This Post Sponsored by Vaseline and Michelob

Yesterday's weather couldn't have been more perfect for the Riverbank Run. Sarah and I felt good the whole time and had a great run with a time of 2 hours 21 minutes. Highlights from the day:

-After passing a woman at an aid station with Vaseline on a glove for random runners to use, Sarah proclaiming to me (and the 20 runners in our immediate vicinity): "I'd love to have that job! For three hours, I would get to yell 'Lube! Lube! Does anyone need some lube? Are anyone's butt cheeks chafing? I have lube!'" I laughed for approximately half a mile and was unable to breathe.

-Deciding that Orchard Ave. should sponsor one of the aid stations some year. Jason on guitar, Shawn on trumpet, the children handing out Gatorade . . . we would maybe not be as organized and efficient as the Marines at one stop this year, but we would do some good cheering.

-During a semi-quiet stretch where the people watching were being a little lame with the cheering, Sarah yelling to the crowd, "Can I get a WHOOOOOOO?" . . .

-The fact that, amid 14,000 people, I saw Connie, Josh, Becca, and a few other people I know.

-Annie's look of shock and confusion when she saw me running by, waving and yelling her name. No cheering, just confusion . . .

-Annie and Lucy, wearing our medals at the post-race party, and asking us over and over, "Did you WIN?"

-Being determined to drink my free Michelob Ultra at the beer tent afterwards because IT WAS FREE and who doesn't want to slam a beer after running 15.5 miles? Besides, Michelob Ultra is virtually a sports drink, right?

-Going to Martha's Vineyard afterwards and buying, in 2 minutes, a baguette, goat cheese, key lime cheesecake, chicken quesadillas, blueberries, bananas . . . I was starving.

-Later in the day, watching Heidi's suggestion of grilling something together for dinner turn into about 25 people on our front lawn: pizza, hot dogs, chicken, strawberry shortcake, beer, Pistons game on the TV, sidewalk chalk, and, later, a full-on fire pit with chimney wheeled down by Mr. Bergsma. It is officially summertime; bring it on!