Registered for 2022 Riley Trails Half Marathon

 

Today I committed to running the Riley Trails half marathon on August 6th.  My friend Melanie and her husband, who recently moved to Michigan from Minnesota, will be hosting my husband and me.  We are really looking forward to seeing their new place and enjoying the nearby Lake Michigan beach.

Today I also ran a 5K training run.  A couple weeks ago I traveled to Pinetop, AZ for a work trip and had the opportunity to run 2+ miles daily at 9,000 feet elevation.  That training paid off today.  Plans for the upcoming week include a 5 mile run.  The heat is on, both literally and figuratively.

Swan Lake - Beautiful Farm Country

Packet pickup was Saturday.  Alan and I drove from home direct to Swan Lake Camp, a wooded property on a 129-acre, spring fed lake in the middle of open farm country.  Temps held pretty consistent at 99 degrees throughout our drive.  Air conditioning is such a blessing.  Alan and I met Jerry, race director, and chatted about new bathrooms, weathering COVID at the camp, carpet ball, and how their adult facility is booked through Thanksgiving.  God is good in so many ways.

On Sunday morning, we rolled in just in time for 6:00 am race start.  First hour of the race was better for me than my long run the weekend prior.  I pushed through the rest of the race, facing a substantial head wind on most of the paved part of the course and thick dirt/gravel mix on about two-thirds of the rest.  I hadn't trained on dirt or gravel and wished I had.

I spent much of the run in proximity of a runner from Nebraska named Eddra.  She and I have similar running styles and aspirations.  This race was her 7th time on this course.  I kept her in my sights, figuring if I saw her ahead I was still on the right track.  We rang the bell together after the race--the medal says "I Rang the Bell!"  Alan and I met a couple from Sioux Falls at the pork loin lunch and ate with them and Jerry.  Then Eddra stopped by after lunch, and we wrapped up our visit to Swan Lake with a final chat with her.

A few days later I received a letter with a ribbon and a message about the future of the race.  The ribbon was third place in my age group, 50-54.  I was stunned to learn that there were so few runners in my division.  It kind of explains the message that came with it.  The last running of the Swan Lake marathon and half marathon will happen next year.  The 5K will continue, but the other races will be done.

I'm so glad to have had the opportunity to run before the race is no more.  Swan Lake and Viborg are hidden gems in the South Dakota countryside.  The support staff along the course were so friendly.  I was struck by how little I know of South Dakota and how much it felt like home.

COVID Delay and Second Attempt at Swan Lake

I hold to faith in the divine love — which, so many years ago for a brief moment in a little corner of the earth, walked about as a man bearing the name of Jesus Christ — as the foundation on which alone my happiness rests. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Today I made travel arrangements for the Swan Lake Half Marathon in South Dakota. A whole year later than anticipated. Even now there's a chance it won't go on as scheduled.

What happened? COVID happened. No half marathons to run in 2020--at least not in person (virtual isn't an option for me). I've also had COVID recently, which makes the prospect of running a half marathon in June more dauting than just having lagged on training for the past year-plus.

Swan Lake is my goal and an attempt at turning a corner. I'm looking forward to filling in another state and more in 2021. I'm looking forward to the regular beat of foot falls on the pavement as training ensues. I'm looking forward to seeing the baby ducks and geese at Bassett Creek.

Renewed Commitment

Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. ~Howard Thurman

It's been a long time. Too long. Running has been pushed aside in favor of personal life or work. Now I am recommitting myself to my goal. Today I have registered for the next half marathon. On June 7th, 2020, I'll be running the Swan Lake Half Marathon in South Dakota. (Thanks to my work coach Kelly in Melbourne, Australia for the motivation to set this firmly.)

HM Recap: Mayor's Half Marathon, Anchorage, AK, June 18, 2016

John Muir, the famous naturalist, wrote in his journal that you should never go to Alaska as a young man because you'll never be satisfied with any other place as long as you live. And there's a lot of truth to that. ~Tom Bodett

Since Alaska is such a great destination, my whole family (husband and two sons) accompanied me on this one. A recap of our family trip:

6/16
Arrived middle of the night, greeted by the famous midnight sun.  First road trip destination: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Inventory of wildlife seen at the Conservation Center: eagle, owl, lynx, moose, caribou, elk, wood bison, fox, porcupine, Sitka black-tailed deer, wolf, black bear, and brown bear. My son Kyle took the picture below of the brown bear we saw bathing in a pond to keep cool (long lens was used to get close-up).

6/17
Seward boat tour operated by Major Marine. Highlights of the boat tour: four groups of humpback whales, two groups of orcas (one resident and one transient), sea lions, mountain goats, glaciers. Lunch served while anchored close to a glacier. Entire tour narrated by a National Park Ranger.

Concluded the day with a short hike to Exit Glacier.

6/18
Race day! Temps in the 60s and slightly overcast. Course was mostly paved path with a section of grassy trail, much of it through woods or overlooking the ocean. What you need to know if you run this one: steepest hill climb was right before the finish.

Kyle, my oldest, ran in the race with me, his first half marathon. He's really fit, so we ran separately. As expected, he crushed my time. He finished in slightly over two hours, me in under three hours--both our times acceptable to us based on our prep.

Celebratory lunch at Benihana. Evening rest activity: a movie, Now You See Me 2.

6/19
Kyle was awakened by extreme thirst followed by severe abdominal pain. Initially thought it was related to having run the race, but ended up at the hospital that night for an emergency appendectomy. Good news was the appendix wasn't ruptured or abscessed, and a laparoscopic approach was used. Since the surgery was late and his white cell count was elevated, he was admitted.

6/20
Discharged from hospital, and 24 hours after arriving at hospital, we were on an airplane bound for home.

Alaska
There aren't words to describe the beauty, and the pictures really don't do it justice. Go. Rent a car and drive around. Take a boat tour and get close to a glacier. See the midnight sun. Run a half marathon. You won't regret it. (Maybe we'll see you there when we go back.) 

HM Recap: Great Bay Half, Newmarket, NH, April 10, 2016

Enthusiasm is the great hill-climber. ~Elbert Hubbard

The Great Bay Half in New Hampshire was a really well organized race. From the off-site parking and shuttle bus to the fresh pizza at the finish, the services provided were attentive and much appreciated. Also, the 1/4-zip red windbreaker given away with race registration is nice to have, and added to the vividly colorful participant pool. The temperature was in the low 40s so I dressed in multiple layers, though the sun was out and pleasantly warmed us racers both during and after the event.

On the downside:

• The hills were steep and super challenging (since I didn't prep well for them)
• There was a headwind to deal with the last few miles, making it hard to keep up my pace and stay warm as the sweat evaporated

Many pluses:

• A late start of 11:00 am
• One of the shuttle bus drivers, Captain Al, was a "party bus" driver as his regular job. His banter included welcoming us to "Disney" for the "worst spandex parade ever".
• Saw several pairs of beer socks. There was beer at the finish, and the socks were a terrific motivator. (I learned that "beer" is a two-syllable word in the Northeastern dialect pronounced "bee-ah".)
• Met twin sisters, local women about my age and my running pace, one running the half and the other the 5K. The two races started at the same time and shared the first 2.5 miles of the course.
• A couple miles of packed dirt road, surrounded by forest with glacier-dropped rocks and boulders strewn throughout, and the occasional bubbling brook. It was my favorite part of the course--not too hilly, peaceful, easy running.
• Musical entertainers along the course, including belly dancers between miles 9 and 10. Yes, belly dancers. I applaud their commitment to their art, dancing in those outfits that didn't provide much protection from the cold.

Newmarket is only a little over an hour drive from the Boston area and about 20 minutes from Maine. The weekend included sightseeing via duck tour in Boston on Saturday and a scenic drive along the southern coast of Maine on Sunday afternoon. Though my race time was slower than I'd like, it's another state checked off the list, number 11 so far, and a memorable trip with my husband to quaint New England.

Another Runner Connection

I donated blood this week and connected with a fellow runner, an Armstrong CC and Track coach named Sarah. She did a fabulous job drawing my blood and also suggest I try Clif Shot Bloks in order to maintain energy on the long, cold runs. Thanks, Sarah!

Schedule Juggling - NH, Here I Come!

Obstacles are like wild animals. They are cowards but they will bluff you if they can. If they see you are afraid of them... they are liable to spring upon you; but if you look them squarely in the eye, they will slink out of sight. ~Orison Swett Marden

Nearly a month has gone by, and I haven't gotten back to a regular training routine. Though I've been buried in work, I know that shouldn't be an excuse for maintaining a good exercise regimen. I commit to running a 5K as soon as I finish posting this. And continuing to train diligently until the next event.

Today I reviewed my race calendar and investigated options. Mississippi next weekend is unrealistic, not to mention too expensive (and also Easter--what was I thinking?). I also have to move Tennessee in April since there's a work meeting in CA the day before so it won't work logistically. Below are the scheduling changes I made:

• MS moved from March 2016 to September 2016 in Tupelo
• TN moved from April 2016 to April 2018
• NH moved from April 2018 to April 10, 2016

The NH race is in Newmarket, only an hour drive from Boston. The race is on Sunday, an 11:00 am start time. So much is good about this--Saturday-Monday airfare is cheaper, able to stay in Boston and eat fresh seafood, it doesn't conflict with work travel. Also, there's a jacket for racers:

Time to Buckle Down

Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. ~Theodore Roosevelt

I've updated my tentative and upcoming pages, moved Texas to 2018. Though this winter has been mild, I haven't been keeping up my run training as I'd like, and I don't feel ready to do an event at this time. It's time to buckle down and ready myself for the Mississippi event at the end of March.  I got an email from a Minnesota run group with a recommended training schedule for beginners that I thought would be good to share:

HM Recap: Ole Man River Half, Gretna, LA, December 19, 2015

...Find out where joy resides, and give it a voice far beyond singing. For to miss the joy is to miss all. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

This was a race jammed into a busy schedule and not one for which I prepared well, but it turned out to be a good experience anyway. Race location was Gretna, across the river from downtown New Orleans. There are quaint houses lining the streets beside riverside shipping yard clutter. I went back the day after running via the ferry to take in a little more of the scenery.

While I didn't run very fast (a sluggish 2:41), other highlights from the race weekend:

• Cold, windy race day. 46 degrees at the start. Felt chilled to the bone all day long.
• Celebrated 20 year wedding anniversary in New Orleans
• Ate more cajun spices than ever in my life, including delicious Crawfish Etouffee at Pier 424 Seafood Market on Bourbon Street
• Met a runner named Katie from Rapid City, SD who is a Navy Reservist currently stationed in New Orleans--we mutually motivated each other near the end of the race

Winter Run in New Orleans

At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. ~Albert Schweitzer

The Ole Man River race is just days away. Louisiana will be the 9th state, last state for 2015. It's been a year marked by many achievements and blessings.

A week ago my son had his 4-month post-surgery follow up visit. 3-D imaging revealed no recurrence of the cyst and some bone regrowth. Wonderful news! Many prayers have been answered. We are truly blessed.

We have many things to be thankful for, including a home, cars, warm clothes, plentiful good food, and loving family and friends. In recognition that abundance should be shared, I've thought about how I can share through my goal to run 50 half marathons. I've determined that I'm going to pair my running with a campaign to feed hungry kids. Rather than collecting donations, I'll be gathering customers for services they pay each month, and each month a bill gets paid, a meal will will be donated.

Moving VA Half

Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference has never tried to fall asleep with a mosquito in the room. ~Christine Todd Whitman

Virginia will have to wait. I have lots of excuses--none of them good. This time of year, the shortened days, the time change, post-season volleyball, school and work commitments. You name it, I could use it as an excuse. The real reason: procrastination. As much as I wish I had embarked on planning the trip and registering for the race a month ago, I didn't. So now, I have to move it.

Good news is there's a trail race in Virginia in February that I can put on the calendar in 2017. Two things to do today: update race calendar and register and plan December's Louisiana trip.

HM Recap: Bellin Women's Half, Green Bay, WI, September 26, 2015 (WI#2)

It isn’t what you did in the past that will affect the present. It’s what you do in the present that will redeem the past and thereby change the future. ~Paulo Coelho, Aleph

This was my first race where runners were transported to the race start, not an out-and-back or a loop. The bus ride from the downtown hotel was convenient, though the driver needed a little help with directions. There were plenty of porta-potties at race start. The sunrise was beautiful, and though a little cool at the start, the weather was great for running, 60s with a breeze.

I had a great pace going until about mile 10. That's when I suffered my first side stitch during a race. It took the better part of two miles to work it out. Nothing helped--not walking, not stretching, not drinking water. I finished with an official time of 2:31:39. It could have been a PR had there been no side stitch.

Race positives:

• Was able to run half marathons back-to-back weekends and survive
• My dad was there for the finish
• Discovered a nice dining spot in downtown Green Bay, Angelina Italian Restaurant

Navy-Air Force Half Pics

HM Recap: Navy-Air Force Half, Washington, DC, September 20, 2015

Cheerfulness is the best promoter of health and is as friendly to the mind as to the body. ~Joseph Addison

Wow! Whether for a half marathon or for a work conference (as I was just a few months ago), DC is a remarkably tourist friendly destination. Saturday's only obligation was to pick up my race packet. The rest of the day was spent site-seeing--visits to Arlington National Cemetery and the Holocaust Memorial Museum.

The blessing of good race day weather continued. At race start, the temp was around 70 with a slight breeze and overcast. The course, which went from Washington Monument to East Potomac Park to Smithsonian National Zoological Park (nearly) and back to Washington Monument, was slightly hilly, with more gradual downhills than anything else. There were 7,088 runners, many either in the military or with a military affiliation. The national anthem and opening comments were special in comparison to other races; there was courtesy and respect among the runners like I hadn't previously experienced. Also, during the race, and with the large quantity of runners, there was a refreshing observance of runner's etiquette.

Official time: 2:32:39. Overall: 4419/7088, Gender: 2210/3017, Division: 143/217
RunKeeper time: 2:29:04. RunKeeper distance: 13.51.
(At the start, the porta-potty-to-runner ratio wasn't good. A stop at about the 5-mile mark cost me on my official time. Why did I have that extra half cup of coffee at IHOP before the race?)

Highlights of Washington, DC:

• Traveling by Metro - daily passes were well worth the cost, saved a lot of time and money for getting around town
• Staying at Westin Arlington Gateway - conveniently located near Metro station and lots of restaurants
• Big Buns - interesting burger joint, great truffle fries, though not such great buns
• Seeing the changing of the guard and wreath ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery Tomb of the Unknowns - silent, reverent honor for servicemen and women
• Touring the exhibits at the Holocaust Memorial Museum - the horror of this reality is beyond words, left me in tears

Check out the cool finisher medals (plane spins on vertical axis):

Registered for Sept 20th NAF DC Half

Life is but a fleeting moment so do not waste a second on something that doesn't make you smile ~Jamie Hall

Today I made travel arrangements and registered for the September 20th DC event. The race starts and ends at the Washington Monument. It's a military race that's open to civilians. The medal cost extra, but it looks more beautiful than any of the others I have so far (and my collection wouldn't be complete without it).

HM Recap: State Fair Half, Grand Island, NE, August 29, 2015

What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of bogey. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon. ~G.K. Chesterton

As promised, the Grand Island course was flat, the flattest course I may ever run. And even though I felt ill prepared, I was able to run the whole distance without a walk break, barring water stops. (It's hard to drink and run at the same time.) The early morning start proved very favorable, 60 degree temps and a misty fog that hung in the air throughout most of the race.

There was a marathon being run at the same time as the half, a Boston qualifier. I met a couple of women prior to the race who were running their first full marathon--even took a photo for them. And, as is usual for me, I spent a good portion of the race talking to someone I met on the course. (Believe it or not, it was the other runner who initiated the conversation.) He was from Grand Island, lived in Lincoln for a dozen years before moving back to Grand Island, a rep for AstraZenca, has two young kids, has a cousin who lives in Green Bay that works for Humana and, believe it or not, is a Packer fan. He told me this run has a long history, around 35 years. He kept my pace until there was about 5 miles left, then turned it up a notch. It was nice having the company for a while.

Highlights of NE:

• Bringing the family and visiting with friend-of-the-family Melette
• Finishing before the first full marathon finisher (seconds before, but before)
• Finishing 12 of 24 in my age division (top half)
• Helpful, friendly volunteers (most I've ever seen for a race)
• Tommy's 24-hour Restaurant - ate breakfast there on race day after picking up packet. Super friendly staff, nice small town atmosphere.

Registered for Nebraska

I'm not an optimist; there's too much evil in the world and in me. Nor am I a pessimist; there is too much good in the world and in God. So I am just a meliorist, believing that He wills to make the world better, and trying to do my bit to help and wishing that it were more. ~Henry van Dyke

Registered for Nebraska today. Yes, the race is in 11 days. Yes, I'm behind on my training. If I can just get two long runs in before the race I'll be fine. As an added extra, I'm only 10 miles from 1,000 miles tracked in RunKeeper since I started training in March 2014. That will be a cool milestone.

Flat, hot, and windy Nebraska, here I come!

Facade of Control

I haven’t got it yet, but I’m hunting it and fighting for it, I want something serious, something fresh—something with soul in it! Onward, onward. ~Vincent van Gogh

My son has endured a health challenge recently. (Oh how I wish it was me instead.) It's brought a fresh new perspective on life. How easily the facade of control crumbles! When praying is needed but the words are elusive because the anxiety is so great, the soul cries out on it's own. Then comes the answer to prayer in the diagnosis of "not malignant" and "low recurrence rate". Alleluia!

Time for training has taken a back seat to time with family. Though a run was just the thing to calm myself when thoughts were racing through my mind. It was difficult to find the motivation, and even though I wasn't able to clear my head, I was able to physically tire myself out, which eased the stress. And a long bike ride with my son, while trying to keep things normal, was just the right thing to bring both of us a sense of peace.

Today, RunKeeper is beckoning, "Let's work out! You thought this was a good time a while back...remember?" In celebration of a successful surgery and significant recovery progress, RunKeeper and I will spend some time together today.

Idaho Postponed

Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is! ~Anne Frank

Due to a life circumstance there's been a change of plans. The trip to Idaho has been postponed until July 2016. As with many things that divert one's course, the new course can turn out to be even better than the original.

I had scheduled the Chicago Half for July 2016. Too big of a race for me, really. Now, Idaho is in the July 2016 slot and Illinois has moved to August 2016. The August race in Illinois is now a trail race (Hooray!) with craft beer and a Chicago dog being served at the race finish (Big hooray!).

Nearly Sane Trail Half snapshot from website below: