Another 3 mile run before work. I like being busy but it sure cuts down on weekday run time. Looks like we won't be going to Utah after all. So no races there. Son took the Master Sergeant test and passed. So the Air Force said they don't need another Master Sergeant at Hill so right now he doesn't know where they might send him. Oh the fun of being in the armed services.

Rich - I was hoping you didn't see that. I know what you mean trying to increase mileage.

Altair - We all feel like the run isn't doing it for us sometimes. When I feel like that I let my body tell me what to do. It's hard following it though when you are trying to train for a race. Doing the remodeling stuff I'm doing isn't hard. It's time consuming because I haven't done the plumbing part in a very long time. So I am taking it slow and trying not to make too many mistakes. Tha hardest part was dry fitting the ABS pipes to come out in the right spot so the shower drain lines up. Despite my best efforts of getting it right on and marking where everything goes, when I glued it all together I ended up about 3/4 inch off. Needless to say I wasn't happy. So cut it out and did it again. Got it right the second time. The rest, hanging the cement backer board, taping and sealing the walls and setting the wall tile is relatively easy. The hardest part is picking out the type of tile, color and style.

AZ - Waiting for the report. I'm rooting for Loyola since I am from the Chicago area.

Dan - Nice run while the weather was good. Keep those up and you'll be in good shape for your race.

Bataan Memorial Death March, April 25, 2018
The funeral for my grandmother was changed from Friday to Saturday morning.  Good that DH could attend but we had to leave asap after service to pick up my race packet by 8 pm.  No race day pick up.  We are hauling our T@B trailer, making good time. After getting on I-25 south, it gets more windy with each mile it seems but we made it by 7:35 PM. It is so WINDY by this time!!  We parked our trailer on base right across the street of the starting area.  The finish is about a block from us.

Instead of 'runners,' it's 'marchers.'  Our RV neighbor tell us they are 'marching' the FM as well.....in between their cigarette smokes.   They offered us some lasagna, DH ate most of it while I picked out the pasta.  Each night at 10 pm, Taps is played, we are parked right under the speakers!  The wind was ferocious throughout the night.  At 6 am, another wake up call, wind has died down, its around 40 degrees, predicted high of 70. Partly cloudy.  Got up at 4:30 am, dressed, ate and hydrated, wore my Nathan hydration vest with two collapsible water bottles (I don't like the water bladder).  Have to be at corral by 6 am.  It was confusing to find my 'category' but we stood with other runners in the honorary 'marchers' category. It was clearly marked in the booklet but not in reality.

The pre-race ceremony included a brief history of the Bataan Death March in the Philippines. Names of the survivors.  VIPs are announced and a few words. Philippines national anthem is sung, followed by the U.S. Two jets flyover.  Awesome!  Race starts. The wounded warriors go first.  The 'runners' are next and most do take off but I (and other runners in the honorary corral) end up going last.  But it really didn't seem to matter. Road into the base is closed off to traffic.

We run on paved road through the street on base for about a mile. Then we see the front runners running back, they missed the turn off.  Massive confusion!! Some ran at least 1.5 mile before turning around.  I ran about a mile, so ran back a mile.  In the end, I ended up running 28.2 miles.

After getting back on course, we continue on a dirt road with some sandy areas to the 8 mile A.S.  I walked through, eating a banana.  Then onto paved road (main road to the base) for about 2 miles, ouch!! I walk/run most of this. Sun peeks out now and then but it's getting warmer and breezy. Run through a water mist, NICE!!  Stopped, sat and ate another banana, half of wrap at mile 10 aid station.

Then change to a dirt road which encircles a hill that we have to go around, it's a very gradual incline, not too noticable till you get to mile 14 A.S., the 'summit.'  I stop and lie down on cot, just to rest my achy knee, and sore back.  I should have just worn my Nathan hydration waist belt instead, this vest feels heavy.  Another 10 minutes here. The Aid Stations have cots and chairs, serving only sliced oranges and bananas, water and gatorade.  Glad I brought my clif bar, a peanut butter wrap, and a hummus wrap.

Next A.S., I sat and shook out sand/pebbles from shoes, took off hydration vest and ate half of gel.  Probably took another 10 minutes.

Felt better, actually ran the 3 miles from here, some short up/down areas to mile 18 (shares mile 10 A.S.)

I had to sit down again, knee is not happy.  Med tent gave me some tylenol, but they had to take my information and vitals. Another 10 minutes.  Very impressive volunteer staff!!  It's definitely 70 degrees by now, the breeze is nice but full sun. It's back to paved road so I walked with another runner who just ran a 100 miler two weeks prior.  We are not feeling bad about walking most of mile 19.  He doesn't like paved road running either, LOL!!  We talked with others along the way, listening to their reasons for this march.

I'm feeling better by mile 20, ran on paved road till mile 21. Then onto dirt/gravel road into an arroyo, the 'sand pit."  And yes, it's the only area that I can say was very SANDY for about a MILE!! Wind has picked up.  I jogged/walked till mile 23 aid station where I stopped to shake out sand/dirt/pebbles from shoes.

Last 3 miles, I knew I can run to the finish.  Just when I start to run, I could feel the HUGE blisters on big toes.  Band aids aren't there anymore. I could feel the blisters bleeding!!  This was so painful .  I couldn't run.  It's a straightaway from here, you can see the base where the finish is.  It's all hard packed dirt/gravel road so it was hard on the sole of my feet.  It hurt to walk even.  I had to shut off my brain and tell myself it's gonna hurt to the end so "suck it up, buttercup!"

I walked/jogged till mile 25.5.  Then I ran the last half mile to the finish.  Passed a few. I went straight to the med tent.  Staff peeled off my socks, blisters are bleeding and fluid is all over my shoes They can't believe I ran at all.  DH met me at the med tent.  Blisters were cleaned and bandaged before I was 'discharged.'

Overall, it was quite an experience.  Glad I did it.  It's not a typical race in that the reason to endure such a journey is to remember the significance of the event.  With that, it was tough to pass any soldier who are marching with huge packs on their backs. Some were in a 'team' while others were individuals who were marching in memory of loved ones lost in combat.  I didn't mind walking, it was amazing to hear some of the solders' stories.  The volunteers were incredible, very encouraging.  Lots of security, MPs and border patrol.

The course was not my thing though.  It's a road, not a trail.  Hard packed dirt/gravel with some sandy portions.  I didn't mind the sand but my knee hated the gravel portions.

Time was 6 hrs, 37 minutes.  Could have finish an hour early but oh well.  OV: 136/1025 female light division.  AG: 26/211.  There were about 8,460 marchers.  66% male, 34% female.

We decided to stay another night.  And another night of ferocious scary WIND all night!!  We left early and made it back to our work home around 9 pm.

Ran 3 miles on Tuesday.  Rested Wed and Thurs.  Ran 10 miles yesterday (Friday).

A change in my upcoming April races:

April 8 - Tuba City half marathon trail - AZ

May 5 - Shiprock Marathon - NM

June 2 - Thelma and Louise HM - Moab, UT

Art:  I decided to NOT run the Dam Good race, Lake Pleasant.  Have not run that race yet.  Decided on the Tuba race, closer and less $$ and more 'time' before Shiprock Marathon.  Have you decided on the Extreme Pine trail race in Flag?  I need to register still, for the 27K.  Loyola is an amazing team, and tough games all the way to the final four but they have a secret 'sister' LOL!!  I've been catching up on the games.  The women's semi-final games were nail-biters to the end, both games in OT!!  Totally get the uncertainty of the location when in the armed forces.  But congrats to DS.

Rich:  are you getting sick?  I can't believe people think its okay to have coughing fits, sneezing and sniffling like crazy at work!!  Lots of them in the public library, yucky.  I'm not going tell you what our temps/weather has been lately ..........it's not nice to complain about a little wind ....so I won't, LOL!!   Didn't NH get the memo that it's 'Spring?' Glad you got a workout on the tryke.  You must have solid arm muscles by now!

Dan:  wow, your miles are piling up! NICE!!  Hope the weather lets up now and then to have you continue those types of runs.  Door County is creeping up.  How long is the drive there?  Hello to DW.  Oh, BTW, Christie was first female at a 50K trail run in ND.  Cold and snow. Got off trail course with others due to missed flag but she made it up.  She's a strong runner, not surprised of her finish!!  Tough and determined!!

Hello to Ray and Chantilly

"talk' to you all in April!