Looking out at Mayo Clinic buildings, Sweet Pea and I waited with Don for his appointments.
Don should have a report up on http://myelomahope.blogspot.com/ in a day or two.
Saturday morning we 3 were up and ready for the Rochester Half Marathon. 
Again within sight of Mayo Clinic we joined about 600 runners.
The out-and-back course, through residential area, eventually took us out into southern Minnesota countryside.
We were out there with the cell phone towers and the sights and smells of cows.
Part of the course was on one of Rochester's wonderful trails.
Below is the corner where someone moved 3 large orange cones to block the half marathon course.. for the benefit of the 5K race. And, because we had fallen off the back of the pack... we observed the orange cones ... and took a wrong turn... which later I jokingly said .... caused us to run all the way to Wisconsin. A race volunteer took pity on us and drove us back to the race course.
By then, of course, we were really really behind and later got lost again... missing the entrance back on to a trail from a street on the edge of town.
If Don had not come running back to meet us... and guide us in to the finish, we most probably would still be running around on the trails in Rochester.
Actually, we had a great time. The temperature didn't get up to 70 degrees. Not too humid, with a gentle breeze!
At the finish, which was completely deserted less than 4 hours after the start, we found bananas and water left for us. I'm guessing I was the oldest in the 60-69 year age group.
Someone then appeared, took our names and our Champion Chips .... and promised that we would received finisher's medals in the mail. How cool!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
A Day in a Half in Rochester
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10 comments:
Hi Sunshine! I hope this note finds you well... I have missed catching up with you.. hope Don's appointments went well... How are your New Balance? Mine were terrible, I hope yours prove that mine were a pair that slipped through QC unnoticed... run free my friend!!! :-)
Cat
Boy oh Boy, what a race...sounds like fun even though they packed up on you.
Best Wishes to Don, please post your finisher medals when you get them...well DONE!
Sounds like you had quite an adventure running around on those trails. That's happened to me at least once before, in an unfamilar place where you take a wrong turn, and go on and on. You eventually get back, and it's usually fun! I hope Don's appts. go well.
A beautiful day for a beautiful trail run I think you guys just wanted to enjoy it a little more and took an extra loop :) glad Don found you guys and I hope all went well with his appointment
Good wishes on the Don's report from the Doc...
I've run Rochester a couple of times -- always an enjoyable race. I like it when the scenery changes and you get the best of "urban" and rural with Rochester.
You are right about the weather. Sure is getting to feel like we are on the edge of fall. (I'm not ready, I have to admit!)
Sounds like an adventure race! I'm sure I would have gotten lost as I often have on trails Glad you all made it back to the finish and very nice that someone was still there to take the chips and let you know about the medals.
Fingers crossed that things go well with Don.
Thanks for all good comments.. and good wishes for Don.
His report is now up on MyelomaHope.blogspot. (Clickable at the top of the post.)
And we are hopeful!!!
Some races are just more interesting than other races. It sounds like you had a lot of fun even though!
We had alarms and odd weather all around the Denver area yesterday. I did not hear about the tornado, though. We are right on the edge of tornado alley!
I ran my longest Saturday morning (so far) - 19.48 miles!
Okay, hope this doesn't duplicate because Blogger claims it already posted. Rochester is a beautiful town. I've been through there a few times myself. Glad you found your way to the finish or you might be almost to Michigan by now! And the fact they had food left for you at the end was a bonus. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten to the finish line, last or almost last, and there isn't even a sign there was any post-race food or drink.
Oh, P.S. I don't know how you get your mirror pics to turn out. Mine never do!
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