Double Rainbow, all the way

In case you missed that reference, you can catch it here.

I did not cry or ponder it's meaning, but maybe I did feel some of the same (though muted) excitement when my running group came across our own "full-on" double rainbow.

Last night, our weekly Thursday run with PSL took us to Redbeards in Mt. Washington. I was worried as soon as I got the location via email. (Thanks, Liz-- enjoy your vacation while we trudge up these hills!) But I figured, come on, how bad could it be?

The night looked promising as, though it had called for rain, the sky was beautiful and it was actually warm-- I was glad I hadn't gone with the long-sleeve I originally planned for and even regretted not wearing a tank top.

The beginning of the race went along Grandview, which if you are not familiar with Pittsburgh, is where you can see some of the best views of our awesome city. So, okay, cool. Until I almost bit it on something in the sidewalk and did one of those three part tumbles where you alternate between visions of your face hitting pavement and somehow saving yourself from falling while time momentarily stops. Luckily in my case, something broke my fall. Unluckily for her, it was a young woman sitting on a bench, writing in a notebook. Near the end of part three of my fall, I lunged at her lap and even grabbed her pen. Uh, whoops. As everyone on the street stared at the idiot who fell into a person, I poured out apology after apology and lots of thanks. So, yeah, good start.

Then, the hills. I don't really want to talk about them. I just want you to see them on this elevation chart. And know that some of my friends really tore these up.

Okay, so at about 3.8 miles we came to a decision point-- go straight and finish at 4 miles or turn right and do 2 more. Everyone froze in temporary indecision and finally, Nick said, it's just two more, and I said, let's go for it (maybe inspired by the double rainbow that just appeared in the sky).

Then the skies broke. I am talking pouring rain. Buckets. Deluge. Cats, dogs, mice, and fleas.

We ran up and down a bit more, missed a turn, got soaked even more ridiculously by a passing car, walked up a set of stairs, missed a couple more streets, and finally made it back after cutting off the final turn.

I may have never been so rain-soaked. Or so thankful for a grilled cheese and sweet potato waffle fries. Yeah, you heard that right. Yum.

I like my running group.

:)