Cox Rhodes Marathon/Half Marathon

Sunday, May 1, 2011, Providence, Rhode Island

That little box at the top of the windshield is a Easy Pass/ I-Pass transponder. It reads the tolls as you roll on through on the toll roads and charges you less than if you paid cash. It worked through every state.. to New Jersey a few weeks ago .... and to Rhode Island this week. It is truly a stress reliever.

We drove the race courses the day before the races. The half marathon led us north through old neighborhoods, along a pleasant boulevard, up and down many hills and back along the Seekonk River.


Race day dawned with a clear and cloudless sky.

We smeared on layers of Vanicream SPF 35 sport sunsreen from the Mayo Pharmacy (zinc oxide and octinoxate), hoping that is still the recommended skin protection.

Runners gathered in sight of the capitol building. At 10 minutes before the start, the National Anthem was sung, exactly as written.

A great day for the race

Spring was everywhere: daffodils, tulips, flowering trees.

A million cheers for the great volunteers.

A one-way street led down to the river.
Only on Gano coming back was traffic control NOT controlled, and vehicles sped by within a couple of feet of runners.

Marathon and half marathon runners came in on the same route, past a great number of encouraging signs, especially for Team in Training.
We especially cheer Team in Training runners, running in support of blood cancer research, including myeloma.

The marathon race course was laid out to the south along the harbor, much of it on a bike trail with delightful views.

The last mile leading to the finish, with trees bursting in flowers

Pizza at the finish, and for the marathoners, some pizza even before the finish.
Water and bananas, too, of course

Don was video taped running the marathon. Part of that video was shown this week at the myeloma conference in Paris. See his blog for details:
myelomahope.blogspot.com


Sweet Pea and Sunshine: running partners and finishers, with one more half marathon first in age group award for Sunshine.

Run A Palooza - New Jersey Shores

See that flag at the top!? Wind was gusting to over 30mph on Saturday, April 16 when Sweet Pea and I ran/walked the half marathon.
The races were a benefit for the local Special Olympics.

Sweet Pea ran races in our local Special Olympics when she was in high school. Now she ran in a benefit for Special Olympics.

The sun made this much of an appearance before the race, and then hid behind heavy cloud cover. Pictures turned out sort of gray, but oh it was glorious running in the wind on the board walk along the beach.

Runners took shelter indoors until just before the race.

Sweet Pea espcially enjoys seeing dogs... and kids... out during races.

The board walk was in excellent repair the whole 13.1 miles. A couple of places folks showed up with brooms to sweep drifted sand off the walk.

Running in the wind, along the Atlantic, was a delight to treasure.

Verification of the weather!

We drove all the way to Jersey Shores and got this great technical shirt.

Easter at House of Hope

Sanctuary was full, even at the 11:00 worship.

House of Hope

Music was Easter and glorious.
Sweet Pea wanted to sing even more Easter hymns that she knows.
Choirs and their several anthems were excellent.

One of the best parts:
At the conclusion of the service, the congregation response of all singing the complete "Hallelujah Chorus" (printed in the bulletin with all parts) was amazing.

The organist offered a magnificent postlude (Toccata from Symphony No. 5), for which most stayed in their seats, turning to face the organ in the balcony. At the conclusion, the congregation burst into applause.

The lectern microphone, used by worship leaders and readers, worked well.
Unfortunately there was just a little bit of something wrong with the pulpit mike (strangely common in churches I've known!)
Word recognition during the sermon was difficult for all but those of keenest hearing.
Carillon Postlude of familiar Easter hymns rang throughout the church and atrium and the neighborhood during coffee time.

Easter afternoon: Our first sighting of an egret in the park.

Yes, of course I always miss preaching.

Land Between the Lakes Marathon . . . Part Two

Grand Rivers, Kentucky
Sweet Pea and I did the 23K... a little more than a half marathon, which gave us the delightful opportunity to view both Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake from the trails.
The registered runner's shirt was a short sleeved technical shirt, a useful addition for most runners.
(Click to enlarge any pictures.)
.... AND a very good HAT!

The day before the race we drove to the south end of the National Park Reserve on The Trace, a road through the woods, between the lakes. . . .

. . . . where we saw a herd of bison . . .

. . . . acres of daffodils . . .

. . . . and 2 nineteenth century smelting furnaces.
By taking a side road for 3 miles we were able to get a magnificent view of Kentucky Lake.
Sunrise and the 6am start of the races (note runners in the foreground).

Bridge over the Cumberland River, and the beginning of a good race and a good day
After the long drive through the lovely woods on Friday, we were concerned that the trails would give us no views of the lakes. Our fears proved unfounded: Trail along Lake Barkley.

Not only was the trail well-marked, but there were "Not this way" "Go Back" signs to further assure runners of the correct trail.

Mile markers provided complete information. A couple of new bridges were welcome.

Some muddy spots and small stream crossings without bridges, but not any as wide as this stream along the side of the trail.

Bright green moss, even on the south side of hills

Mile 9 for 23K runners and for first time around runners of the longer races, with Kentucky Lake beyond the trees. This part of the race became a challenge for those of us who had done our training in a Minnesota Field House. Maybe we could have found some stairs for training?!

Congratulations to finishers.
Hurrah for the finish line... and hurrah hurrah for volunteers.
Special thanks to the young girl who was still handing out key chains to 23K finishers when we finished.

I can't believe we were so intent on enjoying the amazing snacks (M&Ms, cookies, pretzels, potato chips, bananas, oranges, etc., etc., etc.) that we came away with NO pictures of the great volunteers and their super water-stop treat tables.

At the community center chili and lentil soup made hearty post-race food.

THANKS West Kentucky Runners and Grand Rivers for sharing the
Land Between the Lakes trails!

Blogging Again!

Picture: three age group awards in half marathons for me in 2010.
In one other half marathon that didn't give age group awards, I was first in age group.
Thanks to Sweet Pea for running with me.

Minnesota has been buried in record snow.


Two perspectives of the St. Croix Field House where we have been running:


Daffodils decorated the hills in the Land Between the Lakes park in Kentucky last weekend when Don ran the marathon and Sweet Pea and I ran the 23K.

That dome, pictured above, did not provide swell hill training for running the Land Between the Lakes trails.
The folks were great; the trail is beautiful; we had a fabulous time.

Be sure to read /http://minnesotadon.blogspot.com
He wrote an interesting report of the Between the Lakes Marathon.

100 Years

About 200 people came to help celebrate her 100th birthday last May. In the autumn family gathered for their 75th wedding anniversary.

We were losing her a little at a time, but then just after Christmas, in a few days she was gone. He was at her side. More than 200 folks came to the celebration of life at her church this past week.

She was a Master Gardener, an artist with flowers and knitting needles and women's hats and sewing machine, an election judge, a church youth advisor, a world traveler, a maker of tasty herb meatloaf. On many a Christmas Eve she sang the Hallelujah Chorus with the church choir. She was my husband's mother.