tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83732690117186471732024-03-05T00:53:30.350-08:00TheUltraFreakUltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-87516273048870215972019-11-02T17:57:00.000-07:002019-11-02T17:57:49.172-07:00I Salute You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I was 18 years old I knew how to fire a machine gun and throw hand grenades but I didn’t have a clue how to do my own laundry. Mom always took care of the wash, but Uncle Sam showed me how to be a soldier. I enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve shortly after high school. I had three career choices. Cook, Generator Repairman, or Heavy Construction Equipment Operator. Well, only one of those three sounded even remotely fun, so I learned how to drive bulldozers, road graders, scrapers and my favorite the front end loader. My time in the military was served doing such things as building bridges and airport runways. In basic training I was a squad leader and at my reserve unit I was the equipment section sergeant and handled things such as drivers education training and licensing of army personnel on various types of construction machinery. In total I was in the Army for eight years. <br />
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While in my training I learned important skills such as teamwork, responsibility and how to be mentally tough. I aced the physical fitness tests with a perfect score and once held the sit up record in Ft. Dix, NJ for the most amount of sit ups in two minutes for a female. We also did things such as rappelling and my favorite the road march. They would have us gear up in our full uniform including combat boots, ruck sack (basically an army backpack to carry all your clothes, water, food, tent, sleeping bag, shovel, rain gear, first aid supplies and toiletries- this could weight nearly 20 pounds) and rifle along with everything you would need for a bivouac (camping without the s’mores.) We would hike for 18 or 20 miles at a time in all kinds of terrain and weather to get to our destination for the night. Then hike back the next day. Little did I know that this would be the start of my long distance running passion.<br />
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Shortly after I got home training one summer I did my first half marathon. It seemed way easier to do that kind of distance in running shoes and not wearing a pack or rifle. Not too long after that, I discovered the marathon. Then as I like to say, “The sickness began.” In the years since then I have finished 85 races of marathon distance or longer, including a marathon in every state. I’ve also completed race distances over 100 miles at one time and multi day races such as doing five marathons in five days in five different states. I have no idea where this will wind up going from here but since I’m closing in on my 100th race of marathon distance or longer, that is my next goal. </div>
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As Veterans Day approaches, I realize that I never used to give being a veteran much thought. Now I’m a member of my American Legion post and enjoy spending time there with other veterans. I’ve joined Team RWB, a resource for veterans that fortunately for me is active in the running community. When I see someone wearing a WWII hat or similar, I’ll buy them lunch. I recently had the pleasure of spending an hour or so with an amazing gentleman named Bill. He’s 94 and served as a pilot in WWII. I could have listened to him all day as he told me stories about his time in the military. After lunch I told him I got the check. He of course said he would not let a lady buy him lunch, but when I told him I wanted to pay for it, one veteran to another he graciously accepted. </div>
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I used to not tell people that I was in the military, it seemed like something that was so long ago that it was like another lifetime. But now I say it with pride. When someone tells me, “Thank you for your service.” I graciously accept it and feel honored that I had the chance to do my small part for our country. <br />
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-1567311624274698212019-08-31T18:21:00.001-07:002019-08-31T18:21:22.775-07:00Reentry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In March of this year I finished running my 50th state marathon. It was quite an accomplishment. But as with most of my big events coming to fruition, I tend to get a little depressed about not having a new running goal to look forward to. I hated that my racing had to be put on the back burner but we had some major changes in our lives rapidly approaching.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">While my husband was recovering from a broken leg, we sold our home and had to be out of it sooner than planned. My husband retired from his job and I left my job at the running store. In May we had a massive garage sale, packed and moved all our belongings ourselves 3 1/2 hours north to our 40 wooded acres. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">We had already planned to build a home on our property, but we moved nearly a month earlier than planned, so the groundbreaking didn’t happen until June. We had several weeks of cutting down trees to clear the homesite, then put in the foundation. I’d like to say that all went fast and smooth, but nonetheless that part is done. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Since then we have dug trenches, run conduit and ran electricity to the homesite for the builder. We have done as much of the work we could on our own and plan to continue that way. Our builder is amazing and in 14 days he has done more work that I could have imagined or hoped for. We can see our dream home taking shape before our eyes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">After a few months of feeling sad about leaving all my friends, my job, my doctors, an wonderful hairstylist, and everything I’ve known for almost 25 years - I’ve had to start over. It’s been been a real struggle. Here’s an example. I went to a local group run up here, hoping to meet some new people. They asked at the beginning of the run if anyone was new, a few of us raised our hands. They said “welcome” and began the run. No one cared to even ask our names or where we were from or what pace we might be running. I wound up running by myself. I decided I didn’t need to drive a half hour out of my way to go to a group run where no one even talked to me. If you know me I’m not a shy person. This made me feel like back in high school. I have met two people in the group, because my husband went to high school with them and they have been great. But the rest of the group was not very welcoming. I was fortunate enough to have one lady reach out to me and ask if she could show me some of the local trails. I jumped at this chance. She and I got a long wonderfully and I can’t wait to meet up again soon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">So I’ve been sticking to the local dirt roads, running and walking by myself. Then I saw a Facebook post this past week. A local lady was trying to find new friends to walk with and started a Facebook group for it. I joined immediately, so did a lot of other people. I messaged her and asked if I could help her with the group because it was growing so rapidly and she graciously accepted. Since then she and I have been busy trying to get local ladies to come out and walk with us. I’ve gone out walking with her a few times already and dang she is a FAST walker. She walks faster than some people can run. I’ve totally enjoyed getting to know her and planning this group with her. Our first “official” walk for the group is coming up soon. Our group had grown to 75 local women. I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ve also been walking my dogs a lot in the mornings on my street. I’ve had the chance to meet a lot of my neighbors. I kept meeting up with a lady named Toni while walking on our dirt road. She is blind and has a beautiful leader dog named Comet. It has become such a great time to walk with her that I typically just text her to say I’m headed out for a walk and ask if she’d like to join. </span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">So here I am, on the eve of September finally feel like I’m fitting in. I’m walking and running with a few friends up here, volunteering at things like the local half Ironman and the monthly pancake breakfasts. I joined the American Legion and listen to my neighbors play music. They are wonderful musicians and they plan to teach me to play the banjo and my husband to play the mandolin over the winter. I’m embracing living on a property with no water (I mean to drink even) our neighbor lets us use his well thank goodness. Oh and did I mention we live in our 24 foot RV with our two 50 pound dogs? </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Yes, my live has changed. It changed so much that I wasn’t ready for it. But I think I am finally there. I’m ready to reenter my own life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Disclaimer: I have no plans to find a new hairstylist. </span><br />
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-31593338339417676292019-05-09T02:41:00.000-07:002019-05-09T02:41:06.500-07:00Delivering Happiness<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Recently the AfterShokz company had a campaign to “Deliver Happiness” to their customers. They wanted to do some things to make their purchases a little more special. So they included a free gift and a hand written “thank you” card with each purchase. It made me think of how they were simple gestures, but surely they were appreciated by the recipients. I got the idea to try my own hand at Delivering Happiness by doing a Random Act of Kindness (RAK) every day for the month of February.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxaVoSeSkBaOBCj5zi3CujiLwehu1GKyx3jEx-5g9oVxKTmMPU2Heuco9G1JU9wsGPcZnqjZ7t-35I0beDVGMY94MZZZQv9j92vRYjkxQcapAzD3LI1-fdFVsU9Pt9IruoNGDdgpEYg_2/s1600/IMG_0609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1308" data-original-width="1600" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxaVoSeSkBaOBCj5zi3CujiLwehu1GKyx3jEx-5g9oVxKTmMPU2Heuco9G1JU9wsGPcZnqjZ7t-35I0beDVGMY94MZZZQv9j92vRYjkxQcapAzD3LI1-fdFVsU9Pt9IruoNGDdgpEYg_2/s320/IMG_0609.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I’ve been the recipient of RAKs before and was always blown away when it happened. I have had coffees or meals paid for me by the cars ahead of me in the drive thru line. Many years ago my husband and I stopped at a fancy bakery to get a treat, when we went to pay we found out the guy in line ahead of us paid for our purchase for us. I’m not sure if the guy could see the sorrow on our faces or if possibly he heard us discussing the recent loss of our dog, but his gesture was so appreciated at a time we were both heartbroken. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I discovered that Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Day is February 17th, so I figured the month of February would be the perfect time to take on this challenge. Initially, I was going to just do the act and not tell anyone about it, like most people do. But after a lot of thought, I decided to post the acts on my Instagram and Facebook so my friends and followers could see what I was doing. I’m sure a few people thought it was boastful, but that was not the reason why I did it. I did it publicly in hopes it would inspire others to do their own RAKs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> As each day passed, I posted photos of me buying someone’s breakfast, surprising a person with flowers, or mailing a hand written card. Then I’d see a comment from a friend that said I inspired them to buy lunch for two police officers they saw at the restaurant table next to them. Another time I left a huge tip for someone, then the following day a friend posted she did the same. After a week I was seeing messages like this all the time. I decided to take it a step further. In a Facebook group, I told everyone what I was doing. While a few people said they would never post publicly about doing a RAK, the majority of them saw the power of suggestion by making their own public post. The chain reaction was staggering. There are nearly 1,000 people in that Facebook group and I’ll bet I got tagged by several hundred of them. It was amazing to see the posts and watch how my posts helped make people around the country happy.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSz9iNF3R-5E1SKRIB-_ERsgyKbZbQnhrfVmcbKosQwL_m55lmlZs0O8XvEsXZL2KoFzgP5CkoWDkt8JbvCsUddNOsLVtqI8A74y2ig32ejW8l_PScp7cOz-s8KLh2HKtJEY-y9Td1AYG/s1600/IMG_0373.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSz9iNF3R-5E1SKRIB-_ERsgyKbZbQnhrfVmcbKosQwL_m55lmlZs0O8XvEsXZL2KoFzgP5CkoWDkt8JbvCsUddNOsLVtqI8A74y2ig32ejW8l_PScp7cOz-s8KLh2HKtJEY-y9Td1AYG/s320/IMG_0373.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I tried my best to come up with a new RAK each day, somedays I was more creative than others. Here’s my list:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 1- Bought breakfast for guy behind me in line at McDonald’s. Cost = $7.20</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 2- Sent a card to someone just to tell them I love them and appreciate them being in my life. Cost = $0.50 postage</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 3- Gave a 200% tip to our dog groomer after a nail trim. Cost = $20</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 4- Tried to let a person in line ahead of me at the post office. But they were in less of a hurry than me and declined the offer. So I donated a 10 pound box of dog treatsto the humane society. Cost = $14</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 5- Cooked breakfast for a friend, let a driver pull out in front of me when he was <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>clearly in the wrong lane. Free</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 6- Brought a coworker her favorite treat, gummy bears. Cost = $1.50</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 7- Paid every person I talked to in person a compliment, even strangers. Free</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 8- Brought cookies to the local fire department. Cost = $4.50 (Then oddly enough two weeks later this fire department responded when my husband broke his leg at our home.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 9- Left a Hershey bar and a note in the mailbox for the postal carrier. Cost = $1 <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>(The mail carrier now waves at me every time I see her.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 10- Sold something online and donated the proceeds to a favorite charity. Cost = $20</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 11- Sent toiletries and coffee to military members serving overseas. Also a blanket to a veterans facility. Cost = $9</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 12- Mailed out some of my favorite tea to two friends that have been working very hard and could use some relaxation. Cost = $7</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 13- Left a post it note on a public bathroom mirror that said “You are Amazing.” I hope someone found it and it made their day. Free </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 14- Brought flowers and chocolate to my hair stylist. Cost = $6</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 15- Got stuck in construction with three lanes of traffic merging into one and there was in a long backup. Even though I was running late, I let a few cars in front of me. Free</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 16- Donated a book to a Little Free Library and tucked a dollar in it as a bookmark. Cost = $1</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 17- Donated all my Recycle Bank reward points to local schools. Free</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 18- Brought cookies and a hand written thank you card to our veterinarian. Cost = $8</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 19- Left a bunch of five star reviews on Google for local businesses that I love, also for Aftershokz headphones on their website and Amazon. Free</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 20- Sent a hand written letter to someone in need of some encouragement thru MoreLoveLetter.com. Cost = $0.50</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 21- Posted on Facebook that I was giving something away, this started a chain of about 15 people giving away similar items to others that wanted them for no <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>charge. Cost = $4</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 22- Held the door open for a stranger. Also sent two handwritten cards to friends and tucked a lottery ticket inside. Cost = $11</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 23- Mailed out two 2 for 1 lunch coupons to a friend. Cost = $0.50</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 24- Forgiveness. Today I forgave someone for doing something really crappy to me. Free</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 25- Donated to a friends fundraiser for a veteran’s group. $10</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 26- Wrote inspirational and empowering things on scraps of paper and stuffed them into a mason jar. I gave to a friend for when she needs a little extra support and I’m not with her. Free</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 27- I had received flowers from someone but I was also leaving town the next day. Instead of letting them go to waste I brought them to another friend to enjoy. Free</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 28- Gave away a pair of AfterShokz headphones. Cost = $65</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Personally, February was a really tough month for me. I was under a lot of stress trying to sell my home and my husband fell and broke his leg. But I found while I was doing this challenge, I was more appreciative of things other people did for me. I noticed the little things that might have slipped past me before. Things like a friend coming to sit with me at the hospital during my husbands surgery or a phone call from a friend just to see how I was holding up. I felt that I was more appreciative of these things. During the month I had someone give me flowers, one brought me a good book, and another brought over enough food to feed an army so that I didn’t have to cook while caring for my husband. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">After 28 days of doing RAKs, here is what I learned. One thing. Just one simple thing. It costs zero dollars to be nice.</span></div>
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-79973197999112988062019-03-10T11:54:00.001-07:002019-03-10T12:06:06.478-07:00My 50 States Marathon Journey<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<b>MY 50 STATES MARATHON JOURNEY</b></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I first heard about the 50 States Marathon Club in the spring of 2012. I went to Indiana for a marathon and a fellow Marathon Maniac club member was celebrating her finish of the 50 states. I did the math and realized at this point I had already done five states. I discovered that you can join the club once you have ten states completed. It was another year before I hit my tenth state and joined. From there, the craziness began. It became a nine year obsession that involved my husband taking all his vacation time to travel to races with me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> It got expensive to fly or drive to just get one new state, so I started doing multi state events on a trip. Several times I would do a race in one state on a Saturday then immediately hop in the car and drive to do a race in another state on Sunday. One time I did a series of races that was five marathons in five states in five days. Looking back I counted 16 flights to races and 17 road trips by car or RV.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I’ve seen some pretty cool things on this journey. I’ve seen a moose, cougar, bald eagles, snowy owls, whales, loose dogs and a few crazy creepy dudes. I’ve run on highways, trails, bridges, railroad trestles, and boardwalks. I passed everything from state capital buildings to cornfields. And I’ve run some places you normally can’t. I got to experience running a lap on a Nascar speedway, a loop at Churchill Downs, and across the football field at the Marshall University stadium carrying a football to the end zone finish line. I even once ran a mile underwater in the tunnel between Canada and Michigan. I’ve done marathons in temperatures from 10-90 degrees, on beautiful sunny days and also in snow, driving rain, mud, 50 mph winds and once had to go thru nearly waist deep water in frigid temperatures. Some courses were in amazing forests or mountain ranges while others were entirely on the beach and yet another was a series of loops through a parking lot. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I had things go wrong along the way. One race was cancelled because of a hurricane, twice we had flat tires, I was sick for a few races, and one time I had a stress fracture in my femur that required surgery. I also DNF’d (did not finish) a few ultra marathons and had to go back and repeat the states. I nearly didn’t make it to the 50th state because my husband broke his leg the week before and needed surgery.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I’ve eaten mounds of bacon and drank probably a hundreds dixie cups of beer along the routes. I took up every offer for a “free hug” by a spectator. I listened to podcasts and music, but mostly I talked to the other runners. I’ve run races with friends, my husband and even my brother. At my last race I wore a bib on my back that said it was my 50th state finish. Tons of people congratulated and cheered me on, but the most special was when a man named Steve Fuller passed me. He wished me well on my journey and told me he was the first U.S. citizen to finish a marathon in every state back in 1986. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Many times I finished in the middle of the pack, a few times I’ve come in last and one time I was fortunate enough to take first place female at a marathon and fifth overall. People often ask me what I got for winning the race, well- I got the same medal everyone else did, and maybe some bragging rights. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> For finishing my races I’ve received everything from a tiny ribbon to probably one the biggest finisher medal ever made. My real reward though was seeing this great country, while my husband drove me from race to race. It was making friends in each state. It was crossing the finish line with one of my border collies. It was seeing the sun rise and set while I ran marathons all over the U.S.</span></div>
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I’ve now accomplished something that less than 1,500 people have done. I sit here and shake my head because it all went by so fast. If I could do it all over again...well, maybe I will. But don’t tell my husband just yet.</div>
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-59121041090928334122019-01-14T11:12:00.004-08:002019-01-14T11:20:35.661-08:00Keep it Simple<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>KEEP IT SIMPLE </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I’m not much for new year resolutions, but I do like the idea of finding a word to use as a theme for the next 365 days. My word this year is “Simple.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We have a big year ahead of us and we need to keep it as simple as possible. We will move from our home soon and will live in our small RV with our two dogs for nearly six months while we build our new home. My husband retires from his career and I will also leave my part time retirement job. We will also be moving several hours away from most of our friends. This sounds like the makings of a complicated and stressful year, but I’m determined to keep it simple. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I’ve already started to pack up our belongings as we prepare to put our current house on the market. We have lived in this house for twenty years, that is a lot of stuff to sort though. Our next home will be smaller and have less storage space so I am getting rid of a lot of things. Things that are just “stuff”, they are just clutter and don’t spark any joy in my life. I know there are people that might say, “How can you get rid of that, so-and-so gave it to you?” Well, I’ve come to the realization that just because I’ve owned a trinket for twenty years, doesn’t mean I need to have it on display or even own it my entire life. We are allowed to change our styles and live with less or different things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Keeping it simple doesn’t only apply to personal possessions. It applies to my time. I will chose to spend more time reading books and listening to less noise. We gave up cable TV years ago and never looked back. We still enjoy some Netflix but we spend less time watching reality TV type programs. I still plan to have a huge TV in my next house, but that is mostly so I don’t have to wear my glasses when I watch it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I will keep the way I eat simpler too. I may eat more of the same things that I enjoy and keep a less stocked pantry. There will be less things to tempt me into unhealthy food choices if I don’t buy them and bring them home. I started doing this towards the end of last year and I’ve already see some weight loss. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I won’t focus on other people and how they live their lives. I won’t get caught up in other people’s drama. I’ll also not spend a lot of time trying to make friendships work that seem to be one sided. Some of you may know what I mean, those friendships where the other person constantly says, “We should get together for dinner.” Yet, it is always you that calls to set things up, as if the other person never would put any effort into making the plans. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Last year I decided I really wasn’t going to do things that I don’t want to do anymore. I’ll go to the weddings and funerals and pay my respects when I should, but you likely won’t see me at your Tupperware party. It’s ok to say no.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I also gave up listening to the news. If there is something important going on in the world, I’ll hear about it at some point. But I don’t want that extra stress in my everyday life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I know that I can’t change the past, but I will let it go. I will move on and learn from things that went wrong. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This year I will not let my running stress me out. I will run what I can, when I can. And I’ll do the best I can.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14px;">This year I’m going to focus on things that help me grow. I will enjoy learning and gaining experiences. I’ll travel when I can, keep on running and spend a lot of time with my husband and dogs. I will surround myself with people that contribute to my life, not take away from it. I won’t outsource my own happiness. </span><br />
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-23738932551084522382018-12-31T10:14:00.001-08:002018-12-31T10:19:54.226-08:00Reflecting on 2018<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It was a year of ups and downs for me with my running this year. I had the motivation and desire to run the races, but one injury after another prevented me from performing well. This does not mean that I didn’t have fun or a good year, just that my finish times weren’t what I wanted. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I finished the year out with a total of ten marathons and two 50K’s, each one in a different state. Nine new states were completed and now I only have two states left to complete my 50 states marathon journey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Running aside, we traveled to some pretty cool places this year too. Our favorites were New York City, Iceland, and the Grand Canyon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I think the biggest thing that happened this year was the decision to build a new house and move next summer. The wheels got set in motion and we designed our home and I’ve begun to pack up some of our belongings as we prepare to list our current house for sale. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Valhalla</td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2019 will be here in a few hours. It whole new year and a fresh start. I have some goals, but only one resolution. Just to keep it simple. Stop overcomplicating things. Get rid of the clutter. Worry less. Don’t feel that things need to be perfect. Quit trying to get it all done. Let less be more. </span></div>
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**All my cute outfits are by Skirt Sports. My discount code is 857STIN for 15% off. Click here ---> <a href="http://bit.ly/2OIg7iZ" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; text-align: center;">SkirtSports.com</a></div>
UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-62813745131992863852018-12-21T14:22:00.001-08:002018-12-21T14:25:20.839-08:00The Hawaiian Rules<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> On vacation in Hawaii many years ago, I purchased a postcard that had the “Hawaiian Rules” on them. It was a series of sayings that resonated with me. I framed the postcard and it has been hanging on a wall in my house for nearly 20 years. I’ll be headed to Hawaii soon to complete state 49 on my 50 states marathon quest. Before I say aloha to another marathon I thought I’d share my thoughts on these rules as best I can relate them to running. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Just because the day isn’t all rainbows and unicorns when you get up doesn’t mean you can’t make the best of it. So what if it’s raining cats and dogs, snowing, cold, or gale force winds. I won’t let that stop me from doing my best at a race. You can control most everything about your training. You are in charge of the time, speed, and effort you put out. The one thing that is totally out of your control is the weather. If there’s a 99% chance of rain, there’s a 100% chance that I don’t give a crap what the weatherman is saying. Sometimes I swear there is a black cloud that follows me to races. Friends used to ask me what events I planned on attending, then they would choose another race because they knew if I was going there would be bad weather. I’ve just learned to embrace the suck. The bonus is you do feel kind of badass when you finish an race in really nasty weather. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">100K on a rainy day, 38 degrees and 40 mph winds. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATCLdX-5tEW-qMBNuVyvM5KWdcbOs5HkTvgBCSpQsBn_ozMM9Ah1lQuOO2FJhliaRarRyVmJWYtpdO7cFSlM32qKH3pmwBtAaVlnZvVuJMNQE37kwUtmxFL4PFydiSNimLUrADQQrQ1hP/s1600/IMG_2927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="354" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATCLdX-5tEW-qMBNuVyvM5KWdcbOs5HkTvgBCSpQsBn_ozMM9Ah1lQuOO2FJhliaRarRyVmJWYtpdO7cFSlM32qKH3pmwBtAaVlnZvVuJMNQE37kwUtmxFL4PFydiSNimLUrADQQrQ1hP/s320/IMG_2927.JPG" width="222" /></a></div>
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<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;">The best things in life aren’t things.</b><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I’d rather have a life that is full of adventures instead of things. In a few months I’ll have traveled to and run a marathon in every state in the U.S. The experiences that I’ve had from running and travel are worth far more to me than any object. I’d rather have stories to tell, not stuff to show.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4g_oNasBLWqTsq_28kazWM5XaAkZMLpdpFZRyihG9R80PE0I0_OFeEL4Y2hE9vGXmwcov4uk9jEHj19LxELhDWdCwe7GYuBLcv8bCyBJZv25-HF7VZs55P4LlFByHGVcXmBasw32x6O8/s1600/IMG_9468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4g_oNasBLWqTsq_28kazWM5XaAkZMLpdpFZRyihG9R80PE0I0_OFeEL4Y2hE9vGXmwcov4uk9jEHj19LxELhDWdCwe7GYuBLcv8bCyBJZv25-HF7VZs55P4LlFByHGVcXmBasw32x6O8/s320/IMG_9468.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have lots of stories to tell after running every street in my town.</td></tr>
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<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;">Tell the truth - there’s less to remember.</b></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Don’t lie to yourself and say you are not a “real” runner. I hear that comment so often from people. They belittle themselves because they don’t think they are as fast or can’t go as far as someone else. There’s no need for comparison. Simply put, if you run-you are a runner. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I also hear of people that cheat themselves out of their own victories. If you took third place in your age group, that is a huge thing. The rest of the world doesn’t care if there was only three people in your age group. You don’t need to put an asterisk mark after your achievement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> It’s also ok if running doesn’t always make you feel good and that you struggle for motivation. If we are honest about these things, we find that others likely feel the same way.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0znYv-Aq-sPIVBVKlxV3k8W2_fT-bqR94nu6fRewtGxr1KZd98OuUk7U6B9Pao6MrwLGZ6LF8RwGr10rtTnTComleqkLv5QGEYyLyR9kv_PR1GKVKGF83qTIu3AgZvdK5cvGg-czHFmjv/s1600/IMG_4016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0znYv-Aq-sPIVBVKlxV3k8W2_fT-bqR94nu6fRewtGxr1KZd98OuUk7U6B9Pao6MrwLGZ6LF8RwGr10rtTnTComleqkLv5QGEYyLyR9kv_PR1GKVKGF83qTIu3AgZvdK5cvGg-czHFmjv/s320/IMG_4016.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My award for overall 3rd place woman at a 12 hour race this month.</td></tr>
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<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;">Speak softly and wear a loud shirt.</b><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Although running isn’t a fashion show it’s ok to be loud and proud. Wear something out there, dye your hair, show off your tattoos. I think everyone knows that I wear fun patterned skirts when I run. I can’t even tell you how many times something I was wearing generated a conversation with a total stranger on a race course. Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of guys dressed in kilts or firemen in full uniform at races. Whether it is for fun or for a cause, it is certainly attracts attention. One time I finished a race just a few minutes ahead of a guy dressed in a banana suit and another fellow wearing an Elvis costume. In hindsight, I should have slowed down and ran the last mile of the marathon in with them, because that would have been one awesome finish photo.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUamD_DzHGImZViK-NEJW4NYYC_JE87ZsUoT8zoJCBOqiS6M6chzxODn6VCe-ez-PfKqTscfr-wvPS985jcRUVfwcnIoDUKxH4NXs-wrDEF0xsQsgYVc6fBV42nbFhyditMlje9GklClid/s1600/13920469_10208854722218685_4723975159923168355_o.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1032" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUamD_DzHGImZViK-NEJW4NYYC_JE87ZsUoT8zoJCBOqiS6M6chzxODn6VCe-ez-PfKqTscfr-wvPS985jcRUVfwcnIoDUKxH4NXs-wrDEF0xsQsgYVc6fBV42nbFhyditMlje9GklClid/s320/13920469_10208854722218685_4723975159923168355_o.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of my loud clothes.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgDHPsKKhviDdsWflVwFXfclwqWPTOCF2eczm-IF7kwo4CEy-zgm16u6agml4pvXGu0rcjisVxww7cc-vWIhSaa1kPAKb7XcIocG_AQ_oLouTj1YGSoowXH138NCwmKy9BPUr3H-BRg8q/s1600/DSC_1118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="912" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgDHPsKKhviDdsWflVwFXfclwqWPTOCF2eczm-IF7kwo4CEy-zgm16u6agml4pvXGu0rcjisVxww7cc-vWIhSaa1kPAKb7XcIocG_AQ_oLouTj1YGSoowXH138NCwmKy9BPUr3H-BRg8q/s200/DSC_1118.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Goals are deceptive - the unaimed arrow never misses.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Would you rather have guaranteed success at something easy or risk failure at something hard? I’d rather fail epically at something challenging. It’s totally fine to have a big hairy audacious goal. Maybe you’ll finish it or maybe you won’t. But you never know unless you try it. I had no idea if I’d finish a 100 mile trail race on foot the first time I set out to do it. You know what? I didn’t finish it the first time. But it didn’t stop me from going after it another time and achieving that goal. Think big, aim that arrow at something. You might surprise yourself.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4v6m6HLRp4pYy4XjpzajVx-JHS0cF6Q__FEkRFd2H4K76xORnzobt4jh3-leQk9Mydx2DmO1pDBv0uE_kSidpj9jplpcNBvuLPPKjLkVP4JXmIBzrBlQ7ribUgkV462ovv5ih8iKJz7k/s1600/1238031_10200499537840044_1761989726_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4v6m6HLRp4pYy4XjpzajVx-JHS0cF6Q__FEkRFd2H4K76xORnzobt4jh3-leQk9Mydx2DmO1pDBv0uE_kSidpj9jplpcNBvuLPPKjLkVP4JXmIBzrBlQ7ribUgkV462ovv5ih8iKJz7k/s320/1238031_10200499537840044_1761989726_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I hit the bullseye! Five marathons in five states in five days. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_Ga8He3Ei2pMXBCI6xx8aKe6MgnBsnCoqsW-Eq-zg3NPH9X8auIlOStmPHiuQNNA7iMxLHmMYx8dsrvmv1jpJXpSeVI1a_LktTIDLvAudIYBmS0wAA89Z1abFGlRU3OC6D8oHxRkTpnD/s1600/543945_10200511004046692_268673272_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_Ga8He3Ei2pMXBCI6xx8aKe6MgnBsnCoqsW-Eq-zg3NPH9X8auIlOStmPHiuQNNA7iMxLHmMYx8dsrvmv1jpJXpSeVI1a_LktTIDLvAudIYBmS0wAA89Z1abFGlRU3OC6D8oHxRkTpnD/s320/543945_10200511004046692_268673272_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;">He who dies with the most toys - still dies.</b><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12px;"> Money can’t buy happiness but it can buy running shoes and that’s kind of the same thing.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12px;">Running is a fairly cheap sport, they say it is cheaper than therapy.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12px;">I’m starting to creep up on my 100th marathon and since race entries don’t grow on trees, I’m starting to think therapy would have been cheaper.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12px;">As far as running gear goes, no one is going to care if I have the nicest running shoes or best GPS watch in the cemetery, right? </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12px;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBGz28mdwAKpff5uhTnnVawOvHVV211aadU3mtu3EJZ36PUA82jmaSlscPDWrMmP1Yc1NFTKtugp6lNMGRvGHobzCThga6D6mfsLh7j_VO25zFbDF9G8_u6unroRXr3IEUjqjJ2FDBwZi/s1600/IMG_0500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBGz28mdwAKpff5uhTnnVawOvHVV211aadU3mtu3EJZ36PUA82jmaSlscPDWrMmP1Yc1NFTKtugp6lNMGRvGHobzCThga6D6mfsLh7j_VO25zFbDF9G8_u6unroRXr3IEUjqjJ2FDBwZi/s320/IMG_0500.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;">Age is relative - when you’re over the hill, you pick up speed.</b><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> A lot of people don’t even start running until they are in their 40’s.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">This is especially true for ultra marathons, at least most of the ones I’ve been to have a lot of entrants are in their 40’s and over.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I remember watching a video of Gunhild Swanson at age 70 finishing the 2015 Western States 100 miler with SIX seconds to spare before the cutoff time.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I met her the next year at Western States, she’s an amazing lady.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">She’s currently 74 years of age and still running.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">This past weekend, 70 year old Gene Dykes just broke the marathon world record for his age group in a time of 2:54 at the Jacksonville Marathon. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">That is an hour faster than my fastest time, and I was 25 when I ran that.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">That sure inspires me to try harder.</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozKNT0kRY5GKwOVbii8o3AGuL7K4_4x9Re5ofrpE4OjH0QmyInazIgymRBp_LmFxe4imXq4LbnBcpdvWn6Aqys3C1mQjJGnqz_xWY38pDTUh7iYArdh_Rj0S2vJvxNk4HjDM1HIHxQl-Q/s1600/fullsizeoutput_14fb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="411" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozKNT0kRY5GKwOVbii8o3AGuL7K4_4x9Re5ofrpE4OjH0QmyInazIgymRBp_LmFxe4imXq4LbnBcpdvWn6Aqys3C1mQjJGnqz_xWY38pDTUh7iYArdh_Rj0S2vJvxNk4HjDM1HIHxQl-Q/s320/fullsizeoutput_14fb.jpeg" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first marathon, 1994. Still my PR.</td></tr>
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<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;">There are two ways to be rich - make more money or desire less.</b><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Some people may see the ultimate goal of running to have fast times. I felt that way for awhile and I still do occasionally. However, my times are not what they used to be. Some of that is weight gain, age and injury related. That doesn’t mean that I’m not getting anything out of running. I’m just not currently viewing fast times as the “wealth” of running. It’s ok to change your goals to suit your needs. My times may not be what they were back when I started this journey, but my priorities also changed. I’m satisfied with what I’m doing. Enjoy your running “wealth” however you find it. Make the best of what you have now, sometimes that’s all you get anyway. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going for a run with Kirby and Zuzu, that's priceless. </td></tr>
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<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;">Beauty is internal - looks mean nothing.</b></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Never judge a book by it’s cover. I used to compare myself to others at the starting line of a race, wondering if I might be faster or stronger than someone else. I don’t do that any more, I’ve learned that although people many not look a certain way, it doesn’t mean they can’t finish before you in a race. They may be stronger than you think and mentally tougher than you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Your effort is the rain and achieving your goal is the rainbow. Only you can control your training and your desire to finish. Friends and family can be there to motivate and support you, but you have to get out there and train. Sometimes there is struggle involved in success, this just makes it more worthwhile.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px; text-align: start;">Aloha and mahalo my running ‘ohana!</span></td></tr>
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-59569777553443878942018-10-23T10:22:00.001-07:002018-10-23T10:24:29.644-07:00Zen and the Art of DNF<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>ZEN AND THE ART OF DNF</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I recently read a blog post at ultradanners.blogspot.com. It was written by my friend Daniel. To me, he is kind of a legend. He has done some pretty amazing stuff. And by pretty amazing, I mean some FREAKING hardcore races. This guy just finished a 200 mile footrace in the mountains. He has done the Arrowhead 135, a 135 mile footrace in Minnesota in the dead of winter. He’s done it several times. He has finished many 100 mile races and a bunch of other really hard stuff. I feel like a baby ultra runner next to this guy. Yet he treats me like a respected colleague. He is signed up for Iditarod 350. That’s a 350 mile footrace across Alaska on the Iditarod trail, alone in the winter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In his blog post he wrote about a 100 mile footrace he recently attempted. His race did not go the way he had hoped. He said (what I sometimes feel at races) “The negative thoughts were relentless. I wanted to quit. The feeling of being a fraud and not belonging there overwhelmed me. I was regressing and had no answers. Frustration and disappointment continued to grow.” </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first DNF-Mile 35 of a 50 miler</td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Part of his blogging project (like mine) was to be more open, sharing new thoughts and experiences. I don’t know why it shocks me that other people have these same feelings. I’ve had several DNF’s (Did Not Finish) at ultra distance events. I’ve been out there struggling </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">to not drop from a race. I felt guilty for being so selfish and wasting everyones time. It upsets me to think my husband took time off from work and my dogs are in the kennel when I could be home with them. I’ve spent money on gas or plane tickets, hotels, race entry fees all for nothing. I’ve told myself that maybe I’m not cut out for this or that I’m weak because I’ve quit a race. I have felt like I would disappoint my friends and family by giving up. I also have felt like a fraud, that I wasn’t cut out for this stuff. I have felt that the race distance was too big an obstacle for me to suffer through. Yet, somedays after all that suffering, you can still push yourself back out there and suffer some more and still quit later. I have even more than once wished I could just have an injury happen on the trail just so I could stop running and have a good reason to quit. Who thinks like that? I have when I was at my lowest point during a race. I know times like those, I’m just depressed and not thinking rationally. I’ve at times had a whole box of excuses specially wrapped up just so I could call it a day and be done with that race. Sometimes I open that box and pull out an excuse, other times I leave it wrapped up and put it back up on the shelf. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DNF'd this one too, around mile 50</td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A few weeks ago, I ran a race with my friend Sue. In preparation we had been running trails weekly as part of her training for a trail 50K. It wasn’t going to be her first 50K but it had been a long time since her last one. We trained in rain, heat, more rain and more heat. But come race day it was a deluge. It rained harder than I’ve seen in a long time. We got to the half marathon distance and called it a day. We both really wanted to get the 50K done but the weather was do bad that the trails became too unsafe to run on. The steep drop offs on muddy, slick trails were just an injury (or worse) waiting to happen. The water runoff on the trail was so bad that it actually had a current. The river even started to overflow its banks. It was difficult to make the decision to stop so early at a race, but we both knew the chance of an injury was likely to happen. There is a fine line between toughness and stupidity. The decision to stop was easier for me than for Sue. She had more riding on it. I knew she would feel the same way I felt after my first DNF. But I knew she would later be happy knowing that she could live to run another day and not be dealing with a long term injury because of being stubborn and continuing to run. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sue and I - before the rain started</td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">What this all boils down to is what most people haven’t dealt with.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">That when a runner gets a DNF or a time that is not what they want...most of the world does not care.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Their friends and family are happy that they made the “right decision” and did what was best.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">They stopped their race because of lighting, rain, snow, downed power lines, flooding, wild animals, or just because they didn’t want to keep going.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I stopped at mile 50 of a 100 miler race once and my only reason was that I just wasn’t having fun.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I didn’t enjoy it that day.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">My parents, brother, husband, dogs, are not nearly as upset about a DNF as I am. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">They are as happy for my victories as I am.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">But they also can understand why I stop and are glad that I have the sense to do that sometimes.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">They never ask me why I didn’t try harder.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">They know that I already gave it all I had that day.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Another day I may have more.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">But that day, It was all I had.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">And that was enough. I’ve realized that I never disappoint anyone but myself.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">My husband will always be happy that I got as far as I did, that I was uninjured and he knows I’ll try it again some other time. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVX5CghaasogbdQl_M4PeBKZzRchEH5GHvX2ufKxP1oRnPqt6VWY6wGfohv_bvTyOJ-4JerSJT5zu3LnHUc49cxjdpivcKKHExsdCl2-AeWxRR2V1AlO0ojrfnlw7Y4i9TauzIO4zoS1Td/s1600/603006_4840840187962_707410090_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="704" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVX5CghaasogbdQl_M4PeBKZzRchEH5GHvX2ufKxP1oRnPqt6VWY6wGfohv_bvTyOJ-4JerSJT5zu3LnHUc49cxjdpivcKKHExsdCl2-AeWxRR2V1AlO0ojrfnlw7Y4i9TauzIO4zoS1Td/s320/603006_4840840187962_707410090_n.jpg" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And another DNF at a 100 miler</td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In the meantime, Daniel, Sue and I all continue to seek a way out of our own ruts. I hope that Daniel will see that while sometimes he sees himself as a fraud, that others see him as a source of inspiration. That Sue will know that she was smart and did the right thing by stopping her race when she did. She will achieve all her goals, but it will have to wait for another day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you are an ultra runner and you haven’t yet DNF’d, they you just haven’t run enough races, because sooner or later it will happen. DNF’s are more typical in ultra running than in shorter races. There is no guarantee you will make it to the finish. I have regretted dropping out of some races and wished that I just sat down and took a break instead of turning in my bib. I’ve been through the wringer at races and quit based on my emotions before and I probably will again. But I grow from it, I learn from it and I’m more at peace with it when I do. Sometimes the DNF even motivates me to try harder at the next event. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZZ47yK0JTqiIriI8j3u6kfyQBWiDIQAZWKqkZvkLI0-NDN1cWyIar_BC7JUDxBEN21HgSoce0WIvgJ7CtXTPgrjFdiTmuM2OVHbXc8TltCXLtx3mv4EHJzXZPHWN3KS8h-V_WKnDUj-d/s1600/IMG_4726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZZ47yK0JTqiIriI8j3u6kfyQBWiDIQAZWKqkZvkLI0-NDN1cWyIar_BC7JUDxBEN21HgSoce0WIvgJ7CtXTPgrjFdiTmuM2OVHbXc8TltCXLtx3mv4EHJzXZPHWN3KS8h-V_WKnDUj-d/s320/IMG_4726.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying not to DNF this race</td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I am very thankful for all my race finishes. I appreciate the 5K all the way up to the 100 mile finishes. I've finished way more races than I've DNF'd. But I have also had some pretty wonderful DNF’s. I’ve DNF’d 50k’s, 50 miles, 100k’s, 100 miles, even 200 miles. I’ve met some awesome people, seen some pretty cool parts of the country that I would never have otherwise seen, and ran some beautiful trails. I’ve enjoyed almost all of it, even if it winds up with as a DNF. My most spectacular DNF was at mile 128.66 of that 200 mile race. It was the most beautiful failure I have ever had. Yes, I remember it all the way to the .66 of the mile. I never round it up or down. It was my beautiful DNF. I gave everything I had until the point that I knew I was either going to be injured for a long time, or I would survive and live to run another day. So I stopped there. I love to say that I DNF’d a race at 128.66 miles because it makes no sense to most people. But to me, it makes all the sense in the world. Sometimes, we just need to be stubborn in a smart way. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite DNF</td></tr>
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-49277737189956133822018-08-10T20:05:00.002-07:002018-08-10T20:15:47.297-07:00A Letter To My Younger Self<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>A LETTER TO MY YOUNGER SELF</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Define yourself. Worry less about what other people think. Concern yourself with how you think. You are your own worst critic anyway. You will learn that you are stronger and far more capable than you ever thought you were. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">When asked to join the track team in high school, say yes. You have no idea how deep your passion for running will be one day. Some of your running achievements will be the best moments of your life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Don’t be afraid to enlist in the Army and serve your country. Just because you don’t know how to work a washing machine yet doesn’t mean you can’t learn to become a heavy construction equipment operator. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Go to college, and not just because mom said you had to. Learn new things and grow. You’ll later find you wouldn’t have gotten your job without this degree. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Find a career that both excites and frightens you. Something that keeps you on your toes every day. Be thankful for your chance to serve your community. Work hard, it will pay off. Keep the men and women in blue that served after you in your thoughts. They put their lives on the line every day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">You will kiss a lot of frogs, but one day you will find a prince. The kind of guy that will buy a veteran lunch, hold open the door for ladies, and wave at dogs in the car next to you. He will be the best thing that ever happened to you. Remember this when you get mad. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Love your animals with all your heart. They aren’t always with us as long as we would hope, so cherish them every day. Throw the ball, give them the extra cookie, let them sleep in bed, kiss and pet them every chance you get. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Enjoy your friendships, but know that some may run their course. You may lose touch with people you thought would be in your life forever. Let go of toxic people, the ones that try to sabotage your life and your relationships. Don’t let them suck away your spirit. There will be other people that will always be with you. True friends that will go above and beyond any expectations. Hold on to them as long as possible. Those friendships are few and far between.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Embrace your body. It will be thin and not so thin. You will gain and lose weight many times over. Your legs may be bigger than the next persons, but they will take you amazing places. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Watch less TV and read more. Although you didn’t like to read much when you were younger, it will be something you truly enjoy later in life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Save for the future but also live right now. Don’t wait too long to travel and see the world. Travel will add a whole new dimension on to your life. Fill your life with adventures and worry less about having things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Follow your heart. You will need to make tough choices in life.If you know in your heart you are making the best decision, it will be the right one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Don’t be afraid to try new things. You don’t have to be good at something to enjoy it. Kayak in the ocean, jump out of an airplane, climb that mountain. You’ll only regret the things you didn’t try. It’s never too late to realize your dreams.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Spend more time outdoors. Take the road less traveled, even if you get lost. That is usually when we truly find ourselves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Laugh every chance you get, even if you are laughing at yourself. Dance when your favorite song comes on. Give hugs instead of handshakes. Tell people you love them. Remember that life is short. Be happy and stop wasting your time on other things. </span></div>
UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-77718541365120085882018-03-20T19:58:00.004-07:002018-03-20T19:59:50.281-07:00Be the Change: Blogging about Plogging<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">BE THE CHANGE:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">BLOGGING ABOUT PLOGGING </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Last week my neighbor posted a video on Facebook. It was about “Plogging.” I’d never heard of the term but discovered it is a Swedish thing. It derived it’s name from “plocka upp” for picking up combined and the word jogging. It started as a movement in 2016 and has spread to other countries. I’m surprised it took this long for me to hear about it. Apparently there is a similar movement in Tennessee called Trashercize. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This post came at the perfect time for me because mother nature was kind enough to start melting off our snow and I was seeing nothing but litter along my running route. I run the same route often and I would think, “Why doesn’t they guy that lives here pick up this trash in front of his house?” Well, maybe he doesn’t know it is there. Or possibly it blew out of his neighbors trash bin. But as I passed by on four out of following seven days last week, the trash remained in place. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>After a few days, I mentioned this to my husband. He is used to my crazy ideas but he was actually quite happy about this one. He was sick of seeing all the litter too. I told him that for one week, I wanted to clean up as much litter as I could along my normal running and walking routes. He thought it was a great idea and that he would help. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Day 1: We took the dogs for a two mile walk along our normal route. I took a kitchen sized trash bag with us. I donned my rubber coated gardening gloves and he walked the two border collies while I “plocka upp” the neighborhood. He would grab little things that didn’t look dirty as he wasn’t wearing gloves and I would pick up everything else. I don’t think we were even two blocks from our house and the trash bag was already 1/4 full. I picked up a ton of little alcohol and beer bottles along the path. We live within a half mile of six stores that sell alcohol, it seems people feel they need to drink it and toss the bottle out the window along my street. Thankfully, less of the packaging is glass these days. But we still see a fair share of broken bottles on the sidewalk, which I should mention is usually in front of the elementary school. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Day 2: In the morning we headed out to walk the dogs. I got to the end of my own driveway only to see a McDonald’s bag in the middle of my street. Someone obviously tossed it out of their car window while driving by. It was like a slap in the face, why would you possibly need to throw your fast food bag out on my street? On our two mile walk, I picked up more trash. Apparently all the people in my area run out of cigarettes at the same time and toss their empty packages along my route. And I’m not sure what all the tin foil is from either, hopefully it’s not drug related-but glad I’m wearing gloves to pick it up. Later in the day I ran the dogs six miles. I ran through a subdivision where the cheapest house is probably a million dollars. I picked up an entire grocery store shopping bag of trash here. I suppose they have have a crew of people that keep their property looking nice, but if so they aren’t doing a good job. In the evening we went for another two mile walk with the dogs. I filled up yet another kitchen sized garbage bag. I found one syringe today, thankfully the cap was still on it. I’ve also found a bunch of plastic bags on the side of my path filled with dog poop. Honestly people. Why bother putting it in a bag and leaving it? You are actually making more litter by bagging it than if you left it alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Day 3: My glutes are pretty sore from all the squatting to pick up trash and my back is feeling the workout too. But my dog Kirby needed a run to burn off some of her crazy. On our five miles, we covered some of the same streets that I have previously cleaned up. I was hoping it was starting to look clean, but three doors down from my house I found a water bottle on the sidewalk. I took two plastic grocery store bags with me on this run. I filled the first one on my way out and the second one on my way back. I could have filled four more if I had them, but it gets hard to carry them and run. I can manage two, but I probably look pretty silly running while I carry them running. I stopped at home, dropped off the trash and traded Kirby for my other dog Zuzu. We went out for two miles and I took two more bags with me. I filled them up incredibly fast. Nothing by energy drinks, beer cans, liquor bottles and such along this route. There is no way this stuff is being dropped by accident or distributed by the wind from trash cans. At one point I saw about 30 free newspapers left by a delivery person in front of a house that is for sale. You’d think they’d get the hint that if they hadn’t picked up the last 20, you don’t need to keep leaving them. I did not pick those up as I’d need an entire bag just for them. By the way, if you’ve lost one glove in my area, its mate is in my trash can. I think I’ve picked up a dozen single gloves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Day 4: My husband took the dogs out with us on a different two mile route. I picked up an entire kitchen sized trash bag of the usual assortment of litter. There again was an alarming amount of liquor bottles. I also stopped at a vacant house that is close to mine and picked up all the newspapers and phone books (I can’t even believe they still print those things) that had accumulated in the past few months. I’ve stuffed everything I’ve found so far into my own personal trash can and recycling bin. I told my husband that the bin is so full that you couldn’t fit a fart in there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I have been thinking of a way to express how I feel about this project. As I said my glutes are sore and it kind of was a pain in the butt to clean up after everyone else. I won’t pick up trash on my runs every day in the future. I will do my best to keep my neighborhood clean, while that effort may only be appreciated by my husband and myself. I’m not huge on quotes but I’ll toss this one out there. Ghandi said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” I just got fed up of running by the same trash every day. I kept thinking, “Why doesn’t that guy pick it up?” Well, if he wasn’t going to, I guess I had to be the change. </span></div>
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-15622803292439626242018-03-07T16:20:00.002-08:002018-03-07T17:16:36.314-08:00Why Do I Run? <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Why Do I Run?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> If you ask why I run, I will ask you why you breathe. That sums it up for me, but sometimes people need more than that to really get it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I run to connect, with my friends and with my dogs and with random people I meet at races. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9YIBDHUSOjTFNYO_6UqMaU8E_ahpV6U2_9_OtilsDpON1NYBoFg9KVedAmQ1g5zoM36dtgdrLahnEzt7q4yi9r-r34eby3mX13l9hu6w_zv4yekXcY-u3Fz80n7cbeAoJ5-d_I2JV9dI/s1600/13920469_10208854722218685_4723975159923168355_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1032" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9YIBDHUSOjTFNYO_6UqMaU8E_ahpV6U2_9_OtilsDpON1NYBoFg9KVedAmQ1g5zoM36dtgdrLahnEzt7q4yi9r-r34eby3mX13l9hu6w_zv4yekXcY-u3Fz80n7cbeAoJ5-d_I2JV9dI/s320/13920469_10208854722218685_4723975159923168355_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also run for the solitude. To be alone in my thoughts, or to not think. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaEAQGx_VdbgiymWXE1M4vk-bbd6PIeQhjNcWAl6nBHLSGfw4sb4foNXfu08Ma6TQPFW5fJLsXyIIdv8ZH6Z7kpTQXNFADJJicS7BpXV50UIZvJgQ_MsTLUS4VtFLJhRV3AdS9jQgmjup/s1600/fullsizeoutput_4a6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaEAQGx_VdbgiymWXE1M4vk-bbd6PIeQhjNcWAl6nBHLSGfw4sb4foNXfu08Ma6TQPFW5fJLsXyIIdv8ZH6Z7kpTQXNFADJJicS7BpXV50UIZvJgQ_MsTLUS4VtFLJhRV3AdS9jQgmjup/s320/fullsizeoutput_4a6.jpeg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I run because I enjoy being outdoors. I love the sun and the breeze, and at times the rain and snow. But I don't really love the cold. You lost me there. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAaHTwXfa_DZ9OmTeySVgc6JO8Ry4SzOZw7MtIwN6t4HmE5Qs_ADZPPGjWGi5ZqGqtb_MmGmOuodni6tWAV8z404oLSHRWg9DHuuK1D0VIwF9SoqvbGLoFj6byN3cfyJfgigOi2PVctIwx/s1600/IMG_3433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAaHTwXfa_DZ9OmTeySVgc6JO8Ry4SzOZw7MtIwN6t4HmE5Qs_ADZPPGjWGi5ZqGqtb_MmGmOuodni6tWAV8z404oLSHRWg9DHuuK1D0VIwF9SoqvbGLoFj6byN3cfyJfgigOi2PVctIwx/s320/IMG_3433.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I run for adventure. To see new cities, states, back roads and forests all over the country. And I also run because I like being a hamster on a wheel- running the streets near my home that I know like the back of my hand or the familiar six mile run around the lake at the metro park, that one time I ran 50 miles around. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuQ0mpcBtfcnFRM9fPOF8Q7rSFXcaEsl_XZRug7RUlSIJGHY5j1dkG7axa9LXzR1FUlu9bAyZhrxjL74VkFC70NQoMCE3gmA4PftQT5Sd9HOIaKpAme1xeZfC0idbzB4awlDVgawxBa47/s1600/IMG_9476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1116" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuQ0mpcBtfcnFRM9fPOF8Q7rSFXcaEsl_XZRug7RUlSIJGHY5j1dkG7axa9LXzR1FUlu9bAyZhrxjL74VkFC70NQoMCE3gmA4PftQT5Sd9HOIaKpAme1xeZfC0idbzB4awlDVgawxBa47/s320/IMG_9476.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I run to lose weight, but that never happens. So, I run so I can enjoy pizza, burgers and beer.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCZZfX6FyKfkilMZMamJJI9wcQo5um4n2P7NyhQ3KeRHYy52TamJY2BNc554PcQffzfgBeLPMWQjciC-Y1Yd30rayhP19mfRTAhqgaBNxcXBff9Nyhht5e-Y1V87sKDSAarQhYuwOAVRZ/s1600/11188491_977059142306660_4082759022170050122_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCZZfX6FyKfkilMZMamJJI9wcQo5um4n2P7NyhQ3KeRHYy52TamJY2BNc554PcQffzfgBeLPMWQjciC-Y1Yd30rayhP19mfRTAhqgaBNxcXBff9Nyhht5e-Y1V87sKDSAarQhYuwOAVRZ/s320/11188491_977059142306660_4082759022170050122_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I run long distances because it is fun to do things I thought I could not do. I run them again because I forgot how awful they were the first time. There is magic in the misery.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJixA2pD34PqKUNNf_Fo2YQJv3U1w8zZoeujOJPcdAUu15f44AOe8DLc_aY8iwIktfoZPuSbi25LzWHs5nRTTQihtGP8UZJ-WFqM9Uqf3KFWQSO2DcNWr8TwS19uJ59RKWFhyphenhyphenlJdZ4V5Xq/s1600/DSCN4722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJixA2pD34PqKUNNf_Fo2YQJv3U1w8zZoeujOJPcdAUu15f44AOe8DLc_aY8iwIktfoZPuSbi25LzWHs5nRTTQihtGP8UZJ-WFqM9Uqf3KFWQSO2DcNWr8TwS19uJ59RKWFhyphenhyphenlJdZ4V5Xq/s320/DSCN4722.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I run to burn the crazy off my border collies. Wait, that isn’t possible.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5BM_UOOuFuNfupU9Qk287MeLz719xMij6L0RJGsajyqJbOIhRcEvIzyR_OfVWdkzdm7kTSDnqFtrmfASqINr2wqSLiwbY736iRfzsFD8cD_BjHDBkrbMSxjF6MupRSUoBOiQq61mLIWz/s1600/13091903_10206129083575169_108003686892718412_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="526" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5BM_UOOuFuNfupU9Qk287MeLz719xMij6L0RJGsajyqJbOIhRcEvIzyR_OfVWdkzdm7kTSDnqFtrmfASqINr2wqSLiwbY736iRfzsFD8cD_BjHDBkrbMSxjF6MupRSUoBOiQq61mLIWz/s320/13091903_10206129083575169_108003686892718412_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You want to know why I run? I want to know why you don’t. I won’t judge, acceptance is the key to happiness. And I prefer to be delusionally optimistic that one day you will understand me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1C8nhMg0txrZF80RCQlWqcwVWFChDoYfH7ziX6-8yF6iUbr7pfCGfa6M2iNPo5W4pjugjTNCRAxByuco9DM7BpKj8VrR7_b-jLaric6_Z9kQnwGq8p7IttqhhDIHyiCpHHnCvGTv-MK2x/s1600/sc003d5aae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1384" data-original-width="987" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1C8nhMg0txrZF80RCQlWqcwVWFChDoYfH7ziX6-8yF6iUbr7pfCGfa6M2iNPo5W4pjugjTNCRAxByuco9DM7BpKj8VrR7_b-jLaric6_Z9kQnwGq8p7IttqhhDIHyiCpHHnCvGTv-MK2x/s320/sc003d5aae.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-88385212813660768892018-02-25T18:29:00.000-08:002018-02-25T18:35:18.122-08:00Lost<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>LOST</b></span></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3c-zFiInVSSOFNIzGYw4OoxLJdm5hz9Jv3ASWRyfjC3vJ07W3vA_n-LN22blZ1We7EIY6GuOci-Q2WmqzgGyc-KCfNVMPPjg2zIln7XNk0aZui1vc9ED80xYgap44qZVLTUYMpOkfSiY/s1600/IMG_5005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3c-zFiInVSSOFNIzGYw4OoxLJdm5hz9Jv3ASWRyfjC3vJ07W3vA_n-LN22blZ1We7EIY6GuOci-Q2WmqzgGyc-KCfNVMPPjg2zIln7XNk0aZui1vc9ED80xYgap44qZVLTUYMpOkfSiY/s320/IMG_5005.JPG" width="240" /></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Winter in Michigan can be a trying time for runners. There comes a point where you get tired of bragging about how cold it was when you ran. The photos of the ice encrusted eyelashes stop being funny. You just get sick of it and start losing your sense of humor with mother nature. Right now, that is exactly where I am. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3B_R60TorzLZzHItcV5E0-eGe5VJwN1B7ZgP5167vIKWRUVGW_9mD-rc_atek2QcLhQwTTA-pIspEmM2ICdSWpSy4r13xpHcDAUVpDLDbrQT8EWRDjPAlWlzYbjq-65ngq6k9elKZkNo/s1600/IMG_9985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3B_R60TorzLZzHItcV5E0-eGe5VJwN1B7ZgP5167vIKWRUVGW_9mD-rc_atek2QcLhQwTTA-pIspEmM2ICdSWpSy4r13xpHcDAUVpDLDbrQT8EWRDjPAlWlzYbjq-65ngq6k9elKZkNo/s320/IMG_9985.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My training plan for my next big race started at the end of January. My first week of training was wonderful. The temperatures were in the 50’s and all the snow was gone. On my rest day I walked the dogs and fell on a patch of ice. I banged up my knee and needed to take a few days off. The next week we were treated to 14 inches of snow in under 24 hours. I put on my Yaktrax (traction for your shoes) and took the dogs out trekking on the snow covered streets to log some miles. White it was good time spend with my furry friends, I can’t say that I enjoyed the weather. The following week I wound up at the doctors office to treat a sinus infection. As an added bonus, the next week I started physical therapy to treat the lingering injury from my fall on the ice. My mojo is hanging on by a thread. I’m trying to salvage what is left. I’ve googled the heck out of “losing my running mojo” and this is what I found. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Here is the nonsense:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Count miles, don’t count miles, challenge yourself or don’t put pressure on yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Run with friends. Run with faster ones or slower ones or just get new ones. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Eat better or run someplace to eat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Run in a different place or different time of the day or just take a total break.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Take a break or sign up for a different type of race or get a coach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Here is what I did like:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Address stress and get better sleep- these two go hand in hand. If anything causes me to lose sleep, it needs to be addressed the next day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Take an electronic sabbatical. These days we are so attached to our phones and Facebook that it is hard to be out of touch. Turn off and tune into your life, even if only for the duration of your run.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Forget about comparisons and be happy with who you are and where you are. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Embrace the five minute rule. Get dressed for your run and get out there, even if just for five minutes. If after five minutes you still aren’t feeling it, then go home. But more times than not, you will get your groove back and keep running. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Run someplace new. Although I’ve run every street in my city, I’m sure I can still find new places. New cities and new countries. Heck, maybe I’ll just run to the moon. (just checking to see if anyone is reading this...)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It has been a while since I lost my running mojo. It’s odd to think about that since last year at this time I couldn’t run at all and I was dealing with some serious running depression. I know this is temporary and that once the weather turns my spirits will improve. But for now, I am slightly lost. I am desperately hoping my next post is called “Found” </span></div>
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-20256715365229970802017-12-25T11:43:00.001-08:002017-12-25T11:44:25.210-08:00Satan's Sidewalk<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>SATAN’S SIDEWALK</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> After finishing up my latest project of running every street in my city, I was challenged to run 100 miles in my basement on my treadmill. It was a virtual event that 41 people participated in nationwide. All proceeds from entry fees would go directly to the Alzheimer’s Association. The event was called the Dreadmill 48 Hour Endurance Challenge. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> There was only two ways this could go. It was either going to be horrible or great.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I thought with a generous 48 hour time limit I could certainly finish it, since I’d finished a few other 100 milers in less than 30 hours. But little did I know that my trip down satan’s sidewalk would be way harder than I thought. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I made my basement into a deluxe aid station with everything I could possibly need. My husband (also known as my Sherpa) crewed me via a walkie talkies. If I needed anything extra, I just called him on the radio and he brought it to me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Our basement tends to quite warm. So we turned the heat down, opened up the windows and set up some fans. I wore my Skirt Sports sleeveless tank top and Gym Girl Ultra Skirt in a pattern aptly named “Tantrum.” Since I’d likely have one of those later in the day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> The first two hours went by quickly. I ran and walked at intervals and watched the movie 13 Going On 30. Then Netflix started acting up and wouldn’t load my shows. After 20 frustrating minutes, I finally got it going again and proceeded to watch the series Friends from the beginning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> During long distance events, I prefer to eat more solid food and less gels and energy chews. I was able to keep fueled well with Tailwind drink, fruit, peanut butter on cinnamon raisin toast, salty and sweet snacks and a McDonald’s cheeseburger. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I had my runner’s high, but it only lasted for a half a mile. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> By the marathon point, my feet started to feel really hot. At the 50K mark I stopped and changed my shoes and socks to try to stop the heat from building up. It never seemed to get any better and by 38.1 miles I knew my journey was at an end. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Everything else on my body felt fine and I was in great spirits. But my feet would just not let me go on. Every step I took I could feet the water in the blisters moving around, as if I was stepping on a gel pad. I have run through some agonizing foot pain at the end of my 100 mile races, but I’ve never had blister problems like this so early on. I would have liked to have pushed through the pain, but I have a marathon scheduled in South Carolina in three weeks and couldn’t chance that. It will be a new state on my 50 state marathon quest (#40.) The last time I attempted to go to a race in South Carolina, it was cancelled at the last minute do to a hurricane.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> The race director posted on Facebook that a lot of people dealt with blister problems like never before. A friend told me that there is a lot more friction on your feet when you run on a treadmill, and even more when you walk. I guess that explains some of what went wrong. My husband thought that the motor on the treadmill may have given off some heat too. Regardless of the event, I could not go so far that it would take me a month to recover from foot injury.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Even thought I didn’t finish the event, I was glad to have challenged myself to try something crazy and different. I got in a good long run, made a donation to a good cause and the next time I need to run on a treadmill - it should seem far easier. Would I try this event again? You bet!</span></div>
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-22557845539014007262017-12-06T10:27:00.001-08:002017-12-06T10:49:46.050-08:00I Run This Town (Part 9: Week 22) The Final Chapter<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>I Run This Town (Part 8: Week 22)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>The Final Chapter</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 22: November 25-December 4, 2017 (slightly longer than a week)</span><br />
I typically check the weather before I head out on a run. I like to be prepared and have the right clothing to keep me warm and dry. Today, the weatherman played a cruel joke on me. There was no rain on the radar. Fifteen minutes into my run, I saw a very dark sky to the west. I wasn’t too far from my car, so I sought cover there until it passed. Heavy rain and hail started. I laughed when I saw the radar on my phone, the only bad weather in the city was where I was currently. </div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> On my next run, I kept seeing random clothing items scattered next to the curb. First I saw two winter hats, then a sock, a few blocks later I saw a pair of socks and a shirt. I was afraid eventually I’d run into a naked person, but thankfully that never happened. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> On my way home I stopped to run streets that were not yet on the map. I had run past these areas months back and noted that new subdivisions were being built but the roads weren’t poured yet. Since I’m nearing the end of the project, I needed to check these streets off. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVzTLjypBSWnwagFu5ws4iUL0sdi3rtfEB8Phl7bNqgXEA_5e4CC-mtA4R0jL5KQYCPUL5gSFV4UvcWGHU4ueGTDiIndt1cP3Gdkfs95igyjBKhw_vfoO1wOtz5nlQP5hAbQsOm_LMEWx/s1600/IMG_9425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVzTLjypBSWnwagFu5ws4iUL0sdi3rtfEB8Phl7bNqgXEA_5e4CC-mtA4R0jL5KQYCPUL5gSFV4UvcWGHU4ueGTDiIndt1cP3Gdkfs95igyjBKhw_vfoO1wOtz5nlQP5hAbQsOm_LMEWx/s320/IMG_9425.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I used a pink highlighter on my map when my dogs came with me. They ran quite a bit of the city with me. I’d guess they ran at least 25% of it. Kirby came with me today. She loves to pick up sticks and run with them. She doesn’t care if it is a three inch stick or a three foot stick. A few times she’s grabbed small tree limbs and dragged them with us a few feet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I spoke with the mayor tonight, he accidentally called me while he was getting his haircut. We will finish the project on Monday and he’s bringing a camera crew.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> This week I had a phone interview with a local paper. The article was printed on the front page, which I shared with the other headline about Santa accepting Christmas wish lists and where to deliver them. I’m beyond flattered. I’m sure my mom will put the article on her fridge and it will be there for years. The paper also gave information on how to find this blog. I’m sure I’ll gain tens of fans from it. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTluMmu5dbLojtLIP8atcir90eN5wi6Qj8WnLmhxdZ88hVNZh1-yZzPwM2q2TH4gBQRPUY9kdzi2VgM6-aNpJuku080pznKkqGJlJOyTEMLdqZDVmnT93mbwwbXArJthEDvfQECQ4IjMl4/s1600/IMG_9414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTluMmu5dbLojtLIP8atcir90eN5wi6Qj8WnLmhxdZ88hVNZh1-yZzPwM2q2TH4gBQRPUY9kdzi2VgM6-aNpJuku080pznKkqGJlJOyTEMLdqZDVmnT93mbwwbXArJthEDvfQECQ4IjMl4/s640/IMG_9414.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I was thinking I’d be finishing the project in the snow, but all I’ve seen lately is rain. The light mist turned to a downpour as I ran today. I found eleven cents, a nativity scene that substituted a gazebo for a manger and a street sign with my name on it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> On the way home I stopped to run another new subdivision that was not yet on the map. The street doesn’t have a sign up yet. There were no houses built yet, but it was cool to see it all progressing over the past few months. There was a house up on blocks here that had recently been moved to make room for this new subdivision. Some construction guys sat in their trucks watching me run down their practically deserted area in a downpour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> It’s hard to believe that the final day is here. My friend Dani decorated my car with streamers, paper flowers and window paint. Mayor Bryan Barnett brought a film crew with him. My friends Geneva and Lori came out to run in the last four miles with us. The mayor interviewed me on camera before we started my last run on this journey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> My last few streets to run are dirt, but don’t let that fool you. This area has some of the largest homes in the city. Lucky for me, the mayor knows all the details.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> We passed a house and the mayor told us that it was one of the largest homes in the city. It was massive. The taxes alone for that house in 2017 were $132,539. It has been used in several films, The mayor told me that the previous owner of this house was the person that brought the UPC Code into mainstream use.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> A half mile north of here (but not in my city) you can see Eminem’s former home. It’s 17,500 square foot. He bought it for almost $5,000,000, and sold it last month for nearly $2,000,000. I drove by it a few weeks back, but you can’t see much through the front gates. The new owners were leaving when I drove past and I think it freaked them out that I was looking at their house. But if you bought the house previously owned by Eminem, you have to be expecting people to drive by and look now and again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> The final run is hilly, but since we know the film crew is out we run up all the hills. One of the dead end streets we ran down was probably the prettiest street in the city. It is loaded with tall pine trees on both sides and it makes you feel like you are in a forest. At the end of the street the mayor showed me a house where the previous owner used to have a pet lion. These little bits of information he is sharing makes me wish he was with me the entire time I ran this town. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> We turn into another dead end street and it is a gated subdivision. The gate is open. I said to the mayor, “Thankfully the gate was open, or you’d have to go get your keys to the city so we could get in.” Our four mile run lasted around forty minutes but it felt like it went by way faster than that. We had fun getting to know each other and sharing laughs. There is something about running with someone, sort of a bonding experience. I’m glad he joined me for the last leg of my journey. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> We ran the dirt road through the historic district. It was the last mile and it was the fastest for the today. I like to say when I see the finish line, “I can smell the hay in the barn.” Kind of ironic since we were ending at Van Hoosen Farm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> At the finish, my coworkers Melanie and Anne-Marie strung crepe paper across my path so I could break it as if I was the winner of a race. My best friend Ronda (who is a puppy raiser for Leader Dog For the Blind) came with her new puppy, Pawnee. The one and only Slow Joe Burns brought donuts and cider from a local cider mill. It was so wonderful to have these people there to share in my joy at the finish line. Thanks to you all for making my finish so special. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I used my blue highlighter to color in the streets we ran today and now I’m finished. Twenty-two weeks and nearly 500 miles of running. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Weekly stats: 28.65 miles </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Total miles since start: 493.2 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Square miles completed: 32.91</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Square miles left: Zero!</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> The video produced by the mayor’s camera crew can be see on youtube.com. You can view it by clocking on the link below:</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEB_pfPKnJ0&t=5s">Sandy Stiner Runs This Town</a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> (I also posted it on the blog, it is the post just before this one. It is called, “Sandy Stiner Runs This Town.” It was published on December 4, 2017. )</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Since the video has been released, I’ve heard from a lot of people that are going to do their own “I Run This Town” project. Nothing feels better than inspiring others. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Now that we are at the end I’d like to take a minute to thank a few people that made this possible. First, Heather Croy, who ran every street in Royal Oak a few years back and gave me the idea. Secondly, my husband who should have thought I was crazy to do this. Instead he dropped me off and followed me in high traffic areas, ran or biked with me in areas he didn’t want me to run alone, and supported me in every possible way. Third, by border collies. Kirby and Zuzu, my best buddies on this journey. Zuzu even saved me from being attacked by two dogs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Special thanks to the companies that I am an ambassador for: Skirt Sports, Feetures! Socks, ChafeX and AfterShokz Headphones. You all kept me fashionable, safe and comfortable during this endeavor. Also thanks to my friends at Clint Verran Physical Therapy for getting me back to running so I could do this! (Amazing last year at this time I couldn’t stand without a walker. And last but certainly not least, Bryan Barnett. The mayor of my town, the guy who at first thought when he saw that I called this “I Run This Town,” that I was planning to run against him for mayor. </span></div>
UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-43378051195757908772017-12-04T19:30:00.001-08:002017-12-04T19:30:35.703-08:00Sandy Stiner Runs This Town<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LEB_pfPKnJ0" width="480"></iframe>UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-10526126016156869582017-11-24T16:40:00.002-08:002017-12-04T06:20:22.789-08:00I Run This Town (Part 7: Weeks 20-21)<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>I Run This Town (Part 7: Weeks 20-21)</b><br />
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Week 20: November 17-23, 2017</div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I had a race this past weekend in southern Illinois. I did the 50 mile run at the Tunnel Hill ultra marathon. It was my first really long distance I’ve run since having three screws put in my leg one year ago to stabilize a fracture. I had an amazing day and was quite happy with my results. I needed a few days to recover from the distance, so I had to delay my progress on running my streets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">We’ve had a lot of rain lately and I wound up on many dirt road this week. I never realized just how many dirt roads there were in our city. Today, I found a dime and a penny, then later saw a deer cross the road in front of me today. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">My husband came out with me one day and we finished our run at the Van Hoosen Farm and Rochester Hills Museum. It was closed but we walked around on the grounds and decided to come back and see it another time when it was open.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Weekly stats: 7.35 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 21: November 18-24, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It was another rainy day out and I finished up a subdivision near the museum. Later, my husband and I visited the farm and museum. We were given a guided tour of the farm house. The farm is located in Stoney Creek Village, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Van Hoosen family resided here dating back to 1823. It’s amazing to know that some of the structures here date back to 1840. What I learned about the Van Hoosen family daughters astounded me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Their daughter Bertha graduated from the University of Michigan in 1888 with a degree in medicine. This was a time with women doctors were rare. She was quite the surgeon and developed the “Buttonhole” appendectomy surgical procedure. She also was the person that realized that sterilization of surgical equipment was key to preventing infection. Think of the lives that were saved because of this one discovery. She later used the front room of the farm house for her office. It was so amazing to be standing on ground that was blazed by this amazing lady. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Their other daughter Sarah had a love of the land and earned her Master’s Degree in Animal Husbandry in 1916 and later in 1921 got her doctorate in Animal Genetics from the University of Wisconsin. The family farm was under her direction and in the 1940’s the farm was the first in southeast Michigan to produce certified milk. In 1932 she was named a Master Farmer, one of only two women at the time to hold this title. She was also the first woman in the United States to be named a Premier Breeder of Holstein cattle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I feel that I am a pretty progressive person. But these two ladies astounded me. How they lead such strong careers and achieve such success so many years ago boggles my mind. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">We had the opportunity to meet with the director of the museum and I was able to ask him some questions about an area that I had run in that puzzled me. A few weeks back I had run in a cool area called, “Wayside Park.” It was so unique that I knew it had to be something interesting. It is a big farmhouse and a dead end street that had rows of small houses on them that all looked identical. Turns out there was a seed company here and the little houses on the street were actually rental units for the workers. This seed farm was started in 1902. It is still in business today under the name Ferry-Morse Seed Company, but it is located in Kentucky. </span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I learned a lot about the history of my area on this visit to the museum and farm. I discovered that the first settlers arrived in the area in 1817. It was later organized and named Avon Township in 1835. Villages were incorporated or annexed throughout the years and in 1984, Avon Township became Rochester Hills. The first mayor was Earl E. Borden, which one of my favorite parks was named after. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I decided that I’d like to finish up my “I Run This Town” project at this area. I know the last few streets in the area will lead me right to the museum and farm. It seems fitting to end my journey in the area that my city was founded 200 years earlier. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I finished up my last part of this area, with the exception of my finish line route. I ran on more dirt roads. A guy in a Cadillac drove past me and went in a pothole, covering me head to tow in mud. Later, I discovered a new sub not on map, with houses starting for the low, low price of $900,000. My day ended by seeing a turkey vulture in a tree on the side of the road. He was eyeing me suspiciously, I decided I needed to run faster to avoid looking like road kill. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">For several days it has been snowing lightly during my runs. Nothing has accumulated on the ground yet. I have been seeing Christmas trees lit up in house windows, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet. Today I saw my first outdoor Christmas display. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I stopped at shop near my home and the store owner asked me how the project was going. I told him I hope to finish at the end of next week. He asked if I had run by his house yet, he told me where he lives. Surprisingly, I planned to run that area tomorrow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It occurred to me that when I am done with this project, if someone says they live in my city I will be able to say, “Oh, I’ve run past your house.” They will say, “Well, I didn’t say where I live in the city.” And I can answer back, “It doesn’t matter, I’ve run by every house in Rochester Hills.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ve been playing phone tag with the mayor for the past few weeks. He’s a pretty cool guy. I met him years ago when he was first running for office. He’s the kind of guy that went door to door, meeting the residents and getting to know them. He’s been our longest serving mayor, over ten years. His Twitter account describes him as “Husband of one. Father of two. Mayor of 75K. Love my God, my country, my city, a good grilled cheese and all my Detroit sports teams!” He does his own tweets and you will see him swearing in new firemen, welcoming new businesses, and giving Santa a key to the city. He’s proud of his city and loves being involved. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">This is how the mayor describes our city. "Rochester Hills is the jewel of Oakland County and is unique in Southeast Michigan. We take great pride in being a top-notch, family oriented bedroom community. Take a drive, or better yet, a bike ride through any of our tree-lined subdivisions and you will see that families are what make our community great. Whether it's playing ball int he front yard, or talking with the neighbors in the back yard, you cannot help but be swept up in our towns' friendliness and charm. Summer evenings in Rochester Hills are my favorite time of year, and although it has not been proven, I am confident that calories can actually be inhaled as the smell of barbecues waft throughout the community."</span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Today he left me a voice mail asking me to call him at home over the holiday weekend so we can finally connect. He said he is very excited about the completion of my project and he would gladly join me for the completion of my journey. So it looks like I will finish running the town with the guy that runs the town. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It’s Thanksgiving day and I went out for a morning run. I may not have smelled the barbecue that the mayor spoke of but I could smell turkey cooking and it’s wasn’t even ten o’clock. It’s 25 degrees out and there is some ice on the roads and sidewalk. I saw two other runners and they were wearing shorts, while I am dressed like a normal person would for running in these temperatures. Ironically, I ran down a street called Holiday Court on a holiday. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Later, I went for a second run and took my dog Kirby. She’s a real beauty and most people that pass will comment on how pretty she is. Today was no exception. She runs next to me on her hands-free leash and you can see how happy she is. We ran up the Dutton Road hill today. It’s a well known section of dirt road, made famous locally for being at mile 10 of the Brooksie Way Half Marathon. People forget that Rochester Hills, didn’t get it’s name for being flat. Although I didn’t run the entire course today, I still did a half marathon distance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I got out for a morning run. I think this should be my last section of dirt road other than the finish line. The shoulder had a big drop off and the road was narrow on the last part of the Dutton Road hill. I was glad there wasn’t too much traffic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Once I got into the subdivisions I passed a small group of people walking. One lady said to me, “Hey, we saw you running yesterday.” I told her that I was running every street in our city and the shock and amazement in her expression could hardly be contained. I stopped and walked a bit with them and answered their questions. After we parted ways, I kept seeing potatoes on the side of the road. I bumped into the group again and asked them about the potatoes, they were mystified about it as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I also found a iPhone charger and a dime today. I’m surprised how few things I’ve found while running the city. I have found about a dollar in change, a plastic lizard, gift cards with no value left on them and several license plates, as well as things like screwdrivers and scissors. On my normal runs, in the past I’ve found wallets and puppies (both which I returned), loose change, $100 bills and one time an item of jewelry worth nearly $3,000. I turned that over to the Sheriff’s Department and it went unclaimed and six months later they gave it back to me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I took a second run today with my dog Kirby. We encountered a lot of yards with underground fencing. What is scary about that is that the dogs will come charging at you right to the curb and then stop. But you don’t know they are going to stop, so you expect they are going to get to you. But typically there aren’t any signs to say the resident has this underground fencing so it is nerve wracking to guess if the dog is actually going to get to you. Today we had a large dog charge at us. Since the attack on my dog Zuzu many weeks back in this project, my heart is always in my throat when a dog runs at us. This dog came into the street near us, no owner in sight, but for some reason stopped just before it got to us and went home. I’ll add another red dot to my map, this makes nine times that dogs have came into the road and charged us. That is nine times too many. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I anticipate that I will finish this project this coming weekend. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Weekly stats: 39.06 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Total miles since start: 464.55</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Square miles completed: 34 1/2 </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Square miles left: 1 1/2 (+ last day route of 4 miles)</span></div>
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-27227453270157662542017-11-08T19:43:00.002-08:002017-11-09T19:55:15.414-08:00I Run This Town (Part 6: Weeks 18-19)<div style="text-align: center;">
I Run This Town (Part 6: Weeks 18-19)</div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 18: October 28-November 3, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Today I ran a very busy section of road. I had to wait until a Sunday morning, on a weekday this route would be dangerous to run. There was not much traffic but there was no sidewalk and only a small shoulder on the road. I ran as far to the side of the road as I could and the drivers gave me a wide berth. I was shocked at the amount of trash. I saw screwdrivers, scissors, license plates, and several shoes. Who loses just one shoe? I am almost 50 years old and I have lost a lot of things, but I have never lost one shoe. Yet today I saw three individual shoes on this run. I put it in the Google Machine and came up with some crazy theories but was more shocked to find there is an entire Facebook page devoted to, “Shoes on the Side of the Road.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6coB_iEMuyd8-VmYToMnwLnBaSVrrSb0SlXLd8hIvUqSMwJ4JMbBNMrUxHko5hKkNsLQBWrc5OqOdSZfKR6SerpsUxFyLf32q-cIl-aX1hoaXIikH5TyufaLgp2XssQIiVriCxuOt01L_/s1600/IMG_9141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6coB_iEMuyd8-VmYToMnwLnBaSVrrSb0SlXLd8hIvUqSMwJ4JMbBNMrUxHko5hKkNsLQBWrc5OqOdSZfKR6SerpsUxFyLf32q-cIl-aX1hoaXIikH5TyufaLgp2XssQIiVriCxuOt01L_/s320/IMG_9141.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I felt so good later in the day that I did a second run in a different section of town. This area had homes with four car garages. It was quite a contrast to the area I had run in this morning. <br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I emailed the mayor of my town today. I gave him an invitation to do my last run with me. I have no idea if he runs or if he would be interested, but it seemed like it might be a cool way to end my project. I know I still have a ways to go, but I am already thinking of that last mile and how amazing it will be. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> The next day the mayor emailed me back. He said that he wanted to join me for the finish. He was also wishing he had thought of the idea of running all the streets himself. He thought it was a pretty cool.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> The areas I ran this week were quite diverse. I ran by some fancy houses on a golf course one day and another day in a trailer park. When I started the project someone from the Sheriff Department said that there really weren’t any “bad” parts of our town, but that this trailer park has had some issues. I found it to be a nice place to run and most of the trailers were nice and well kept. I never felt unsafe and the residents I encountered were friendly. On the flip side a lot of the residents that lived on the golf course community would not even look me in the eye as I passed by. They did not even reply to my hello. I found this quite surprising. I guess to them an almost 50 year old woman running with a border collie was suspicious. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Getting this project done before any substantial snowfall is now a major goal. Today I saw the first big, wet snowflakes and real feel was only 29 degrees. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Another day, I happened to be running as school was letting out. I soon realized that speed limits and stop signs are only suggestions to people who pick their kids up from school in this area. I suppose since it was Halloween they were anxious to get home and get their fun started. I saw a little girl dressed as a witch walking home from school. It brought back memories of an awesome witch costume my mom made me when I was a kid. Too bad in my hometown (Marquette, MI) you typically had to wear a ski jacket over your Halloween costume. Later, I saw a dog in a costume. He was a little thief helping his partner get away with the big bag of cash. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> When I get home from a run, I upload my Garmin data to my computer. Then I double check to make sure I didn’t miss any streets. Today, I missed a street. It looked like it was a driveway but after checking on Google Maps, I can see I was wrong. I made a note to go back and do that street the next day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I parked my car in a local shopping mall and my husband dropped me off a few miles away. I picked up that street that I missed the other day, even though I had to run an extra half mile to get to it today. As I ran to the end I was treated to seeing a deer. The first one I have seen in weeks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> As I approached my car I saw a disturbing thing. Christmas lights. It’s barely November. The village mall was having them strung up in the trees bordering their property. As I got closer to my car I discovered that they had the lights up in every tree and half way up the tree that my car was parked in front off. Their equipment was parked in front and on the side of my car. I’m sure they were glad for me to return so they could finish their job. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Weekly stats: 28.54 miles </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Square miles done: 26.5</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Square miles left: 6.5</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 19: November 4-10, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> We were up north for the weekend. When we got back it was raining. By the time I went for my run, it as pouring. Ironically I ran down a street called Raintree. I found a Free Little Library on this run. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> The next day I took my dog Kirby out with me. As we came around a corner and a dog came charging at us. We were one house away and across the street as it got to us. The owner was in his yard raking leaves and I yelled for him to come get his dog. He took his time coming to get the dog and didn’t say a word to me or his dog. His dog kept getting in Kirby’s face. Thankfully nothing happened but I was miffed that the guy never even said he was sorry. This is the eighth time in 19 weeks that a dog has been running loose and left their yard to charge at me. I find this troublesome that people are that irresponsible. If your dog is loose and stays in your yard, I’m cool with that. But as a runner, when I’m across the street, your dog should not be approaching me. Several other times dogs have been on what I suspect is an electronic fence and they charge right up to the curb barking like crazy but never leave their yard. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I’ve been trying to run on most days to keep making progress. I finished one square mile in three days. I found a few gated subdivisions but fortunately either their gates were open or their was a pedestrian gate to enter through. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> I took Kirby out on my run another day and we found a car covered in cling wrap. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I felt good so I did a second run today. I now have only the top row on my map to complete. I’ve had a few of my runner friends from work ask if they could be there to run me into the finish. I’m suspecting they will string a roll of toilet paper across the road to pretend I’m breaking the finish line tape like at a major race. It’s fun that other people are getting excited about this too. I’m starting to feel a strange mix of happy and sad that this journey will be over in the near future. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I got out for one last run this week and absolutely loved the area I ran. It was so pretty with the leaves falling. It was the coldest morning I had run yet and I can’t believe there are still leaves left on the trees. I saw a glider plane trailer in someone’s driveway, that is kind of unusual. But the most interesting thing I saw was a yard that was filled with the most beautiful bird feeders mounted on poles. There must have been 30 of them that I could see.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> While I was running I got a voice mail from the mayor. He was quite excited about the project. I decided today where my ending location will be. It wasn’t planned until just now, yet I think it will be a fitting place to conclude my journey of running every street in my city. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Weekly stats: 28.93 miles </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Total miles since start: 418.14</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Square miles completed: 28</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Square miles left: 5</span></div>
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-9009298049311483172017-10-29T19:33:00.002-07:002017-10-29T20:42:35.952-07:00I Run This Town (Part 5:Weeks 15-17)<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>I RUN THIS TOWN (PART 5: WEEKS 15-17)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">You may have noticed that I had a long gap between my last post and now. We took the dogs and headed off to live in our RV for a little over a month. During this time I got serious about my distance running again. On five consecutive Saturdays I did marathons. Two in Michigan, and one in Idaho, Utah and Colorado. I’m working at doing a marathon in each state, so this brought my state total to 38 states and my total marathons run to 72. Now that I’m back home, I’m making progress again with running my town. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 15: October 6-13, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It feels really strange trying to get back in the swing of things. I sized up the map and decided I need to finish off a particular section then I would have all of the south side of town done. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">A few times this week my husband came out with me and several other times I had one of my dogs for company. Since I use a different color highlighter on my map when one of the dogs is with me, it is pretty neat to see how much of the city they have traveled. They seem to enjoy all the new sights and smells. These border collies are high energy. I say that taking them running “burns off their crazy.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">As part of my run one day, I had to go down a dead end street in a condo complex. A couple guys from a lawn care service were stopped eating their lunches by their truck. As I got closer, I saw one of them was urinating on a fence by a house at the end of the street. What is wrong with people? </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">As if that wasn’t creepy enough, the Halloween displays are starting to show up in yards. Thankfully my dogs aren’t freaking out when they see them. Kirby was pretty happy to find some bones one day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Weekly stats: 21 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 16: October 14-20, 2017</span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The fall leaves are changing fast. The black walnuts are falling and if you’re not careful it’s easy to twist an ankle on them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">My husband joined me one day, it was warm but rainy morning. The Detroit Marathon is going on today and I remembered back to 22 years ago when I ran my first marathon there. Later, we saw a few street signs that seemed humorous to us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Again I’m joined by my husband and my dog Kirby. We hit the streets in the last big condo complex. There are a ton of little streets. As you start running them they look like a road, then shortly after it looks more like a driveway and it goes to someone’s garage. I may have cut a few roads short in here, but I certainly don’t want to wind up on someone’s private property. On our way out of the complex the last road we go down leads to their clubhouse. It has a small pond next to it. To my surprise, perched on the rail of a small dock is my favorite bird, the Great Blue Heron. </span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I ran a diverse section today that varied between old condos on a golf course, to modern homes, and then to older homes. It was fun to see the variation of housing in one small section. I had one long dead end street to run. I got to the very end and saw three dogs out in a yard. The owner was in the backyard. I asked her what kind of dogs there were and I guess that was the international signal for the dogs to run out into the street to me. They seemed nice but two of them were quite large, and one looked to be a puppy. They initially looked like pit bulls but as they got closer I saw their faces were all wrinkly. The owner came out to the street to get her brood and she told me they were French Mastiffs (think Turner and Hooch.) These guys were all very friendly but I left there feeling inappropriately sniffed and covered in dog drool. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Another day I found the back entrance to the Dinoasaur Hill Nature Preserve. I’ve always seen it from the Paint Creek Trail. It is technically in the city of Rochester, but since I was so close, I had to stop and check out the cool trails. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Weekly stats: 16.99 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 17: October 21-27, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I started this week out with the Kansas City Marathon in Missouri, state #39 in my 50 state marathon quest. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I took it really easy this week and didn’t run a lot of miles. But I did enjoy seeing lots of fall leaves changing colors. The mornings are cold, with temps in the mid to high 30’s. I’ve had to break out my winter clothes including hat and gloves. Ironically the subdivision I ran thru this week had streets named after ski resort towns. Steamboat Springs, Winter Park, Powderhorn and Snowmass. I’m serious wondering if I will be running in the snow sooner than I think.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week stats: 12.15 miles (marathon not included)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Square miles completed: 23</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">Approximate square miles to go: 10</span>UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-5340372307600040692017-10-29T19:20:00.001-07:002017-10-29T19:20:13.705-07:00Progress<div>
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<b>PROGRESS</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GicDrnx4YO3e7sRvhYNXl-Fc6kr7MIS3NAJEpGZ4Ssv00UPtX6_eH2l7TAxd7atVyx1nQmjOXQ7fH5_CrOb2DuoQF50sM5BmjSCE9X3hkEVwtogZKuwnPNuTLNBDcaTpXoFs9f6IqfLz/s1600/IMG_7860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GicDrnx4YO3e7sRvhYNXl-Fc6kr7MIS3NAJEpGZ4Ssv00UPtX6_eH2l7TAxd7atVyx1nQmjOXQ7fH5_CrOb2DuoQF50sM5BmjSCE9X3hkEVwtogZKuwnPNuTLNBDcaTpXoFs9f6IqfLz/s320/IMG_7860.JPG" width="240" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12px; white-space: pre;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12px; white-space: pre;">Not long ago, I was asked to write a blog post for Skirt Sports. The assignment, pick a word. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">I thought it would be easy to pick a word. Just one word, something that I felt described me and how I felt about things lately. I wish I could say it was a word that seemed more honorable, generous or commendable. But my word was about me and how I’d felt about my life lately. There are so many words to chose from, but in the end I chose “Progress.” It took me a lot of thinking to come up with this word. Then after I chose it, I realized it was something that should have come to mind far easier, since it is tattooed on my body. If it was three words it would have been “Relentless Forward Progress.”</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7Ny0r32ahxHTrQ1-EGyhjdPSiCj0Te-lZqKuNaFNzx91hZCmP5gLwxNLRL8nblRiuiTIiPHbFxrBfdsmcE4pgCwHoAooyvGAmWRcJ_xDjEqqfpeX3xFTW4Z0NcFoTeMGYH2LaV-Cnfsq/s1600/photo_2_2_2_2_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7Ny0r32ahxHTrQ1-EGyhjdPSiCj0Te-lZqKuNaFNzx91hZCmP5gLwxNLRL8nblRiuiTIiPHbFxrBfdsmcE4pgCwHoAooyvGAmWRcJ_xDjEqqfpeX3xFTW4Z0NcFoTeMGYH2LaV-Cnfsq/s320/photo_2_2_2_2_2.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The tattoo on my leg was done shortly after I finished my first 100 mile trail race. It was the title of a book that inspired and guided me along the way to achieving my goal. It became a mantra to me, to remind me that every step you take in the right direction is making forward progress. And sometimes you just have to be relentless about it.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I wound up with pretty serious stress fracture in my femoral neck late last year. It resulted in surgery. I had three screws, each three inches in length inserted in my femur to brace the fracture.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTntBp7rh61NTO8DAeqhI4m_BnZdes9sHs5RJ3xurJLzC5NWpUw2OYUr99pLet22X3BlCpqApGZYfOQQdiV0xeXiaXUrangyNBnsFRX68buCkT6-q60kETJurN-79bRmXx8IH1_hXeT76Z/s1600/Leg+Screws+Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="442" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTntBp7rh61NTO8DAeqhI4m_BnZdes9sHs5RJ3xurJLzC5NWpUw2OYUr99pLet22X3BlCpqApGZYfOQQdiV0xeXiaXUrangyNBnsFRX68buCkT6-q60kETJurN-79bRmXx8IH1_hXeT76Z/s320/Leg+Screws+Photo.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I had no idea how hard it would be to sit around in my recliner all day and use a walker just to get the the bathroom. I needed help to do just about everything. It was very humbling and honestly quite depressing. It was so difficult to hear the amazing things my friends were doing while I sat on my butt all day reading books, watching Netflix, or throwing the ball for my dogs. (Ok, I did enjoy doing all of those things, but I didn’t like the being injured part.) I was happy for their achievements, but felt sorry for myself. We cancelled races and vacations because I could not even get on an airplane, let alone run the race I was signed up for. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I worked hard at my physical therapy and a few months later I was able to run again. I am now running outdoors and doing a few races now and then. I can’t do the insane ultra distances I was doing before my injury, but one day I’ll get back there. But for now I’ve altered my plans and decided to take on a project of running every street in my town this summer. It’s been fun to give myself new priorities and new goals, and I’m enjoying the process it is taking to get there. I’ve stopped comparing myself to others and counting mileage. I’m just being me, doing my own thing and enjoying the process. I’m happy to be healthy and getting stronger. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>One day in the future, you will find me at the intersection of crazy and stupid. I’ll be doing some insane distance or event that will make my family and friends shake their heads. But until then, I know that the things that happen in my life are for the greater good and I’ll embrace the change and continue making Relentless Forward Progress. </span></div>
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-42351220924926105662017-10-19T15:17:00.001-07:002017-10-19T15:17:45.730-07:00AfterShokz - #beopen #airinaction <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNL1VbGgEcRtOSknRkndsqbgcHF9Sb7Whk4mCf_V0231T5kx7rRttVHxdO6Vpo5obsriKBhLU4jRsXM5Pa6GYrgfFzTqOe0-rYaXxSI8MDDDE_Q27lH_POzqkDac0j5kP9_s7F_v7oLTX/s1600/IMG_8325+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNL1VbGgEcRtOSknRkndsqbgcHF9Sb7Whk4mCf_V0231T5kx7rRttVHxdO6Vpo5obsriKBhLU4jRsXM5Pa6GYrgfFzTqOe0-rYaXxSI8MDDDE_Q27lH_POzqkDac0j5kP9_s7F_v7oLTX/s320/IMG_8325+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Anyone that has read my blog recently knows that I took on a project this summer. I am running every street in my town. I’ve discovered that a lot of areas don’t have sidewalks and I’m forced to run on the road. This made me become even more aware of my safety. I enjoy listening to music or podcasts while I run. But with the headphones I was using I had to have the volume super low, or wear only one ear bud to be able to hear people, cars and dogs. Then I found Aftershokz.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABnCrF0vN7JnDWzJE9lwPZcVYm0z-izes2eLH453DAk_f9FGu7N_Phys1IiQllPQnuZFoHxl_OsFEAGPEKcpyVy7iSgSjJLEzPRLR9FqBJgJKnxjHqt7wXbSN89c43aUBiuQ7iKhDx6oN/s1600/aftershokzhero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="620" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABnCrF0vN7JnDWzJE9lwPZcVYm0z-izes2eLH453DAk_f9FGu7N_Phys1IiQllPQnuZFoHxl_OsFEAGPEKcpyVy7iSgSjJLEzPRLR9FqBJgJKnxjHqt7wXbSN89c43aUBiuQ7iKhDx6oN/s320/aftershokzhero.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Aftershokz headphones do not go in your ears. They rest just in front of your ears, leaving your ears open to hear the noises around you. The headphones transmit the sound through mini vibrations. It travels through your cheekbones into your inner ear, leaving your ear open so you can be aware of your surroundings. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWayEAGDvZ_ASaHqnGbK_40_x9_KEG_eVFxr_E7AoLed8Aadjrz83SRAz2Io6GkViC-d5FGui4xbW0Z00VVPkuDN-p5w53MAcpamgrUGZFturom70JtHRIw-GDez04BHYF-4WaoNQcO8m/s1600/IMG_7972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWayEAGDvZ_ASaHqnGbK_40_x9_KEG_eVFxr_E7AoLed8Aadjrz83SRAz2Io6GkViC-d5FGui4xbW0Z00VVPkuDN-p5w53MAcpamgrUGZFturom70JtHRIw-GDez04BHYF-4WaoNQcO8m/s320/IMG_7972.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wearing Trekz Sportz</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYiPhzzu-oDRz8vrqHmOdPDkc_BoCcKe3tKu-m0gQZwpr91TDGlxJWMwmqg4lifIbs7GUccnqDK3fd2L_2Uq4qvPHLw5yzLFFsTh3ikLtR0YpetxiTbtx7wWSC7sIZf4wm8kipZSTr1mS/s1600/IMG_7171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYiPhzzu-oDRz8vrqHmOdPDkc_BoCcKe3tKu-m0gQZwpr91TDGlxJWMwmqg4lifIbs7GUccnqDK3fd2L_2Uq4qvPHLw5yzLFFsTh3ikLtR0YpetxiTbtx7wWSC7sIZf4wm8kipZSTr1mS/s320/IMG_7171.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> My fist pair of Aftershokz headphones were the Sportz Titanium. These were so comfortable that I forgot I was even wearing them. I felt much safer while running because I could hear what was going on around me. They were comfortable while wearing sunglasses too. This model is wired but they still need to be charged. A twelve hour battery life means you don’t have to charge them as often. I was so impressed with them that I emailed the company to tell them how impressed I was and they invited me to be one of their ambassadors, a ShokzStar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> They sent me a nice goodie package including the Trekz Titanium. This model is even lighter than the Sportz Titanium. It is also bluetooth and has a six hour battery life. I had never used a bluetooth headphone before and now I’m not sure I can go back to wired. These would be great for anyone but they really had athletes in mind when these were designed. They are sweatproof. The wraparound headband is really comfortable for running and biking, and I’m sure a ton of other activities. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> Aftershokz even sent me a pair of the Sportz Titanium and Trekz Titanium to loan out to my local friends to try.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTJcyXR2kxC6a1iG7PANJZOGk1yN6Cjv0fosymoyjPZ6JONSulYrAyQVNy5v_PqTlAL2dt6KU1HsERICAEMVVwJvPjQ7JQCU1cwIt6JmIVIQrhMjI0bV4KeUKPoL2_g44OhBs2PJ9y6IB/s1600/IMG_8669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTJcyXR2kxC6a1iG7PANJZOGk1yN6Cjv0fosymoyjPZ6JONSulYrAyQVNy5v_PqTlAL2dt6KU1HsERICAEMVVwJvPjQ7JQCU1cwIt6JmIVIQrhMjI0bV4KeUKPoL2_g44OhBs2PJ9y6IB/s320/IMG_8669.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wearing Trekz Titanium</td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> As if those other two models weren’t good enough they out did them selves with the Trekz Air. This is the lightest model. 20% lighter than the Trekz Titanium. The amazing sound and fit make this model a star. I could wear these all day, I’ve never been able to say that about any other headphone. Every other brand I’ve tried hurt my ears after several hours of wear. This model has a six hour battery life and is also sweat resistant. Both of the bluetooth models can be used for phone calls when bluetooth paired. All their headphones are great but they hit a home run with this model. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgti7G97RvU_ZUE6-XCz8pTvvi8L3UU6Y9FVxTv_0rdCNs35m0STIhYaLVHD3nMxySPRwtznSmlR9qhNw9N-SmRw5RatXJhJ_t83GyfutGrE-6dbNJUi8UoZcCHd1-_7dmeSp9ZH4xK-L7W/s1600/IMG_8918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgti7G97RvU_ZUE6-XCz8pTvvi8L3UU6Y9FVxTv_0rdCNs35m0STIhYaLVHD3nMxySPRwtznSmlR9qhNw9N-SmRw5RatXJhJ_t83GyfutGrE-6dbNJUi8UoZcCHd1-_7dmeSp9ZH4xK-L7W/s320/IMG_8918.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0T6xj2DzHBq1hvBKLJjiphovp4Ox-C8hkS6kghvvQJJQkg4Ac82khF0MTq537KJd0FoyBAxlK0AxJpfD2unnRwMU_HypLr2f_labAWf7A6kBhJTI6uqZ2AMP5dkYVcOySvRtjurepIBoF/s1600/IMG_9076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0T6xj2DzHBq1hvBKLJjiphovp4Ox-C8hkS6kghvvQJJQkg4Ac82khF0MTq537KJd0FoyBAxlK0AxJpfD2unnRwMU_HypLr2f_labAWf7A6kBhJTI6uqZ2AMP5dkYVcOySvRtjurepIBoF/s320/IMG_9076.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wearing Trekz Air<br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I’ve fallen in love with these headphones and if you try them, I think you will too. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">If you’d like to know more, check out their website at Aftershokz.com</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Feel free to use this link to save 20% on the Sportz Titanium and Trekz Titanium models. <a href="http://mbsy.co/j2cjw"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 255); color: #021eaa; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">http://mbsy.co/j2cjw</span></a></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">#aftershokz #shokzsquad #airinaction #beopen #aftershokz</span></div>
UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-48305041357802346912017-08-28T19:02:00.001-07:002017-08-28T20:55:03.568-07:00I Run This Town (Part 4:Weeks 12-14)<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I RUN THIS TOWN (PART 4: WEEKS 12-14)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 12: August 5-11, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">My week started out by getting a massage. The masseuse asked if I was a runner and I told her I was and about my “I Run This Town” project. She said she lived in the my city and told me where. Strangely enough, I had just run her street a few days earlier. I told her about the baseball field I found in someone’s backyard near her home and she said she was going to try to find it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I did a long run around Oakland University. I looked up the statistics later and learned that the undergraduate program has about 17,000 students and the campus covers 1,400 acres. I hadn’t been on the campus in some time and it really has changed. They now have a beautiful new track and a sports dome. Lots of new buildings, statues and a clocktower. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The highlight of the campus is Meadowbrook Hall. It is the sixth largest home in America and the fourth largest historical home museum. The manor has 88,000 square feet and 110 rooms. It was the home of the auto baron John Dodge’s family, although he never lived there since he passed away before the home was finished. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I later ran by the John Dodge house, his home and where the first Dodge automobiles were designed and tested on the rolling hills of the 320 acre farm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Later on this run a chinook helicopter flew overhead .</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Another day I ran past the courthouse and sheriff department. I decided to stop in and visit with my friend Dave, he is a deputy in my town. He and I went to the police academy together almost 25 years ago. He knew I was running all the streets in town and was impressed with my progress. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In another neighborhood I discovered a beautiful lake surrounded by homes. This is the second decent size lake I’ve seen in my town. I did not know that my town even had lakes in it, other than in the local parks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I ran past a local park, this one had a lot of baseball fields in it. It’s also where the city has their fireworks display each year. I found a garage sale nearby and stopped to look around, but didn’t buy anything. I had to hold my breath as I ran past two dead skunks on the way back to my car. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Weekly Stats:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">34.2 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Police contacts = 1, but that was self initiated. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Things found: a dime and two Free Little Libraries</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 13: August 12-18, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I took both dogs out with me to explore a new area. On a busy road I heard someone yelling my name. I looked across the street to see my friend Argenta. She is out training for her first ultra marathon. I ran with her during week three of this project, that seems so long ago. (At time of writing this she has successfully finished her race and took first in her age group.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The dogs and I passed some huge pine trees and turn the corner to see a big brown dog in the middle of the road about 10 feet from us. After a minute I realized it was a deer. A few feet behind it was a fawn. They both stood there assessing me and my dogs. My dogs were also at full attention but didn’t make a peep. The deer wandered off to a nearby yard. I’m starting to wonder if I am seeing the same deer again and again, or if these are different deer. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowxjILFt4k2g8y8EvT8zIwQY4uL_9_59XvsBx0ypoKy0OF0dY4ffzi3xOUUpIfsBYZGRosgGQHKZ2K1wlJApFLiZ1en0gcS2A-AQityyb5gwNajqWqTUDg_vJ8X753Xe0Q9OX_xLzgCs6/s1600/IMG_8185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowxjILFt4k2g8y8EvT8zIwQY4uL_9_59XvsBx0ypoKy0OF0dY4ffzi3xOUUpIfsBYZGRosgGQHKZ2K1wlJApFLiZ1en0gcS2A-AQityyb5gwNajqWqTUDg_vJ8X753Xe0Q9OX_xLzgCs6/s320/IMG_8185.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">A few blocks later I heard a dog barking. I turned to see it running towards us from three houses away. The owner just kept calling it’s name but the dog didn’t listen to her and she made no effort to get come get the dog. I yelled that if it came too close, it would get pepper sprayed. The owner’s daughter came running to get the dog. My dogs sat down and let the dog approach and didn’t seem too worked up, so I hoped it was friendly. Nothing happened, but I am a more skeptical of loose dogs after Zuzu’s attack a little over a month ago. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgnkH7hdYQiRGllltuRGJDSoPRpZQwDgMVMNOYb4FFOCR2TisWZ3eKBeF2npEhQeTDgoM36WynxDqs8HN_x__H0IjCPYcUDIxFlquymQsgM7lu3s35UVkASbG0zVodzQmd6znZ8_wTfin/s1600/IMG_8276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgnkH7hdYQiRGllltuRGJDSoPRpZQwDgMVMNOYb4FFOCR2TisWZ3eKBeF2npEhQeTDgoM36WynxDqs8HN_x__H0IjCPYcUDIxFlquymQsgM7lu3s35UVkASbG0zVodzQmd6znZ8_wTfin/s320/IMG_8276.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I got out at 8:00 A.M. to run a tough section of road. I tried to run this before but there was too much traffic. My husband dropped me off and pulled off the road to keep an eye on me. The shoulder is very narrow, maybe a foot wide at most for about a half a mile. It also goes up a big hill with limited sight distance for drivers. It’s heavily treed, so it is very dark in the middle of the day. I put on my yellow reflective traffic vest as a precaution. When I got to the worst spot, I waited for my husband to follow me in the car to block traffic. He later told me that it was so dark in that spot that if he didn’t know I was there, it would have been tough to see me. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVuuGTu6ePq0HUUnJPzpkXietJJv_D1Mm2irxmqq3rDmnRH2v7CzUo7gmtGkmQ6_cV0YF_VgZ0Y5ltkGtsZAs3KTT7gh7Zo_Hepd-QcPYfjTh7lNFfdJjWbfGBd1dlJN3gQSx-t1qgHEK/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1447" data-original-width="1600" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVuuGTu6ePq0HUUnJPzpkXietJJv_D1Mm2irxmqq3rDmnRH2v7CzUo7gmtGkmQ6_cV0YF_VgZ0Y5ltkGtsZAs3KTT7gh7Zo_Hepd-QcPYfjTh7lNFfdJjWbfGBd1dlJN3gQSx-t1qgHEK/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Madonna grew up in my town. Her childhood home in only a few miles away from where I live. I’ve always wanted to look for her home and today I ran past it. The news said the current owners purchased it in 2012 for $91,000. They had to remodel the house because fire damage (arson) that occurred in 2008. It was listed for sale in June for $479,000. As I ran past it I saw that there was a “Sold” sign out front. The home is located in a beautiful tree lined neighborhood that any kid (material girl or not) would be happy to have lived in. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSUm6M9KtjnboJLRN0KQqInCUhYlsJbB6XenfumjThhZACsKSHLZSsrV7HbBiliDAdUWfmHfVwkqQs4Aw4x4rDsbbg4aMIhkfhzzNpOyrxNjxOOBkBkuYHNXX0T5Wfeg7UX2EhZpgqDp8/s1600/IMG_8265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSUm6M9KtjnboJLRN0KQqInCUhYlsJbB6XenfumjThhZACsKSHLZSsrV7HbBiliDAdUWfmHfVwkqQs4Aw4x4rDsbbg4aMIhkfhzzNpOyrxNjxOOBkBkuYHNXX0T5Wfeg7UX2EhZpgqDp8/s320/IMG_8265.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I took my dog Kirby out for a few miles, it turned out to be warmer out than I had anticipated. We were both glad that our run ended by the drinking fountain at the Veterans Memorial Pointe park. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I ran two areas today. One was a section near my pet store. I needed to get dog food, so I parked in their lot and ran nearby neighborhoods. I found a new subdivision that wasn’t on the map. It was so new that there were no homes there, just a sign and a street. As I ran it, a noisy red tailed hawk circled me overhead. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMNevTVFDoHWiX_xpCzSBHGInodLCICCjnQrrOO06uj9Kbhex_RbEQLf0ZPoT4jKVBqVYxJiz7jCxqgUnwl0tdanSlXb75Qzwr5dwjiTi_0VS4PgGIpuBckc3xLoPaMrKCV9L0tjTVmSw/s1600/IMG_8274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMNevTVFDoHWiX_xpCzSBHGInodLCICCjnQrrOO06uj9Kbhex_RbEQLf0ZPoT4jKVBqVYxJiz7jCxqgUnwl0tdanSlXb75Qzwr5dwjiTi_0VS4PgGIpuBckc3xLoPaMrKCV9L0tjTVmSw/s320/IMG_8274.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Later I drove to another very busy area. I only ran a mile here, but it needed to be checked off the map. Oh and did I mention it was near the Yates Cider Mill? And it just happened to be free donut Wednesday. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAsMuAxnNpNCUOKlfpu4TWkekObMaCw3A3nHxaI4Uxp8LljQ3abkgSPxk2mIl851eU0XAFesm0_LyjMP_3ue84Nuf-qR-8rgWeSnY8NI2ZGZkyYEH7GX2506JZsflR4vIXbVQkXWDSLVM/s1600/IMG_8277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAsMuAxnNpNCUOKlfpu4TWkekObMaCw3A3nHxaI4Uxp8LljQ3abkgSPxk2mIl851eU0XAFesm0_LyjMP_3ue84Nuf-qR-8rgWeSnY8NI2ZGZkyYEH7GX2506JZsflR4vIXbVQkXWDSLVM/s320/IMG_8277.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Another day, no sooner did I park my car and the man that lived in the house came to my car and told me my tires were on his lawn. I didn’t realize this as there are no curbs here. I apologized and moved my car over a few inches so the tires were completely on the pavement. He still seemed miffed that I parked near his house at all. I told him I would be gone in an hour. A few blocks later I ran past a liquor store. It brought back memories to the horrible incident about ten years ago when one of the owners was killed in a robbery. This kind of thing doesn’t happen often in my city, so it’s something you don’t easily forget. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Weekly Stats:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">38.4 miles</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPas_WJ_et_xj6wUiHFy44ITcHLw0tLvI9CRkCiicd-DgXjZ_Rhj6aCkwHYzENpq8-3TYpJro0WiiXYFAh6enGchRvKpyKLwrTrev0bvTnoQxJRu4Q0hRhPz-WsvUhfJBHLM-z-MfThRTW/s1600/IMG_8273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPas_WJ_et_xj6wUiHFy44ITcHLw0tLvI9CRkCiicd-DgXjZ_Rhj6aCkwHYzENpq8-3TYpJro0WiiXYFAh6enGchRvKpyKLwrTrev0bvTnoQxJRu4Q0hRhPz-WsvUhfJBHLM-z-MfThRTW/s320/IMG_8273.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 14: August 19-25, 2017 (plus August 26-28)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I finished another square mile today. I ran past a small vineyard in someones yard. I wonder how productive these vines are and if they are able to harvest anything good here. A few blocks later I found another garage sale and bought some books for my mom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I spent two mornings running thru an area that was mostly condos. There was limited on street parking, I wound up parking in the same spot both days. On the second day, as I was parking I noticed the homeowner was out front working on his yard. He eyed me suspiciously as I got out of my car. I decided it was best to let him know what I was doing. Here’s the conversation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Me: Hi there, I just wanted to let you know I was going to park my car here for about an hour. I’m going out for a run in the area.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Him: Really?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Me:Yeah, I’m running every street in town. But I wanted to let you know why I was parking my car here...just so you didn’t think anything weird was going on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Him: Hmm, you mean weirder than that?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I ran some major streets in my area and past by Rochester College, I looked up on the internet later to discover it is as small as it looks. Only an enrollment of just over 1,000 students and the campus is just over 85 acres in size. After my run I downloaded my Garmin data to my computer only to discover I missed a street. I’m still shocked that this is only the second time I have missed a street while running. It’s harder than you would think on some of those twisty, windy subdivisions. Later my husband and I were headed out to run errands and he said we should probably go get that missed street done, clearly he knew I would be thinking about it until I got it done. So, he dropped me off and I ran the short hill on the block I missed. I can imagine what the neighbors would have thought. It probably looked like he kicked me out of the car and I was running after him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I really enjoy most of the areas I’ve run, but the apartments and condos can be a bit boring. Most of the time I feel as though I’m running through parking lots and dead end streets that look more like driveways. In most of the areas like this the residents give me funny looks. I’m sure no one ever runs through their parking lots which according to my city map, are technically streets. I found a street named after my hometown.</span></div>
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I ran through the Meadowfield Townhomes today. I got a chuckle out of the name as a “meadow” and a “field” are just about the same thing. Not to mention I really didn’t see a meadow or a field in the area. What was really refreshing though, was that every person I saw was super friendly, had a nice comment or waved as they drove past. As one lady drove past she asked me if I was “enjoying my walk.” Wow, was I really running that slow? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjJxsrMs33BaJgfXH-Ewb2E2q6SJKkl9-UrOwWhYmXwrhkrYq_sYZ4FUtIVs9ZDDMokhazawJdGx5MsRTQ89AAq3IqzBe1iRVkcPeyep9XmWwiU_siV9xkcIyoYiet2vSj3OeK3NajSuM/s1600/IMG_8313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjJxsrMs33BaJgfXH-Ewb2E2q6SJKkl9-UrOwWhYmXwrhkrYq_sYZ4FUtIVs9ZDDMokhazawJdGx5MsRTQ89AAq3IqzBe1iRVkcPeyep9XmWwiU_siV9xkcIyoYiet2vSj3OeK3NajSuM/s320/IMG_8313.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">At work, I bumped into a fellow named Shane. He was wearing shirt with my city’s name on it. I asked if he worked for the city. He told me he is with the engineering department. I explained what I was doing and he seemed interested. He gave me a tip on how to find out the progress of new subdivisions so I can be sure to run every street, as the new ones are added. He said he would pass the name of my blog to the mayor, that it may interest him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Weekly Stats:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">33.58 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It’s been 100 days into my project to run every street in my city. I have </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">20 square miles done. I run a new course every day and I am seeing my town from a perspective I am sure few have done. </span></div>
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-47097420416412326522017-08-07T20:03:00.001-07:002017-08-28T18:09:17.026-07:00I Run This Town (Part 3: Weeks 9-11)<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I RUN THIS TOWN (PART 3: WEEKS 9-11)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 9: July 15-21, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This week started off great. I ran a local 5K up north. I was very happy with sub 9 minute miles, but did a number on my hamstring and could hardly walk after. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I took a few days rest then got back to it. Each day this week was painful and I wound up walking a good portion of my limited distance. The most notable thing I found this week was a small baseball field in someones back yard. It even had a cool scoreboard and lights. Someone’s personal Field of Dreams. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I also found another Free Little Library and some wooden totems poles of owls, eagles and other animals. The craftsmanship was amazing. I’ve driven past them before but never had the chance to really enjoy them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 9 Stats: </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">8.6 miles </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 10: July 22-28, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I found another Free Little Library, I haven’t taken any books yet as I didn’t want to carry them on my runs. I’m an avid reader. That is why I pay extra attention to these boxes. I think it is so cool that the residents care to give back to the community by the gift of books. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcRCXj9zD5bDs5YLllrjAVjPvfwpNIXuM0Bg7cW7b94gBD6v1OlB5eR7qz35vVAJ1XXJD0Lu64UV7_E7f1iIJQrRBbBo3d39NoiwgVX81zzvgWM_BEnFvz7FwP20aIY9OLViltpgGMN-V/s1600/IMG_7794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcRCXj9zD5bDs5YLllrjAVjPvfwpNIXuM0Bg7cW7b94gBD6v1OlB5eR7qz35vVAJ1XXJD0Lu64UV7_E7f1iIJQrRBbBo3d39NoiwgVX81zzvgWM_BEnFvz7FwP20aIY9OLViltpgGMN-V/s320/IMG_7794.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">My leg still hurts and I’m trying to take it easy, but still trying to get some miles in. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I had to run on a freeway overpass today. So I parked my car a few miles away and my hubby dropped near the overpass. There was a decent shoulder but I still don’t like running without a sidewalk on a busy road. I did this on a Sunday as there was little traffic. I passed the Big Boy restaurant and stopped for a selfie with the iconic chubby boy in checkered overalls. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfmOx2MzxrEU06eL3P6awwg7fRqpTnZYLfYaP1GnJi8mjtBFVmm6OHDHZ-CmZ1Xb4m_DfIlTqBlKKGMVs7hmwdhisdm5PSO5JwgYxuA7RfHIh99YRzhrXeBkYPeWL29UnncdNIxZclbHB/s1600/FullSizeRender+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="977" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfmOx2MzxrEU06eL3P6awwg7fRqpTnZYLfYaP1GnJi8mjtBFVmm6OHDHZ-CmZ1Xb4m_DfIlTqBlKKGMVs7hmwdhisdm5PSO5JwgYxuA7RfHIh99YRzhrXeBkYPeWL29UnncdNIxZclbHB/s320/FullSizeRender+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I thought I saw another loose dog, but it turned out to be a fawn. It was jumping around like a bucking broncho on someone’s front lawn. What a cool sight. These past few days have been hard with this leg injury. I’ve had to take more days off and run shorter mileage than I want on other days. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’m becoming increasingly irritated by the amount of trash on the streets. Today I ran past a dirty diaper on someone’s front lawn. that was a first. I typically see a lot of empty cigarette packages and liquor bottles on the roadside. I feel bad for the people that live on these busy roads and the trash that people must throw out their car windows. I think we need a city wide clean up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Finally my hamstring is loosening up and I had a good day. I ran past an abandoned home with the windows smashed and boarded up, I saw another back yard that had a burned out car and a bunch of junk piled high. These things are not the norm for my city. I passed another house that had been in a recent fire, strangely enough right across the street from the fire department. Two more Free Little Libraries were located and two unfriendly dogs desperately tried to get out of their fence I browsed through the books. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Surprisingly I was able to enter a city park on foot without paying a toll, guess it only applies to cars. I enjoyed a nice run on a dirt path around a small lake. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In a nearby neighborhood I saw flowers as big as my head.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Later that day I took both of my dogs. We passed an amazing wood carving of St. Francis, so amazing to be passing this with both of my girls. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 10 Stats: </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">24.42 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">12 square miles completed </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 11: July 29-August 4, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I spent most of the day volunteering at an ultra marathon in a city park. Afterwards I ran on this amazing trail with my buddy Jeff, running and eating popsicles on his last loop of his 50K race. I know that the trail miles don’t count to tick off any streets on my map, but it was in the city and it was rewarding and fun. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Did a double run today. In the morning, I had my husband drop me off so I could run a sketchy section of road with little to no shoulder. It was a Sunday morning so traffic was light. There was construction on the road to make things even more messy. A fellow runner went past wearing a mask to simulate high altitude training. I waved and yelled, “Looking Good!” I think he smiled, but it was hard to tell under that mask. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In the afternoon, checked of streets in a subdivision that had this great grassy hill that looked like a park. I took the time for a few photos here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I followed the streets that were half torn up with construction. When I got to the dead end of a street I saw a little trail. I decided to see where it went. As I followed the trail, I was hoping I wouldn’t get lost. I scared up a momma deer and her two fawn. Tons of birds flittered past and eventually I wound up and the bottom of that grassy hill. That was amazing and saved me about a mile of repeating the same section of road. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdD_4_dbZ8uSDe7TjZKxr4jVf9QK-Cz-Vgt_3n2XNvhUtU-Uoksd4ftarnc2RBFAihH1nag2GKg4NV8f4R3TC4aROs1BeOmRMi07UWmTj0Rpr7B3v3df_xsxczXsAGp7TqVYDchC5pv_aa/s1600/IMG_8087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdD_4_dbZ8uSDe7TjZKxr4jVf9QK-Cz-Vgt_3n2XNvhUtU-Uoksd4ftarnc2RBFAihH1nag2GKg4NV8f4R3TC4aROs1BeOmRMi07UWmTj0Rpr7B3v3df_xsxczXsAGp7TqVYDchC5pv_aa/s320/IMG_8087.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Later, I came across this very confusing intersection. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1FeU8Q-NjI_UF-MQ9ogRvt50B1_8v6N05nu5GMw2GNhlLlzL1IVrho3NMoCYjRtE1Q_0AVD_vqafoMPgcRD42dVTYaSidNtRAzls38FRo8wcMCGSFhqLxK2Y1pwDauKwWED76aceqmcG/s1600/IMG_8120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1FeU8Q-NjI_UF-MQ9ogRvt50B1_8v6N05nu5GMw2GNhlLlzL1IVrho3NMoCYjRtE1Q_0AVD_vqafoMPgcRD42dVTYaSidNtRAzls38FRo8wcMCGSFhqLxK2Y1pwDauKwWED76aceqmcG/s320/IMG_8120.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">After that I drove to a small section a bit further west and ran a few more streets. I found another Free Little Library and some trails that connected to the trail I had just been on. I looked at Google Earth to confirm this. I will for sure check out those trails again. Amazing, that these little trails seem to be all over my town, yet I never knew they were there. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlC7aqNkiHWSXYH4Z90YBtN09m60JnY5IElXQRRk75KB8gUFOkUNYunUM8ig2AspnY9RZUd1ITf18sswoHS9AC9-bOO_3Qkl0APHXAaM01wX_fMVhZjlRZKSYD98fJ9zu2SJXntHQAuOe/s1600/IMG_8122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlC7aqNkiHWSXYH4Z90YBtN09m60JnY5IElXQRRk75KB8gUFOkUNYunUM8ig2AspnY9RZUd1ITf18sswoHS9AC9-bOO_3Qkl0APHXAaM01wX_fMVhZjlRZKSYD98fJ9zu2SJXntHQAuOe/s320/IMG_8122.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If you haven’t seen my city map yet, it shows 36 square miles, six miles across and six miles up. There is another city located within my city. That city takes up a few square miles. My city lists itself on Wikipedia as 32.91 square miles. Today I got my first “bingo” by getting my first row across the map done. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Another day and another busy road. The crosswalk signal at the intersection didn’t work right and never gave me the “walk” icon. Ugh. I was happy to duck down a dirt side street to get away from the speeding cars. Only one block away it was so peaceful you could almost forget you were in a busy town. I passed by Antoniou’s (my favorite pizza shop, owned by friends of mine) and also by the Leader Dogs for the Blind headquarters.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKtx-4am77rhnP9mHv3VsEPWmC36jgwPoJy7Jh4WUVmevSLxx5yR4fldlbLeG0fXpj2iODcCm5XkSSPEq2FFqMKPgUjJ9nXcVfzdDlvgKI_e0igS6ug3sjGT1zCTve24lP-aekwNBKdb6v/s1600/IMG_8171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKtx-4am77rhnP9mHv3VsEPWmC36jgwPoJy7Jh4WUVmevSLxx5yR4fldlbLeG0fXpj2iODcCm5XkSSPEq2FFqMKPgUjJ9nXcVfzdDlvgKI_e0igS6ug3sjGT1zCTve24lP-aekwNBKdb6v/s320/IMG_8171.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If you didn’t know my city was rated one of the top ten best places to live in America. It was also rated the #1 city in Michigan by Money Magazine. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl19sJ2vvqfIKEHvkH0Kf5z_BXb8LS8KQEARUb5ca5E39Pawlz2yPjGpwL3i3wDAB-HvU4y9AUW5nO3SLdTugDxPJxY2fZwMJvAWfHGC3xPJ9Kb30B6FFg6bD_PFAQnxY2zPyyz79syKIB/s1600/IMG_8169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl19sJ2vvqfIKEHvkH0Kf5z_BXb8LS8KQEARUb5ca5E39Pawlz2yPjGpwL3i3wDAB-HvU4y9AUW5nO3SLdTugDxPJxY2fZwMJvAWfHGC3xPJ9Kb30B6FFg6bD_PFAQnxY2zPyyz79syKIB/s320/IMG_8169.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyYJBWXh74Iq9kYwse6ENKPdrX0C6Ut8TWkqP_PUty5EMVmp6-aPH1VZfRnFTjGOpRRo6N1cEbIIIadLq4m25DbMGmnrvjwusoofTDWuUpfD5CnnW06c4QmKe9z5dcjTqqSW4DlX1UfkC/s1600/IMG_8170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyYJBWXh74Iq9kYwse6ENKPdrX0C6Ut8TWkqP_PUty5EMVmp6-aPH1VZfRnFTjGOpRRo6N1cEbIIIadLq4m25DbMGmnrvjwusoofTDWuUpfD5CnnW06c4QmKe9z5dcjTqqSW4DlX1UfkC/s320/IMG_8170.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 11 Stats:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">36.27 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Total miles since start: 254.49</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">13 square miles completed</span><br />
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-18533709565153268262017-07-13T21:04:00.001-07:002017-07-14T16:02:21.361-07:00I Run This Town (Part 2: Weeks 5-8)<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>I Run This Town (Part 2: Weeks 5-8)</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kzJXdOMuwJzYFq9XQAx7ms3lbvhkEYRvfdpr3jyyFeOQud2qBClZibh8z8xhXdxDwlBWatxsvs3VTz5xz-afB0cnsH4HevCRzET6FfV4Jyg1wvK8OtlekHbwyNmNK6ST8qMGe1UN7VJX/s1600/FullSizeRender+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="202" data-original-width="640" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kzJXdOMuwJzYFq9XQAx7ms3lbvhkEYRvfdpr3jyyFeOQud2qBClZibh8z8xhXdxDwlBWatxsvs3VTz5xz-afB0cnsH4HevCRzET6FfV4Jyg1wvK8OtlekHbwyNmNK6ST8qMGe1UN7VJX/s320/FullSizeRender+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 5: June 17-23, 2017</span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> I decided to complete a small section that was a senior living trailer park. I stopped at the rental office to let them know I would be parking in their lot for about an hour. Since it was private property, I figured I’d better check in. Here’s the conversation:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Me: Hi, I’m running every street in the town and I’m going to be running your area today. Is it ok if I park in your lot for an hour?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Lady at reception desk: Is this some kind of a fundraiser?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Me: No.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Lady: Then why would you want to do this?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Me: I thought it would be fun. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Lady: Well, you know we assume no liability if something happens to you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Me: Um, okay...thanks?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> They were highly skeptical of my intentions. Well, the only thing that happened was a few senior citizens waved at me while I took photos of their impossibly cute lawn ornaments. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Another day I ran in an industrial area. I passed by the physical therapy office that I went to after my surgery in November. Some of you may remember I had three screws put in my femoral neck to repair a fracture. It’s hard to believe that six months ago I was struggling just to walk in the front door of that office. I also passed the future home of Griffin Claw Brewery. Dang, can’t wait for that place to open so I can enjoy a nice cold Mr. Blue Sky.</span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I mailed a package and ran a few miles near the post office. Someone nearby was cooking bacon and it smelled so good. There was lots of traffic, yet I still managed my first sub ten minute mile in some time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Another section was marked off the map when I ran down the Clinton River Trail. I stopped to visit the site where they found the bones of a mastodon. It was amazing to know that they roamed this area so many years ago. While this trail is one of my favorite places, they discovered the bones while breaking ground for my least favorite place on earth...a Walmart. On this same run I passed through an industrial area where someone did wood carvings. They were amazing. I saw them lined up by the fence. There was wooden dogs (finally one not chasing us), a mermaid, a cobra, an eagle and a guitar. This guy was quite an artist. </span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I still haven’t run with the dogs much, it’s been in the 90’s and muggy. My Zuzu is healing well from the attack and can walk a mile. Kirby is missing her runs, she needs to burn off the crazy. (Anyone with a Border Collie would understand.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 5 Stats:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">19.77 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 6: June 24-30, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I ran a huge section of our local rail trail with my buddy Jeff. We saw a parade of dogs that were training with Sit Means Sit Dog Training. Both Kirby and Zuzu did their training there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I finished the last section of the Clinton River Trail with Kirby, my husband joined us on his bike. Saw a deputy parked on the sidewalk running radar on the busy road. He moved his car and waved as we went past. Clearly we weren’t going fast enough, haha. I won’t count this as a police contact. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I realized now that I haven’t run the same route in almost two months. I’m no longer stuck in a running rut, every day is different. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 6 Stats:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">27.57 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Interesting things: Found a little green plastic lizard, it was cool so I kept it. Saw six deer and two great blue herons.</span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 7: July 1-7, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>One day I did a half marathon of hot, hilly subdivisions. It’s my longest run so far in the city. </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Near the Fourth of July, I ran from the city hall and visited the Veterans Memorial Pointe. I’ve never actually been in the park before. <br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Ran from the post office after mailing another package. Again someone was cooking bacon. Who is this person and why are they torturing me? I found a pink car mailbox to match the blue one I saw weeks ago. And this little yellow guy was calling me names, that’s just not nice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It’s rewarding when I finish another square mile of the map. Today I had to run along a road being repaved and then cross the street at a roundabout. People don’t know how to do a roundabout. From what I see, they drive super fast and don’t yield to pedestrians, then get in the wrong lane and slam on their brakes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I’ve discovered it’s now super easy to find garage sales because I know so many streets. Also there was an accident that blocked the road and I knew all the side roads to get around it and make it to work on time. Hidden benefits to running my town. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I verify my daily runs with my Garmin watch viewed on my computer to see if I miss any streets. I realized I missed a street and went back to do it today. I probably looked like a crazy person as I parked my car on a very short cul-de-sac and got out to run one block. Hey, I’ve got to keep this legit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 7 Stats:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">30.22 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 8: July 8-14, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This week started off needing to run a tricky section, a freeway overpass where there was no sidewalk and the shoulder of the road was narrow. My husband decided the safest way was for him to drop me on one side then wait for a lull in traffic. Then he drove his vehicle behind me while I sprinted across the bridge. My Garmin said at one point I was doing a 7:20 mile. After I safely made it across he left and I finished up my run in a subdivision called Whispering Willows. Strange name as I didn’t see any willow trees. Another day I ran down a street called Forest View, the name could not have been further from the truth. I also found a new subdivision that wasn’t even on my maps. I ran it anyway. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Long run day came and I got in another half marathon. It’s still hot and humid and I can’t take either of the dogs with me. Today, I ran past million dollar homes and saw only two people out in the entire subdivision on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. I saw more deer than people this day, and that’s not a bad thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I went out for a few miles in a subdivision only a mile and a half from my house. I enjoyed watching bunnies hopping around and a hawk fly overhead. Then much to my surprise, I saw two wild turkeys crossing the road. That is not a normal sight in the city. Later I saw on the pavement where kids had drawn a start and finish line. I decided to participate in their race after the fact. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I took Kirby out on a a hot and humid day for a short run. She hadn’t been out with me in a while. We enjoyed it so much that at one point I looked up and didn’t know where I was. Then I saw my car and realized I was repeating a street I’d already run. Dang, I kind of knew this would happen one day. That I would get lost in my thoughts and forget to make a turn. I guess I should be happy it took me eight weeks for that to happen. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 8 Stats:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">25.58 miles</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">I realized why my city name ends with the word “hills.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">Miles this 4 weeks: 103.14</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">Total miles since start: 185.12</span><br />
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-64448345501784051982017-06-16T17:17:00.002-07:002017-07-13T20:48:47.697-07:00I Run This Town (Part 1: Weeks 1-4)<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>I RUN THIS TOWN</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Have you ever wondered what was down the road never taken? Do you run the same routes every time you leave your house? Did you ever say, “Hey, I never knew that was there!” Well, my friend took the journey and ran every street in her city and I decided to do the same. I wanted to discover landmarks, famous places, beautiful and obscure things in my own neighborhood. Some cool, some creepy and some that just confused me. This was my journey, I planned to Run This Town.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Day 0: I picked up map from the city clerk’s office, cost $4. I ordered a set of assorted colored highlighters from Amazon, cost $7. I decided that different colors would be assigned for certain reasons. Pink would be for if Kirby or Zuzu (my dogs) ran with me. Blue would be used if a friend joined me. Green would be for if I ran alone. Large round dots with a black sharpie would indicate a loose dog that approached me. More on that later, but thankfully I also bought a can of pepper spray, cost $20.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEied0yHm45dhkj8xdVAU-yYNvSrOuGdcqPmb4Xdrjto0aMXVVlqDyVykPteFBG4-MKkWtWdMhOnsQe11yjix2A8m5ZeH4a-6Q4K-SPrzx-ivtJOdrQxkVGGSJDvLlRH3K7jD3lxFN8OokBB/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1343" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEied0yHm45dhkj8xdVAU-yYNvSrOuGdcqPmb4Xdrjto0aMXVVlqDyVykPteFBG4-MKkWtWdMhOnsQe11yjix2A8m5ZeH4a-6Q4K-SPrzx-ivtJOdrQxkVGGSJDvLlRH3K7jD3lxFN8OokBB/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I called the department of public works to determine how many miles of roads were in my town. They told me about 300 miles. I guessed I needed to exclude the highway section as I was not sure if pedestrian traffic was allowed, and if it was, did I want to run on the highway? Probably not. But I’m not saying no yet. I told my husband what I planned to do, he didn’t even bat an eye. Guess he has become used to my nonsense by now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 1: May 20-26, 2017:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I ran a section of the Paint Creek Trail with my buddy Jeff. Technically it’s not a road, but it’s on the map and I love running here. I told Jeff about my plans and he didn’t seem shocked. Guess he knows me well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Another day, I parked my car in a subdivision and headed out on my run. I came back to find the sheriff’s department investigating my “suspicious” vehicle. I told the deputy that I had been out running. He asked how long my car had been parked there, I glanced at my Garmin watch and it read an hour and five minutes. He rolled his eyes and went out to look for real criminals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I realized that this project may take longer than I anticipated. At first I thought I could do it this summer. But there are a lot of dead end streets, which means running that street twice. There are many subdivisions that you can’t run with out repeating several blocks over the duration. I try to plot my runs on the computer with the mapmyrun.com site to make my run as efficient as possible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I ran a few days with my dogs. Kirby was frightened of a trash can in the street. The dogs seem unsure of why we are running different routes, they keep bumping into me or trying to turn the wrong direction. They are creatures of habit after all. Until now we have always run the same routes and they knew exactly where to turn. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 1 Stats:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">24.18 miles (this is my total miles logged in the city, miles elsewhere don’t count.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Interesting objects encountered: A turtle, red bellied woodpecker, and the largest Beeb Oak in America. Also found a quarter and a cool orange milk crate that I brought home for my husband. Found four Free Little Libraries. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Contacts with police = 1</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Contacts with loose dogs that approached me = 2</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1QrFPQSkBSkvvtzea31i7NQTdsl-eMbouogSp2-D3yNYzkCuqJRWb7pifpKrEQ3QkOpIChpJ8tog02cKlfOUXlRNP6vOCdBcrASg-dso3sGvnKSI_UTqCYQr3orRw2AWDhzlNKx8uLFa/s1600/IMG_6884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1QrFPQSkBSkvvtzea31i7NQTdsl-eMbouogSp2-D3yNYzkCuqJRWb7pifpKrEQ3QkOpIChpJ8tog02cKlfOUXlRNP6vOCdBcrASg-dso3sGvnKSI_UTqCYQr3orRw2AWDhzlNKx8uLFa/s320/IMG_6884.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 2: May 27-June 2, 2017:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I ran a few miles with each of my dogs on Saturday. Zuzu and I were approached by a small dog came across the street to us. The owner came and got it and apologized.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Another day, I ran Kirby about 6 miles. She did great. A large dog ran across the street to us, while the owner yelled that he was friendly. Everything turned out ok, no harm. I’m already getting frustrated about these loose dogs. For the record, my dogs are always on a leash when I run. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The next day my heart was broken. As I ran Zuzu not even ten blocks from my house two loose dogs charged us from three yards away. They were not friendly and attacked Zuzu from both sides. I pulled out my pepper spray and hosed them down with it. The spray was enough to subdue them until their owner came to get them. A neighbor heard my screams and came to help me. I called the sheriff’s department to take a report. My dog had been bit several times on both sides. She wound up seeing the emergency vets in surgery twice over this incident, resulting in $1,200 in vet bills. I can only count my lucky stars that the owner of the dogs was as horrified as I was and he gladly paid my vet bills (and the ticket issued by the animal control officer.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The rest of the week I was a mess, as I ran I jumped at the slightest sound of a dog barking. I didn’t sleep for several days and I worried about my Zuzu girl and her recovery. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 2 Stats:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">25.28 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Contacts with police/animal control officer = 2</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Contacts with loose dogs = 2</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 3: June 3-June 9, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I went to Boulder, Colorado this weekend for the Skirt Sports 13’er (half marathon.) I talked about my “I Run This Town Project” with several friends. Some of them got inspired by this challenge and have decided to join me and do the same thing in their towns all over the country. I created a Facebook group where we can discuss our adventures. We now have Fifteen people that are doing this project and many more considering it. It has turned into a daily source of inspiration for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I ran some industrial areas near my home, nothing much of interest. Another day, my husband rode his bike as I ran and we encountered another loose dog. This one stayed in his yard but man, he was mean. I’ll come back another day and get this street completed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I decided to take preventive measures and ordered this placard for my car. Hopefully it helps make me look less suspicious. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I later stopped by the Sheriff’s Department and briefed my friend (who is a detective) of my plans. I gave him my license plate number and car description, hoping to avoid the deputies being called out on my highly suspicious vehicle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Another day, Kirby found the sprinklers on in the Walgreens lot. She played like a child in them. What is not to love about this. I could have watched her play all day. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeYnp7Uhs-yV3-1V0H75HHuxgmIh2F3iC-6mL0yRqObJdtGVOpkAWiT8FNZ7rQRt2ETo9tkwSvvchLcVg6plkJUKqjA5-TdnoSQ68x4ov2Ox1l_W4SzlLX7ttg6N_VyV_SHwRBlY2nU2f/s1600/IMG_7066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeYnp7Uhs-yV3-1V0H75HHuxgmIh2F3iC-6mL0yRqObJdtGVOpkAWiT8FNZ7rQRt2ETo9tkwSvvchLcVg6plkJUKqjA5-TdnoSQ68x4ov2Ox1l_W4SzlLX7ttg6N_VyV_SHwRBlY2nU2f/s320/IMG_7066.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">My friend Argenta saw my I Run This Town project post and came to run some with me. We covered about 9 miles of subdivisions. There was a lot of dead end streets. She didn’t mind and I was happy to have some company. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMJj0d8YIBi5gmJbcOnCSdAV0IfnGg2-jaFKS1av1H-MH5wffWQX91ZXBTXrZ0XlP-Z8DH1nmyB_7Y8YPTfypOglCbtFaYOGGKOPPbic4PVSqAJcrmLyWxgOVNhACmnE16J0IQlTiR1ui/s1600/IMG_7087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMJj0d8YIBi5gmJbcOnCSdAV0IfnGg2-jaFKS1av1H-MH5wffWQX91ZXBTXrZ0XlP-Z8DH1nmyB_7Y8YPTfypOglCbtFaYOGGKOPPbic4PVSqAJcrmLyWxgOVNhACmnE16J0IQlTiR1ui/s200/IMG_7087.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It’s only three weeks in and I can’t run anything from my house without repeating at least the first and last mile. I’m starting to consider driving to areas to run them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I had go to run an errand, so I ran three miles nearby my destination. I discovered a community garden. I also saw three sheriff department cars go by. They all waved at me. I wonder if my memo was shown at their roll call and now they know who I am. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Zuzu is recovering well. She is walking a little bit but won’t be joining me on a run for a few more weeks.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwse7UM3H20lg4shpuD5zhYtHXzM6xG_PWLp0D3kGyxBywQvgq-6uU_xoiox2TrBqnQJm9HmgG0WHoCPpaN_beXnZQcy8nFb7W2zoRzLtyFISZgW2wTNPf6pDSCtTofSv4eNDlwsjlc3XZ/s1600/IMG_7156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwse7UM3H20lg4shpuD5zhYtHXzM6xG_PWLp0D3kGyxBywQvgq-6uU_xoiox2TrBqnQJm9HmgG0WHoCPpaN_beXnZQcy8nFb7W2zoRzLtyFISZgW2wTNPf6pDSCtTofSv4eNDlwsjlc3XZ/s320/IMG_7156.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 3 Stats:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">20.73 miles </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Contacts with loose dogs = 1</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Contacts with police (but this was self initiated) = 1</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 4: June 10-June 16, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Instead of chipping off streets, I went to a neighboring city and ran 11 miles of trails with my buddy Jeff. None of these trails are in my city. So it was all just for fun, they didn’t count towards my weekly mileage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The weather has been humid and the temps into the 90’s most days this week. Tough to get out there. I walk the dogs a mile most days before my runs, but they can’t come with me, it’s just too hot and humid.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I did two miles in an industrial park just to mark a few streets off the map. I wonder what most of those businesses are as their names really don’t explain much. I’m guessing most are manufacturing plants but I did see one called Grit Obstacle Courses. That sounded interesting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’m closing in on one month of the I Run This Town Project. My husband came out with me. He dropped me off at the dead end of the street I could not pass last week because of the loose dog. I ran along side the car as he drove so I could complete this street. Why do we have to be afraid of loose dogs in our own towns? I’m even more skeptical now since the attack, than I ever was. We got through this second time without incident. The dog just watched us go by. Later, I ran another 5 miles in a different subdivision. People still look at me funny if I park my car in front of their house, They seem afraid to say hello while I run by. It’s like reply with the word say the word “Hello” and I can hear the question mark behind their voice. Guess a lot of people are skeptics.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I decided I’d post blogs about this in about four week increments. Today is the last day of the first segment. I had an interesting run. I saw a man that looked like Santa Clause in a yard that looked like Sanford and Sons. I found a Free Little Library and brought a book home. Another loose dog chased me, it was just an ankle biter and I wasn’t afraid. I worry more when I have my dogs with me. Then I was heckled a bunch of kid on a school bus. I was waiting to cross the street and they were stopped at the stoplight. I just pretended not to hear them, but the smart mouths on kids these days amaze me. I’ll sound like I’m a hundred years old but “in my day” the bus driver would have brought the vehicle to a screeching halt and gave us a good smack for acting like a fool. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">My map shows I have three square miles completed and parts of other sections done. It will be interesting to see how the next month goes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Week 4 Stats:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">11.79 = miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Contacts with loose dogs = 1</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Police contacts (finally!) = 0</span><br />
Total miles this month: 81.98 miles</div>
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UltraFreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12827886378573236523noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8373269011718647173.post-72483332960882619752017-06-14T20:11:00.000-07:002017-06-14T20:20:53.432-07:00The Great Escape<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #1d2129; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="background-color: white;">This is a guest blog post by Erick, my amazing husband. He wanted to do an epic bike adventure this summer to pay tribute to his mother. She passed away before her prime. I never got to meet her, but I know that she would be proud of him. In honor to her he wanted to ride from our home to our property, close to where he lived as a child. There is no bringing back a loved one that has left us. But there is a spiritual force that is with us, when we take these journeys and venture into our own great unknown.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I'll take one second to tell my husband that I have never been more proud of him. This ride was so far out of his comfort zone, it took a lot of planning, some changing plans after they were set and then actually following through with this. You are my hero. Love you babe.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">What follows is Erick's report that I copied from his Facebook feed. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="background-color: white;">Ride report: Wednesday: I started my adventure at 7:00 am. The weather was near perfect. Winds were moderate out of the north east. I rode Clinton River trail to Paint Creek trail to Gunn Rd and onto Lake George Rd north to Sutton and worked my way northwest toward 5 Lakes Rd and crossed over I-69. I continued north to Kings Mill Rd. The country road/dirt riding was excellent. Lite traffic and only one honking angry driver near Lake George and Oakwood Rd. I had a chance to stop for resupply at the Five Lakes Grocery on Kings Mill Rd. I was an old service station from the about the 1930's and the senior lady was very nice and asked me all about the ride and where I was headed. She asked if I had anything to eat; I said yes. She insisted I have a Zinger cake on the house. I was delicious. I worked west into Coulmbiaville, Mi and ate lunch at Subway. I started onto the Southern Links Trailway and headed north. I passed through Otter Lake and ended the trail in Millington, Mi. As I worked west again on Murphy Lake Rd and picked up Vassar Rd north. The traffic on Vassar road was wicked fast. No honking, but no moving over either. I stopped to assess my mental attitude and if I was pushing the energy to far. I decided it was not wise to try and make Midland on day one. I elected to turn west onto Ormes Rd and head into Frankenmuth and camp at Jellystone. I ended the day at 77 miles. It was a great first day and only one angry driver out of hundreds for the day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="background-color: white;">Ride report Thursday: I awoke from a restful tent camp in Frankenmuth and started my second day of riding. I was refreshed and mentally prepared for the journey ahead. I entered the the US 20 bike route and met up with two men, who started in Brunswick, Maine and were headed to Oregon coast. We leap frogged north toward Bay City. They moved ahead of me on a steady 15 mph pace. Their bikes weighed in at 90 pounds. They were solid riders. I kept a pace of 13 mph. I felt strong. I turned west onto Harger Line Rail Trail and rode a beautiful paved rail trail to Portsmouth Rd. I turned north and heard several sirens approaching. One police car moving quickly north on Portsmouth Rd. I continued north. I crossed M-81 and saw a rescue truck rapidly approaching from the west. Sirens and lights active. I pulled off the road and waited. They passed. I was concerned about the two west riders, that were about 1-2 miles ahead were somehow involved. I poured on the steam and was covering a 18 mph pace for several miles. I looked ahead and saw cars turning around. Police cars and fire trucks and an ambulance had blocked the roadway ahead. I saw one of the riders pushing his bike at the scene. I hoped and prayed they were not hit. I arrived and moved pass some stopped cars on the shoulder and then saw the second rider was pushing his bike through a front lawn of a farm. They were not involved in the accident. I crossed through the yard and observed a garbage truck stopped and a FedEx truck had rear ended the stopped garbage truck. Due to the damage and crushed front cab area of the FedEx truck, it was a serious injury accident. MLive says it was not a fatal. I rode into Bay City and stopped for a much needed food at McDonalds and then rode a few miles to water up at Rays Bike shop in Bay City. I had started to develop a sore left knee, along the top of the knee. I rested briefly and worked west on Salzburg Rd. The knee pain was becoming a concern. Downward pressure caused a lot of pain. I called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/saundra.lee.3572?fref=mentions" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(2, 30, 170); color: #021eaa;">Saundra Lee</span></a> and she made contact with Judy and Dan at the Trek bike store on Hall Rd. They advised I raise my saddle. I did and the pain went away after a few miles. I rode into Midland and stopped at Rays Bike shop for a break and had coffee and spoke with several workers and talked about rigs and adventures. It was great to meet these guys. I entered the Pere Marquette Rail trail and forged ahead to Clare, Mi. I had intended to ride to Evart, Mi. making it a 100+ day. It was not to be. I stopped in Clare and covered 78 miles on day 2. I was tired and needed a comfy bed. I stayed at the historic Doherty Hotel. I arrived later than I expected and missed a chance to stop again at a Rays Bike shop in Clare. Next time I'm through Clare, will stop for sure. And for those wondering, I did not stop and get a donut. I stank to much to enter the bakery.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Ride report Friday: I set the automated wake up time for 0700 hours and planned to ride to Cadillac Mi. I awoke to people talking loudly in the hotel hallway. Surely they must be early risers. I peek at the clock and huge red numbers read 9:00. I blink a few times, foggy mentally. I check it again and 0901. So much for the lovely computer voice taking my wake up time. I get up and look at the gear strewn around the room. I don't panic. I get items in order of importance for the day. After two days on the bike, I learned what needs to go where on the bike. I check out and start riding at 9:45 hours. No donut again and no breakfast. I entered the second section on the Pere Marquette trail and work west at a 13 mph pace. About 30 minutes later I look back and see two riders approaching. I recognize the gear and knows it's the two west riders from the prior day. We stopped and chatted for a few. They had stopped in Coleman at a friends house. They were looking to stop in Reed City about 40 miles away. I was headed to a short day of 70 miles. I wished them luck and a safe journey. I arrived in Evart, Mi and stopped at a fantastic car hop. The girls even had the metal coin belts. I rode up and sat at the picnic tables and chewed on a double cheese burger, curly fries and a small root beer float. It was just what I wanted for breakfast. Several locals asked about my Jersey (Mountain Bike Patrol) I was very happy to tell them about our organization. I got several long stares about where I started riding from and where I was riding to. Breakfast was over and now to ride west to Reed City. I finished the Pere Marquette trail at 42 miles for my day. The west riders waved as I turned north onto the White Pine trail from Reed City to Cadillac. I was about 1/2 mile north and realized I forgot to get water. I turned around and stopped at the trailhead depot and filled up. I filled up and turned back north. I started the White Pine at 4:00 pm and decided, to go for the "BARN". The first 10-15 miles on this trail is loose gravel with grass down the middle. I knew it would slow my down. I rode strong and energized about finishing the ride on this day. I kept a great pace of 12-14 mph. The surface was packed perfect. I knew I had to eat more today, if I wanted to stay mentally alert and strong. I stopped in Le Roy Mi at a great diner (Mr. Pibb) this place was packed and the food smelled way better than I did. A grilled chicken sandwich, chips, pickle and large Pepsi was perfect. Several folks asked about my ride. They see lots of riders in the area. It turns out, Le Roy is on routes for the US bike and Michigan bike ways. I ate and rested and knew I was 14 miles from Cadillac. The trail surface was paved all the way to Cadillac. I passed under US 131 and under M-55 and into Cadillac to end the White Pine Trail. I worked through the streets toward the final stage of the day. I stopped at Wesco gas station and got 1.5 liter bottle of water and then stopped for food at McDonalds and consumed 1 2/3 grilled chicken sandwich. I knew this last push of 27 ish miles will have no water or food options. The sun was setting and the most challenging section was the last 7 miles. I worked north on a highway and then turned northwest on country dirt roads for 20 miles. The moon was hazed. I had lights active and made sure to hydrate. Several large walk a bike sections presented a challenge. Mentally, I was all in. Physically, the knee pain was nearly gone and I felt great and as strong as when I started north from Clare. As I approached the ATV bridge that crosses the Manistee River. The heavy sand was becoming more apparent. I stayed straight and kept a view as far ahead as my light projected. I can see the reflective panels to the bridge. I saw a stopped pick up truck parked ahead, it appears empty. I keep pushing ahead. I'm nearly there. I look up and straight out of a Stephen King scene. I see a man standing at the entrance to the bridge. His back is to me. I see beyond him, candles lite up all along the bridge sides. I see what looks like flowers strewn along the floor of the bridge. My mind races. My security level is maxed out. I'm within 20feet as I roll forward. I look beyond the man and see a second man and a women standing on the bridge holding flowers. I tell them I'm passing through. They step aside. I enter the bridge and see a parked ATV blocking the exit to bridge. I attempt to move from the right side to the left side of the bridge. I don't see two raise metal rails and loose balance and fall over. I catch myself quickly. The trio ask if I'm ok. I said yes and righted myself and moved past the ATV and off the bridge. As strange things go.....that was strange. I'm now 7 miles from the end of my adventure. I moved north and stop for a brief mental check. I am now entering the most difficult section. These next 2 miles are 4x4 jeep tracks with lots of sand. I knew I would have bike-a-hike for nearly a mile. I work thru sand, I'm tired. I keep updating <a href="https://www.facebook.com/saundra.lee.3572?fref=mentions" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(2, 30, 170); color: #021eaa;">Saundra Lee</span></a> about my location this track has no name or number. It's back in the woods. I knew I had to make a right hand turn in one mile. I see it coming. I'm almost there. I make the turn and as I reach for a water bottle. I hear coyotes let loose with howling. Not just one, two or even three. I mean about a dozen. I guessed they might be within 1/4 mile. They know I'm here. I now know they are out there. I jump on the bike and pedal, like Elliot in E.T. Go home !!! I'm hauling as fast as I can. I knew there was "y" track change and I had to stay right. I miss it. I start down a left track. Every crack of limbs and branches means these animals are about to jump my from behind. I hit a t-junction. I'm lost. I check my phone and pray for a signal and the blue dot. I get it. I see I'm west of where I need to be. I don't tell sandy just yet. I have used up a ton of reserve energy. I walk quickly east. I check my compass to make sure I'm east bound. I see the trail marker and turn north onto the correct route. I let sandy know what happened. I moving 15 mph down a two track and pop out onto Walton Rd and it's paved. I'm out of forest. I'm 5 miles from being done. I'm on the roads of my youth. I'm approaching my childhood home. I'm talking aloud about the route. My GoPro only sees a white bean of light. I near the front of the house and look at it. So, many emotions flood me. This is my 4820 ! I'm tearing up as I write this. Those that know me, understand what that means. For those that don't: my mother died when she was 48 years old. I'm now that age. I wanted to make this journey for me and her. I stare at the house and all I can get out is I Love you Mom, I miss you. I pass the house and feel peace. I ride north on Hodge, on the same route I rode when I was a kid. I push forward. Renewed and focused. I turn west and head 2 miles. I turn north for my last mile. One more mile ! I hit M113 and I'm 1320 feet to the barn. I finished at 12:10 AM Saturday June 10. 104 miles for the day, my first ever century ride, and 256.6 miles total. It was a 14.5 hour day of riding. I accomplished a lot on my journey. I had time to reflect on my life and to thing about the people who are part of it. I publicly want to thank my wife Saundra Lee for all her love and support. She is my inspiration for life. I love you beyond measure. To <a href="https://www.facebook.com/paul.hytinen.5?fref=mentions" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(2, 30, 170); color: #021eaa;">Paul Hytinen</span></a> many thanks for the training and guidance to endurance cycling. You're a powerhouse of strength. To all my family and friends for their support. Most of all to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/carole.beauchamp.31?fref=mentions" style="color: #cc6600; text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(2, 30, 170); color: #021eaa;">Carole Beauchamp</span></a> for her prizes and </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">🤑🤑🤑</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">. Your generosity is unparalleled. Thank you all for watching. Until the next exciting episode !</span></span></div>
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