Thursday, September 14, 2017

Gorinchem 2017: Crazy River Run


How's this for some crazy fun!

Astrid has been running 5K twice a week since forever along our citadel wall here in Gorinchem, NL, where we live.  We access the wall just a few meters outside our back door!  I am crazy proud of her, seeing how much good it does her every time.

When she found out a few months ago that there would be a Crazy River Run here in September, she made the decision to do it...and so started to train for it by running along the grassy knolls and river banks nearby.

This past Sunday, 10 September, was the day!

The start-up point for the race was at our outside water port on the Merwede River.
We got there in plenty of time to get the lay of the land (me for photos)
and a chance to just chill before starting (Astrid).

While I walked around, allowing Astrid to chill, I clicked away.
Sometimes you have to give each other a pep talk!

And with shoes like that, how can you NOT run!
How can you NOT be crazy!
(that's pretty-tame Astrid in the center)

The race really IS a river race...well, at least at the beginning and end.

But because I stayed put, I saw Astrid...only at the beginning and at the end.
When she crossed the blue carpet both times, the timing chip on her shoe was activated.


I had already walked down the beach to catch the beginning part of the race.
Astrid is at the back of this 5K line, easily recognized by the time she flies by.  HA!
(red shirt, light-gray baseball cap...and, yes, that's the wind you hear)

Lucky for me, newspaper photographers caught Astrid in the places I wasn't.
That's my crazy Lady of the Polder, having so much crazy fun.

This is the collage I showed on Facebook after the race.
She did it!

And then everyone got to chill out.

There were 83 who ran the 5K race:  38 men and 45 women.
Astrid came in at 00:35:30 minutes, a couple minutes longer than when by herself.
She couldn't have been happier.  Can you tell?!

Sometimes the crazy world in which we live is a GOOD kind of crazy!


12 comments:

  1. Hi Ginnie
    A sports, colored and very nice series. Funny also.

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    Replies
    1. I'm glad you can see the fun, Marie, because it was that kind of day! :)

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  2. One less on the 'bucket-list'. Sometimes it helps to know where I train for. This is fun, yes indeed. The pictures show how fun running is. This is a wonderful post showing what happens before, during and after such an event. A lot of people know each other and meet up in this kind of races. I am kind of pleasantly surprised to see myself running up hill that smooth.... all the hours of running pay off. Again this was fun and I love the pictures... Thank you, Ginnie. IHVJ

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    Replies
    1. I'm glad I captured you with two of your friends like that, Astrid. It really was a fun, good day. I wouldn't have missed it for anything. You know how proud I am of you!

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  3. Well done, Astrid. Great job!

    I'd be with you, Ginnie, taking photos. Great job at those too.

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    Replies
    1. It makes for a great memory, Marie...for both of us. :)

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  4. Good for Astrid, all that discipline, training, and finishing!

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  5. so awesome! did i ever tell you that i was a long distance runner when i was young? ran about 7 miles a day, 7 minute miles... i blew out my knees training for a marathon and never ran again... i still miss it to this day, and look at runners with envy and joy, so i'm cheering on Astrid here!! you go girl!!!

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    Replies
    1. I was a long-distance runner, too, Elaine, except never "officially." I wasn't allowed to take gym in high school because of my polio, but if I had, I would have done the cross-country running. I always wanted to just RUN RUN RUN. So I understand the bug! I really AM proud of Astrid...and you, in your past.

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  6. She rocked it!! Great images...always enjoy the details you capture!

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