My friend, Wonder Woman!

Bolder Boulder 2016 - A Wild Whirlwind Weekend with Wonder Woman

Amber M. texted me on Friday - “I was just running along out in the country and TORNADO!!” That was the wild start to a fun filled, action packed, unforgettable weekend adventure at the Bolder Boulder 10K Memorial Day run in Boulder, Colorado.  

We left for Boulder at noon on Sunday riding in my Mustang and talking a mile a minute. We were to meet Amber’s cousins in Denver then head on to Boulder. They were all very welcoming and we learned that several of the cousins were planning to participate in the run the next morning. We made plans to meet up and hit the road.

Thanks to my trusty navigation system we arrived exactly where we needed to and checked into the hotel. Imagine our surprise when we entered our hotel room to find the previous occupants had not left yet. Back down to the desk to get a different room, this one unoccupied, and off to bed for the night. Our wave didn’t start until 8:00 and we were just a block from the starting line so there was no need for an early wakeup call.

Trampoline champion.

Bolder Boulder 10K is one of the premier 10K races in the nation with over 50,000 participants and divisions for runners from elite down to walking, military, and a special wheelchair division. Lots of runners wear costumes and Amber transformed into Wonder Woman. She is considerably faster than me but since she had just run a half marathon the week before (Wonder Woman is perfect for her!) she opted to start with me and let me set the pace. I warned her in advance that I was going to take my time and enjoy the day. The bugle called us to the starting line and we were off.  My first chance for fun was less than a half mile into the run. How could I resist the opportunity to jump on a trampoline? I didn’t even try. I just got in line and bounced my way to the other side, feeling like a kid again and loving it!

Anything for a donut.

Next up, slip-n-slide! Amber got good and wet and we were off and running again. But what was that up ahead? Donuts! I have been known to walk 10 miles for donuts (my long walks on weekends to the donut shop) so I had to have one. Let’s just say it wasn’t a fresh Daylight Donut but I appreciated the thought.

The neighborhoods really go all out and there is music and snacks and activities all along the route. I took my turn at a slip-n-slide, Amber jammed with Elvis, and we both got a chance to wiggle and jiggle with the belly dancers. We passed up jumping into the swimming pool and some of the more unusual treats (marshmallows and grapes tossed at you and cotton candy seemed a little too risky) but I did snag some bacon and Amber did a Jello Shot with a group of fellow superheroes.

Belly Dancing!

I was having a ball and even running some but the altitude was getting to me and I couldn’t catch my breath. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it. With just over a mile to go Amber pulled a little ahead and when she turned to look for me I waved her on. She took off like a shot and blasted through the last mile like that tornado from a few days ago was right on her tail. I tried to conserve my energy so I could run the final lap around Folsom Field. When all was said and done I had run the 10K in 1:37:48, but that doesn’t take away from all the fun and memories I’ll have of this fun unique experience.

After pizza and a pop (beer was available but not my thing) we wandered around until Amber’s cousins finished and met them in the stands. Probably the most frustrating part of the run was trying to get to the buses, then trying to figure out where to get off. Turns out we missed the stop we needed and had a 1.5 mile walk to the hotel ahead of us. That should have been an omen for the rest of the day.

We missed checkout time at the hotel so decided to skip the real shower and just hose ourselves off

Slip sliding away.

a little. We were out of the room in 10 minutes flat. I didn’t look too spiffy but I don’t think spending an hour trying to get pretty would have made much difference. We headed back to Denver to meet my sister Sandra and her friend Kara, both members of my Running Friends group. My navigation system took us right to the front door and we had a lovely lunch. I love it when members of our group meet in person.

It was time to head home but this time Navigation and I had a disagreement about which way to go. I wanted to stay south of Denver and my car wanted me to go north up to the interstate again. I have no idea what happened but we spent the next half an hour looping around shopping plazas and making u-turns in parking lots. At one point I could swear we were headed south when we were actually headed back north again. It took forever to get on the road and I was getting frustrated. We were going to get home much later than planned and it was all my fault. Stupid navigation system.

When we were finally on the road out of the city we both felt our

Always having fun and always smiling.

muscles tightening up. That’s the hazard of driving long distances after a race. Amber banged her knee on the slip-n-slide and I just hurt in general after a race. We talked and talked and didn’t really check the weather until we we were ready to head south. That’s when we noticed the dark menacing clouds coming up on us fast. We popped up the weather apps on our phones and the radar looked pretty scary. Should we wait it out? Take a different highway? Make a run for it? A few quick calls to our hubbies and they left the decision up to us. I had the Mustang and I really didn’t want to get any hail damage but to go the long way around would add almost an hour to our trip and we really wanted to get home. I thought I could get to the next town ahead of the storm but we would have to book it. 

My hands clinched the steering wheel, my foot mashed the gas and we headed down the highway. It makes you feel a little uneasy when there is absolutely no one else on the highway except you and the storm chasers. The wind was blowing tumbleweeds across the road and the Mustang was flying. Now my arms and hands were as tense as the rest of my body. We made it to the next town and made the turn and hauled tail to get ahead of the storm. We were getting regular updates on our phones but I still didn’t breath easier until we were out from under the storm clouds. It was good to get home and pry my fingers off the wheel.

We were home again in less than 36 hours from start to finish. A whirlwind trip complete with running, fun, friends, and storms. A wild run to get away from a tornado started the weekend and we finish with a mad dash to outrun a storm. Bolder Boulder will stand out as an amazing race but the entire weekend was a whirlwind of activity. Sandra, thanks for having us for lunch and thanks Amber, for hanging back with me for the fun and sharing a wild weekend I’ll never forget.