10k

DSC_0258, originally uploaded by boxersiciliano.

Yesterday the Bolder Boulder went right by my house...this isn't just some 10k where a few thousand people run it...try 53,000 people..yes...53,000...half the population equivalent of Boulder itself are on the streets running, walking, strolling, jogging, skipping and wearing some pretty awesome costumes. This race has been around for 30 years or so and it is one of the largest in the country. It attracts pro racers from all over the world, of which I witnessed running by at a speed not unlike riding a bike at a medium pace, and it brings the entire city to a halt for from 6 am to 12pm. They literally have the entire city set up to deal with the amount of people running through it and for the most part I was not only impressed but overwhelmed...in a good way.  I watched the runners for most of the morning and snapped off something like 430 pictures, of which I narrowed down, but it was fun and more emotional than i would have imagined.  

I was struck with a constant feeling of emotion, i think due to all of the positive energy flowing past me like a sea of water.  I am not kidding, at one point, I had crossed the street before the race started and it took me over 1 1/2 hours to get back across...that is how thick the crowds were when running past.  Some of the runners were very serious and running all out, there was a wheel chair race first and that one put me right in the mode of the human spirit for sure.  It made me want to race my bike, it made me remember the desire to do things and try things and make it to the end.  I saw so many people, who were clearly, not runners, but had made it to my spot known as "Mile 5" on the course and I sensed their personal struggles and their happiness to have made it to mile 5...they had a grueling uphill to the finish into the huge Colorado Buff stadium, but by mile 5, they had essentially crossed that magical point of no stopping and no return..they would be pushed forward not only by the running masses, but the masses of supporters along the way...see, the other amazing thing, was the entire course lined with people watching, cheering, passing out bacon, yes, bacon, among the volunteers passing out the thousands of cups of Gatorade and water, the clean up crews, the motorcycles, the jets doing their fly over, the hundreds of pro photographers (of which I kept getting mistaken for..kinda cool) and the dogs, the kids, the old and young...I couldn't really wrap my mind around it after the third hour of the non stop procession of people...I would occasionally walk inside and look out the living room window and hear and see them and then casually walk back out to take more shots...There were live bands everywhere playing all sorts of music and I imagine the runners had constant inspiration with that.  

I was overcome with a feeling of joy and happiness by the end of the morning..one that I did not expect to feel and I was again reminded to get out and do the things that matter and make us feel good.  I got to spend all morning with my camera, learning how to shoot runners and scenes and action, on a day that was not dry, but mostly rainy and wet and gloomy...I can't wait for next year...i'll be running it for sure..well, you know, trying to at least...

Humans are pretty awesome...when they want to be.....

Love and understanding.