A question for you real runners. Is the first mile and a half miserable no matter what your pace or skill level?
Today was a big milestone for me, I had to attempt a four mile run, with an added challenge for this fair weather runner - we had snow and ice last night. Luckily the roads were pretty clear and only one side street on my route was pretty slushy. I completed the four miles, and a little something, something at the end (no not "that" something, something!) however, did take a one minute walk just after the two mile mark. What I found interesting was that right around the one mile mark, I was hating it. My legs felt like lead, I couldn't breathe and my attitude stunk. Somewhere between the two and three mile marks I started to feel good. Then when I got to my end mark I felt like I actually might have had another half mile to a mile left in me, hence the little bit extra in the end.
I'm now intrigued enough to keep on running and anxious for next Saturdays 4.5 mile attempt. Will run that in Sarasota on what I'm sure will be completely different conditions. Mom, Dylan and I take off for the Sunshine State on Monday. I'm so ready for ten days of warmer temperatures and sunshine
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
NC Bonus Race
I learned an important lesson Sunday, don't run a 5K in your fancy bra and panties. Support for a woman requiring anything larger than an A cup is non-existent and chafing will occur in a "place where the sun doesn't shine."
You are probably asking, "why did Camille ran another 5K in NC?" Sunday is my slow 30 to 4o minute run day and I've been struggling with motivation. Even though this was a very good week with regard to sticking to my workout schedule, I thought maybe running with a group of people would help. It did.
I almost didn't make the race start. I got lost finding the race site, had to quickly change in the car five minutes before race time and realized at that point I'd forgotten to bring my jog bra and panties. Hence the lesson learned.
It was a nice challenging run. A lot of up hills of varying grades which gave me a much harder Sunday run than usual but I took it slow and even walked once. I think my time ended up at 35:00, but waiting for official results.
Training continues tomorrow with a three and a half mile run. I added some weight training, primarily upper body and core, into my schedule last week. Will try to do that three times a week. Not sure if it will help my running but maybe it will firm up my mid section and get rid of some of the belly flab before bikini season rolls around again!
You are probably asking, "why did Camille ran another 5K in NC?" Sunday is my slow 30 to 4o minute run day and I've been struggling with motivation. Even though this was a very good week with regard to sticking to my workout schedule, I thought maybe running with a group of people would help. It did.
I almost didn't make the race start. I got lost finding the race site, had to quickly change in the car five minutes before race time and realized at that point I'd forgotten to bring my jog bra and panties. Hence the lesson learned.
It was a nice challenging run. A lot of up hills of varying grades which gave me a much harder Sunday run than usual but I took it slow and even walked once. I think my time ended up at 35:00, but waiting for official results.
Training continues tomorrow with a three and a half mile run. I added some weight training, primarily upper body and core, into my schedule last week. Will try to do that three times a week. Not sure if it will help my running but maybe it will firm up my mid section and get rid of some of the belly flab before bikini season rolls around again!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Race #13
I had a good feeling about this race before it began, I knew it would be special. My attitude was good and I just thought I'd have fun and be able to run with my heart.
My hunch was true. I ended up with a time of 32:25 which is better than last week and I think a PR. But what made the race neat was that I did the first two miles in less than twenty minutes, which means I was hitting my current goal of a ten minute mile pace. The last mile of the race was pretty much uphill, gradual incline all the way. There were a couple times during that mile when I really wanted to walk, but I kept reminding myself that this was a race! I was hurting at the end but tried to give it a bit of a kick for the last couple blocks.
I don't think the weather was as big of a factor as I was afraid it would be. I did have on three layers of pants and four layers of tops plus a pair of socks I'd gotten at the dollar store the night before on my hands. The only part that suffered were my ears, I didn't bring a hat or headband. I think I'll get out the knitting needles when I get home and start a headband, or maybe I'll start running in one of my titty tams.
I must confess that I really didn't get to see much of Birmingham as I got in after dark and after the race just had time to shower, grab lunch and head to the airport. The snow that was so beautiful on the trees this morning is now all melted.
My next race isn't until January 9, 2010 so I've got a month to run/workout and try and get my pace faster. I know I started this and said I wasn't going to focus on time, but that very narrow streak of competitiveness in me, seems to be getting wider!
The first song on the radio when I got back into the car was John Fogerty's "Centerfield" - "put me in coach, I'm ready to play today!"
My hunch was true. I ended up with a time of 32:25 which is better than last week and I think a PR. But what made the race neat was that I did the first two miles in less than twenty minutes, which means I was hitting my current goal of a ten minute mile pace. The last mile of the race was pretty much uphill, gradual incline all the way. There were a couple times during that mile when I really wanted to walk, but I kept reminding myself that this was a race! I was hurting at the end but tried to give it a bit of a kick for the last couple blocks.
I don't think the weather was as big of a factor as I was afraid it would be. I did have on three layers of pants and four layers of tops plus a pair of socks I'd gotten at the dollar store the night before on my hands. The only part that suffered were my ears, I didn't bring a hat or headband. I think I'll get out the knitting needles when I get home and start a headband, or maybe I'll start running in one of my titty tams.
I must confess that I really didn't get to see much of Birmingham as I got in after dark and after the race just had time to shower, grab lunch and head to the airport. The snow that was so beautiful on the trees this morning is now all melted.
My next race isn't until January 9, 2010 so I've got a month to run/workout and try and get my pace faster. I know I started this and said I wasn't going to focus on time, but that very narrow streak of competitiveness in me, seems to be getting wider!
The first song on the radio when I got back into the car was John Fogerty's "Centerfield" - "put me in coach, I'm ready to play today!"
Race morning
OMGosh! I woke up early this morning and first looked out the window without my glasses on and saw puddles in the parking lot. A little bit later I looked out again, with my glasses on, and saw SNOW on the ground and trees! I was not prepared for this. I was expecting temperatures in the low 40's and totally didn't see the forecast for snow. There is still another two hours before the actual race starts so it could warm up by them. Either way, this is going to be a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to a great run.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Race #12
Here I am, on the eve of race number 13, and I’ve yet to post the details of number 12. One would think my life was busy!
State number 11 is in the books and once again I posted a decent time (32:52) for me, I was seventh out of thirteen in my division. This was a last minute addition to the schedule largely because I could fly into Atlanta early, drive to the race site, run, drive back to the airport and fly home, all within one day.
Once again, before the race started my shirt caused a few comments and even a photo or two. I also struck up a conversation with a 68 year old lady, Jane B. who had started running just this year. She told me a story of running a race with her grandson put on by his college. He asked her not to finish before him as his buddies would never stop ribbing him if she did. She had to slow down at the end to let him pass! Go grandma!
The race started with a nice little downhill and then we went on a trail around a pond. I came out feeling good and tried to push it as we were on the trail but the path was pretty uneven and muddy in a few spots. After that it was all road and pretty hilly, though mostly gradual hills. I spent a good part of the race running with two middle aged guys. It worked out well for me as I kept pushing myself to get in front of them and then try and stay in front. They would walk up the hills and I’d run so I’d get ahead, but their long legs gave them an advantage on the downside. But I took them in the end!
I didn’t have my lucky yellow headband or eat a meal of pasta the night before. In fact, for lunch the day of the race I ate at the Yesterday Café in Greensboro, Georgia. Good southern food – chopped steak with onions and gravy, fried okra and collards – yum!
Going through the Atlanta airport on my way to my rental car I felt tug on my arm. I turned and a small elderly lady, who spoke no English, mimed that she needed help finding her gate. Through hand signals and digging through her purse I was able to locate her ticket and find the gate number. I first pointed her in the direction of the escalator thinking that was all she needed. Clearly that wasn’t enough. So I told her I’d take her to the gate, grabbed her hand and suitcase and headed for the escalator. I got on with her suitcase and thought she would get on behind me, but she was too scared. As the crowd backed up behind her I rode to the top with her suitcase. Finally a man stepped through the crowd and pretty much put her on the escalator as I stood at the top. Recognizing the situation, two other men, going up on an adjoining escalator came over and helped her get off. We headed to the gate hand in hand only to find out that the gate had been changed. The change was going to require another trip downstairs to the tram. The gate agent agreed to find a wheelchair for my new friend as I didn’t think she would survive another episode with an escalator. I waited for the chair to come then convinced her to get on it and let the wheelchair pusher take her to the correct gate. As she was being wheeled away she smiled really big at me and said “thank you,” probably the full extent of her English vocabulary. This being the Thanksgiving weekend, everyone in a rush, it was great to see so many people come together in their own little ways to help this very scared lady get on her flight to Los Angles.
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Personally, I know that I am blessed with a “whole lot of abundance!!” I have a wonderful supportive family, good friends all over the country and pretty much all the material things a girl could want.
State number 11 is in the books and once again I posted a decent time (32:52) for me, I was seventh out of thirteen in my division. This was a last minute addition to the schedule largely because I could fly into Atlanta early, drive to the race site, run, drive back to the airport and fly home, all within one day.
Once again, before the race started my shirt caused a few comments and even a photo or two. I also struck up a conversation with a 68 year old lady, Jane B. who had started running just this year. She told me a story of running a race with her grandson put on by his college. He asked her not to finish before him as his buddies would never stop ribbing him if she did. She had to slow down at the end to let him pass! Go grandma!
The race started with a nice little downhill and then we went on a trail around a pond. I came out feeling good and tried to push it as we were on the trail but the path was pretty uneven and muddy in a few spots. After that it was all road and pretty hilly, though mostly gradual hills. I spent a good part of the race running with two middle aged guys. It worked out well for me as I kept pushing myself to get in front of them and then try and stay in front. They would walk up the hills and I’d run so I’d get ahead, but their long legs gave them an advantage on the downside. But I took them in the end!
I didn’t have my lucky yellow headband or eat a meal of pasta the night before. In fact, for lunch the day of the race I ate at the Yesterday Café in Greensboro, Georgia. Good southern food – chopped steak with onions and gravy, fried okra and collards – yum!
Going through the Atlanta airport on my way to my rental car I felt tug on my arm. I turned and a small elderly lady, who spoke no English, mimed that she needed help finding her gate. Through hand signals and digging through her purse I was able to locate her ticket and find the gate number. I first pointed her in the direction of the escalator thinking that was all she needed. Clearly that wasn’t enough. So I told her I’d take her to the gate, grabbed her hand and suitcase and headed for the escalator. I got on with her suitcase and thought she would get on behind me, but she was too scared. As the crowd backed up behind her I rode to the top with her suitcase. Finally a man stepped through the crowd and pretty much put her on the escalator as I stood at the top. Recognizing the situation, two other men, going up on an adjoining escalator came over and helped her get off. We headed to the gate hand in hand only to find out that the gate had been changed. The change was going to require another trip downstairs to the tram. The gate agent agreed to find a wheelchair for my new friend as I didn’t think she would survive another episode with an escalator. I waited for the chair to come then convinced her to get on it and let the wheelchair pusher take her to the correct gate. As she was being wheeled away she smiled really big at me and said “thank you,” probably the full extent of her English vocabulary. This being the Thanksgiving weekend, everyone in a rush, it was great to see so many people come together in their own little ways to help this very scared lady get on her flight to Los Angles.
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Personally, I know that I am blessed with a “whole lot of abundance!!” I have a wonderful supportive family, good friends all over the country and pretty much all the material things a girl could want.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Race #11
Camille Blommer second place finisher in the women's 45-49 division in Magee Mississippi HealthTrust Scrub Run. Bet you never expected to read that?!
So now I am faced with an ethical dilemma. Do I merely bask in the glow of my second place finish and the accolades that go along with it or do I come clean with all the race statistics? Hmmmmmm?
The race was held at the sports complex on the south side of town. The course wound through the back country roads of Simpson County. I will say it was the "hilliest" course I've run so far, not my usual flat and fast. I'm convinced we ran up every hill in the county! The start was a long gradual incline, quickly followed by three short and steep uphills. I kept waiting for it to level off but it never really did. In spite of all the hills I actually felt good during the run and was okay with my time of 33:18 considering I haven't been running much as of late due to a bad sinus infection. Once again, I got into a groove during the last half of mile two, so mile three actually felt good. I think I need to have a better warm up routine.
So now I am faced with an ethical dilemma. Do I merely bask in the glow of my second place finish and the accolades that go along with it or do I come clean with all the race statistics? Hmmmmmm?
The race was held at the sports complex on the south side of town. The course wound through the back country roads of Simpson County. I will say it was the "hilliest" course I've run so far, not my usual flat and fast. I'm convinced we ran up every hill in the county! The start was a long gradual incline, quickly followed by three short and steep uphills. I kept waiting for it to level off but it never really did. In spite of all the hills I actually felt good during the run and was okay with my time of 33:18 considering I haven't been running much as of late due to a bad sinus infection. Once again, I got into a groove during the last half of mile two, so mile three actually felt good. I think I need to have a better warm up routine.
After the race I couldn't hang around for the award ceremony but I did chat with a gal who lived about an hour and a half south, originally from New Orleans. This was her first 5K and her goal was to just run the entire race, she succeeded in that - yeah for her!! I asked her about Magee to see if I could get a better handle on the town. She really didn't know anything about it except the fact that it had been hit with a bad tornado in March that destroyed a number of homes. I asked her if she knew how the people made a living and her response was: "I've been living in Mississippi for six years and asked myself the same question when I first moved here. And after all this time I still don't know what they do!" I took it that she was probably retired as she said they moved to Mississippi because her husband was a deer hunter - to my knowledge, I don't know of any "professional" deer hunters, but I could be wrong!
Have had a hard time getting back into the groove of running since this race a couple weeks ago. This week I've stayed on track but the workouts haven't been very encouraging. Today I did my weekly 1.5 mile Duke-loop and it is still taking me 17 minutes - I need to be at 15 minutes if I ever expect to break 30 minutes. Ughhhhhhh. The journey continues!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Race #10
I've never had so much fun being so miserable! www.denvergorillarun.com
"Paging Doctor Kildaire, paging Doctor Kildaire!"
Top Banana
yes, we have no bananas!
Are you good witch or a bad witch?
Technology has found its way to the jungle, ugghhhhhh!!!!
Camille finally makes it to the finish line!
I'll get the "time" issue out of the way right away. I posted a 53:05. No that is not a transposition error, it took me just under an hour to go 3.5 miles. Now there are a lot of mitigating circumstances: I was running in a full gorilla suit, the temperatures soared into the 50's so I was overheating, altitude (this is the mile high city), I spent the last few weeks on vacation in Florida and didn't run, while in Florida the Liquor Pigs came for a long weekend for hardcore eating and drinking (of which I did partake). I promise to get back on a workout schedule.
I did have another small world story. Before the race when we were all starting to gather, I commented to this gal that I liked her handbag. This of course led to conversation and she let slip that she was from Tampa, had come in on Friday just like I had! Like me she was running the race just because she could!
I'm going to let the pictures do most of the talking for this post - words just don't do it justice.
Dress rehearsal at home - all dressed up and ready to run!
At registration - helping out with a publicity photo for hand and feet warmers
"Paging Doctor Kildaire, paging Doctor Kildaire!" Top Banana yes, we have no bananas! Are you good witch or a bad witch?Speaking of witches, I went to see Wicked Friday night at the Denver Performing Arts Center. Another one of those situations where going solo pays off, there was a single seat in the 11th row, center. The performance was absolutely fabulous! I didn't really know what the story was about except that it had ties to the Wizard of Oz. For those who don't know, it is the story of the childhood of the wicked witch of the west (or east, I'm never quite sure). I recommend it highly.
Continuing on with the benefits of going solo. Wednesday night I had to decide whether to stop at the gym for a final workout before my Denver trip or go by the Durham Performing Arts Center and see if there was a ticket for the Roger Daltry show. Roger won out. Not only was there a ticket in the orchestra section, but they comped me - show, free!! Roger's voice is all but gone, but the show was just too fun. He did a lot more Who songs than I thought he would and of course the crowd just loved it. And in true aging rocker style, he couldn't resist unbuttoning his shirt bit by bit as he went through the set list until it was completely undo for "Teenage Wasted!" Thank goodness he isn't still taking it all the way off, his abs aren't what they used to be!
Continuing on with the benefits of going solo. Wednesday night I had to decide whether to stop at the gym for a final workout before my Denver trip or go by the Durham Performing Arts Center and see if there was a ticket for the Roger Daltry show. Roger won out. Not only was there a ticket in the orchestra section, but they comped me - show, free!! Roger's voice is all but gone, but the show was just too fun. He did a lot more Who songs than I thought he would and of course the crowd just loved it. And in true aging rocker style, he couldn't resist unbuttoning his shirt bit by bit as he went through the set list until it was completely undo for "Teenage Wasted!" Thank goodness he isn't still taking it all the way off, his abs aren't what they used to be!
I digress, back to the race.
The smallest gorilla
Technology has found its way to the jungle, ugghhhhhh!!!! Invading gorillas
Camille finally makes it to the finish line!Later Saturday night. I just finished having dinner at an Italian restaurant on 17th St. called Panzano. If you are ever in Denver go there and have the mushroom crepes! As well as anything else on the menu as the shrimp I had was great and everything I saw them cooking looked wonderful. www.panzano-denver.com
Monday, October 12, 2009
Race #9
This weekend I realized that this big ole goofy world is really very small. I arrived at the Hartford airport Friday morning and headed to the bus stop to take the $1.25 bus into downtown versus the $42 taxi cab the hotel told me was the only option from the airport to downtown. There was another lady standing at the bus stop when I walked up. Of course, we struck up a conversation to determine if either of us was from Hartford and had taken this bus before. Negative to that but low and behold we found out we were both from Florida. Not only Florida but we were both from Sarasota and she was meeting up with about seven other people from Sarasota who were there to run the Hartford Marathon. What were the odds? We chatted about ourselves and low and behold, Donna L., my new BFF, is also retired. When she mentions she is retired from the US Postal Service, I immediately ask: “Do you know Bob and Grace G.?” “Bob and Grace?!?! I’ve known Bob long before he married Grace. In fact I even briefly worked for him.” Could the world get any smaller? Another obvious marathoner walked up to the bus stop with a Wisconsin sweatshirt on. I couldn’t help myself: “Where in Wisconsin are you from? I’ve got an Aunt in Sparta?” No, he wasn’t from Sparta and didn’t know her.
We all got on the bus and headed into downtown. The bus driver was extremely friendly and helpful. Both Donna and I wanted to get off at the last Downtown stop, you know why? We were staying at the same hotel! The bus driver ended up not only taking us to the stop we wanted, but took the bus out of service and took us to the door of our hotel. Kudos to the Hartford transit system.
Donna and I parted in the lobby with Donna planning to call me when the rest of her group arrived so we could all go over to the Xcel center and pick up our packets together. I got settled into my room and waited for Donna’s call. About 1:00pm she called to say the other people had arrived and they were gathering in the lobby. I headed down. As I was standing in the lobby waiting for the entire group to gather, I noticed a woman walking toward us. I knew her. We both pointed at each other and exclaimed “I know you!” and we did. Susan M. and I worked at Global Signal together!
What are the odds of all this happening? Craig B. said it sounded like an episode from the Twilight Zone!
I ended up having lunch and dinner with them and hopefully making a few more friends!
We all got on the bus and headed into downtown. The bus driver was extremely friendly and helpful. Both Donna and I wanted to get off at the last Downtown stop, you know why? We were staying at the same hotel! The bus driver ended up not only taking us to the stop we wanted, but took the bus out of service and took us to the door of our hotel. Kudos to the Hartford transit system.
Donna and I parted in the lobby with Donna planning to call me when the rest of her group arrived so we could all go over to the Xcel center and pick up our packets together. I got settled into my room and waited for Donna’s call. About 1:00pm she called to say the other people had arrived and they were gathering in the lobby. I headed down. As I was standing in the lobby waiting for the entire group to gather, I noticed a woman walking toward us. I knew her. We both pointed at each other and exclaimed “I know you!” and we did. Susan M. and I worked at Global Signal together!
What are the odds of all this happening? Craig B. said it sounded like an episode from the Twilight Zone!
I ended up having lunch and dinner with them and hopefully making a few more friends!
Susan, Mary, Gina, Donna, me, Robin and Paul – the Sarasota connection!
Now, let’s talk about the race. The race was connected to the Hartford Marathon. The 5K race started a few blocks away but had the same finish line as the “real” race. Race conditions were excellent, overcast with just a hint of periodic drizzle. With an 8:00 am start time the probability was low that the day would clear up before our race was completed. There were 957 runners in our race. I got to the start line about twenty minutes before start time so had time to scope out the competition and line up with the 10 minute milers. I decided I need to tell people I’m going to run at a 10 minute pace if I ever expect to achieve it. I did get ahead of the guy with a cane – I’m not exaggerating, there was actually a guy lined up with a bib number, D-tag and cane!
The race start was a bit chaotic, but that’s to be expected with a field of almost a thousand people. But I wasn’t expecting to have two ladies turn around right in front of me and start walking against the flow of traffic! I guess they must have realized this wasn’t the marathon! For the most part the course was flat with only gradual uphill climbs. I felt good going out and thought I had a nice pace so was pretty disappointed when I got to the one mile split and saw 11:07 displayed. I almost let myself get really bummed out and not even try to pick up the pace. At about this time I notice there was a gal with a green shirt that said “I love dirty water” on the back who was running at a pace that was just a bit faster than I was currently going. I decided I would keep up with her for as long as I could. I stayed with her through mile two and then passed her!! Yup, I got a second wind, got in the groove or not sure what, but for the last mile I actually felt better than the first and kept pushing myself to go faster. It paid off. I ended up with a PR of 32:53. That still isn’t a 10 minute pace but I’m getting closer.
I found the “I love dirty water” girl after the race and thanked her for pacing me.
Oh, about that cab fare from the airport. Fast forward to my checkout at the hotel. I politely told the desk clerk that a bus option did actually exists and maybe they should make a note of that so that when future guests call they can tell them about that option instead of just saying the only way to get to the hotel from the airport is via the rather expensive taxi option. The clerk thanked me but then pointed to a guy leaning on the counter and said he was the best cabbie in town and would only charge me $36. The light bulb went on; do you think someone’s getting a kickback?!?
Next up, the Great Gorilla Run in Denver, Colorado. I just found out that the course is actually 3.5 miles not 3.1. I'm anxious to see how this race goes - a longer course, full gorilla suit, cold weather and a mile of altitude.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Motivation
How do people stay motivated? Last week should have been a hardcore week of running and working out but on both Friday and Saturday I found excuses not to run or work out. It makes me so mad because not only do I need to train but I do feel so much better when I exercise. I had a nice run Sunday but only went 3.1 miles when I should have gone farther.
It is rainy today so I'm going to head to the gym this afternoon and do some sprints on the treadmill. In fact, I'm going to try an 8 minute pace for my quarter mile sprints. If you hear a big thunk around 2:30pm EST, it is me being thrown off the treadmill!!
It is rainy today so I'm going to head to the gym this afternoon and do some sprints on the treadmill. In fact, I'm going to try an 8 minute pace for my quarter mile sprints. If you hear a big thunk around 2:30pm EST, it is me being thrown off the treadmill!!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Happy Birthday Camille
Sharing my birthday with some of the Bunco Babes - Grace, me, Carol and Krista
Tick tock the clock is really ticking now. In twenty-four months this will all be over! Friday was my birthday, 48th (or as Mr. Poole would say "Well, you're in your 49th year now"), and I spent it with the bunco babes in Florida. They didn't realize when they arrived at Lynn D.'s house that they were going to be celebrating my birthday, but they rose to the occassion and helped me have a great time.
I didn't do a birthday run, but the next day when I got back to NC I did some good hill work. I actually made it up the Jackie Robinson hill three times and worked on sprinting up the hill instead of just dragging up as I've done in the past. It has turned hot in NC again so last week I had to workout inside. I'm trying to mix up hill work, sprints and runs longer than 3.1 miles. I did a 4.5 mile treadmill run one day and it felt pretty good. The pace wasn't very fast but I want to get up to six miles before the summer.
As you can see I've registered for a number of races for the winter months. I'm still looking for races in Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico during the months of November through March. If you see anything that looks like fun, drop me a line and let me know. Also, I've decided that my final race in September 2011 will be in Minnesota, probably in the Minneapolis area. Put it on your calendar and plan on joining me for the final run and big celebration.
I didn't do a birthday run, but the next day when I got back to NC I did some good hill work. I actually made it up the Jackie Robinson hill three times and worked on sprinting up the hill instead of just dragging up as I've done in the past. It has turned hot in NC again so last week I had to workout inside. I'm trying to mix up hill work, sprints and runs longer than 3.1 miles. I did a 4.5 mile treadmill run one day and it felt pretty good. The pace wasn't very fast but I want to get up to six miles before the summer.
As you can see I've registered for a number of races for the winter months. I'm still looking for races in Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico during the months of November through March. If you see anything that looks like fun, drop me a line and let me know. Also, I've decided that my final race in September 2011 will be in Minnesota, probably in the Minneapolis area. Put it on your calendar and plan on joining me for the final run and big celebration.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Race #8
One more state checked off the map! I ran the Navy Federal Credit Union 5K in Vienna, Virginia Saturday. I debuted the new shirt and got a few good comments about the "Dead freakin' last.........." saying on the back. I want to thank my friend Rachel D. for being my travelling companion for this race - she's the one on the left:
She had never been to a race before so the experience was all new. She got lucky as the Navy Federal Credit Union 5K was a great race. The venue was great, the volunteer effort was phenomenal and the participants were a great bunch of people.
She had never been to a race before so the experience was all new. She got lucky as the Navy Federal Credit Union 5K was a great race. The venue was great, the volunteer effort was phenomenal and the participants were a great bunch of people. The night before the race Rachel and I went out to dinner at Da Deminico a local Italian restaurant, I recommend it highly. I had the tutti de mare and must say it was fantastic. The sauce was just spicy enough but not overpowering. Upon our return we got in the elevator with two guys and a girl and I heard them talking about a race they were running the next day. I kept my mouth shut, for once, as I just sensed these guys weren't going out to run a 5K. As we went up one by one they got off the elevator until we were alone with one small wiry guy with curly dark hair. He mentioned to Rachel and me that he was going to be running in a 50 mile race the next day. I immediately piped up that well I was going to be running in a 5K the next day!! He gave me a grin, a big high-five and wished me luck. I then explained to Rachel that these guys were the real runners and truly crazy! He liked the description!
Race day dawned too soon. I had a completely restless night, I know that I looked at the clock every hour. What was doubly frustrating was that the bed was unbelievably comfortable and the linens superb. Left the hotel with temps in the low 60's, clear skies and no rain. We got to the course with plenty of time to sign in and scope out the competition.I didn't have my watch with me and I think I might have done better because of that. I really tried to just focus on having a good time. The course was rather flat, the uphills were all at a rather gradual slope. I waved at anyone who was standing along the route to cheer us on (not many), thanked all the course marshals and policemen who stopped traffic, and got a good laugh out of the young girls cheering toward the end when I requested high fives from them as I ran by! Yes, I've become the queen of self promotion!
My time ended up at 34:16 and I really had a great time running! The one time I did start to sag, I thought about the curly haired guy in the elevator who had been running for a couple hours already and still had hours to go before he finished his 50 miles. 34 minutes was hardly a warm up for him! I spent most of the race running with this tall girl in a pink top. I stayed with her up until the last half mile when she got an extra kick and I didn't. I found her after the race and thanked her for helping motivate me to run the entire time and not walk. 
At the finish line and still smiling!!
Not sure exactly what this is, we think it's a mouse!
I got a call from my brother Craig on Sunday wondering why I hadn't called him before and after the race as I've done previously - oops, my bad! He agreed that I needed to shake up my training a bit if I ever hoped to get my time faster. I'm going to do some speed work and also start building up to five or six mile runs instead of calling it quits at 3.1 miles!
Next race - Hartford, Connecticut
Monday, September 14, 2009
The T-shirt is here
Thanks to Lisa R. for supplying me with the quote for the back and thanks to here husband David for the photography.I'll be debuting the shirt at my race this weekend in Vienna, Virginia. I've certainly become the queen of self-promotion!
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Running for the joy of it
I started running outside this week. The temperature got below 80 as did the humidity. I also wanted to work on running for the simple joy of running and knew I couldn't achieve that on the treadmill.
So my first day out, I grabbed a cookie in each hand and decided to run to my friend Rachel D.'s house. Rachel's house isn't far from my mom's house and is in the same neighborhood as my elementary school, Club Boulevard Elementary. Getting to her house meant I couldn't avoid some hills and instead of dreading them I just ran up them, no more whining.
All week I've stopped at Rachel's house but she hasn't been home so I kept on running. I ran through the park, past the school and down various streets in the area. It has truly been a run down memory lane. I went down Colgate Avenue and remembered that one of the first friends I made when moving to Durham was Marcie C. She was also the first person I knew whose parents got divorced. At ten years old I understood what divorce was but couldn't imaging it happening to anyone I knew - times sure have changed! Running over Ellerbee creek reminded me of the deer I saw one morning walking to school with Mike C. No one believed us until we went down in the creek and showed them the deer tracks. I remembered yelling when walking under the highway bridge just to hear the echo. I remember playing pillow polo in Northgate park when in junior high and the coach was being stalked by a former boyfriend who would come to the park and sit on the hood of his car and stare at her the entire time, my first introduction to truly creepy behavior.
Overall the runs have been fun and I'm enjoying myself again. Looking forward to my next race in Vienna, Virgina on September 19th no matter how ready I am. I've added a section in the blog to list races I've registered for. If you have any suggestions of upcoming races that look like fun, let me know.
Oh, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered my t-shirt. I'll get a picture of it as soon as it comes in. You can have one by just signing up to run with me at one of the races!
So my first day out, I grabbed a cookie in each hand and decided to run to my friend Rachel D.'s house. Rachel's house isn't far from my mom's house and is in the same neighborhood as my elementary school, Club Boulevard Elementary. Getting to her house meant I couldn't avoid some hills and instead of dreading them I just ran up them, no more whining.
All week I've stopped at Rachel's house but she hasn't been home so I kept on running. I ran through the park, past the school and down various streets in the area. It has truly been a run down memory lane. I went down Colgate Avenue and remembered that one of the first friends I made when moving to Durham was Marcie C. She was also the first person I knew whose parents got divorced. At ten years old I understood what divorce was but couldn't imaging it happening to anyone I knew - times sure have changed! Running over Ellerbee creek reminded me of the deer I saw one morning walking to school with Mike C. No one believed us until we went down in the creek and showed them the deer tracks. I remembered yelling when walking under the highway bridge just to hear the echo. I remember playing pillow polo in Northgate park when in junior high and the coach was being stalked by a former boyfriend who would come to the park and sit on the hood of his car and stare at her the entire time, my first introduction to truly creepy behavior.
Overall the runs have been fun and I'm enjoying myself again. Looking forward to my next race in Vienna, Virgina on September 19th no matter how ready I am. I've added a section in the blog to list races I've registered for. If you have any suggestions of upcoming races that look like fun, let me know.
Oh, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered my t-shirt. I'll get a picture of it as soon as it comes in. You can have one by just signing up to run with me at one of the races!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Born to Run
Don't panic, this isn't a post about yet another one of my odysseys to see Bruce Springsteen. This is a post about people, a book and shoes.
I believe that everyone who comes into your life, comes in for a reason. Some people are in for the long haul, some for only a chapter or two and some for just mere hours. My life intersected with Hank M. for three hours at Chicago Midway airport last Thursday on my way to Minneapolis. I was headed out to Minneapolis to meet up with The Blister Sisters and The Misters for the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk For The Cure. He was headed there to see his sons. Over the next three hours we exchanged life stories and views on a variety of topics including the two "must avoid topics" for a first meeting - religion and politics!
I believe that everyone who comes into your life, comes in for a reason. Some people are in for the long haul, some for only a chapter or two and some for just mere hours. My life intersected with Hank M. for three hours at Chicago Midway airport last Thursday on my way to Minneapolis. I was headed out to Minneapolis to meet up with The Blister Sisters and The Misters for the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk For The Cure. He was headed there to see his sons. Over the next three hours we exchanged life stories and views on a variety of topics including the two "must avoid topics" for a first meeting - religion and politics!
Most important, when I told Hank about my attempts at running, his eyes lit up. He immediately told me of his own running and a book he had just finished and was taking to his son, "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall. (www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-august-18-2009/christopher-mcdougall) As we continued to talk and I confessed to him my plans of running 50 by 50 in 50, he insisted that I take the copy of the book he intended to give to his son. He convinced me that this book would change my thinking about running. He was right.
The book tells the story of the Tarahumara tribe of Mexico. The book goes way beyond just telling a story of an ultrarace in the Copper Canyons. And Hank was right, it did get me thinking about why I was running. One of the first points made was to get back to running for the share joy of running. Remember when you were a kid and got out to run just because you could? You weren't running to lose weight, work off stress or stave off depression. You just ran. How liberating!
The second take away for me was that running shoes are killing us. Okay, not literally, but they are causing more injuries than they are preventing. The discussion of the architectural design of our foot as a perfect arch, the fact that a surprising number of big time coaches have barefoot training drills, and yes you can't forget the Kenyans really got me thinking. Coincidentally I was awaiting the arrival of a new pair of shoes while I was reading the book. When the shoes arrived, ones I've worn for a couple years and love for the big toe box, they had been re-engineered. And yup, they had narrowed the toe box. I got refitted for a different pair of shoes but can't say I'm that happy with them. Maybe it is time for me to try the Vibram FiveFinger shoes......
The final take away from the book for me was the discussion on endurance running. For me marathons or ultramarathons are not in the cards. I'm not running 26.2 miles or 50 miles or 100 miles let me make that real clear. I might get up to a 10K but that's it. However the discussion of humans as persistence hunters was fascinating and helps me understand all those folks who can go the distance.
By the way, Hank wasn't satisfied with my goal of breaking 30 minutes. He told me he's looking for a 28!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Race #7
I'm finally going to get this blog current!
I just got back from Race #7, the Elvis Presley Run, Walk, Rock and Roll (www.elvispresleyrunandwalk.com). I wish I had good news to report with regards to my time, but I don't. I finished with a flat 36:00. Even though I say time isn't that important, I have to say I was a bit disappointed with myself. I know that the temperature played a part, it was 85 degrees, but I think my lack of serious training is really more to blame. As I was plugging my way through the race I knew that I had to either abandon this craziness or recommit myself to the goal. In honesty, it was tough to finally agree to recommit - I was feeling more like I should be committed!
Once again I made reservations to leave at o'dark thirty so ended up arriving in Memphis by 8:45am on Friday. Since I'd toured Graceland on a previous trip to Memphis I went looking for another way to spend the day. On the advice of Mary the shuttle bus driver, I headed to the Memphis Zoo, www.memphiszoo.org. It was a nice way to spend the morning, until it heated up and all the animals decided to just lay in the shade. So I decided to do the same and checked into my hotel for an afternoon nap.
Was intending to find an Italian restaurant for my ritual pasta meal but then figured I couldn't leave Memphis without trying the local barbecue. I'm from NC, make that eastern NC so my pork barbecue comes slow roasted over hickory wood, chopped and infused with a vinegar based sauce, no tomato sauce for this girl. I went to Central BBQ which was touted in the visitors magazine as a great local barbecue shack www.cbqmemphis.com. For pork barbecue in a tomato base, this was pretty darn good. I got there early enough to avoid the long line but by the time I left, people were lined up outside.
After dinner I drove to the race site and checked out the course. The race started in front of Graceland and then meandered through a residential neighborhood behind the mansion. No steep hills but a couple gradual inclines. Nothing so intimidating that I thought I needed to create an elaborate excuse to not run on Saturday.
I got up Saturday hoping for rain and overcast and actually got it. Unfortunately but the time race time rolled around, it was sunny, hot and humid. I was hoping that a lot of people would be dressed in Elvis regalia, but was a bit disappointed. There was one guy in a full Elvis suit, including a cape and white loafers. I'm not sure, but I think he actually ran in the loafers the entire race. I did see one gal in an Elvis wig, but truthfully that was about it. One neat aspect was a platoon of Navy guys who were using this as a PT drill. They were lined up behind me and it was great to hear their cadence as they jogged the course. I kept telling myself I needed to stay ahead of them and was able to stay ahead until the last mile. I'd like to say that they increased their pace, but the truth was I slowed mine down. I actual walked for two, two minute intervals and my legs felt like jelly! When I finally crossed the finish line, I had absolutely no kick left in me and truly thought I was going to pass out as I leaned on the lady who cut the timing chip off my shoe. To make matters worse, the water table right at the finish line was out of water. It took a trip down the block to the staging tent to finally find water - that was after I walked by the table of hot dogs, popcorn, soda pop, donuts, etc. I guess when the race is in memory of a man who loved fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches, one shouldn't expect healthy snacks to be front and center.
So, I'm back in Durham and really want to get into more serious jogging and exercising but first I have to get through the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk For the Cure which begins Friday in Minneapolis. I don't think I'm as ready for this event as I was last year but hopefully my team mates will help me through.
I just got back from Race #7, the Elvis Presley Run, Walk, Rock and Roll (www.elvispresleyrunandwalk.com). I wish I had good news to report with regards to my time, but I don't. I finished with a flat 36:00. Even though I say time isn't that important, I have to say I was a bit disappointed with myself. I know that the temperature played a part, it was 85 degrees, but I think my lack of serious training is really more to blame. As I was plugging my way through the race I knew that I had to either abandon this craziness or recommit myself to the goal. In honesty, it was tough to finally agree to recommit - I was feeling more like I should be committed!
Once again I made reservations to leave at o'dark thirty so ended up arriving in Memphis by 8:45am on Friday. Since I'd toured Graceland on a previous trip to Memphis I went looking for another way to spend the day. On the advice of Mary the shuttle bus driver, I headed to the Memphis Zoo, www.memphiszoo.org. It was a nice way to spend the morning, until it heated up and all the animals decided to just lay in the shade. So I decided to do the same and checked into my hotel for an afternoon nap.
Was intending to find an Italian restaurant for my ritual pasta meal but then figured I couldn't leave Memphis without trying the local barbecue. I'm from NC, make that eastern NC so my pork barbecue comes slow roasted over hickory wood, chopped and infused with a vinegar based sauce, no tomato sauce for this girl. I went to Central BBQ which was touted in the visitors magazine as a great local barbecue shack www.cbqmemphis.com. For pork barbecue in a tomato base, this was pretty darn good. I got there early enough to avoid the long line but by the time I left, people were lined up outside.
After dinner I drove to the race site and checked out the course. The race started in front of Graceland and then meandered through a residential neighborhood behind the mansion. No steep hills but a couple gradual inclines. Nothing so intimidating that I thought I needed to create an elaborate excuse to not run on Saturday.
I got up Saturday hoping for rain and overcast and actually got it. Unfortunately but the time race time rolled around, it was sunny, hot and humid. I was hoping that a lot of people would be dressed in Elvis regalia, but was a bit disappointed. There was one guy in a full Elvis suit, including a cape and white loafers. I'm not sure, but I think he actually ran in the loafers the entire race. I did see one gal in an Elvis wig, but truthfully that was about it. One neat aspect was a platoon of Navy guys who were using this as a PT drill. They were lined up behind me and it was great to hear their cadence as they jogged the course. I kept telling myself I needed to stay ahead of them and was able to stay ahead until the last mile. I'd like to say that they increased their pace, but the truth was I slowed mine down. I actual walked for two, two minute intervals and my legs felt like jelly! When I finally crossed the finish line, I had absolutely no kick left in me and truly thought I was going to pass out as I leaned on the lady who cut the timing chip off my shoe. To make matters worse, the water table right at the finish line was out of water. It took a trip down the block to the staging tent to finally find water - that was after I walked by the table of hot dogs, popcorn, soda pop, donuts, etc. I guess when the race is in memory of a man who loved fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches, one shouldn't expect healthy snacks to be front and center.
So, I'm back in Durham and really want to get into more serious jogging and exercising but first I have to get through the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk For the Cure which begins Friday in Minneapolis. I don't think I'm as ready for this event as I was last year but hopefully my team mates will help me through.
Race #5
Michele and Camille suiting up before the race.
Here we are at the start line, getting ready to burn up the course!
Here we are at the start line, getting ready to burn up the course! Caught in action - we're behind the lady in blue 
I think I can honestly say that this was the “no turning back” race. I very specifically picked a state and went looking for a race. I also got other people involved. Greenville, SC is relatively close to Charlotte, NC where my friend Karen M. lives with her husband Rick and daughter Michele. Karen and I go all the way back to elementary school at Club Boulevard.
The unique aspect of this race is that it is run at night and the route is lit with luminaria. To add to the fun, I ran with Michele, Karen’s 10 year old daughter. Michele had participated in a program called Girls on the Run during the prior school year and wanted to run another 5K. So I enlisted her as my running buddy for this race. Prior to the race, Michele and I discussed “race strategy” and decided Michele would wear the interval watch and we would set it at five minutes and two minutes. I recommended that we not go out too fast, so that we wouldn’t get worn out too quick.
Before the race Michele, Karen and I went out to eat at the Olive Garden to carbo-load then we headed back to the race site to await the start. During our wait we of course checked out the competition. We were most impressed with the three guys Michele called “the beach boys.” The beach boys were three middle aged men who walked around in only their skimpy running shorts, deep tans and grey hair, working to impress I don’t know who! Though we couldn’t laugh too hard, they did beat us to the finish line.
We lined up at the finish line and started talking to the people around us, I even told a few people of my 50 by 50 in 50 plans. The start gun went off and the impatience of youth took over. We went out like two bullets! We stayed on our interval times for two rotations and then went into a “free run” dictated by Michele. The course was a big loop, uphill for the first half and downhill for the second half. It was fun to see the race leaders pass us on the way down as we were still struggling up the hill.
I felt good throughout but then we did quite a bit of walking. The race included a lot of young people which I think was encouraging for Michele. We talked along the route about the importance of having fun when you run or there is no sense in doing it. I hope she continues to find enjoyment in running.
Michele finished with a big kick at the end to cross the finish line at 43:13. I came in behind at 43:28. All things considered I’m not to disappointed. Thanks Michele for joining me in one leg of my big dream.
Check out the web site: http://www.candlelightrun.com.
The unique aspect of this race is that it is run at night and the route is lit with luminaria. To add to the fun, I ran with Michele, Karen’s 10 year old daughter. Michele had participated in a program called Girls on the Run during the prior school year and wanted to run another 5K. So I enlisted her as my running buddy for this race. Prior to the race, Michele and I discussed “race strategy” and decided Michele would wear the interval watch and we would set it at five minutes and two minutes. I recommended that we not go out too fast, so that we wouldn’t get worn out too quick.
Before the race Michele, Karen and I went out to eat at the Olive Garden to carbo-load then we headed back to the race site to await the start. During our wait we of course checked out the competition. We were most impressed with the three guys Michele called “the beach boys.” The beach boys were three middle aged men who walked around in only their skimpy running shorts, deep tans and grey hair, working to impress I don’t know who! Though we couldn’t laugh too hard, they did beat us to the finish line.
We lined up at the finish line and started talking to the people around us, I even told a few people of my 50 by 50 in 50 plans. The start gun went off and the impatience of youth took over. We went out like two bullets! We stayed on our interval times for two rotations and then went into a “free run” dictated by Michele. The course was a big loop, uphill for the first half and downhill for the second half. It was fun to see the race leaders pass us on the way down as we were still struggling up the hill.
I felt good throughout but then we did quite a bit of walking. The race included a lot of young people which I think was encouraging for Michele. We talked along the route about the importance of having fun when you run or there is no sense in doing it. I hope she continues to find enjoyment in running.
Michele finished with a big kick at the end to cross the finish line at 43:13. I came in behind at 43:28. All things considered I’m not to disappointed. Thanks Michele for joining me in one leg of my big dream.
Check out the web site: http://www.candlelightrun.com.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Race #4
The Race Queen gets ready
Camille and Ern before the fun starts
We're rounding the final turn!!
Camille and Ern before the fun starts
We're rounding the final turn!!
Running a race in Washington DC was a last minute decision. I had plans to go play tourist with my cousin Colleen G. for a long weekend and thought why not try to find a race while I'm there. But I had a dilemma. DC is not one of the 50 states so would I somehow be able to count this as part of my 50 by 50 in 50? Technically I don't think I can but I decided I'd keep it as a "spare" race and if I don't get to Virginia or Maryland before the time is up, I'll use this race.
The race, the National Police Week 5k, is run in memory of fallen police officers throughout the United States. I ran in memory of Paul Avery Starzyk. I looked up his story when I got back home. He was my age at the time of his death and died while responding to shots fired at a hair salon. Here is a link to his story: http://www.odmp.org/officer/19546-sergeant-paul-avery-starzyk?printview=1.
I recruited a friend, Erin R., who lives in the DC area to run with me. Once again I picked a running partner who this time, is thirty years younger than I am and is all legs! But she was a great sport even gave me some running tips along the way that have proved helpful. Erin is a good athlete, is in the process of training for a triathlon. Need I say more. To make it worse, this race was full of law enforcement people, from police to FBI agents. Most were young and in impeccable shape.
The race started as rain clouds threatened. The course took us around the nations capital and other government buildings. It was pretty impressive to be able to go past all those buildings without the push of a tourist crowd. I was able to run the entire route but ended up with a time of 36 minutes, not my best run.
Having someone to run with is clearly a bonus, I'm going to have to try and make that happen more often.
Archieve photos
I was cleaning out my email and found this photo and video of my first race. In the picture with me are Kathy, Jen and Jen's son Roman.
Jen's husband took this video of my first finish, thanks Chris!
Jen's husband took this video of my first finish, thanks Chris!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Race #6
Yes, I do know how to count, I just wanted to get this race on the blog while it is fresh. I’ll catch up on #4 and #5 shortly.
The New Hampshire trip started out bad. But for once, being an insomniac paid off for me. Thursday morning I had my usual 4:30am wake up and thought I should probably set my alarm for 6:00am just in case I actually fell back asleep. At 5:42 I came to again and something told me to check my flight info and confirm my departure from RDU at 8:40am. I reached for the folder at the end of the bed, opened it and saw that my flight from RDU left at 6:50 – in an hour! It was the flight from Baltimore to Manchester that left at 8:40! Immediate panic. I jumped out of bed, threw the few things I’d set aside the night before into a bag, jammed the toothbrush in my mouth and was out the door in 10 minutes. I walked out the back door into a torrential downpour that I knew would slow down my drive time. What could I do but laugh at my blond moment!
The rest of the trip to New Hampshire was uneventful. Upon my arrival I got my first sign that maybe the race wouldn’t be a total wash out for me. My rental car? A bright blue Ford Mustang. What better symbol of speed could I ask for?
Have you ever asked a New Englander for directions? It is as if they revel in the opportunity to help someone out. The motorcycle policeman I stopped to help me get around Portsmouth told me at least three times how to get to my destination along with comments about the quality of the map I was using and the state of the weather. This happened as well in Massachusetts when Craig, John and I stopped a fellow for directions. We not only got directions but exchanged life story as well.
The Thunder Chicken 5K is put on by the Portsmouth Rotary Club along with a barbecue chicken cook out and is held at the Strawbery Bank Museum. Strawbery Bank is a living history museum of an early settlement in Portsmouth. I toured the museum before the race to kill time then went and hung out in Prescott Park across the street. While sitting on a park bench an elderly gentleman, Andy, sat down next to me and struck up a conversation. Conversation of course started with comments about the weather and where we were both from. He was from Andover, MA and looked to be in his 80’s. I told him of my reason for being there and plans for running in all 50 states. Which lead to numerous topics from bonsai trees to golf to travel, including my dream of spending three months in Sienna, Italy studying Italian. He assured me I would accomplish it all! He had such a great positive outlook about life even while recognizing that his was coming down the home stretch.
I finally headed over to the start line to check out the competition. The first dilemma was actually finding the start line. The race had chip timing so I was looking for a starting pad but there wasn’t one in sight. As people started to mingle I asked a couple if they knew where the start was. They pointed out a strip of duct tape stretched across the road. That’s what I call high tech.
There were over 300 runners including a lot of young kids and moms with strollers. Overall it was a healthy looking bunch, I started getting nervous. I found a spot near the back of the pack, but in front of the strollers. I started the race at a pretty good pace and had a ten minute split at the first mile, but I knew I couldn’t keep up that pace. And I couldn’t. During mile two I started to get a gut ache, probably from the water I drank too soon to the start line. So I walked for about two minutes to catch my breathe and then turned it back on. Just before the second mile mark I convinced myself that I had to be the last one in the race. I had passed no one in a long time and it seemed like everyone was passing me – including all the old ladies and young kids (and when I say young kids, I mean four and five year olds!). Of course I had that flash of “why in the hell am I doing this?” And what possessed me to tell so many people about this absolutely stupid idea??
Somewhere in the last half mile, getting cheered on by the runners that were heading back to their cars after completing the race 10 to 15 minutes previously, I had an attitude adjustment. I could finish this and I’d live to jog another day! And how fantastic to have the announcer actually announce my name and city/state over the PA system as I crossed the finish line. Okay, I know that means I’m one of the last runners as there is enough space between the runners at this point to announce our entire life story!
I crossed the finish line at 34:12. I was a bit shocked as I thought for sure it was going to take me at least 40 minutes. I was definitely hurting by the end and didn’t have a kick left in me at the end – unlike the six year old kid who came barreling past me for the last 100 yards.
The chicken dinner was great, one of the sweetest ears of corn I ever remember eating. As I was driving out of the parking lot a guy came up to me and told me he’d been admiring my car but couldn’t understand why I got a muscle car with an automatic transmission! I assured him that if this was my car it would have had a standard transmission, but alas this was a rental.
Friday before heading home I headed to the beach for a couple hours of sunshine and a drive along the coast. The natives kept telling me this was the best day they’d had all summer, I assured them I was responsible and had brought it with me from Florida!
Next weekend I’m off to Memphis for race #7. I’ve got to get in a few work outs this week as my legs are still hurting today, Saturday.
Oh yeah, I wasn’t last.
The New Hampshire trip started out bad. But for once, being an insomniac paid off for me. Thursday morning I had my usual 4:30am wake up and thought I should probably set my alarm for 6:00am just in case I actually fell back asleep. At 5:42 I came to again and something told me to check my flight info and confirm my departure from RDU at 8:40am. I reached for the folder at the end of the bed, opened it and saw that my flight from RDU left at 6:50 – in an hour! It was the flight from Baltimore to Manchester that left at 8:40! Immediate panic. I jumped out of bed, threw the few things I’d set aside the night before into a bag, jammed the toothbrush in my mouth and was out the door in 10 minutes. I walked out the back door into a torrential downpour that I knew would slow down my drive time. What could I do but laugh at my blond moment!
The rest of the trip to New Hampshire was uneventful. Upon my arrival I got my first sign that maybe the race wouldn’t be a total wash out for me. My rental car? A bright blue Ford Mustang. What better symbol of speed could I ask for?
Have you ever asked a New Englander for directions? It is as if they revel in the opportunity to help someone out. The motorcycle policeman I stopped to help me get around Portsmouth told me at least three times how to get to my destination along with comments about the quality of the map I was using and the state of the weather. This happened as well in Massachusetts when Craig, John and I stopped a fellow for directions. We not only got directions but exchanged life story as well.
The Thunder Chicken 5K is put on by the Portsmouth Rotary Club along with a barbecue chicken cook out and is held at the Strawbery Bank Museum. Strawbery Bank is a living history museum of an early settlement in Portsmouth. I toured the museum before the race to kill time then went and hung out in Prescott Park across the street. While sitting on a park bench an elderly gentleman, Andy, sat down next to me and struck up a conversation. Conversation of course started with comments about the weather and where we were both from. He was from Andover, MA and looked to be in his 80’s. I told him of my reason for being there and plans for running in all 50 states. Which lead to numerous topics from bonsai trees to golf to travel, including my dream of spending three months in Sienna, Italy studying Italian. He assured me I would accomplish it all! He had such a great positive outlook about life even while recognizing that his was coming down the home stretch.
I finally headed over to the start line to check out the competition. The first dilemma was actually finding the start line. The race had chip timing so I was looking for a starting pad but there wasn’t one in sight. As people started to mingle I asked a couple if they knew where the start was. They pointed out a strip of duct tape stretched across the road. That’s what I call high tech.
There were over 300 runners including a lot of young kids and moms with strollers. Overall it was a healthy looking bunch, I started getting nervous. I found a spot near the back of the pack, but in front of the strollers. I started the race at a pretty good pace and had a ten minute split at the first mile, but I knew I couldn’t keep up that pace. And I couldn’t. During mile two I started to get a gut ache, probably from the water I drank too soon to the start line. So I walked for about two minutes to catch my breathe and then turned it back on. Just before the second mile mark I convinced myself that I had to be the last one in the race. I had passed no one in a long time and it seemed like everyone was passing me – including all the old ladies and young kids (and when I say young kids, I mean four and five year olds!). Of course I had that flash of “why in the hell am I doing this?” And what possessed me to tell so many people about this absolutely stupid idea??
Somewhere in the last half mile, getting cheered on by the runners that were heading back to their cars after completing the race 10 to 15 minutes previously, I had an attitude adjustment. I could finish this and I’d live to jog another day! And how fantastic to have the announcer actually announce my name and city/state over the PA system as I crossed the finish line. Okay, I know that means I’m one of the last runners as there is enough space between the runners at this point to announce our entire life story!
I crossed the finish line at 34:12. I was a bit shocked as I thought for sure it was going to take me at least 40 minutes. I was definitely hurting by the end and didn’t have a kick left in me at the end – unlike the six year old kid who came barreling past me for the last 100 yards.
The chicken dinner was great, one of the sweetest ears of corn I ever remember eating. As I was driving out of the parking lot a guy came up to me and told me he’d been admiring my car but couldn’t understand why I got a muscle car with an automatic transmission! I assured him that if this was my car it would have had a standard transmission, but alas this was a rental.
Friday before heading home I headed to the beach for a couple hours of sunshine and a drive along the coast. The natives kept telling me this was the best day they’d had all summer, I assured them I was responsible and had brought it with me from Florida!
Next weekend I’m off to Memphis for race #7. I’ve got to get in a few work outs this week as my legs are still hurting today, Saturday.
Oh yeah, I wasn’t last.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Here's your sign
I believe in signs. Sometimes it is a bit of a stretch to make an occurrence deliver the message I want to hear, but I'm a believer. I got another sign today that I'm supposed to run all these 5K's. I dropped mom off for her weekly hair appointment and went in search of pomegranate molasses. I tried the Whole Foods store and got a tip from them that there was an Asian market across town that probably carried it. As I was driving that way, I pulled up behind a car with New Hampshire license plates. Where am I going tomorrow? New Hampshire to run in the Thunder Chicken 5K. I got a bit of a chuckle out of this and continued on my hunt for the pomegranate molasses. I didn't find the Asian market so headed back to the beauty shop. Stopped at a stop light, I decided at the last minute to turn left instead of right, take a different route back and maybe happen upon an Asian market. I didn't, but at the next light I stopped behind a truck with Tennessee plates. Where is my race in two weeks? Memphis, Tennessee for the Elvis Run, Rock and Roll. I'm taking this as a sign!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Race #3
Just back from my workout at the Y, trying to get ready for Race #6 in Portsmouth, NH. I slowed my pace back down to 11 minute miles in hopes of running further. It helped, but I just don't think I'm over that cold yet. On the way back from the gym I called my sister Andre A. and guess what? She'd done her first 5K the day before!! She went along to support a friend but ended up having a good time. Hmmmmm, maybe I'll have a running buddy after all!
Okay, back to the races:
(Look at that hair fly, what speed!!)
The Boston Marathon the next day was an unbelievable experience, even for a spectator and the Bruce Springsteen show we stayed an extra day to see was definitely worth it.
Okay, back to the races:
(Look at that hair fly, what speed!!)If there was every any doubt about continuing to run, it was erased when I got an email from my brother Craig. He forwarded on a link to the Boston Athletic Association website. In conjunction with the Boston Marathon, for the first time they were organizing a 5K race to be held the day before the marathon. “Sign up” Craig said, “You’re going to be there anyway.”
Craig was running in the marathon and I was meeting him to be his head cheerleader. At that point I told him about my 50 by 50 in 50 plans which was all the more reason for me to run, I’d be able to mark another state off my list. He thought my idea was pretty neat. (However, a couple weeks after our Boston trip I got a call from him: “Camille, I’ve been thinking about this idea of yours and it has to be the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard. Sure, a marathon in every state, but a 5K???”)
Race morning arrived with a field of almost 4,000 people and a lot of spectators, including brother Craig and friend John E. from Iowa. We got to the start early so had time to kill, got coffee and donuts and I started checking out the competition. Craig, John and I decided that I needed to beat the gal from Nebraska we referred to as “Cornhusker” who we met in the donut shop. She was a good sized farm girl in red shorts and a red sweat shirt – I could definitely keep track of her in the crowd.
The nice part about this race was that the uphill was all at the beginning and spectators could move around to watch “their runner” at a couple points along the route. Craig and John proceeded to hoot and holler at me whenever I went by, berating me for not going fast enough at one of the turns, which got a laugh from all the runners around me. I ended up with my best time yet, 33:05 and finisher number 2,800 out of a field of 3,523.
And yes, I beat Cornhusker!
Craig was running in the marathon and I was meeting him to be his head cheerleader. At that point I told him about my 50 by 50 in 50 plans which was all the more reason for me to run, I’d be able to mark another state off my list. He thought my idea was pretty neat. (However, a couple weeks after our Boston trip I got a call from him: “Camille, I’ve been thinking about this idea of yours and it has to be the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard. Sure, a marathon in every state, but a 5K???”)
Race morning arrived with a field of almost 4,000 people and a lot of spectators, including brother Craig and friend John E. from Iowa. We got to the start early so had time to kill, got coffee and donuts and I started checking out the competition. Craig, John and I decided that I needed to beat the gal from Nebraska we referred to as “Cornhusker” who we met in the donut shop. She was a good sized farm girl in red shorts and a red sweat shirt – I could definitely keep track of her in the crowd.
The nice part about this race was that the uphill was all at the beginning and spectators could move around to watch “their runner” at a couple points along the route. Craig and John proceeded to hoot and holler at me whenever I went by, berating me for not going fast enough at one of the turns, which got a laugh from all the runners around me. I ended up with my best time yet, 33:05 and finisher number 2,800 out of a field of 3,523.
And yes, I beat Cornhusker!
The Boston Marathon the next day was an unbelievable experience, even for a spectator and the Bruce Springsteen show we stayed an extra day to see was definitely worth it.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Camille Crazy
I guess I need to explain “50 by 50 in 50.”
While I was running The Great Human Race in Durham, NC an idea began to germinate. This was only my second race, I was definitely hooked on 5K races, but I have a short attention span. I knew that if I didn’t have some goals I’d soon abandon jogging for the next exciting sport or activity that grabbed my attention. I’ve been through swimming, tennis, golf, swing dancing, pole dancing, salsa dancing, cake decorating, drawing, monthly book clubs, month bunco parties and the list goes on.
What if I tried to run 50 races by the time I turned 50 – at that point roughly two and a half years away? Two races a month, that could happen. This had appeal, but it seemed a bit humdrum. Instead, what if I ran a race in each of the 50 United States? Now that sounded suitably “Camille Crazy.”
Like all my crazy ideas, I kept it to myself for a while. I needed to determine if I could actually stick to jogging for two and a half years as well as determine exactly how I’d pull this off. Finally I hesitantly told my idea to my friend Susan B. as we were taking our afternoon power walk. It was sort of like telling someone you love them for the first time, what if they don’t tell you they love you back? What if they laugh? Or worse, are silent? Deep down I must have known Susan was the right person to reveal this to. I got Sue’s classic response, “Fabulous!!”
While I was running The Great Human Race in Durham, NC an idea began to germinate. This was only my second race, I was definitely hooked on 5K races, but I have a short attention span. I knew that if I didn’t have some goals I’d soon abandon jogging for the next exciting sport or activity that grabbed my attention. I’ve been through swimming, tennis, golf, swing dancing, pole dancing, salsa dancing, cake decorating, drawing, monthly book clubs, month bunco parties and the list goes on.
What if I tried to run 50 races by the time I turned 50 – at that point roughly two and a half years away? Two races a month, that could happen. This had appeal, but it seemed a bit humdrum. Instead, what if I ran a race in each of the 50 United States? Now that sounded suitably “Camille Crazy.”
Like all my crazy ideas, I kept it to myself for a while. I needed to determine if I could actually stick to jogging for two and a half years as well as determine exactly how I’d pull this off. Finally I hesitantly told my idea to my friend Susan B. as we were taking our afternoon power walk. It was sort of like telling someone you love them for the first time, what if they don’t tell you they love you back? What if they laugh? Or worse, are silent? Deep down I must have known Susan was the right person to reveal this to. I got Sue’s classic response, “Fabulous!!”
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Race #2
I just got back from work out at the Y. I'm getting ready for race #6 and I feel like I'm starting back at day one. I'm finally over one of those summer colds that just hang on forever, the germs must get trapped in all this humidity! But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The YMCA has proved to be a great place to work out. The facilities are nice and the staff supportive. I got a bit of stretching advice from Brooke that has truly saved my legs. I start my stretching routine by rolling my legs on a what looks like an overweight pool noodle. Now I rarely wake up the next day with sore leg muscles.
Race #2, The Great Human Race, was a last minute decision. Having just started my more permanent living in NC I was on the look out for things to do in my free time, of which I have plenty. The Great Human Race is a fund raiser for numerous charities in Durham and the triangle area. Not sure how many years they have held this race but it is a mainstay of the local 5K's.
The great part about this race was that the start line was right out my back door. The bad part about this race was that it was only 38 degrees and the course had hills. Remember, my first race was in the warmth of a Sarasota winter and completely flat. I wasn't too pleased with this but once again I only had two goals, 1) run the entire race and 2) not finish last.
The race got started about 20 minutes late which only increased my nervousness. Twenty extra minutes to stand with a group of people that all wanted me to come in last. And that included the 80 year old guy wearing the Boston Marathon jacket. And the three young couples from Cary who quipped "I bet the race is delayed because they haven't got enough Kevlar vests to hand out to all the racers before we hit the streets of Durham." I wanted to turn around and shout "Freeze, I'm from Durham!"
The race right away started with a block long uphill climb then settled into more gradual ups and downs through my 'hood. Crowd support was pretty darn good for such a cold morning and once again it was great to have people cheering us on. To help keep myself going, I started finding people in front of me and told myself I needed to pass that person. For the most part this proved pretty successful, until about mile two. At that point I picked out a larger woman in a pair of faded lime green running shorts - I had to be able to pass her. Looks are obviously deceiving in the running world, that lady could move!
I ended up with a time of 36:02. Worse than my Florida race, but hey, there were hills. And I wasn't last!
The YMCA has proved to be a great place to work out. The facilities are nice and the staff supportive. I got a bit of stretching advice from Brooke that has truly saved my legs. I start my stretching routine by rolling my legs on a what looks like an overweight pool noodle. Now I rarely wake up the next day with sore leg muscles.
Race #2, The Great Human Race, was a last minute decision. Having just started my more permanent living in NC I was on the look out for things to do in my free time, of which I have plenty. The Great Human Race is a fund raiser for numerous charities in Durham and the triangle area. Not sure how many years they have held this race but it is a mainstay of the local 5K's.
The great part about this race was that the start line was right out my back door. The bad part about this race was that it was only 38 degrees and the course had hills. Remember, my first race was in the warmth of a Sarasota winter and completely flat. I wasn't too pleased with this but once again I only had two goals, 1) run the entire race and 2) not finish last.
The race got started about 20 minutes late which only increased my nervousness. Twenty extra minutes to stand with a group of people that all wanted me to come in last. And that included the 80 year old guy wearing the Boston Marathon jacket. And the three young couples from Cary who quipped "I bet the race is delayed because they haven't got enough Kevlar vests to hand out to all the racers before we hit the streets of Durham." I wanted to turn around and shout "Freeze, I'm from Durham!"
The race right away started with a block long uphill climb then settled into more gradual ups and downs through my 'hood. Crowd support was pretty darn good for such a cold morning and once again it was great to have people cheering us on. To help keep myself going, I started finding people in front of me and told myself I needed to pass that person. For the most part this proved pretty successful, until about mile two. At that point I picked out a larger woman in a pair of faded lime green running shorts - I had to be able to pass her. Looks are obviously deceiving in the running world, that lady could move!
I ended up with a time of 36:02. Worse than my Florida race, but hey, there were hills. And I wasn't last!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Training camp relocation
My permanent residence is in Sarasota, Florida and training for the first race took place at Shapes Total Fitness. Because I'm retired, I am able to beat the crowds and work out in the early afternoon with all the other retired ladies who desire to finish up before the early bird dinner specials kick in at 4:30pm. It was great!
In early 2009 a new chapter in my life was started. I began spending most of my time in North Carolina as the primary caregiver for my 87 year old mother and 43 year old Down Syndrome brother. I've been taking care of "just me" for a long time so this has proved to be quite a change, but a welcomed one. I'm now running errands with my mother, fixing two meals a day, taking my brother to the Y and making sure that the running of my mothers house continues on an even keel. This is a big change from my last real job as a Corporate Controller for a publicly traded wireless communications tower company.
Luckily, I'm still able to find time for an afternoon workout. Now you can find me at the Downtown YMCA in Durham, NC in another air conditioned gym with a fan turned directly on me! Once again I'm working out with the retired folks and I fit right in! As an added bonus, I've reconnected with two former students of mine. Tom and Don were professors at North Carolina Central University and students in the adult swim class I taught at the old downtown YMCA. Both are now retired and hit the treadmill and weight equipment on a regular basis. Who says you can't go home again?
In early 2009 a new chapter in my life was started. I began spending most of my time in North Carolina as the primary caregiver for my 87 year old mother and 43 year old Down Syndrome brother. I've been taking care of "just me" for a long time so this has proved to be quite a change, but a welcomed one. I'm now running errands with my mother, fixing two meals a day, taking my brother to the Y and making sure that the running of my mothers house continues on an even keel. This is a big change from my last real job as a Corporate Controller for a publicly traded wireless communications tower company.
Luckily, I'm still able to find time for an afternoon workout. Now you can find me at the Downtown YMCA in Durham, NC in another air conditioned gym with a fan turned directly on me! Once again I'm working out with the retired folks and I fit right in! As an added bonus, I've reconnected with two former students of mine. Tom and Don were professors at North Carolina Central University and students in the adult swim class I taught at the old downtown YMCA. Both are now retired and hit the treadmill and weight equipment on a regular basis. Who says you can't go home again?
Race #1
Valentines Day 2009. No flowers, no candy, no visit from a distant "gentleman friend" but I'm running my first 5K. Who needs flowers, candy or a man?!?
Jennifer and Kathy are 10 years younger, run outdoors every morning at 5:30am in the Sarasota heat and have included wind sprints in their training regime. I on the other hand make my way to the gym around 2:00pm after my "story" finishes at 1:30pm and put in my time on a treadmill in the comfort of an air conditioned building. And if I'm lucky I get on one of the treadmills directly underneath a fan.
I stick to my eight week training plan but don't quite get to week eight before race day dawns. But it doesn't matter. My goals are few, 1) actually run - oops I mean jog - the entire race and 2) NOT FINISH LAST!
Jennifer, Kathy and I meet at my house and head over to Payne Park for our big run. I wear my pink "I Love (heart) NY" t-shirt to commemorate Valentines Day. Jennifer's husband and four kids plan to meet as there as do Kathy's husband and and kids. My nervousness grows, now there are even more people I know that will witness my humiliation of coming in last!
We pick up our race packet and then there is a lot of standing around waiting for the race to start. The race field is about 200 and the lady at packet pick-up assures me, I won't be last. I start scoping out the field, looking for the person who is going to come in last so I can be sure they stay behind me!
We finally line up and the race gets started. Jennifer and Kathy quickly leave me behind but that's okay. I sort of want to run alone this time and on advice from my brother, don't want to start out too fast. The race immediately takes us up to the highest natural elevation in Sarasota County - 32 feet above sea level! Good news, the rest of the course is flat. I get to the first mile marker and was feeling good. I think my pace is about 11 minutes a mile. At the end of mile two, I started to question just why I felt the need to do this. I was getting hot and winded. Right about that time one of the spectators yells "Go NY!!" and I get my first hit of "cheering-drug." Seems crazy but hearing a stranger cheer me on specifically gave me just a little more energy and desire to finish the last mile.
I ended up with a finish time of 35:40, a little better than a 12 minute mile pace. Not last and I jogged the entire race, no walking. It was a totally fantastic event. Of course Kathy and Jennifer both finished ahead of me but I certainly didn't care, they were there to cheer me over the finish line as promised.
Oh, when do I get to call myself a runner? When I break 30 minutes for a 5K. Yup, another goal.
Jennifer and Kathy are 10 years younger, run outdoors every morning at 5:30am in the Sarasota heat and have included wind sprints in their training regime. I on the other hand make my way to the gym around 2:00pm after my "story" finishes at 1:30pm and put in my time on a treadmill in the comfort of an air conditioned building. And if I'm lucky I get on one of the treadmills directly underneath a fan.
I stick to my eight week training plan but don't quite get to week eight before race day dawns. But it doesn't matter. My goals are few, 1) actually run - oops I mean jog - the entire race and 2) NOT FINISH LAST!
Jennifer, Kathy and I meet at my house and head over to Payne Park for our big run. I wear my pink "I Love (heart) NY" t-shirt to commemorate Valentines Day. Jennifer's husband and four kids plan to meet as there as do Kathy's husband and and kids. My nervousness grows, now there are even more people I know that will witness my humiliation of coming in last!
We pick up our race packet and then there is a lot of standing around waiting for the race to start. The race field is about 200 and the lady at packet pick-up assures me, I won't be last. I start scoping out the field, looking for the person who is going to come in last so I can be sure they stay behind me!
We finally line up and the race gets started. Jennifer and Kathy quickly leave me behind but that's okay. I sort of want to run alone this time and on advice from my brother, don't want to start out too fast. The race immediately takes us up to the highest natural elevation in Sarasota County - 32 feet above sea level! Good news, the rest of the course is flat. I get to the first mile marker and was feeling good. I think my pace is about 11 minutes a mile. At the end of mile two, I started to question just why I felt the need to do this. I was getting hot and winded. Right about that time one of the spectators yells "Go NY!!" and I get my first hit of "cheering-drug." Seems crazy but hearing a stranger cheer me on specifically gave me just a little more energy and desire to finish the last mile.
I ended up with a finish time of 35:40, a little better than a 12 minute mile pace. Not last and I jogged the entire race, no walking. It was a totally fantastic event. Of course Kathy and Jennifer both finished ahead of me but I certainly didn't care, they were there to cheer me over the finish line as promised.
Oh, when do I get to call myself a runner? When I break 30 minutes for a 5K. Yup, another goal.
So I had this idea.............
At 47 I decided to take up jogging (I won't say running until my pace gets a bit faster).
My decision to jog grew out of my own realization, and an admonition from my doctor, that if I didn't have some regular form of exercise the pound-a-year I was gaining was going to really start adding up.
Not being drawn to exercise, I knew I needed to set goals. So I had this idea. In March of 2008 I signed up for the Susan G. Koman 3 Day Walk for the Cure. This fundraising walk covers 60 miles over three days - roughly 20 miles a day of walking through the streets and parks of Minneapolis, MN. I didn't walk the event alone, I had four cousins who walked with me: Mary C., Karen D., Tanja G., and Laura M. - we are The Blister Sisters!! But I did train alone. For 24 weeks I walked the streets and beaches of Sarasota, Florida to prepare for the big event. By the time September rolled around I was ready for the big event, had shed 10 pounds and was in the best shape I'd been in for years. The training paid off. I had the dubious distinction of being the only Blister Sister who did not get a single blister at the end of the three day event.
And my enthusiasm for exercise was growing. Realizing that if I wanted to stay in shape after the event, I needed to keep exercising. But I also have a short attention span and just walking was getting boring. So I had this idea, I decided to try jogging and needing a goal, decided to see if I could run a 5K. 3.1 miles seemed like a manageable distance. I happened to mention my new goal to my friend Jennifer R., an avid runner ten years my junior. She right away sent me an eight week plan to get a novice runner into shape for a 5K. Using a combination of jogging and walking intervals the plan gradually increases your jogging time and decreases your walking time so that by the end of the eight weeks you are running for 30 minutes.
I started in on the jogging plan and at some point mentioned to my brother Craig that I was thinking about running a 5K. Craig runs marathons. He's been running for over 30 years. But he patiently listened to me go on and on about my desire to run a 5K and my anxiety over finishing last. Finally he told me that I just had to sign up for a race and quit talking about it. "Put your toes on the start line!" Just as he said that, an ad came on the TV for the Sarasota Grouper Marathon and a related 5K fun run. There was my sign!
So I had this idea, why don't I get my friend Jennifer R. to run with me, or as I told her "at least stand on the start line with me and cheer me in at the end to keep me from being the last place finisher." Jennifer agreed and recruited her friend Kathy.
I signed up, my first race was February 14, 2009 in Sarasota Florida. Little did I know where this race would ultimate lead me!
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