Ran strong and felt good.I will have to put in some more miles in order to increase my time but I had a very good time at this race.

I first heard about the race while participating in Team In Training. Dave, one of the coaches, told me that he helps with a race in Amherst every August. He didn't offer any substantial details but said that the race was a good time and that I should come out if I was around. I saw the race on coolrunning.com months later and discovered that the race funds a scholarship for two Souhegan High students in memory of Kyle and Tim Crisman. The Crisman brothers were killed in an automobile accident in 2002. As we stood around the finish line, cheering and drinking our waters and sports drinks, Dave pointed out one runner as she approached. She had two balloons in her hands. Of course, the natural question is to ask is "why is that woman running with two balloons in her hands?" I am usually quick to make a sarcastic remark but for some reason I had the good sense to keep quiet (at least in this one case). It turns out that the woman was Kyle and Tim's mom. She runs the race every year. Out of respect, I watched in silence as she crossed the finish line. I thought to myself that the next time someone asks me to define a runner or the next time I am struggling to understand what constitutes a "real" runner, I will remember what I saw that day at the Crisman race.