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Have not posted for a little while, but ran the Mightyniagara Half on Saturday.  DH and I left here early Friday morning , arrived at our Friend's house in Lewiston NY around 1.  It was a beautiful Fall day.  She is a knitter too, so I went to her knitting circle at the libraryAfter that went back to her house and went to pick up my race pacet.  Picked up the packet at Niagara Falls outlet mall....great mall!  One of the best I have been.  Lots of stores that we did not explore, but next time.......We then went for a fish fry, which Western NY is known for, not exactly a before race meal, but delicious!   Sat at a table overlooking the Niagara River and Canada across....beautiful and fun.  Went to bed around 9:30.  Woke up to pouring rain, I mean pouring.  Race did not start until 9, only about a 5 minute drive away.  Stood in the rain with DH for, what seemed like hours, race did not start until 9:15.  I have to admit, there were a few times , during that wait, that I really, really, just wanted to go back to the house and forget the whole thing!  It was not cold thankfully, nor windy, but sooooo darn wet!  Finally kissed DH and got underway.  I started our quite slowly, even slower than usual, up a small hill and started running through the town of Lewiston.  There was an older gentleman, running with the 2:30 pace card, but he was going slower than I was, so I am not sure what that was all about.  I heard someone ask him if his pace was going to be about a 12 minute mile and he said no, more like 15, so again, I do not know what was going on.  I never saw him again and I was not going fast!  Right away, another man was asking is there was anyone running around his age, which was 74, I was right there, so I said "well I am about 10 years younger"  We ran together for a while.  He was running his first race in over 10 years, we were going about the same pace.  He was worried about his shin splints.  Very pleasant man, talked about a lot of things, his profession, genealogy, we would connect up quite a lot during the race.  Came to mile two quite quickly and my friends were standing on a corner with several other people....I could hear them yelling my name about a half a block away!  It was great, never had anyone cheering for me before during the race.  I kept hearing  Ginny from OHio!  My friend said she didn't even know these people, they just asked her who she was waiting for and said they would cheer for me too!  It was so nice!  Still pouring rain, but you know after a while it doesn't even matter, except I could not see out of my glasses.  I kept taking them off and trying to wipe them off, but it didn't really help.  I finally gave u p and ended up putting them in my little thingy around my waist.  I could see better without them.  At this point we are passing some gorgeous homes along the Niagara River.  We followed this same road for a long while, would have been really beautiful had it not been pouring.  About mile 5 those same people had parked and started cheering me on again...that was a surprise.  Went through anaother small town and entered a park...I am feeling okay, but going slower than normal, my legs just felt heavy today.  I never ran completely alone though, someone was always around me.  I did pass some people at this point, as usual, around mile 10 the feel started cramping, I wish I could solve this problem, but it happens every time.  When that happens I start to worry about the calves cramping again, and I got some twinges, but they never did.  The course was quite flat until miles 11 and 12  (why do they do that?)  NOt big hills, but the way I was feeling by then, they might as well have been big.  I knew I was not going to have a good time, and I started to get down on myself, thinking can't I ever finish strong?????  Oh well, we entered another park and were told to go through the woods....only for about maybe 50-100 feet I think, but it was muddy and then the finish.  My DH and friends were there and after I got my medal I saw the other people again who had been cheering me, they were yelling Yay, Ginny from OHio, thanks for coming here to run!  It was neat!  I went over and thanked them.  Got my chocolate milk and sloshed to the car.  I could feel the water sloshing in my shoes.  I don't think I have ever been so wet!   It never stopped pouring for a minute during the run.  Never stopped the whole day, broke a record for the most rainfull up there in one day.

Had a really wonderful time and we think we may make this an annual affair.  Hopefully next year it won't be raining.

Really, really sore too around the hip area and hamstrings.  Getting better though.

Ginny

Pic of Shirt and Medal.   I really like it1

Heading downtown for a day of meetings with my future coworkers and their members at thei fall meeting. Won't get home until 8 or so tonight so I ran today's 10 yesterday and will take a rest day today. Nervous about the meetings, especially the reception tonight where I will hardly know Anyone.

Great race and report Ginny. Sounds like you had a good time despite the weather. And agree with Laura, that pacer was way off...3:20 instead if 2:30 - maybe he was dyslexic!

have a great day all.

karen

10.6. Travel day. I'm getting in a plane now.

Be back in a bit.

I'm at my hotel and have done a bunch of work etc.  Flight was on time so that is a good thing. Got through middle ATL before the traffic really got bad.

Ginny great job in tough conditions.  From FB glad the tip worked for the shoe drying.  I have to do it frequently with travel etc I often get my shoes soaked in rain and need them to dry as fast as possible.

Nice job Cindy

Hi Gatsby

Hope the meeting went well Karen.  I'm sure you will meet plenty of folks.

Karen  - I'm sure you did great  meeting your future co workers!!

Hi Sue, Cindy, Marjorie, Damaris, Gatsby....

Ugh, have developed a head cold, so skipped Fusion class tonight.  Am still planning on running in the am, meeting a friend early morning.  7 more work days woot woot!!