Half Century Celebration

Saturday, July 19, 2014

The 50th anniversary of my birth.  My busy day started at 3:27AM, when I could sleep no longer, due in part to anxiety of the run and day as well as not yet adjusted from European time.  Here is a quick picture essay of the highlights of my day:

Start of the "50K on my 50th":
Solo start in the dark at Weekapaug Breachway

Along my run just before sunrise:
Yeah, we live in a really ugly corner of the world, but somebody has to live here

At least my run was completely flat, like
Buckeye Brook Road, Shumankanuc Hill Road, Burdickville, Chase Hill, Potter Hill

5 points for correctly guess where this is.  (I truly did see this on my
50K run; it wasn't one of those ethereal hallucinations you get on marathon  runs)

Mile 9:  I saw two runners heading my way, but couldn't make them out
with my poor distance vision.  At first, I thought, "Wow, these look like
really good runners", but then as they got closer, I saw it was just these two characters.
(This was the actual photo taken on Buckeye Brook Road, Charlestown)

Mile 15:  Meeting up with my trusty support crew to run me the
rest of the way in.  Grills Preserve, Hopkinton, at base of Chase
Hill Road.  Can you believe the first thing these two slackers did
was complain about the hill climb on Chase Hill Road and how hard it was?

I made it!  Mile 31, run finish line before a dip in the ocean.

Longest run of my life, and a pretty long run for FiveK as well.
Thanks, guys, for getting me there.

Although I truly wanted no gifts, I did receive some gifts of distinction
that fit another skill set that I have worked hard at acquiring:  fine spirits.

... and some funny gifts for my apparent urinary and constipation issues of a man my age!
(Don't laugh, Mike B, you'll be asking to borrow these from me soon!)

... and finally many funny b-day cards, interspersed with an anonymous
gift certificate to Camire's (hello new shoes!) and a RoadID engraved
with age listed as "Over the Hill" - only 1 guess allowed on who did that.

Had such a blast on this 18' high waterslide.  When I called to rent it, the company asked me
the age of the kids that would be using it.  Um, 50?  (My 53-year old cousin also jumped in.)

I'm splashing my way towards the bottom of slide above, while Muddy is wondering
if this is slide is really age-tested for me, and Jonny is at front of slide wasting no time to take
another run.  (My son Mark's remark upon seeing the slide was "Wow, Dad, I figured
you were going to rent something really lame".  He also said he was really surprised that Jonny
was so good at basketball; apparently not only is his Dad perceived as lame, but anyone
else by association.)

Running friends catching up

The best part of the day for me was spending quality time
with 50+ friends and family over the house.  Thanks everyone for making my
day so special!

(If you missed the party for any reason, I do plan on holding these every 50 years, so
plan to join me on my 100th.  If you ask Mike B, that's just around the corner!)