A Finish

4:09:32. No, not a P.R. but I'm satisfied. Starting at the beginning ...

I rode over with my River Runner buddies. We first stopped at packet pick-up in Norwalk to get our shirts, numbers and chips.

And attend the pasta feed. Seen there, Lin Gentling, Sonja Kranz and Kirsten Kranz. Lina and Sonja ran the half and Kirsten ran the full marathon.

Then it was off to Wilton and Gina's Pies are Square.

Wonderful pie ...

and a TOTALLY fun, interesting, quaint, very cool place!! I'm SOOOOO glad we stopped.

The world needs more places like Gina's. :-) And places like Any Small Town, WI.

What a beautiful state. Then it was off to Lark Inn and a very quaint cabin.

Race recap: Cool morning, but pretty nice weather for a marathon. About 35 at the start. It didn't feel like it warmed up all that much, and the wind definitely picked up during the run and we had a headwind coming back (it's generally one big straight out-and-back). The forecast was for a bit warmer day than what played out. I wore shorts, a sports bra/tank, arm warmers and gloves. Somewhere just after mile 3, the left calf pull/strain that occurred last weekend at the trail half marathon reared its ugly head and during miles 5-6-7 or so, I didn't think there was any way I'd be able to finish. And I noticed it the most on the l-o-n-g gradual climbs. But I backed off, walked for a short stretch, started up again and pressed on, but wouldn't have continued had I thought I'd put myself totally out of commission by doing so. So ... a finish was more than I was hoping for back in the middle of the morning. I think I was fully hydrated: 3 or 4 bathroom stops during the race!! I drank 1 or 2 cups of water or HEED at every water stop. Saw Greg Couser on the course ... didn't know he was running. I lost my satellite in the tunnels and it didn't catch up when I got out (inadvertently left the auto-pause on) so my splits aren't very accurate: 7:57  8:10  8:10  8:17  9:15  9:28  9:22  9:16  9:07  9:22  9:48  9:29  9:22  9:08  10:05  9:36  9:52  9:26  10:35  9:46  9:44  9:26  8:58  9:17  (My GPS didn't get past 24-something miles) Just out of the medals again with another 4th in my 40-49 age group. Totally fine with that. Third race in a row. :-) My 2 biggest successes of the day: 1) finding out that I can run 2 marathons in 3 weeks (calf pain not withstanding), 2) I didn't have to stop ONCE with leg cramps!!! I've now run 15 marathons and this was a HUGE first!! I had a few twinges, but I was able to run through them. I've never, ever run miles 20-26. Ever. :-)

Some positive changes were made in the race this year: 1) reversing the order of the out-and-backs so that we ran the short 3-mile one first and then the long one, 2) lanterns in the tunnel, 3) medals available at the finish line, 4) a tarp hung on the picnic shelter (and heater inside) for the "chickenque" dinner.

Except for Dan, we all had some issues to deal with. But we all finished, standing up and smiling, so that's a good day. And a very fun weekend. (Jay, Dan, me, Arvid)

When I got home, it was the usual drill: make supper, make cookies for the Cookie Monsters (first Monday of every month--they paid $200 + for them ...a new pumpkin cookie recipe),

Pumpkin Cookies

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 egg

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the pumpkin and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon; gradually mix into the creamed mixture. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light brown. Cool on wire racks.

Then did the dishes, sweep and wash the floor. In the hours after the marathon, I let myself eat pretty much whatever sounds good. That included: 2 cookies (I normally don't eat my cookies), a handful of potato chips (I was craving their saltiness) and a Diet Coke, a salad and 2 pieces of BBQ chicken pizza for supper. Tomorrow, it's definitely time to get back on the (eating healthy) wagon!!

Well, there was another marathon today. New York City. Meb Keflezighi won his first marathon in a very classy way. Thanks Laura for passing along this link: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/david_epstein/11/01/nyc.marathon/ I haven't looked at any results yet, but hoping it was a successful day for all who participated.

Here are some beautiful photos from Jim Mason from a run in Whitewater State Park with Casey Graham and Dan Valentine. I've not run out there. That'd be great fun. Hilly ... but fun!! Thanks, Jim.

I'm so happy the Vikes beat the Pack. It got a little dicey in the second half, but they pulled out the win. I am REALLY a Favre fan now. :-)

Time for bed. Quote for the day: "Perseverance is not a long race; it's many short races one after the other."

Good night.