The Post Office says that they deliver mail through rain, sleet, and snow; well friends and neighbors on Saturday I delivered freezing water in nearly all of those conditions in the Louisville Sports Commission’s half marathon.
That is, as a proud member of a water stop team about midway through the track; this placed me in the middle of Cherokee Park, which would have been great, assuming of course I was not being pummeled with ice from the sky.
Ok, that was only a brief time but still it can stick with a guy, arriving prior to bright and early at 6:30 a.m., I aided in the LG&E/KU effort for their stop which was stationed right after probably the most demanding hill on the track. The stop was one of seven which event organizers say were strategically placed along the route.
The race, presented by Humana Vitality and Louisville Pure Tap, was in no uncertain terms a major success despite the weather. The cold and rain did keep some runners away, however I was still shocked to see several participants in shorts. In fact, after handing one guy water I yelled to him, “How are you wearing shorts out here,” to which his response was, “it feels good!” However, he said it in a way which seemed like he was more trying to convince himself than me.
The run began at the KFC Yum! Center Plaza ran through the park and concluded on Main Street in front of the Belvedere. Professional and amateur runners and walkers participated, some for exercise others for training as noted by one particular runner mentioning that he was working towards participating in the ever grueling Iron Man. In addition ages of participants ran the gamut.
All in all, this event has become a legacy in its own right, welcoming all sorts of individuals at all sorts of fitness levels.
Now, if you’ll excuse me I still have to dethaw.
Photo by Dave Rose
