Race Directors Take Note! ....(Runners and Volunteers, too)

"FINISH LINE WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR ALL
RUNNERS WHO CHOOSE TO FINISH."

The above statement... in capital letters... is on the brochure for the
Bear Water Run ... 10 mile and 20 mile races around White Bear Lake on
September 13, 2008, 8 am.
Sponsored by the White Bear Lake Lions Club to benefit multiple charitable organizations in the community.

Hurrah for the race director.
Hurrah for the Lions Club.
Hurrah for young beginning runners who have not run that far before.
Hurrah for runners with injuries, who can't run so fast anymore.
Hurrah for runners whose cancer drugs have slowed their running.
Hurrah for runners with handicaps doing what they can.
Hurrah for 60-something folks who are slowing down.
Hurrah for the elite runners who win awards.
Hurrah for volunteers... always.
Hurrah for the wonderful sense of community fostered by a
rich variety of participants.

PS: Today Sweet Pea and I did 14 slow miles on the Trail this afternoon. Saw a couple of wild turkeys. Temp was 80 at 5:00 when we were still out there.

Myeloma results

Don has posted his report on http://myelomahope.blogspot.com/
Thanks for checking in.

A Day in a Half in Rochester

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!

Autumn?

Minnesota State Fair starts today.

Tuesday on the Trail we saw summac turning red...

And a few leaves collecting at the edges of the Trail.

Sweet Pea is pretty reactive to wasp stings.. and it seems to be wasp stinging season... but fortunately we ran into no wasps.
Including the two miles (out and back from the house) today, Sweet Pea and I logged 27.7 miles for the week ending tomorrow.

Our current favorite race food... so delicious it is incentive to go out for a run.
Pamela's dark chocolate chocolate chunk cookies; wheat free, gluten free, non-dairy, 89% organic.

Running on the trail

One of our favorite spectators.. or maybe we are spectators of the cat? Not always lying around, this cat is the same cat we observed one day with mouse in mouth!
This is not our kitty... Ours is safe at home in the house.

Seldom a boring day:

8 on the 8th ?

On Tuesday, on the trail, 8.6 miles.
On Thursday (today), on the trail, 14 miles.

Some folks are participating in a virtual race: 8 miles on the 8th.
See Nancy's blog: http://www.nancy262.com/index.htm
Incidentally, Friday (tomorrow) is 08-08-08 ... whichever order you prefer!!

On the trail today we came upon a wild turkey ....

Actually, we saw THREE wild turkeys!

Wild flowers are mostly yellow and gold and orange now, and today, as hot as it was in the sun, in the shadows and the shade of the trees, there was chill, harbinger of autumn.

Hennepin Lake Classic 10K

10K Race Sunday, at 8:15... registration tent in the park at Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis.

Runners lined up for the twice around the lake race.

A great time of the year to view flower plantings in private yards and gardens.

City of Lakes, downtown Minneapolis across Lake Calhoun... And a blessedly cloudy day, too, which made for dreary pictures ... but a mighty fine low-70's temp for running (although the humidity probably slowed us some) ... a sweet contrast with the hot August weather for this race the past several years.

Saturday (the previous day) we ran a little 4K in the park.

Flowers in our garden to wish you a pleasant week!


PS The general manager of the Minnesota Zephyr would like folks to know that the train is up and running again! Good luck to them.