|
B&A Trail Marathon
March 1, 2009
This race was one of the first marathons I did back in the early '90's. Still a great small marathon.
Run along the B&A Trail. Starts and finishes at Severna Park High School. Pretty cold at the start - around
29-30 degrees. Didn't get past 34-35 during the race, but it felt great. I had a good race, although I didn't
run a smart race (yeah, yeah, yeah...I know. How smart can I be in those tights...). Took it out way too fast,
hung on at the end. Finished in 3:57, so I can't complain.
Next up - the American Odyssey 200 mile relay from Gettysburg, PA to the Washington Monument on April 25th.
2008 - 12 marathons, 12 months - A Look Back...
1. January 13th - Disney World Marathon - Orlando, Florida
2. February 17th - A1A Marathon - Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
3. March 29th - National Marathon - Washington, DC
4. May 4th - Frederick Marathon -Frederick, Maryland
5. May 18th - Cleveland Marathon -Cleveland, Ohio
6. June 7th - God's Country Marathon - Coudesport, Pennsylvania
7. August 3rd - San Francisco Marathon -San Francisco, California
8. September 14th - Erie Marathon - Erie, Pennsylvania
9. October 11th - Baltimore Marathon - Baltimore, Maryland
10. November 9th - Harrisburg Marathon - Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
11. December 7th - Las Vegas Marathon - Las Vegas, Nevada
12. January 11, 2009 - Disney Marathon - Orlando, Florida
Disney World Marathon
January 11, 2009
As Walt Disney once said..."I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started
by a mouse."
Or in my case, RFO started AT the mouse! And finished there too! For me, the day was a celebration
of all of the good things that are going on around us. Even in these tough economic times, people have been enormously
generous to the needs of others. It reminds me on a daily basis that there is so much good that we can do. And
we will continue to do so.
Well done everyone.
Latest fundraising total as of 12/31/08:
$13,531
11 marathons down, 1 to go!!!
DC Examiner Article, 12/21/08: "Young In The Home Stretch Of His Marathon Goal For Charity"
Las Vegas Marathon
December 7, 2008
Showgirls...running Elvi...a run through wedding chapel...now
where else can you see all that. And a marathon too? Wow, more fun than grown ups should be allowed to have....
First, the running Elvi. Yep, that's plural...."Elvi".
Seems this race is full of them. Couple of hundred in fact. Met a few over the weekend too. At the pre-race
packet pick up...
...before the race on race day...
...even at the finish line! They were EVERYWHERE!!
|
| "Thank yuh....thank yuh very much!" |
There were showgirls....
...and I even tried out for Cirque du Soleil...(they
weren't very impressed with my contortionist routine...)
But there was a race to run...
So, it was on Dasher, on Dancer, on Donder, on Blitzen....oh
wait, wrong story....
The race started at 6:00 a.m. with a great fireworks display
at the south end of the Strip at Mandalay Bay. We were off and running down the famous Las Vegas Strip! Got a
few looks from some folks who looked like they were heading in for the night (not that I would be familiar with that look,
of course....hee hee...)
Four miles later, we passed the Stratosphere and it was the beginning of the
end of the Las Vegas Strip. Around mile 5 or 6, we passed the "Run Thru Wedding Chapel" where roughly 40 couples
supposedly got married during the marathon. After that, it was through areas of Las Vegas that don't get alot of tourist
traffic. Not too many folks for the next 20 miles or so. Seems they were all asleep, like most normal folks early
on a Sunday morning.
We had a blast. I saw my new favorite t-shirt, which said
"My sport is your sport's punishment."
Shout out to runners everywhere with that one!! We'll show
you who's tough...
11 down, 1 to go. Next and final stop: the Walt Disney
Marathon on January 11, 2009.
Well, final stop, sort of....stay tuned.
December 1, 2008
I read something recently that captures
for me what RFO is all about.
O God, when I have food,
help me to remember the hungry.
When I have work,
help me to remember the jobless.
When I have a home,
help me to remember those who have no home at all.
When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer.
And remembering,
help me to destroy my complacency.
Bestir my compassion,
and be concerned enough to help.
By word and deed,
Those who cry out for what we take for granted.
Amen.
-Samuel F. Pugh
To each of you who have offered me an encouraging
word, sent me e-mails, or contributed to RFO.....thank you helping me to remember. And
to continue to run for others.
Harrisburg Marathon
November 9, 2008
Today had the potential for a good run. The temperature at the
start was in the mid 40's, and the high for the afternoon was only supposed to go up to 53 degrees. If you've followed
my travels during the year, you know that running in warm weather is not something I look forward to. Since the race
was about a 90 minute drive from home, I decided to drive up the morning of the race. (Plus, I had hockey tix for Saturday
night, so I couldn't go up the night before anyway! ROCK THE RED! GO CAPS!) We got to the race about an hour before the start, which was just enough time to pick up my race number,
hit the porta john 3 times, and get to the start line.
|
| Feeling good at mile 6 |
Because the Harrisburg Marathon is on the smaller side, I knew there
wouldn't be many people along the course, so I decided to go with the iPod and get my groove on for 4 hours. This was
a game time decision; I didn't plan on running with my iPod since many races don't allow headphones for insurance reasons.
There wasn't any mention of this on the race website, so I figured I'd plead ignorance if it was a problem. Pleading
ignorance is something I'm pretty good at. I've been told I can be ignorant quite often, so I've had alot of practice.
:-P
|
| Nearing the finish line |
My goal for today was to try to run a 4:10. Once the race started, everything
came together - cool temps, a great course (flat!), and I found a great rythm. I started picking up the pace afte a
couple of miles and as I approached the halfway mark, I realized that 1) I had a chance to break 4 hours, and 2) I was really
going to pay for it for going out so fast. The 2nd half started to get tough around mile 17 or 18, but I got a (relative)
2nd wind the last 6 miles and was able to sneak in in just under 4 hours in 3:58. It was my 2nd fastest marathon this
year, and my 5th fastest ever (out of 42 marathons).
I ran into some old friends today - Tom and Keith. At the God's
Country Marathon in June, I met two guys, Tom and Keith. Tom and I hooked up out at the San Francisco as well.
|
| Tutu Man! |
|
| Tom, Keith, and me |
Keith has an alter ego. He is known as Tutu Man. You see, Keith runs
marathons in a pink tutu, a pink shirt, pink running shoes, and he carries a wand. The first time I met Keith,
I wondered "what the heck is this Tutu Man thing all about" (which I'm sure you are too right about now). Let me tell
you, Keith is a running stud. Today, he ran a 3:13 marathon. Next weekend, he's participating in a 48 hour run.
Runners try to see how far they can run in 48 hours. Don't try that at home folks. You won't end up in the hospital;
you'll end up in a morgue.
But the thing I am most satisfied with had nothing to do with the marathon
today. About a week or two ago, donations to Running For Others surpassed $5,000. After every marathon, I'm
pretty stiff and sore (and quite a sight trying to go up and down stairs) for about 2-3 days. (I won't feel human again
until about Wednesday.) Multiply that by 12 marathons, and I'll be pretty uncomfortable for about a month this
year. Every single step and every minute of discomfort is 100% worth it. Lives are being touched, people are getting
a helping hand, and none of it would have been possible without the support of donors to RFO. If you've thought about
making a donation but haven't gotten around to it, now would be a great time. With the holidays approaching, many
charities are stretched to their limits. Last month, another mom and her kids were moved into an apartment.
She won't have to worry about where she and her kids will be spending Christmas now. There are families who
aren't sure if they will have food this Thanksgiving. We can make sure they do. And I don't know anyone who wouldn't
move a mountain for a sick child.
Help me move a mountain.
"12 Marathons, 12 Months, One Goal" - DC Examiner, July 24, 2008
"Fundraising Athletes A Boon To Local Charities" - The Gazette, July 16, 2008
Baltimore Marathon
October 11, 2008
There were lots of ways for me to approach
the Baltimore Marathon. After blowing up at Erie last month, I was looking for a little marathon redemption today.
I had a tough day at Erie, and I wanted to have a good run today. It was a reunion of sorts, with Chris, Mathew,
John and I together again.
|
| Mark, John, Mathew and Chris (Chris? Where's Luke?) |
Chris decided to focus
on the half marathon, and he had a pretty good run. Temperatures creeped up as the race progressed; the last few miles
today got tougher and tougher, but it was tolerable. Got a little toasty the last couple of miles, but at that
point, the locals showed why Baltimore is a great race. They like to have a good time - picture the vision of loveliness
that was the 300 pound guy gettin' his groove on in the middle of the street giving all of the runners a high five
as we ran through his neighborhood. Now that's my kind of guy!! And the Gummy Bears!
Mathew, John, and I
signed up to run with a pace group, which forced us to slow dowwwwwwwn during the first half. Unfortunately, the pace
group was a little too slow, so John ran ahead. Mathew and I left the pace group at the half way point because they
were a little off pace to meet our goal finish time. (Goal finish time? HA! That's funny!)
Check out the two new pages on the website (above) - High
Five Fist Bump Chest Thump SHOUT OUTS! and By The Numbers
Well, that's 9 down, 3 to go. I'm excited to report that contributions
to Running For Others has passed the $5,000 mark for the year. My thanks go to each of you who have supported RFO this
year. To give you an idea of what your support has meant - a couple of weeks ago, a mom who had been homeless was moved
into an apartment with her children, over 1,000 meals have been provided to families who are in need, and support to help
a sick child realize a dream was given. Well done, everyone.
Next up - the Harrisburg Marathon on November 9th. It should be cool
temperatures and a flat course. I can't wait!!!
Erie Marathon
Erie, Pennsylvania
September 14, 2008
Lisa and I made a new friend today. We met Eric from
Cleveland. This was Eric's first marathon, and he did great! There is one goal when you run your first marathon
- finish. (And eat as much pasta as you can the day before!). Eric finished well. We ran together
off and on throughout the race and kept giving each other encouragement.
|
| My new friend, Eric |
Presque Isle is a beautiful place for a race. Today
had not so beautiful weather for running. Temps were around 80 degrees at the start of the race. 4th race
this year where the temperature was around 80 degrees. I melt faster than a popsicle when I try to run in the heat,
and today was no exception. I had a tough time, but I was able to finish. Today was probably the toughest marathon
I have ever done. But....I finished! And raised more support for Germantown HELP, the Dwelling Place, and the
Make-A-Wish Foundation.
And that is what RFO is all about.
San Francisco Marathon
August 3, 2008
If you love fall temperatures, go to San
Francisco. The temperatures there hit the low 60's every afternoon and drop to the low-mid 50's every night. And
if you want to run a summertime marathon, definitely go to San Francisco! The temperatures are perfect and the course
is incredibly scenic. The course went from running along the Embarcadero and San Francisco Bay, past Pier 39 and a view
of Alcatraz.
|
| Alcatraz Island |
After Alcatraz, we soon saw the Golden Gate Bridge
on the horizon. It seemed close, but was over a mile away, so we got a chance to appreciate
the view for awhile. Running across the bridge was very cool!
From there, we headed through Golden Gate Park and several neighborhoods
of San Francisco, including Haight Asbury. The hilly portion of the course was in the first 15 miles. After that,
things flattened for the most part. The last mile or two took us past AT&T Park, past the marina, and down the home
stretch back along the Embarcadero to the finish line.
Video - approaching the finish
I loved this race. The expo was fantastic. I had a chance
to talk briefly with Bart Yasso, the "Mayor of Running" and Chief Running Officer at Runners World Magazine. He gave
a talk and slide show about his book, "My Life On The Run". Excellent book with stories of Bart's adventures running
races all around the world.
|
| Bart Yasso, Chief Running Officer of Runners World Magazine and author of "My Life On The Run" |
Bart has contracted
Lyme's disease 4 times over the past 20 years and he said the last time really took a toll on him. He hadn't run
a marathon since 2005, but said he was going to try to run the marathon. I saw him as we were crossing the Golden Gate
Bridge; he was coming back as I was going out. Being the introvert that I am, I gave him a shout out - "GO BART!!"
I didn't see him again out on the course until I was about 100 yards from the finish line when the announcer called out his
name. He finished just in front of me. Bart has become one of my hero's. To be such an encourager
and to just want to run for the sake of running....he's just a good guy.
Well, that's it for now. Got a few more contributions just before
we left to go to S.F. Way to go everyone!
Check out the Photo Gallery
for more pictures.
7 down....5 to go!
NEXT UP:
Sept. 14th
Erie Marathon
Erie, PA
---------------------------
Six down, six to go...
I was out running the
other day when I had one of those moments in time that just froze. I rounded
a curve on a trail that I was running on and came upon a huge, rabid, wild animal and I just stopped dead in my tracks. O.k….so she wasn’t that huge. She
(or he…I didn’t wait around to check) did have really big eyes though! I went from running full speed to
being motionless. Of course, full speed at 44 years old is about half speed for
the average teenager, but at my age, I get graded on a curve.
Anyway, Mrs. Raccoon and I looked
directly into each other’s eyes and neither of us moved. Actually, my real
concern was that she was either 1) rabid or 2) ready to protect her babies. In
my mind, I’m already trying to figure out how to explain to you and all of the other people who have supported “Running For Others” that I didn’t reach my goal
because I got into a fight with a raccoon and the raccoon won. So after we had
our two minute stare down (o.k., it was about 3 seconds, but it felt a lot longer), I slowly stepped backwards for several
steps while Mrs. Raccoon watched me. We did a sort of tango actually. After I took a step or two, she slowly took a step or two in the other direction. She went to her side of the path, and I…ran like the sissy that I am.
I covered 40 yards in about 4 seconds. Defensive back speed. I didn’t look back either.
Just one experience of many during
this year of running and raising money for a few causes. It’s been a wild
first half.
Six
down, six to go….next up: San Francisco, August 3rd. I can’t wait either – today, it was 95 degrees at home.
The overnight low in San Francisco last night was 53 degrees!
Many, many thanks for your support. I truly appreciate it.
God's Country Marathon
Coudersport, Pennsylvania
June 7, 2008
So, if you're like me, you're asking yourself "Where
in the heck is Coudersport, Pennsylvania?". A little over 5 hours after leaving Germantown, we found out. Potter
County, Pennsylvania. God's Country. The people were nice, the scenery was gorgeous, the course was....brutal.
It didn't help that the temperatures that day hit record highs. It was just my luck - of the first 6 marathons, 3 have
had temperatures over 80 degrees by the time I finished. Can I pick 'em or what!?!? The average overnight low
in Coudersport on June 7th is 49 degrees; today it was in the 70's.
So, back to our adventure....
Lisa (my lovely wife and support crew) and our friends Mathew and Gina
stayed at a "ski chalet" (let's all say it together now....ooooooooooh.) Translation - it's at a ski resort that rents
out their cabins in the summertime. Nice enough digs, except for one thing - it's at a SKI RESORT people, so they
don't need air conditioning. Did I mention the record high temperatures? Getting the picture? Good excuse
as any for a session with my nutrionists, Mr. Ben and Mr. Jerry.
We headed to the packet pick up and pasta party at the fire hall.
We were joking around that the pasta party would consist of 3 women from the ladies auxilliary cooking spaghetti in a pot
on the stove and we couldn't have guessed it better! They were wonderful and the pasta never tasted better before a
race.
If you've every been to a marathon pasta party, the conversations quickly
focus on 1) how many marathons have you done, 2) what's the hottest, coldest, most exotic, most fun, most difficult, friendliest,
(fill in the blank) marathons you've done, etc. You learn to keep your radar up for anyone who has done that race before
to seek out tidbits of information about the course that you might find useful. A couple of folks who had done the race
before (we hadn't) said things like "oh, the hill isn't too bad" or "it's not too bad for the first 15 miles". Uh, o.k.,
and then what?
At the pasta party, we met a couple of nice guys from Pennsylvania named
Tom and Keith. I mentioned to them that if they hadn't picked up a copy of Bart Yasso's book "My Life On The Run",
they should get one. Bart Yasso is a running legend. I met him at the expo at the Cleveland Marathon two weeks
ago and he signed a copy of his book for me. Keith proceeds to tell me he's IN THE BOOK in the chapter on Stunt Runners.
Seems Keith has an alter ego - at various marathons, he'll run in a pink tutu. He's "Tutu Man". (No, he didn't
wear it in this race.) Keith has run over 100 marathons - and people think I'm crazy! Tom is also pretty amazing.
He's trying to run 50,000 miles, 50 marathons, in 50 states, before he turns 50. Found out we're both running several
of the same marathons later this year - San Francisco (#7 - August), Erie (#8 - September), and Disney (#12 - January).
Check out his website at
Remember when I said we stayed at a cabin at a ski resort? Well,
it was also right on the course at mile 15. Miles 15-18 were up, up, up. Picture a ski resort chair lift
and running to the top.... without the chair lift. That was....special.
The support along the course was the best I've ever seen at a marathon.
There was water at every mile, GU's every 5 miles, and other muchies. There were almost as many volunteers as runners.
It was incredible. The medical community turned out for the race as well. There was even an ambulance cruising
along the course asking runners if they were o.k. and offering water bottles to anyone who needed one. (Seemed a little
"vulture like", looking for running road kill....as hot as it was, it was a good thing they were there). They even
congratulated us for making it to the top of the summit at mile 18. Unfortunately, we were only at mile 17.5.
Some of my running colleagues were a bit upset with them for that trasngression and shared a few colorful comments for anyone
within ear shot. We just shrugged it off and kept pushing to get to the top of the hill.
Unfortunately, the top of the hill was bittersweet, because we had to
come back down the other side. Quads, knees, and backs were loving that part.
Kudos to our wives - Lisa and Gina. They kept leap frogging us
on the course about every mile or so. They'd cheer us on and offer encouragement. They'd cheer for all of the
runners just in front of us and just behind us. They made alot of friends that day. Thanks ladies!
After the race, we hung around the town square for awhile and shared
stories with each other and with other runners. The race organizers made arrangements for runners to use the showers
at the wellness center a mile or so up the road, so we got cleaned up and hit the Coudersport McDonald's. Mathew had
the left side of the menu and I had the right. Never had Mickey D's tasted sooooo good.
Well, here we are. It's June, and I'm taking two weeks off from
running before starting the 2nd half of my adventure. I'll be honest - I'm having fun, but I'm a little tired and a
little sore. God's Country was my 3rd marathon in 5 weeks. If you've taken a look at me, you'll notice I'm not
exactly built like a Kenyan runner. Some folks are built for power, some folks are built for speed. I'm built
for neither. Lost my 3rd toenail this year after this race. Sometimes, folks ask me why I'm doing this.
(Sometimes, I ask myself too!) I received a letter a couple of days ago from the director of The Dwelling Place.
In it, she says "I don't know if you realize the impact you have had on our staff and Board. We are all so humbled by
what you're doing - both on a physical level and on a giving spirit level."
The tag line on my website reads "Do something significant. Make
an impact. Touch a life."
Toe nails will grow back, sore muscles will heal. Impact a life
- that's eternal.
San Francisco, here I come.
Cleveland Marathon
May 18, 2008
It was raining
a) pitchforks
b) cats and dogs
c) buckets
d) on my parade (never!)
e) until 10 minutes after the race started and then someone turned off
the hose.
f) ALL OF THE ABOVE!
Yep, my streak of decent marathon weather was about to come to an end
when all of a sudden, the rain stopped and it turned out to be a Goldilocks running day - not too hot, not too cold, not too
sunny....just about right. Which was great, because I needed all the help I could get. I hadn't ever run two marathons
a month apart much less two weeks apart, so I was in serious unfamiliar running territory here. Although it wasn't my
fastest marathon ever, the 1st half and 2nd half splits were the closest of any race so far this year. (Hey, you
pick your highlights where you can people!) And of the 5 marathons so far, it was the 3rd fastest. (Which means
I was REALLY slow in the other two!)
The expo was great. Lots of vendors for a race this size.
Two things that impressed me at the expo were the number of medium size marathons (around a dozen) that had booths and the
number of marathons in Ohio (around 6).
|
| Still smiling, 22 miles later. |
Funniest moment was when I got to the Little Rock Marathon booth.
The volunteers working the booth were two ladies who were not only promoting the Little Rock Marathon, but they were also
living proof that the "bodily enhancement" surgery in Little Rock was thriving. Most of the races with booths had samples
of their race's finisher's medal. I lost it when I saw the L.R. medal - I started yelling "Look at that medal!
This thing is huge! It's not a medal, it's a hubcap! I mean, talk about "Pimp My Bling"! The bodily
enhancement surgery ladies fell out. My brother lost it. My wife just shook her head...
And speaking of my brother and my lovely bride...thanks for letting me
drag you out of the house before the light of day in the pouring rain. You guys are the best!
And for any other runners out there who want to honor your marathon support
peeps, check out this website:
Next up: God's Country Marathon - June 7th.
Gotta conquer "The Hill".
May 14, 2008
Someone asked me what motivated me to embark on "Running For Others" and why I picked the charities I chose to support.
Something that I can't accept is the notion that we live in such a prosperous nation and yet we have people who don't have
the most basic of necessities - food.
In Maryland, there are over 184,000 children who are food insecure. I can't accept that. But what can I do
about it? I'm just one person, right? There are lots of things I can't do, but why waste time thinking of
those things?!?!
I can run. And I can ask you to support me as I run. I can't feed 184,000 children, but I can feed one.
Or two. Or ten. Or more...
These are your neighbors, your friend's neighbors, and my neighbors. Literally. I volunteer a couple of days
a month for Germantown HELP delivering food to people who need assistance. When I'm delivering food, I'm never more
than 3-4 miles from my front door. Sometimes, I'm only a quarter mile away. So when I say these children who are
hungry are your neighbors and my neighbors, I really mean it.
With the rise in fuel costs, donations to food banks across the region have shrunk while the demands have skyrocketed.
Now, more than ever, they need our help. I'll do the running. You send me a check made payable to Germantown
HELP.
Running For Others, I am.
See you on the roads.
-Mark
p.s.
I'm off to Cleveland this weekend for the Cleveland Marathon (May 18th) and then up to Pennsylvania in 3 weeks for the
God's Country Marathon. That'll be the half way point! Yeeehaaaa!!
|
| Athos, d"Artagnan, Porthos, & Aramis - The Four Musketeers! |
Frederick Marathon - May 4th
Closest race to my house. The start line is 20 minutes
from my front door. Schaweet! With the 6:30 a.m. start, I only had to get up at....4:00 a.m.! When you have
to use the bathroom, walk on the treadmill for 15 minutes to loosen up, use the bathroom, eat a bagel, use the bathroom, stretch,
use the bathroom, eat some oatmeal, and use the bathroom, you have to get up a little early, o.k.? Left around
5:00 a.m., hit traffic, got to the parking lot around 5:40, used the bathroom, ate a banana, walked to the start line area,
used the bathroom, did some photos, used the bathroom, and next thing you knew, we were off! (My, how the time passed
so quickly!!) The Four Musketeers (see the Photo Gallery) flew through the first half of the race pretty quick, and
then you discovered the fun parts of Frederick (read: THE HILLS!) And did I mention that the sun was NOT our friend
during the 2nd half of the race? Many thanks to Athos, Porthos, and Aramis a.k.a. Mathew, Chris, and John (a.k.a. my
main "Pace Dawg" from the National Marathon!). Not only was Frederick the closest marathon to my house, you guys made
it the most fun! You rock!
(This is also the most difficult period of the year. 3 marathons
in 5 weeks. EEEK!)
 Meet Erin.
Today, Erin is a very normal, sweet ten year old who
is the youngest of three girls who loves pottery, dogs, soccer, and trying to keep up with her older sisters. But this
wasn't always the case with Erin. When she was just six weeks old, Erin was diagnosed with leukemia. At the time
of her diagnosis, she was given a 25% chance of survival which caused her doctors to enroll her in an experimental protocol.
It was an immensely difficult treatment to endure and lasted two and a half years but through the wisdom and skill of her
doctors, prayer, and the support of her and her entire family from their church, the community, and cancer support
groups, Erin has made a complete recovery. Each and every day she is a blessing to her parents. Because she was
so young, Erin remembers little of the time when she was sick, but her parents remember the time well. Their gratitude
is profound to all those who helped them during the time of her illness, including the support they received from the
Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Erin is one of the many reasons I embarked on the Running For Others campaign. I was just getting to know her parents when her illness was diagnosed.
Now, 10 years later, I can tell you that they are two of the most wonderful people you will ever get to know. Her dad
is a captain with the Montgomery County police department. Her mom...just call her amazing. She is to me.
It's an honor to know them and to get to tell a small part of their story here.
Please show your support for Erin and the thousands
of sweet girls and boys and their families who are battling life threatening illnesses by sending in a check for the Make-A-Wish
Foundation. Any amount will help. If we each do a little, together, it adds up to a lot. Click on the Charities and Matching Contributions link at the top of the page for details on where to mail your
contribution.
Thanks for your support.
National Marathon - March 29, 2008
O.k., so I get to the race with time
to spare. The conditions for running a marathon were picture perfect - cool temps, light breeze. When you run a marathon, there are times when you feel the "call of nature" at rather inopportune times.
Today was one of those times for me.
The port-a-john lines were way too long just before
the start of the race, so I decided to forgo them and figure it out on the course. (You gotta do what you gotta do sometimes,
people!) Often, that means getting back to nature as inconspicuously as possible behind a bush or a tree. Problem
is, in an urban marathon, there are not too many of those around!
But praises to urban revitalization!! Urban
revitalization means....lots of construction. And that means lots of port-a-johns on construction sites. My little
gamble paid off - less than a mile from the start, I saw my little blue haven at a lovely row house being renovated and made
a bee line for it. A minute later, I was back on the course. (One of the advantages of being an experienced marathoner!
Takes running a "smart race" to new level, eh?)
It was a great day all around. I ran my
4th fastest marathon ever and fastest since 1998.
I loved this course!! I've worked in Washington
for over 18 years and have seen many parts of the city, but not like this. I love the architecture and the look and
feel of the city. A friend met me at mile 17 and ran the last 9 miles with me just when I needed the encouragement.
I was feeling it, but made it through. Thanks John Crapo! You rock!!
Click on the Photo Gallery
link at the top of the page for pix from the race.
Next up: The Frederick Marathon on May 4th.
=================================
A1A Marathon - February 17, 2008
This was my first time running the A1A Marathon.
In only it's third year, the event is gaining a foothold as a decent destination race, especially for us northerners who want
a reason to get out of the cold...like I need a reason.
The course is out and back, going north on
the first half and south on the 2nd half. I had a great half marathon. Unfortunately, I still had another half
to run. Let's just say during the 2nd half, I had a "lattitude reality check". In other words, after the sun came
up, it got HOT fast. I melted faster than Frosty the Snowman, but hey, I finished.
3 favorite signs from this race:
"Slow - it's the new fast."
"Got toenails?" (It's a running thing...)
"Find your happy pace."
Check out the photo gallery for some pictures
from the race. On to marathon #3...the National Marathon in D.C.
Thanks for your support. It's making a difference!
Do something significant. Make
an impact. Touch a life.
_________________________________________
Walt Disney World Marathon - January 13, 2008
We did it! (Yes, WE did it! You didn't
think we weren't in this together, did you?) One down, eleven to go!
The race day weather was great - for a picnic,
not so great for a marathon. The temps were in the high 60's with the humidity around 70%. (By comparison, for
you weather.com geeks like me, the average overnight low for January 13th in Orlando is 50 degrees.)
Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy sent us off promptly
at 6:00 a.m. Just after mile 2, we ran into Epcot, under Spaceship Earth, through Future World, around World Showcase,
and out of the park. From there, we headed toward the Magic Kingdom. On the way, we passed a spirited group of
folks in grass skirts from the Ft. Lauderdale Road Runners Club. (Something no child should see is their father dancing
around in the streets in a grass skirt...unless, of course, he is at a Jimmy Buffett concert!)
Once we arrived at the Magic Kingdom around mile
10, the course went up Main Street where there were thousands of spectators cheering us on. After Main Street, we ran
through Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, through Cinderella Castle and Frontierland, and then out of the park after a farewell wave
from Captain Jack Sparrow himself! ARRRRRR!!
After leaving the Magic Kingdom, we headed towards
Animal Kingdom around mile 15. From there, the course went through Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM Studios)
at mile 23, along a canal to The Boardwalk, The Swan and Dolphin resorts, The Beach and Yacht Club resorts, and then the final
mile around World Showcase in Epcot to the finish.
The crowds were large, loud, and amazingly supportive
to all of the runners. Where else are you going to get total strangers cheering for you, pulling for you to succeed?
==================================
Favorite signs along the race course:
5. What hair color do they put on the driver's
licenses of bald men?
4. Why is the word "abbreviation" such a
long word?
3. Why do we say things get out of whack?
What's a whack?
2. What's the speed of dark?
1. What happens if I get scared half to
death twice?
==================================
|
