Boilermaker

boil·er·mak·er [boi-ler-mey-ker]
1. A beverage made from a shot of whiskey submerged in a mug of beer
2. A 15K road race held annually in Utica, NY. Considered to be the largest and most competitive 15k run in the country, with men and women participating from around the world.

Now folks, I'd never been the slightest bit interested in running as a sport, but it's impossible not to get caught up in the excitment around here. This weekend marks the 30th anniversary of the Utica Boilermaker. There are more than 12,000, that's 12 THOUSAND, runners participating tomorrow. While the race is open to anyone, professional or amateur, this race attracts the best of the best from around the country and around the globe. (I say the race is open to anyone, but that's anyone who can run 15 kilometers - 9.32 miles - in under 2 hours. The faster runners do it in under 45 minutes. The very thought makes me want to lie down.)

According to my manager, whose husband is running tomorrow, racers love this town. They say it is the only race where instead of small pockets of onlookers, the entire length of the course is lined with spectators cheering them on. In fact, there is a competition among the four area neighborhoods to see who can cheer the loudest.

The Boilermaker has grown to an entire weekend worth of events, with several shorter runs, a youth run and an 8k walk on Saturday. Walking?! That's for me! I walked with a group from my new employer, Upstate Cerebral Palsy. What fun! Want to come with us?

Let's go! Here we are at the starting line...

It's gonna be a looong walk. But there's entertainment along the way.

Local bands are serenading us...

The local news stations are out...

And all along the way, people are sitting out on their lawns cheering us on. This family put out gigantic speakers on the lawn and is blasting...you guessed it....Aerosmith's "Walk This Way."

And we're at the finish line!! Check out that record time!

Whew! It's hot and I'm tired. And I've gotta go home and take Zeke for a walk now...Oh boy.

See you tomorrow at the race!! We've got to get up early. And don't forget your sunscreen.