The 2021 Syttende Mai Festival. Half The Run! And Half The Fun...

Cheryl has successfully completed her 10 mile run for the Stoughton Syttende Mai Celebration. Yeah  for Cheryl!  It seems far easier to downsize to a shorter distance than to up-size to a longer one. This is just my opinion, but as a Spectator,  I think that the amount of effort I had to put in to keep up with her should mean something. 

That being said,  the entire event seemed to be "downsized" from the last two times we visited this place.   I'm not sure about the numbers of People, but while walking through Stoughton today, I could not help but feel that many of the tourists were absent.  Along with many of the food vendors and shops!   I'm pretty sure they did not even have the festival last year, but it appears many of the shops could not survive the lock-downs.   Kind of sad. 

So, half the people.   Half the Shops.  And half of the events.   It seemed like there were at least the same number of runners there, though.   Can't keep those runner's down when they have waited an entire year to race.  Turns out,   there were a number of "pro's" that showed up.  "Ringers" that should have gone to Boston.... Or the Olympics...   Ended up running in the local Syttende Mai 20 miler... and Setting a new Record!  ( Show offs!) 

But Cheryl ran her best.   Or at least... "Good Enough."  But not good enough for a prize this year.    (She placed 4th... but was in the top 7 females!)   Translation: Out of the top 7,  there were 3 other women faster than her in her age group!   Ringers! 

This guy set a new Record today for 20 miles.

Ringer:

• an athlete or horse fraudulently substituted for another in a competition or event.

  "it was discovered that the winning horse was a ringer"
• a person who is highly proficient at a particular skill or sport and is brought in to supplement a team or group of people.

  "league eligibility rules had grown flexible to accommodate new teams, and ringers began suiting up"

   

In the end, it doesn't really matter.   ( See the "Sour Grapes" post from a few days ago.) We went there to run, and successfully pulled it off.  Mission accomplished!

As the the remaining time spent in Stoughton,  Most of the Fun had been drained from the festival as well.   I did not get any Sardines.   I did not get any Rommegrot.   Instead, Cheryl and Shared a Raspberry colored thingy from one of the local bakeries and managed to survive the "Small Business Purges" of 2020.  It was good. 

At least the Scenery was pretty.  Those Norwegians certainly know how to spiff up their yards. there is one yard that I pass by each year and simply love the magical lay out.     

There were also plenty of Lilacs and Apple Blossoms raining down with the breeze.  Two Sand Hill Cranes were busy making loud noises from the ponds and backwaters in town.  I can see why last year might have seemed like a huge disappointment for the tourist industry.  

But we managed to attend.   Hopefully, next year will be an improvement.   There were still plenty of Masks to be seen.   A few folks went without them outside, but there were certainly more people with them here than not.  ( But not the runners.. or the Staff along the route.)   It was certainly different from the last two races we attended.  Then again,  Wisconsin is not Iowa. 

I should also note that the weather held up.    It was overcast and when we first got up...And Raining!   The rain lasted the entire trip to the Start line.. and only lightened up just as we exited the Subie.   It only began to sprinkle a bit AFTER the race this year.  ( Remember 2019?   Downpour while Shopping!)   The air was cool and the breeze was gentle.   Cheryl was able to run without long sleeves, even though she was a little cold at the beginning.  I was just happy that I did not have to break out the GoreTex.

I may not have mentioned this, but I had to Chase Cheryl down the remaining half mile once again this year.   Seems I always park a little too far away and have to run to the  final length of he race route to catch her.  I always miss her finish. (And end up hot and sweaty!) 

Cheryl passes me !

  But what a great workout... for me!  Even though it was only 10 miles,  I feel as if I actually participated...  ( sure,  one mile might not seem like much, but I'm not a Lean, Mean, Army fighting machine anymore. )

Three Cats on ME!

So now we are home.... With the Cats.   Three of them are on the couch as I type this.  ( Two of them are not technically ours...But couldn't wait to get inside when we arrived home.)

The Two freeloader cats!

In the end,  Cheryl and I are happy we attended, even if the event was not as previously experienced.  Hey, there is no way to relive that first impression a second time.   But perhaps we should take this information and use it to plan for future races.   Maybe more local? (In Iowa...)     Or maybe some new races that we have not experienced before.. so we have no previous history to compare things to.    We shall see. In the mean time... Time to hug up on some cats!  And enjoy a cold Wisconsin Adult Beverage!  ( Beer!)  One of the Perks of traveling to the Brew capital of the world!. ( or so the tourist industry would have you believe.)   Thanks for stopping in.