merry christmas/the long road to Normandy

Merry Christmas everyone!!! Hope you have a restful week, with light training -yes, the body needs a rest, too. I would post a photo of my 'critters', as Tammy says, under the tree but I am not home. We are at my parent's house in NJ. We fly tonight (after going over to my 2 brothers' in succession for lots of food and drink)
to Paris at 10 p.m. flight from JFK. We then drive out on no lseep-not easy but nice when get to the country-- to my mother in law's big old tutor house in Normandy for 5 days (15 cousins/4 siblings will be there ==must run every day to get away from the chaos, and burn off some bread, wine and chocolate calories)), and back to Paris for one day...since I had strep last week and missed a week of running, will take it very easy next week. I hope to run in a new year's race (No Weston 5K this year-Jim taking a break), as will have been sitting on a plane all day on 12/31. Santa brought my kids toothbrushes and socks for the trip! Oh, my teenager flies out tomm with my parents to go skiing in CO. and then straight to R.I.T. from newark...:(((
I am also without an e-mail but that is another story --did open a new account, so will have to deal with that when get home..
Love from my critters:)to yours...will report back January 1.

snowed in, part 2

snow and freezing rain is in order for the morning -no xmas 3 miler...

OK -I have enough of this snow - let me in now!

why are you taking photos when you should be feeding me breakfast??

another snow day --? Mom, I'm bored...
this a.m. with the snow I put my 10 year old to work --he wrapped all the presents for the NJ cousins!! Now that I have finished the 4 illustrations had to produce it's time to focus on the other tasks --holiday cards (ugh), teacher presents,packing for week-long trip, driving andrew's ski equipment to NJ tomm night --the list is long...
depressing to miss a weekend of seeing friends --no races, and no parties. It is for the best as can't run outside for a week --doctor's orders....

snowed in

snowed in:(

no school - my 14 year old gets to spend the whole day in PJs

sleeping out the snowy day

Waiting out the snowstorm
snow plus strep throat = not a happy camper. I haven't run in 4 days:( -
in fact couldn't even swallow for 3 days -ice cream, tea and luke-warm coffee have been about all my throat can handle. I usually have a good immune system. Guess my son gave it to me last weekend during the boy scout walk when we shared food and drink (he had a bad sore throat last week). Have never had strep, and hope I never get it again. On a positive note, have gotton work (illustrations for friends to give as holiday gifts) done....not my normal self as am in pain. Won't be able to run the 15K tommorrow nor meet my friends after --I hope they make it in. Will run the waveny 3 miler if it happens!!!

Boy scout NYC 16 mile walk and dec 13-14 races

chuck, hank, alex and will in front of the Queensboro bridge and Roosevelt island

alex, will, hank and chuck at Beekman place

finally warmed up --no snow yet.

Santa caps were the costume of the day

Santa cheers on the runners
Yesterday, I ran the holiday 4 miler ONLY because had to meet the boy scouts on their annual 20 mile hike through NYC(which stopped at 16 due to cold)...figured that I could kill 2 birds with one stone --get some speedwork in and walk with the scouts. I dropped off Hank at the Greenwich train station at 6:30 a.m. ---it was 25 degrees and windy and he was grumpy and tired!! But at least 5 parents and 8 boys were waiting with him -they would take the train in, take the subway to Brooklyn and begin the walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. Most of the boys would walk 10 miles to Grand Central and go home --I was needed to walk the rest of the way (you need 2 parents) ---so, I picked up Frank and we found a great parking spot on 97th and Madison!! We found ourselves out in the elements at 8 and were reminded of the joys of winter racing -ugh. Both of us put on more clothing. I was overjoyed to see Susan B. with her boys --they were brave to run in the cold and wind!! Never found them at the finish...but sure her boys did well.
As for the race, Frank ran 26:38?, beating out Shelly and Susan's friend from Running Divas.--I could not get my legs moving ---but was happy to run the first 2 miles with John S.who was as usual dressed in singlet and shorts, at age 65. My third mile was slow (6:55?) and the last mile I focused in on finishing and ran 6;45 --so OK...
Frank left for the train and I went back to find Susan and decided the only way to stay warm was to run a few miles with my pack---then after NYRRc and car, took subway to 33rd street and met up with the boy scouts. After a fun lunch in GC, a boy scot father, Chuck, myself and 3 boys walked through beekman place and sutton place, and across 57th street to the park --we decided that since my car was at 97th, we could walk to the North end of the park and back and to the car, making it 16!!! Both Chuck and I had senior moments --we could not remember that that area of madison is called 'Carnegie Hill'!! We couldn't wait to get to the car and ask someone.
I am kind of bummed out that we didn't do the full 20, as the boys were warm and OK..
but they had done 26 last year!! and by 3 p.m. it was bitter cold..after Starbucks, we hopped in the car and drove to Greenwich train station.

Fast forward to this a.m. --Taconic RR puts on a fun relay with a pancake breakfast after in Blue Mountain reservation n Peekskill. Frank and I ended up winning!!
(all finishers got socks and a race t-shirt). Amazingly, Frank won the raffle for a homemade cheesecake...i can't think of anyone more deserving of a cheesecake than him! It was all a stroke of luck as 2 years ago we came in 3rd overall. But this year we just edged out my friend Elsie and her partner. But it's always competitive! The whole point of the race, besides the fun relay, is to socialize with TRR friends, most of whom were hungover from the Sat night party:).

weekend race report --Dec 6-7

Marty gives out some awards at the Trumbull Jingle Bell 5K!

me, greg and Ned before the 10K

Beth and I at finish of 10K --happy birthday Beth --it was fun while it lasted.

Frank and Don at start of 10K (Don wanted to run the course again but we didn't)
December is the best and worst of both running worlds --it's a rest from long runs, ultras, long races, marathons...it's also stressful in other ways --holiday shopping, sick kids, work, eating and drinking:)and it's cold and dark and hard to get running outside....so my goal is just to enjoy shorter races w/my friends and get my leg speed back. After the JFK 50 miler, didn't run more than 7 miles easy for 2 weeks--on roads with Francoise, or on treadmill at gym. -about 35 miles a week at 9:30 minute pace. on Thanksgiving, ran the hilly Gateway gobbler in an 8 minute pace with Frank, John, Karen newman, Darcy and Don ---it felt good to push myself just alittle harder than training pace!. I would have run the Bedford 5K except volunteered (and needed a break), and the Pete MacCardle x-country 15K except it was pouring rain and also my teenager was leaving for R.I.T. at noon!!
So.....this Saturday (cold but sunny) ran easy (23:30??) the Trumbull 5K with Frank and Ronnie --just to see if I could move my legs again. This is a nice rolling course that begins and ends on the Trumbull green --turns out that Ronnie won the 50s age group -yeah!! She told me that a group of crazy runners are doing the winter Leatherman's Loop next sunday.
Since I am already running the Taconic relay, decided that it would be too much!
Sunday was the Joe Kleinerman 10K and the ONLY reason I signed up was that it was the last team race of the season --but since snow was predicted, my teammates cancelled.
I went in with Frank and Don anyway and had a great time, except for the actual race.
I didn't ave any expectations, except to run a 7 min pace. The first mile was 7 minutes, and my legs felt like lead and my breathing was hard --not good!
Had to force myself to relax and not worry about pace. I finally got into the zone at mile 5 and ran the last mile in 6:45 (downhill) for 42:30?? Frank finished with me, --a great time considering he had a cold and swollen glands --I also had a sore throat and tight chest --arghhh. I fortunately don't have breathing problems in the winter --just in the spring and in the humidity...after we crossed the finish lne we ran into Beth, Ned and Greg....Don waited at a big tree for us and we all ran back to the car which was finally parked at 105th street!! When we were walking back to the car, we met up with leo, Joe and Tony from TRRC -they told me that prize money was given to the top 2 in each age group -so it appears I won $25 (coffee money for next race).. Next up, the holiday 4 miler 9for fun) and a priority race --the 15K.See Frank's blog for great photos (all the above photos taken by him -I forgot my camera)

Ike's 5th grade 'explorer' fair

Ike's friend Anna was also Diaz

Ike's classmate as Marco Polo

Francoise's daughter Mia as Ponce De leon


Ike in front of his display, complete with cape (over a Lake Waramug Ultras t-shirt)
For something else non-running related: I am really glad that my son's explorer project is over...and also glad that it was a success. As part of the 5th grade social studies curriculum, each of the students pick an explorer, and have to write a report, make a display with a hand-drawn map (all writing in Spanish and English), gather 'artifacts', a put on a costume for a special fair where parents and teachers are invited to walk around and learn about explorers.
Ike chose the Portuguese sailor Bartholomew Diaz, who discovered the Cape of Good Hope.
Sadly, Diaz drowned at age 47 in a storm on his second voyage around the tip of Africa. The fair was a real learning experience! I found out that many of the explorers perished through be-heading, diseases, drowning, fights with natives...the best part of the fair were the costumes!

my book club and La Prairie

Charlene talks about LaPrairie's miracle creme

Above --the book group ladies
I am very lucky to be part of a fun book club --we just had our December meeting at the Stanwich Club and figured that we have been meeting for almost 10 years -since April 1999! Now that most of our kids are teenagers, we want to have a mother -teen book club session (LOL)-our group is part local gossip, part talk about any current events, our families , travel and of course books. We even have 2 Harvard B-school grads, a lawyer and author (Janis is finishing a novel!!! cool). We try to pick an array of historical fiction, classics and off-beat books --we just finished 'without a map' --kind of depressing (we do like uplifting)-anyway, one of the members, Charlene, is
a vice-president at the skin care company la Prairie. I love Charlene and do try to be nice to her, as she gives me samples. And as a 50 year-old wrinkled runner/outdoor athlete, I cna use any help with anti-wrinkle creme. So last night,
Charlene gave us each 2 $200 sample jars of the new $1,000 skin creme (endorsed by Madonna and other stars) ---it's called Platinum Rare. Not sure what sales are like --think the creme works, though, and has done well in FL and CA. OK --gotta go try some now.
Bless you Charlene!!! I'd rather have this than running socks.

December CT races!

Here is a message from ClubCT with the good news about Waveny, and also with an update on the Dec. race calendar -lots going on!!
First, good news - the proposal to hold a summer theater production in the cornfields at Waveny Park in New Canaan has been withdrawn. Therefore, the public hearing on the matter scheduled for this evening has been cancelled. This is great news for runners who use the Park - our next goal is to get the town to remove the construction debris that has been stockpiled there and restore the fields to their original state as a meadow. Next, plenty of races coming up this month, with some shifts in scheduling: This Saturday, The Jingle Bell Run 5K in Trumbull, 9:30 a.m.http://www.hitekracing.com/jinglebellrun/ On Sunday, the Jingle Bell Jog, 3 miles, Greenwich. 9 a.m.http://www.threadsandtreads.com/tt_entryform.htm and on Dec. 7 Holiday Run for Kids, 5K (or so), Fairfield, 9 a.m.http://www.clubct.org/Races/holiday/Holiday.html Note these 2 races are earlier than normal Saturday, Dec 13Christmas Village 5K, Trumbull, 10 a.m.http://www.hitekracing.com/christmasvillage/ Sunday, Dec. 14 Christopher Martin's Run, 5K, New Haven, 10 a.m. http://www.jbsports.com/cmchrisrun.htm Sunday, Dec. 21 An old favorite returns - the Christmas T(h)ree Miler, 3 miles, Darien, 10 a.m.http://www.clubct.org/Races/Xmas3/Xmas3.html Finally, on December 28, the Athlete's Foot in Stamford once again hosts the Run/Walk for Cancer, 5K, 9 a.m.http://www.runwalkforcancer.com/
So, one can race every weekend...

Waveny park amphitheatre town mtg postponed

BREAKING NEWS
The Park and Recreation Commission public hearing originally scheduled for tomorrow, December 2, has been postponed.
Set to address the Summer Theatre of New Canaan's proposal to erect a temporary seasonal tent in the Waveny cornfield area, the hearing was expected to draw between 150 and 200 people, Recreation Director Steven Benko told the Advertiser Monday.
Following the Rams' win over Darien Thursday, however, a home football game and another meeting (both scheduled around the same time Tuesday at the high school) have caused parking and safety concerns. Park and Rec Chairman Scott Gress decided over the weekend to postpone the hearing to avoid forcing those attending the meeting to park a distance away.
"There's no place left to move it," according to Benko, who said Town Hall is too small, West School has a basketball game scheduled and East School is hosting dance classes.
The commission is expected to set a new date for the hearing later today.
Details will be reported here when they become available.

http://mail.live.com/mail/InboxLight.aspx?FolderID=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&InboxSortAscending=False&InboxSortBy=Date&n=645842934

New Canaan's Waveny Park -possible ruinous construction

I have been running in the magestic and quiet Waveny park for years --as Jim says below in his column, it is a refuge from ever-increasing traffic and pavement in Fairfield County --now the wild meadow will be potentially destroyed for an amphi-theatre --simply unbelievable. A town meeting this Tuesday will decide whether construction can proceed or not -stay tuned! Runners and park users needed at the mtg..below is Jim's 11/30 column from the Stamford Advocate:

Running: Runners need to act to
preserve Waveny venue
By Jim Gerweck
Special Correspondent
Posted: 11/30/2008 01:00:00 AM EST

In the upcoming remake of the sci-fi classic "The Day the Earth Stood Still," Keanu Reeves, playing the alien Klaatu, is asked, "Are you aware of an impending attack on the planet Earth?"

While I can't answer that question, I am aware of a smaller scale assault that is under way right here in Fairfield County, one that threatens to irrevocably ruin the character of one of the running meccas in the area.

The Summer Theater of New Canaan (STONC) has asked for permission to stage their productions at Waveny Park in a section known as the cornfield, an area just to the east of the pond that is below the hill next to the Castle.

For years, this acreage, in the heart of the park, was the most unspoiled part of Waveny. And in the years since Ruth Lloyd Lapham donated the land to the town it had become a wild meadow, home to deer, birds, and numerous other forms of wildlife.

All that came to a shuddering halt a year or so ago when the town decided the area would make a good staging area for soil that was excavated during the construction of the new artificial turf field near the high school and later, silt dredged from Mill Pond in town.

Hundreds of dump trucks thundered down the central trail of the park, creating such deep ruts that asphalt grindings were laid down and compressed, forming what is essentially a roughly paved stretch from the main driveway to the entrance to the cornfield.

This "road," and the dirt piles in the cornfield, are perhaps some of the
Advertisement
Quantcast
greatest blights ever imposed on Waveny, which is nonpareil when it comes to running venues in the area.

These blights were understood to be temporary insults to the natural setting (although the town powers remain disturbingly vague as to the duration of this intrusion).

STONC saw the situation as an opportunity to weasel its way into the last large remaining undeveloped tract in the park, claiming they would "improve" the site by landscaping it into an amphitheater where they would erect a large, albeit temporary, tent and stage for its productions, using the paved path to allow cars to drive in and park for rehearsals and performances.

And the argument is seductive in its logic: the town gets its "Superfund" site cleaned up in exchange for granting more or less permanent squatter's rights to STONC, as well as other thus far unnamed groups who might also wish to use the resultant facility (the undetermined extent of such use is just one of the troubling aspects of the proposal).

The potential reality, however, is much more dire, especially for runners and others who use the trails as an escape from the ever-growing volume traffic that pervades the crowded roads of the county.

The incidence of pedestrian-vehicle confrontations, which reached a dangerously troublesome level when the trucks frequented the path, is sure to rise even higher, and it seems certain that it will only be a matter of time until such interactions rise to the physical level, with the pedestrian coming out on the short, and perhaps lethal, end of the equation.

First and foremost, there is no reason for motor vehicles to drive down trails that should be the sole province of walkers and runners. The packed asphalt must be ripped up and the trail restored to its original width and surface. Then this unfortunate, if temporary, rape of the parkland can be healed over and forgotten.

Second, the soil and silt should be removed and placed in a less intrusive area, perhaps west of Lapham Road where the town currently mulches leaves, and the cornfield restored to its original state as a meadow.

To posit that constructing a "natural" amphitheater would be "improving" the cornfield is nothing more than sophistry, akin to stating that constructing a mall on a toxic waste site would solve that environmental problem.

One wrong is not undone by effecting another, however attractive and well intentioned it might seem.

If you are a runner or walker who has come to value Waveny Park as the natural treasure it is, come to the public hearing this Tuesday at South School at 7:15 p.m. and voice your opposition to the proposal to allow STONC to situate itself in the heart of Waveny.

And recall the old adage about removing a camel once its nose is inside the tent. This is one camel that needs to be sent packing from a rare, true running oasis.

Jim Gerweck is Managing Editor of Running Times magazine and organizes many races in the area.

ON THE RUN

Saturday

JINGLE BELL RUN, 5km, 9:30 a.m., Nichols.

Next Sunday

JINGLE BELL RUN, 3 mi, 9 a.m., Greenwich.

HOLIDAY RUN FOR KIDS, 5 km, 9 a.m., Fairfield.

JFK 50 Miler --11/22/08 -race report

Besides pizza, finishers get a medal and Hostess Twinkies (part of my dinner in car ride home)

Done --time to get the HE@#$% inside

looking for drugs while on towpath -where's the Vioxx that Wayne gave me?

the lonely towpath...looking for aid stations and m & ms

Coming into the Gatherton Gap aid station at mile 9.3-will the drinks be frozen??

Susan, Jen and I ---warm in the gym before the 7 a.m. start
It was with trepidation that I signed up for this 50 mile race. I had run last year with Frank (it was his 2nd JFK 50)and he and discussed entering. He wanted to join the 500 mile club:) and I wanted to run the course faster than my 10 hours of last year. S0 we both agreed to enter -what a bummer - he got closed out and I didn't!! Meanwhile, Meredith, Anthony, Wayne -all of my friends -had other plans such as Stone cat and javelina or rest:))) Then, I ended up doing Stone cat after NYCM --my choice, I know...but I love cats and Stone cat beer. Fortunately, our new friend Susan was running her first 50 mile race and her friend Jen was entered too. I had plans to start with them, and hook up before the start. So....I drove down on Friday afternoon. All was well until 1-81. Snow!! Standstill traffic..fortunately Anthony called me on the cell phone and we had a long talk about Javelina -- I was happy to finally get the details of the 100, as well as bide my time in stop-n-go. When 7 O'clock approached, I called Susan. "We've missed packet pickup also", she said. So, both of us would get our stuff on raceday morning....I got to the Days Inn and checked in --it was so cold that you could barely walk from car to motel!! As luck would have it, a chinese restaurant was in front of the motel so I ordered some takeout ($4!!!) and settled in my room to pack for the next day. At 5:15 the alarm went off --as usual, had tossed and turned.

The motel coffee area was alive with runners --we all discussed the weather, and I settled on 4 layers -- !! Figured could take stuff off and wrap around my waist or give to Susan's companion Glen who was crewing!!! So, in the dark, I drove down route 40 and route 66 to arrive at Boonsboro High school gym. I met up with Susan (thankfully I found her, after 10 minutes of panic, as she had picked up my bib!!!)
Glen and Jen. I was so happy to find them!! You mean we have to walk to the start? Susan and Jen said?? Yep --and so we walked out into the cold field (we all went behind a trailer to go to the bathroom) --I put my finish line drop bags in the van -it was a surreal experience watching the runners n the dark, with frozen breath, walking to the main street.

The start--We 3 huddled together and then when we started the slow climb up the hill, it was also an amazing sight to see the front runners way up the mountain!!! Jen and Susan took off and I was on my own. I settled into a slow jog as we hit the A.T. ---Had forgotten how tough that first climb was. 2 miles straight up. At least we warmed up. The sun was coming out and it was actually beautiful up on the ridge. I started to pay attention to how my body felt --quads tired but OK. No achilles pain. Hamstrings tight from car --left calf tight...but I can do this!! No, I can't do this! My mental state wasn't great.
Abruptly, we hit a paved path --a huge climb, again -had forgotton this too. After the climb, we went into the A.Trail again, and then came out to the first aid station --my water bottle had frozen, and I was thirsty so had some slushy gatorade...brrr. My diet throughout the day consisted of m and ms, potato chips, pretzels , coke and S-Caps (which were on the aid station tables) and Advil.
Everyone was complaining that all the liquids had frozen, including their Camelbaks. this time really had to pay attention -tons of rocks, roots, pilings, and runners in front and behind me. Stressful and difficult!! This section seemed like forever plus we had a nasty wind!! Finally we came to Weaverton cliffs switchbacks (mile 15?) -in one mile the AT would be over ---yeah!!!!! I actually like the switchback trail. I took my time going down and took some photos. It was uplifting to run through the line of people cheering at the bottom. But no Glen! I had taken off 2 layers and wanted to give them to him...

We then wound our way around some single track trails to the C and O Canal towpath...the wind whipped up and I felt the fatigue. Got some fluids and PB and J and walked...it seemed like a million people passed me and they all seemed fresh. I was dead tired and couldn't move -how would I run 32 miles more??? This was when I questioned my sanity. Why was I doing this? I had just run a 50 mile race 2 weeks ago and it was tough but completely rewarding, and I was with friends. I did not need to do this. My watch said 3:20...last year, I had caught up with Frank and we had walked-run the entire towpath together, while talking to other people! That was what kept me going and I was alone this year. I slowly picked up the pace and caught up with a group wearing the same 'HAT Run 50K' long-sleeved neon yellow top that i was wearing. It was the 2 race directors from the HAT run, plus their 'babes' ---so, they entertained me for 10 miles, and were actually so happy that i was wearing their top that they offered me (and Frank) a free entry next year --both of us entered but never ran, and out friend Tim had sent us our shirts and hats...'What else would we be doing today?', said one of the guys..'cleaning our cabinets??' We all laughed. They eventually pulled ahead of me and I fell into a depression again. Finally, we only had 6 miles to go on the towpath -horray!!! Each mile is marked and we got off at mile 84. I was at mile 78. I picked up the pace and counted down the miles --I was running a 10 minute pace, and passing slower (5 a.m. start) runners left and right. I looked for my friend Tammy. How could these people be outside for 14 hours? How could they start at 5 a.m.?? Amazing determination. At mile 36, I saw Susan. She was walking .
How do you feel? I said..she said she was running for 8 minutes and walking for 2, and felt good. We stayed together until mile 42 when THANK GOD the tow path portion was over --5 hours of sing the same muscle groups --5 hours of 26 miles along a river...it was 3:20 p.m., and we were given reflective vests to wear on the 8 mile rolling last part of the race -horray!!
I got on the undulating roads and felt so good!! We had 1:40 to break 10 hurs. I remember that last year I felt good on this part, while Frank was beat up and he an worked together to run a 12 minute pace. So I thought that i could do a 12 minute pace this year. I clicked off the first few miles, downhill miles, in 9 minutes --both into the wind...OK --if I could just keep this pace. It was getting colder and darker, and I passed 20 people as I ckicked off the miles. With 4 to go, we went into a little village and there was Glen! 'Susan's right behind me', I said. With that, I pushed on, excited to be so close. But --the wind picked up as we went through the farmland. Finally I hit mile 49 -the best mile of the race! I passed about 5 people -even passed a woman who said 'good job' as was going up the hill to the finish..9:42:03! I got my medal. Gave the finish line person my vest and bottom bib portion and found Glen. We waited for Susan. It was so emotional to see her coming up the hill --finishing her first 50 miler!! In the cold and wind, and on a tough course (Jen, BTW, blazed through in 9:20).
We immediately went into the gym for a hot shower and coffee. Susan had fallen hard on the tow path (ironically -not the AT) ---she went to get bandaged up and then she nd Glen drove me to Boonsboro HS the finish is at Williamsport HS)--I was never so happy to get into a warm car. Will I do this race again? Not sure. The entry fee is $135, and it may go up next year!!! But what an experience --to be part of the largest and must historic ultra...I actually enjoyed knowing the course and the routine from last year but wouldn't do it again alone!! Dinner in the car on the ride home consisted of Hostess Twinkies, 2 cups of coffee and some chocolate expresso beans --that's some diet -who said Ultrarunning was healthy?.

JFK 50 Miler --11/22/08 -photos!

A sign points JFK runners down the Weaverton Cliffs...only 34 miles to go.

Getting reflective vests at mile 42 --off the towpath; Thank Goodness!!
What a long, cold day yesterday --I finished the JFK 50 miler in 9:41 and then drove home - felt good in car but my hamstrings wee killing me. (glen and susan drove me from finish to my car at start-Jen finished in9:20 and Susan finished her first 50 miler in 9:55) The race itself is tough --3 races in one, with the hily, rocky A.T. portion, the 26 miles of towpath, and the rolling terrain of the last 8 miles (and we had a headwind also). I was so pleased to break 10 hours 2 weeks after Stone Cat. With snow on the A.T. as well-ugh.
Race report coming but in the meantime -photos --I played tourist until mile 42!

Me, Susan, Glen and Jen in the gym at the start --chaos!!! Where's my handheld?

Susan, me and Jen at the start --we had walked over from the gym to Boonsboro Main Street at 6:45 a.m. -brrrr -what will the long day bring???

The long 3 mile climb at the start to the App. trail --a way to get warmed up, in the the 20 degree weather....I pretty much jogged up it (stupid-yes-would pay later.

Either I have a short memory or forgot about this insane climb at mile 6!!

Coming down the trail into gatherton Gap -mile 9.3 (where's Susan?? Gone ahead!).

Me at the turn to Weaverton cliffs --the A.T. portion of the race almost done, if one doesn't kil themselves going downhill.

Runners coming off the Weaverton cliffs part of the A.T. (mile 15??)

Slogging along the 26 miles of windy, cold towpath

Me and the 'HAT 50K' run race directors (I tried to get a free entry).

The '38 Special' aid station --12 miles to go!

me at finish --glad I pushed on as wanted to quit at mile 30.

Susan and Glen at finish line -done! Will she have the energy to run he friend in at Philly on Sunday?

Finished!!! I crossed the line in 9:41 and Susan finished in 9:55 -awesome for her first 50 miler!!..21 degrees and darkness closing in (5 p.m. -we had been running since 7 am.)

Random photos

Hey --no fair taking up all the space on my computer chair--2 cats is too many!

My college Freshman son home for a 2 week Thanksgiving break, complete with dirty clothes ---so much for his clean room:(

Tarzan decides to sleep in my gym bag --darn -guess I can't go to the gym!

Friends Lynn and Christine admire the Kiku flowers

Japanese Kiku show at NY Botanical garden