tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24678083811907963642024-03-12T19:25:53.732-05:00See You at the Finish LineJourneys from the start line to the finish line as a runner, triathlete, writer, and coachSee You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-60219158166793039892011-01-04T11:44:00.009-06:002011-01-04T15:37:44.554-06:002010 in review/Goals for 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22q0hngYitBebuy9qYl3Wg-fkWZeS7GteVDgUymVyFUx_joK1BYSeLqaSvTpYjhK4thLWBgvSTmYzg5PVrIoG1Q5zv45G9LjNEBd_nno5XAOL10nBoGNBfgduBWZXwupA3RuCO0vWvdlk/s1600/TNT+photo.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 253px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558388347401979522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22q0hngYitBebuy9qYl3Wg-fkWZeS7GteVDgUymVyFUx_joK1BYSeLqaSvTpYjhK4thLWBgvSTmYzg5PVrIoG1Q5zv45G9LjNEBd_nno5XAOL10nBoGNBfgduBWZXwupA3RuCO0vWvdlk/s320/TNT+photo.jpg" /></a><br /><div>3/14/10 - St. Patty's Day 5-K (cool, windy)</div><div>26:32 (8:34 mile pace)</div><div>228/596 total runners</div><div>2/9 in age group</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />3/21/10 -Shamrock Shuffle (Chicago)</div><div>45:15 (w/ knee injury)</div><div>8393/25559 total runners</div><div>2692/14043 females</div><div>21/203 in age group</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />3/28/10 - Ocean Drive Marathon, Cape May County, NJ</div><div>4:45 finish (knee very sore)</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />5/01/10 - Illinois Full Marathon, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Champaign</span></div><div>Only completed 13 miles of race, accompanied friend to hospital</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />6/26/10 - Seattle Marathon, Seattle, WA</div><div>4:43 finish (hilly course and lots of concrete)</div><div>2306/4080 total runners</div><div>928/2019 females</div><div>11/59 in age group</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />7/03/10 - Sea to Shining Sea Bike Ride</div><div>28 mile ride from Canton to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Pekin</span></div><div></div><div></div><div><br />7/04/10 - Park to Park 5 Mile</div><div>44:00 finish</div><div>264/576 total runners</div><div>72/246 females</div><div>1/7 in age group</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />7/06/10 - Sea to Shining Sea Bike Ride</div><div>65 miles from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bloomington</span> to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Champaign</span></div><div></div><div></div><div><br />7/11/10 - <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Missoula</span>, MT Marathon</div><div>4:34 </div><div>798 overall</div><div>303/582 females</div><div>9<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> in age group</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />7/18/10 - Biking with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Beanzie</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">DeKalb</span>, IL</div><div>50 mile ride</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />7/20/10 - Sea to Shining Sea Bike Ride</div><div>Ride through Washington D.C. to Arlington Cemetery</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />7/21/10 - Sea to Shining Sea Bike Ride</div><div>Washington D.C. to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Fredricksburg</span></div><div>Very hilly, hot</div><div>60 miles</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />7/22/10 - Sea to Shining Sea Bike Ride</div><div><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Fredricksburg</span> to Richmond, VA</div><div>Still hilly & hot</div><div>65 miles</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />7/23/10 - Sea to Shining Sea Bike Ride</div><div>Richmond, VA to Yorktown</div><div>Approx. 60 miles</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />7/24/10 - Sea to Shining Sea Bike Ride</div><div>70 miles from Yorktown to Virginia Beach</div><div>105 actual temp, 113 heat index</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />8/21/10 - <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mahomet</span> 1/2 Marathon</div><div>2:04 (very hot & humid)</div><div>170/366 total runners</div><div>1st in age group</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />10/17/10 - Newport, RI Marathon</div><div>4:28 (breezy & hilly course)</div><div>642/1009 total runners</div><div>228/444 females</div><div>15/44 in age group</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />10/30/10 - Screaming Pumpkin Marathon</div><div>@ night through cemetery (very dark & hilly)</div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><br />Goals/Races for 2011</div><div></div><div>1/08/11 - Jackson, Mississippi Marathon</div><div>1/23/11 - Elk Grove Village Indoor Sprint Triathlon</div><div>2/20/11 - Austin, Texas Marathon</div><div>4/02/11 - Lincoln 1/2 Marathon, Springfield</div><div>4/10/11 - Chicago Shamrock Shuffle 5 mile</div><div>4/30/11 - Illinois Marathon, Champaign, IL</div><div>5/15/11 - Wilmington, Delaware Marathon</div><div>6/04/11 - <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Tri</span>-Shark Sprint Triathlon</div><div>6/19/11 - Cutting Edge 1/2 Classic, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Effingham</span>, IL</div><div>7/16/11 - Evergreen Lake Olympic Distance Triathlon</div><div>7/17/11 - Biking with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Beanzie</span> Ride</div><div>9/03/11 - Great <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Illini</span> Challenge 1/2 Iron Distance Triathlon</div><div>10/??/11 - Portland, Maine Marathon (?)</div><div>10/15/11 - Hartford, CT Marathon (?)</div><div>10/??/11 - Marine Corps Marathon</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div>See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-29654603083207111762010-08-16T11:41:00.007-05:002010-08-16T12:35:02.102-05:00Where have I been lately?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjcc1ce1ft6DDwm8p4FRbIFxFbfYrDvwuFPePEY8Gmb9rHPnlWts9MbrvVniC0o8DVocKbt6ZPPiyaMPc6U6nJvYtGRHtuO3WoY9c1vwKR_FJxVZ5l4ox9qLjZjIjcU-NKJu8vV8-EMRI/s1600/Lincoln+Memorial.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 239px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 156px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506048928113025010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjcc1ce1ft6DDwm8p4FRbIFxFbfYrDvwuFPePEY8Gmb9rHPnlWts9MbrvVniC0o8DVocKbt6ZPPiyaMPc6U6nJvYtGRHtuO3WoY9c1vwKR_FJxVZ5l4ox9qLjZjIjcU-NKJu8vV8-EMRI/s400/Lincoln+Memorial.jpg" /></a><br />The picture above was taken in Washington D.C. I am pictured next to Ambassador Jerry <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bremer</span> (1st ambassador to Iraq) who was one of the S2SS riders.<br /><br />June 26<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> - Seattle Marathon (hilly & last 17 miles were concrete).<br />4:43 finish time<br />2306/4080 total runners<br />928/2019 total females<br />11th/59 in age group<br /><br />My time was certainly not stellar, but I had quite a few things on my t0-do-list post marathon. We hiked part of Mt. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ranier</span>, drove the Whistler Village in British Columbia, where we went on a 5-zip line experience. The 4<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> zip line was 20 stories up in the air, 2000 ft long and 55 mph! Whee! Our stay in Whistler Village also included a couple of runs in the beautiful forested area of Whistler Mountain, sightings of bears, and wonderful food!<br /><br />July 3rd - Rode from Canton to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Pekin</span> with the Sea to Shining Sea riders (disabled veterans riding from San Francisco beginning on May 22<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">nd</span> to Virginia Beach on July 24<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span>). Check out the website S2<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">SSbikeride</span>.org for bios of these amazing veterans/athletes.<br /><br />July 4<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> - Park to Park 5 mile race (very hot & humid)<br />44 minutes<br />264/576 total runners<br />72/246 total females<br />1/7 in age group<br /><br />July 6<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> - Rode from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bloomington</span> to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Champaign</span> (approx 65 mi) with S2SS riders.<br /><br />July 11<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> - <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Missoula</span>, Montana Marathon - very hilly marathon, hot day (90 in pm)<br />4:34 finish time<br />798<span style="color:#ffff00;">/</span>1301 total runners<br />303/582 females<br />9<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> in age group<br /><br />July 18<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> - Biking with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Beanzie</span> Ride in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">DeKalb</span> (very hot - mid 90's), 50 miles<br /><br />July 20<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> - flew to Washington D.C. to join last 5 days of S2SS ride. Rode 20 miles through Arlington National <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Cemetery</span>, Tomb of Unknown Soldier<br /><br />July 21st - 60 miles from D.C. to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">Fredricksburg</span>, VA (very hot & hilly ride)<br /><br />July 22<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">nd</span> - 70 miles from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">Fredricksburg</span> to Richmond, VA (still hilly & getting hotter)<br /><br />July 23rd - 70 miles from Richmond to Yorktown, VA (extreme heat/humidity - over 100)<br /><br />July 24<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> - final 70-mile leg into Virginia Beach. Air temperature 105, heat index 113+See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-16820629538947721232010-03-09T12:05:00.007-06:002010-03-09T12:40:02.983-06:00Engage the Core<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGulhXyrc7YQOEtaGQP-M0cLprgQT3ZIeQv2A7MqfnXZcdMlyD7ocMeTejb0g0NqrAq4wnR5P6dqw-uiP1CGM52xMshOyuDM0J5XfyZ3T10cHwXUSCgXOVC9KT6Qf1GqlhlnYYWDsjYsF/s1600-h/Bosu+ball.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446696988636125682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGulhXyrc7YQOEtaGQP-M0cLprgQT3ZIeQv2A7MqfnXZcdMlyD7ocMeTejb0g0NqrAq4wnR5P6dqw-uiP1CGM52xMshOyuDM0J5XfyZ3T10cHwXUSCgXOVC9KT6Qf1GqlhlnYYWDsjYsF/s320/Bosu+ball.jpg" /></a><br /><br />My husband gave me a "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bosu</span> ball" (balance trainer) as a belated Valentine's gift. I had mentioned that I would like to have one, and he picked up on the hint.<br /><br />Today I did my first complete <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bosu</span> workout. Not only was it a great workout, but I found a rather fascinating correlation between the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bosu</span> ball and my coaching practice. Both focus on balance.<br /><br />The instruction booklet includes this description, written by the inventor, David <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Weck</span>:<br /><br />"Achieving better physiological balance can act as a catalyst toward transforming your sense of balance into a state of mind as well. The only thing that is certain about life is change. Nothing is static - on the athletic field, in school, at home, or in the office, your ability to improvise and adjust to the ever changing set of given circumstances has an enormous impact on your degree of personal <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">fulfillment</span>."<br /><br />So, I hopped on the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bosu</span> ball to complete the 10 exercises. There was no option other than to be focused on the present moment.<br /><br />Much of my work as a Life Coach focuses on compelling purpose - continually bringing my clients back to their core - what is most important, what is it that awakens them and allows them to live life full out? If your core is not engaged, life will not be as <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">fulfilling</span>. Engaging the core and maintaining balance are necessary to obtain your full potential.<br /><br />So, what happens if you start to lose your balance while on the Bosu ball?<br /><br />1) If you start to lose your balance, sometimes you can take a moment, focus, readjust, and get yourself centered again, staying on the ball.<br /><br />2) Sometimes you aren't able to stay on the ball, but you are able to safely step off. This gives you an opportunity to step back on the ball again, with renewed focus and balance. (Or, you could choose not to get back on again, waiting for another day.)<br /><br />3) The last possibility is that you completely lose your balance and fall off the ball.<br /><br />Just like in life.See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-89194963655268497772010-01-29T10:45:00.007-06:002010-01-29T11:31:50.833-06:002010 Race ScheduleIt's probably time to start thinking about my race schedule for 2010. Here is the tentative schedule:<br /><br />Sunday, March 21st - Shamrock Shuffle (Chicago) 8-K<br />Sunday, March 28th - Ocean Drive Marathon (Cape May County, NJ)<br />Saturday, April 3rd - Lincoln Memorial 1/2 Marathon (Springfield, IL)<br />Saturday, May 1st - Illinois Marathon (Champaign, IL)<br />Saturday, May 8th - Indy Mini Half Marathon (Indianapolis, IN)<br />Saturday, June 12th - Viborg, SD Marathon or, Mattoon Olympic Distance Triathlon<br />Saturday, June 26th - Seattle Marathon (Seattle, WA)<br />Sunday, July 4th - Park to Park 5 Mile<br />Sunday, July 11th - Missoula, MT Marathon ??<br />Saturday, July 17th - Evergreen Olympic Distance Triathlon<br />Saturday, July 31st - Steelhead 1/2 Ironman Triathlon<br />Saturday, August 22nd - Pigman 1/2 Iron Distance Triathlon<br />Sunday, October 3nd - Portland, Maine Marathon<br />Sunday, November 14th - Outer Banks Marathon, Outer Banks, NCSee You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-57844419988285678392010-01-04T14:25:00.010-06:002010-01-04T17:05:59.846-06:002009 Race Reflections<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebu8tGdFgNV75k9rkSAoPQKx6KYzxJF5RGXvugvqRhp-vQKyi50mwvcEC6RP64f-BqUVZX4ql0oeJspLDg2CaeV7KbRfEfadKtlEcaJDz-uDlnyYlUNzsM5EnfOPVe_Zxpwx5Vf8HZEiK/s1600-h/DSC00312.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422990791180643666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebu8tGdFgNV75k9rkSAoPQKx6KYzxJF5RGXvugvqRhp-vQKyi50mwvcEC6RP64f-BqUVZX4ql0oeJspLDg2CaeV7KbRfEfadKtlEcaJDz-uDlnyYlUNzsM5EnfOPVe_Zxpwx5Vf8HZEiK/s320/DSC00312.JPG" /></a><br /><div></div>Photo above taken 10/22/09 - Maddox just released from hospital with H1N1, I'm starting to get it when this photo was taken. How can such a sweet little baby boy, get me so sick?<br /><br /><div>January highlights:</div><div>1/10-1/11 Goofy Challenge - 1/2 marathon on Sat. (2:05), full marathon next day on Sun. (4:49)</div><div>Returned to pool workouts</div><div>Returned to indoor trainer rides</div><div>Returned to Yoga Wednesdays</div><br /><div>February highlights:</div><div>First grandson Maddox arrived on Feb. 10<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span></div><div>Ran in lots of snow</div><div>Foot injury (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">tenosynovitis</span>)</div><div>Continued pool workouts and trainer rides</div><br /><div></div><div>March highlights:</div><div>Granddaughter Ella turned 3 on March 2<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">nd</span></div><div>Training hard for Boston Marathon (ran hills in early morning in Downs)</div><div>Continued pool workouts, trainer rides, Yoga Wednesdays</div><br /><div></div><div>April highlights:</div><div>4/04 Ran Springfield 1/2 marathon (2:00:42), 2<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">nd</span> place in age group, 128<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> out of 479 females</div><div>Granddaughter Nora arrived on April 6<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span></div><div>4/11 Ran Illinois 1/2 marathon in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Champaign</span> (2:01:03), 3rd in age group, 546 out of 2095 females</div><div>Granddaughter Madison's 4<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> birthday on April 15<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span></div><div>4/20 Ran the Boston Marathon (4:36) on 4/20</div><br /><div></div><div>May highlights:</div><div>5/02 Ran Indy 1/2 marathon (1:58), 28<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> in age group (723), 2121 out of 15,890 total females</div><div>Outdoor bike rides resume</div><div>Outdoor swims resume</div><br /><div></div><div>June highlights:</div><div><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">6/06 Tri</span>-Shark Triathlon (Sprint distance), 3rd place in age group</div><div>First long outdoor ride (Interplanetary Ride) 60 miles</div><div>Hamstring injury while doing <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">yard work</span></div><br /><div></div><div>July highlights:</div><div>Hamstring injury took me out of the 4<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> of July Park to Park 5 mile race</div><div>70 mile outdoor ride, 105 mile ride (Biking with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Beanzie</span>), 80 mile ride (Tour <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">de</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">DeWitt</span>)</div><div>Saw lots of corn on long bike rides</div><br /><div></div><div>August highlights:</div><div>70 mile bike ride (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mendota</span> Sweet Corn Festival Ride)</div><div>68 mile bike ride (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mahomet</span> C-U Across the Prairie)</div><div>Madison (WI) Open Water Swim 1.2 miles, 3rd place in age group</div><br /><div></div><div>September highlights:</div><div>9/11 Patriot's Run (Marathon) in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">Olathe</span>, Kansas - in memory of 9/11, noon start, 90 degrees, 1st female overall</div><div>Ran with lots of aphids most of the month - yuk!</div><div>Training for St. George, Utah Marathon - lots of hill training</div><br /><div></div><div>October highlights:</div><div>10/03 St. George, Utah Marathon (4:11), Boston qualifying time, 17<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> in age group (111)</div><div>Hiking in Zion National Park & Bryce Canyon</div><div>Trainer rides resume</div><div>Maddox in hospital with H1N1 on 10/19</div><div>I get H1N1 on 10/21 and spend the next 3 weeks sick</div><br /><div></div><div>November highlights:</div><div>11/01 Ran the Manchester, NH Marathon while still sick, dropped out at the 1/2, walked back to hotel, decided to jump back in, finished 28.2 miles in 5:05. Felt terrible, but finished. </div><div>Ran Thanksgiving Day 3 mile Turkey Trot (1st in age group)</div><div>Began group indoor trainer rides, return to weight training, P90x, Yoga Wednesday</div><br /><div></div><div>December highlights:</div><div>Lots of focus on weight training, group indoor trainer rides</div><div>Enjoying Christmas with grandchildren</div><div>Sledding with Ella & Madison<br /><br />Marathons completed in 35 states. 65 total marathons. Goal date for completing marathons in all 50 states, plus DC - end of 2011.</div>See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-1592902893703651622009-10-14T09:11:00.006-05:002009-10-15T08:45:34.853-05:00St. George Marathon Race Report<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH43jNn-IGc6dtWpLr4Gt69GiqbYIz4ooMZWlhAOw57XgsPtFpPDJsnxIEByx2rIIykjC2SU1AjO9CrnRxfxfbJQaghC9i6b11etapInHVOWAfzACCPyJVSvJZNIsnvTPW2oXDsbsxvmhR/s1600-h/St__George_Marathon_logo.gif"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 115px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 115px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392822446878849362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH43jNn-IGc6dtWpLr4Gt69GiqbYIz4ooMZWlhAOw57XgsPtFpPDJsnxIEByx2rIIykjC2SU1AjO9CrnRxfxfbJQaghC9i6b11etapInHVOWAfzACCPyJVSvJZNIsnvTPW2oXDsbsxvmhR/s320/St__George_Marathon_logo.gif" /></a> Finish time: 4:11:14 (Boston qualifying time)<br />Overall place: 2991/5636<br />Gender place: 1062/2473<br />Division place: 17/111<br /><br />This was my second time running the St. George Marathon. The weather was certainly better this year. It was quite chilly at the start. My pre-race preparations did not go exactly as I would have liked. The porta-potty line we chose to stand in took almost 1/2 hour to move through. This allowed just barely enough time to run over to the gear check area, remove my warm-up clothes, and get in the start corral. I prefer to have a calmer pre-race experience.<br /><br />I decided to run with the 4:15 hour pace group, led by Jodi (male runner who had paced the same group last year). I did make some changes in my race strategy. Last year I pulled ahead of the group on the big hill (Veyo Canyon). This year because of my hamstring injury which had been bothering me since July, I decided to take it easier on the uphills. I knew that running uphill might strain my hamstring, so I wanted to run smart.<br /><br />When I reached Mile 16, I remembered how miserable I was at that point in last year's race. Due to the cold, wind and rain, I was almost hypothermic at that point and my race goal was definitely in jeopardy. This year, although my training was not as solid, I knew that I was feeling better than last year. I decided to stick with the pace group until Mile 20 and then pull ahead if I was feeling good.<br /><br />I did exactly that. Although my quads were feeling the effects of the downhills, I knew I could run that last 6 miles hard. I knew I had plenty of cushion to make the Boston qualifying time, so I just focused on how many people I could pass in those remaining miles. No one passed me during the last 6 miles of the race.See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-48455482852525392422009-08-12T09:50:00.004-05:002009-08-12T10:52:59.402-05:00Biking & Babies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92gq2jdMJWYPyhDpzCqWo_9R00Cekod9umzG3TtquUMNqFqm5IyKewTup4OIuz9Bf7Q2Pe42hCMv8-nm14DXLpKkTq6tLin2ObN_-TSHkT5HdEHa1pReHHpghyphenhyphent2gQOANdwsbaLIBaYON/s1600-h/Ella+%26+Nora.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369090013840306418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92gq2jdMJWYPyhDpzCqWo_9R00Cekod9umzG3TtquUMNqFqm5IyKewTup4OIuz9Bf7Q2Pe42hCMv8-nm14DXLpKkTq6tLin2ObN_-TSHkT5HdEHa1pReHHpghyphenhyphent2gQOANdwsbaLIBaYON/s320/Ella+%26+Nora.jpg" /></a> In between long bike rides and other <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ironman</span></span> related training, I've also been spending time with my four grandchildren. The picture above is of Ella (age 3) and Nora (age 4 months). During my last two organized bike tours I got lost due to poor road markings and maps. When I'm with my grandchildren, I'm never lost. I know exactly where I am and it's always exactly where I want to be. They are truly a delight! Ella can certainly pedal her Big Wheel at a furious pace. I think she might be able to out ride me in a few years. I look forward to bike adventures with all of my grandchildren. <br /><br />Here are the details of my most recent rides - The Tour <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">DeWitt</span></span> (Clinton, IL) and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mendota</span></span> Sweet Corn Festival Ride (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mendota</span></span>, IL). I certainly am seeing a lot of the rural countryside of Illinois. Illinois has a lot of corn and beans! <br /><br />The Tour <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">DeWitt</span></span> ride (July 25<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span>) had a few logistical problems. The course map was very small and had no road names or numbers on it. Eventually after noticing we were circling back around Clinton Lake rather than heading in the proper direction, we realized we were off the course. The map was so poor there was really no way to figure out how to get back on course. So, we called the sag wagon number provided on the map. Within about 10 minutes, one of the ride organizers arrived to transport us back to where we got off course. He apologized for the delay in getting to us - first he had to pick up another lost rider and then he had to go mark the turn which had not been marked properly. After we began riding again, we quickly noticed all the road markings had been redone. Now instead of the little tiny arrows in dark green (very difficult to see on the dark pavement), the new markings were much larger and in neon green.<br /><br />The day was still long due to a very stiff headwind on the entire ride back. In addition, the rest stops had no Gatorade, only Country Time Lemonade. This might sound refreshing to a spectator, but for runners or cyclists, Gatorade is a necessity especially in heat and humidity. There were no sources of salt at the rest stops - no pretzels, no trail mix, etc. Luckily I did have some <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Endurolyte</span></span> tablets and those helped save the day. One of our fellow cyclists suggested black arrows for next year's ride to give the cyclists a great challenge. <br /><br />The post-ride lunch was pretty good and the free massage was wonderful! At the end of the day I had ridden 80 miles with a lot of it into strong winds.<br /><br />The next organized ride was the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mendota</span> Sweet Corn Festival Ride (August 8<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span>). The ride started at the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mendota</span> Community Hospital and offered three different routes, each circling back to the hospital for access to additional fluids and food. The ride organizers suggested doing the 42 mile loop first because it was the hilliest and the return was into a headwind most of the time. As we started riding, the course appeared to be very well marked, with large arrows well in advance of the turns, arrows right at the corners and a template marking with ears of corn marking the turns as well. After about 5-6 miles of riding we were comfortable enough with the course markings that we stopped referring to our maps. That turned out to be a mistake when we eventually bumped into roads without any markings at all. After referring to our maps, we realized that we were again lost and off course. This time, however, because the maps were good we were able to get ourselves back on course and finish the loop within a 1/2 mile of the 42 mile distance. Getting back on course did involve riding about 4 miles on a fairly busy rural highway and a brush with a large semi truck who came far too close for comfort. Due to the windy conditions, our bikes were really buffeted as he came flying by us at a speed well over the speed limit. And no, he certainly did not give us the 3-feet as required by law now in Illinois. <br /><br />My riding partner decided 42 miles was enough. The weather conditions were extraordinarily challenging. The temperatures were expected to be in the mid-90's with a heat index of over 100, a strong winds. We were already feeling the effects of the heat, humidity, hills and strong wind. I decided to go out for another loop, choosing the 25-mile loop option. <br /><br />My partner graciously offered to wait for me until I returned. As she waited, she noticed the sky getting darker. Yes, I did encounter rain, but no thunder or lightning, so it was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">ok</span>. Then she noticed an ambulance pull into the hospital with a husband and wife cyclist. They had been on the 25-mile loop, and encountered an aggressive dog. Apparently the wife ran into her <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">husband</span> as he tried to come up with a strategy for dealing with the dog. Both riders and the dog were involved in the crash. The dog <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">fared</span> better than the two riders, as it trotted off. Two more cyclists came back in from the 25-mile loop with reports of encountering this dog. Needless to say, my riding partner was quite concerned. <br /><br />I returned safely. I never did see the dog. At the end of this 25 mile loop (with a add on of 3 miles) I finished the day with 70 miles in very challenging conditions. It was enough to call it a day. I also knew that the next morning's schedule called for an 11-mile run, a swim, and my favorite activity of more time with grandchildren.See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-27073053100611637142009-07-20T14:45:00.002-05:002009-07-20T15:13:17.935-05:00Biking with Beanzie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHazCEL9vRHlAgpkhHf85AmjuuxfOOsoIxQlK5mXHVLYRItbFxj6j1DDtF38TF-HaHIOFo8Hr09eJb1B-Qsv9fUkZIWtrvQBzruYzI4wh6_wBlxNxE-impOxrd3WqDFNxnrx0RXxI6Kagf/s1600-h/Ride+with+Beanzie.gif"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 198px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 186px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360630957418697122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHazCEL9vRHlAgpkhHf85AmjuuxfOOsoIxQlK5mXHVLYRItbFxj6j1DDtF38TF-HaHIOFo8Hr09eJb1B-Qsv9fUkZIWtrvQBzruYzI4wh6_wBlxNxE-impOxrd3WqDFNxnrx0RXxI6Kagf/s320/Ride+with+Beanzie.gif" /></a>On Sunday I completed 105 miles of riding during the "Biking with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Beanzie</span>" organized bike ride. The ride started at the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">DeKalb</span> High School and offered course options of 23, 46, 64 or 105 miles. The 105 mile route took us through Lake <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Shabbona</span> State Park and the Lee County windmill farm. It also took us over many <em>gently</em> rolling hills. I've learned that gently rolling in cycling terms has about as much credibility as marathon courses that are described as fast and flat.<br /><br />A couple of highlights from the ride: I purchased two adorable little rubber ducks (one for Madison and one for Ella) with the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Beanzie</span> beanie hat w/ propeller on top of their heads. I figured it would be good luck to carry these lucky ducks with me on the ride, so they went into the bag under my seat. Poor little ducks had to pedal those little legs like crazy!<br /><br />Each participant also received a lovely bright pink shirt with the "Biking with Beanzie" logo in neon green. You can't miss me in that shirt. <br /><br />At the first rest stop, I put my sunglasses on top of my helmet (which remained on my head), so that I could refill my fluid bottles. As Renee and I started riding again, I commented on how much brighter it seemed to be. I was thinking that the overcast skies were beginning to open up a bit. About 1 mile down the road I realized the sky was brighter, because, well the sky was brighter without my sunglasses. Just then a female came riding alongside of me and reported that my sunglasses had flown off the top of my helmet. I was about to turn around to go fetch them, when she said another rider was bringing them up to me. And sure enough, there he was, sunglasses in hand and passed off to me. I felt like I had a Team Car with me like the riders in the Tour <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">de</span> France.<br /><br />And then, the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">peleton</span> went flying by me. Ah yes, just like the Tour <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">de</span> France.<br /><br />I also learned that a scenic tour through a state park means HILLS. Scenic? Yes. Flat? No!<br /><br />After we exited the state park, we eventually faced a decision-making point. We could either turn right for the 46 or 64 mile routes, or go straight for the 105 mile course. We elected to go for the century ride. Game on!<br /><br />One of the sections (between rest stops) was particularly difficult. It seemed to be one series of hills after another. Each turn would bring the hopeful anticipation that this new road would not be so hilly. Each turn greeted us with even more <em>gently rolling </em>hills. We were very glad to have that section over with and start heading back towards <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">DeKalb</span>.<br /><br />On to the important information - SNACKS! Primarily I ate bagels with PB and jelly, with a few handfuls of trail mix and a few chips (for the salt). I tried to primarily eat the food I had with me on my bike, and just refill my bottles with Gatorade and water.<br /><br />At our second to last rest stop we were at approximately mile 86. We were closing in on the 90 mile mark, but 100+ miles still seemed very far away. It didn't help to see a male rider declare that he was done for the day. We watched as he put his bike in the back of the pickup truck, and settled in the passenger seat for a ride back to the high school. There was only one thing to do - get back on those bikes and start riding.<br /><br />My treat to myself after completing the ride? <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Starbuck's</span> of course! Followed by a 2 hour drive home. It was a good day and a very well organized ride. I'll be back next year.See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-12849488514039911362009-07-08T08:36:00.003-05:002009-07-08T09:16:24.457-05:00What's Most Important is Invisible<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrPNT4RA0NamcDtVAINxiDtT3pMkxiGgbyJ4eCQPM4qPonn4TiEx-fPXwfFpOLkJ4t3f92eeRToELnwamxE9fjTQ2Yuvin15T9v7LAtsy05MSDflJaBF47wqVAHwg1kZusO7avRocGdns/s1600-h/The-Little-Prince.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 123px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 187px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356085026709250418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrPNT4RA0NamcDtVAINxiDtT3pMkxiGgbyJ4eCQPM4qPonn4TiEx-fPXwfFpOLkJ4t3f92eeRToELnwamxE9fjTQ2Yuvin15T9v7LAtsy05MSDflJaBF47wqVAHwg1kZusO7avRocGdns/s320/The-Little-Prince.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div>Yesterday I found myself drawn into part of Michael Jackson's memorial service. I didn't expect to find myself engaged in watching it, but I was captured first by Brooke Shield's eulogy. She talked about the commonality she and Michael had as a result of being performers at a very young age. She talked about how they shared the experience of needing to be mature, focused, and constantly perform well. During the moments they spent together as friends (apparently they also dated for a short time) they most enjoyed laughing, being silly and not be so adult for a brief respite from their life as a performer. </div><br /><div>Then Brooke shared a quote from the children's book "The Little Prince". I know I've read that book before although I don't recall being enthralled by it. The quote she shared was quite profound: "Eyes are blind. You have to look with the heart. What's most important is invisible."</div>See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-73716447315487476402009-06-04T11:22:00.003-05:002009-06-04T14:06:13.854-05:00It All Depends on Your Perspective<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHqWfLJ6Mjk1ir3_Y66A7huRcmJLpYWMrh8tguehF0y7x8TlXr1vtx2KM9NKZPao4Q6RP_fe63ZapD1kc7CWV_iu152FfUZ23Oq5VcyBxUQxVp2QAvY5Op3TZNRNdwQqZsLO4me2FBMDn/s1600-h/Duck!+Rabbit!+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343508890961386226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 128px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 128px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHqWfLJ6Mjk1ir3_Y66A7huRcmJLpYWMrh8tguehF0y7x8TlXr1vtx2KM9NKZPao4Q6RP_fe63ZapD1kc7CWV_iu152FfUZ23Oq5VcyBxUQxVp2QAvY5Op3TZNRNdwQqZsLO4me2FBMDn/s320/Duck!+Rabbit!+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I happened to take my 4-year old granddaughter, Madison, to Barnes & Noble yesterday to look at books. I have had a special fondness for children's books since my college children's literature class. I'm amazed at the lessons children's books can teach us. This book is no exception.<br /><br />So, what did you see when you first looked at this book cover? A duck? Or, a rabbit? Myself? I saw a rabbit, of course, because that's what it is! Once you open up this book, you are immediately drawn into a friendly debate over which animal it is. There are two perspectives, one on the left-hand side of the book and one on the right-hand side of the book. Each perspective - the "duck perspective" and the "rabbit perspective" have data to support their viewpoint.<br /><br />After all, the duck is starting to eat a piece of bread (located on the left-hand margin of the left page). The rabbit is starting to eat a carrot (located on the right-hand margin of the right page). The duck is clearly shown moving through the swamp grass, while the rabbit is clearly shown sitting in the grass of the field. The duck is making quacking sounds, while the rabbit is twitching its nose and sniffing the air. The duck is quite obviously flying, while the rabbit is quite obviously hopping.<br /><br />Each side has enough data to support a fairly convincing argument. When I first started reading the book, I initially saw the carrot and overlooked the piece of bread. Once I saw the piece of bread, it did open up the possibility in my mind that it could be a duck. Naturally I continued looking for more data to support my original contention.<br /><br />How often do we do this? We can be so attached to our view of things, our view of what is true, that it can actually obscure our vision of what else is true. In doing this, we might be living in a world of rabbits and missing all the ducks that are to be found as well.<br /><br />Out of curiosity, which one did you see? I still think it is a rabbit! Madison thought it was a duck. You decide.</div>See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-21597010813803518242009-05-19T08:29:00.008-05:002009-05-19T09:15:13.649-05:00Where have I been? Stopping to hear the music and smell the flowers.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinu6St6pXSw4hBfOeg8uyu6VqyxIi0Nw4gLyxKymPXPwMEJHe2CuEqzUGrHIPCedrQtGsiO35JjUcdpUUGHpazi0ndaEbGou5z8vDg0ujLvRVrO1qyk4oAv0I_uRk67YMD9ynOoCPkjEC_/s1600-h/Madison+%26+Ella+(Ewing).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337527260445048466" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinu6St6pXSw4hBfOeg8uyu6VqyxIi0Nw4gLyxKymPXPwMEJHe2CuEqzUGrHIPCedrQtGsiO35JjUcdpUUGHpazi0ndaEbGou5z8vDg0ujLvRVrO1qyk4oAv0I_uRk67YMD9ynOoCPkjEC_/s320/Madison+%26+Ella+(Ewing).jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIaNn8O48llxQSQEUSBkZkEYAKl-dO9uI9m-hMO7aZdvbPskmczRP1IjvFb_5MRfwJNQomCdKfOExnTPLd6312p5xfOgPYWjt6gd0uzWB8StSIaxXoBBEw4fNg6pgDplbaT1WeA4Heityr/s1600-h/Family+photo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337527104459682754" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIaNn8O48llxQSQEUSBkZkEYAKl-dO9uI9m-hMO7aZdvbPskmczRP1IjvFb_5MRfwJNQomCdKfOExnTPLd6312p5xfOgPYWjt6gd0uzWB8StSIaxXoBBEw4fNg6pgDplbaT1WeA4Heityr/s320/Family+photo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />My last post was on February 26th. Since that time many wonderful events have taken place. Our first grandson, Maddox, was born on February 10th (just a couple of weeks prior to that post). That began a series of very special occasions. I wrote a blog posting in my head many times. However, my heart was elsewhere. These pictures are really all that is needed to tell the story, but here are a few details.<br /><br />Ella's 3 year birthday was celebrated on March 2nd.<br /><br />Our daughter Lisa's best friend Lindsay's grandma died ("Grandma Helen" was the kind of grandma everyone should be blessed to have).<br /><br /><p>One of my best friend's father died unexpectedly from a heart attack (on a beautiful Sunday morning after going to church and out to breakfast).</p><p>I ran the hilly Springfield 1/2 Marathon.</p><ul><li>Finish time 2:00:42</li><li>2/22 in age division</li><li>442/986 total runners</li><li>128/488 females</li></ul><p>Ella welcomed a new little baby sister, Nora Grace, on April 6th.</p><p>I ran the Champaign 1/2 Marathon.</p><ul><li>Finish time 2:01:03</li><li>3/72 in age division</li><li>1467/3755 total runners</li><li>546/2095 females</li></ul><p>Madison's 4 year birthday was celebrated on April 15th</p><p>I ran the Boston Marathon (the competition is a little stiffer in Boston) on April 20th. Howard was, as usual, a wonderful support person AND he ran the Boston 5-K the day before the marathon. He also has a really cool Boston Marathon medal and shirt. </p><ul><li>Finish time 4;36:17</li><li>220/294 in age division</li><li>20,254 overall place</li><li>8000 out of all females</li></ul><p>April 26th - we attended the dedication for Nora Grace Gummerman at her church. Big sister, Ella, joined Nora, Mommy and Daddy on stage for the dedication. </p><p>I ran the Indianapolis 1/2 Marathon on May 2nd.</p><ul><li>Finish time 1:58:41</li><li>28/723 in age division</li><li>7890/30,273 total runners</li><li>2121/15,890 females</li></ul><p>The week of May 3rd-May 12th was spent enjoying Kristin & Adam's week-long visit from Vermont. Highlights included a road trip to Lisa & Gary's house in Chatham (to see Ella and new baby Nora), going to the Children's Discovery Museum with Madison, a train ride to Springfield to the Lincoln Museum, enjoying "eyeball ice cream" with the girls, attending a performance of Urinetown (Kristin was in this show in Vermont), and surviving the "family photo" experience. Adam captured some beautiful shots, both posed and candid, of our large family. </p><p>On May 17th Maddox Paul Schweizer was baptized at St. John's Lutheran Church. (Big sister, Madison, held the candle and did not burn down the church or catch anything on fire.)</p><p>As I reflect upon the events of the last three months, I am even more aware of the importance of stopping to smell the flowers, to enjoy the most precious things in my life. During these last three months there were two deaths and two births. There were two birthdays to celebrate. The most precious moments of our lives are happening right now - we just need to slow down enough to notice them. </p><p>If I happen to not post for another three months, I know certain things will happen. I will laugh and play with Madison and Ella. We'll share stories, sidewalk chalk, playing at water parks and eating eyeball ice cream. I will hold <em>little</em> Maddox (14 lbs at 3 months) and enjoy his smiles and giggles. I will hold beautiful little Nora (now 6 weeks old) and enjoy both her sweet nature and her amazing alertness. I'll swim, ride and run a little. I might even race a little. But most of all, I'll enjoy the beautiful music of life that my family makes. </p>See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-13573494051588654982009-02-26T11:26:00.008-06:002009-02-26T12:20:14.707-06:00Stop and Hear the Music<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307169733439721762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVPUJGutmSBnmPqWE-875_Odf26TXD5f4gjKuIB60gZ0Lukpaj8Yj97eA5RKtQQ1WzJGtZH6sbiQ9H0yHzDQIT-eOW74LGzuET2oHzu-MedSILxUZqec8usRh1lw5DHEKq8pHed3knC10/s320/joshuabell18.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><div>My husband forwarded the following article to me a few days ago. He verified its authenticity on "Snopes", as he often receives e-mails that are not true. This is a true story that was featured in the Washington Post in 2007. The message is powerful.<br /><br />"A man sat at a Metro subway station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.<br /><br />Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.<br /><br />The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.<br /><br />In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any other recognition.<br /><br />No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the finest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.<br /><br />Three days earlier, Bell had played to a full house at Boston's Symphony Hall, where fairly good seats went for $100. But on this day, he collected just $32.17 for his efforts, contributed by a mere 27 of the 1,070 passing travelers. Only seven people stopped to listen, and just one of them recognized the performer.<br /><br />This is a true story. Washington Post writer, Gene Weingarten, enlisted the help of violin virtuoso, Joshua Bell, in conducting this social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. Joshua Bell played incognito in the L'Enfant Plaza station of the subway line in Washington, DC. on the morning of January 12, 2007.<br /><br />The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate or inconvenient hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in the unexpected context?<br /><br />One of the possible conclusions from this experiment could be: If we do not have the moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world play the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?"<br /><br />The Washington Post won a Pulitzer in the feature writing category for this April 2007 article. You can read the full aricle by going to this link:<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html</a></div><br /><div>Or view the video on YouTube:</div><br /><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnOPu0_YWhw">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnOPu0_YWhw</a></div><div> </div><div></div><div>Are you going to take the time to read the article or listen to the music?</div>See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-89801116034948469422009-02-17T12:12:00.002-06:002009-02-17T13:30:56.629-06:00Lessons From a Newborn Baby<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVDdrt6jmnsHNQRFI0QTeD1ZZb9jxE_1Cuyrtpsko2QGQRZp7t36mYQXUbeDaNQla1g_LYyAOaio2Q8hpkfTi43I0ALnNg4K0hJjUK7LqLfmjV0NQPmPaW0yesLmdJBO0tBgkD4jvRy3N/s1600-h/Maddox.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303831069856359346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVDdrt6jmnsHNQRFI0QTeD1ZZb9jxE_1Cuyrtpsko2QGQRZp7t36mYQXUbeDaNQla1g_LYyAOaio2Q8hpkfTi43I0ALnNg4K0hJjUK7LqLfmjV0NQPmPaW0yesLmdJBO0tBgkD4jvRy3N/s320/Maddox.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><p>All 10 lbs and 3 oz of baby boy arrived on February 10th around 6:30 AM. Since his arrival, I've been thinking about what Maddox is already teaching me and what I would like to teach him. Here are my thoughts so far.</p><p>Lessons from Maddox:</p><ul><li>Life is precious</li><li>We all need to feel loved and secure</li><li>Anything is possible if we pick ourselves up after we fall down (a baby keeps trying, after repeated failures, to take those first steps)</li><li>The world is full of wonderful new things if we take the time to notice them</li><li>A smile (even if it's just gas) can brighten someone's day</li><li>Being healthy is not something to take for granted</li><li>The best things in life are worth waiting for</li><li>Laughter and play are important even when you're a grownup</li></ul><p>Lessons I hope to teach Maddox:</p><ul><li>Reading opens up your mind and your heart and also opens up a whole world to you</li><li>You can change the world by even the small things that you do - smiling at someone, singing a song, reading a book, saying thank you....</li><li>It's important to stay true to yourself, to live an authentic life</li><li>People may forget what you said or what you did, but they will always remember how you made them feel</li><li>Being active is important for you and those who love you, take care of your body</li><li>Be willing to challenge yourself physically and mentally</li><li>Imagination is where dreams begin</li><li>Be bold</li><li>Treat others the way you would like to be treated</li><li>Learning continues over your entire lifetime, be willing to be both a teacher and a student</li></ul><p> </p>See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-64567532016462997892009-02-04T08:46:00.005-06:002009-02-04T09:05:28.021-06:00Punxsutawney Phil and "Bouncing Baby Groundhog"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_n2FVLqwg-djmCRVJFdwhEqFsOfVyPGZxnFfNhyOja0OQBvHvS6_t9KJNd_XuvrzlirOPYJwlrhoA2_0XFe9wnE-ytg32wrhMlnZr0uDRcBRZz07wCHRg33dRHAHuaDxWIGu5zNCaxOv/s1600-h/phil.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298953947258663090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 223px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_n2FVLqwg-djmCRVJFdwhEqFsOfVyPGZxnFfNhyOja0OQBvHvS6_t9KJNd_XuvrzlirOPYJwlrhoA2_0XFe9wnE-ytg32wrhMlnZr0uDRcBRZz07wCHRg33dRHAHuaDxWIGu5zNCaxOv/s320/phil.jpg" border="0" /></a> This morning when I headed out for my 5.5 mile run, the temperature was 1 degree with a windchill of -17 degrees. I hold this cute furry creature responsible!<br /><br />Monday, February 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">nd</span></span> was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Groundhog's</span></span> Day. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Punxsutawney</span></span> Phil reportedly saw his shadow, which means six more weeks of winter. I didn't realize that there is a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Punxsutawney</span></span> Groundhog club. Groundhog.org is the official site of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Punxsutawney</span></span> groundhog club. I found the following fun facts about groundhogs:<br /><br />Fun Facts About Groundhogs<br />The average groundhog is 20 inches long and normally weighs from 12 to 15 pounds.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Punxsutawney</span></span> Phil weighs about 20 pounds and is 22 inches long.<br /><br />Groundhogs are covered with coarse grayish hairs (fur) tipped with brown or sometimes dull red. They have short ears, a short tail, short legs, and are surprisingly quick. Their jaws are exceptionally strong.<br /><br />A <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">groundhog's</span></span> diet consists of lots of greens, fruits, and vegetables and very little water. Most of their liquids come from dewy leaves.<br /><br />A groundhog can whistle when it is alarmed. Groundhogs also whistle in the spring when they begin courting.<br /><br />Insects do not bother groundhogs and germs pretty much leave them alone. They are resistant to the plagues that periodically wipe out large numbers of wild animals. One reason for this is their cleanliness.<br /><br />Groundhogs are one of the few animals that really hibernate. Hibernation is not just a deep sleep. It is actually a deep coma, where the body temperature drops to a few degrees above freezing, the heart barely beats, the blood scarcely flows, and breathing nearly stops.<br /><br />Young Groundhogs are usually born in mid-April or May, and by July they are able to go out on their own. The size of the litter is 4 to 9. A baby groundhog is called a kit or a cub.<br /><br />A <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">groundhog's</span></span> life span is normally 6 to 8 years. Phil receives a drink of a magical punch every summer during the annual Groundhog Picnic, which gives him 7 more years of life. I'd like to find out more about this <em>magical punch</em>! I will also need to find out where the annual Groundhog Picnic is held.<br /><br />You might wonder why I am especially interested in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Groundhog's</span></span> Day this year. Our daughter, Lauren, is expecting a baby any day. The official due date is February 7<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">th</span></span>. For Lauren, and the rest of us, the due date is not arriving fast enough.<br /><br />Therefore, I've concluded that this baby looked out on Feb. 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">nd</span></span>, saw his shadow, and decided not to come out until spring arrives six weeks from now. We might have a "bouncing baby groundhog" rather than a bouncing baby boy.See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-6272141419169491532009-02-03T13:30:00.005-06:002009-02-03T14:35:46.788-06:00Man on Wire<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Wd-gg-EEWX7NmGG6e2EFWo56lQUDWJ5Qkdr0Jlo07LogkDPuwQMSGPb2q-hDkNbcwnA-xHK0elOp0CZ8P928k5xKR-Vt9W6jT7644YUF53WyvO9eSmvZwHMWS2iJwjax4C5FUHI0ww2r/s1600-h/200px-Man_on_wire_ver2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298656657023886418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 296px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Wd-gg-EEWX7NmGG6e2EFWo56lQUDWJ5Qkdr0Jlo07LogkDPuwQMSGPb2q-hDkNbcwnA-xHK0elOp0CZ8P928k5xKR-Vt9W6jT7644YUF53WyvO9eSmvZwHMWS2iJwjax4C5FUHI0ww2r/s320/200px-Man_on_wire_ver2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>"Movie and a Winter Trainer Ride" has begun again. From time to time, I will blog about a movie I've watched while on the trainer. This past Sunday I chose the movie "Man on Wire". It is an Academy Award-nominated 2008 documentary film based on Philippe <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Petit's</span> 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center.<br /><br />One of the first parts of the movie that struck me was when Philippe first developed his dream of the high-wire walk between the Twin Towers. The Twin Towers <em>weren't even built</em> yet. He saw a picture of the project in a magazine while waiting at a dentist office. He tore the picture out of the magazine and left the office. That was the beginning of his dream. His dream was based on something that wasn't even reality yet. That didn't matter to Philippe. His passion was enough to sustain his dream until it was possible to take place in reality.<br /><br />The documentary was fascinating to watch in terms of how he planned everything. Rather than have wind be a reason <em>not </em>to walk, he planned for that possible obstacle. Philippe had members of his team bounce up and down while pulling on his practice wire to simulate windy conditions.<br /><br />When Philippe actually began the walk across the wire, one of his team members (who was interviewed in the documentary) stated that he expected Philippe to take time to be sure everything was as it should be. Instead, Philippe knew as soon as he stepped on the wire that he would be successful. He was confident. He didn't let fear or self doubts get in his way.<br /><br />I guess we're all on a wire in one way or another. In case you are looking for another source of inspiration for overcoming obstacles, here is a video that my good friend AJ posted on her blog. After viewing this, it is hard to have a good excuse for not trying regardless of how insurmountable the obstacle might seem.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.maniacworld.com/are-you-going-to-finish-strong.html">http://www.maniacworld.com/are-you-going-to-finish-strong.html</a>See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-50672858727756478382009-01-26T08:54:00.003-06:002009-01-26T11:34:28.729-06:00Time for a Little Warmth - in the form of a new babies!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRyJpSVnfZWw8NR5h0ROOs2uWiOhlWTGiiiwEaJ97f27lVocoraKuUUtDNyAnMQUN1ADIyAac8nkXV4cZ5_6TIhtWgZHGdNHvZOGLRLmUbEIdVcXhJ_47YdYBVAD2DL9PvUPno_U-zAGL/s1600-h/Madison+%26+Ella+2009+JPG.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295646335857906962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 233px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRyJpSVnfZWw8NR5h0ROOs2uWiOhlWTGiiiwEaJ97f27lVocoraKuUUtDNyAnMQUN1ADIyAac8nkXV4cZ5_6TIhtWgZHGdNHvZOGLRLmUbEIdVcXhJ_47YdYBVAD2DL9PvUPno_U-zAGL/s320/Madison+%26+Ella+2009+JPG.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is a picture of my two granddaughters, Madison (age 3 1/2) and Ella (age 2 1/2), taken shortly before Christmas. Those are our excited faces! We are waiting.... and waiting.... and waiting for two new little babies. Madison is waiting for a little brother who is expected to arrive any day (official due date of Feb. 7<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span>). Ella is waiting for either a little sister or brother who is expected to arrive on April 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span>.<br /><br />Winter in central Illinois has seemed especially cold, windy, snowy and icy so far. I've had my share of cold weather outside runs. I did a 4-mile run on Jan. 15<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span> in 7" of new snow, -7 degree air temperature, with -31 degree wind chill. This past Saturday was an 11-mile run with an air temperature of 2 degrees and wind chill of -17. Enough. I'm ready to stay inside an cuddle a new baby! New babies have a way of warming your heart even if it is still winter in Illinois.<br /><br />So.... Maddox and Baby <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Gummerman</span> (wait about 8 weeks), Grandma is waiting and ready for both of you to get here.See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-87176308506285334052009-01-13T11:41:00.004-06:002009-01-13T12:09:05.986-06:00Walt Disney World Marathon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiguBywp87K6bE2xqXH6mC1tT4vJWsfX8XhYoPqi3-mpABbsGnMIgseetSO-UFbl4AZ5nfx2PQD-ZUGKEytB6NQMNOAU8mISxcXQ055sjUqi0krg44PfdDKEhqI6CTQ_O6MOfKrn9J0vJA1/s1600-h/disney-logo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290835132166037970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 160px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiguBywp87K6bE2xqXH6mC1tT4vJWsfX8XhYoPqi3-mpABbsGnMIgseetSO-UFbl4AZ5nfx2PQD-ZUGKEytB6NQMNOAU8mISxcXQ055sjUqi0krg44PfdDKEhqI6CTQ_O6MOfKrn9J0vJA1/s320/disney-logo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Half Marathon Results:<br />Finish time - 2:05<br />2555 overall out of 12,434 overall participants<br />866 out of 7181 females<br />20th out of 365 in age group<br /><br />Marathon Results:<br />Finish time - 4:49<br />5926 overall out of 14,927 overall participants<br />2107 out of 7134 females<br />26th out of 193 in age group<br /><br />4th overall out of Goofy Challenge participants in my age group. Full race report coming later.<br /><br />The biggest challenges about the back-to-back races?<br /><br /><ul><li>Getting up at 2:15 AM both mornings in order to meet the TNT team to catch the shuttle buses.</li><li>Tired feet and legs from walking around the Disney theme parks the day before and the day of the races.</li><li>The blister on my right foot which began on Saturday and progressively worsened on Sunday. I knew it was not a good thing when I could see the blood seeping through the top of my running shoe during the marathon. The top of my right foot (tendons) had been bothering me on both days. </li></ul><p>The biggest motivators during the marathon?</p><ul><li>Running with other Goofy Challenge runners who all helped motivate one another.</li><li>Passing runners during the marathon who were <em>not</em> doing the Goofy Marathon.</li><li>Wearing the TNT purple singlet and remembering how lucky I am to be healthy enough to run.</li></ul>See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-38159187757257738042009-01-05T10:27:00.002-06:002009-01-05T10:41:19.825-06:00Definition of GraceWe attended Saturday evening church this past weekend, as we often do. The sermon was about grace. One description of the meaning of grace caught our attention - "God's grace is based on the fact that there is nothing we can do that will make God love us less <em>and</em> there is nothing we can do that will make God love us more. God's love is a constant and a given, no matter what."<br /><br />After pondering this over the past few days, it occurs to me that we don't do such a good job with demonstrating grace to those around us. As much as we might claim that our love is unconditional, constant and unwavering, the amount of love we <em>feel</em> for those in our lives does seem to flucuate from time to time.<br /><br />I'm curious to know how our behavior, words and actions might be different if we are in one of those moments where we've never loved that person more vs. one of those moments where we are questioning our feelings.<br /><br />Maybe a great New Year's resolution is to show more grace to those around me. Like many New Year's resolutions that fail, this isn't likely to succeed without a clear vision of specifically what that will look like. How will I know if I am showing more grace? How will those around me know? What will I be doing? Or not doing? What will those around be notice that is different? <br />I think I'm going to need a lot of God's grace with this one.See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-13200580300860942532008-12-30T08:29:00.007-06:002008-12-30T08:53:32.563-06:00CNN Heroes of 2008<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqA7sffsXv9TH7c3WFm7i4i0ft7fPGFm0cG76TWVVeR6VGJwdCfRbr8-sBP3I3BXhDt1GS52xTsnNIyUW9CU5XVT3VQ0PafeWvurr8hlqA67QCaM62FGuFcSw1vUnNDfp8DOAZXIc6Dvm/s1600-h/691x504_testimage__anne_mahlum_2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285590373123026674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 234px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqA7sffsXv9TH7c3WFm7i4i0ft7fPGFm0cG76TWVVeR6VGJwdCfRbr8-sBP3I3BXhDt1GS52xTsnNIyUW9CU5XVT3VQ0PafeWvurr8hlqA67QCaM62FGuFcSw1vUnNDfp8DOAZXIc6Dvm/s320/691x504_testimage__anne_mahlum_2.jpg" border="0" /></a>My husband and I recently watched <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">CNN's</span></span> Heroes of 2008 on television. While all of the stories and the top 10 heroes were inspiring, one story in particular resonated with me. It is the story of a runner by the name of Anne <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Mahlum</span></span>. The question she asked of herself; "Why am I running past these guys?", made me realize that we <em>all</em> run past things on a daily basis that we <em>could </em>choose to get involved with or make a difference. Here is Anne's story:<br /><br /><div>PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- At 5 a.m. on any given day, Anne <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Mahlum</span></span> could be found running the dark streets of Philadelphia -- with homeless men cheering her on as she passed their shelter. But one morning last spring, she stopped in her tracks.<br /><br />"Running really is a metaphor for life," Anne <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Mahlum</span></span> says. "You just have to take it one step at a time."<br /><br />"Why am I running past these guys?" recalls <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Mahlum</span></span>, 27. "I'm moving my life forward every day -- and these guys are standing in the same spot." Instead of continuing to pass them by, the veteran marathoner sprang into action so they could join her. </div><div><br />She contacted the shelter, got donations of running gear, and in July 2007 the "Back On My Feet" running club hit the streets. The first day, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Mahlum</span></span> led nine shelter residents in a mile-long run. Today, Back on My Feet has teams in three Philadelphia shelters, including 54 homeless members and more than 250 volunteers. The group has logged more than 5,000 miles.</div><div><br />Requirements for shelter residents to join are simple -- they must live in an affiliated facility and be clean and sober for 30 days. Members receive new shoes and running clothes, and teams run together three times a week between 5:30 and 6 a.m. The runners are diverse -- doctors, janitors, students and shelter residents -- but such distinctions aren't apparent.</div><div><br />"All you can tell is who's the fastest," says <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Mahlum</span></span>. "You can't tell who's homeless and who's not." For <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Mahlum</span></span> and others, Back On My Feet is more than a running club.<br /><br />I could just file this away in my memory as a nice, compelling story. If Anne's story is indeed compelling, what am I compelled to do? How might I go about taking that one step at a time that Anne refers to in her story? That one step would begin with noticing what I do "run past" on a daily basis. How might I make a difference? What will that action step look like?<br /><br />There are certainly many people in our society who are constantly passed by. What if we all decided to do things differently? What if we actually answered the question; "Who me?" or "When, now?" with a resounding "Yes!".<br /><br /><a href="http://backonmyfeet.org/main/index.html">http://backonmyfeet.org/main/index.html</a></div>See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-4140015620304033662008-12-23T07:12:00.004-06:002008-12-23T07:37:14.604-06:00Reflective or Radiant<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjxERvPvc1N0-fIjoCaKLJwL4oOBypHpN2e-p-vNCpcVf4ypOagR6zQxUHkzZU_f6sBjaS9kZ6kKOVTT2KivMdccaaQTnorxnBiX4xmbOrwtW3v8boR_sAwSiP8UFlKC_Z3mMCv5pANXk/s1600-h/tinsel.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282978623564799474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 220px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjxERvPvc1N0-fIjoCaKLJwL4oOBypHpN2e-p-vNCpcVf4ypOagR6zQxUHkzZU_f6sBjaS9kZ6kKOVTT2KivMdccaaQTnorxnBiX4xmbOrwtW3v8boR_sAwSiP8UFlKC_Z3mMCv5pANXk/s320/tinsel.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>A couple of days ago I read the following description of two types of people:<br /><br />Reflective - people who take things in<br />Radiant - people who beam light out<br /><br />Since the Christmas season is filled with shiny things, this thought captured my attention. Wouldn't it be wonderful to do both?<br /><br />1) Your outward behavior is a direct reflection of the state your inner being<br />2) The people you tend to surround yourself with are a reflection of you<br />3) People may forget what you said or did, but they will always remember how you made them feel.<br /><br />Christmas time seems to be a perfect time to reflect on what's most important and then let that shine to those around us.<br /><br />Now on to a more serious topic. Do you like tinsel? I, for one, do not care for tinsel on the tree. Being a person who prefers things to be orderly, tinsel simply does not cooperate. Tinsel is <em>not </em>orderly! It manages to follow you everywhere, stuck to your clothing with static electricity. Naturally you find stray pieces of tinsel long after Christmas is over.<br /><br />Maybe tinsel is trying to remind us of something important. Something to do with being both reflective and radiant in our lives.<br /><br />Merry Christmas! </div><div> </div><div>For those wondering about how tinsel came to be added to a Christmas tree....</div><div> </div><div>The addition of tinsel as decoration comes from a legend about a poor old woman who was unable to provide decorations for her children's Christmas tree. During the night, spiders lodged in the tree and covered it with their webs. The Christ Child, seeing this, realized that the woman would be sad to see her surprise spoiled. He turned the spider webs into silver, and the next morning the poor family was dazzled by the brilliant "tinsel" that shone on the tree. </div><div><br />Tinsel was invented in Germany around 1610. At that time real silver was used, and machines were invented which pulled the silver out into the wafer thin strips. Though it was durable, it tarnished easily, so some attempt was made to make tinsel with lead and tin. This proved too heavy and breakable, so silver was actually used until the mid 20th century. Today, the tinsel we use is made generally of plastic.<br /></div>See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-76726128725822448542008-12-16T08:16:00.003-06:002008-12-16T08:28:36.818-06:00Are You a Spotted Zebra or a Striped Zebra?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjslEZuGGXfaSRp13VFiJ0P3BQtEvrYUzGPdob8nWVeYHBydfFSQvvL0_BCHpv44DPxexumX0biywuHqQNqCfiZmunf9QFoblWraivYKuiB7CSzp2pwiAWlL_V6-QSCnB-ZiCb6YOu1H8/s1600-h/images.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280391863605761698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 124px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 108px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjslEZuGGXfaSRp13VFiJ0P3BQtEvrYUzGPdob8nWVeYHBydfFSQvvL0_BCHpv44DPxexumX0biywuHqQNqCfiZmunf9QFoblWraivYKuiB7CSzp2pwiAWlL_V6-QSCnB-ZiCb6YOu1H8/s320/images.jpg" border="0" /></a> In my continued reading of the presentations at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ICF</span> (International Coach Federation) conference in Montreal, I came across the following description of a zebra:<br /><br />"A spotted zebra is an individual who has discovered there is more to who they are than the stripes they were born with or have acquired, such as limiting beliefs or comfort zones."See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-75232463808516863542008-12-15T08:33:00.006-06:002008-12-16T08:29:19.959-06:00State of the UnionThis is the time of year that I usually have my coaching clients reflect on the current year and consider what they want the new year to look like. Imagine if you were standing at a podium about to deliver a "State of the Union" address about the "state of your life". The audience members? Everyone and everything that makes up your life - your family, friends, finances, health, level of energy/fitness, amount of sleep you get each night, personal/spiritual growth, contribution and making a difference in the world...<br /><br />Then imagine that a representative from each of these areas of your life is standing in the audience, notepad in hand, hastily jotting down your current view along with your promises for the new year.<br /><br />I happened to be reading a review of the International Coach Federation conference which was held in Montreal. One of the speakers was Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Senge</span> from MIT. He was looking at the reasons behind the high mortality rate of corporations and identified the following four components of lasting companies:<br /><br />1) Identity - <strong><em>who</em></strong> we are transcends <em><strong>what</strong> </em>we do<br />2) Tolerance - described as being <strong><em>open to not knowing</em></strong><br />3) Fiscal conservatism<br />4) Sensitivity to environment<br /><br />As I read this, it occurred to me those four components are not just found in long lasting companies. When you consider the qualities of people you most respect and enjoy being around, you will probably discover they are mindful of these four things.<br /><br />There is a quote that says; "People may forget what you did or said, but they will always remember how you made them feel". <strong><em>WHO</em></strong> are you as you move through your world? What feeling do you leave behind that speaks louder than anything you say or do?<br /><br />How tolerant are you? Are you open to not knowing? Or are you holding so tightly to the right answer, your opinion, or your view of how things are, that you can't see things another way?<br /><br />I would take fiscal conservatism a step farther. Where do you spend not just your money, but also your time? Do you spend wisely? Are you overdrawn? Do you continually allow others to make a <em>withdrawal</em> from your bank account until you are depleted? (Saying "yes" to others all the time, rather than choosing to say "no".) Are you guilty of the same behavior yourself? How often do you make a deposit in your own <em>savings</em> account? (Getting extra sleep, taking care of yourself, creating some quiet time for yourself, eating healthy, getting some exercise, walking outside, deep breathing, etc.) Or, perhaps you are making continual withdrawals from someone else's account?<br /><br />How <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">sensitive</span> are you to the environment around you? This not only includes being mindful of living green literally, but living green figuratively. Have you cleaned up after your own messes? Do you leave your family, your relationships, a gathering of friends, or a conversation in a better place than it was when you arrived? If you were truly an environmentalist in your work and personal life, what things would you be doing? Not doing? What would people notice?<br /><br />Are you sensitive to (and aware of) the impact you have on the people in your life? Is it the impact you want to have? If your sensitivity allows you to answer "no" to this question, what behavior or action will allow you to self-correct and get back on track?See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-56307669849221227362008-11-17T08:41:00.008-06:002008-11-17T09:20:40.775-06:00Mountain Home for Kenya Marathon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30Co2-X0VivotSbHZOTtcSOZi1nWnciharUvHLtJjX3M2bGk6UURyx8Hu9-w0kQsh-OmDZv3yu1Ijl52EPL6DOHoX9oGDQnoOjJ-GrDZ1WQIbQsqdPBFXX9us5y6HHR1EtHq2RPFI4nMm/s1600-h/logo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269645533761082594" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 140px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30Co2-X0VivotSbHZOTtcSOZi1nWnciharUvHLtJjX3M2bGk6UURyx8Hu9-w0kQsh-OmDZv3yu1Ijl52EPL6DOHoX9oGDQnoOjJ-GrDZ1WQIbQsqdPBFXX9us5y6HHR1EtHq2RPFI4nMm/s320/logo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Race Results:<br />Time 4:41:00<br />24th overall (out of 52)<br />7th overall female<br />1st in age group<br /><br /><br /><br />The take-away from this race is: Do <em>not</em> run a marathon that has the word "mountain" in its name. There were 60 runners registered for the race including two handcyclists. On race morning only 52 runners finished and 2 handcyclists. I'm not sure if the other 6 elected not to run because of the weather conditions or if they failed to finish.<br /><br />The weather conditions made it difficult to decide what to wear. I took a stack of clothing options in the car to the race start so that I could change last minute. Ultimately I chose shorts, 2 long-sleeve technical shirts, a wind vest, a fleece headband and gloves. The temperature was around 39 degrees with strong winds (18 sustained, 30 mph gusts). The windchill probably never got out of the low 30's. We encountered a bit of sleet, which was fortunately short-lived, just to make it fun.<br /><br />The hills were unbelievably challenging. One of the runners (who ran a 3:21) had this to say about the course:<br /><br />"I have a lot of rolling hills in southern Michigan where I live," he said, "but they're not this bad. There were a couple in opportune places, though. If I have time the day before, I'll go out and drive a course and get a feel for it. I'm really glad I didn't drive this course, because if I'd have known how hilly it would be, I would've been unmotivated from the very beginning."<br /><br />Diana and I <em>did </em>drive the course the evening before. We were glad that we did because it gave us a good idea of what we were in for on marathon morning. I found it helpful to know where the hilliest sections were and especially what the last 6 miles looked like. Miles 22, 23 and 24 each had a significant hill. Fortunately the large Rottweiler (about the size of a small cow) which was checking out the course (around mile 8) as we were driving the course, was nowhere to be seen on race day. We had the feeling he was scouting out the course and trying to remember the best spot for picking off runners during last year's marathon.<br /><br />The first half went well - my legs did not feel tired from the long drive the day before like they had at the Marshall Marathon 13 days ago. However, around mile 16 I started to feel the hills and my pace slowed. The wind and cold, combined with the fatigue from running so many hills was beginning to take its toll. For me, getting cold is a very big problem. Once I get that cold I have trouble maintaining my pace.<br /><br />Between mile 24 and 25 I was playing cat and mouse with two female runners. They would pull ahead of me, and the I would pull ahead of them. I thought one of them looked to be in my age group, so at mile 25 I pulled away from them determined to finish ahead. I resisted the temptation to look back and see how close they were. I did not want them to know I was concerned or that I was tired. It turned out to be a good strategy as one of them was in my age group. She finished 29 seconds behind me for 2nd in the age group.<br /><br />I must have looked very cold to the finish line volunteers because they quickly found a blanket from the medical area to wrap around me. They were not handing blankets out to all the finishers, so I'm sure my shivering was a clue as to how cold I was.<br /><br />The post-race food included 7 or 8 choices of soup - vegetable beef, a curried "something", chicken noodle, 2 kinds of chili, minestrone, ham & bean to name a few. The soup tasted wonderful and helped warm me up. I had trouble carrying my bowl of soup because I was still shivering so the soup was spilling over the sides.<br /><br />After our post-race meal, we headed back to the hotel, took quick showers and hit the road for our 8 hour drive home. The trip home was long, but uneventful. We stopped in Rolla, MO at an Applebee's for dinner, and had a Snickers ice cream bar for a treat later on.<br /><br />Surprisingly on Sunday morning I was not very sore - very tired overall, but not sore. I did manage to get on the bike for 25 minutes for a little light spinning.<br /><br />*A big shoutout to my husband Howard who announced on Sunday morning; "Marathons are over for the year, time to start Ironman training". Thank you Coach!See You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-59005475824266189762008-11-05T15:38:00.006-06:002008-11-06T08:17:43.068-06:00Marshall University Marathon Race Report<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNtcTr9oXPH-As7ZjXAO0os2CRzGzuL2ku2d0CfRQIRyzYMqMG8RGvbehMDzJQsCjLbeUPuym_fwhjDZSdDW2yfLrE6b5kfKukfOBmXdKWO_xqImG9z6pC9fTgkyzidWf8VxwyPIzIpIL/s1600-h/untitled.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265291261151465938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNtcTr9oXPH-As7ZjXAO0os2CRzGzuL2ku2d0CfRQIRyzYMqMG8RGvbehMDzJQsCjLbeUPuym_fwhjDZSdDW2yfLrE6b5kfKukfOBmXdKWO_xqImG9z6pC9fTgkyzidWf8VxwyPIzIpIL/s320/untitled.bmp" border="0" /></a><br />Time: 4:15:44 (Boston qualifying time)<br />Overall place: 175/342 total runners<br />Age group place: 3rd<br />Place among all females: 40/127<br /><br />Weather conditions:<br />90% humidity at race start<br />Approx 48-50 degrees at start (the website shows 42 at start, not sure how they came up with that since the Weather Channel in our hotel showed 46 degrees for Huntington 2 hours before race start).<br />It warmed up very quickly, bright sun, probably around 70 by the end of the race<br /><br />Cons:<br />*"Free" pasta dinner the night before had a lengthy line (they ran out of spaghetti and had to cook more). It was just ok - paper plate with small portion of spaghetti w/ sauce (no meat in sauce), slice of bread and small lettuce salad<br />*Since we registered late we weren't eligible for the choice of fleece or technical shirt. We got a long-sleeve cotton T-shirt. All the shirts were missing the date of the marathon. (The race director sent out an e-mail informing us of that)<br />*The roads were not great - lots of potholes, slanted roads and rough railroad track crossings<br />*Very few spectators along the course, but it was a small marathon so I was not surprised<br />*No timing mat at the start - I started back by Diana (I often will run with her for the first bit to warm up) and then realized I had just lost 30-40 seconds due to no mat at the start line<br />*No clocks or timing mats on the course except at Mile 13 (that was odd, because it wasn't at 13.1 as you would expect)<br />*Course was a little confusing in a couple of places with arrows on the ground to direct you<br />*No extras along the course, except for pretzels (no bananas, oranges, gummie bears, or gels of any kind)<br />*Very steep ramp into the stadium (so steep it really wasn't runable at all)<br />*Finish line had pizza (didn't look appealing because it was hot outside, the pizza looked greasy), cookies, bagels, but nothing salty like chips<br /><br />Pros:<br />*Plenty of fluids on the course<br />*Running on the crushed limestone path in the park was nice and offered shade - nice relief as miles 13-20 were in the open and very sunny<br />*Portions of the course where you could see other runners (ahead or behind of you) were nice<br />*During last mile, they handed out flowers in memory of plane crash victims which you could place in the memorial fountain<br />*Running the football into the end zone was really cool!<br />*The awards for age groups were beautiful! I received a handblown Blenko glass buffalo (Thundering Herd)<br />*Very cool medal - similar to Flying Pig medal with the 3-D effect (front of buffalo and then the back of the buffalo with his tail)<br />*There truly weren't any hills to speak of, so even though this was in West Virginia, hills were not a factorSee You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2467808381190796364.post-51231868003914281892008-10-22T08:28:00.006-05:002008-10-22T09:19:43.322-05:00It Was a Dark & Cold & Spooky MorningWell, it must be true. Winter must be on its way. This morning I got up at 5:00 AM to run my 6-mile hill course out in Downs. It was dark, cold (40 degrees) and windy. I started running shortly after 5:30 and soon spotted a pair of bright yellow eyes staring at me along the roadside. I'm not sure exactly what animal those eyes belonged to - I'm guessing they belonged to a cat, but I will say the eyes were high enough up that it was a <em>large</em> one. I continued running along and heard many noises. I believe most of them were falling hedge apples from the Hawthorne trees. It's funny how your imagination can play with you when running alone in the country in the dark. It still wasn't light when I completed my run and returned to the safety and warmth of my car.<br /><br />It might be a good time for an update on my upcoming races:<br /><br />Sunday, Nov. 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">nd</span> - Marshall University Marathon (Huntington, West Virginia)<br /><br />I'll need to practice my football carries for the finish line photo.<br /><br />"The highlight is to run through Marshall University campus on their way to a goal-line finish in Marshall Football Stadium. Footballs will be available to carry in the final 100 yards if desired!<br /><br />We have a limited amount of flowers that are handed out as you enter campus (at Old Main on Hal Greer Blvd. and 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span> Avenue, just beyond the 25 mile mark). This is a memorial for the plane crash victims from November 14<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span>, 1970 (for which the movie We are Marshall was made). Those taking the flower are asked to put this in a basket 200 yards away at Memorial Fountain."<br /><br />Sunday, Nov. 9<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span> - Jingle Bell 5K (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Bloomington</span>)<br /><br />Sunday, Nov. 23rd - Gobbler Grind Marathon (Overland Park, Kansas)<br /><br />Thursday, Nov. 27<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">th</span> - Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Bloomington</span>)<br /><br />Sunday, December 7<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">th</span> - Frostbite Festival 10 Mile (Springfield)<br /><br />Sat./Sun. Jan. 10 & 11<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">th</span> - Goofy Challenge (1/2 marathon Sat., full marathon Sun.)<br /><br />Monday, April 20<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">th</span> - Boston MarathonSee You at the Finish Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02677569022945991417noreply@blogger.com1