Elvis was a hero to most

A lovely bunch of runners. They tried to get me in the picture but I declined.

I ran this HILARIOUS, great 5K last night called the "Elvis is Alive 5K" - it's organized by the running store that put on the women's 5K I did, and I decided to do this one at the very last minute yesterday. I went home and walked Lois, changed, and biked downtown to get there like 3 minutes before race start, not really knowing what to expect, but they were blasting Elvis music from two points along the path, there was a beer tent, and they allowed me to register that late - already a cool race by me! Plus, the first song they started us off with was "A Little Less Conversation," which was fun because I know a go-go routine to that song!

The runners' post-race beer line

The run was self-timed, which means no chip to wear and you don't have a large # of superfast superrunner types participating - way more of a 'fun run.' Plus, starting downtown at 6:45pm on a Thursday along the lakefront is conducive to people doing it just to blow off steam. The funniest thing was the people who ran in costumes - SERIOUS costumes - men, women, kids, dressed from head-to-toe in Elvis outfits and in hawaiian stff (this year's theme was Ble Hawaii) - and running in these getups! Even the people running in just the Elvis glasses with the sideburns attached made me smile.

The last of the sandwich quarters. They were sooooo good.

The very best part was at the end. You run past the finish line and there are the water people and the gatorade people and then there are two tables, one on each side of the corral - filled with cut up peanut butter and banana sandwiches!! Not just the usual bagels and bananas! And then the free beer that comes with your race registration, and then the Elvis impersonator takes the stage, and it's just fun. I sorta wish I'd gone with someone else, but the people watching was great, even alone.

And know what? I ran faster by two minutes than I did in the other race (even though I really wasn't hurrying), and I chalk it up to the constant crack-up from the costume people and the music playing. Helps a lot for someone who still doesn't love running.