Football Cakes and Polar Bears

I'll start with the craziness that was last night.  All of the guys had a soccer game, but they also wanted to watch the KU football game.  Since they were at the same time, everyone agreed they wouldn't watch any of it until they all met at our apartment where they would start the game at the beginning. So, ten o'clock rolls around and my living room is filled with hungry, tired, sweaty boys (since they had just come from their soccer game).  Well, just in case you didn't know, KU lost.  And when I say "lost", I mean big time.  It was terrible.  They guys were all jumping around and screaming.  We're lucky we didn't get into trouble for being too loud again.  On the up side, I made a FABULOUS chocolate cake shaped like a football.  I was pretty stinking proud of myself. 

Everyone left around midnight, which just gave me 7 hours to clean up, sleep, and get ready for the Kansas City Zoo Run.  To be honest, I don't enjoy running at all.  I tried every way possible to get out of the race, but I was stuck.  So at 7 in the morning my family picked me up and we headed out.  I was so relieved when I saw how many people were there!  I thought, "Surely not everyone here is going to run a 5 minute mile!".  It made me at ease right away.  The crowd was so large that it took my mother and myself several minutes to even reach the start line.  But, once we finally got going we realized we were in for a treat.  We ran through Africa, Australia, China, and several more.  We even ran through the sheep's pen!  By the end, my body definitely knew I had gone 4 miles, but it was the most enjoyable run I've ever done.  Next year I'm going to run with my camera around my neck.  So, since I'm into lists lately I'll make another one for reasons why everyone should run in the Kansas City Zoo Run in 2011.

1. Every year the Zoo gives the proceeds from the race registration to help an endangered species.  This year we ran for the polar bears, last year it was for the Chimps.
2. CrAzY volunteers who point you in the right direction, cheer loudly, and dance around to show their support.
3. If you're anything like me, the insane hills give your legs a workout like you haven't had in years.
4.  If you have a killer instinct, several of the paths are so full of curves that it takes some serious strategy to pass.
5.  Free food after the race
6.  You get to spend the rest of the day at the zoo! (heck yes!)  Race spectators also get in for only $6 and can spend the day there as well
7.  T-shirts with polar bears on them
8.  People of all ages run/walk/push strollers.  I even saw an elderly couple walking and the man had a cane.  Don't think you can run/walk 4?  Try the 1 mile race!
9.  The monkeys line up in their pens and cheer for you, or mimic your actions depending on how mean they are.
10.  EXERCISE! If you don't care about polar bears, maybe you care about fighting obesity?