4th of July 2009

39th annual running in Marine on St. Croix


Beginning of the Tour bike race (on TV)


An owl outside our kitchen window

Balloons over Stillwater, boats on the St.Croix River positioned to enjoy the fireworks

Potluck food

Grandma's Marathon in Duluth

Runner Dude Don ran his 7th Grandma's Marathon. Sweet Pea and I sat this one out because of my knee injury the last weekend in April.

Because some school buses used in past years were not available, every bus-type vehicle within 50 miles was pressed into service. A thousand runners rode the train to the start in Two Harbors.
Every train car on wheels was utilized; some runners sat on folding chairs in baggage cars.

We 3 enjoyed the comfort of first class for the round trip train ride.
The wife of a marathon runner from Texas completed the breakfast table for four.
Below: the great Lake Superior and the Duluth historical aerial bridge.

Don joined runners getting off the train at Two Harbors.
You might be able to see him in his white visor and yellow Deadwood Marathon shirt, behind somebody in a green shirt, about a third of the way across the picture from the left side.
We were able to view the start of the race from the train.

The Irvin ore boat is a museum docked near the finish in Duluth. Here we watched half marathon finishers as we arrived back in Duluth on the train.

Statue in Canal Park area near the finish: Dad with child on shoulders... feeding a seagull.
Sweet Pea and I waited several hours for Don to finish, enjoying Caribou lattes.
Skim milk, unflavored lattes without toppings have helped me maintain exactly the same weight for nearly 2 months of limited activity with this painful swollen knee.

Here he is, coming in to the finish area.

And here is the temperature when he came in (93 degrees). When he gets it posted, you can read his blog for details of his marathon race.
minnesotadon.blogspot.com.

Best bumper sticker of the day:

Good to Run

Early Saturday morning walk.. and even a few steps of running now and then. Ouch.

Incredible injuries to knee are so slowly healing.

Summer is here. Sidewalk chalk and baseball left in a front yard the day before.

Thursday I told Therapist Sara, I want my knee back. And it is actually starting to feel like it is mine again.
I'm doing the icing, stretches, exercises, supplements, healthy eating. Thanks to those folks who are even praying for my knee!

Why did all those geese cross the road??

Today is Flag Day. Happy Birthday.

Deadwood Mickelson Trail Half Marathon

In the Black Hills of western South Dakota

RAIN!
COLD!

Severely limited speed due to knee pain, plus the unseasonable cold, and the possibility of waiting in the rain for an hour at the start equals too much possibility of hypothermia.
It was a painful decision, Saturday night, not-to-run!
I realized I was risking all the recent praise for being seriously hardcore, seriously studly, etc.

Bus loading in the rain at 5:30am

Rain and fog hanging low in the mountains (here at the finish) all day long.

On Saturday (day before the race) we drove to a few points along the beautiful Mickelson Trail.

A cloudy day, but a marvelous trail to run.

For more about the Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon and Runner Don's race see
minnesotadon.blogspot.com.

Minneapolis Marathon - part 2

Starting at about mile 2 on the course Sunday, I said this pain is certainly a 9 out of 10. As the memory fades, I wonder: Maybe it was only an 8 or an 8 1/2 ?? Thanks for all the delightful, the supportive, and the empathetic comments.

Most of the pain has been in a bursa. I am contemplating a race soon. If the pain seems to be mainly in that bursa, I will probably do that race with Sweet Pea.
Pain in the MCL, however, may indicate more threat to my future running. Hmmm.
I am doing all the good things I know (previous posts). I will step lightly with care. Slow and old as I am, strangely, I seem to have a runner's heart.

One of my favorite times is after the annual trip to St. Paul Farmer's Market. Don tenderly tucks the little plants in the ground, and they respond by flourishing.

Fantastic Minneapolis Marathon/Half

Lining up for the Minneapolis Half Marathon, together with the marathoners for a glorious out and back along the scenic Mississippi River

Temp ranged from 45 to 70 degrees, sunny and breezy.

See the young spectator viewing from an apartment window at the start.
Crowds were plentiful and enthusiastic at many areas along the route.

Early part of the course, views of downtown Minneapolis at her finest.

Interesting bridges

Here, the great new 35E bridge, which replaced the old bridge which disasterously collapsed.
On the right, the Washington Avenue Bridge, connecting the east and west campuses of the University of Minnesota.

The course includes crossing the unique historic stone arch bridge.

Spectacular view of St. Anthony Falls, from the Stone Arch Bridge, accessible only to pedestrian traffic.

Start and finish are near the new Guthre Theatre on the river.
A major part of the course is along he Mississippi, on the West River Road (TOTALLY CLOSED to TRAFFIC for the races).

Spectators, including this sweetie who momentarily lost her sun hat, lined the West River Road.

When I taught in an elementary school near Minnehaha Park years ago Mississippi River Road was my communte. Today I searched archives without finding any pictures of the Mississippi River Road. Sigh.
So, put Minneapolis Marathon on your calendar for next year and come and see it for yourself!

This picture was taken in April, before the trees leafed out. The road you see is part of the marathon course. From there, the course continues south to Fort Snelling and a loop around Fort Snelling State Park.
More description of the course on Don's Make It a Masterpiece.

We registered for this race before I crashed my knee (see previous posts).
With pain of 9 on a pain scale of 1-10, I walked this half marathon in support of Sweet Pea. It was a marvelous race; I wouldn't have missed it.
We finished and got our super medals.

Some marathons are not just for super jocks anymore.

Another major reason I am an enthusiastic supporter of the Minneapolis Marathon:
FINISH IS OPEN FOR SEVEN (7) HOURS!!!

SEVEN HOUR FINISH
YES! SEVEN HOUR FINISH

Flowers & Kids

Running fast.. downhill.. this is where, distracted for a moment, I fell, sliding on hands and knees. April 25 at the Get in Gear 10K. You can see the knee brace in the previous post.
Pictures, as always, posted by Sweet Pea. You may click to enlarge.

Dawn of a beautiful Saturday on the way to join the St. Croix Runners.

Then on to the St. Paul Farmer's Market: plants, flowers, early organic produce, bread, chocolate.... and CHILDREN!



Sweet Pea carrying the cosmos for our sun garden.

Wagons for the plants, strollers for the small children, Farmer's Market is a great family outing.

Then over to Minneapolis to the Minneapolis Marathon/Half Marathon Expo. Again, the children were out enjoying summer.


This boy gave his dad a hand.

Statue called "Dancers" near the entrance to the old Milwaukee Depot, site of the expo.

We stopped at Caribou for a latte on the way to drive the race course.
Usually, I shoot twice, and wish I had this time, because a second later, this dear girl gave me a sweet shy smile.
And I missed the shot of the 3 year old boy, reclining in stroller, hat at just the right tilt, one leg crossed over the other in a casual attitude, taking in the day. So cute. And, no doubt, reminding me of other dear 3 year olds I have known.

The races are tomorrow.

Progress

Just getting in the car at the Brace Place, I knew this brace was what I needed now. My MCL seems so fragile, the smallest twist fills my knee with pain. The brace holds my knee straight.
I asked if they had the brace in pink. He said they had black and black.

I'm walking every day, plus keeping up with everything from the recent posts.
Racing season is here; challenge is to discern how hard to push.
The brace will help me to avoid re-injury, but cannot prevent stupidity.
Thanks for well wishes!

Woodpecker & Me

You may notice a bit of repetition; therapy and healing is like that.

From the couch I can see woodpeckers pecking away at the suet, hummingbirds sipping syrup, several other songbirds feasting on black oilers (sunflower seeds), and yes, I can see this woodpecker coming back for orange to take back to babies.

And I have my lap top computer (thanks for blog comments and e-mails) and television and favorite magazines and some fresh books and my support family of Don and Sweet Pea, and my sense of humor. No excuse for boredom?
But I want to be running.

Twenty-four days since the Lincoln Half Marathon and getting better: therapy sessions, stretching, sleeping, good nutrition, supplements from the naturopathic doctor, ice and heating pad, and some whining.

Still some sharp pain in both the MCL and the inflamed bursa in my knee when I walk and even lying in bed. Physical Therapist, Sara, says walk, keeping pain down to 2 or 3 (on a scale of 1-10).
Today I discovered that slow and careful low-pain walking is finally actually a possibility.
Today I did 2 fifteen minute "slow-pedals" on exercise bikes and walked more than half an hour, oh so slowly, on the community center track.

Hopefulness.
Oh yes.
Thanks, everybody.

Bursa & Birds & Bad Fats

My huge fall on hands and knees resulted in injury to an MCL, but it turns out the inflamed bursa of the knee is the source of the extreme pain in running/walking. After consulting with my physical therapist, it seems like the best hope of healing an injured bursa may be to totally quit annoying it. I'm on the couch.

Sweet Pea caught a woodpecker enjoying the orange we had put out for the orioles.

Minnesota's own trans fat (don't eat it ever) salted nut roll post race freebe.
Check the ingredient list and pass this one by. "Partially hydrogenated" !

Next New Year's when you think about taking down the holiday wreath... consider that a robin may build a nest in it if you leave it up for Memorial Day.

Mamma Robin appreciates.