....On My Mind....

I've been thinking about it ever since our run on Saturday. I didn't think about it as we ran down the street. Well, I think it was the street. I'm not positive which street it was, but I think we ran down that same street. We were on the other side though, and I was just chatting with my friends and concentrating on the hill to come, and I ran right by where it was, or might have been. We had just been running along - like we were on Saturday - that Saturday several weeks earlier, when we turned onto that same street. Chatting and running. We saw it in the middle of the road and kept chatting - teasing each other about something I'm sure - laughing. Then we realized it was an animal - hit by a car - not moving - dead. Lots of wild animals get hit around here - usually squirrels, or opossums or raccoons. This one had golden fur though. Maybe a cat - probably a cat. As we neared, the chatter and laughing died down a bit. The cat's fur was moving slightly in the breeze (or did I imagine that afterwards?). It wasn't until we were right next to it that one of us - who? - said, "no, it's a dog". And it was a dog. A pomeranian. An indoor breed usually. Someone's lap dog. Golden fur. The same golden as my dogs. Much smaller of course. Mine were Golden Retrievers. Lying in the middle of the street. Someone's looking, searching, panicking, calling out the car window. I'm sure of it. Perhaps with the children in the backseat gripped in the fear of not-knowing. Or, an elderly couple, equally frightened. It had to be moved. They couldn't find it in the middle of the road - mutilated by some car coming down the hill. I can't remember if there was snow on the ground yet. No, I don't think so. But it was cold out. Cold enough that I had worn gloves for the run. A small pool of blood had formed around it's mouth. Other than that, it could have been sleeping. When I lifted the body it felt like my dogs had felt. Not stiff - but stiffening. Hard to describe, but equally not-scary - as I had thought it would be. I laid it in the grass. Between the fence and the sidewalk. It would be visible there but not threatened by tires. They would find it - looking like it was simply sleeping. A peaceful death. I petted it's fur down where it had been mussed by the wind. A brief pause as my dogs flashed in my mind - being lowered into the holes we had dug in our garden. I had petted their fur too. Didn't want it to be mussed. Peaceful. The group was silent for the next half mile or so. Sort of lost in our thoughts I guess. Petting their own Golden fur perhaps. The chatting started softly, tentatively, finally resuming it's usual gaiety. It's been on my mind.

Christmas Day Run

It was a traditional Christmas morning - presents under the tree, A Christmas Story on the TV, and cinnamon rolls in the oven..... It was a nice, relaxed, fun, family day. After the wrapping paper was cleaned up and boxes stacked and too many cinnamon rolls consumed, it was time to "letharge". That's our term for sitting around reading, napping, digesting cinnamon rolls... - just a lazy, hazy time. After an hour or two of that it was time to don my new running vest and headlamp and head out the door to run with George from the running club. He and I ran through the snow and ice and talked and ran and listened to the bells on my shoes and had a wonderful time. We ran until his Garmin verified that our five miles was complete and then we walked and talked for a bit and headed back out into the snow and ice in our respective vehicles with the sweat and fatigue that comes from a good run. Nice!

Beautiful Day!

It was gorgeous outside yesterday - fat, fluffy flakes falling. The snow reflected the ambient light and it brightened everything. I convinced Elliot to join me on the cross country skis and we toured the neighborhood and the school grounds. Everything is prettier covered in snow. It's quieter too. We returned home and I started to shovel the drive, but then decided I liked the look of it better with the snow. I took some pictures. In the late afternoon several neighbors got together and we all decided to go sledding. Fun! Although it was a bit of a workout climbing the sledding hill each time I rode down it, somehow I still felt the need for a run. I moved a few things in the garage (didn't I just clean this place?!) and put the ramp down on my dreadmill. At 8:30pm I pounded out four miles. Felt good. I guess for the next week or so (until it gets less slippery out there) I'll be getting to know my friend, Dred (makes him seem like a cool Caribbean bartender when I call him by this moniker). Yep, me and Dred - we're going to have fun!

Been Doing Some Running....

Despite the fact that I haven't written about it - I have been doing some running lately. After the Victoria Marathon my next race was Autumn Leaves 50k. We carpooled down to Portland and stayed at Jenny's parent's house. They were away on a trip but they were kind enough to let us bunk down there. We got up before the crack of dawn (or the middle of the night as I see it) to take the early start. It was my first "Ultra" and I ran it with Michelle and Margaret. It was just plain good fun. Margaret and I were both "Ultra Virgins" so our plan was to run with Michelle - an "Ultra Connoisseur". There was a short out and back at the start and then a 5-mile loop that took us along a river and through the fallen leaves. We had fun - dawdled at the fueling stations, talked to other runners, kicked up the leaves, sang songs, made jokes - it was very nice. Once again though, I had too much energy left at the end to feel like I had given it my all. Just like my first marathon though, I think it only encouraged me to want more. I can't wait to run another 50k and see what kind of time I can make!

My next race was the Seattle Ghost Marathon the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I had really planned on doing a double this year - the Ghost and then the Seattle - but that was not to be. It was going to be the first time my son would be home after leaving for college and I just didn't feel right taking all that time for myself. I wasn't going to run either race until Michelle mentioned that maybe I could work it out so that Elliot could spend time with his friends while I was running. I talked to him about that and in the end he thought it was a good plan too. Soooooo, I was able to run the Ghost - a race I really wanted to run because so many of my running friends would be there too. My husband drove me to the race and hung out with Sonya for awhile, did some wine shopping, and then met me at the finish. I ended up starting the race with Tom and Dan - both of whom planned on running a 4:15 or so. I planned on a 4:30 so I thought I'd just hang with them for the first half or so. It was a perfect day and the route runs right along Lake Washington and is fairly flat. Dan, Tom and I kept a conversation up while moving at a pretty fair clip. Eric ran with us for a short while on several occasions. I had forgotten my Garmin and there were no mile markers so I relied on Dan and Tom for pace information. We hit the halfway mark at 1:58. Not good! I was too far ahead of my pace - I knew I needed to back off a bit. At mile 15 or so Tom and Eric started pulling away from Dan and me. I was OK with that - I didn't want to burn out at the end and I was afraid I would if I kept up the faster pace. At mile 17 or so I started pulling away from Dan. He was tiring and I had caught up to a Maniac (number 365) I had never met before and he and I started to talk. Nice guy, nice pace. We ran and talked for several miles - then I began to tire and I felt the need to walk. Number 365 pulled away. Once I wasn't talking anymore I slowly gained on him until I caught up. Again, we started to talk and after a few miles I needed to slow my pace again. This cat and mouse game continued until the end of the race. I felt strong clear to the end and was very pleased with my time of 4:14! Happy and content!

This last week was a little tough running-wise because of the stress of work, holidays, and planning for a formal meal for 17 members of an investment group we belong to. I wasn't able to run for 5 days straight. Not good. I get sad when I don't run on a regular basis. This time was no different. With the way things were going I wasn't going to be able to run for several more days either. Egads!! Then, a gift from above - snow!! Three snow days in a row and the dinner is done (well-done I might add), the packages are mostly sent, and vacation from school has begun. But, more importantly, I've been able to run!! I put large jingle bells on my trail shoes today and ran to the Post Net through the snow to send my Ohio gifts. My son ran with me. We loved it!! Happy happy!!

Sunny October

Well, it was a busy weekend and my husband and I got home after midnight both Friday and Saturday, That's why when it was time to get up to go run with my group on this morning I rolled over and went back to sleep instead. I hate it when I miss the group runs and that meant of course, that I'd have to run alone. We had some errands to do around the house so I would be running around 1:00 in the afternoon. Good! It was sunny and warm and dry. I'd do my 9-mile loop. I wore one of my running skirts and a tank - first time in awhile that I didn't need a long-sleeve shirt for the first mile or so (or even gloves). I carried my water bottle and took a gel along just in case. Took off with my iPod on ( I just remove one of the earbuds when I cross busy streets) and the music seemed perfect too. My 9-mile loop was beautiful - Mt. Rainier was in full view most of the time and the neighborhood boulevard trees were in full color. Sunny, clear, and gorgeous - what a beautiful day to run. I kept a good pace, walked and gelled at the halfway point, and kept taking swigs on my water bottle. I ended up coming in with a better time than I had hoped. Perfect!!

Post-Race Thoughts....

I've run twice since the marathon on Sunday. I took Monday and Tuesday off, ran 4 miles on Wednesday, and 6 miles today. Both days I ran slow and easy. Nothing hurt and I felt strong, but tired towards the end. Sunday's race energized me. I really want that first number to be a "3" now. I want to work at this running thing until I achieve this goal. Just wanted to say, "yippee!!" one more time!

My Thoughts:

Power-Gel works for me. I alternated their coffee-flavored gels with s-caps approximately every 4 miles. No real G-I problems during or after the race. I did have lots of swelling during the last 5 miles. Even my timing band and iPod wrist strap got tight.

Take along the iPod if able. The music was very motivating.

Use the pace bunnies if possible - especially if they're cute.

The 10/1 strategy worked well.

Practice gelling and s-capping on the fly. (Carry water bottle?)

The post-race PowerBar recovery drink really hit the spot!

Do or do not, there is no try. Around mile 24, this phrase seemed to help motivate me.

Keep smiling!

Royal Victoria Marathon

Our weekend started at 5am Saturday when we left our house to drive to Port Angeles to catch the 8:20am ferry to Victoria. There was frost on the windshield (the first we’ve seen this year) when we left. Hmmmm, did I pack enough cold-weather running gear? We made the obligatory stop at Starbucks on the way and then continued the two-and-a-half hour drive. We arrived at the dock, waited briefly in the car line, and loaded right on time. The crossing takes 90 minutes so we arrived in Victoria and were through customs by a little after 10am. We parked and went straight to the expo. I got my running packet, looked for Hammer-Gel (my running friends had convinced me the night before that I needed to try it), and just generally perused the displays. I didn’t see any Hammer-Gel at the expo so we asked someone who pointed us in the direction of Running Room, a local running store. Two blocks and several minutes later I was loaded up with gel. We continued shopping until we came to the Bank and Bard Pub where we stopped for food and drink. Delicious food and a gorgeous pub that was just recently refurbished. It also has live music every night - I’d highly recommend it! After lunch we proceeded to the Ashcroft House Bed and Breakfast. We stayed in the beautiful Sheldon room. Everything seemed perfect there. After we took a little nap at the B&B we decided to drive up the coast a bit and just wander about in general. It was a fun, relaxed afternoon. We had 8:30pm reservations at Il Terrazzo where we had a wonderful pre-race meal. I decided to have wine with dinner - the food was just too good to ignore the bottle my husband, Larry, had ordered. Then it was back to the inn and a good night’s sleep.

I awoke at 6:30am. I always like to allow plenty of time to drink my coffee and eat my breakfast (a few pieces of banana-nut bread that the innkeeper had made for me) before my race. I also made last-minute decisions on what to wear. I decided against my new skirt and chose instead to stick with the tried-and-true; my usual black shorts and Maniac singlet. I decided to put a white singlet under the Maniac one for added warmth (I could always remove it later I decided). I wore a long-sleeved marathon shirt to the start line but knew I’d hand it to my husband before the start. Oh, I wore my gloves too. Old ones, so I could ditch them if I chose.

Our inn was just a half mile or so from the start so we walked. It was a beautiful morning - slightly overcast but felt like it was nearing 50 degrees and even looked like the sun might pop out. This was a good sign, I love running in cool but sunny weather. As soon as we arrived at the start we were greeted by fellow club members Monica and Linda and their spouses Mike and Rich. Within minutes up walked MaryLou - an on-line friend (and fellow Maniac), and Jill, another Maniac whom I met at previous races. I knew Monica wanted to race at a slower pace than I had planned, and Linda - who has been racing nearly every weekend -generally prefers to run alone, so I had planned on running alone too. I had even worn my iPod in case I needed the company. I stated that I planned on running a 4:15 and if they wanted to join me I’d welcome the company. Well, MaryLou, Jill, and Linda all three said they would be interested in aiming for a 4:15 and would at least start at that pace and see if they could hold it. All three of them have been racing a lot this year and sometimes things work out, and sometimes they don’t. We would all start together and just see how it went - no hurt feelings if someone fell back. Last-minute kisses to the spouses and we were off.

The first few miles wind through town and even though we planned on running, not talking, MaryLou and I started conversing none-the-less. Before we knew it we were with the 4:00 pace group let by a young man in bunny ears. I told MaryLou that my goal was to not pass the 4:00-hour bunny. The back of his shirt said he was doing a 10/1 run/walk. The pace seemed comfortable, the crowd around him friendly, and he had the nicest calves ever - yes, we could follow him. The course narrows and circles around an in-town park between miles 3 and 5 or so. Somewhere in there I heard my husband call my name, but he was on the opposite side from me and the crowd was too thick to move over in time. All I could do was wave. I felt bad but sometimes those things happen. Our bunny was doing a great job of keeping the pace and sticking to his 10/1 schedule. His schedule did not line up with the water stops though and at the second one MaryLou and I slowed a bit too much and by the time we looked up, our bunny and the group were far ahead. We had to hurry to catch up. After that I started to run through the water stops and I gelled enroute. At one point I needed to take an s-cap but had no water. MaryLou thought I should try just swallowing it dry so I did. No, it wouldn’t go down and wasn’t dissolving well. I noticed the man in front of me was wearing a belt with bottles, plus he was carrying a full bottle of Gatorade. I asked him for a swig. I’ve never done that before in a race. He seemed more than happy to help. Good - S-Cap down with no problem. By now we were running along the waterfront, past the golf course and through some neighborhoods. The course has gently rolling hills and we were enjoying the run but had quit talking and were just working. Around mile 12 or 13 I looked behind me and didn’t see MaryLou anymore. Should I slow and wait for her or go on and try to stick with the group? I decided to go on. She had already said several times to go ahead - it’s just hard moving on sometimes, I felt a sense of loss, but I did have my bunny and pace group yet. I hit the halfway point at 2:01:something. Good, right where I wanted to be. I started to fall behind the pace group right before the turnaround which is about a klick past the halfway point. At the turnaround though I saw they were less than a minute in front of me. Good. I switched to my own 10/1 with the water stops being my walk zone. I decided I could hold on to a slightly slower pace but still keep a good tempo this way. I saw Larry, Mike, and Rich somewhere in the teens - I can’t remember now. I know I didn’t slow my pace but I threw my gloves to Larry. Larry said something about me running a good time. Seeing them boosted my energy. The next time I saw them was around mile 20. It was during one of my walk breaks and I motioned to Larry to walk with me. He had water for me and I drank it while I walked. Rich was snapping pictures. Again, it was a shot of energy. Soon after I ran off I decided to turn on my iPod. I knew I wouldn’t see a familiar face again until the finish and I needed a little distraction. The course had thinned out enough that I felt I could plug in and tune out without harm to anyone. The music was a motivator but I still had to remember to keep up my pace. It was too easy to fall into my tired-runner slow pace. I kept imagining catching up to the 4:00 pace group even though I knew I probably couldn’t at this point. From 37k to 39k is a hill. I ran halfway up before it was time for a walk break. I had been hoping to just pick up the pace the last three or four miles and run it in like I did in Tacoma. Had I been able to do that I would have knocked three or four minutes off my time. Dang! I just didn’t have the mojo. I knew I’d hit my mark of under-4:15 but by the end I had been hoping for even more. I came in at 4:10:37. I was tired and happy and I heard Mike shout my name as I approached the line and there they were - the three Muskateers shouting my name. Yes! I had not only met my goal, but I had surpassed it and I knew that a sub-4 was an absolute possibility for me. Yippee!!

Long Time No See....

I haven't written here in over a month. Hmmm. I was busy running during that time however. I ran two marathons and a half-marathon trail run for a total of 65.5 race miles for the month of August. That's a personal record. I'm proud of me. I never imagined when I decided to run a marathon two years ago, that I would continue on as I have. I owe that to my running club and the members in it. They are wonderful, encouraging, funny people who make running long distances seem like a stroll in the park. I value their friendship.

Sunny Summer Sunday!

Ahhh, finally - a run that makes me feel like I have accomplished something. I hadn't done any runs over 10 miles since the Tacoma City Marathon and I was starting to dread the thought of the first one. Well, this morning I joined the members of my running group on their preview of the Grande Ass Marathon that is fast approaching. We had decided at last week Sunday's post-run coffee to run the first 11.5 miles of the 'Grande". I woke at 6:30 to my alarm - yes, my alarm - and promptly hit the snooze - twice, no, thrice! Although the sun was shining, I could feel the chill in the air from our open bedroom window. These last three mornings have felt like fall to me and this one seemed to be no different. By the time I got up and had my toast and coffee however, the air outside had warmed and it again felt like summer! I arrived at the agreed-upon meeting spot, "our Starbucks" and and saw Margaret G. and Marco already in the parking lot and Jessica pulling into a space. We all chatted for awhile and awaited the arrival of our fearless leader for this run, George. We also knew that Tom, who had started 5 miles earlier would be arriving at any moment too. Patch ran into view soon after Tom.

It was 8am, and all were ready to go. We started out together but soon broke into three pace groups with me and Margaret comprising the middle group. At Wildwood Park Margaret stopped to use the bathroom and I continued on knowing she'd catch up eventually. Plus, I hadn't taken one of the maps that George had printed for everyone and I didn't want to let the lead group get out of my sight. At the top of the hill that drops sharply to the valley, there was a left-hand turn and just as I was coming around the corner I spotted a deer - quietly watching my progress. It was a young doe. She startled me enough that I said, "oh" - surprising myself more than her. The lead group was walking at this point and after another 5 minutes of running on my part, I caught them. We continued running together through neighborhoods and then down toward the bulb farm. At this point the leaders again started to pull away from me but George hung back and on the road to the side of the bulb farm we walked until Margaret caught up. The three of us continued across the river and through the neighborhoods of Sumner to our first stop - Starbucks.

Once we arrived we talked with the others, filled water bottles, and used the bathroom before heading out once again. We high-fived Jessica, who would complete her planned run at Starbucks and said hello to Patch - who would continue on. On the path near the river I felt like walking but George and Margaret held the pace and I just kept on running too. At mile 11.5 we arrived at the next Starbucks on the course - and the end of our run. Well, sort of. Margaret and I decided to run back to the original Starbucks - 4 miles away - and George decided to join us. After drinks and talk, we started again. The first mile and half was through Puyallup and thereby flat, but then we approached the infamous Meridian hill. We attacked that hill valiantly but ended up walking about half of it. At one point Margaret started to run again, and George and I followed her lead, but then the hill steepened and we walked again. Another mile after we reached the top and we were back to our starting point. Fifteen and a half miles! Yes! A nice start to prepping for the Grande Ass Marathon the end of next month. I feel like I'm baaaack!

Evening Run

After all the hubbub of the weekend (son graduating, relatives here...) all I wanted to do yesterday was sleep. Since it was another PNW Triumvirate Day (grey, cool, damp) it was difficult to not give in to the sofa - so I didn't fight it. I just spent the afternoon hours catching up on sleep. By early evening the grey was getting lighter and the sun was making an attempt to shine through the clouds. I, however, still felt like my blood was as thick as cold honey so I called my running partner and we both agreed to do a late evening run. We started out at 8pm-ish and it was bright grey and dry. I do believe there was even blue in parts of the sky. We chose a route through a neighborhood that we hadn't run in quite awhile. The loop is 4.5 miles and we both wanted 5 miles so we started adding cul-de-sacs and little byways onto the run. We chatted away and enjoyed the homes and their landscaping as we passed. It felt easy and good. In the end we ran 5.6 miles and ended just as the clouds were turning pink. It was beautiful - a perfect, evening run.

Rain's Back :-(

Woke up to the Pacific Northwest trio: grey, rain, cold. Yuck! It's really hard to get out of bed on days like today. I had insomnia for several hours last night so it was even harder than usual. I motivated myself with some coffee and got busy cleaning and such. My running partner called and we both agreed to reschedule our late morning run for mid-afternoon. Maybe the sun would pop out again.

Well, 3:30 rolled around and it looked the same as yesterday when we started - rain, grey, gloom - but today wind with some fairly impressive gusts was added to the mix. We started out on our 5-mile hill run none-the-less. We reached the halfway turnaround in very good time - evidently both of us just wanted to get it done. On the way down the second hill, the rain turned hard - it hurt. We both put our long-sleeved shirts back on. The wind picked up even more and the increasingly large balls of ice were being hurled at us. Great. We just put our heads down and ran for the next half mile until it turned back into benign rain. Another mile and we were home. Glad we went. Glad it's over. Hope it's better weather tomorrow.

Sunshine!

I woke up this morning and felt sad. Negative thoughts flowed through my mind. Not good. I hadn't run in two days - too busy with my son's high school graduation stuff. Not sure I'd be able to run today either. Our plan today was to get the boat out of storage and get it cleaned up and ready to put in the water for the season. Usually this is a big day for me - the start of waterski season. Usually this day is sometime in mid-April though. Not this year. We've had an extremely wet and cold spring. Even the locals are complaining. Anyway, it was another grey, cold morning here and getting the boat out seemed like an exercise in futility. We ate breakfast and then headed to the storage area. A quick hook-up and short drive and it was on the driveway and ready to be cleaned. We bought a new cover last year and now I know why I'm such a fan of Sunbrella fabric - the interior of the boat looked almost as good as when we parked it for the winter. I was able to quickly clean the front interior while my husband worked on the exterior. I went inside for some supplies and my running partner called wondering about the 6 miles we had talked about yesterday. Yes, I was was ready to go. I was still feeling gloomy and the cleaning was going fast so maybe a run would make me feel a bit better without setting back the boat-cleaning timeline too far. Even if we put the boat in the water, I wasn't going to ski anyway - it was too cold even for me! So we ran. Grey, gloomy, cold. After a mile, some blue was spotted in the sky. Another mile, more blue. Mile 3 I took off my long-sleeved shirt. Mile 4 the sun popped out. Mile 5 - a bit warmer. Mile 6 - my running partner is slowing down because of the 'heat'. Wow!! Finished in sunshine! Felt like spring! Yippee!! Who knows - maybe I'll take a first-day ski after all!! I think I found my sunshine!!

Tacoma City Marathon

After the Hamburg Marathon one of the runner's parents had all of us over for a post-race evening of dinner and drinks.  While we were eating the talk turned to "the next race". Wolfgang and Alexander had no immediate plans but when they asked me I told them I was considering Tacoma City on May 10th.  They became quiet and then started speaking in German - I was able to get the gist of the conversation and I believe they considered me to be either an endorphin addict or a fool.  They could be right on both counts.  

Well, I decided the night before race day to run Tacoma City - for sure.  I drove to the expo after work and said hello to my friends working behind the tables.  Then I signed up for the marathon.  The only job left was to carbo-load and sleep.  Lucky for me, my husband is an expert at cooking wonderful pasta and that's just what he did that evening.  

The next morning I woke early and had my usual toast with peanut butter and jelly, and coffee.  Then it was off to the race.  My husband drove me - he needed to do some work at his office anyway and it was just up the street.  He thought he'd be able to see me somewhere along the course, but would certainly meet me at the finish line afterwards.

It was cool enough to wear a long-sleeve tech shirt over my Maniac singlet and shorts in the starting area.  Looked like perfect weather for a long run.  While waiting I chatted with the father - Jeff - of one of Carlsson's cross country friends.  Jeff had run my first-ever race with me in 2005.  I always look forward to seeing him and his sons at various races in the area.  His time on marathons is about 30-45 minutes faster than mine and I had no plans to run this one fast.  We would not be running together.  Just before the start I found Abi - a running group friend.  She's been running a string of marathons and this one would give her Maniac status.  She runs about my pace and we decided to at least start together.  

The first few miles of the marathon loop through Tacoma's downtown area.  A soft rain began to fall but only lasted a short time.  We ran up and down a few hills but kept talking to each other the entire time.  We saw a few familiar faces along the way; people from work, neighbors, but most in volunteer jackets - from our running club.  

Before we knew it we were down on the waterfront.  It was on the ramp to the waterfront that the lead runner of the half marathon passed us.  Before long several more men ran by, and then right before the half's turn-around, the first woman half-marathoner passed us.  We had fun cheering them all on.  

At the end of the waterfront portion of the race is the "tunnel".  This is a barely-two-car-wide dark, dank, low-ceilinged structure that curves in the middle just enough so that you can't see what is coming towards you.  I ran through this tunnel last year with the running group as part of a training run and I must say, it was less "exciting" knowing that it was closed to motor traffic during the race.  Still a fun experience though!

After the tunnel comes the Ruston neighborhood.  Abi pointed out the homes of several people she knew and shared one of her S-Caps with me.  She and I had both been taking gels every five miles or so, but the S-Cap offer was too good to pass up.  I really need to order some of those.  I already have three people to re-pay who have shared theirs with me.

We entered Point Defiance Park feeling strong and happy.  Still chattering away we both agreed to walk the steepest hills if we felt the need.  We felt the need several times but ran at our usual pace once the steepest parts were past.  Oh, the water stop in the park was the best ever!  Blues Brothers was the theme and they were all dressed and ready to rock and roll.  The music and signs and energy were fabulous!  

After the park comes a section of the course that winds through neighborhoods.  It is also the start of a three-mile grade.  It is rolling hills, but at an upward slant.  I was glad I knew this, and that I knew when it would be over too.  It made it much more tolerable for me.  We turned a corner around mile 16 and there was my husband.  He had just arrived and the timing was perfect.  It was a steep uphill section so the three of us walked together for a bit before he left.  Nice.  fewer than 10 miles to go now - I always love it when the countdown is in single digits.

After the neighborhood, there are a few twists and turns and a bridge over the freeway (fun!) and then a trail that runs along the freeway.  I found this part to be noisy - we didn't talk as much - but the traffic was an interesting distraction too.  Several large groups of motorcycles passed by.  It was a nice day for a ride too evidently.  Because we weren't talking as much, there were several times when I took the lead and we just ran.  It felt good, and I couldn't believe how strong I felt and how quickly the miles were passing by.  We met one of our running group members who had bonked.  He ran with us for awhile but then slowed and we kept moving.  We said our hello's to Patch and Sonya at the Chaney Stadium water stop.  Wonderful to see their smiles.  Took a few walk breaks butfor the most part kept moving at a decent pace.   At mile 23 or so, Abi began to feel the need to stretch.  She was tiring.  This was the point in the course though that starts the downward section all the way to the finish.  I felt the need to continue running and at mile 24 or so checked my Garmin and realized that I had a good chance to beat my Hamburg time.  I really wanted that.  At 24.5 my Garmin quit - full of data.  I turned it off and turned to look for Abi.  She had been following right behind me and now I couldn't even see her.  What to do.  I had really wanted to cross the finish line with her, but I really wanted to beat my Hamburg time too.  If I waited, I would be too late.  I knew she was fine - I kept running.  I felt strong and happy.  After the hurt I felt at Hamburg, I really needed this.  It was a smooth sail to the finish line and I could see the time - 4:36 something - yes!  Heard the announcer say something about my Maniac shirt.  Then he said my name.  I couldn't help smiling.  This was the best race ever!  I crossed the line and got my medal and looked for Abi.  Still not in sight.  Looked for my husband - also missing.  Had my chip removed and drank some water and had my picture taken.  Still no sign of Abi or my husband.  Finally - my husband.  He had calculated our finish time based on what our time had been at mile 16 and didn't plan to see me cross the line for another 5 or 10 minutes.  That made me feel even better.  Saw Abi come into view at that point too.  She was running with one of our club members who had taken the early-start option.  Big hugs and congratulations all around!  Yes!!  Yippee!!  Felt very, very happy about this race!!

I Did It But I Didn't Do It!

The short version: I ran Hamburg with a goal of coming in at or near 4:15. I came in at 4:38. Dang!

The long version: I arrived in Hamburg - after a 4-day sojourn with my family in Ohio - early on Thursday morning. Carlsson, our former exchange student, was there to meet me with a big smile and a warm embrace. We quickly gathered my luggage and headed off to his hometown of Travemünde, a Baltic seaside village. First thing I wanted to do after depositing my suitcases in his parent’s house was to walk to the beach. It’s a beautiful, wide, sandy beach with those cool wicker beach cabanas arranged in rows. It was too cool for sunbathers so we had the sand to ourselves and we walked along throwing starfish back into the sea. After snapping a few pictures we decided to go to Lübeck and do some shopping and then hit the grocery to get some brats and beer for a balcony barbeque. By 8:30pm Carlsson, his sister, her boyfriend, another friend and I were enjoying jazz, brats, a huge salad, and beer. By 10:30 it was time to clear the table and head off to the club. They decided to go to the bar where the sister worked – it attracts patrons of ‘all ages.’ Carlsson and I had to leave early – 1:30am – as we were both running that weekend – he at a track meet the following day, and me the day after.

The next morning, Friday, we woke, packed up, and headed to Hamburg to pick up my race packet. I had brought ‘Ethel” – our portable GPS along and she guided us right to the messe where the marathon expo was. We got my timing chip and packet and were perusing the give-aways when we met Wolfgang, a family friend who was planning on running with me during the marathon. After talking for a bit, Wolfgang needed to leave and Carlsson and I continued our shopping. Soon we were headed to Cologne (Köln) where Carlsson is attending college. We arrived at his apartment, unpacked, then headed out to find a nice restaurant. By 10pm I was exhausted and we returned to get some sleep. The next morning we hit one of those wonderful German bakeries for rolls and coffee before heading to the track meet. Carlsson runs the 400m – went to state in that event when he stayed here with us. Today he would be running a 150m and a 300m (odd distances – even for Germans). He did just OK on the 150m but won his heat in the 300m Yes! Met a number of his friends and talked for a long time with one of them. Nice, nice kids. We returned to his apartment and made some pasta for my pre-race carbo-meal. We left Köln for Travemünde around 6:30 or 7pm. The drive is usually around 4+ hours, but we had decided to post our car as a ride-share and were going to be picking up a young man at the Köln train station and then delivering him to the train station in Hamburg on the way. This would add some time to our commute, but it would also pay for some of the fuel. I thought it would be fun too. I really wanted to ‘live’ in Germany this trip, not just ‘visit’, and this is how the Germans live. Besides, on the autobahn, time can be made up with speed. We arrived in Travemünde a little after midnight. We would be leaving at 6:30am to take the train to Hamburg for the marathon. No problem – I usually don’t sleep well before a race anyway.

At 6:30am the doorbell rang and there was Wolfgang. His wife, Hanne (not running) and Alexander (a 29-year-old friend who was also running – but at a faster pace) were in the car. The five of us headed to the train station. Halfway to Hamburg, Wolfgang and Alexander proceeded to change shirts and shoes. Changing clothes seems to be a German preoccupation. Carlsson and I used this time to plot where he would be along the course; 10k, 25k and 35k. About a mile from our stop, the train stopped and after a few minutes a voice came on and announced that the track was busy and we would have to walk the rest of the way. Everyone exited. The train conductor exited too and used a phone on the platform to make a call and after just a few seconds of conversation it was decided that the train would continue and there was a mad dash to re-board the train. Whew! No long trek before the marathon. The day was sunny and warm. It had warmed the day before too. Hmm. Maybe too warm? The train stopped near the start area and I needed to use the port-a-potties. Wolfgang and Alexander needed to find the bag drop. After deciding on a meeting spot we went about our business. Carlsson and Hanne stayed with me. When we returned to the meeting spot, Wolfgang and Alexander were nowhere in sight. We waited. They didn’t come. We decided it was time to line up so we went to the corral for my time group. We looked and looked. Still no sign of Wolfgang or Alexander. Carlsson lifted me to his shoulders to look - nada. Oh well, I wasn’t planning on doing a lot of talking anyway. If I found them on the course great, if not, it would be fine. Carlsson and Hanne seemed concerned however.

Before long it was time – a song, (their anthem?) then the start. It took a few minutes before we started to move and several more before we crossed the start line. I remembered to start my Garmin. We’re off! First mile or two felt a little ‘creaky’ but I found my groove soon enough. About three miles into the run I saw a man wearing a Brazil shirt. I asked in Portuguese if he was really Brazilian. Sim! We chatted for a mile or more before I saw another man ahead with the same shirt and asked if they were friends. Sim! The Brazilian called ahead to his friend that there was a ‘Brasileira aqui’. Made me laugh. If you speak ten words of Portuguese to a Brazilian they immediately include you as one of the gang. We ran together for awhile chatting away until we neared the 10k mark. Then I told them I needed to look for my son. The crowds were thick there and I didn’t want to miss Carlsson. I finally saw him ahead on the right. Big hug. Next thing I knew a lady was pushing a microphone in my face asking me in German how the race was going for me. A quick switch to my pathetic German and I managed to tell her it was good, and that I was American and didn’t speak much German. She asked a few more questions and then I was off again.

By this time it was starting to get hot and I was jealous of the Brazilians who of course were not affected by the heat. One was even wearing long sleeves and a cap on his head. Dang! I started looking for the next water stop. They seemed to be spaced every three or four kilometers. The first water stop I had encountered took me by surprise. They were using large tubs and filling them by hoses. There were plastic cups afloat in them which the runners then grabbed and immersed into the tub of water. Hmmm. Not what I expected from the ordinarily super-hygenic Germans. The other end of the ‘water’ issue was at the 5k mark more or less. I noticed a large number of runners veering off to the sides. Not sure why. Oh…..I see…..really see….. many men peeing in the bushes along the route (seen that before) but lots of bare bottoms too……women joining the men in their ‘elimination endeavor’. Made me smile. The Germans are just not concerned with modesty the way Americans are.

The race course wound along the waterfront and then past many beautiful homes – one of which looked like a miniature White House. The scenery helped to hold my interest, and pace. Up through to 18k or so I was keeping my pace right where I wanted it to be. After that though, I really started to tire and it was a struggle to hold the tempo. I knew I’d see Carlsson again soon and decided I could hold on until then. At 25k he was there; with gel, a wonderful sign he had made, and words of encouragement. He had seen Wolfgang - about 4 minutes in front of me. Carlsson said he would be at the 35k mark and would be ready to run with me to the end. I had asked him earlier if he’d like to run the last 5 miles or so with me as my son Elliot has done in the past. He jumped at the chance. OK, now I just had to hold on for another 10k. It was work, but I did it. The last few kilometers were slow, but I kept moving. Finally, I saw him and he was indeed ready to run. I had told him earlier how hard it had been for Elliot the first time he ran with me at the end of a marathon - difficult to be the one doing most of the talking. I was really hurting by the time 35k came along and I really needed the encouragement he offered. He really worked hard at keeping my spirits up. We walked more than I would have liked but we did keep moving. I’m pleased that on the videos that were taken every 5k by the race officials, I was always running. Didn’t seem that way to me. As we neared the finish line, Carlsson saw Wolfgang right in front of us. He was hurting too and didn’t want to slow down. Carlsson veered off right before the finish and I ended up crossing the line about 15 seconds behind Wolfgang. We would find out later that I had actually beat him by about 3 minutes because he had started earlier than me. Yes!

The finish chute was long. It ended in a ‘runner’s village’ where we got our goodie bag (apple, banana, power-aid, and granola bar) and beer (non-alcoholic). Wolfgang and Alexander (who we amazingly found too) then proceeded to disrobe, wipe with a towel, and change into jeans and t-shirts. An amazingly German thing to do. Can’t stay damp. They do this at the beach too – get out of the water, disrobe, air-dry, then change into a dry suit or clothes. Actually, Wolfgang used a towel-around-the-waist approach to change, most of the men around me did not. After a too-long time of wiping and changing and drinking, we were finally ready to go to the exit to meet up with Hanne and Carlsson. About this time Alexander started to get sick and we all just wanted to go home. Nice to have taken the train – no traffic delays. Home, shower, then off to Alexander’s house where his parents hosted a post-marathon evening of drink and food for all of us. A realllly fun evening - but that’s for another blog!

I've Been Tagged!

Interesting, this blogging stuff.  Can't decide whether it's for me or not - but it seems to keep pulling me back somehow.  I certainly enjoy reading other people's writing - their thoughts, their dreams, their reactions to the same races I've run, or would like to run.  I find myself being inspired (you know who you are) and informed.  But, most of all, I feel somehow connected.  I just returned from yet another trip and the first thing I did was look at the running forum to see what was new.  I wrote an email to a running friend and lamented that I wouldn't be seeing my running group until Thursday and wished it would be sooner.  I have some questions for them.  I want to feel their energy.  I want their encouragement.  I miss them.  Sooooo, when I started to read my friend's blog this morning  I saw my name there.  My name.  I had been tagged.  Like the game on the playground years ago getting tagged meant you were a part of the game.  You were liked.  You had friends.  Then it was your turn to run fast, chase them - big smile and squeals of joy when you finally managed to tap their arm and continue the game.  And so it goes - full circle - tagging each other.  

I will play the game.  I will find six words.  I couldn't decide whether to run today or not and once again I have been inspired by others.  I will think of my six words during my run.  Big smile and sounds of happiness.

Crosstraining Weekend!

I haven't run since last Wednesday - and I don't even feel bad about that.  As a matter of fact, I'm sitting on my sofa feeling stronger than ever.  Let me back up - last Thursday, Valentine's Day, I had a nice, 5-mile run planned.  I bagged it.  I didn't want to bag it, but I did.  I felt achy.  An all-over, not-the-flu kind of achiness.  I decided to listen to my body and just concentrate on getting packed up for our annual ski trip to Whistler.  We ended up leaving the house a bit later than our planned 2:30 departure because our son had a "mandatory" after-school meeting to attend.  What kind of a teacher schedules a "mandatory" meeting on a holiday weekend?  The inability to read a calendar and respect other's vacation time always amazes me.  None-the-less, we were able to leave the house at 3:15 - just in time to hit rush-hour traffic in Seattle.  Despite the traffic, we made good time.  We had no wait at the border crossing and were north of Vancouver in no time.  Now, the real driving was to begin.  

Route 99 north of Vancouver is the only road to Whistler (unless you approach from the East and circle around to the north of Whistler).  This road has to be one of the most scenic routes in the world.   It is a sinuous bed of pavement squeezed between the rocky, mossy, lush mountains on one side and the fjord-like Howe Sound on the other.   Simply glorious!  Except at night - which is when we encountered it.  After dark, route 99 becomes a behemoth.  Not only does it twist and turn but the Canadians have been frantically working to widen this roadway to four-lanes in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics - to be held in Whistler - for several years now.  They are working on it day and night.  They are literally blasting away the mountains on the east side while building up roadbed on the west.  The route is littered with construction sites, huge road divots, a total lack of painted lines, work equipment entering and leaving the road, and rocks and boulders that have fallen on the pavement.   Add to this the risk of an hours-long back-up caused by...... and you get the picture.  Needless to say, we were relieved and tired by the time we arrived in Whistler at 10pm.   

Whistler!  What can I say?  We went there the first time four years ago.  Stayed right in the village.  Loved it from the moment I set eyes on it.  It is set right in the middle of some of the most beautiful mountains in the world (yes, the world) and it is completely car-free.  That's right, you can walk right out your door, and be in the middle of a pedestrian-friendly village.  You can ski, eat, drink, and shop without ever grabbing your car keys.  If you have small children they can walk safely without having to hang onto your hand the entire time.  People of all ages can feel totally independent there. 

The first time we came to Whistler we were not downhill skiers.  However, with the bravado of the totally innocent we strapped on our rentals and took the gondola to the top.  It took us hours to get back down.  We decided perhaps a lesson was in order.  We've been attempting to ski without terror ever since. 

Fast-forward four years and we are solid, middle-of-the road skiers (except our son who is skiing circles around my husband and me.)  Skiing, like distance running, was an exercise in persistence.  We just made up our minds to do it and we did.  We did it even when it was more work than pleasure, knowing that if we kept at it we would find the joy in it.  Well, I can honestly say that we had a joyful four days of skiing.  We challenged ourselves and were pleased with our success.  The achiness that I felt on Thursday continued another day or two after we arrived and  I was getting a bit worried until I woke up feeling fine on Saturday.  I had increased my mileage fast after Christmas vacation and I now know that that was the problem.  Not running on Thursday was the right move.  I now feel stronger than ever because  we not only skied hard, but we carried around all those extra pounds of gear for hours on end (I'm planning on weighing myself with all my ski gear on - my boots, my skies, coat, camera, phone, even my ski map.  I'll report on that number later.)  I feel that we really got a great workout and I'm even more anxious to see how it affects my running.  The drive home was a joy too.  We hit route 99 during daylight hours and were thereby able to enjoy the scenery and treat the curves, roadway boulders, and such as mere obstacles on a giant slalom course.  Like our skiing, we kept a reasonable pace and just enjoyed the challenge.  

Here's to joyful crosstraining!!

Oh Sunny Day!

Glorious run in the sun today!  The blue sky was amazing.  Went six miles and loved every step.  Wore shorts to have as much skin/sun contact as possible.  Put me in a wonderful state-of-mind!  Oh sunny day (go ahead, hum along!) 

I haven't written for awhile and the reason was the grey.  You see, living in the Pacific Northwest does have its benefits - cool weather that's perfect for running, low summertime humidity, stunningly beautiful mountains, year-round green, a flush of blooms in the spring.....I could go on and on.  One of the major drawbacks of this area however (for me at least) is the grey.  We can go weeks without seeing blue in the sky.  The clouds hang low and the water drips from them.  The sky changes throughout the day from a deep, dark grey, to a lighter, brighter shade of grey, easing into a medium grey, and then back to the ominous grey.  As a matter of fact, I remember writing to a friend the winter after we moved here and saying that I now understood why there were two ways to spell, "grey" - it was so people here in the PNW could vary their weather reports.... light grey changing to dark gray and then back to heavy, deep grey.  Don't even get me started on the many terms for rain here.  Anyway, the grey is the reason for the writing lapse.  I find it hard to find my happy place when the clouds are hanging over my head.  Running is extremely important to me during these times.  It is my therapy, and it allows me to soak up any ambient light out there.  This is another reason why I'm a daylight runner.  I don't like running in the dark (i.e. before work) because it doesn't help as much during the grey season here.  I am proud to say that I kept my miles up during the weeks of grey that we just endured.  I ran in medium grey, light grey, and ominous, dark gray - and every shade of gray in between.  Someday I'll describe to you all the different types of "rain" that I ran in too.  But, that's for another day, for today it's blue sky day!!  I may just have to go out and run again!!

Dreadmill Day

I got called in to work today which sort of wrecked my planned 9 mile run.  I would now have to race down Meridian (the local version of a linear parking lot) right after work to get my allergy shot before the doctor's office closed.  That would bring me home just in time for sunset and falling temperatures.  I don't mind running in the dark, but the dark with icy patches is just not my cup of tea.  The alternative - a treadmill.  Mine is in my garage - on the carpeted part - with a TV, DVD player and cable hook-up.  Sounds not-so-bad, perhaps even inviting.  I wish I could convince myself.  I really hate the treadmill.  It is dreadful.  I turn on a favorite show, crank up the sound, have my iPod on to blare my favorite music when the show gets boring.  Nothing seems to work.  I end up playing mind games with the numbers on the mileage/calories burned/elapsed time display.  Booooooring!  I consider myself a 'real' runner every time I complete a treadmill workout.  Only a 'real' runner would do that.  Dreadmills - the last choice for a 'real' runner...

Fat Flakes Run

Just returned from my regular run - except today it wasn't "regular".  When I started it was cold and looked like it could rain or snow or something in-between.  Well, it started to rain, then it turned into snow, and by the second mile the sky was full of big, fat, fluffy flakes.  I held my mouth skyward trying to catch as many as I could.  I felt like I was a kid again  and I started to pick up the pace.  The snow started to stick to the ground a bit, and the trees had pearls of water dripping from the branches.  A beautiful, magical look.  By the start of the fourth and final mile I felt like running it in faster, but my running partner was starting to lag.  I decided to do some fartleks  to burn some of my extra energy.  They seemed to do the trick.  My breathing became harder and I felt like I was really running.  I'll have to do more fartleks in the future when I feel the pace is starting to drag.  What a gorgeous run!

I Guess I'm a Blogger!

OK, I'm new at this.  I'm not sure how this will look and so I don't want to write much (once in cyberspace, always in cyberspace....)  This may be an exercise in simplicity.