Day Six - F is for...

Finished Feet - feeling refreshed after a little rest

Saturday is typically a busy day in the life of the Newton clan, with this week being no exception.

On deck in the events department was the Fishbowl 1/2 Marathon, a nice little regional event held in Fountain Valley, benefiting a group called Students Helping Other Students (SHOS).

The weather was perfect (it looked a little threatening around mile number 9, but it stayed clear), the course was easy, the volunteers friendly and we finished without incident, all good news!

There were many F photo opportunities - Fishbowl, fitness, fun, finish and of course, the things that got me through the 13.1 miles - feet!  The feet pictured here are actually 'day after' feet, because my phone battery died at about mile 11 and I didn't take a picture of them as we crossed the finish line.  The balance of the day was spent eating (pizza and garlic knots, yum!), running errands and (as sheepish as I am to admit this), sleeping from about 8:30 pm on.

I guess that it has been a little while since I have done a 1/2 marathon, so in some ways, F can also stand for fatigued, as I was uncharacteristically exhausted!

Walking with Purpose

THE team - Jan, Ebe & Brandy

This post is technically a week overdue, as I am reporting on an event from LAST Saturday, but just roll with me here and we will get back on track.

Elizabeth and Brandy have been doing the Alzheimer's Walk for at least 6, maybe 7 years in honor and memory of Ebe's Mom.  I joined up about 4 years ago in support of the cause; right after David's Dad passed away from the same disease.

My boy...the perfect mascot!

The event is held at Huntington Beach and is typically always a BEAUTIFUL day along the beach.  Ebe has had a team each year, some years with more people than others and, for 3 of the years, we had a mascot...my boy Freddy!  We decided to forgo the mascot and the larger team this year, so it was an intimate group of Ebe, Brandy and me.  We still managed to raise a good chunk of money as a team and of course we had an enjoyable time.  A little misty-eyed at a couple points, remembering Lucille, Lin and Freddy, but it was nice to think about and honor them all.

I appreciate having the opportunity to share the love of those near and dear to me through thought and action combined - I am indeed thankful to be blessed with so much purpose in my life!

Confessions of a Bootlegger

Bootleggers above SF Bay

I admit to being a bit of an event junkie...if memory serves (and let's be clear, sometimes it does NOT), I have been active in running, biking and swimming events since 2006.

Over the years, I have had some great experiences and personal "bests" doing these events and have come to a point where I really enjoy selecting activities that offer a great charity partnership and provide lots of support to both the community and the participants.

Since I've started up on the events, I have been fortunate enough to find some great friends to do these activities with, between both groups of MIMs (Moms in Motion and Ministry in Motion), I have met and completed events with a gaggle of fun people.

All of this context leads to a confession - for the first time ever, I was an event bootlegger...I wasn't formally signed up and registered for an event, but I did it anyway.  Worse still, I dragged Elizabeth into this seamy underworld of unspoken and unappreciated participation, for I guided her through the process!

Here's what happened - Nike Women's Marathon (NWM) in San Francisco is a SUPER popular event that  has about 25,000 participants, mostly women, running through the streets of San Francisco from Union Square to the "Great Highway".  It has become increasingly more difficult to actually get an entry each year, with most people relegated to crossed fingers for acceptance via a lottery system.  It was quite disappointing to be informed that the MIMs were NOT accepted this year, especially after I had already booked a flight and room reservation.

Holding out hope that there would be a way to get in, I kept the reservations and talked the event up to Elizabeth; we were psyched and ready to do it...but still, no official entry!  After discussing our options, I offered the one thing that is typically frowned upon in the event community...we could "bootleg" the event, leaving from Union Square and running down to the Embarcadero (parallel for about a mile and a half, until we merged together at the Ferry Building).  We trotted along with everyone else until we hit the 1/2 way point - a great outlook over the bay pictured above...and then we turned around and ran back to the hotel on our own!

It sounds like a good plan (and actually, was rather lovely for us), but I am well aware on why this is frowned upon...it potentially takes away from resources for those runners who have actually paid to do the event!  For the record, we were completely self-sustainable with water, snacks and even our own chocolate for the famed "chocolate mile" (which I hear was discontinued this year, glad we got to enjoy our extended chocolate mile with hot chocolate from a stop at Ghiradelli on the way back!). We did use the porta-potty at mile 6.5 or so, but there were no lines and short of the spot of hand sanitizer we used, I'd say that we were pretty neutral in the footprint for resources that we used.  While we got to enjoy the experience, we did not get the bragging rights of the technical t-shirt or the coveted Tiffany necklace.

I feel better to have this confession off of my chest. It is not intended to be a habit and in fact we are signed up (and PAID) for an event later this month - the Fishbowl 1/2 Marathon, benefiting Caring S.H.O.S. (students helping other students).  Being a bootlegger is not a regular practice but I will admit, we had a fun weekend in San Francisco and the 13.1 miles completed, whether "official" or not were legit all the way!

Tri-ed and True!

 

Moms in Motion - before the event!


March has shaped up to be quite the busy month.  Sunday was another activity, this one the Pasadena Triathlon, considered by me to be the kick-off to the triathlon season, this one is a little unique because it is actually a reverse, meaning we run first and swim last (plus some fine biking there in the middle).  It is also a sprint (shorter distances), so the two elements make it a great way to either ease into the season or the entire sport of triathlons.


Special to me for this event was the union of two of my groups of peeps - the MIMs - Moms in Motion and Ministry in Motion.  It was the first tri for several of the people there and the first time at Pasadena for most.  I was very conflicted around what shirt to wear, as I have a team uniform for both; I ended up wearing the white version from the Moms team because while it says Moms in Motion, it is a different color and therefore not as easily identifiable.  The costume of course is not as important as the experience!



Ministry in Motion - completed!!



The event was incredible...the weather was great (biblical proportions of rain fell on Sunday, but Saturday was cool and sunny), everyone was enjoying the course and the company, life was good for all!

Everyone did incredibly well in the different portions of the course and while there were a few struggles, everyone kept at it and finished, emerging from the pool dripping wet, a little tired but all smiles.  There are few things as satisfying as accomplishing a difficult task; for me the only thing greater is watching someone I care about do something that they never thought they would or could do and then seeing them persevere until it is done.

THAT is the tri spirit that I love!

Chased by a Hippo

The running of the inaugural Safari Park 1/2 Marathon occurred on Sunday.  13.1 miles of combined road and park running, up and down hills...a few more hills than I had factored, but the terrain grousing aside, it was a fun event.

I ran with my peeps - Kris & Ebe - and we did the majority of the course in the interval style that I learned from my new friend Cyndie (you might recall that I met her and Sue at the Surf City 1/2 back in February).  Kris was our official timer, 2 minutes running, 1 minute walking.  It was for the most part very effective, except in a couple of instances where the incline was significant enough that 1 of the 3 of us would declare it time to walk, and then we would get back on the path again.

There was some mysterious knee pain in the last 2 or 3 miles, I suspect that it had something to do with the long climb back up the main road (I think that it is part of highway 78 or maybe just the access road into the park), which was angled in such a way that things felt off-kilter.  The good news is that we just walked it out (Ebe for the record declared herself OVER IT at mile marker 12) and still finished at the 3-hour mark, a personal record for both Kris & Ebe and within 15-minutes of what I had predicted.

We didn't see too many animals in the morning, as I suspect the time change and thunderous hooves of 3000+ runners was more than they wanted to deal with as the sun was rising.  We did see quite a few animals in the last short stretch to the finish line, such as a cheetah (super sleek, I am pretty sure that he could have outrun us!), a giraffe and a baby hippo with its mother, pictured here.

Fortunately, I had Ebe to point out to me the hippo is a rhino.  Glad to know I have such a strong grasp on my wild animals.  I am blaming my apparent lack of observation skills on the run.  That may not be the real reason, but we'll go with it for now.

Next up...the Pasadena Reverse Tri THIS Saturday (yep, 6 days later).  I wonder what wild animals we will encounter there?

Goggle Eyes

I opted for a quick "splash and dash" workout yesterday, which means that I went to the YMCA for 30 minutes of swimming in the pool, then jumped onto a treadmill for 30-minutes of running. Not to be confused with the "Y-Tri" which adds a stint on the stationary bike into the mix, this is the signal that triathlon season is fast approaching and I don't want to fall behind in my readiness.

I had great plans to be at the Y at 6 am when they opened. Some cute dogs and husband distracted me as they followed be around with hopeful eyes, looking for a bite of cheese and conversation (David did not get any cheese). I also did not pack the night before, so I was trotting around the house, throwing items into my duffel bag so that I could shower and leave directly for work after the workout was complete.

Because this is the first pool workout in quite some time, I was a bit out of sorts and did not have my usual routine in place, so I was very dismayed when I was in the locker room to realize that I left both my goggles and earplugs in my other duffel bag with no back-ups anywhere to be found.

I was already running late and had carved the time out to do my workout, so I forged ahead, swimming for 30-minutes straight in a very chlorinated pool. I attempted to keep my eyes closed, but after 3 or 4 collisions with the floating lane chains, I had to just suck it up and dry out my eyes.

I showed up to work almost 2 hours after I had originally planned, looking rather red and glassy-eyed. I met Holly for lunch later in the day and she was curious as to what I had been doing to have such suspicious looking eyes. I explained my goggle dilemma and while I know she believes me, she still had to tell me the thing that everyone was thinking but no one had said, "You look stoned."

I trust that she knows this only from a distance and not first hand!

Surfin'

Yesterday was the Surf City 1/2, an event held every Superbowl Sunday and one that I have participated in for either the 1/2 marathon or 5K for the last 6 years or so. I was on my own for this event, as my troop of peeps were not feeling it for another 13.1 miles after the Carlsbad event two weeks ago (and a Safari Park 1/2 planned for mid-March too), so off I went for a solo run with 20,000 of my closest running friends.

It was not too long before I met Cyndi and Sue, two ladies from Utah who make me look like a very quiet and shy person when it comes to talking abilities. These two could TALK and talk they did, from the moment we met when they asked me to take a picture until we said goodbye and parted ways at the end of the run. Within the first 5 miles Cyndi had declared me her new BFF for Facebook and invited me to stay with her to run the Ogden 1/2 in October.

I learned something interesting about interval running - there is something to it and I like it! We had been talking for so long that once we finally got across the starting line, it seemed rude to run off without them, so I followed along on their 2 minutes run, 1 minute walk plan. At first I was pretty skeptical about finishing in a reasonable time, but lo and behold, we crossed the finish line in 2:44...not a world record by any stretch, but given that 1/3 of the time was spent walking (albeit quickly), I say cool!

It would appear that this method allows for just enough rest time to keep the energy level higher and sustainable across the duration of the race. You admittedly are a slave to the beeper/timer that regulates the whole thing, but once you get into the zone, it is all good. My best time on a 1/2 is 2:31, and given we had to walk through a couple of run cycles in the last mile because Sue was having some issues with her calf, I can see where this is going to help me shave some time off my future events.

Suddenly, I feel very fast. I might actually be able to finish at the same time as the winner of the full marathon instead of 10 minutes later!

Streaker!

I was introduced to the concept of streak running a couple of years ago, after hearing on the radio a woman describe the process that she and her son followed for 2 years. It is a fascinating concept to me and admittedly, I can get obsessed enough about something to sign up for this kind of a deal.

Streak running is "to run at least one continuous mile each calendar day under one's own body power." This definition comes directly from the United States Running Streak Association, Inc. (yep, they even have their own website!), which a person can't even think about joining until the certify that they have run every day for at least one year! Incidentally, the longest streak on the registry is a whopping 42.5 years and there are 91 people on the list who have been running continuously for 20 years or more. That is some serious mileage!

I intended to do this streak running thing when I first heard about it back in 2009...on the 2nd day I got some crazy flu (a rarity) and that was the end of that. I talked to someone at Future Track who was on her 32nd day of streaking and LOVING it. She (Kelly, a newly signed-up MIM, hooray!) told me that the 1-mile option is what you use when you are tight on time, and she found that once she committed to this, she only ran 1-mile 2 or 3 times.

I do have the new shoes and I have been incorporating runs into more creative times in my schedule. I've got a 4-day trend going as of today...I might be admitting right now that I am a streaker!

Speedy's Got Some New Shoes

A firm rule of runners in the running world is...don't mess with the shoes. Find a brand/style/pair you like and stick with them. Don't wear them to lounge around or do your errands in; they are the pristine tool of the trade and should be taken seriously.

It is no secret that I am not a fast or serious runner, but over the years I have evolved into a committed and consistent runner. I have also always worn the same brand of shoes - Nike - because my foot is fairly narrow and I have found that they fit me well, plus of course they pair nicely with the BEST technology invention in the world...the Nike+ system. I remember wearing Nike all the way back when I ran with my Dad (circa 1980) and have just always stuck with them, despite mocking from my fellow MIMs and running enthusiasts, all of whom have told me that there are better running shoes out there.

I was at Future Track (an awesome local shop if you are in the Ventura/Western End of the SF Valley area) last night for a meeting of the Ragnar Relay hopefuls. My current shoes are coming up on 2 years, and I am ready for a new pair, so I told Gloria (our coach extraordinaire and Future Track Manager) that it was time to set me up. She has all of my purchasing history in their system, so I didn't pay much attention to the process while I waited for the shoes to materialize.

Tricky Gloria brought the shoes to me out of the box, so as I grabbed the first one to try on, I didn't notice it...at first. This was a Saucony...hey! Gloria gave me her sly smile and said, "I really think you should try these, they will fit your foot well and I think that you will like them." She is the coach and runs something like a 7:30 mile (long distance, not just sprints), as well as she has been watching me lope around for the last 3 years, so clearly she knows what she is talking about.

I will admit, the new shoes are comfortable. But wait...my Nike+ battery! Already covered with a shoe sensor pocket that can be Velcroed to the top of the shoe. Change.....is....so....hard, BUT...I did it. I switched it up.

The turtle has got some new shoes. Let's see what kind of stats I post after tonight's run!

Clean Start

Yesterday was a very productive day, highlighted by the fact that I was able to test out a theory that I have had for a while...it is possible for me to work out at a semi-reasonable hour in the morning (as in, not before 5 am) and still beat the traffic to get into the office early.

I helped to coordinate a series of meetings off site in Santa Monica at the Annenberg Community Beachhouse, a state-owned, public space that can be rented out for meetings and events. We were over in the guesthouse, which opens right up to the beach. This was certainly an inspiring and enjoyable venue for the day, but not the secret to my productivity.

I have been thinking for some time that there has to be a way to leverage all of the gorgeous beach mileage along PCH for a run...the challenge is how I would shower, dress and get to work without going all the way home. There are surfer showers outside of the bathrooms along the beach front...the plan is brewing!

I had an early conference call, so I got up, dressed in my running clothes, packed my stuff for the day and drove to the beach. I took my conference call (notes & all!) from the parking lot, then when we finished up at 7:30, off I went. It was a great run (a fast 5K, I just did a 13.1 miles the day before yesterday), and when I finished, I changed into my flip flops, grabbed my towel, a bag with some shampoo and sauntered over to the showers.

If you have not ever stuck your head under a shower head at the beach on 60 degree morning, I might warn you to prepare yourself for the shock of the cold. I have no right complaining because our friends are in sub-zero temperatures back east and I CHOSE to shower at the beach, but wow. Cold is not quite the word that sums it up. This is a blast of icy that will make even the heartiest of ocean-swimmers hyperventilate.

The good news in this story is that I showed up to the meeting nice and clean (and wearing a fleece jacket, I am sure that several people were wondering why) and have decided that this will be a ritual that I repeat. I might, however, wait until things warm up just a little bit more here on the gentle west coast.

The Season Has Begun

Sunday launched the 2011 event season in a very grand way...the Carlsbad 1/2 marathon. Dubbed my favorite course of all run so far, Kris & Elizabeth decided that they needed to check it out and see what all of the fuss was about. Lynne also joined us, a milestone because this was her first 1/2 marathon, with her longest run to date having been a 10K back at Thanksgiving.

The weather and course did not disappoint. It started out a bit chilly, but by about miles 2 or 3, we had all stripped off our gloves, sleeves and sweatshirts and were ready for some serious mileage. Lynne had a beeper thing that chimed at 4 minutes (running time) and then again at 2 minutes (walking time). We made it through what I think was about 12 rounds of that before we opted to just turn it off...it was far too much a distraction than it was helping and quite frankly, I think that it was putting undue pressure on the group to be structured. We finally settled in on a pace that allowed everyone to be comfortable and enjoy the run, or walk, or whatever you wanted it to be.

Things always get a bit grueling (in my opinion) after about 10 miles, and if you are experiencing any aches or pains (as Lynne was with her knees), they are magnified about 100 times at this point. We shuffled along a bit, chatting it up and trying to distract until we landed on the ultimate game...Better Than.

A friend of mine that we bumped into before the race talked about this game - when you get to the point where you are just about over the whole running/race thing, compare the things that your run is better than. We started out easy (being poked in the eye with a stick, getting hit by a car) and then we got incredibly detailed and specific (scalding your tongue on hot coffee and then getting a paper cut when you lick an envelope). The best part about our little game besides entertaining the people around us? The finish line was suddenly upon us and we completed our 13.1 miles!! Lynne cried a little bit.

The season has officially begun!

Pumpkin Run

Sunday was a big day for the MIMs! Our Moms in Motion team captains, Anne & Holly, were race directors for the Westlake City Celebration aka The Pumpkin Run. MIMs were crawling all over the place to help, we had a great turnout!

I had the privilege of shuttling the team working at the 5K and 10K turnaround water stations...all were members of the Agoura Hills HS track team (their running coach is our running coach too) and even though it was early on a Sunday morning, they were all enthusiastic and excited to be a part of the event...it is their community too, after all.

Once the water station workers were in place, the 5K race began and then I set out for the 10K an hour later. It was a good course, only about 200 people running the longer portion, so it wasn't very crowded and it was a nice shady downhill for the first 2 miles or so. It got a little hot and sunny on the back portion of the course, so I was glad to loop back to the shade once I hit mile 4, even if it did mean that nice little downhill had turned into a nice little UP hill.

I actually finished 4th in my age category and had a personal record on the 10K according to my Nike+ system. I should just leave it at that and bask in the glory, but the truth of the matter is that there were only 5 people in my age category.

Maybe I need to start competing in the 75+ age group, I bet that I'd sweep that group!

Part of Something Special

San Francisco, specifically Union Square, was abuzz with marathon preparations this past Saturday. I was happy to have made it over before things got into full swing; I picked up my packet, registered my timing chip and decided I was fine to line up with the 11:00 - 12:00 minute mile runners in the corrals.A couple of the MIMs wanted to go across to Niketown to check out the gear and perhaps buy a souvenir. As we approached the store, I saw a mass of people out front and assumed it was the line to get in the store.

Turns out that as a thank you to all of the runners participating, each of our names (all 20,000 of them) were printed up along the display window at the flagship Nike in Union Square. The crowd was actually there to find their name in the sea of pink.

I have enjoyed doing events for good philanthropic efforts for quite some time, but seeing it all together with the total raised ($14 million just with this event to help fight leukemia/lymphoma) AND because the MIMs raised money specifically to support our young (5-year old) friend Nicole who is 2 years into a 4 year treatment program to beat her leukemia, it just felt really personal and good to be a part of something important.

Who doesn't like to see their name in print, after all?

Have Shoes, Will Walk

Friday was a smooth day. A little bit of travel, a little bit of touring Berkeley, a little catching up over lunch and a train trip into the city, let the adventures begin!

Holly quickly assimilated to the Walk routine of check-in (we got all of our tents together, excellent!), dinner and a movie (The Proposal, don't expect a very complex or surprising story and you will be suitably entertained) and of course the trip to Walgreen's to gather the last-minute items and water needed to start the morning. The aforementioned sweatshirt did indeed prove to be a smart purchase!

Looking at the fresh and eager faces, it is easy to say, see you again next year!

When Does it Get Light?

Nothing says committed like setting the alarm for 4:15 am on a Saturday. Still a little groggy from our night on the streets of San Francisco on Friday, we all got ourselves - and our gear bags - ready for the big walk.

It was a festival and sea of reflective strips (shoes, jackets, hats) out on the street, as we wound around the block in line and waiting to load up in the buses to take us to the opening ceremony. It was rather damp and a little misty, which added to the fun of standing around.

Given the number of people in the line, we moved pretty quickly and rocked out to some fine 70's music on the way to Golden Gate Park. Holly pretended to not enjoy my fine disco moves as we waited for the bus to fill up, but I know that she did.

It was chilly enough to make us all thankful that we had enough layers between us to bundle everyone up and keep warm. I had decided while at Walgreen's getting water Friday night that I was missing a layer, so I bought the value of the week - a $3.99 sweatshirt. Barb perused the Avon gear at check in and bought a windbreaker. Holly somehow ended up with my sweatshirt (I am not sure that I ever even put it on once) and I with Barb's windbreaker at 1 or 2 cold intervals over the weekend.

Lucky a few of the members of our team are prepared!

Opening Ceremonies

The team is fed, watered and sufficiently layered. Holly is sporting a white sweatshirt that we did not bring with us from home, where did that come from? I am wearing one of Barb's jackets and Sally has on a different clothing combination every time I look at her. I need to take better notes!

The Walk starts off with a bit of an emotional tug; the organizers worked this year to demonstrate how very personal the walk was to each person participating and had some really good, authentic speakers up at the podium telling the story as to why this was their walk. There were some tears, which is to be expected.

There was also a bit of trickery for those of us who believed that we had the thing dialed in as far as the route was concerned. Barb, Sally and I dragged Holly pretty close to the front and off on the side just a bit for a quick escape out and onto the street once we were on our way. Foiled! The exit was reversed and we suddenly realized that we were at the back of a pack of 3200 walkers, all flooding the streets of San Francisco.

That Sally can bob and weave through a crowd, let me tell you!

Walkin' on the Bridge of the Bay

Exciting times indeed. The team is walking strong. We have made up some great time from our little detour at Peet's in the first 2 miles...someone decided that they had to use the bathroom, then someone decided they wanted some coffee and by the time we waited through the line, we were almost dead-last in the pack!

I might add some commentary here that when using a public restroom with a single stall and a long line...speed it up, ladies! There was some clothes-changing and dawdling that just didn't need to happen in my humble opinion. We successfully pressured the line as we moved closer by timing everyone, not sure they were as entertained by it as our group was!

A few hills happen before we get to the Golden Gate, but everyone was on their game and moving nicely...the Schnoogs even had enough time to flex her quads as we ventured onto the bridge with 6 lanes of traffic whipping by.

It was rather foggy as we traversed over the bridge on our way to Sausilito (BTW, Otis Redding wrote the song that this blog entry is cleverly modeled after Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay while on a houseboat in Sausalito.)

Entertainment AND trivia, we've got it all for you here.

Half Way...for the day

When walking 26.2 miles in one day, 13.1 can be seen as an accomplishment, but isn't the point of complete celebration.

We hit the 1/2 marathon marker sometime after 12:30 or so; not too bad in terms of overall time, but not at the absolute front of the pack. Sally was our official time/position checker, she would check with the counters at the entrance of every rest-stop to see what number we were in terms of overall walkers. We typically hovered in the 1300's, with the one exception when it was 3200-something...there is probably a story in there somewhere.

We had a nice visit at lunch (which was the stop prior to our 13.1 milestone) from Sally's family (Denise and Nikko) as well as Miss Gabe, who hobbled out on her crutches to say hello! It was a very festive event with the walkers enjoying a bit of fresh air on the peds and a clean pair of socks.

Always looking out for the feet, we are!

Ice Cream, my feet scream

Winding our way back through the walk to mile 20. A good bit of traveling has occurred, it is getting later in the afternoon, we have traveled through yet another micro-climate or two and drank our body weight in water. Time for a break. Ice Cream!

While not an official stop on the route, you can bet that I already had it planned out, having made the same trek last year. It is in the perfect spot; a nice break after a long flat run through Mill Valley and a good breather before heading up the hills and back to the GG Bridge.

Let's face it, I would identify just about any spot with ice cream as the perfect spot!

The Great Golden Gate

Walking into base camp at Chrissy Field was a beautiful thing. Lots of people cheering, tents being set up, hot showers and dinner waiting for us, it could be considered paradise given the current situation.

We got into camp, were immediately greeted by some very kind volunteers who carried our gear and set up our tent for us. We set up our sleeping quarters, grabbed our stuff and trekked over to the showers. Amazing how some hot water and soap can absolutely change one's perspective on life.

We opted to visit the tent with foot and back massagers before dinner because we didn't want to miss out! There were plenty of seats open, and we sat back to enjoy the magic of modern electrics, I've got to seriously think about getting one of those back massagers for home!

Dinner in the big top tent never tasted so good and then it was off to bed. The showers and sinks were a pretty good distance back across the camp, so we opted to do some teeth-brushing over a trash can at the edge of the camp. Holly and I stood and admired the Golden Gate Bridge as the sun finished setting.

Having walked back and forth across that bridge twice in one day gave us a whole new appreciation for the size and beauty of that bridge...