a lot o challenges in her life, and seeing her daughters hold signs that said "You're amazing mom" while she ran her first ever 10 miler was very emotional.

After the race I rushed over to the parade. It was sort of a shitshow. They put the pride group as the VERY LAST so we stood there waiting for almost 2 hours, and then people were already leaving. I couldn't stay for the whole parade but marched for about an hour. The response was mixed but not horrible. Some people said, "I hate gays!" or booed, but nothing extreme, and there were people who clapped and cheered as well, so....onward. The best part was just standing with other families and kids and people who were determined to show the Rogue Valley that being queer (or having queer family members) is nothing to be ashamed of. I don't usually post personal pics on here, but I thought y'all would get a kick out of seeing my sign (with some new friends I made).

After the parade, I raced back to Ashland to see Hood To Coast (below), an awesome movie about a super long relay across Oregon. I would love to do it someday! (You have to enter a lottery to try to get a spot, and they are very limited....and it would require considerable funds for logistics - you need two vans, etc)

All in all, an exhausting but ideal day - what better way to spend a Saturday than being active with people you care about, standing up proudly for what you believe in, and taking in some awesome art! Thanks for all the love and support from you folks out there.