What a memorable day for our nation today! Twocat, your story brought tears to my eyes and that of my DH, to whom I read your post just now. Give that lovely bride of yours an extra hug for me today. As per my email to you yesterday, our run today (4 with DH and 4 alone) was to celebrate her and all those people involved in the tragedy.
So, 8 miles today takes me to 41 miles for the week. Great comeback post hike last weekend.
On to stir the second batch of marinera sauce, which for once will not be canned, but frozen. It is 98F right now!
Great race rtravers. Congrats in the AG win!!!
"Champions are everywhere; all you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard
After a while I heard, “Granny, Granny – come here!” and saw her leading them at a run, back and forth across the complex. It was hilarious, actually, as she was gleefully outrunning her middle-aged children. I know it must have been quite frustrating to her family, but whatever that woman’s mental diminishment was, she was having a wonderful time, a huge smile on her face as she led them on a merry chase. I had to smile with her. If I come to that in the end, I hope at least I have as much fun.
Go, Granny, Go!!
Congrats, Robin!
Leslie Living and Running Behind the Redwood Curtain -------------
Trail Runner Nation
Sally McCrae-Choose Strong
Bare Performance
Good afternoon. Twocat, thank you for sharing that and I can imagine what a hard day that must have been. I mostly watched on TV, but my DH had flown across the country the day before to a meeting in Seattle. The meeting was cancelled but he could not get home for most of the week. ( he did make the best of it by hiking in the Cascades and shopping at REI). I was home with DD and DS, ages 8 and 2. Very frightening time even from some distance. MY BIL lived in Tribeca at the time so witnessed the devasation pretty close up.
Today I ran an easy ( well slow, not that easy on pretty tired legs) 8 miles.
I see that Mariposai is running RTB?? I will have to track down Rosie's van...
I hope the weekend racers did well!
Powerful start Twocat and so glad your DW was safe. Thank you as well Skip for your post...this day leaves nobody untouched.
Ten years ago I was in my office at Smith College having just spoken with a faculty member about funding a position in Islamic Studies---no kidding. The receptionist said "Oh My God" and we all know what happened next. That my birthday is also on this day serves as a powerful reminder of how grateful I am for each day. The September 11 I wish to claim was 47 years ago and the one we remember that occurred 10 years ago can’t possibly be forgotten. My BIL was in Tower One and got out and was also working at the WTC in 1993 when it was bombed. His banking headquarters moved to CT in October 2001.
I try and remember to tell my friends and family that I love them more frequently now and today is a renewal of that promise.
As we lined up to race a 30k by the ocean in Nahant, MA this morning, the race director spoke movingly and poignantly and asked for a moment of silence. As I started to bow my head, I could see a plane take off from Logan airport---just across the bay. The plane going skyward against a clear blue sky (just like 10 years ago) was an eerie sight. Is running a race today the right way to remember? I don’t know, but it was a life-affirming run to be sure.
I ran this race as a pace test and not all out as per coach----she said try and hold 7:30 pace until mile 16 and then put the hammer down if you feel good at mile 16. I hit mile 16 at just under 2:00 and kicked it in along the ocean for a 2:17:56 and 1st in my age group/ 8th woman out of 117 and 30/196 overall. A good run and super volunteers throughout---well done. Thanks Slo_Hand for reminding me to say thank you…I did that lots and will send a note to the North Shore Striders for putting on a super race. Congrats to you for all the good results at the race you helped put on. The course was a hilly one with no massively steep hills, but lots of rollers. I like those actually and feel it’s a better test of all my running muscles.
Hurray for 47 year-old age group winners Robin!
Props to all the racers today!
...and to all those speedy super-grannys--big props. Mine is still trucking along and goes to Zumba-Gold class twice a week, does her tai-chi daily and will be 101 years-old in November. Even with my birthday, I am still not even half her age. She was 47 in 1957!
All the 9/11 stories I've heard today have really moved me. {{{{Twocat}}}} I'll never forget that day at work.... once the first tower was hit, the remainder of the day was spent by most of the staff in the cafeteria, watching the CNN feed on the TVs we have there... everyone in stunned shock.
Considering the threats to NY, my DH was nervous of me going into downtown Toronto this morning, but I was determined to get a chance to meet our wonderful Henry and Marj, who are in town for a family thing. Of course I got half way into the city before I realized I forgot my camera.... thankfully Marj had hers! We met in the lobby of their hotel and wandered off in search of brunch... settling on some really good Dim Sum in Chinatown. We had a marvelous visit!!
Congrats on the race today, Karin!
.....Nancy The road to hell is paved....... run trails!
82.95 miles for the week. No doubles. I'll take it!
Happy birthday and excellent racing to Karin! Very well done. I love how you always have a plan and make it work.
Wow, Skip, that's a lotta miles!
Heme, Henry and Marj prowling for Dim Sum in Toronto! Can't wait to see pictures!
Glad it all worked out well, Twocat. So many weren't so fortunate. My MIL lost several people she knew that day. Friends of ours who live in Manhattan have told us what they experienced. I just can't imagine. I remember hearing DH out in the living room (we'd just gotten up and he'd turned on the morning news), just something like "Oh my God!" over and over. We watched the horrific second strike and just couldn't believe what we were seeing. Later at work, I watched our airport fill up with 747's and other passenger jets, all grounded immediately and never intended to stop in Fairbanks. Pretty amazing sight. My office window looks out to the south, with the airport just a couple miles away. I've never seen so many planes there, and big ones!
Today I ran the middle leg of the race course, from mile 8 up the hill and on out to the out-and-back, then back down the way I came. I do this run a few times in preparation for the race, but I don't think I've done the whole thing this year yet. Finished in 2:05:20, which is about 2 minutes better than my previous best time. I hope that's a good sign. I won't do that during the race (course doesn't return back down the hill but rather goes south down the Chute, then east back to campus), and will have run 8 hilly miles to get to the start point anyway, but it's always a good test run. I did have a little bit of ache in my left ankle on the downhill parts, but nothing a couple easy/rest days won't fix. I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be!
Marathon Maniac #957
5K race today in 23:37 (7:40 min/mile pace). This after a pretty tiring week, so I'm pleased. The first mile was a steady downhill that I had to force myself to slow up on...I still managed a 6:59 minute mile. I paid for it, though, with some really tough climbs in the last mile! 42/202 OA and 2nd Masters female.
Sweet!!
Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."