Race #21

My “Kentucky Derby” is completed and this old nag didn’t win, place or show but had a great time in Fargo, ND! This was a real runner’s weekend. Not only did I run on Friday, my brother Craig B. ran on Saturday but we also got to hear a talk by the Ultra Marathon Man himself, Dean Karnazes, http://www.ultramarathonman.com/.

Friday morning at o-dark-thirty I flew to Minneapolis, MN and was picked up by Craig for the four hour drive to Fargo. We stopped in St. Cloud, MN to pick up the second member of this race’s support team, our cousin Laura M. Needless to say our trip west on I-94 was also a trip down memory lane including lots of laughs, teasing and good natured ribbing.

Craig and I before the start gun.

We got to Fargo with time to kill after getting our bib numbers so we drove the 5K course. I thought Arizona and Maine were flat courses, this was even more so. Unfortunately that wasn’t enough to help me break the thirty minute mark. I finished in a time of 30:56, just barely under the ten minute pace that seems to have a choke hold on me. But that put me 37 out of 300 in my division, 546 out of 3,527 woman, xx out of 5,213 overall and about ten minutes faster than the average time of 40:19, numbers I’m happy with.

I started the race standing next to this little girl who probably was about seven and was getting ready to run her second 5K, the first one she’d finished in 27 minutes! Usually these little kids take off fast and then I catch up with them at about mile one, but not my little buddy. She took off with one of the most beautiful strides and all I saw of her from there on out was asses and elbows! I wish I’d gotten her name so I could find out how she placed; it had to be toward the top of her division.

For such a big field I wasn’t too hindered by walkers or slower runners at the start and still had enough to give a big wave to my support team! I felt good throughout the run but was disappointed to see I had a 9:45 first mile which meant I had some making up to do if I wanted to break thirty. I thought I was giving it a bit more during mile two but had a 19:40 at the mile two mark. Coming down the home stretch I heard the highland bagpiper, had a flash of irritation as it sounded like a funeral dirge, then looked over to see my support team sipping cold beers and hanging out with him! The quality of my support team is clearly slipping.

Early in the race giving a big shout out to my team!
Coming in for the finish, who's smiling now?!My Fargo support team, I hope they weren't too distracted by the race going on behind them!

During the pasta dinner Dean Karnazes was the featured speaker. I’ve read his book and must say I was expecting someone a bit more cocky or arrogant and he certainly didn’t come across that way. I still think he’s crazy to run for 72 hours straight but at least he seems to be a nice guy (even if his sexuality, along with that of all marathoners, was brought into question by Laura).

The marathon route (you know, that stance might give some credence to Laura's theory.......)

Saturday Craig got up early to get to the marathon start line while Laura and I stayed out of the rain and had a more leisurely breakfast. We made our way to mile marker 9 and 16 so that we could see Craig both going out and coming back. The rain stopped in time for us to hang out and not get wet. It was fun to cheer on the runners especially those who wrote their name on the bib number so you could call them by name – lots of smiles and thank you’s for that. Craig came up looking pretty good but asking for drugs. Guess the running world isn’t as uptight about doping as the cycling world so we sent him off with some Midol and hoped his mood swings would improve by mile 16!

Feeling the pain at mile #9
Check out Craig's "illegal smile" as he awaits his hit!

Still going strong at mile 16.

After Craig passed us for the second time, we headed to the Fargodome to catch the finish. We sat on the finish line and watched people literally collapse after they finally completed the 26.2 miles. Craig made it in still standing in 3:58:04 with an average per mile pace of 9:05. A little depressing that he can run 26.1 miles at a pace I can’t even maintain for three miles!

Craig on the Jumbotron making the final turn into the Fargodome.

It's over!!!

Wish I could say we kicked up our heels in the party town of Fargo but after a late lunch we ended up back at the hotel with beer, books and naps. We talked a couple times about walking across the street to eat dinner but that seemed like too much of an effort. Eventually we called Gina’s Pizza and Bowling. I don’t know for sure, but I think our pizza might have been used to make a strike, or at least a spare!

Honest, this is how the pizza was delivered to us!

A big thanks to Laura’s husband Bob for providing lunch on Sunday on our trip back to Minneapolis. Nothing says Minnesota better than brats on the grill. Turn Your Knob to Bob!

I was gone for three full days this trip which made me a bit anxious to leave Mom and Dylan by themselves but with the help of calls from family and friends and a drop in visitor, they held it together. Thanks to everyone who helps me out with them while I’m gone. It might not sound like much but knowing you’re calling to chat with her means a lot.

5 mile run but where is Suzanne Somers when you need her?

I completed a slow five mile run Sunday, half way to ten! Sundays are slow runs so the pace was just under 12 minutes per mile but after the first mile and a half it felt pretty good. This morning I did a four mile run at an 11 minute pace and know I had enough in the tank for a few more miles. This is encouraging from the distance perspective but will it take that minute off my race time? I may find out Friday night in North Dakota.

Also during my Sunday run I feared setting the whole town on fire from the friction of my thighs rubbing together! All winter long I've been running in either tights or compression type shorts. Now that the summer is here my chubby white thighs are in running shorts and all the cookies and candy I've been eating appear to have taken up residence in one or both of the thighs! I started contemplating the purchase of a Thigh Master www.thighmaster.net - probably have to go to ebay - then couldn't figure out who the blonde pitch woman was. Spent almost the entire hour trying to come up with the name Suzanne Somers! Had to call Andre A. to get the answer after the run was over.

Yet another unofficial run

I got back into running mode this week and it didn't look pretty. Tuesday was a good four mile neighborhood run but it was all downhill from there. Hill day found me walking up the last few yards of the second Knox hill, Friday's beauty shop run was my slowest ever and today I ran a race in Wake County at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic school and barely finish under 32:00. I actually was doing well the first two miles, 19:15 at the end of mile two, but I just couldn't keep going for that last mile. I confess, I walked for a minute during the last mile.

For a relatively small race, maybe 250 runners, I must say that this was one of the best organized races I've been in so far. They had three water spots, volunteers strategically placed along the route, timers at mile one and mile two and even though it was an open course very few issues with cars. This was also the very first race that started with a prayer, "The Prayer of St. Francis" which is one of my favorites.

I did have to scold a woman standing behind me at the starting line who made a crack along the lines that it was a "good thing we weren't running in Durham and dodging bullets." With humor, I let her know I lived in downtown Durham and took exception to that comment! She then admitted that her daughter was at the NC School of Math and Science and when the Durham police came to give a talk to the students he told them that Durham didn't have a crime problem any worse than the other triangle cities, we are just willing to talk about it. Amen! What is it with runners in the Triangle? This is the second race in this area where I've overheard derogatory comments about Durham.

Tomorrow I'm scheduled to try for 5 miles in my plan to work up to 10 miles. I know already the heat is going to get me as it was definitely a problem today and today I was able to get started at 8:00am. Tomorrow I won't be able to hit the streets until 9. Hopefully I'll have good runs next week so I don't embarrass myself in front of my "coach" in North Dakota.

Race #20

My apologies for the delay in this posting. I was on vacation in the Bahamas last week and still on island time!

I’ve completed 40% of my quest! This race was part of the Providence Marathon so the field was quite large, about 1,100 runners in the 5K.

My hosts for the weekend were Emily U. and Mike E. Emily is the niece of my good friend Lisa R. Emily and Mike are both graduates of the Rhode Island School of Design. Emily works in arts education and Mike just got – as in he got the call while we were coming back from the airport Saturday afternoon – a full time job in web design. It means an ultimate move to Boston for the two of them, but what’s life if there is no adventure?

Also wearing the Team Camille jersey this weekend were Jane E. and Donna G. Jane is the younger sister of Tom E., one of my Montana friends, and Donna is her partner. The five of us met for dinner Saturday night in the Italian section of Providence, Federal Hill, at a fabulous Italian Restaurant called Camille’s. Yes, I’m unabashedly the queen of self promotion, even got all of them to wear my t-shirt to the race even though only Emily braved the heat and ran the 3.1 miles. http://www.camillesonthehill.com/, the red sauce is fabulous

Team Camille in Providence, RI

The course had a gradually uphill for the first mile and a half then downhill for the last half. I so wanted to break 30 and once again came up a minute short. At the 1 mile mark I was going at an 11:00 minute pace, made up some time by the end of mile two (20:00) but then ran out of juice during the last mile. Once again I felt my sugar level drop at about the 2.5 mile mark so had nothing for a big finish. I think I’m going to try some of those jelly beans during my next race. Official final time was 30:35.8 number 28 out of 108 in my division, 519 overall out of 1,146.

Emily's pre-race jitters

Showing off for my fans– obviously early in the race
It's over and there's nothing in the tank!!!

Emily braved not only the heat and a total lack of preparation, but the remnants of a head cold to pull out an extremely respectable 36:26.9. Emily brings it home strong.
We finished and are still smiling!

Jane has volunteered to give me grief until I break 30:00. After the race she was questioning my training regime and her disgust was obvious! Not enough miles (she’s calling for 10 mile runs!), not enough stretching (at least a half an hour a day plus consider yoga classes) and a much more aggressive start to each race. Clearly “G.I Jane” has not bought into my dead freakin’ last motto. As hard as it is to admit, I know that she’s right. I think I’ll have to break down and wear headphones so that at least I can be distracted for the hours it is going to take me to run 10 miles!!
"Ten miles??? Step away from the crack pipe Jane"

May 21st is the first race in Camille’s Triple Crown, Fargo, North Dakota. My brother Craig is going to be running the Fargo marathon that weekend so the pressure is on for a good performance. The following weekend I head to Ohio for the Memorial Day Ostrich Bash then round out the series with Hudson, Wisconsin. But before any of this can happen, I headed to the Bahamas for a couple days of fishing with Captain Steve D., Cousin Colleen G., Chet B. and his son Nate B.

The tentative plans I had to try and get an early morning run in were nixed on the first morning. Had fantastic weather for the three days of fishing and swimming and of course the eating was fantastic! Fresh, fried cracked conch – NEVER pass it up if it is offered to you.

Now that’s a fish, Nate!

Chet, proud of his coolie catch!

Once again I had as a seat mate on my flight to Providence someone in the geriatric medicine field, a social worker who consulted at nursing homes. My apologies to her as I really bent her ear about my care giving responsibilities looking for any tips or assurances that I’m doing the right thing. Not to get on a soap box, but anyone who is part of a family and taking care of aging parents should read the book I just finished “They’re Your Parents Too, How Siblings Can Survive Their Parents Aging Process” by Francine Russo. I just made it required reading for my siblings.

I think I’m going to add a reading list to my blog. With all my travel time, I’m getting in a lot of reading, some good some not so good. Thought it might be fun to share.