Obsessions, everyone has a few. They may be mild or they may be extreme. Mine fall somewhere in the middle. I call them “my crazies”. People may say they don’t have obsessions, but I don’t believe it. Even Superman has Lois Lane. If you must have crazies, pick something you enjoy.
My current crazy is easy to recognize. Visit any of my social media accounts where threads of running related anecdotes litter the posts. Most days between 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM, I’m dressed in spandex and Asics running shoes ready to exercise.
My number one addiction is running. I find it social, meditative and energizing. It can be a much-needed tension reliever and in my group, filled with laughter. We have christened ourselves, the fun group.
As a young naïve employee, I smirked watching my 50+ co-workers lace their Keds ready to spend the lunch break in a brisk walk. I lounged inside, enjoying the air conditioning. If I walked, I never wore tennis shoes and a dress!
Well, how silly was that? Who cares what I wear during a lunch walk? If they do, that’s their problem not mine. My mature self knows better. Most days I eat, then slip a favorite pair of athletic shoes on anxious feet, anticipating spending half an hour in the fresh air and sunshine.
My younger clueless self missed much enjoyment, choosing safety behind the glass while she could have meandered through the tree lined paths on the other side of the pane.
This current obsession has enjoyed a longer life span than former ones. With 18 marathons, over 20 half marathons and countless 5 and 10 K runs completed, I hope this one doesn’t end. And there I go again, letting crazy spill out.
If I run 100 marathons when I’m eighty, that’s my crazy. Well not that I’m 80 but I will be someday. I resolve to be diverse in choosing topics to tweet, post or blog, but for today, here is one more on my current obsession.
Last Friday, Ron and I headed to the Austin-Bergstrom international airport en route to our destination Atlanta, Ga. I was nervous and excited. If all went according to plan, I could cross two things off my life list. My life list is like a bucket list, but a lot more fluid. I add, change and delete from the list regularly. I planned to run a marathon in Alabama on Saturday. This would be my 17th state to complete a marathon. I also intended to run a half marathon in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Sunday.
There are many people who run back to back marathons and routinely compete on consecutive days. But not me! This would be my first “double weekend”. I considered running the marathon course for both Saturday and Sunday but soon changed my mind. Ron enthusiastically signed up for a marathon on both days.
We booked our flights on a budget airline, so we had to get creative with our packing. Running clothes and shoes for both races had to go in our carryon luggage for safekeeping. The airline charged for carryon luggage but allowed a personal item at no charge. I conscientiously stuffed running shoes, tights, and shirts in my backpack along with my kindle, purse and snacks. Although, I secretly believed if our running clothes got misplaced, it would be a sign. No running shoes or clothes? It just wasn’t meant to be.
In spite of long security lines, we made it to our gate with time to spare. Once on board, I looked forward to napping, but I discovered the seats didn’t recline. No nap for me! I couldn’t get comfortable enough to rest.
Arriving in Atlanta after two hours flying time, even sans nap I felt great. Several trains, walkways, and stairs later we arrived at the rental car lot. After a quick lunch at Applebee’s in Marietta, GA we headed to Chattanooga to pick up our packets for Sunday’s run.
We pulled up to packet pick up after sundown and fifteen minutes before the eight o’clock deadline. Race numbers retrieved we left for Albertville, Ala to find our hotel.
Albertville is 30 miles from Lake Guntersville where the Mainly Marathons Appalachian Series Day seven was being run at 6:30 AM on Saturday morning. The thin hotel walls allowed us to hear talking and movement all night. I didn’t understand the purpose of the mirrors covering the wall behind the bed. I’m sure I slept some but it didn’t feel like it.
Lake Guntersville
Pulling my running clothes from my suitcase to dress, I couldn’t find my running bra. Sure enough I didn’t pack one. The most supportive bra I had with me was my Victoria Secret bra my daughter bought for me.
Victoria’s Secret bra, gloves, jacket, tights and long sleeve running shirt warded off the chill and made it the temperature more tolerable.
Arriving at the park, we checked in and picked up our T-shirts and medals. Yes, we received our medals before we ran. We had to wait until we finished to get our state and year attachments.
We lined up with 60 other marathon hopefuls, ready to run the out and back on the 2.184 mile course 12 times. As one of the other runners said, “After the first few times, you stop noticing how pretty this looks.” That quote was from Bryndis a marathoner from Iceland. There are four marathons a year in Iceland, so she travels to the USA to run. She had run a marathon with the group the previous day on a course that required running 21 laps. Many of the runners were completing the series and were on their seventh day of running. Running a marathon in laps takes patience. You keep up with the laps by taking a rubber band each time you complete a lap. The scenery was beautiful and several times we had to slow for ducks to meander across the trail.
Our bibs had our names printed on them and everyone soon learned our names and shouted support as we crisscrossed the course. It was soon impossible to know who was passing you and who you were passing but everyone was smiling. It was the most non-competitive event I’ve ever participated in.
The end! Is it really over?
My watch battery died before I finished so my last few laps were very relaxed. I finished with blisters on both feet. Taking my shoes off to change I discovered my Tiva’s were safe at home so I stood around in my socks. Ron brought me a cup of Fritos, pretzels, jelly beans and an orange for a recovery snack. It was fantastic!
We regrouped and left for Chattanooga. Stopping at a Mexican restaurant along the way and we had a lovely meal.
Anything would have tasted good but our food was great. The meal arrived just as the Texas A&M and Alabama football game began to broadcast on the television mounted above the bar. Since we were in Alabama, we didn’t advertise our support of the Texas team.
We made it to Chattanooga and checked into our hotel. It was lovely and more than made up for the first hotel. We each had showers and got comfortable while we waited for room service. I was feeling spoiled!
Our hotel was a mile from the race tents. We slept an hour later than Saturday and made it to the start around 6:30 AM. The marathon started at 7:00 AM and the half at 7:30 AM, so I was able to watch as Ron crossed the start line.
It was still 43 degrees, but I was getting used to the colder temperatures. Crossing the start line to the tune of Jump On It, by Sir Mix-a-lot was invigorating. Along the course you always meet interesting and fun people. Sunday was no exception. I ran with a couple who were married the day before and this was their honeymoon. Crazy, I think! I also ran with Jeanetta who was running because she is terrified of bridges. She chose to run the four bridges marathon to help get past her fears.
And there is always someone willing to give advice. My favorite advice overheard on Sunday was from a man running his first marathon. He said, “Never pass up an opportunity to pee!”
We both finished our races, Ron much stronger than me, but we had fun. After stopping for lunch at Genghis Grill, we returned to our hotel where we showered and napped before heading back out for ice cream at Ben and Jerry’s.
We wandered around downtown Chattanooga a while. We visited a book and yarn store where the owner was demonstrating how to use a spinning wheel. We ate again before going back to the hotel for the evening. Exhausted and sore, we slept early and soundly. We woke early on Monday and headed back to Atlanta. Our vacation was over. Marathon state #17 – check. Back to back race days – check!
Saturday morning, 4:30 AM and my eyes are open. What’s wrong with this picture? In the background, I hear the faint sound of the music from the alarm. Grudgingly my feet hit the floor and I am semi-vertical. To avoid the extreme Texas heat, our weekly running group meets at 5:45 AM for a 6:00 AM run. We have to be in the car before 5:00 AM to arrive on time.
Pulling on my running clothes and grabbing a bagel for breakfast, my husband and I made it out the door and were on the road by 4:50 AM. For some reason, I just didn’t feel like showing up, but shrugged it off. I mean after all who would want to get up at 4:45 AM on their day off to go for a long run!
Driving through Manor, TX at 5:00 AM, the last thing either of us wanted to see were flashing red and blue lights. A very nice man in uniform introduced himself as a county sheriff, and informed us our right headlight was out. With a warning ticket in hand, I asked Ron if he was sure he didn’t just want to go back home and go to bed. He just grinned at me and pulled back into traffic.
We actually made it on time and headed for a quick bio break at the restrooms provided by our running group. As we walked toward them we were warned, someone had forgotten to lock them the prior night and they were so soiled they were virtually unusable. Great!
Undeterred, we each found our running mates and lined up in the pre-dawn muggy heat, ready to do a 6 mile run. I was scheduled for 14 miles for the day, so I was looking forward to an extra 8 miles after the group run.
We all synchronized our watches and set off, settling into an easy rhythm. The first few miles went by pretty fast although there were a lot of uphills. I told my coach I was ready for some downhills. Pretty soon, every downhill someone would call out, “Here’s a downhill for Deanna!” Around mile 4, we turned down a particularly hilly road where the slopes were quite a bit steeper. I was enjoying an especially steep downhill, feeling like I was riding a Radio Flyer red wagon. My right shoe hit a patch of gravel and suddenly I knew I was going down. I’ve run a lot of years and have never fallen, but it was happening!
My right hand hit the asphalt first followed by my elbow, hip and knee. As I slid a few feet down the hill, I managed to avoid hitting my head or tumbling head over heels. Completely mortified, I tried to jump up as blood dripped from my right palm and elbow. Everyone gathered round and offered assistance as they returned my possessions. Some one had my phone, another runner had found my Jawbone and someone else returned my water. Everything had flown along with me and been scattered when I hit the pavement.
After the shock wore off, I walked a few blocks and decided I was not significantly injured and finished my run. I actually caught back up with part of my group and finished.
This afternoon I still had swelling and bruising from my wrist to my elbow, so I ducked into an urgent care center for x-rays and a tetanus shot. Good news – nothing is broken, only sprained. The only down side is a splint and a late blog post.
Today, Sunday June 7th, 2015; I have been given the gift of relaxation. I’ve decided not to work at my day job this weekend. We are in the process of a major software implementation. I am woefully behind and next week promises to be jam packed with tasks. But I need some recovery time. This is the last weekend before training begins for our fall marathons and soon we will begin summer hours at work. 10 hour days, four days a week.
Yesterday I cleaned house. I mean actually cleaned! I scrubbed, mopped, dusted organized and polished. This morning, I made pancakes, hash browns and scrambled eggs for breakfast. With the help of my family, the leftovers are put away, the dishwasher loaded and I find myself sitting at the computer with a full day to write.
I fiddled through my email, opened my current novel in progress, and reviewed and edited some short stories. I recently rescued the stories from an old computer I am going to retire. Making a mental list of writing tasks on my plate, I contemplated what I should do first.
I decided to move outside to the deck to write. Moving outside required digging up an extension cord for the laptop and my phone charger. Check, I’m hooked up to power and ready to work.
It’s already hot outside, but the deck is still shaded by the overhead oak and pine trees surrounding it. Just as I’m thinking how cool it is, I realize I should be preemptive and put up the umbrella before the sun shifts and I start to sweat. Now if I could just remember where I stored it last summer. Maybe it is in the front hall closet. I pull coats and bags aside to search and I am not having much luck. Pushing the door closed, I couldn’t think where else to look, so I give it one more try. I found it! It was tucked in the back corner, shorter than I remembered, so it had been overlooked on my first try.
Now, I’m golden. The breeze is cool, I have power and a wonderfully cold bottle of water. I’m watching the cats play while my husband is digging weeds and adding another raised bed. Our garden rarely produces much, but we are quite successful at feeding the deer and the rabbits.
I think I should go help him for a while. We need to decide what to put into the new garden space. Perhaps today is a day to enjoy small victories and random tasks. Maybe I’ll catch up with writing later….. I’m off to the garden center.
The Humana Rock and Roll Marathon was the weekend of December 6th through December 7th in San Antonio, Texas. This is the 7th year l have participated in the San Antonio Rock and Roll marathon. I signed up months ago before this became the year of broken bones. In August, I broke my toe and the healing outlasted my patience! Not to be left out, my husband Ron fell and broke his wrist a few weeks ago. And then, just because we are a little insane we signed up for the Remix challenge which means we ran a 10K on Saturday and a half marathon on Sunday.
San Antonio is a beautiful, magical city and one of my favorite places to visit. The expo in the downtown convention center was as entertaining and chaotic as always. I never seem to leave without purchasing something. This time it was new socks and some GU gel blocks. Leaving the expo, we stopped to enjoy the twinkling Christmas lights along the Riverwalk and the Tower of the Americas. It was lovely in the soft evening light.
We didn’t stay in a downtown hotel for this trip, so we had to get up a little earlier to ensure we could find parking. On Saturday, the 10K didn’t start until 9:00 AM and there were only 2500 or so competitors. The parking was easier to find and it turns out it was considerably cheaper. Sunday morning, the official start was 7:30 AM, so we left the comfort of our warm beds a bit early to head back to our parking garage from the previous day. Supply and demand was definitely in play as we had to pay double the fee we had paid on Saturday.
I should clarify that I am not an elite athlete and I enjoy the fun and camaraderie found by those of us crossing the start line 30 minutes after the sprinters in the first corral. When you run slower you can see all sorts of sights along the course.
Sunday morning, we all lined up; the elves, the tutu wearing competitors, the old, the young, and all other 12,000 plus runners, walkers and wheel chair participants. The music was pounding and the weather was just a little chilly.
As expected, I crossed the starting line about 30 minutes after the gun sounded. The course was a bit downhill in the beginning, heading from the Alamodome toward downtown. As we passed the Alamo, many runners, stopped for selfies with the façade and spirits of the Alamo. Leaving downtown took us through Trinity University and hills. The spectators lined the road through Trinity, cheering us up the hills. The enthusiasm was wonderful, but it didn’t really make up for all those hills.
The course in a Rock and Roll marathon is always alive with music and excitement. It is also lined with coaches, family members and complete strangers. Sunday was no exception. Signs along the course proclaimed, “Worst parade ever”; “Run like a Zombie is chasing you” and my favorite, “I’m proud of you complete stranger.”
I think my favorite coach along the course was the gladiator wielding his sword, his face encased in a metal helmet in the parking lot of a Cross fit gym shouting encouragement as we passed. My most memorable athlete was the young man I passed at mile 12, limping to the finish line, carrying his shoes and socks because of blisters on his feet. Dedicated or stubborn I’m not sure but he finished!
At the end, I was so relieved it was over! It was the slowest I’ve ever finished a half marathon, but I felt quite proud to have survived.
We ended our San Antonio trip with a wonderful meal at Canyon Café, a southwestern grill in the Quarry Market. I am never disappointed with the food or service. It was a great meal to end a great trip.
For several years, the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco had been an elusive goal. It was on my “to do” list, but it seemed something always interfered. Either my training schedule was off or the timing of the race kept me from being able to participate.
After all who wouldn’t want a medal from Tiffany!
When I decided that I would take the time to train and would definitely run in 2008 I discovered the only way for me to participate was through a lottery.
Although I didn’t believe I would make it in, I decided to register and take my chances with the lottery. I immediately started soliciting family and friends to participate with me. My first call was to my daughter, who was in law school. I convinced her to train with me so we could submit for the lottery as a team. I soon had enlisted my sister and my son’s girlfriend as well. Of course the unexpected happened and our team was selected in the lottery! Now I was forced to train!
I was determined to stick to my training program. I am notorious for getting pulled off my training schedule by daily demands. As a result, when I went to visit my daughter and granddaughter in Tulsa, OK, I made sure to pack both my running bag and my commitment.
Tulsa has a very nice running trail not too far from my daughter’s apartment. I got up early on Saturday morning, and created one of my favorite running snacks, (Cheerios, pecans, dried fruit and bits of a bagel). Since I managed to forget my SPIbelt (a stretchy fabric pouch on a belt), I pinned a baggie to the back of my shorts and my husband and I set off for a quick 8 mile run. I chose to run out 4 miles and back and my husband soon left me behind as I settled in at a comfortable pace.
At about mile three, my shoelaces began to loosen and for some reason, they were hitting against the back of my legs. Frustrated, I stopped, retied my shoes and took off again. My new shoes had particularly long shoestrings and soon I could feel them blowing against the back of my legs again. Checking the shoes, I discovered the laces seemed fine. Puzzled, I finished my run.
Dee and Dez
As I waited for my husband to meet me I reached for my snack, only to discover the baggie was empty. Apparently, friction had worn a hole in the plastic and the snack mix had slowly dropped through until the bag was empty! It turns out it wasn’t the shoelaces hitting my leg, it was the snack mix. I wondered why everyone I passed had such big smiles! My husband confirmed that fact, when he said he followed the trail of Cheerios and pecans to find me.
The Seattle marathon started June 21, 2014 at 7:00 AM sharp on a cool Saturday morning. After grabbing coffee and a bagel from our hotel, we walked the few blocks to the start line. The temperature was in the low 60’s; perfect running weather for me.
As I waited outside the portable toilets, commonly known as Port-a-Potties, I met a fellow runner from Seattle. We visited and spent about 15 minutes discussing the best angle to take a picture of the space needle when you are directly below it. As we said goodbye and left to find our corrals, she asked where I lived. I responded, “Texas.” Laughing she said, “I could tell you weren’t local, you have a strong accent.” I laughed too and said, “I was just about to say I knew you were local because you have an accent!” Smiling, we both headed to our corrals where we lined up with more than 14,500 eager athletes.
One of my favorite parts of running a marathon is meeting new people and making new friends. After you’ve run a few marathons, you start seeing familiar faces.
Lining up in Seattle, I stood near a group of Team and Training (TNT) participants from the San Francisco area. TNT is an organization, that in exchange for training and support, you raise money towards cures for blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. As an alumni participant I am always watching for the bright purple shirts. Participants are always so upbeat and energetic.
The starting gun sounded at 7:00 AM and the first wave of runners were off. Since I was in a corral several blocks from the start line, my start was about 30 minutes after the elite lead runners.
My plan was to run 4 minutes and walk 1 minute, a method developed by Jeff Galloway. I finally made it to the start line, and John Bingham, also known as the Penguin, started us on our way after announcing this would be his farewell tour. He is a champion of the non-elite runners. I set my Garmin (watch) on intervals and pushed the start button. I was officially off! I was able to maintain the 4:1 ratio for the first 18 or so miles and still felt reasonably okay.
At about mile three, I met more TNT runners from Texas. There were two ladies from San Antonio, whose name I didn’t get. Then I met Tom from Dallas. Tom was run/walking for Team in Training and on the out and back paths where we passed each other, Tom would call out to me “Go Texas!”
The course took us down Ranier Ave and through Seward Park both offering a beautiful view of Mount Ranier. By the time I hit mile 15 it was starting to warm up significantly.
At mile 20 when I was starting to wonder if I had enough cash for a taxi, Tom spotted me again and yelled, “Go Texas!” so I did.
I finished about 45 minutes after my husband based on time, but since he started almost 20 minutes before me, he had quite a wait for me to finish. Still moving forward, I crossed the finish line much faster than I had expected. I was thrilled to have the finishers’ medal placed around my neck and a cold bottle of chocolate milk to drink. I wanted food and rest, in that order! Marathon number 16 was done.
Finisher’s medal
We were too tired to participate in the post marathon festivities, so we opted for a bath, a nice meal and pajamas for the evening.
On Sunday, we scheduled a tour of the Pike Place Market. The tour started at 10:00 AM. We booked the tour through Public Market Tours. We walked about 12 blocks to meet our tour guide so we could stretch our muscles after the run on Saturday. We were a few minutes early and went for coffee while we waited. We skipped the line at the “original” Starbucks and ducked into Tully’s for a delicious cup of coffee. We were the only two signed up, so we had a personalized tour. I won’t spoil the tour for you in case you ever make it to Seattle, but it was a great guided tour with a lot of historical information and laughter. It was just what we were looking for and the highlight of my day. I even managed to view the gum wall without getting too grossed out!
We ate lunch at Maximilien which sits in the heart of downtown Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market. Maximilien is a charming restaurant located with a view of Puget Sound, Elliott Bay, West Seattle & the Olympic Mountain.
Before heading back to our hotel, we visited the Lionheart Bookstore, located in Pikes Market. The owner likes to respond to questions by singing his answers. He told us he wasn’t just an owner but was the sixth custodian of the bookstore.
I love bookstores and Lionheart did not disappoint. We wandered in and out of the shops of Pike Place market exploring the shops at each level. In the afternoon we headed back toward our hotel, tackling the steep hills leading away from Pike Place Market.
We stopped in at Cherry Street Coffee House where I had a piece of Ginger Peach, Gluten free bread with a Coffee Latte. It was a lovely treat!
When we reached our hotel, we put our feet up, and snacked on some fresh cherries we purchased at the Market.
r tumbling head over heels. Completely mortified, I tried to jump up as blood dripped from my right palm and elbow. Everyone gathered round and offered assistance as they returned my possessions. Some one had my phone, another runner had found my Jawbone and someone else returned my water. Everything had flown along with me and been scattered when I hit the pavement.
Not too bad after all!
Nana's Apron Strings 