Once in a while I like to try something I've never done before. I figure that if I don't try new things before I'm dead that it will be much more difficult to attempt when I'm six feet under in a box without a shovel to dig myself out of a grave.
Yesterday's new thing was participating in the Meet Me Downtown 5k night run and walk. I've never had a lick of athletic ability so the run part was not going to happen, but I did take a crack at the walking part.
Heather, one of the hosts of the TV show, put together a little team of people from the show and TV station as well as a co-worker of her's from the Gaslight Theatre -- along with a few significant others. Heather arranged to get matching shirts made for all of us and we looked like a real team.
I've walked that far a few times in my life but it's been years. I'm not that far from 50 years old and figured there were a number of possibilities that would be the outcome of participating: I'd have a heart attack and die, I'd be so awesome that out of our group I'd be the only one that finished, a giant meteor would strike the event route and I'd be the only one there with a camera and get photos that I could sell for millions, or the most likely outcome would be that I would finish it pretty effortlessly (along with my teammates) and be able to say I did it. That's exactly what happened.
The side note for this -- is that yesterday was the first 100 degree day we've had in Tucson this year. It increased the difficulty level slightly but other than my legs being a little stiff in the last mile I did just fine and had no problems. It would have been more fun if a meteor had landed so I would have an epic story to tell, but it wasn't meant to be.
The complete set of photos that I shot can be seen by clicking
this link. Here are a few highlights:
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-EruDmRTvK_8/VWqmggesSuI/AAAAAAAAbc4/B9sIujntYm8/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%25281%2529.JPG) |
Start / finish line in front of the
Children's Museum Tucson
about an hour before the
Meet Me Downtown 5k
was scheduled to start |
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People getting massages.
Woman on the table on the left
looks like she was waiting
to be mounted. |
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Tucson's finest providing security
for the event across from the
San Carlos Apartments |
![](//2.bp.blogspot.com/-J5RsFrM9FUg/VWqmq1GuODI/AAAAAAAAbc4/1TaJ8uEblV4/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%25287%2529.JPG) |
Calm before the storm...
looking north on 6th Avenue |
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Lawn in front of the
Children's Museum Tucson |
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-xBh98gY9ah8/VWqmsL_aXSI/AAAAAAAAbc4/tuy80sGAJ90/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%25289%2529.JPG) |
Cool sign on a 6th Avenue building
near Armory Park |
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Food trucks |
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My teammates begin to arrive.
Tina, Brin, Alex, and Jacinda |
![](//2.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZZYNG1G-20/VWqm1utRQFI/AAAAAAAAbc4/fdM4VOTxvNc/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252816%2529.JPG) |
Of course there's a beer garden
at a fitness related event. |
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The Morning Blend team assembles:
Brin, Alex, Tina, Jacinda,
Heather, Aaron, Summer |
![](//2.bp.blogspot.com/-3jNCS5IyEnI/VWqm25wkTwI/AAAAAAAAbc4/5PCoGB9MTrY/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252818%2529.JPG) |
Alex chats with Daniela
of the Children's Museum Tucson |
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-bX8_RkbtHxo/VWqm6bjPTWI/AAAAAAAAbc4/NqG-6XnjLlk/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252822%2529.JPG) |
Participants of the kid's run line up
at the starting line |
![](//2.bp.blogspot.com/-UOTTieRuSFg/VWqm8Gqm0KI/AAAAAAAAbc4/MjEPDa4kWUc/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252824%2529.JPG) |
Children's Museum Tucson was one of
the beneficiaries of the funds raised
from the Meet Me Downtown 5k |
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-WPyjcYsMk7s/VWqm-EpYEXI/AAAAAAAAbc4/hVtAln0IRvs/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252826%2529.JPG) |
The Educational Enrichment Foundation
was another beneficiary.
That's Randy Accetta of the Southern
Arizona Roadrunners in the
yellow hat. |
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-cRFdSlmNQFY/VWqnA8rbhJI/AAAAAAAAbc4/OyaB8K2R28Q/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252829%2529.JPG) |
The kid's run gets underway.
It was a one mile course and
if I could have gotten away with it
I would have participated
in that instead. |
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-dkqUxLOYJeI/VWqnBY37vLI/AAAAAAAAbc4/ZDh57-hucro/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252830%2529.JPG) |
About 3000 runners and walkers
participated in this event.
Photo of the crowd as the
sun sets on a hot day. |
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-AMvtX_ll80w/VWqnDCjarsI/AAAAAAAAbc4/xqhifCMuCG4/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252832%2529.JPG) |
Heather winks, everyone else
waits to get started |
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-DlfR3lgsZEI/VWqnIdP5nLI/AAAAAAAAbc4/0IlCWzUynjc/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252837%2529.JPG) |
We get in position |
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-EGbgtVKHDNY/VWqnJ42LO6I/AAAAAAAAbc4/ZPN0l-QBKTg/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252839%2529.JPG) |
I brought up the rear of our team
so I could get a photo of
their rears. |
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-J1EcbOeJHtc/VWqnNAazT8I/AAAAAAAAbc4/GDs5U5Ts6-Q/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252843%2529.JPG) |
Behind Greg, Heather, Summer and Aaron
one block into the course |
![](//2.bp.blogspot.com/-RxsnqVAq6zM/VWqnOV2tZfI/AAAAAAAAbc4/ywGvDObmy9Y/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252845%2529.JPG) |
Action photo of the participants
behind me.
In case you're wondering, they
all passed me shortly after this
photo was taken.
I'm slow. |
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wi5BTCf0154/VWqnUOmi-5I/AAAAAAAAbc4/369io5kW91Q/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252853%2529.JPG) |
A few folks in the downtown neighborhoods
sprayed people to keep them cool
as they went by. |
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-fUDzMNk8Ous/VWqnU2HtmeI/AAAAAAAAbc4/APGAdQvJlj4/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252854%2529.JPG) |
Tucson Firefighters going by.
Yes, they also passed me.
I'm slow. |
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/-rX_U3SeLc3E/VWqnWqRmN_I/AAAAAAAAbc4/KeDmxWXNKWI/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252856%2529.JPG) |
Another squirter |
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-aEj-f_Faqvc/VWqnXcnsnPI/AAAAAAAAbc4/dR4MDymdow8/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252857%2529.JPG) |
A squirter behind a fence |
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-4-P8doyeDEk/VWqnYZJeu1I/AAAAAAAAbc4/Re_il5Px8IY/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252858%2529.JPG) |
Heather dances in the water |
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-I8nPLPlU8RU/VWqnb3MIKbI/AAAAAAAAbc4/AkSDDzi7fCE/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252863%2529.JPG) |
I finally know where KY is made. |
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-0EcQ6rKO6Q0/VWqneOikm6I/AAAAAAAAbc4/QCNCXqnZ1eo/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252866%2529.JPG) |
"Ugly But Honest"
That should be my slogan. |
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-LnptSC_OJTI/VWqnhqQkZnI/AAAAAAAAbc4/rpRZ2ih8FwE/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252871%2529.JPG) |
We made it one mile!
Woooooooooo! |
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bd3PdwK4Huk/VWqnif4E4gI/AAAAAAAAbc4/DUocmGlMV3k/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252872%2529.JPG) |
Live music performed at various
locations throughout the course. |
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-fO-VbOgOjV8/VWqnmpGx9oI/AAAAAAAAbc4/TMOqcKvSTyY/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252878%2529.JPG) |
I tried one of these cups of water.
Best described as "warm" |
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/-D6BYGvAp2LM/VWqnoyQVqPI/AAAAAAAAbc4/ya1fODdL2FI/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252881%2529.JPG) |
Ken Carr Photo Art:
I call this "Four guys on a roof" |
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Tucson has drive thru liquor stores.
Here's one of them. |
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One block from finishing the 5k.
Wooooooooooooooooo! |
![](//2.bp.blogspot.com/-gcIOpZUKxVI/VWqnuEkCdJI/AAAAAAAAbc4/CHnZIp31V-c/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252888%2529.JPG) |
Summer and Aaron lead the charge
to the finish line |
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/-k2i4aPzh-gM/VWqnu7JCWaI/AAAAAAAAbc4/DQBRjV1R0t8/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252889%2529.JPG) |
If you pretend you're running at
the end of a 5k, will anyone
believe it? |
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/-5DrlOdMnQOA/VWqnv75omHI/AAAAAAAAbc4/xFNZHPxC_pk/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252890%2529.JPG) |
Waiting for noodles
at a food truck |
![](//2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZF11Ci2RpoU/VWqnxQyBINI/AAAAAAAAbc4/fRU3DjiTgrU/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252892%2529.JPG) |
This food truck had a flat screen TV
showing sports.
In unrelated news, this guy is missing
a shirt and I was worried he'd catch
a cold in the chilly 95 degree
night air.
I asked him, he said he was ok.
I tried to be helpful. |
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/-d7aFF8Vqjs0/VWqnzLENQbI/AAAAAAAAbc4/CZzcaE8DfQ8/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252894%2529.JPG) |
Table in the beer garden.
Runners / walkers are apparently
a thirsty group of people. |
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-GLshSTLLV00/VWqnz6fXMkI/AAAAAAAAbc4/Gq-orzhavd4/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252895%2529.JPG) |
Tina, Alex, Greg sitting on a chair,
and Heather pose for a photo |
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/-x3EkDU4mu4c/VWtt0kqsC_I/AAAAAAAAbdA/RdE8SUjj1Pw/s640/Meet%2BMe%2BDowntown%2B5k%2B2015%2B053015%2B%252899%2529.JPG) |
Team Morning Blend at the
Meet Me Downtown 5k Night Run and Walk
We did it!
Yaaaaaaaaaaaay! |