Tuesday, November 25, 2014

$27,500 Richer?? Wowza!!!



Have you ever seen a Twitter feed blow-up??

One of my responsibilities as the volunteer Social Media Manager for the American Red Cross here in Kansas City is monitoring our social media accounts - namely, Twitter and Facebook. Not only do I post content each day, but I monitor to see what others are posting to us - or about us, as the case may be. It's kinda' a REALLY AWESOME JOB because I not only get to hang out on Social Media all day - but I get to do it from home. In my pajamas. Which makes me very, very happy.


On a typical day, our Twitter feed may get 2-3 notifications and mentions - nothing too outrageous or alarming, which is always good when you're in the disaster business. But yesterday…that all changed.

I signed on to our Twitter feed for a quick check, and I was stunned to see we had dozens and dozens of "mentions" - in other words, dozens and dozens of other Twitterers were "mentioning" the Kansas City Red Cross in their tweets.

EEP.


Upon closer investigation, I discovered that yesterday afternoon, a local meteorologist here in town, JD Rudd, had been a contestant on the national syndicated game show, "Let's Ask America". Apparently, he competed against three other meteorologists from across the country, all competing for charity - and JD ended up winning an eye-popping $27,500 - which he donated to the Kansas City Red Cross, his charity of choice.



SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

Not sure whether this was for real - or was it a cruel joke - I soon found JD's local TV station, and their Twitter said it all:

41 Action News ‏@41ActionNews
YAY! Congrats to @jdrudd for winning $27,500 for @kcredcross on @letsaskamerica!



Well. I was rather busy for awhile on both Twitter and Facebook, thanking JD (on behalf of the Red Cross) for his incredible generosity, and spreading the good news. JD later sent a response to our thank you, saying, "I sincerely appreciate your comments. THANK YOU. I have seen first-hand how valuable & helpful the Red Cross is when mother nature is at her worst. There's no other charity I'd rather be playing for. I'm very happy I was able to bring in a donation of that size; I was nervous! Keep up the great work!"

To say this made me happy is an understatement.


During all this crazy, hectic activity on social media, my cell phone rang - and it was, strangely enough, the Red Cross. It seems that there was a natural gas leak at a large apartment complex yesterday afternoon in Kansas City, and the residents would have no heat that night during the frigid temperatures. The Red Cross would most likely be opening a shelter, offering a warm & safe place for the residents to sleep, and would I be available to be the Shelter Manager?

EEP again.

I haven't managed a shelter in quite awhile - maybe since the floods in Fargo back in 2008 - so I'm a bit rusty.

But I said yes, and before I knew it, I'd packed a quick bag with supplies and headed down to the community center where the shelter was being set up. I hadn't been there more than 5 minutes before I was back in the groove, as apparently being a Shelter Manager is a lot like riding a bicycle - you never forget.

My small crew quickly had a dormitory set up by 9:00 pm to accommodate twenty clients:




Outside the gym, we set up the Registration area, where my all-star crew of two, Peg & Kathy, were reviewing the paperwork and ready to receive clients:



In addition to these areas, we set up a small canteen with water and snacks, and a small desk for me, so I could do my paperwork (because with the Red Cross, I've learned - it's all about the reports!!!):




And then we waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.


By midnight, it was very evident that no one was showing up…the affected residents had all apparently found other accommodations, with friends or family, for the evening - and this made me very happy. It's always better for folks to spend the night with friends or family rather than in a giant, cavernous gymnasium on a cot…trust me, as I've done it on previous deployments when hotel rooms were not available. Cots suck, to put it bluntly.


So, my crew of two - and myself - broke down the cots, and packed everything up and shut down the shelter.

SQUEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!


I was home in my own bed by 1:30 in the morning, and although I was a happy girl, I was also a tired girl. That was a lot of physical hard work, and I'm not getting any younger.


As I was driving home, though, I couldn't help but reflect on the generous gift from JD Rudd - and how it will be utilized to help the residents of our metropolitan area after a disaster - whether that disaster is a home fire, a tornado, an ice storm - or a natural gas leak. You never know when it's going to hit, but it's always nice to know that there will be volunteers ready to help out.

Peace.

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Monday, November 24, 2014

The Happiness Project


Happiness…what does it mean?

It's interesting…I looked up the definition online, and I chuckled when I read that it meant, "the state of being happy." Yup - that certainly explains it, huh??!!


Which does beg the question, though…what makes you happy?


I've been doing a lot of thinking about this lately…most likely due to my feelings of sadness that have shadowed me since losing my father last month. I've felt burdened by tears and grief, and believing that my life was void of happiness. Sometimes, when faced with overwhelming grief or joylessness, it can be hard to find the small moments in life that make us happy…it's as if we can't be happy unless something huge or major comes along that surrounds us with glee and delight…and that's not a good thing.

We sometimes need to be reminded to find the happiness in the small things.


I needed a good kick in the butt reminder of this, and so I'm grateful to a friend, Kathi, who challenged me to find three things a day that bring happiness…no matter how big, no matter how small. And, of course, being the competitive person that I am, I will ALWAYS rise up to a challenge (or a dare, but we won't go there!), and so yesterday, I deliberately and determinedly looked for those small things that made me smile.

And boy - was I surprised by the results.

I didn't find just THREEE things yesterday…oh, no.

The day ended up being full of moments that brought a smile to my face…a warmth to my heart…pleasure to my soul.


The day began with a bowl of warm potato soup for breakfast:




Yes. I said potato soup for breakfast.

DO NOT JUDGE ME on my breakfast choice!!!

I had made a HUGE batch of homemade potato soup on Saturday, deliberately making extra so we'd have leftovers. And on Sunday morning, a nice, warm bowl of potato soup - with some cheese and bacon on top - sounded perfect for breakfast.

And it was. Nom. Nom. Nom.

Happy, happy, happy.


After breakfast, I said a quick goodbye to Hubby and Daughter, and then headed to a Ladies Holiday Brunch and Ornament Exchange. For three hours, I giggled, laughed, drank delicious mimosas, and played a cutthroat game of Swipe the Ornament with some delightful and super-fun women:



Okay, so we don't look like we're having much fun in this picture, but BLAME THE PHOTOGRAPHER (me!), because this is so not representative of the laughter - to the point of tears - that ensued later! I think we were actually listening to our hostess go over the rules of the game here…which is why we're all looking a bit serious. Stealing ornaments from someone else is definitely serious business, for sure.

I was also tickled because I was sitting next to THIS girl, Suzie, one of my BFF's - going all the way back to high school:



Suzie can always make me laugh and bring me out of a funk, which is a good thing…girlfriends are definitely good for the soul.


When it was my turn to play, I made a beeline for THIS set of ornaments and stole them from another lady:



I really, really, really liked these - as I decorate one of the rooms in my house with a woodsy theme, highlighted with bronze ornaments…these would go PERFECT in my house!! I did feel a tad guilty about swiping these beauties from the other lady, but I was assured it was all part of the game. My happiness in having scored the perfect ornaments overshadowed the guilt, though, so after a heartfelt apology to the original owner, I left the party very, very happy.


Hubby and I then headed down to the Kauffman Center to catch the matinee performance of Mannheim Steamroller:




The Kauffman Center is truly a gem here in Kansas City, and I'm always impressed at the beauty of the venue:



Pictures do NOT do it justice, as it will blow your mind pretty much every time you visit.

Before the show, I took a selfie of Hubby and I:



I'm a lucky girl, so this guy always makes me happy. I think the lady behind me doesn't look too happy, though - maybe she's sleeping…or most likely, checking her phone. Let's hope.


So, the concert was pretty amazing…I love the music of Mannheim Steamroller…so soothing, so relaxing, and so cool to watch them perform it live with the entire orchestra on stage. One song, though, had me in tears - Auld Lange Syne. Gah. I couldn't help but think of my Dad, and so I shed a few.


After the concert, it was going on 6:00 pm - and dinner was now in store. Hubby took me to one of my favorite restaurants, the Grand Street Cafe. And there, I was thrilled to discover they had a gluten-free pasta now on the menu:



This was a buckwheat farfalle "Mac & Cheese" dish - made with sun gold tomato, olive oil, fried kale, fontina cheese, pecorino & romano cheese, and smokehouse bacon.

EEP.

It was delicious. And gluten-free, to boot!!!

WIN-WIN!!!!!!!


And truly one of the best parts of the day were the pants that I was wearing:



I splurged on these Antonio Melani wool pants two years ago - after falling in love with the beautiful pattern & bronze/gold ribbon running through them - but I was a little too thick-in-the-middle to wear them.

UNTIL NOW!!!!

This running has definitely paid off, as I managed to fit into these pants all day yesterday with ROOM TO SPARE!!!!

Woot. Woot.

Happy, happy, happy - that was me!!!!


Strangely enough, I had a very, very vivid dream last night - about my Dad…and in my dream, my Dad was admonishing me for being gloomy and sad…telling me I needed to get on with life and enjoy the moments…coincidence???


Peace.

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Monday, November 10, 2014

The Journey I Never Wanted to Take




Hey.

I'm waving my hand over here…letting everyone know that yes, I am indeed, still alive.


Still living…still breathing…but mainly still grieving, actually, over the loss of my Dad over a month ago.

That's probably what I'm dealing with the most, and so it's hard - really hard - to find uplifting, inspiring, humorous things to post about - when I'm still mired in the grieving process. I can't find my snark, or my mojo, or even my energy, for that matter.

Sigh.


I thought it would be easier.

I thought I would bounce back - as I normally do after something knocks me on my butt - with my usual speed, strength and resiliency.

But, nope.

Not this time.

This picture says it all:




I don't think a day has gone by that I haven't shed tears for Dad…it doesn't take much to trigger a flood of emotions and tears that can catch me off-guard and feeling like someone punched me in the gut, leaving me wiped out and gutted afterwards. I see Dad's picture…or I hear a song…or a thought or memory will pop into my head for no reason - and I'm a puddled mess of salty tears and wrenching sobs.

Sleeping has been difficult…I can count on one hand the number of nights I've been able to sleep through the entire night…as my new normal seems to be me, waking up - wide awake - at 2:30 or 3:00 a.m. And of course, trying to get back to sleep is next to impossible.

This sucks.


My mom, brother and I went to a class last week on dealing with grief during the holidays…and it was surprisingly very helpful. It was cathartic to talk to others who are going through very similar journeys right now, and my only wish was that it was an ongoing group. Unfortunately, it was a one-time only class, and so I'm in the process of trying to find something in my neighborhood that would offer some sort of support.

Speaking of support…my family, my girlfriends, and my co-workers have been amazing. No one is pushing me to "get over it" or to hurry the process, and that's very much appreciated. If anything, I'm the guilty party of putting pressure on myself to "get over it" and move on. And I know better, but I can't help it.

The grief process is a journey…and sometimes we move forward…sometimes we move backwards…sometimes we get lost and stuck…and I seem to be doing a bit of everything. I'm here. I'm there. I'm progressing. I'm regressing.

Sigh.

I'm doing okay, though. I get up. I dress. I work. I run. I cook. I mother. I love.

But mainly?

I hurt.


Peace.

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Thursday, October 30, 2014

Caught In A Speed Trap




Has anyone ever been 'pulled over' for running??

No??

Well. I can say that I now have.


I live in a pretty small lake town…think, "Mayberry, RFD". Our small-but-mighty police department maintains a notoriously aggressive speed trap operation along three miles of a highway that borders our lake, where they catch inattentive drivers with lead feet day and night. Anyone who is anyone around here KNOWS that you don't speed when you hit our city limits…our cops mean business.

So.

This morning was rainy and cool…an almost-perfect morning to meet up with my trainer, Jessica, so we could work on hill drills. You can imagine my joy and excitement to discover that we would be running hard up a short-but-steep hill in my neighborhood not once, not twice, but TEN times. I'm sure there's physical benefits to be gained by this, and not just sadistic pleasure for the trainer in inducing this torture.

Anyway.

We had just got to the bottom of miniature Mt. Everest to begin the drills, when our local police cruiser pulled up beside us. There were two officers inside, and as we watched, they parked the car, got out and approached us.

EEP.

Of course, your mind begins racing with thoughts of, "Why'd they get out?? What did we do??"

One of the officers then said, "We're going to need some identification…as well as an explanation as to why you two are out here, running in the rain."




Yeah. This was us.

About a half-second later, they began grinning…and it dawned on us that they were having some fun - AT OUR EXPENSE.

Oh, funny, guys. Real funny. I'm not sure what the point of it all was, other than to show someone that our police department has a sense of humor.


And I'm still deciding if that extra jolt of adrenalin helped me - or hurt me - as I began my hill drills…but I DID joke with my trainer that I guess we could both now claim to have been caught in our infamous speed trap - for running. I just keep getting faster and faster.

Hee hee.

Peace.

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Tuesday, October 21, 2014

KC Half Marathon: A Race Recap


"What the HELL was I thinking???!!!"




That thought pinged my brain…over and over and over again…as I was grinding out over 13.1 miles Saturday in my first half-marathon.


Sometimes, runners will have a mantra…a statement or slogan repeated frequently…which is SUPPOSED to aid in concentration and provide spiritual power….My mantra was supposed to be, "I CAN and I WILL" - but I couldn't stop the questioning of my sanity as the miles (and the pain) increased.


It was just a few short months ago that I had a brain cramp, and somehow found myself registered for the Kansas City Marathon weekend, signing up for the lesser of two evils - the half - as if that would make things easier. It would be my first EVER half-marathon, and I spent most of the summer months diligently training, putting my legs through the paces so they would be prepared to run a total distance of over 13 miles. Doubts crept in as the day got closer, which I think is normal for anyone who is embarking on a physical challenge that is new…and as much as I tried to calm the fear, it was there…below the surface…as Saturday morning loomed.

Friday night, in anticipation of the early morning adventure, was spent relaxing and chowing on some gluten-free pasta…and before I went to bed for the evening, I made a HUGE newbie mistake.

I did something new.

Which is a NO-NO for race runners…who stress, over and over again, don't EVER do anything new the night before a race - or the day of a race. Don't eat something new. Don't wear something new. Don't try something new. Period. GO WITH WHAT YOU KNOW.

I KNEW that. And like an idiot, I ignored the advice - and paid dearly for it.


In my defense, I was worried. I was worried that my race jitters would…um…to be slightly blunt and I apologize if I'm sharing too much information here...carry over to the restroom…if you get my drift. And that could be disastrous while running through the inner-city for thirteen miles. Port-o-potties would be plentiful along the course, but what if I couldn't get there in time??!! What if there was a long line??!! What if…God forbid…I were to have an ACCIDENT??!!

Gulp.

So…I took an Immodium on Friday night. And then chased it with an Ibuprofen.

Which promptly made me sick. Gah. Wave after wave after wave of nausea…all night long…bad enough that I couldn't - and didn't - sleep a wink. Our alarm was set for an early 5:00 a.m., and I know that it was well after 2:30 in the morning before I finally fell into a restless sleep. Lovely, huh? You can imagine my brain at 2:00 in the morning…"Holy crap, Sherri - you have to run over THIRTEEN miles in a few hours - and you haven't slept a WINK!!! Not to mention, you're probably going to puke your guts out!!!"

Yes. I had a wonderful night.

Not.


So, Saturday morning…we get up and start layering on our running clothes…with a few layers thrown on top for warmth. The temperatures outside were in the brisk lower 40's…and not expected to get much warmer by race time (7:05 a.m.) My trainer had given us a tip: to head to the nearest thrift shop before the race, and buy some $1 or $2 sweats. We would wear these while waiting for the race to start, and not lose energy by shivering ahead of time…and could then discard them along the race route once we were warmed up. This proved to be an invaluable tip, as I never got cold before the start of the race, and was at the perfect temperature.


Along with over 8,000 other runners, we arrived at the race location with about 45 minutes to spare before the start of the race. I used that time to try and calm the nausea in my stomach, to no avail. Bleh. I felt miserable, but I faithfully downed some Honey Stinger chews for some energy, hoping they would stay down. I also met up with my running buddy, Kristin, who would be running this race, as well. A quick kiss to Hubby, before he made his way through the throngs of runners towards the front - while I navigated my way towards the back, where the slower runners were located.

Weeks before the race, I had done some thinking on just how long it would take me to run this. Being a newbie, this was kinda' hard for me - as I wasn't sure how much time to allow for "energy drain" - which will slow you down as the miles increase. At one point, I was being conservative, and told my trainer that I hoped for a 3:00 hour finish - or a 3:30 finish. Jessica looked at me like I was somewhat crazy, and said, "Are you nuts??!! You can do it in 2:45!"

With that in mind, I went and made my way over to the 2:45 Pacer…which turned out to be a smart move on my part. Some races will provide free pacers - and I HIGHLY recommend these, especially if you're new to running. A pacer is a volunteer runner who will run the race in an exact, advertised time…for instance, you could find pacers doing 2:30, 2:35, 2:40, etc - all the way up to 3:30. They will carry a "flag" which indicates what time they are running, and you just "glam-on" like velcro to this person and you're guaranteed to finish at that time. My pacer's name was Gay, and she was very enthusiastic, very cheerful, and very encouraging to the ten or so of us who gathered around her. She told us that her strategy would be to walk some of the seven or so hills along the course, as well as through the water stations - but we would be running the rest of the course. Kristin had gone to run with the 3:15 pacer group, so I had said my goodbyes to her, as well - wishing her luck.


Right before the gun started, I quickly stripped all of my "extra" clothes - as I was pretty warm by them, being in a mob of 8,000+ runners…and I knew that the minute I started running myself, my body heat would quickly climb. As I said, this was a smart move - as I was never, ever chilled. I ran the entire distance with a headband to cover my ears, knowing that if my ears stay warm, I stay warm - and vice versa. Nothing makes me more uncomfortable than cold ears…gah. I didn't wear any gloves, as my hands seem to get really, really hot when I run, so I didn't want to deal with hot, sweaty hands. It turned out that I was pretty comfortable, temperature-wise, the entire race. All of these discarded clothes are picked up by the race organizers and then donated to charities. Cool.


Pre-sunrise…we're waiting for the race to begin!!!


The gun started…and it took me almost 6.5-minutes to reach the "official" start line. That's how far back I was - and that's how many runners there were. I always make note of how far "off" the official clock I am when I start, as I will subtract that time when I cross the official "finish" time. Starting my Garmin watch, as well as my running music, I was off. Along with everyone else:




The race started a little north of Crown Center, on Grand Ave…this is what the view looks like NOT on race morning:



After crossing the bridge over the railroad tracks, we are immediately running up a mile-long, gradual hill. You know you're in for a tough race when they throw the first of seven hills at you right off the bat. Glancing over to my left, I saw the Power & Light District, which is full of bars and restaurants. This is a cool place to come hang out and watch a sporting event on the giant screens, cheering along with thousands of others:


"Maybe I'll celebrate there tonight…oh, heck. What am I thinking??!! I'll be celebrating by SLEEPING tonight!!!"


Immediately to my right, I see the Sprint Center…our venue for concerts and such:


"Why does this always look like a flying saucer??!!"



A view of the runners as we're making our way up the hill:





"One mile down…HOW many more of these??!! TWELVE??!! Holy crap…what the HELL was I thinking??!!"



After passing the Sprint Center, we make a right turn, quickly followed by another right turn - so we're now heading south on Oak, heading BACK to Crown Center. This brings a much-needed, albeit, short descent, and I take advantage to speed up a bit and shake my arms out. That break is short lived, though, as we are now running up the infamous, dreaded Hospital Hill. (insert ominous music here)

Hospital Hill is an area in Kansas City that is 1. where a bunch of hospitals are located, dating back to 1870 and 2. hilly. Very hilly. There's a dedicated race in June that is called the "Hospital Hill" run - and experienced runners will tell you that not only is this area steep and challenging - but is bound to wear ambitious runners a bit thin. This is not even two miles into the race, and knowing I have over 11 more miles to run, I choose to walk up the half-mile hill, and save my energy for later. This strategy is employed by quite a few of the runners, as well as the Pace Group I was tagging along with.


"Holy crap - this hill is steep. What the HELL was I thinking??!!"

It was about here that I ran into my friend, Dana, who I met online a few months ago, and met in person at the Plaza 10k in September. It's amazing that you can run into anyone you know in a sea of 8,000+ runners - but Dana and I chat for awhile before I run on a bit ahead. I can't tell you how awesome it is to see a familiar face, and get a bit of encouragement! Dana's friendly smile alone will keep you motivated!!!


Dana's in blue…in the middle…she's awesome.


We no sooner get up and over Hospital Hill, when we're faced with another climb - this one called "Memorial Hill." Fortunately, this is only a third of a mile, and not quite as steep as Hospital Hill, but seriously…??!! If you ever think that Kansas City is FLAT, I'm here to tell you that it is most definitely NOT flat. Gah.

We were at about the Mile 3 mark now, which took us down and around Liberty Memorial, a monument dedicated to the men and women who had served in World War I. There's an awesome WWI museum located under the tower, and if you ever get a chance, you should visit it. This part of the run was AWESOME, because it was flat. This was actually one of the very few truly flat parts of the entire course, so I reveled in it. I also reveled in the beautiful sunrise that was coming up and showing the Kansas City skyline in all it's glory. You can just see it there in the background of this photo:


"It's flat…it's flat…it's flat…woot! Woot! Woot!"


My joy was short-lived, though, as we exited Liberty Memorial park and was faced with a short, but nasty hill along Wyandotte Street, that was probably the steepest hill along the course. About this time, we're four miles in…although I'm really trying not to think about it too much. This led us to 31st and Main Street, where I came across the first aid/water station along the course at Mile 4.

Let me just say right here, that the aid/water stations were AH-MAZ-ING. Seriously. Each station was 'manned' by a different volunteer group - and the enthusiasm they displayed was contagious. The cheers - the offers of water and Gatorade - the smiles - were HUGE in keeping me motivated. I can't thank them enough for everything they did, as I don't know if I would have finished without them.

My strategy was to alternate water and Gatorade between each station…and to ingest some GU energy gel at the 4-mile mark, as well as the 8-mile mark. So, taking a brief walk through the aid station, I grabbed one of my chocolate raspberry GU gels out of my running belt, quickly downed it, and chased it with a sip of water. The gel has some much-needed caffeine, which was definitely needed at about this point.

At Mile 5, we turned right on Westport Road…Westport is an historic neighborhood that saw action during the Civil War. And the action has never stopped. It was one of Kansas City's first entertainment districts, and so the quaint streets are lined with shops, bars and restaurants. When I was growing up, this was a rite of passage for anyone turning 21…go to Westport and get your first drink. And where do you go to get your drink? Why, Kelly's, of course. Kelly's has been around since 1850…and it is a Kansas City staple.




I was running beside a guy at this point, who looked about my age, so I had to say, "Hey…maybe we should have our OWN aid station inside Kelly's??!!! "

"Works for me!" he said.

Hee hee.


We ran west on Westport Road for about a mile, eventually hitting Mile 6 near Westport and Roanoke Parkway. Here was another aid station, this time manned by one of my running clubs, KC Express. Last March, I met these fine ladies when they ran a running clinic here in town over the course of six weeks, teaching me a lot about the sport. I wouldn't be where I am now without these women getting me started all those months ago. I got rather emotional as I walked through their aid station, thinking about how far I've come since March.


"Thank you, KC EXPRESS!!!!! You ladies ROCK!!!!!!!"



When we hit Roanoke Parkway, we turned south, running downhill (thank GOD!) and along the western edges of the Country Club Plaza. When we reached 47th Street, we turned left and began making our way east, through the Plaza. This was a BEAUTIFUL run, as we're running along architecture that was built in 1922 and modeled after Seville, Spain. Lots of statues, fountains, shops, restaurants…it's one of my favorite places in the city. It's also known as the very first outdoor shopping center in the world. Trivia. Cool.



This was also a nice run, as it was relatively flat. And I knew, from doing my research ahead of time, that things would be about to change. I'd soon be facing one of the most difficult portions of the race, but for another mile, let's run along 47th Street and enjoy some of the most photographed spots in Kansas City:



The JC Nichols Fountain is the most famous fountain in Kansas City…it's temporarily blue, in honor of the Royals going to the World Series.

A little further along, and I was running by the world-famous shuttlecocks in the front yard of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.



I guess the artist envisioned the building as a badminton "net" - and there are four, 18' shuttlecocks on the lawn in front and behind the building. They're the largest shuttlecocks in the world, by the way. They were rather controversial when they were first put in, back in 1992, as some people thought they were gaudy. I think they're whimsical. And whimsical is a GOOD thing when you've been running for over seven miles at this point!!!


Soon, we were approaching our left turn to head north on Troost. This is where the marathoners split from the half-marathoners. Because of confusion in years past, this year, they had guys on bullhorns making sure you knew which course to run - as well as some strategic signs along the way:



They needn't have worried about me. There was no way IN HELL I would have accidentally ended up running the marathoner's course.


A short jog over to Gillham Road, where I met up with Mile 8. As well as something else.

"Oh, hello, Wall. Fancy meeting you here."

Yes. I hit the WALL at this point. And this was not good. Not good at all. My legs felt like ground-up hamburger at this point, and I was mentally exhausted. This could potentially be disastrous….

Not only did I still have over five miles to run, but the next two of those would be run uphill. Yes. Uphill. The hardest part of the race was coming - and I was ready to throw in the towel.

Crap.


Knowing that this point would be coming, I had fortunately prepared for it. I quickly dug into my racing belt, and pulled out a spare Ibuprofen I had pocketed. An aid station was quickly approaching, and I downed not only my pain pill, but another energy GU, as well, with a sip of water. However, I had one more ace in the hole.

Looking up to the skies, I quietly pleaded, "Dad. We got this. I know we got this. But I could sure use a bit of your help right now to keep going."

And at that second…I kid you not…my most favorite running song IN THE WORLD just happened to start playing on my iPhone. Seriously.

"The Walker" - by Fitz and the Tantrums - can inspire me to start running Kenyan.

With a nod to my Dad for his divine help, I picked up my pace with renewed energy. I knew that if I could get through the next two hellatious miles, it would be downhill from Mile 10 on.


I honestly don't remember much about the next two miles. I couldn't walk up this hill - it was too long; it would have eaten too much time. I had to grind it out and use all my reserves to get me up and over. Running was a blur - I was just putting one foot in front of another and following blindly the person in front of me. I don't remember seeing much scenery at this point, but I DO know my mind was going a bit crazy:

"What the HELL were you thinking??!!"

"Get to 10! Get to 10! Downhill from then! Downhill from then!"

"You CAN and you WILL!!"

"Good for my butt. Good for my butt. Good for my butt."

"Is that a blister that I feel on my foot?! Oh, please God, NOOOO!! No blisters!"

"Whose idea was this, anyway?????"


I know we ran up Gillham; up Harrison; and east on Armour Boulevard for a stretch before turning north on The Paseo. This stretch is known as the Harrison Boulevard Climb - a massive 1.82-mile ascent up 137 feet -- not steep, but quite long. I remember bits of Gillham Park and Hyde Park - but that's about all I remember.


I know that I had pulled ahead of my pacer group miles ago…and had caught up with the 2:40 pacer group. However…all that water was catching up to me, and I found a Port-o-Potty near Mile 9 that I had to visit. Unfortunately, there was a bit of a line…and so I lost some time due to the call of nature. By the time I got back on the course, the 2:40 group was way ahead, but the 2:45 group was still behind me. I was somewhat stuck in the middle, so to speak. On my own now - but that's okay.


We were soon approaching Mile 10 around 32nd Street, and I saw signs promoting the next aid/water station ahead. One of them caught my eye, as it said, "Training in honor of Suzie Warren."

Wait, what?

Suzie is one of my BFF's - one of my high school friends - and I knew that her group, Team in Training, was manning an aid station. This must be her station - cool!!! Sure enough, as I approached, I saw all sorts of Team in Training shirts - but no Suzie. She was volunteering, but arrived about 15 minutes after I had already ran through. I was just too fast - and Kenyan - at this point, huh?


See how much freakin' FUN the aid stations were??!!


Powering up with a sip of Gatorade at Suzie's station, I began the last leg of the race…knowing that it was "only" a 5k to go until the finish. I could do this. I was strong. I was so close.

Somewhere between Mile 11 and Mile 12, as I'm shuffling along The Paseo, I hear a cow bell ringing. A lot of the course monitors would ring these so it would break through the runner's "fog" and insure we were paying attention to where we were going. I look over at the course monitor, and I'll be darned. It's a fellow Kansas City volunteer with the American Red Cross - Kathi - and so I made a BEE-LINE over to her to get a hug.

And a hug never felt so good - just another "boost" to keep me going. Kathi recently ran the full Chicago Marathon - 26.2 miles - so she's a rockstar in my book.

"You got this!" Kathi told me, as I quickly got back to the course.


Well. We'll see.

Soon, we were approaching Mile 12…and this brought up the awesome Buck O'Neil & the Kansas City Monarchs murals at the historic Paseo YMCA. It was at this YMCA in 1920 that the Negro National League of baseball formed:


That's just too cool. These guys are my heroes.


We turned west on 18th Street, taking us into the 18th & Vine jazz district of Kansas City:


I should have timed my Playlist to start playing some jazz right about here...


This was just past Mile 12, and the aid station volunteers here were full of smiles and cheers for all of us. They knew that our legs were cramping, our motivation waning, and we needed every bit of encouragement we could get. I wish I knew who this group was - because they were pretty inspirational. Thank you, random strangers, who took the time to volunteer on a beautiful Saturday morning.


A left turn at Grand, and we were heading south again - towards the finish line. Just a little over a mile to go, and I'm giving it every thing I've got at this point. I REALLY want to finish before 2:45, so I can't slow down.

It was here, though, that I looked up - and saw a blessed sight. Oh, not the finish line. Yet. That would come later.

But even better.

Hubby.

Running back to meet me and run in with me.


Yes, Hubby had already finished - and bless his heart, was now looking for me so he could give me that last boost that I needed. We ran the last mile in, when he veered off right before the finish line so I could have my moment of glory:


"Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!!!"




There it was. The Finish Line. Two hours and forty-three minutes after I started, I was crossing this beauty.

I did it. I had ran A FREAKIN' HALF-MARATHON!!!!






Emotion flooded over me as I crossed, and I quickly pointed to heaven to give Dad his due. I know he was right beside me in spirit the whole way, giving me those boosts of encouragement when I needed them.

And my prize??



This beauty. It's all about the bling.


Final thoughts:


*Because of the Royals' extraordinary run to the World Series this year, the organizers had asked everyone to wear blue. I did, and I was met with all sorts of chants and cheers along the way. A lot of the aid station volunteers and supporters along the route were wearing their blue, and it was so fun to see some of the signs:



Ha. So true. And I run about as fast as Billy Butler.

Speaking of Billy Butler, here's another one:


"That's what speed do." Jarrod Dyson, one of our speedier players, coined this phrase, and it's become very popular here in town.

"If the Royals can make it to the World Series, you can make it to the Finish!" True. It took 29 years for the Royals to make it back to the World Series; thank GOD it didn't take me 29 years to run the race…although it certainly felt like it sometimes!


Oh, child…I could only DREAM that I was running like I did 29 years ago!!


More Signs:


*Immediately after running, I spent some significant time stretching and using my foam roller…which made all the difference. I was slightly sore on Sunday and Monday after the race, but not as bad as one would expect after running 13.1 miles.


*The tendonitis behind my left knee has been flaring the last few weeks…so, I put on an Icy/Cold menthol patch BEFORE the race…it was a miracle. I never felt my knee flare the entire course. And - knowing I tend to get lower back/hip pain when I run long distances, I proactively put another patch on my back before the race. And again - it was amazing. I may do this in the future.


*I'm thankful I've been training on hills. These hills - seven of them - were a BITCH…but I made it through and didn't die. I need more training, though.


*The police officers, volunteers, family members, cheerleaders, etc along the course were the best part of the race, I think. I tried to thank every single police officer that I passed - as well as the volunteers. We couldn't have done it without them.


*Fortunately, I never puked along the course. But I was still sick Saturday night - hours after the race. I learned my lesson, and will never take Immodium before a race again. Gah.


And for the final thought:


Would I do it again???


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Hell, yes.




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