I decided to go for it

There was no wind blowing

A billion degrees at 7 A.M.

My shirt was sticking to me just from standing there

I figured I’m that age and at that place where I don’t care

We all tried to pretend

To imagine it cooler

Ice water and fans

But we were fooled for sure

The sun peaked out

The air felt like soup

There was no doubt – we couldn’t meet the event’s demands

At the start line we would soon be cooped

One last stop at my car to pin on my bib

And from my water, to take a sip

Drenched in sweat before the race began

I looked down at my farmer’s tan

Then at my watch – 10 minutes till the start

It was time for me and my shirt to part

I pulled it off – would the world collapse

Would my fellow runners gasp

Was I immodest – I didn’t mean to be

All I know is that race was the hottest

What awful humidity!

In my black Nike sports bra and black running shorts with black running shoes

Running the streets of Portsmouth was what I was there to do

Did I look tubby?

Was the look unbecoming?

A man across the way walked up and told me, “Thanks!”

He said he’d looked at his race notes from last year: “Muggy, is what it said, my dear”

He said I reminded him to put his bib on his shorts because he too was going to leave his shirt

He told me, “Running shirtless works!”

I jogged to the start line

Everything was fine

I nestled in at the start with 50 other women and 50 men

All huddled together, skin to skin

Everyone was shirtless

Just sports bras, sunglasses, shorts, and shoes

The horn blew

It was time to run the streets

I felt my skin breathe

And I’ve never felt so free