>Today was a milestone for me. After witnessing the famed Butte to Butte 10k road race many times since the mid-1970s, usually cheering on friends, I finally ran the thing. My time was slow, the heat was more than I liked, my gate was more of a pained shuffle than a run, but I made it without walking or stopping.

The start of the race. I was nowhere near
these guys, just in case you were wondering.

The Butte to Butte has become a 4th of July staple in these parts with about 5,000+ runners and walkers. It starts somewhat near the base of one butte at the south end of town and finishes at the base of another butte at the north end of the downtown area. The beginning heads up a steep hill that can just about kill you if you don’t pace yourself, then the next mile is a gradual downhill that helps you catch your breath. The final four miles are on the flats through town.

My wife walked the 4.5 mile Mayor’s Walk with our two girls and the stroller. This was a big deal for her. Less than a year ago she was in a terrible accident that broke her pelvis/sacrum. She used to run 10ks and half-marathons. Now she is in pain all the time and walking 4.5 miles was quite painful for her, but it was also a kind of triumph. I am very proud of her.

I have not been training with my iPod, but last night I put together a playlist. The song I liked the most was Truckin’ by the Grateful Dead – for some reason it just had the right beat and spirit. The song that got me over the finish line? Die, All Right! by The Hives of course.