St. Patrick's Day Dash

This morning I completed for a third year in a row the St. Patrick's Day Dash. Though slower than last year, I made it in under 8-minute-per-mile pace (which based on my training runs was a pleasant surprise). I owe it all to a woman I followed the second half of the race. She mowed people down right and left while I followed after about a yard behind. I thanked her at the finish line.

There were lots of runners. Eighteen thousand participants the MC announced over the PA at the beginning of the race. Two things I noticed while I waited in the chill being bombarded by the MC's badinage: first, everyone, pretty much everyone, at least a clear majority, is completely tethered to his/her smart phone -- taking pictures, texting, setting chronometers, checking the news -- and this in running gear before a four-mile run; second, the foot glove fad seems to be petering out -- I didn't see one runner wearing them.

Waiting for the race to begin I enjoyed listening to the Rollins Band's "Hangin' Around" on my iPod: