I woke up this morning to the sound of rain. Or at least what my brain was telling me was rain. I inwardly thought, "If it downpours maybe I can opt out and I won't have to run this 5k! Then I could grab my t-shirt and number and leaveee!" Haha! I've had allergies recently so I'm a little blocked up and running didn't sound like it would help. I swear my brain has been in a different time zone and it takes forever to realize what's going on. Or what someone says. Or that so-and-so got a haircut. Ya'know. I've been drinking tea like a mad woman lately because of all this. So I can't complain about having to restock my tea supplies. :) Anywho, this morning it wasn't really raining (just sprinklers) and it didn't downpour. And I ran a 5k.

AND I RAN A 5K? Wooh! :) 35:55 baby. My goal was to get under 45:00 (15:00/mi with the last .1mi being a little faster. Alright, alright pro. runners. Cue the scoff. I'm slow & I love it.) and I ran under that time! But I swear the race route wasn't 3.1mi long. That, or my pedometer is messed up. On our treadmill at home, running a mile is about 2,000 steps so I figured 3.1 was a little over 6,000 steps. Um, no. My pedo clocked in 4 thousand-something steps today. Whaaa? And 3.1mi on the treadmill was, in fact, 6,000 steps. Whatev.

That big furry mass of fluff and cellulite is my cat, Tippy. She did not come with the medal and t-shirt. ;)

Hooooly cow. I loved that race though. So fun & I was so PUMPED. :) All those runners together to race for fun and all being active at the same time? Amazing. Amazing, amazing! Makes me want to do more of these thaaangs! I almost always run to music or the radio, but today, spur-of-the-moment, I decided to run to a podcast. Not any podcast, a Judah Smith sermon from the City Church. I read about fellow photographer Jamie Delaine lovin' his podcasts and I can't turn down a good preacher so helloooo, PERFECTION.

After laying down on my living room floor for fifteen minutes to recover (ha ha) I headed out again to go to the parade on main street. I love small towns. Cedar's getting bigger and bigger, but I still see it as the small hometown America it used to be. Nothing beats seeing the veterans float while hearing "And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm freeee!" play and everyone clapping. And even though the rest of the parade feels like advertisements and tons of businesses marching down the road, I'm proud to be an American. Because, truly, I'm free.