Wet and cold on the outside

...but warm and happy on the inside!  We had some of the worst weather possible in Los Angeles for the LA Marathon last Sunday, but it wasn't all that hard on the runners.  It didn't start to rain until we'd been running a few miles, so we were all warmed up.  Raindrops on warm skin actually feel quite refreshing.

Then it rained harder.  Puddles formed.  Shoes became soaked.  The wind blew.  The rain bucketed down.  Gutters overflowed and water surged through the streets.  Vine turned into a river where it crossed Hollywood.

But once we were wet, we couldn't get any wetter.  We just kept running.  The really brave and amazing folks were the volunteers handing out water and Gatorade and orange slices and plenty of encouragement, and the spectators who came out with cow bells and good wishes.  Brrr!  I was wet, but they were wet and cold.

I brought my Flip camera but my hands were so numb I could hardly operate it - wish my videos of all the sights along the route had turned out.  I did manage a short video of the post-finish line scene, when the runners received our (completely inadequate) shiny anti-hypothermia wraps and our medals.

I got cold then.  REALLY cold.  We had to walk several blocks straight into the teeth of the storm, tired and soaked, before we reached the reunion area.  My honey was waiting for me with our kids' old bike buggy.  He bundled my shuddering body into a swim parka, snugged a warm hat on my wet head, stuffed me into the buggy, and pedaled me home in the pouring rain. 

I ran the 2011 LA Marathon in 4 hours and 18 minutes, down from 4:32 in 2009 and a dismal 4:38 in 2010!  Next year, I'm going for 4:15, 55 degrees, and no rain.