Girl’s Weekend Redux

On Saturday morning May 13, I (Sue) had the luxury of waking up in my own bed, eating breakfast from my own kitchen, getting ready in my own home, and driving only a few minutes through my own town to join a small group of runners for the half marathon portion of the Hope Starts Here Challenge, a fundraiser for the Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center.  The race was rather routine for me as we headed out and down the local bike/multi-use path I run regularly.  But routine doesn’t necessarily mean boring.  The majority of this portion of the path runs along the shore of majestic Lake Superior and we even ran the loop around Presque Isle Park.  Although the portion around “the island” is quite hilly, the entire route is gorgeous and I never tire of this route.  Around mile 8, I started to feel the right hip/glute discomfort that began to bother me during the Mainly Marathons Independence Series a couple weeks earlier.  The pain was minimal enough that I was able to continue using my normal run/walk intervals and finished in an average time (for me) of 2:19. This had me placing 24^th overall out of 26 runners…the consequence of running a small race. I stuck around for an hour or so to see my daughter-in-law, Sarah, finish the 10K and visit with a few friends before heading home having chalked up #57 of my 60 half marathons for ALS.

Six days later, the afternoon of May 19, I was at our local airport picking up my Best Running Buddy!!  Woot, woot – Rhonda and I were back together again!  On our way back into town, we made a stop at the local running store to pick up my new Oofos (no, they are not the most attractive sandals, but work wonders for recovery).  If ever in Marquette, MI, Queen City Running Company is a must visit. Kevin, his father John, and all the staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and extremely helpful and accommodating to the quirkiness we runners often exhibit.  After chatting with John a bit and trying on a couple pair of shoes, we headed to my house for meatloaf dinner.  Yes, that is what Rhonda requested – homemade venison meatloaf.  It was an early night since she’d been up since wee hours of the morning to catch her flight.

At noon on Saturday we picked up Sarah and the three of us embarked on the three hour drive to Green Bay, WI, where we would run the Cellcom Green Bay Half on Sunday.  This is a familiar/favorite race for all of us.  Rhonda and I have run it the past two years and this third year in a row was the culmination of the medal trifecta. Three individually beautiful medals that, put together, create one large image of Lambeau Field on the back.  Since we wrote about this race in our blog last year, there’s no need to go over all the details again.  The difference this year was that we had a third Sole Sister with us (I just knew those two would get along swimmingly); and then of course, the weather.  This has been the year of weather cancellations and wet runs for us so far and this weekend held that possibility.  It poured most of Saturday and by 8pm, organizers had already posted that the race would begin at EAS level yellow.  All we could do was hope there wouldn’t be lightning and the rain would end by start time.

There were a couple downpours outside the hotel windows while we were getting ready on Sunday morning, but in the end, only a fine mist a few times during the race.  Other than the fact that the air was heavy due to the wet conditions, it was a perfect day to run.  As has become routine for us, the miles ticked by; we talked, laughed, and ran silently; we danced to the music of a couple bands; had pictures taken with Darth Vader; and most importantly were thanked by several who had a personal connection to ALS.  Soon it was time to enter the tunnel and make that special loop around Lambeau where the three of us had spread out some; each keeping our own pace to the finish. We gathered our medals, water, and Tru Moo then headed to get the traditional beer/root beer and brat before heading back to the hotel for the traditional nap.

That evening we met Sarah’s nephew and wife at Caliente La Fiesta Mexicana for some tasty margaritas and Mexican food with the mandatory fried ice cream dessert.  After some shopping on Monday and an impromptu stop at Hinterland Brewery we made it back to Marquette in time to feed Rhonda a traditional Upper Peninsula pasty from Lawry’ for dinner.

As always, our time together slipped by way too quickly and it was soon Tuesday afternoon and time for her to board the plane again.  (But only after a Pilates session at Bird on a Perch, bruschetta at the Vierling, chocolate and caramels from Doncker’s, and a quick ride through Lakenenland.)  We said our goodbyes, knowing we’d be back together in just a week….to run our last two of the 60.

 

Slipping and Sliding Into 2017

After a few weeks off from running, Rhonda and I were scheduled to be back at it with a double in Mississippi and Alabama on January 7 & 8. Rhonda had run both races a couple years ago and loved them, so I was excited to run them with her and add two states to my list.  Bud and I had left home in Michigan earlier in the week and drove to Rhonda’s in South Carolina.  We left our husbands there and on Friday and headed toward Jackson, MS for the first race of the two – Mississippi Blues.  The weather was cold with possible rain/ice in the forecast, but the race was still a go at that point; so we went.  Most of the drive was uneventful with some rain off and on, but that changed an hour or so out and poor Rhonda was white knuckling it through freezing rain and slush into Jackson.  We found our way to the packet pickup/expo location, picked up our bibs, bags with some nice swag, and wonderful full-zip jackets, and then headed out to find our hotel.  When we spotted a Whataburger just a block from the Hampton Inn, Rhonda made a quick left turn and voila – dinner!  Now we would not have to venture back out once we checked in.  The evening was spent fervently checking for updates on the race and trying to decide what we would wear IF  it actually happened. But as the temps sunk, so did our hopes; and although disappointed, we were not surprised to be notified around 9:00 pm that the race had been cancelled.

When we finally ventured out the next morning, it was crystal clear the race director and committee had made the right decision.  Streets, sidewalks, everything were glare ice.  There is no way a safe race was possible in those conditions.  After the dust had settled and the race organizers had time to process the entire situation, they certainly did right by us and offered several options to make up for canceling.  We chose to apply to run another race this spring; hoping both our requests will be granted and the logistics will work out.  And although it won’t officially count, we have both committed to running our own Mississippi Blues virtual race to maintain the integrity of accepting the medals and displaying them with the appropriate disclaimer.

Realizing traffic could start backing up, we decided the quicker we got out of Jackson, the better off we would be; and that was certainly the case as we crept up an icy slippery on-ramp, dodging semis and two-wheel drive trucks with wheels spinning.  We had made it in the nick of time. Looking at the ramps on the opposite side of the interstate, it was solid lines of stopped traffic as far as we could see.  Again Rhonda expertly maneuvered through traffic and along the route to Mobile, AL.  Luckily we drove out of the poor weather and road conditions relatively quickly and had a pleasant drive that day.

Once again we went directly to packet pick up where we saw several familiar faces of other runners who had been in Mississippi and signed up for this back to back series.  We all had interesting tales to share of sliding along the sidewalks, traffic issues, airport and car rental snafus, and a multitude of other issues that pop up when a race doesn’t go as planned.  The expo was small, but quaint.  The First Light Marathon’s main beneficiary is the L’Arche community and the finisher medals are hand made by the members.   Even with the cold temps I was looking forward to it since Rhonda recommended it highly.  But cold it was…more on that in a minute.  We then drove over to our hotel where they allowed us to check into our room early.  We followed our now usual routine of piling a luggage cart high and finding our way down the hall and elevator to our room with a few stray bags over the shoulders.  When you stop to think about it, it is never a light trip when we are traveling for our runs.  A little down time in the room and we decided to find dinner.  We ended up at Mellow Mushroom for one of our favorite pre-race meals of a meat lover’ pizza and a yummy bruschetta appetizer.

These two wild ladies were back in our room, in jammies and bed by 7:00pm. We chatted and did a little race planning while the Detroit Lion’s game played in the background.  About an hour later, Rhonda said good-night and what seemed like two seconds after that I turned to say something to her only to learn she was out like a light.  I think that poor girl needed a good rest after all the stressful driving.  The next morning we woke up to temps in the 20s – NOT the kind of weather either of us likes to run in.  Layering was the name of the game. I was most concerned about my hands as they often get cold even with running gloves on.  As a last minute thought before leaving home in Michigan, I had grabbed a couple pair of wool mittens out of the closet.  That turned out to be one of my best decisions.  Although my dexterity certainly took a hit throughout the race, the only time my fingers got cold was when I took them off toward the end to be able to stop my Garmin when crossing the finish.

We had found a convenient parking lot only a few blocks from the start and sat in the car until it was time to make our way over.  It was cold – there’s no denying that at 26 degrees and windy; but as usual, we acknowledged being cold for a short time was nothing compared to what those with ALS and other disabilities endure on a daily basis.  The start gun sounded and we began the now very familiar task of trying to settle into a pace while working our way through a pack of very different paced runners at the start.  Luckily, this is a smallish race, so the field soon opened up and we felt comfortable enough to start our normal 2:30 run/:30 walk intervals.  Other than being really cold (have I said that enough?) the race was rather uneventful.  I am sure I would have thoroughly enjoyed it in warmer conditions.  As we clicked off the miles, Rhonda’s back began to tighten up…probably exacerbated by tensing up in the cold.  By the last few miles, whenever she would slow for our walk break, it became increasingly painful to start the run cycle again.  Although we always start and finish together, I knew I would not be comfortable running straight through the last 2-3 miles but also knew she needed to.  She finally agreed to keep going and meet up at the finish after I almost threatened her with bodily harm if she did not.  I knew I would only be a few minutes behind her.  And she was right there to greet me once I collected my hand-crafted medal.  She had already met up with Kevin, a fellow Half Fanatic and  100 Half Marathon Club member, and the three of us took a quick picture together before making our way to the food line.  Warm red beans and sausage over rice, corn bread, various other goodies and hot chocolate were just what we needed.

We then headed back toward the car, stopping to take a few pictures at Mardi Gras Park.  Back to the hotel, shower, change, pack up and hit the road for the long drive back to Rhonda’s house.  We arrived later that evening and after relaxing and visiting with her family and my husband, went to bed relatively early.  We already knew school had been cancelled the next day for her kids because of the lingering icy patches in some areas, so we all slept in a little before Bud and I decided to get up, packing our car and completing the final leg of our journey to our winter home in Georgia.  It’s time to rest and regroup before we start up again next month.

To Canada and Back

I (Sue) live about 150 miles from Sault Ste. Marie (MI/Canada) and I have family living there, so adding the Sault International Festival of Races to my schedule was a no brainer.   I drove over on Friday and my step-daughter Erin and I headed to bib pick-up.   This is a relatively small race (less than 70 half marathoners), so it was basically grab our bibs & shirts and out.  Except for something pretty awesome.  Spurred by an article earlier in the week in the Sault Evening News, the race director had contacted me and asked me to look her up as they wanted to make a donation to our ALS TDI fundraising.  Imagine my shock and elation when, on Friday evening, she handed me a check for $500!  What a great win for the fight against ALS!

When we left there, Erin and I drove the race course, so that I could see where we’d be running the next morning, as some of it had changed from the previous years I’d run this race.   A good part of the course is the usual route Erin runs several times a week and I will run with her when visiting, therefore, much of it was quite familiar.  But there were a few turns I wasn’t aware of and glad to have the heads-up since I was pretty sure there would be times I’d be out there without another runner in sight.  We then went back home, ate dinner, visited and settled in for the night.

Saturday morning I was up more than an hour before anyone else…as usual.  Lots of morning prep time works well for me, even if it means a 4:00 am wake up.  I’m not so sure my roommates agree sometimes, but I try my best to be courteous.  We left Erin’s house at 6:30 and drove the couple miles to the race start at Lake Superior State University.  It was nice to be able to wait inside a warm building and head outside just in time for the 7:15 start.  I briefly saw a man toward the front of the start wearing a Defeat ALS shirt but lost sight of him quickly.

The start gun sounded and we were immediately running.  Down the hill, onto the ramp leading to the International Bridge that connects the two Sault Ste. Maries.  I have no qualms telling you I don’t like that bridge.  I’ve run it three times and it has never become any easier.  There’s the up/down – up/down heading toward Canada; just before you hit the border is the turn around to repeat it back to Michigan.  The Bridge Run (7.1 miles) participants had started 15 minutes after us and I was passed by several of them before I made it off the bridge.  But I knew not to push my body that early in the race as that portion of the course takes a lot of my energy with the cement, cooler weather, and incline/decline.  The saving grace…it’s beautiful!  Then it was off the bridge, up the ramp, a right turn and the rest was flat.  I maintained my 2:30/:30 run/walk intervals and just enjoyed the run through familiar territory.

Somewhere around mile 8 or 9, the man with the Defeat ALS shirt passed me saying, “Hey, I like your shirt.”  My response:  “I like yours too!”  A couple miles later I caught up with him and we started talking and ended up finishing together.  Even a small race like this and I run into someone with yet another amazing story of a connection to ALS.  Kenny lost his mother to the disease a few years ago.  As a stay-at-home dad at the time, he was able to care for her throughout her illness.  He is now preparing to enter nursing school in a few months with plans to become a hospice nurse.  Chatting and running with him made those final miles fly by!  It was so enjoyable that I’d lost track of my intervals and we had been walking for quite some time when he said, “You think we should try running for awhile?”  OOPS!  We discovered we had run the Air Force Half Marathon “together” the prior Saturday and at least one other race this year so far.  I have a feeling our paths will cross again.

I’m getting pretty good at predicting my performance.  I’d told Mary Jo, the race director, to look for me finishing around 2:25 for the official check presentation.  My official time?  2:26:18.

 

A Double Double Weekend????

This weekend started out with Sue coming from the north and Rhonda and friend Cara coming in from the south, meeting in Dayton, OH for the Air Force Marathon Half.  Finally…after four long months…we’d be running together again!  We met up at our hotel Friday afternoon.  Once we managed to find space for all the suitcases, running gear, food, and miscellaneous items, we made the short trek across the street to the expo location.   We picked up our bibs and packets and walked around for about an hour but the only things purchased were a couple energy gels.  Then it was back across the street and down a block to enjoy a nice meat lover’s pizza and breadsticks.  At that point, we were all pretty tired from the traveling and Sue was still suffering from the head cold she’d picked up somewhere earlier in the week.  We got our running stuff organized, strategized for the following day, and hit the pillows early. 

The next morning we awoke to the forecasted, but dreaded, sound of thunder.  Yep, it was raining.  At that point Sue decided it was probably not in the cards for her to ever run a dry race again. – lol   We just hoped it would pass quickly and not include lightning so as to cancel the race.  At 5:30am the rain had stopped and we headed out the door to go back across the street and catch the shuttle to Wright Patterson AFB where the race is held.  But dang if those storms didn’t put a wrench in everything.   We were delayed boarding, then sat on a bus for quite some time before everything was clear to proceed.  In the end, the races were delayed about half an hour; which wasn’t as bad as it could have been.   Due to the size of the race and the added complexities of it being held on an active base, there was already a longer than average pre-race wait. Sole Sisters Rhonda and Sue started complaining about being hungry already, whereas Cara just bided her time. 

While mulling around, we were approached by a lady asking about our shirts and connection to ALS.  She shared her story of a brother-in-law who lost his battle with the disease and how her family now travels to various locations to participate in ALS walks along with hosting a fundraising breakfast.   It is humbling to hear these stories at every single race! After a couple of trips to the port-a-pottys, flyover, national anthem, and parachuters, the starting cannon was finally sounded. 

The first several miles were very crowded and it was difficult to keep any kind of pace or use the run/walk strategy.  It had cleared up, but with the crowded conditions and the fact it was rather warm and humid, we were feeling pretty beat up early on.  Unfortunately not far into the race, Cara started having pain in her feet, requiring her to slow down and walk and stretch more.  But that’s okay, it just gave us more time to visit since we knew we’d only be together a few more hours anyway.  We walked and talked and ran, and even danced a little, through those 13.1 miles.  Somewhere in the last few miles, there was a shift in the weather and the storms started moving in again.  We sometimes felt like we were using all our energy just to not be blown backwards by the strong winds.  Finally, we rounded the corner to the home stretch and ran in to receive our medals from active duty personnel.  Then it was off to the food tent to satisfy those hungry bellies.  WHAT?!?!  No pizza this year?

It was more than a little confusing finding where the return shuttles were located and once boarded, we sat again for a very long time waiting for it to fill.  At this point, we started to get a little bit nervous as we had a checkout time approaching and each needed to get back on the road quickly.  It would probably have been quite entertaining to be a fly on the wall watching the whirlwind of showers, dressing, packing, and quick goodbyes…Sue back north to Lansing, MI, and Rhonda and Cara to Morgantown, WV.

Four and a half hours later I (Sue) arrived in downtown Lansing in anticipation of the Capital City River Run on Sunday.  I had missed packet pick-up, but knew I could grab my bib and shirt in the morning, so I got settled in to my hotel room just a couple blocks from the race start/finish.  After driving post-race, it felt good to get out and walk around and scope out the area where much of the race equipment was already set up.  I went back to my room, ate a little, and took on the task of organizing the chaos I had flung together upon my hasty Dayton exit.  Rhonda and I texted a little before I laid my head on the pillow and fell into a wonderful all-night sleep.

Since I had restored order to my running life the evening before, the morning routine went smoothly and I soon found myself out the hotel door and walking down the street with several other runners.  Bib and shirt pick-up was quick and efficient and I was comfortably waiting for the race to start as I did a few quick warm ups.  The sun was shining and the weather was perfect.  I stuck with my 2:30run/:30walk intervals through the entire race except for the few times the course narrowed too much to make it practical and the miles just slid by.  I did have some very mild cramping in my left hamstring and quad, but not enough to stop or even slow me much.  The course started out on city streets, then made its way through the campus of Michigan State University before heading down along the River Walk next to the Grand River.  It was mostly a scenic park-like course with the exception of the beginning city street area.  Runners, volunteers, and law enforcement were all super friendly, making the race quite enjoyable.  While I certainly wouldn’t say it was hilly, there seemed to be constant minor inclines and declines which didn’t make it the flat and fast course I was expecting, but did bring me across the finish line right around my average time.

Pizza was there…and donuts…and of course Tru Moo, so I filled up before heading back to the hotel for a quick shower and noon check out to get me home by 7:00pm.

Cara and I (Rhonda) made it to the expo at the National Guard Amory in Morgantown, WV with 8 minutes to spare!  The process was very simple and once we had our bibs we headed out to get some food and then check into the hotel.  We actually ate at Cracker Barrel since we had not had a “real” breakfast due to our rushed state.  With full bellies, we got settled in for the night and everything ready for the morning.  Storms were forecasted so we were not quite sure what we would wake up to.  Cara’s foot was still bothering her and she was on the fence as to run or not.

After a great night of sleep I awoke and no rain or storms!  I was totally thrilled as the idea of running hills and being wet was not setting well with me.  Cara got out of bed, scratch that, hobbled out of bed and said “I don’t think I can run.”  I assured her that I was ok running by myself.  She dropped me off at the start line which meant I didn’t have to leave the hotel quite as early.  It was a small half marathon but I prefer that over the large one the day before.  Hills…..oh yes, there were plenty.  I pretty much stuck with the 2:30/30 and adjusted only for the hills if needed.  The crowd support and the volunteers were fantastic!  I would definitely repeat this race in the future.  After I finished I grabbed pizza and a yummy cinnamon bagel and called Cara to come pick me up. 

Once I was showered we loaded up and headed the 7.5 hours to home.  It was definitely a fast paced weekend but oh so great to be with friends.

 

Same day, Different states

Once again, Sue and I were running the same day but in different states.  I was in Georgia running the Run Like a Diva Peachtree Half Marathon and she was in Michigan running the Iron Mountain Trail Half Marathon. 

I, Rhonda, traveled over the night before with our friend Lisa.  We arrived and went straight to packet pick up and then off to the hotel.   A Diva race has been on my bucket list for quite some time.  After a good night of sleep we were up nice and early to head to the parking lot in order to hop on the shuttle to the start line.  We arrived with plenty of time but agreed we would much rather have extra time at the starting area rather than waiting on buses.  We were given our pink tutus to wear during the race at the expo. 

 It was a “cool” 64 degrees at start time.  I was super thrilled with that!  I typically have everything about the race course all mapped out in my head and have reviewed the course diagram several times prior to running.  Well, that did not happen this time.  I have been super busy so this course was literally a surprise to me.  It was hilly…..and yes, I am tired of hills.  They did a great job with ample hydration stations and even a popsicle station!  Yes, I had a blue one.    At mile 13 they handed us our pink boas and our tiaras.  I did not try to wear it in, rather I carried the tiara and had the boa on.  The finish line was full of spectators cheering you in.

Once I crossed over I was given my amazing tiara medal by a shirtless local fireman – sorry no photo.  Then I grabbed a glass of pink bubbly and a cookie!  They were yummy.   I found Lisa and we made our way back to the shuttle so we could get back to the hotel and on our way home.  An uneventful day but definitely a great race. 

 Meanwhile in Michigan…….well, I’ll let Sue tell the story……

The Iron Mountain Trail and Road Half Marathon kicked my behind.  I’ll keep this short and sweet.  Hubby and I made the 1.5 hour trip Saturday morning; we didn’t have to leave until 7:30 since the race didn’t start until 9:00 am Central (we are in the Eastern time zone).  We drove through and arrive to pouring rain…yes, I am getting a little tired of running in the rain.  So happy that Queen City Running Company hooked me up with my GoreTex running shoes.  There is no substitute for a local running store and I’m loving Kevin and staff. 

Without a lot of mundane detail, let’s just say it was wet, cold (in my book), and muddy.  The relatively hilly course incorporates 4-5 miles of technical trail mid-run.  Slick?  Oh yeah.  Since this mostly two-rut trail is also utilized for horseback riding, there’s the added challenge of dodging horse dung.  Let’s just say I failed at the “dodging” part.  I came home feeling pretty beat up.

BUT this truly is a great race.  Amazing staff and volunteers!  The goodie bag and bling was awesome – especially considering the registration fee.  The race shirt was a hoodie sweatshirt, sunglasses, fridge clip, buff, lip balm, a couple Cliff Bars, and various other items were included in a nice zippered logo bag.  Post-race included massages, snacks, individual pasties, chocolate milk, beer, soda….  Not bad for a race with under 200 participants.

Highlights:  Met a friend on the course I hadn’t seen in quite some time and got a quick “Sue-fie” as he called it.  I leap-frogged with a young woman quite a bit and she kept calling me The ALS Warrior. A couple people asked me why my watch kept beeping and I was able to share my love of the Galloway run/walk method.  And finally, Bud was at the finish to cheer me across.  All-in-all a great race.

Home Course Advantage

For the past seven years, Labor Day weekend has been synonymous with RACE WEEKEND for Sue.  The Marquette Marathon & Half Marathon is a very special race to me; it was my very first half marathon…which got me started running in the first place; often I will run it with my step-daughter, daughter-in-law, or a friend, but sometimes alone; it’s my home course as the trail literally runs through my small neighborhood; and we usually have a family and friend race/birthday(s)/end of summer party afterwards.   

So to say I was looking forward to Saturday, September 3 would be a bit of an understatement.  As it ends up, I would be running alone this year, but I knew there would be several familiar faces out there on the course cheering me on.  I must say, it was rather relaxing to sleep in my own bed, eat in my own kitchen, and get ready in my own bathroom/bedroom all at a much later than usual time of morning.  Since the race didn’t start until 9:00 am, I convinced my hubby to drive me to the start, which is five miles from my house.  This meant I didn’t have to drive into town, park, get on a bus and wait for it to fill, then ride half an hour only to get back to just about where I’d started my morning travels an hour or so earlier.  This also meant I didn’t leave the house until 8:20 am.  I was doing a happy dance in my head remembering the many 4:00-5:00 am departures of the past several months.  I didn’t even need to use the porta-pottie at the start – my wait was that short. 

Bud dropped me at the gate to the Michigan Iron Industry Museum where the race starts and I walked the quarter mile or so in.  After a short warm up and half a Honey Stinger waffle, I took off my jacket, turned in my gear bag, and walked the short distance to the start line to join the other 400 or so runners.  The first mile is mostly on a narrow two-rut trail that brings you down to the actual Iron Ore Heritage Trail and I knew this part would be slow with the usual race start bottleneck.  Therefore, I just took it slower than my normal pace and didn’t use any walk intervals until we hit the wider trail and managed to spread out some.

The weather was perfect, I felt good, and that day it all just fell into place.  I easily settled into a good rhythm of 2 minute 30second running/30 second walking intervals and the miles seemed to pass quickly.  As I said, I know this course, I know it has a significant net elevation loss, and I know exactly where the losses and gains occur.  As my Garmin watch beeped at the end of every lap, I would glance down and see I had run yet another sub-10:00 minute mile.  That certainly is not speedy, but it is something I haven’t seen in a long time.  Five and half miles into the race, I crossed the road I live on and high fived my neighbor Jamie; I was feeling really good and was sure my best few miles were ahead of me.  And I was right – miles 7, 8, and 9 were all under 9:30!

 

 Shortly we were in town with a lot more spectators along the way.  My daughter-in-law and grandchildren were there for quick hugs and “Go Gramma Susie!”  I was waiting for the cramps to start, but hoping maybe – just maybe they wouldn’t this time.  I’ve been working hard on adjusting my fueling and hope I’m finding the right mix.  As anticipated, I started to tire more the last few miles and the dreaded Third Street finish delivered that one quad cramp I can’t seem to finish a race without. (The final half mile or so of the race runs up a bear of a gradual incline to the finish line.)  However, I barely noticed it the last few blocks because my grandchildren were there cheering and running the sidewalk alongside me.  Along with Sarah and the kids, my friend Rebecca was at the finish line waiting to congratulate and give me a ride home.   I glanced at the timing clock and said to myself, “well done!”  It turned out to be my best time for a half marathon in four years.  My fastest race since several injuries and surgeries.  And I felt good.  I was so happy to be doing this for a special reason.  One more Labor Day weekend Marquette Marathon Half in the books.  I’m hoping there are several more in my future.