She Do Run Run: 2007

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

One For the Memory Books

Hi Everybody,
I've missed you! It's been so long since I've been able to update or catch up on you all. I've been a whirlwind, trying to get settled, getting things unpacked and trying to find a place to put it. I'm not one for wasting effort so I like to figure out where it's going to go and then that's where it stays forever. Add onto that, Christmas, and I go into overload with activity. Something had to give and unfortunately, it was my blog.

Running has been sporadic at best, but I've gotten a few runs in. I took Danielle's advice and hooked up with a running group. They run out of the gym I joined. Of course, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to keep up, but I did. They're a nice group of (mostly) women and last week we met at a restaurant for a Christmas luncheon. They made sure to include me in the cards and gifts, which I really appreciated.

I'm finding that there are a lot of runners here. Yesterday I saw a woman at Trader Joe's wearing a Nike Marathon shirt. I told her I ran that too and showed her my necklace (which I haven't taken off since the race.) And a few weeks ago at a winery, I met a woman runner. We exchanged phone numbers and I invited her to join my running club for a Saturday run. So there is a running community here, even though it isn't as obvious as in the Twin Cities.

Today is Christmas and SD and I hosted the family dinner. When we lived in Minneapolis, we'd usually go to a movie on Christmas Day, because everyone else has dinner with their family. So I was happy to be able to have Christmas with my family. My husband was happy to cook, but there was still lots of work for me to do.
We ran around yesterday, trying to find the ingredients for the Creme Brulee I was making for dessert. I was trying to find vanilla bean and had to go to three different stores before I found it.

I also had to get my Dad his gift: an iTunes gift certificate. He has an iPod and uses it often; he drives to San Francisco every 3 weeks for chemo treatments and listens to tunes on his way up and also during the chemotherapy. I knew what I wanted to give him, but I forgot to buy it. Oops! Fortunately there's a Target nearby.

I was debating whether or not to get a tree this year. I didn't want to get a cut one, because of the mess and hassle with putting on lights. I weighed the pro's and con's of getting a pre-lit artificial tree, or getting a living tree. We opted for the fake tree and put it together last night. Then hung the ornaments and then wrapped presents. Finally went to bed late and got up early this morning to prepare.

Mom and Dad, my sister Deni and her husband, R. came over a little after noon. The weather was beautiful and we sat outside on the deck for a little while. SD made halibut and lemon risotta for dinner. Dad made a toast: to family. Indeed.

It was a day of conversation, eating, and drinking and was over way too soon. As SD and I cleaned up, I reflected on today and past holiday's. Dinner at Grandma's, sometimes dinner at Mom and Dad's. Today was my turn and all the extra work was worth it to have a day like today. It was an opportunity to give back, with love, all the love and sacrifice that was given to me. Who knows how many more Christmas's we'll be able to spend together. I'm grateful to have this one and will tuck it into my internal memory book, to bring out like an old photo album and remember what a fine time we had. I hope that you were able to spend Christmas with those you love. Merry Christmas, Everyone.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Right Back Where I Started From

Greetings from the Golden State! My husband and I had a great trip, driving across the country. We left on Saturday and took I35 to Wichita, Kansas. We stayed on the outskirts, but drove to downtown the next morning to get some exercise. We walked around downtown for about an hour and stumbled upon this cool Old Town area. Best part was we found a Dunn Bros. Coffee Shop! It's a small outfit that was started in St. Paul and they roast the beans right in the store. Sadly, that was to be our last espresso until we arrived in Santa Fe.

From Wichita, we took 2-lane highways, which made for some beautiful views if you like flat and desolate. We rarely saw another car and got blank stares when we asked about a coffee shop. But we found this town, which didn't have espresso but did have a sense of humor.

Santa Fe was very cool and I spent way too much money there on a hat. What was I thinking! I could have bought several pairs of running shoes, but I never had a custom hat before. That was one good salesman! I should hire him to sell my house.

When we left Santa Fe, we were back on the Interstate. I missed the back highways and wanted to drive on the old Route 66, but we didn't have time. We had about 600 miles to drive to get to Vegas. We did get off the Interstate at one town, because the Garmin system we got told us there was an espresso shop there. We ended up in Winslow, Arizona of Eagles fame. You know, "Standing on a Corner in Winslow Arizona." It's on the Route 66 and they had a little tribute to the song, complete with mural, bronze statue, and a red flatbed Ford truck.

On our way to Vegas, we passed Hoover Dam. After all the times we've been to Las Vegas, we've never been to to Dam. It was actually too dark to see anything, but the structure looked cool, with its Art Deco architecture. I was too tired to go out to dinner, so we had room service and went for a walk on the Strip in the morning.

The last leg of our journey was uneventful but exciting for us, because we would be spending the night in our new house. We arrived on Wednesday night and had Thanksgiving dinner with my parents the next day. Friday we did our part to help the economy and Saturday the moving van finally arrived. They finished unloading right before dark and now my house is full of moving boxes and paper. That will give me something to do.

Now it's time to get used to how they do things here. We joined a gym and I can't help but compare it, unfavorably, to my old gym. But at least I got some exercise. They have a new club opening up next month, so maybe I'll like that better. SD just left for a business trip and I didn't realize how much I relied on him--I feel like the new kid in school. But I know it will pass.

I'm hoping to get Internet access this week; until then I'm at the mercy of coffee shops that offer free Wi-Fi, so my posting will remain sporadic. I expect to be more settled next week and will be able to get back to reading and commenting on YOUR blogs. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Talk to you soon.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Open Up That Golden Gate

Here's a picture of the house I'm moving out of, taken this morning.

The men are finishing packing and loading up the truck as I write this. They spent all day yesterday packing but didn’t finish. Take my unsolicited advice and don’t accumulate stuff. I really hope I learned my lesson; I’ve been throwing away running magazines from three years ago and performance reviews from thirty years ago (!) all week. We’ve had four garage sales and I’ve actually gotten quite good at it. We’ve made several trips to Goodwill, gave stuff away and threw away even more.

Life has been so hectic lately that I haven’t had time to be sad. My good friend Paula came over a couple of times to help me sort what goes and what stays and we had a tearful goodbye. It’s very difficult for me to say goodbye, although I know that I will remain friends with Paula and some others forever. I stopped by Starbucks today and said goodbye to some of the regulars. It’s weird to know that you’ll never see some people again when they’ve been a part of your life for so long.

My house hasn’t sold yet, but I won’t be staying here any longer and that’s a strange feeling. When I first saw this house sixteen years ago I didn’t like it but it grew on me. And I knew this was the neighborhood I wanted to live in. We had moved here from Southern California and I loved the house I lived in there and wondered if I would feel the same about this one. I do. We have remodeled extensively, so there’s a lot of me in it. This is also the longest I've ever lived in the same house.

But as much as I’ve enjoyed living in Minneapolis, I’m a Californian at heart and I truly feel like I’m going home. The move is easier because I know what I’m getting into. I’ve stayed in my new house several times and I know the area. I even found a running group, although I’ve yet to run with them so I don't know if there's anyone who runs at my speed.

SD and I bought a pickup truck and we’re driving back to California. We’ll stop in Wichita, Santa Fe, and Las Vegas and should be in our new place by Thanksgiving. Of course, the moving van won’t be there yet so we’ll have Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant with my parents. I’m hoping the van will arrive by Friday. I’ve reconnected with a former roommate and she’s going to be visiting family in my area for the weekend, so I’m planning to see her.

California, here I come!

Friday, November 09, 2007

MeMe

I got tagged by Peter to reveal 5 things you don't know about me. Since I once posted 100 things about myself, I'm not sure I have much new. Here goes.

When I lose something, I pray to St. Anthony to help me find it. He usually comes through. :-)

I iron my pillowcases.

I participate on a running community board and my screen name is Not2Fast.

I haven't had an alcoholic drink in 20 years.

I registered for the Big Sur International Marathon 21-Miler!

Yep, I thought I'd spring that last one on you. After debating whether to sign up for the marathon or the 21-mile race, I picked the latter. The Nike marathon cinched it. I was afraid the 21 mile race wouldn't give me a sense of accomplishment, but remembering how my knee gave out at mile 15 during Nike, 21 miles will be challenging enough. I forgot that racing is different than a long, slow distance run. So now I have a race to train for. :-)

Here's something not about me. AmyBee ran the New York Marathon! Her race report is up--go give her an Atta Girl.

Friday, November 02, 2007

There's Magic in the Night

Bruce Springsteen is in town! SD and I went to his concert tonight in St. Paul. I've never been to a Springsteen concert--never was a very big fan although I enjoyed his hits--and was amazed at how much energy he has. I wonder how he stays in shape. What a fabulous concert! Of course, YOU KNOW what I wanted to hear. SD said he wasn't going to play it; I guess The Boss consults him on his playlist. Anyway, I waited during the entire concert and he didn't play it. I figured SD was right. Springsteen came back for his "encore" (you know, where they pretend the concert is over and then play the rest of the set) and he dedicated the next song to a lady whose birthday it was--her 85th! I hope in addition to running marathons when I'm 85, I'll still be going to rock concerts. After that song, he played Thunder Road. And then...Dummm Dum Dum De De Dummm. That's right; he played Born to Run! My power song. The song that gets me through boring miles on the treadmill and painful miles in a marathon. It was fabulous! The house lights were all on and everyone was on their feet and singing along. Then the song after that was Dancing in the Dark. Take me now, Lord.

I still owe you a report on the RBF meet up, which I will do as soon as I upload the pictures. And a close-up of my necklace for Danielle. But it probably won't be until after this weekend--I'm having another garage sale Saturday and Sunday, and am going out both nights as well. It's too bad I have such a quiet, sedate life.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

The Real Race Report

I'd better write my race report while I can still remember it! SD and I stayed at a small hotel near Union Square, which is where the start was. The room was too small for any amenities, such as a coffee maker, so we went to a 24 hour restaurant a couple of blocks away. Although a Mariott was nearby, their restaurant didn't serve until 6 a.m., and that was too late to eat for a 7 a.m. start! I had a bowl of fresh fruit, one egg and ww toast. I would have preferred oatmeal but that wasn't available.

The weather was supposed to be hot that day--sunny and low 70s;--but of course it was still cool early in the morning. I wore a skirt and singlet, with a jacket over that. My water belt pockets were stuffed with money, energy bar, and gels. I actually had to pin some gels to the belt because I couldn't fit everything into the small pockets.

Also attached to my belt was a tiny "Go Dori" card that my running friend Marcia made, and a pin that I made at the expo that said, "My Power Song is Mom and Dad." That was to remember who I was running for; my parents are going through some tough times physically and they inspire me. I wore my "Find Your Happy Pace" singlet and put a sticker with my name on it in case anybody wanted to shout out encouragement to me. I finished the ensemble with a running hat and sunglasses, even though it was still dark. I learned a thing or two from Disneyland!

At the starting area, I used the portapotty and dropped off my gear bag. The gear bags were stashed onto school buses, a system I'm not used to, and I lost the sticker that said what bus number my gear was on. That made for a search and rescue at the finish, but my family helped me look and we found it without too much lost time.

My plan was to start off with the 5:30 group, then kick it in later in the race for a 5:15 or so finish. Only I couldn't find the pace group, so I just lined up in front of Macy's like they told me to the day before. I missed the singing of the Star Spangled Banner, so I sang it to myself while watching Old Glory wave atop of the St. Francis hotel.

My Garmin had a satellite signal, and my Timex was set for 10 and 1 minute intervals. I also reset the chronograph (stop watch.) As I crossed the starting line, I pressed start on the Garmin, started the stop watch, and started the intervals. Then I looked up to a sea of runners. Holy Crap! I'm in a marathon!

The first couple of miles went quickly, from Union Square down to the water. I didn't really know that area too well. When we got to Fisherman's Wharf I started looking for SD; we had arranged to meet at mile 3. I saw him before he saw me and handed him my jacket. He took my picture and said he would see me at mile 7. I was a couple of minutes behind my 12mm goal, and I wasn't worried. The day was beautiful and I could see the Golden Gate bridge. I thought back to the time a year or so ago when I did a 10 mile run from Fisherman's Wharf and across the Golden Gate and back. It was a nice memory.

This race wouldn't cross the bridge. When we got near it, we turned up a long hill. Before I climbed it, I stopped at the portapotty. I had passed a lot of them but didn't want to wait in line. There were about 5 women ahead of me and I swear I lost 5 minutes waiting. I never did use it--I went around the back and squatted. The only problem was the people climbing the hill could see me! I tried to be discreet and was done before it would have been my turn in line. Sheesh. I should have dropped out of line sooner, because while I was waiting, the 5:15 pace group passed by.

I didn't have much trouble climbing that hill and ran up the entire way. There were a lot of walkers and I had to go around them, but it wasn't bad. I was trying to catch the pace group, but I never saw them again. We continued on, and I lost track of the miles. Back when I took my jacket off, I accidentally stopped my Garmin and didn't realize it until mile 4, so I was a mile off. Good thing I had the chronograph running because I kept checking it at the mile markers to see how I was doing pace wise.

At my next portapotty stop, just before the beach, there were about 4 set up and still a line! I swear I wanted to yell out, "Just pull the crotch to the side and squat!" I mean, what were they doing in there, polishing their nails? One woman came out and announced that there was no toilet paper. The others ahead of me weren't going in and I said I didn't care! I had a PR to catch!

That's where the course headed downhill to the Great Highway and I powered down it, trying to make up for too much lost time. The view was so beautiful--a big expanse of sand and foamy water. The entire course was beautiful, but this was my favorite part.

I never did see SD at mile 7. After mile 12, the half marathon split off and the marathon headed into Golden Gate Park. SD was there and took my picture as I ran. I still felt good, but I was off my 5:15 finish. I still figured I could do 5:25 or better.

Back When I Thought I Still Had A Chance at Sub-5:30

Then around mile 15 my knee started to hurt. Good thing I had a plan. My knee hadn't hurt since Grandma's Marathon in June 06, but I brought a couple of 8-hour Tylenol just in case. I took them and waited for them to do their magic. I was still doing my run/walk breaks and walked through the water stops. But I didn't dawdle.

Back on the Great Highway, I saw the 5:30 pacer. Oh no! I caught up with her and then realized that she probably crossed the start line after me, so if I stayed with her I would be slower than 5:30. I tried to run ahead and that's where I ran out of steam. I started talking to a woman who said she was turning 50 the next day and was trying to do sub 5 hours. She looked good, but she wasn't going to meet that goal. She suggested we run together and cross the finish together. I looked at her skeptically--I didn't think I could keep up with her! We chatted for a little while and then I needed a walking break. She kept on going, but I asked her name. Florene Quan. I don't normally print people's names, but if she ever Google's herself, maybe she'll come here. I should have told her about my blog.

At one point, I passed her and she was struggling. I looked her up in the results though, and she finished in 5:57. Good job, Florene!

A lot of people were struggling, including me. I asked for ice at the First Aid tent, but they said I had to sit down. I made that mistake at Grandma's, I wasn't going to do that again! "I can't sit", I told the nurse, and kept on walking.

At Lake Merced, I was pretty much just power-walking. I saw one woman puking and briefly considered walking over and helping her. I'm ashamed to say I just kept on going. Later though I shared my sport drink with another woman. She wanted water and there wasn't a water station in sight. There wasn't any shade and I was anxious to get away from the lake. It seemed like forever.

Finally, the lake was behind me and I was back on the Great Highway--the west side, which means the finish line was in front of me. I had at least 3 miles to go, but except for the fatigue, I felt fine. I knew I would finish and best my Twin Cities Marathon time. I tried to run, but couldn't, so I continued to power walk. The Team in Training coaches saw the determination on my face and shouted out encouragement.

This is where it really got tough. I'm happy to say, however, that I never had doubts. No wondering why I was doing this, what was I trying to prove, etc. I just dug deep. I thought of my mother recovering from knee replacement surgery and tried to ignore my own knee pain. At the expo the day before, I picked up some elastic bracelets with inspirational sayings. Each had a power word printed on it, such as "guts", "determination", "teamwork." There were several and I had all of them on my wrist! Teamwork made me think of my running group. We trained together and supported each other and I realized that they were my team. Even though it wasn't a traditional sports team, they are my teammates and that was a nice realization.

I passed a music station and thought about my power song. What song gives me energy? Well, duh! I didn't know the words, so I just hummed it until I got to the chorus. Then I belted out, "Babeee we were bo-orn to runnnnnn!" I was hoping to get some of the others to join in, but they just looked at me like I was delirious. No matter; it got me moving. :-)

"Three more stop lights to the finish line," a TnT coach shouted. I couldn't see it, but could see the traffic lights, so I gritted my teeth and started running. I ran straight to the finish. Just before I crossed, I saw SD, my sister Deni and her husband R. I was so happy to see them and smiled and waved. Deni did the half marathon and she and R. stayed till I finished my race, which I was so grateful for.

As I crossed the finish mat, a smiling tuxedoed gentleman was holding a be-ribboned blue box out to me. The best things come in small packages! I was overcome and touched my hand to my heart and even started to bow! Hel-lo. I think it was because he was Asian; I'm used to dealing with the Japanese business associates of SDs and forget that there are people who look just like them but are as American as a California roll.

Someone handed me a blue Tiffany bag to hold my little box in. Then I got a mylar blanket, a bagel and a banana. I headed over to have my finisher's picture taken and while standing in line asked the Dad of the girl who cut in front of me to put my necklace on me. My hands were full and I needed it on for my picture. Then I hooked up with my family. I eyed the nearby ocean, wanting to soak my legs in it but it seemed like too far to walk.

As always, I want to thank SD for his love and support. Also my sister and bro-in-law. Deni finished her half in 3:09:16; she walked it with her friend Laura, who also walked the Rock N Roll marathon in San Diego with her last June. Good job ladies!

I've been wearing my finishers medal ever since, along with one of the elastic bracelets--the one with the word "Victory" printed on it. :-)

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

V is for Victory!

Hi Everybody!

First, thanks for all your encouragement in the previous post. It really means a lot to me to have so much support.

I had a wonderful weekend, including a RBF meet-up with Irene, Michelle, Juls, YaYa, and Espeed. I'll have pictures and will talk about that in another post.

I'm still in California and have to go to a coffee shop to use the wi-fi, so I don't have a lot of time for a race report. So here's a 26.2 second race report.

My finish time was 5:50:10--way longer than I had hoped, but still a 15 minute PR. I was on schedule for close to 5:15 until my knee crapped out at mile 15. I had some 8-hour tylenol in my water belt and took two as prescribed. The pain diminished, but never went away.

The race was way hillier than I was prepared for, which may be why my knee, which has not bothered me this past year and a half, acted up. Or it may have been the heat, who knows? I don't care right now. I still feel victorious, because I finished with a smile on my face. I kept a positive attitude and had a fun race. And let me tell you, that finisher's medal was so worth it! That's one Tiffany necklace you can't buy for any price--you have to earn it!

I have pictures and so much more to say, but I'll have to post a real race report when I get home on Thursday. Thanks for stopping by.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Pre-Race Jitters

My marathon is coming up. Sunday. 7 a.m. San Francisco. Breathe in, breathe out.

I have certainly trained for this race, and I'm as ready as I'll ever be. So why don't I feel ready?

I was doing OK until I watched the runners go past at mile 21 of the Twin Cities Marathon, and then it all came flooding back. The fatigue. The heat. The pain. There shouldn't be any heat in San Francisco, and I haven't had any pain on any of the training runs. The fatigue I felt on my twenty-milers, but I did feel like I could continue.

I want to run well, which I arbitrarily set at a 5:15 finish because a 12 minute mile pace is easy to keep track of. I want to reach the point where the marathon doesn't pistol-whip me. Yeah, people at the finish line look tired, but they don't look like they have to crawl to their car, trailing blood.

I've only had two marathon finishes and neither were stellar. My running has improved since that horrible Grandma's 2006, and I need a victory. I guess that's why I'm nervous. I want to feel victorious.

This marathon training has taken so much of my time--everything came second to my training. It took its toll on me mentally; there were times when it was all I could do to hit the road. Once I started running, I was fine, but it took some will power to get dressed and out the door. The problem wasn't just the mileage, but also the time commitment; a ten mile run meant over two hours on the road.

I expected to be living in California by now. I expected my house in Minneapolis to have sold. I thought my move would be over and I could focus solely on my marathon. Instead I had to deal with keeping the house looking like a model home, manage the completion of my new house, and figure out how I was going to get my stuff out there. I don't multi-task well.

But I got to run in some cool places, including a 12 mile run along the Paul Bunyan trail in north-central Minnesota. I also saw more of the local trails, revisiting my favorites, such as the River Run, and also exploring trails outside the city. The fall foliage has been beautiful. And I got to explore my new area in California, including a 17-mile run along a winery-laden road.

I had a nice 8 mile run on Saturday with AmyBee. She's in incredible shape and much faster than me; we were only able to run together because it was her first run since the Chicago marathon, so she was taking it easy. We ran along Minnehaha Creek, one of the best places to run in Minneapolis. Afterwards I had my favorite post-run food: pancakes with fruit and real maple syrup.

So now I'm in taper mode. I'm focusing on eating well--plenty of carbs and protein--and resting. I'm flying to California on Friday and looking forward to meeting up with Michelle, Juls, and Irene. And participating in the same race as my sister.

Monday, October 08, 2007

A Good Time

...was not had by all.

What a tough weekend for races, weather-wise. The Chicago Marathon was closed, due to intense heat. I called my friend Marcia yesterday and she said she was re-routed and told to walk when the race was canceled. Marcia is a back of the packer, and she told me that there was no Gatorade at mile 2. She said that had she finished, it probably would have been 6.5 hours. She got a medal anyway, but was not happy.

Heartbreaking stories all around. Jeanne ran the Army 10-miler, where they had water but not enough cups. Peter went to Chicago while recovering from a bad cold, only to have to deal with a canceled race. Juls finished, but her BQ continues to elude her. Fortunately she has a plan B. She said it was worse than Grandma's 2006, where I had my own run-in with the weather. Josh was at mile 20 when they canceled the race, though he stubbornly finished anyway!

I watched the Twin Cities Marathon with my neighbors at mile 3 and then with Coach Gary at mile 21. Officials were watching the heat index here, too, and came within 10 degrees of cancelling the race. I think the saving grace was the cloud cover; if the sun had been shining, there would have been a lot more medical emergencies. As it was, approximately 45 people were hospitalized!

I knew a lot of people running today, including some from my running club. Gary had two women that he coached running in this race, so he was out there to support them. He considerately packed little baggies of ice, which he distributed to the runners he knew, and some he didn't know if they looked like they needed it.

I haven't talked to Nat or AmyBee yet. They had also run in Chicago--it was Nat's first marathon. AmyBee has an entry to the New York marathon, which she planned to run just for fun, but now I guess it's her Plan B. Sunshine managed to have a good time, although she didn't get an official time.

The good news is no one died during the Twin Cities marathon. Sadly, the same can not be said for Chicago or Army 10 Miler.

The other good news, is that Michelle PRd during the Portland Marathon! I guess the west coast was the place to be this weekend.

To all of you who trained and met the challenge, whether you completed the distance or were pulled off the course, I say: Good Job!

Saturday, October 06, 2007

Last Long Run

Tomorrow is a big marathon day. In my home town, there's the Twin Cities Marathon. I'll be out with my neighbors cheering on the runners. I know a lot of people who are in that race tomorrow, but they don't read my blog so I won't name them. Chicago, of course, is putting on its own marathon, and several people from my running club, as well as fellow bloggers are running it. Good luck to Marcia, Nat, AmyBee, Cheryl, Juls, Peter and Josh ! And on the west coast, good luck to Michelle, who is running the Portland Marathon!

Today was the last long run of my training! I ran 12 miles today, in all kind of weather. Waited until 9 a.m. when the thunderstorms ended, then headed out the door. Of course I had the marathoners attitude that it was only 12 miles and with all the long runs I've been doing this would be a piece of cake. I was so wrong! The temperature was in the high 60s when I started and although it had been raining, the humidity was so thick you could serve it on a plate. Ugh. I was hoping the rain would hold off until I was done, but I wore my cap just in case. The bill keeps the water off my face.

There were a lot of runners out, since the Twin Cities marathon is tomorrow. I guess they wanted to get one last run in to make sure they could do it. I wore my "Find Your Happy Pace" singlet and OMM running skirt and it was funny how many people I caught looking at my chest! I'm not used to wearing anything with writing on the front of my shirts.

When I started the sky was overcast, but then the sun came out. It was so beautiful with the leaves in their Autumn splendor! The sky to the west was black, but I tried to stay on the east side. It did rain on me a little as I was heading home, but by that time I was so hot I welcomed the relief.

Anyway, it was a tough 12 miles. Maybe it was the humidity and maybe it was the fact that I ran 20 miles just 5 short days ago. Afterwards I showered then went out to breakfast by myself, since my running buddies are in Chicago. I had buckwheat pancakes with maple syrup for the carbs and a side of two eggs for protein. A great recovery meal. Then I went home and took a too-brief nap.

Monday, October 01, 2007

Final Dress Rehearsal

Hi Everybody. Sorry I've been incommunicado. Blame it on marathon training. Or house selling. Or both, because lately it seems like when I'm not running, I'm cleaning the house to get it ready for a showing.

But let's talk about running, shall we. I just finished the third 20-mile run of my training. I ran alone, parking my car and running ten miles out and back, then swapping fuel belts and running another ten out and back. When I ran the other two 20 mile runs, I just wanted to get the miles in. Today, I ran like I was in a race. Complete with sunglasses, clothes, socks and of course, shoes that I plan to wear for the marathon. I bought a cute long-sleeve shirt a few weeks ago to wear for the race, but I think it will be too warm. I'll have to switch to the short sleeved shirt I wore for the Disney half, unless of course the temperature in San Francisco is in the 70s or more, in which case I'll wear a singlet.

I ran strong but too fast for the first few miles. I set my walking breaks to every 10 minutes (10:1) and was shooting for 12-12:30 minute miles, including the walks. I also tried to concentrate on walking faster during the breaks. Around mile 8 I started feeling fatigued and worried about that. Then I kicked it in gear and got that runner's high. :-)

Since this was a dress rehearsal I didn't listen to my iPod; instead I just tried to focus on my running and keeping my brain thinking right. A positive outlook results in a positive outcome. When I'd start to tire, I'd start reciting a cadence. "I can do it, I can do it" one word per step. I was surprised by how well that worked. My pace picked up significantly when I did that.

I tried not to stop, and when I did I continued to let my watch run--just like the clock will in the marathon. I timed one of my bathroom breaks--1:20. And that was going fast! I'll have to work on getting that down to a minute. I only stopped my watch twice--once for the first bathroom break and once while I was at the car swapping fuel belts, cause I didn't it would take as long on marathon day with SD to help me.

At the final three miles, I was really tired, but I wouldn't give in! In fact, for the final mile I went out of my way to run up a hill--my own little Lake Merced. It's hard to train for the elevations of San Francisco when you live on the prairie, but during my training runs I would seek out hills whenever I could. The Garmin time for this run was 4:06:36, and the real time was 4:12:12, which means I spent 6 minutes and 12 seconds in the bathroom and swapping fuel belts at the truck. The overall pace was 12:19mm, but maybe after I taper it will improve. I was running fast, but the walking breaks really slowed my overall pace down. As did the traffic lights. Sigh.

Anyway, it's time to taper! I am so looking forward to that. I'm quite frankly, sick of training. It's that 5 days a week that I don't like. It wasn't so bad in the beginning, but in my 50 mile weeks, I'd have two 5 mile runs, two 10 mile runs, and then a 20 miler. That doesn't look so bad, until you put it in hours -- over twelve hours of running. That's like a part-time job. :-) That's the drawback to being a back of the pack runner.

I'll stop by your blogs and see what you've been up to.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

The Happiest Race on Earth

The Disneyland Half Marathon was last Monday--Labor Day. SD and I spent a few days at our new house, then drove down to Anaheim for the weekend. We stayed at a Residence Inn, which was handy because it had a kitchen. I was able to ~~burn~~ make oatmeal before the race.

The race started at 6 a.m. and they wanted all runners in the staging area by 4:30. Oh, man! That meant I had to get up at 3 so that I could dress and eat in time. Although I had been cool, calm and collected about running this, on Monday morning I was a nervous wreck! I wanted to make sure I got to the race on time.

No worries. SD had purchased the VIP spectator package, which meant that he could park at the Disneyland Hotel. We just had to get there before the streets were closed. His spectator pack also included a buffet area, finish line seating, and a ticket into Disneyland.

Hurry up and wait. We got to the staging area in plenty of time and I dropped off my gear bag. SD hung around for a little while, and he took my picture. Then I told him he could go. It was pretty boring. Announcers were trying to generate excitement, but it was just too early. The moon was still out!

Some of the runners costumes were amusing. One guy was dressed as Buzz Lightyear; it was a clever costume, but not too practical. Temperatures were in the 80s already and it was humid. There was a Snow White and several Minnie Mouses; the funniest was this guy, whom SD photographed coming into the finish.

To ensure I had an empty bladder, I made myself use the porta pottys twice, then went to line up. There were about 13,000 people signed up, although I don't know how many people actually started. Less than 10,000 finished. I was in Wave 2 and I was about in the middle of the chute. Now I needed to pee in earnest, but if I left the chute, I'd be way in the back when I returned. And I'm not sure I could even have gotten out, with so many people. I'd look wistfully at the bushes nearby, but I just had to "hold it."

To distract my thoughts, I talked to a woman who was near my age. I looked her up in the finish results and she came in 15 minutes later than she planned but she finished. She's from Arizona and her first race was the RnR Marathon AZ earlier this year! SD took this picture of the front of Wave 2. As you can see, it was packed!

After the National Anthem, the first wave went off--with fireworks! Then it was our turn--more fireworks! No wonder the admission fee was so high. I crossed the starting line and started my watch as Micky and Minnie Mouse waved to us.

It was pretty crowded and didn't really open up much until about mile 5. The chute was loaded by first come, first serve, not by anticipated finish time, so I passed a lot of people. I really needed a Biffy, but made myself pass the first set so that I wouldn't have to wait in line. When we ran through the California Adventure, I was able to use the restroom with no waiting.

After the California Adventure, we headed into Disneyland. This is what I came for! It was all so familiar, even though I haven't been there in about 20 years. We ran through Tomorrowland, past the Swiss Family Treehouse, saw the SS Columbia, and past Pirates of the Caribbean where Capt. Jack Sparrow waved to us from Tom Sawyer's Island. We didn't go by It's A Small World, which I would have liked. Then it was through Sleeping Beauty's Castle and out of the park.

There was a lot of spectator support, especially marching bands (although they weren't marching.) I don't know if they were college or high school bands. There were lots of cheerleaders too. My favorite entertainment, however, were the Mariachi band (playing La Cucaracha) and the Tahitian drummers and dancers. Those drums provide a great cadence to run to. Seeing all this reminded me of how diverse Southern California is.

We ran past the Honda Center, home of the Anaheim Ducks hockey team, and there was very enthusiastic crowd support there. My name was printed on my race bib, so it was cool to hear people call out to me as I ran by.

We ran along the Santa Ana River for a little bit and that was the only real hill we encountered on the course. It wasn't much of a hill and I ran up it, although a lot of people were walking. The heat was getting to a lot of people, but I ran in heat and humidity all summer, so I was acclimated. I also carried sports drink, because I can't stomach Power Ade, and it helped that I was constantly replenishing my electrolytes.

Next to Disneyland, the coolest part was running through Angel Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Angels (which is redundant if you think about it.) We ran through the infield, which has a nicely cushioned surface, and a camera was projecting our picture onto the Jumbotron! We were at mile 10 when we exited the stadium.

My plan was to run a consistent 12 minute mile pace, which is my marathon goal. My plan fell to pieces. I didn't know how to run 12 mm and take 1 minute walking breaks every nine minutes, so I only walked through the water stations. Fortunately, there were alot of water stations. I had my Garmin, which kept saying I reached the mile before I ever reached the course mile markers. Probably from dodging all those people.

As I neared the finish line, I started to kick it. Just then some idiots crossed the street, with babes in arms! I swore at them, and don't even feel bad that I swore in front of their kids. I don't usually do that, but they were endangering the runners as well as their small children. They knew exactly what they were doing and I have no patience for people like that. >:(

SD was waiting with camera at the finish and he caught this shot of me running in (I'm the one in the pink shirt.) Final chip time was 2:39:05, a 12:08 pace. A little slower than I was hoping for, which is discouraging because I don't think I could have kept it up for another 13.1 miles. My legs were fatigued! According to the Garmin I ran 13.51 miles, which I'm sure is from running around all those people. I stopped Le Garmin at 2:39:11, which is an 11:46 mm pace. I like those numbers better, but of course, they don't count!

But let's spin the numbers! I was 126 out of 430 for my division (50-54), which puts me in the top third of my age group. However, among women my age (54) I was 16 out of 72--top 20! My time for the Fargo Half was 2:28:57 back in late May, so by comparison this was slow. Although at Fargo I was pushing myself and at Disneyland I was trying to pace myself. My age grade, something I've never seen before, was 50.8%. At 60%, you're considered "local class." Right. I'm sure not expecting to be in that range, but it's nice to be in the top 50 percentile!

Thanks to SD for taking pictures and being such a supportive husband. :-)

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

State Fair!

The Minnesota State Fair is on! SD and I went yesterday, our last chance before it closes on Labor Day. Music is a big attraction and in adddition to the paid Grandstand acts, there are many stages that are free. Greg Brown was performing last night at the Leinie Lodge, hosted by Leinenkugel beer. It was a great concert in a nice outdoor venue. Those in the know arrived early to scope out a good seat. We got there 45 minutes before the start, but aleady the best seats were taken. Still, I had a good view of Greg and the band.

It was a bittersweet visit, since it may be my last Minnesota State Fair. Everyone has their favorites; I always like the Fine Arts building and also the horse barns. My favorite are the Percherons, large, gentle draft horses. There are horse shows, but I never plan far enough ahead to see them, although once I watched a horse saddling competition.

The State Fair is not the place to be sugar-free, and this was my first year attending sans sucre. It's a challenge to eat healthy at all and the first thing I wanted, indeed craved, was french fries. I knew exactly which booth I wanted, much to SDs chagrin. I did get my fries, and they were good! Dinner was smoked salmon on a stick. It was farmed Atlantic salmon, which I normally avoid, but it was the least offensive.

We went through the Miracle of Birth center and looked at some of the newborns, but the building was oppressively hot and smelly so we didn't stay long. We wandered through the Grandstand building, full of tacky stuff you wouldn't want to buy. We purchased a ladder from there once (you know the one) and were looking for the juice machine vendor. We never found him, which saved us a few hunder dollars. :-) Last year I bought the super-absorbent towels--three different sizes!--and this year we made out with a trunk organizer, complete with cooler and a shopping bag. Such a deal. :-)

SD wanted to look at tractors (!) cuz he thinks we might need one when we move to the country. You know, for landscaping and stuff. Yeah, right. We'll hire someone who knows what he's doing. He was also lusting after a riding mower (lord, help me) to manage the weeds. You know who'll end up riding the weeds, don't you? It will be a "her" not a "him".

But the highlight of the evening was Greg Brown. I describe him as Urban Folk, but this time he had a band and it was kind of rhythmic and bluesy. The severe thunderstorms that were threatening almost kept us from going to the fair; it's not the place you want to be in a tornado! But the storms stayed away until the middle of the night (3 a.m., but that's another story) and it was a very pleasant evening, warm but not hot.

The concert ended at 10 p.m., and as we left the Leinie Lodge, we spotted some frozen sorbet. This was difficult for me, because it was fresh fruit scooped out and then the sorbet was put back into the shell. I was really tempted by the coconut sorbet, served in a coconut shell, but managed to stay away. SD had a mango sorbet. I could have had some deep-fried cheese curds, but I thought the french-fries were enough fried food for one day. It paid off this morning--I stepped on the scale and weighed 121 pounds! Nothing I can eat can equal the taste of wearing a size 6. :-)

Kudo's!

Congratulations to Journey to a Centum Eric, who finished the Cascade Crest last weekend and he has the belt buckle to prove it. That's a 100-mile endurance run! How do you spell stud: E-R-I-C! Eric is Back of the Pack Michelle's husband and she was his road crew. She give's a great account of the race from a road crew perspective. Bring a hankie.

Congratulations are also in order to some of my running club buddies, who ran the Ragnar Relay last weekend! Their team name: Chicks with Kicks and Guys with...Attitude! It was their first relay, and I'm not sure they'll do it again. The finish was near my house, so I went over to cheer them in and take a few pictures. Among the runners that I know are Marcia, her husband Marty, Jen, Nat, Mark and Kathy. Marcia's son Matt and some of her former co-workers comprised the rest of the team. When Marcia was recruiting runners, I wanted to do it but thought I'd have moved to California by now. I sent Marcia the link to the aforementioned Michelle's account of her last relay, so that she could have an idea of what she was getting into.

Good job runners!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Bestest Memories

My running club is the best!

Three years ago, after a failed attempt at the Twin Cities marathon, I joined the St. Louis Park Club Run. They had a marathon training class, and I thought that training with them would get me across the finish line. Although I was 50 years old, I was as nervous as a ten-year-old starting a new school. Would I fit in? And more importantly, can I keep up? Everyone was younger than me!

Running with that group has been the greatest! Although I was the slowest runner, I was accepted and never made to feel like I was holding anyone up. I was a part of the team, something I had never before experienced. We did hill repeats and speed work. We ran long (and took extended water breaks!) We raced together and supported each other.

These men and women became my friends. Some have married since we first met; another, divorced; some reached milestone ages; others got new jobs. Together we improved and conquered new challenges.

A year and a half ago, I left the club. It was a difficult decision, but the only thing I liked about the health club I was in was my running group. So I switched health clubs, but never connected with my new running group like I did with my Club Run friends. We stayed in touch and would sometimes go on runs together or we'd see each other at races.

When my health club purchased my old health club, I was so happy because it meant that I could run with the SLP Club Run again! We're in marathon training now, although we're doing separate marathons. And we're talking about the one we're going to do together, next year.

Long runs give you time to reflect and yesterday I was reflecting on what I have learned from the men and women of Club Run.

hours

Last night at dinner, my friends gave me a memory book filled with pictures and a memory they each have of me. Many of them also bought a "Find Your Happy Pace" shirt to honor me and they wore them for the above picture. As you can see, I have many memories myself, full of the rich experiences I've shared with these wonderful people. I've listed only a few.

You may think your running group is the best. And that's how it should be. But I know that mine is the best!

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Run River Run

Ten miles along the Mississippi River. Although there are plenty of water fountains along the route, hydration was an issue because I use a sports drink. I could not bring myself to wear the back pack; my shoulders are still sore from Saturday! Fortunately I have lots of water bottles, so I filled two of them with sport drink. I parked my car at Lake St. and put one of the bottles in my belt. Then I ran north for 2.5 miles, then turned around and headed south. By the time I got back to my car, I had 5 miles. I quickly exchanged my empty bottle for the full one, then continued south for another 2.5 miles.

The weather was humid and rain threatened but never materialized. It felt great to run and the trail wasn't crowded. The river isn't as popular as the city lakes, so it's a great place to run. It's very pretty and I discovered some new things, such as this waterfall.

As I got to the turn around point at mile 7.5, I came across the Ford Dam--a lock for the river traffic. This is where my club has done it's "Dam Hill" workout--hill repeats with various calisthentics our sadistic coaches came up with. :-)

Near Ford Dam is the Ford Bridge, which I crossed many times last year when I was training for Grandma's Marathon. I was trying to take a picture of it but I couldn't get a clear view. Although I had reached the turn-around point, I ran down the Dam Hill for old time's sake. (I'm just a sentimental fool.) I was rewarded with a clear view of the Ford Bridge.

Ford Dam and Ford Bridge are near Ford Parkway. The reason for all these Ford's is the Ford Motor plant, located on the east side of the river, in St. Paul. Built in 1925, it was the home of the Ford Ranger. Now it is doomed: Ford is closing the plant and one can only speculate as to the future of the land. I'm guessing retail and condos, but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised.

As I headed north back towards my car, I took the road never traveled (by me). There is a trail that runs below the bike path, which apparently was an old Indian trail. Those who know me, either in person or through this blog, know I'm not very adventurous. I've always avoided this trail because it was too isolated and I was afraid of the bad guys. About 18 years ago I read of a woman who had been assaulted on that trail (she had been walking her dog) and so I avoided it like a kid with a cough. Today I ran down that trail for about a mile. It was a beautiful trail and it's always nice to face your fears, even if it's just for a little while.

I'm have to go get ready to meet my running club for dinner. It's a goodbye dinner--for me! I'll tell you about it tomorrow.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Wet and Long

Nineteen miles in the rain. Sigh.

My running group was going to run 17 miles, and I needed to run 19, so I got to the gym early and ran two miles on the treadmill. When I do my long runs, I really try to go a minute over race pace, which means 13-13:30 minute miles. That's a lot of time on the road.

Marcia and I ran together. She wanted to run/walk 5:1. That was fine with me. So we set out, slow and steady. I wore my hydration pack, which SUCKED! The bladder holds 2 liters of sport drink, and I didn't think that would be enough, so I also filled a 20 oz water bottle and carried that in my pack.

That was necessary in warmer weather, but today I only drank 1 liter and that pack was increadibly heavy! In addition to the fluid, I had my cell phone and iPod in there. That shouldn't have added much weight, but my shoulders were so sore--I think they hurt more than my legs! After the run, I weighed the pack in the locker room and it still weighed 6 pounds. No wonder my shoulders hurt. :-(
AmyBee and Nat were in the faster group and normally they would pass us on the return trip. But because this was a new route for many of us they got lost, so their 18 miler turned into a 20! They got back about the same time as Marcia and I did and after stretching and showering we all went to a well deserved and long overdue breakfast! I think I ate as many calories at breakfast as I burned on the run. :-)

I dressed for the rain and that worked out fine. Wore a waterproof jacket and a cap to keep the water out of my face. My SmartWool socks didn't get soggy, although my shoes did. They're stuffed with newspapers and drying in the basement. At one point we stopped to use the bathroom at a bank. When I looked in the mirror I scared myself! Bangs flattened and water pouring off my flushed face--it's a good thing I don't normally see what I look like when I run.

With 8 more weeks of training to go, I need to come up with a different hydration system. I like not having to stop to refill my water, but that's the only good thing about the pack I have. Marcia observed that it wasn't made for runners and she's right. It was made for hiking. I can't even get to my gels because all the pockets are in the back. Also, there's plenty of room to carry gear in it, which I don't need.

Juls and Michelle like the hydration backpacks they have, and I'm considering purchasing the one Michelle is using, even though I don't want to spend the money. It's cheaper than paying for a massage ever time I run with my current pack, though.

Amphipod makes a waist holster that holds two 20 oz. bottles. That would work for some of my mid-length runs--say 12-16 miles. Whoever said running was an inexpensive sport wasn't training for a marathon!

Friday, August 17, 2007

Race Pace

Today's run called for 9 miles at race pace. It's hard to figure out race pace when you take walking breaks, so I cut out some of them. After a one mile warm up, I picked up the pace and ran strong. A little too strong--miles 2,3, and 4 were under race pace. Even as I was running it, I knew I wasn't being smart. Part of me was thinking, "Damn, I'm good!" (roll eyes) The other part was remembering Coach Higdon's warning that "Anybody can run the first 6-9 miles of a marathon at a fast pace. The secret is to run the last 6-9 miles of the marathon at that same fast pace."

The successive miles were over race pace. Not too much over, but over. Some of it was due to walking breaks; also I had to wait at a stoplight and then the trail was blocked so I had to run on the grass. Hey, it all adds up! :-)

Still, it was a pleasant run. The weather has cooled to a tolerable low 70s and no humidity! I ran around the city lakes, the same route I ran on Tuesday, and I noticed some of the same people were there today, like the dog who wears a sling to hold a tennis ball, and the little old lady who looks to be about 4'11". I usually change my routes so that I don't get bored, but you don't get to be one of the "regulars" when you do that.

These are the splits:
Mile 1 13:30
Mile 2 11:43
Mile 3 11:56
Mile 4 11:32
Mile 5 12:16 (it's all downhill from here)
Mile 6 12:34 (whoops!)
Mile 7 12:22
Mile 8 12:15
Mile 9 12:25

If you have any tips for how to stay on pace, I'd appreciate hearing them. I notice when I don't take walking breaks I don't hydrate. That was always my cue to drink. Should I reduce my walking breaks to 30 seconds so that I drink but don't slow down so much?

Tomorrow's a long run and the weather is supposed to be cool--high in the 60s. That's the good news, the bad news is it's supposed to rain all day. Groan; 19 miles in the rain. Oh well, what's a summer marathon training run without getting wet? I'll let you know how it goes.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Stormy Weather

Thanks for all your comments regarding the bridge collapse. It's been almost two weeks and they've recovered most of the dead. Life is returning to almost-normal. One of the consequences to the running community however, is that the TC 10 miler, which is the same day as the Twin Cities marathon, will have to be re-routed. In the past, it went under that bridge, and now the route is closed. The course is USATF sanctioned, so they need to work things out with the city and the USATF.

We've been having some wild weather on the prairie. Last weekend, thunder and lightning woke me up at 3 am, and I was up for an hour. And I had to meet my running group at 7 for a long run! I managed to get there on time, but only cuz I knew they were waiting. I guess that's why I like to run with a group--they get me on the road when I'd rather stay in bed.

Last week was a cut-back-on-mileage week, so I ran 12 miles for my long run. The others were running 15, but they graciously modified their route so that I could run the majority of the way with them. There was evidence of storm damage everywhere: trees uprooted or huge limbs lying on the ground. The gym didn't have any power, so officially it was closed and we had to leave our gear in our cars. But by the time I got back the power had been restored and I was able to take a shower. It's the little things in life that count. :-)

Last night, another thunderstorm rolled past. This one hit my area around 11:15. There was no way I was going to sleep, so I turned on the news and watched reports of baseball-sized hail, high winds and flooding water. I'm fortunate in that I've never had water leak in my basement, and my car was snug as a bug in the garage, but I was very concerned about the trees surrounding my house. They managed to stay upright and not land on my roof!

I finally got to bed around midnight, and set the alarm for 7 a.m. so that I could go for my 9 mile run at 8. Well, that didn't happen, but I did start my run at 10:30. The rain did not cool anything down, and once again it was very humid.

I've started running with a hydration backpack. I didn't need it today, but wear it for my long runs, so I'm trying to get used to it. The weight hurts my shoulders, and the hanging loop hits the back of my neck, which is annoying, but it's nice to have fluid readily available. And I don't have to stop to refill my water bottle, another plus!

I'm halfway into my marathon training program--9 weeks behind me and 9 more to go. It's actually 10 weeks till the marathon, so I started a little early, but I don't think that will be a problem.

I picked a pretty ambitious training plan, but so far it's fine. I ran 17 miles two weeks ago when I was in California, on a hillier road than I'm used to, with no trouble. My husband was surprised that I wasn't more beat up than I was, so I guess I'm making progress. That's good, cuz I've got 19 miles to run on Saturday! The training plan I selected has three 20-mile runs before taper. In the past I've only run one 20-miler during training, and I'm hoping the extra long runs will leave me better prepared so I won't be so beat up by the distance.

My goal is to run a 5:15 marathon. Stop laughing! I know it's ambitious (for me), and I may change my mind, but that's been my training pace. Twelve minute miles are so easy to break down into quarter-mile intervals, just add 3 minutes. It helps me stay on pace. Despite the hills, I think I can do it--I've got a strong foundation from running all year and I've lost a lot of weight.

About that weight: I've managed to stay away from the sucrose since last December and combined with marathon training, have dropped almost 20 pounds. My size 6 David Kahn's are fitting a little loose. Even the regulars at Starbucks are noticing. They're used to seeing Dumpy Dori in the baggy clothes, and now with the summer heat I'm showing more skin. I have to tell you, I feel strong, fit, and even a little sexy, and that's not bad for 54!

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Why?

Tragedy struck my home town last week. Of course, I'm talking about the freeway bridge that crumbled during rush hour traffic. It happened last Wednesday around 6 p.m. and although I only live about two miles away, I was unaware of any calamity when I went for a quick 4 mile run an hour later. My next door neighbors saw me while I was waiting for a satellite reading on my Garmin and told me about it. It was a hot and humid night, and the news put a knot in my stomach.

My first thought was that I should go to the river and help with the recovery efforts. Not that I'm trained in emergencies; I just thought maybe they could use some extra hands. However, I had a plane to catch early the next morning, I still wasn't packed, and I needed to get my training run in. Instead I said a quick prayer for the victims and their families and continued with my plans. I probably would have just been in the way by that time anyhow. I had no idea of the magnitude of the situation.

I35W North end

Although I didn't have the TV on, everyone else did and I got several phone calls from concerned out-of-state family and friends. Since I left the very next morning, I'm not sure if anyone I know was affected. I have some former co-workers who use that bridge to go home, but I haven't contacted them yet to see if they're OK. I'm afraid to.

I've been in California with my husband and we've been staying at our new house. Although we have power, we have no internet connection yet and no television. All I know is what I heard on the radio and read in the occasional newspaper. I arrived home today at around 6 pm, and drove straight to the bridge. I had to see it for myself! I don't know why. As you know, I run in that area. In fact, my friend Marcia and I ran under that bridge just ten days before it fell. Had the timing been different, you'd be reading a different blog right now.

I35W South end

Anyway, I drove straight to the Guthrie from the airport so that I could see the damage from what's called the Endless Bridge, which is four stories above the river and part of the new Guthrie building. I've taken pictures there before. I was reading a newspaper article where the author likened it to the Twin Towers and when I read it, I thought that was over doing it. But as I saw the twisted metal in the middle of the river, it did remind me of the twisted rebar that I saw at Ground Zero in December 2001. I looked out and shed silent tears.

I35W Center Portion

People were congregating on the Stone Arch bridge and someone had hung a flag over the side. There was also a sign; I couldn't read it all, but it said something like, "Love can build a bridge." I had left my camera in the car, but since other people were taking pictures, I went back for it. I waited until the plays began, so that it was less crowded. Someone told me that tomorrow they are going to remove the debris from the water and expect to find the eight missing people. Those poor souls.

Solidarity at Stone Arch Bridge

Just inside the door of the Endless Bridge is a cocktail bar. The regular bartender there is Dean and I've spoken to him before. He told me about the Gold Medal park that I mentioned in a previous post. His station looks out to the water and is just west of the freeway bridge. At one time I would have considered it an enviable location to work. I asked him how he was doing, since it must have been traumatic for him. He said he didn't see the bridge fall, that he had just finished making a drink for a patron. When he looked over his shoulder, he said, "That's the wrong bridge." A man asked him what he was talking about. Just east of the 35W bridge is the 10th Street bridge, which ~~runs~~ ran parallel, so Dean knew something was wrong with the picture. It didn't make sense--the 10th St. bridge wasn't supposed to be in the forefront. And then he understood.

A loss affects the whole community, not just the people immediately involved. Dean the bartender was an emergency technician for 18 years, so he's experienced with handling trauma. Yet he said Thursday night he just felt an enormous sadness, and he has a hard time looking out the window now.

I feel sad too; not for the loss of a bridge, but for the lives lost and traumatized. Bridges aren't supposed to fall. We trust our government to ensure the safety of public conveyances, whether it's to carry us across a river or up in the skies. I guess I have an inkling of what the citizens of New Orleans must have felt when the levees broke. Anger and a sense of betrayal. I want to know, "Why".

Monday, July 30, 2007

Da Winner

During the Fargo Half Marathon last May, I spotted this sign on a bank building. Clever, no? I thought so. So later, when this company was soliciting slogans to print on their shirt, I submitted it. It was a contest and the winner gets a shirt of her/his choice and a check for a couple hundred dollars. There were lots of entries,and I never expected anything to come of it. I was mostly just sharing it with the people who were voting on the contest. Well, my entry garnered the most votes and I won.

I was not in my happy place--I didn't come up with the slogan myself! I scoured the Internet to make sure it wasn't copyrighted, and it wasn't. Nowhere did I find that phrase. I decided to salve my conscience by donating a portion of the check to charity. But I'm keeping the shirt. :-)

Monday, July 16, 2007

Hero Worship

This is AmyBee, my hero! She did the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon last Saturday--the Olympic Distance. That's 1.5K Swim, 40K Bike, and 10K Run. She's wearing her "Engines of Change" shirt, provided by her sponsor, Toyota. Look at how buff she is! She's been working hard and it shows. I was scheduled for a long run that day and planned to get out early so that I could be done in time to cheer Amy on. Well, that didn't work out; I got out later than I had planned and gave up on the idea.

I was scheduled to run 14 miles, so I drove to the river and began my run at the Guthrie. I decided to run south along the river road for 7 miles, then turn around and run back. I didn't run with the group, because Marcia wouldn't be there and everyone else goes out too fast for me. Marcia was resting because she was doing a triathlon on Sunday, so she went to the LTF Triathlon to support AmyBee.

As I ran along the trail, I came across the bikers in the triathlon. They were riding north in the street. I got really excited for them and as I ran I yelled out encouragement to the bikers. Some of you may remember that I volunteered at last year's triathlon; I felt bad that I didn't work it this year, but I had a training run to fit in.

Since the bike leg was in the street, I was able to continue south on the path. I kept an eye out for AmyBee, but I had no idea where she was. Then it occurred to me that I could call Marcia! Marcia said that Amy should be done with the bike by then, so I stopped looking for her. The run comes after the bike, so I asked Marcia to call me when Amy finished her race.

Meanwhile I kept running and cheering on the bikers. Some of them seemed to appreciate it. One woman astounded me--she could only be described as obese. She didn't even look like she could walk across the street, yet here she was riding a bike in the triathlon. Those of us who saw her had nothing but respect for her.

As I approached mile 7, I realized I was close to the action. I ran over to Lake Nokomis, thinking I could continue on the trail and eventually loop up to my starting point. I really wanted to see AmyBee cross the finish line! I called Marcia and found out where she was. She was expecting Amy to come by in the first of two loops (she was running a 10K.) I hooked up with Marcia and Coach Sarah, and shortly after AmyBee came by in the first loop.

Once Amy went by, I decided to continue my run. I wanted to see her cross the finish line, though, so I stayed in the area. As I was about to hook up with Sarah and Marcia again, Marcia called and said that Amy had finished her race. We all met up at the Toyota tent to congratulate Amy. I tried to take some pictures with my cell phone cam, but it was not cooperating; however Amy's hubby took pictures of us.

Cheerleaders

Marcia and Sarah were going to go to breakfast and invited me along. I had only done 11.5 of my 14 mile run, but I'd had enough. My heart just wasn't into this run. Breakfast sounded like a swell idea and Marcia said she'd drive me to my car, so how could I resist? We went to a cute little restaurant that I had never been to before and I had a latte and french toast with real maple syrup. Yum! It was very pleasant, then as promised, Marcia delivered me to my car.

I was feeling better and wanted to finish my run, so I ran around the Stone Arch Bridge, which I posted about a couple of days ago. I found a new park in the area that I didn't know about even though I had run past it the other day (!) and got close up and personal with the St. Anthony Falls. That was a treat and then my run was finally over. Even though the miles were interrupted, I figured it was like doing a two-a-day. I went home, showered, and took a nap! :-)

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

East Side, West Side

Today's schedule called for seven miles. Coach Higdon said time didn't matter, just get in the miles, so I stopped and took pictures along the way. I'm not sure he meant to take it quite that easy, but he wasn't here to tell me otherwise. :-)

There's a great trail that runs along both sides of the Mississippi River. I started in the Southeast part of town, at the Mill Ruins. This rapidly gentrifying area is birthplace of the flour mills that earned Minneapolis the name "Mill City." In fact, its minor league team is called the Millers (St. Paul's is called the Saints.) The mills sprung up to take advantage of the power generated by St. Anthony Falls. The Pillsbury A Mill was once the largest mill in the world.

I headed west across the Stone Arch Bridge, a railroad bridge that has been re-purposed as a pedestrian/bike bridge. It's a great place to watch the Fourth of July fireworks. Sorry the picture is so crappy; I was using my cell cam and couldn't even see the screen! All I could do was point in the general direction and shoot. I might as well have been blindfolded. :-(

The wind was blowing pretty hard from the north, so I planned to run into the wind, then have it at my back for the end of the run when I was more tired. But first, I had to check out the new Gold Medal Park, which is adjacent to the Guthrie Theatre. It opened up last month.

I ran around the park and up this little hill, which gave a nice view of the river. You can see this park from the Guthrie and a bartender there said the mound was supposed to be reminiscent of Indian burial mounds.

Here is a picture of the bridge I just crossed; you can see how it got its name. That's the Pillsbury A Mill in the background. The two cranes are for the lofts that are coming up near the mill site. The A Mill is on the national register of historic places, so they can't mess with that.

As I headed north, I was delighted to find this Dino X Raysaurus. Laurie had mentioned the invasion of the dinosaurs upon the Twin Cities in her June 26 post, so I knew at once why it was there.

Since rivers need to be crossed, and ferries are so-o 18th century, there are a lot of bridges along this route. This beauty is one of my favorites--the Hennepin Ave. bridge. It sits at the location of the first bridge to unite Minneapolis with St. Anthony (where the mills were.) St. Anthony merged with the city of Minneapolis over a century ago. I wasn't able to get the entire bridge in the picture, but you get the idea. One year I ran across it for a Thanksgiving Day race and felt like I was crossing the Verrazano Bridge at the New York City Marathon! In the background is a neon sign, meant to resemble a beer bottle cap, that says "Grain Belt Brewery." The brewery closed in the mid 70s, and the building has been repurposed into various business suites. It's a cool place. My hairdresser used to have his salon in the former keg house.

OK, I had to get some running in! I headed north along the river, hunkering down into the wind, then crossed the bridge at Plymouth Ave. Back on the East side now, I ran south through Boom Island park. This area was formerly a holding place for logs being floated downriver to the sawmills. Now it houses picnic tables and a river cruise ship. Running along the trail past Boom Island, I came upon this flower garden. Who can resist flowers! Not me, even though this picture looks like something Monet would have painted in his later years (when he was going blind.)

I crossed a little wooden bridge, which led to Nicollet Island. This area houses a small hotel, high school, and some homes. It's not very big (48 acres), but it's wonderful! As I was running around it, I thought if I were staying in Minneapolis, this is where I'd try to live. Also here is the "Bell of Two Friends" a gift in July 2001 from the sister city of Osaka, Japan, to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of Minneapolis and Osaka becoming sister cities. Since I've been to Osaka, I thought it was pretty cool to stumble upon this. The plaque that explains this invites you to pass through the arch and ring the bell in solidarity of world peace, so naturally I did.

Since Nicollet Island is in the middle of the river, I needed to cross another bridge to run down the east bank. This small bridge was made in 1887 and always reminded me of an Erector set. It's a pin-connected Pratt through-truss bridge for you budding civil engineers. It actually was part of a larger bridge a mile upstream at Broadway Ave. and was moved here in 1987 when that bridge was replaced.

Facing east from the bridge, is this sweet church, Our Lady of Lourdes. It's the oldest continuously used church in the city and was founded by French Canadians. Back when I ate meat I used to go there to buy lamb pies, which they sell frozen as a way to raise money. Six years ago, the day before I had to put my cat to sleep, I brought him there to be blessed by the priest.

We're getting close to the end of the run. Only a mile left! Here's a closeup of the Pillsbury sign, near the A Mill. It says "Pillsbury's Best Flour." It's directly across the river from the Gold Medal Sign.

When I got back to the start, I was still short of 7 miles. What's a girl to do? I ran across the Stone Arch Bridge again! As I was crossing, I saw the paddlewheeler Minneapolis Queen go into the lock and dam. She was heading upstream to Boom Island, so I ran north and caught her as she came out the other side. Here she is under the Third Ave. bridge and the St. Anthony Falls are on the left. Now my run was over and I headed to the nearest coffee shop to get some carbs and protein. I hope you enjoyed the tour. There were a lot of pictures, but I tried to keep the size small. Let me know if the pictures took too long to download.