Festival of Races

The climax of the National Cherry Festival is happening today, starting with the Festival of Races. There are four races going at the same time - a 5K, 10K, 15K and half marathon. They all start at different times in different places and the finish line is at the Cherry Festival parade grounds and thousands of people line up to cheer the runners on, especially the last couple of miles, but my neighbors and I came out to encourage them at the beginning of their race. 

 
The half marathon started about two miles from my house and ran through my neighborhood early this morning. Here's the pacemaker bicycle and the first runners coming down my street.

 
They kicked off the half marathon at an area school and one of the cherry growers mowed a trail for them through the orchard, fields and woods on their property, so they ran cross-country for the first mile and a half.

They were saying that the run through the orchard was amazing, since the growers haven't harvested the cherries yet, and they are absolutely beautiful with the bright red fruit against the dark green foliage.

If your enlarge either of the last two pictures, you will be able to see runners emerging from the woods at about the center of the picture.

At the end of my street, the course turns back and goes down to the road that leads back to town along the shore. That gives the participants a long stretch of waterfront to enjoy as they race along. Also, the weather was perfect this morning, with it being cloudy and in the 50s when the race began.

I took my walk in the opposite direction, once the last racer went by and I could cheer her on her way. 

It's always fun to take advantage of the road being closed to traffic for a few hours - Baloo and I did it every year, too. He loved getting to walk along the bay without worrying about the cars.