State #45 Belleville, Illinois

September 29, 2018

Main Street Marathon

In my rear view mirror...there is a trail of triumph mixed with a whole lot of downtime. A full fledged spiral you might say~thought I was done with those! Although 2018 looked promising with some early success and jubilee, many of the months slipped through my fingers as I scrambled to hang on to my fitness progress and goals. My body can't keep up with the lofty schedule set in place this year. My immune system and body work in cahoots revolting against the demanding plan. While I finished the eleven marathons I registered for~so far this year~many of them are run in a less than stellar physical state. Essentially, after the first marathon in January, it is a constant battle to recover and get healthy. The struggle to reach each marathon finish line requires more rest than normal after each trip. A weakened immune system leaves me susceptible to viruses and various ailments and I end up spending

way too much time on the brown couch. Being down for the count limits adequate training and is the perfect breeding ground for the consumption of way too much comfort food. In fact, 2018 yields my lowest amount of training miles in years. The bright side (less running shoes to buy) surprisingly, they do not wear out when not in use. Every month is well under one hundred miles and many are around sixty miles per month including the marathon miles...

Now what? I am at a crossroads with three scheduled and paid marathons trips and two marathons to pace...it's time to pick a direction. Continue down the path of least resistance or make the commitment to try and pull myself up by my bootstraps and salvage the rest of the year. The prospect of falling into the vortex of self-destruction  

looms as I hang on by my finger tips. I have a choice...cave in, eat a donut gain maybe three minutes of joy and distraction or...go for my first run in two weeks and try to finish 2018 on a positive note. In spite of coughing up a lung "the old body" still in recovery mode from July's hilly Mad Marathon...I go for the run! While one run can not resolve all my dilemmas, it is a step in the right direction. Completed runs equate to building an arsenal that can be stored and used during more tumultuous times. Each mile run helps build back my physical strength and it slowly restores my fractured mental state in the process. When it comes down to it...Life is such a precariously precious gift that we too easily take for granted. It is in the struggle that we are forced to seek the joy in the smallest kernels and never take a morsel of happiness for granted.  

~The "good old days" when a bucket of sand and the sweetest baby is happiness~

After a crazy week long road trip that includes consulting work (for husband) ~let's face it the only consulting work I do is about where to eat lunch~ visiting family, a successful pacing gig, and some suntanning on the beach...it is time to get back into a solid running routine.

Humboldt Bay Marathon 

 The pace gig in Eureka is great fun and deposits another marathon  into my marathon bank (goal to hit 100 by 2019) even though I take another two weeks off to recover. Rest is definitely the theme for 2018.  On my first run back a podcast quote sums up my

Great signs in Belleville

year, "There is no such thing as an overuse injury...just under-rested injuries!" In that case bring on the rest. Nearing the end of August all my niggles are fairly healed with no ticks in sight, the only problem is a lack of motivation. My summer of minimal miles helps give me the necessary break to finish the year strong, but now I must muster the energy to begin again...fight the number on the scale by pounding the pavement, and more importantly control my propensity for ~overindulgence~ my most potent detriment. A lack of discipline and self-control is the only thing standing in the way of accomplishing my goals. 

Defeating self-sabotage and negative thinking is the ultimate prize when all is said and done. It's time to find some grit and get it done..."time waits for no man" as a week long training plan structures the beginning week of September. Running six miles each day with healthy eating is the jump start I need to get back into the swing of things to be ready for the start line at the end of September. With a small window of time to prepare that is less than perfect, it is time to bust out another marathon weekend.

Belleville via St Louis...here we come. Thankfully, the trip to Illinois is uneventful (that's a good thing) with an easy drive to the airport, no flight delays and perfect running conditions. It is nice to have a marathon trip go well in the final push to finish the states. Belleville represents small town middle America in spite of being just forty minutes outside of St. Louis, Missouri a thriving metropolis thanks to the cities location along the Mississippi River. During the westward expansion it was touted as the Gateway to the west until the railroad came through and bridges were built. The Arch was designed by a Finnish architect to draw attention back into the area and was completed in 1965. The Arch was dedicated in 1967 by Vice President Hubert Humphrey and is now a National Park that attracts tourists daily. On a clear day it is possible to see up to 30 miles.

A ride in one of eight (five person capsules) to the Gateway Arch National Park observation deck takes about four minutes. The state house where the Dread Scott Case was held and Busch Stadium where the Cardinals play can be seen from the 630 feet high and 630 feet wide structure. 

With some time to spare we can't pass up a free tour of the Anheuser Busch Brewery unless we miss the free tour by three minutes and must take the ten dollar tour instead which includes samples during the tour, a glass at the end and a freshly brewed bottle of beer (called newborns) to take home. Did you know it takes thirty days to brew the perfect Budweiser as Beechwood chips line the bottom of the tanks for the yeast to feed upon while the beer ferments? Fun fact: a Bud Light only has thirty few calories with a lower alcohol content. 

Might as well go for the full Bud next time. The Clydesdale Horses~the symbol and mascot of the company since its inception in the mid 1800's~are on the tour as well.  What amazing creatures, but then again I have never met a horse I didn't like.

We take our beer and head to packet pickup held at a local running store in O'Fallon about six miles from Belleville. We are warmly greeted with genuine kindness which sets the tone for everyone we  encounter involved with the marathon. I spot a "Freddy's" in the shopping center and can't pass up the opportunity to improperly fuel my body with a "concrete" a very high calorie custard mixed with lots of goodies like pecans, hot fudge and caramel.  Doesn't everyone fill up with custard and beer before a 26.2 mile run! 

Amazing signs on the course! 

Let's not mention the pizza we ingest, a perfect concoction for great digestion. What happened to all my kale and green leafy salads and protein shakes leading up to race day, but at least we buy bananas for race morning to counterbalance the diet derailment. Race morning is a breeze. The best thing about small races is the ease in getting to the start line fifteen minutes before the race begins with a free parking garage steps away. A short line for the potty still has us ready for the Star Spangled Banner. The weather could not be more perfect~cool not cold~with some cloud cover.

The race begins with little fanfare and we are off. The early miles down the longest Main Street is lined with music and happy positive volunteers and spectators. There isn't a person I pass that isn't offering cheer and goodwill to all the runners. 

The sidewalks are filled with sign after sign after sign with funny and inspirational sayings. There are fancy signs and handmade posters to read and green little arrows on the road to follow ensuring we do not lose our way. The enthusiasm is contagious and uplifting.  It is nice to see so many people out. There are definitely double the number of volunteers than all 192 runners on the course.

The water and Gatorade is available every few miles along with porta potties that luckily I do not need to use. The course is broken down into two out and back sections which I enjoy. It gives runners a chance to get pumped up by the same encouraging volunteers for a second time when we are not quite as fresh as the first few miles, and we can read the posters and signs for a second time.

My favorite, "One day you will not be able to do this...today is not that day!" It really hits home since I came prepared to skip the race, but somehow wake up with the will to run. I leapfrog with the same group of runners during the first half, but the second half reveals who is well trained and who isn't.  The strong maintain pace while the unprepared slow. I manage to stay strong for 18 miles. I am desperate for GU or chews to replenish my depleted energy. Sometimes it doesn't matter how much you try to push...the body just will not go any faster.

A game of leapfrog for miles and miles...

Finally, cherry chews appear just before mile 19, but it is too late for me as the body is slowly transitioning into a marathon shuffle or slog. Two ladies~who definitely look like they are in my age group~pass me up! Darn, I feel my chance for the RRCA grand master's medal go by the wayside. Neither are in my age group it turns out but the lady that sails by me in the last few miles is...and she definitely earned the medal (beating me by ten minutes) and I happily settle for second. I know I do not have the conditioning for a sub four at the moment, yet it serves as my motivation to get back to a healthier stronger me. My personal running theory holds up once again. When I can do a five mile training run at or under 45 minutes I can hit four hours or less. My last five miler was 48 minutes and change and my finishing time reflects an accurate hypothesis with a finishing time slightly over four hours.

It is funny how one minute I don't think I can even do the run and the next minute I want to win. It is quite amazing how our mind and body works. I can't say enough good things about the 3rd annual marathon and all the people that make it a quality event.

The supportive people make it special, young and old were there to encourage and cheer. In the final miles~or maybe it was the pain and anguish on my face~the support is intensified. Some of the volunteers even run alongside some of the runners for small stretches.  The final half mile ends on an incline making it an even harder push, but makes crossing the finish line extra sweet.  We are bestowed with a medal and nice lunch by a very kind and caring community of people. I sit and recover for awhile before enjoying the BBQ and beer, but the best part is talking to other runners and volunteers. I earn a nice hat for 2nd and will be honored to wear it and represent a special small town in Illinois. 

State #45 is pretty sweet!

The close proximity to the airport makes it possible for us to catch a late afternoon flight home and crawl into our own bed by 11 pm, thanks to light Los Angeles traffic.

State #44 Waitsfield, Vermont

Mad Marathon

July 8th, 2018

Mad Marathon dubbed one of the most beautiful marathons in the United States is my forty-fourth state. Yes, it is beautiful but even more noteworthy is the extreme hilliness of the Vermont countryside. Preparation for the hills consists of running on completely flat roads in California's Central Valley. Our only hill training takes place during actual marathons throughout the year. Arkansas is hilly, but is nothing in comparison to Vermont!

The covered bridge...runners cross at mile 1 and mile 25!

We begin our travel to one of the farthest states at nine pm Thursday evening. I miss the first eviction from my favorite summertime show "Big Brother" in its twentieth season. I have to read the updates online from our resting place for the night at Hotel Rogue located on the fifth floor of the covered parking structure! It is worth it to avoid Los Angeles traffic. After a nice three hour nap, we are ready to hop on

the shuttle for the quick trip to the Jet Blue Terminal. What a drastically different flight experience compared to the last trip in June. The six am flight leaves on time and is easy and comfortable thanks to our kind and caring flight attendant, Phillip. We are impressed by the exceptional customer service and the pleasant flight experience. I am able to watch three movies before we touch down early and quickly catch a shuttle to the Boston rental car center where we encounter the

nicest lady at the Budget counter, a former runner, who wishes us well on our run. Everything is going too smoothly...our trips are never this easy when will "the shoe drop!" We fill our bellies with delicious pasta from Rino's Place before facing the heavy traffic out of Boston. The three hours of sleep hits and we stop for the night in Concord, New Hampshire. Exhaustion smacks me in the face making it, ironically, hard to sleep. How do I manage to make a mess of the room in no time. Why do I bring a carry-on and two backpacks...everything is everywhere already. My goal at the end of fifty trips is to streamline the packing. I lose something it seems on each trip. Last time it was my favorite pajama pants and the time before that a comfy sweater. I have yet to find something to replace "little man" the wooden roller stick, left behind in Hawaii...that did wonders on my back.

The six remaining states is an opportunity to work on my efficiency and organizational skills, but something tells me to forget it...just lower my expectations. Neatness is not my forte! Success will be embracing my inner and outer messiness. The Mad Marathon sounds like the perfect race to run especially since I feel rather mad lately myself. 2018 is definitely over scheduled and a "touch of madness" permeates my mind as we shuffle though the last three marathon state trips in the year. If we finish Vermont, Illinois and the double weekend in Maryland and New Jersey it will be thirteen states (two being repeat states) and four pacing marathons complete. Let me be the first to admit ~seventeen full marathons in one year is way too much~ for me anyway. That's crazy, no wonder it is a troublesome year of physical struggle and mental strife! The body needs repair. Some runners

may be able to complete 20-50 marathons per year and make it look easy. It definitely isn't easy~for me...that's for sure! My results continue to falter along with my fitness, stamina, motivation and joy. When we hit a dead end road on the way to Smuggler's Notch to zipline in Mt. Mansfield State Forest, my enthusiasm and patience also falters. The beautiful small towns in the area play host to snow skiers in the winter and bikers and hikers in the summer. The beauty and peaceful scenery has me feeling anything but peaceful. After a rage-filled rant that comes out of nowhere~we find Arbortrek and begin our little adventure. Sometimes, life is like a huge pressure cooker waiting to explode; it is necessary to let out some steam to prevent a complete meltdown. Our happy guides and the thrill of zipping through the trees, lift our spirits and release the pressure but sailing through the trees makes me~extra hungry!

Always ready to eat, a local from the Stowe area recommends Blue Stone and we give it a try. Another tasty pie is fuel for the next day's run. Batting about a 500 average on the pizza field...today is a home run. After dinner we drive to Waitsfield to get our bibs and shirts. Every drive in the area is thirty minutes even though the sign says eleven miles. People in Vermont drive slow very slow~maple syrup dripping out of trees slow! Vermont gives Oregonians  competition for slowest drivers in the country.

We make it in time to pick up our bibs and shirts. I am under the impression pick up is between 4 and 7~because that's what it says on the webpage~but it actually ends at 6 pm. Thankfully, there are a few stragglers as we arrive. It is just as easy to wait until race morning to do packet pickup... definitely eliminates multiple slow drives back and forth. Soaking in the spa and cooling off in the pool is a nice ending to the day. There is even a serene wooden swing on the property to sit and look out at an old covered bridge at least until the mosquitoes begin feasting on the humans.

Race morning arrives~ready or not. Another slow thirty minute meander in the car starts our day with parking close to the start and finish area. The race starts right in the middle of the main thoroughfare connecting one small town to another. We begin with a gentle downward slope lined with orange cones. It doesn't feel like much, but I sure feel it on the way back. The first mile goes well. Gravity is my friend and I can't help but pour on the gas anytime I get some assistance from a downhill grade, but the brakes slam too soon as the topography trends upwards slowing my progress. Lets just say I ride the brakes for many many miles. As soon as the road goes up...even though I don't want to, I am forced to slow down and walk; it allows me to fully enjoy my surroundings and appreciate life!

Vermont Country

All Time Favorite Creatures on Earth!

 

As soon as the road slants in a downward direction, the accelerator is pressed as hard as possible and I fly down the mountain~okay flip-flop (slightly out of control) arms flailing~down the mountain! It is a beautiful race and I enjoy every climb and cherish every walk opportunity. I can't help but drink in the scents of wild flowers as the roads are quaffed with the most fragrant aromas. I run alone for the first half and break the race into nine sets of three miles. I count the sets...one down eight to go. It helps to try different strategies. During the second half, I strike up a conversation with Mel from Wisconsin who has been running for twenty years and Vermont is his 49th state. He will complete #50 in New York at the Wineglass Marathon. His only run in California, the Santa Clarita marathon, just happens to be where I ran my first marathon back in 1999. He is a much stronger runner than me, but I push to stay with him for a few miles.  The watermelon station is refreshing as I pop a few pain relievers to 

get an extra kick to power me through some miles. Mile 21, necessitates a potty stop. The three out and back sections are an opportunity to see others runners. I see my husband, looking strong, on the return trip through the watermelon stop, the heat hasn't affected him yet. I also see Bart Yasso, Mr. Marathon, on the course  who is such a great ambassador for the sport of running!

3rd place in age group...I will take it!

 

I continue to run strong and treasure the nice extended downhill sections in the final miles, catching many of the people who passed me during the extended uphill sections. I try to go as fast as my chunky legs can carry me for as long as possible...until we reach the covered bridge and the final turn...last mile of uphill running. Mel cruises past me with ease. In the final chute, I am passed by two young ladies who whizzed by me in the early miles. I worked so hard to pass them up in that final incline, but with youthful energy they cross the line just in front of me, holding hands in matching outfits. Turns out they are sisters 28 and 29, in that case, they should beat an old lady! My husband has a good day too and we celebrate in the beer tent chatting with two nice ladies, fellow 50 Staters, from Texas. It is fun to compare notes on other races. After feasting on tasty tacos at "Mad Tacos" it's back in the pool before indulging, shockingly, with some dinner.

Celebration Tacos!

Beer Makes It Better Sometimes!

Mad Marathon Hardware!

Time for a short hike before the flight home!

Vermont watering hole!

Waterbury Lake

Monday is a nice recovery day spent exploring the little delights of Vermont before a night flight back to California. We sit in the plane at the gate for an hour while the mechanic works on the fuel line apparently the gas isn't getting to the engine~please take your time~gas getting into the engine is kind of important! The return trip is Delta...can you tell? Thanks Delta for getting us home even if it is an hour later than expected. We are grateful to be home safely without a six hour delay this time. Kitty expresses her displeasure about our absence by refusing to come inside...as we crawl into bed at two a.m.

Oh Brother, you are back...for how long? How dare you leave me again!