Saturday, September 22, 2007

In Which Amy Does Lots of Walking

This is where I was this morning:
At the Women's Fitness Celebration. I didn't hear the announcement about how many participants they had this year. Last year they topped 15 thousand; this year the highest race number I saw was 14,868 or something like that. There could have been more. The photo above is from about the middle of the block. There's more behind me, and the two blocks to the side are pretty packed as well. That makes three city blocks full of women. Archie Bunker's second worst nightmare. ;)
This was my fourth year participating. I skipped the year I had Libby. It was just too close to her birth to go. I love being at the Celebration. I go with Steve's family. Steve's sister organizes a team for us and it's fun to be there with them. We had a good time but we were tired. This year we parked close to the finish line and walked up to the start, so we already had half a mile on our feet before we even started. Then we walked the 5k (under an hour including a potty break. go me.) Then we walked back to the car. Then we went and walked the mall. (Which was totally worth it because I snapped up a huge bargain at Pottery Barn. The only way I can shop at Pottery Barn.) I estimate we walked five miles by the end of the day.
While we walked back to the car the TV station that helps sponsor the walk was putting together with the women sticking around at the stage a video invitation to Oprah to come next year. It's was so funny to hear the news anchor instructing the women in multiple takes and getting them to cheer loudly each time. (It wasn't hard.) "Oprah, what do you celebrate?" we heard behind us as we left the park. It would be cool if she responded. After all, it's just the sort of thing that she eats up for her show. It's women. It's a charity (they give to a different women's charity every year.) It's encouraging fitness. Friends and family walk together so you get all sorts of heartwarming "three generation" stories. And the clincher is it takes place while she's filming her next season. How could it miss?
Maybe next year instead of getting a shot of Jared the Subway guy:.
I could have a shot of Oprah (hey, maybe she'll bring Gayle.) I'm sure it will be a long telephoto shot. I really doubt I would have the desire to fight the lines waiting for her autograph while pushing a stroller. As you can see, I didn't fight the line for Jared either.

2 comments:

Helena said...

LOL! Were people mobbing Jared?

Cathy Bauer said...

I hate that I missed it this year. I have done so many of them that it just makes me sad that I wasn't there. I am glad you had fun.