Marathon Recovery

In 2009 I will be in a new age group... and I am hoping to be training for it.

We are on schedule!
Recent Activity ... in reverse order:

Resistance training ... Wednesday, July 2, at home
10 miles ... Tuesday, July 1, Gateway Trail
6.3 miles ... Sunday, June 29, Gateway Trail
5K ... Saturday, June 28, North of Stillwater
45 minutes ... Wednesday, June 25, County Park
26.2 miles ... Saturday, June 21, Grandma's Marathon

(See previous posts for MARATHON REPORT)

When we run through this part of Gateway, I think of other oak woods I have seen... the Oaks in New Orleans where we ran in the marathon there .... the oaks of James Island, South Carolina, when we ran the Kiawah Island Half Marathon.

Just about 80 when we ran this morning, with a little breeze, but that sun was high in the sky by the time we finished mile 10. Summer is here.

Thank you, Chicago People!

Well, we were pretty warm.. so not too sure of locations.. but maybe on Clark ... and Wells ... Boystown... many spectators sprayed us with hoses... someone handed us bottles of water... and there was the young man who came out of Starbucks with a huge tray of paper cups of water.. just as we came by.
Water stops had no signs and seemed to appear irregularly... but by one way or another we did stay relatively hydrated during that part of the race course.

Cheering by specators was ... well, cheering our spirits.
Thanks Chicago.

As we ran, it was fun to see the Red Fish restaurant where we had enjoyed jambalaya (hold the seafood to avoid too much protein) for pre-race dinner the previous evening. Proved to be a good place to eat and a good carbo load for the race.

Marathon Part Two

Marathons have the potential to be the most awesome athletic events in history: World class athletes and ordinary hopeful active people of all ages participating in the race.

Disappointments of Chicago:

Shutting down the race penalized us velocity challenged participants AGAIN.
The Chicago officials turned their marathon into a 5 ½ hour ordeal... in mid-stream.

Come-on, guys, the record hot forecast for Sunday was there all week. Order up cups of ice for every 5 miles and the option of COLD water every 2.

Shutting down the marathon at 3 ½ hours was the ultimate ageist, sexist, elitist slam.

Everything was expensive in many ways, Chicago.

The weather:
1. The heat sucked.
2. Global warming is real.
3. 87 degrees in Chicago wasn’t a surprise; it was the forecast for days.
4. My heart goes out to those who could have or did finish in spite of the heat and got turned into fun runners, after huge investments of training, time, energy and money.

I was angry.....
When, in the Bjorklund Half in Duluth, they cut off our chips at mile 7.
When, in the 2006 Twin Cities, all the water stops were shut down after mile 5.
When I discovered that all certified marathons in IA, SD, NE, KS, MN are 6 hours or less.
When I realized, having started running at the late age of 62, that I could never ever qualify for Boston
Whenever I sense sexism... because, unlike football, marathons have the potential to be egalitarian.

I imagine a marathon with water and Gatorade and gummy bears and organic jelly beans and Cliff shots, chunks of banana and sections of fresh orange ... and cups of ice & lots of water hoses when it is hot.

Spectators... as we experienced in New York City and Chicago!!

I dream of marathons where every last old woman and old man and person with handicap gets their time and age group place as long as they cross the finish line on the same day that the race started.

A marathon finish line open at least 8 hours like New York City and Portland Oregon
Perhaps an early start as in Little Rock... (and no penalties of course)
A race course with shady streets.. like New York and Fargo and Chicago and Twin Cities... and pre-Katrina New Orleans.
Plenty of snacks, medals, roses... for even slowest finishers.. As in Portland Oregon
Finisher’s shirts in the packet so everybody gets one. (A technical shirt for running)
A greeting of “We never leave anybody out there” like we got at the Avenue of the Giants when we said thanks for waiting for us.

Sweet Pea and I work hard, we train, we are slow serious runners.
I get frustrated, disappointed, angry, and sometimes I grieve. But having fun can be a decision, and I don’t want the weather, yucky logistics, or behavior of others control my feelings.
I will remember my delights.

I choose to cherish the best of our Chicago weekend.
Call me Sunshine.
-
For another look at our Chicago Marathon weekend, click on Chicaga Saga on Make It a Masterpiece.

Historic Marathon !

Chicago Marathon 2007: Sweet Pea and I were among the TEN THOUSAND (actually 10,900) runners who were invited to the finish to receive finisher's medals for a "fun run" after officials stoppped the race at about mile 18, 3 1/2 hours into the race. So, of course we didn't get an official time.

The predicted high of 87 degrees did become reality.

We had an awesome day ... did pretty well at avoiding overheating ... had lots of slow runners for company... spectators were plentiful.
We ran through Lincoln Park ... past the Red Fish where we had eaten our pre-race dinner ... past Nordstrom's ... Macy's on State Street.. Union Station.... on the streets of good and interesting little neighborhoods ... and all sorts of other good Chicago.

Don finished his 26th marathon, his 15th state.

I've got to quit this and finish unpacking... but for sure the bottom line is..
We had an incredible fun time!!

Moose Mountain Marathon on Lake Superior Trail

Mouth full of ginger cookies!

BE SURE to read Make It A Masterpiece for the real scoop on the Moose Mountain Marathon.

Sweet Pea and I got all the way to Oberg Aid Station for a great 21 miles.
It made the day to have my Honey stick with us for as long as we could make it. What a great experience!

Running Running

Trying to keep in condition for another long run, in spite of feet and knees and weather... Eating lean protein and fruit and vegetables and drinking water... Watching weather forecasts for upcoming events... Looking back at the pictures of the last marathon and remembering a wonderful trip and race.
We 3 are here, and it is the best day of the year.

Avenue of the Giants Marathon

Marathon in the California redwoods: May 6. (L) Two half-marathon turn-arounds provided good chances to greet other runners. Here, Sweet Pea meets Runner Dude. (R)My Sweet Pea running partner and I did not make a PR, but felt less beat at the finish line than in past marathons. Here the course follows the Eel River. Running among precious ancient living trees: a memory to cherish... We are already beginning to train for the next marathon.

Austin Marathon Weekend

Yesterday afternoon we three strolled, with slight post-marathon limp, from the imposing Texas State Capitol Building, down Congress Avenue, toward the Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge, where we had run the marathon the previous day. We sat at a patio table, sipping lattes, celebrating victory and the warm spring day.

Runner Dude won his age group.

For us slower runners, race day got warm (with some sunburn) and hills got wearing, with few spectators cheering. We had done our training on a flat indoor track, due to a cold Minnesota January-February. Spring will be welcome!

Hills were moderately tough on my knees and my hip joints muscles are stiff and sore.
But as I ran, I kept thinking, I love running marathons!!
Race officials and volunteers encouraged us.

Sweet Runner Dude coming back to meet us... after running a full award-winning marathon!.... a dearest, most energizing and precious experience. We see him in the distance, running toward, at around mile 22. He brings fresh cold water or Gatorade (the water stops are often shut down by the time we get to that point... except in NYC and Portland OR)... and he carries our most recently shed shirts. He runs/walks with us, checks ahead for traffic where the streets have been opened up, and cheers us on.
Dear Sweetie makes every run and race and marathon a family event for us all.

Our tenth marathon and our ninth state... and for the Fast Runner, his twenty-second marathon and thirteenth state.
We three are all sporting finishers’ medals and shirts.

A hotel room near the start (and finish) and the expo, energized our weekend participation. Our Super Family Events Manager here located a room with kitchen, enabling us to have our usual eggs and oatmeal breakfasts, except on marathon morning, of course. We found some great food for other meals at the super-sized Whole Foods Market, known to some as “Whole Dollar”, but, hey, it beats the regular super markets for healthy choices.

Other highlights of the trip:
Seeing, conversation with, hugging my long-time friend, Peggy, and meeting her dear pre-school granddaughter

Visiting the Lyndon Johnson Presidential Library on President’s Day...riding the free 'Dillo trolley to get there.

Last pre-marathon taper run on Town Lake Trail along the Texas Colorado River

Walking in Zilker Park to the Barton Springs Pool, where a few brave souls were swimming.

Finding a succulent fresh head of organic romaine lettuce at a little organic farmers’ market near the Children’s Museum

Pansies blooming

A gloriously tasty lunch at Pappadeaux Restaurant: Spinach and shrimp salad with blue cheese and hot bacon creole dressing for Runner Dude; sky-high grilled chicken salad for Beep;
linguine with crawfish, blackened shrimp, Andouille sausage and crimini mushrooms in a marinara cream sauce to inspire my cooking back home. A business colleague recommended the restaurant.

Saturday... pre-race pasta dinner was excellent: choice of pasta, sauce, and well, yes... Texas toast!! Plus cookies and pastry we probably should have enjoyed looking at, but resisted consuming the fat points. Lemonade. A fine time.

Safe flights (including a spectacular in-flight sunset) , glorious weather, just being in another city..... And another marathon! Yea!

Write this: the best days of the year!