Beautiful weather, full night of sleep, and just a few follow up coughing fits leftover from the flu. What more could one need when trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon for the third time?
W was up and out the door for the 8am start, while I tried to wrestle a still-not-quite 100% C out the door. The course ran right by our hotel but we missed W by about 30 seconds. Luckily I saw the warm-up jacket he had tossed onto the hotel grass, picked it up and started the dash across the island. It took some creativity to dash with C in the Bob across the road, still full of many runners, and start the 1.2 mile dash to King Street. We made it just as the pace car and lead runners came through. Less than 10 minutes later, there was W...looking great! C and I then ran against traffic down King, cheering on the runners, getting some calls of 'you are going the wrong way' and 'go momma.' We enjoyed cheering encouragement and getting some whoop, whoops for the great weather. A quick trip into Harris Teeter and we were restocked with breakfast, candy, supplies and signage gear. Round trip back to the hotel for a total of 4 miles to start.
Then we hopped into the car and drove up the highway to the finish line. C and I then sprinted around the course, cheering W and our MRC friend, Josh Cox, as they ran by miles 20 & 22. Everything looked good though W seemed to be having a tough go. Interesting note - one volunteer who I saw three times reported that the course was measuring long. C and I stopped our run at one intersection to give out LifeSavers and high fives....so much fun! I highly recommend it.
I stood at mile 25.8 waiting to see our guy. And waited...and worried...and waited some more. Then I ran back to mile 25 to see if he was coming. I waited too long. When I finally saw him, I said 'dig deep babe' and kept up with him as he did, then he rounded the corner and the stroller was just too much. I was hoping as he rounded the finish, but I saw in his eyes that today was not his day. Was it the flu that hit last week? Was it too warm? Had he cracked? After he had his picture taken and collected his medal, he walked up to me and said, "26.67? Seriously? I kept waiting for the finish and it never came." W finished at 26:14, a personal record but 1 minute and 14 seconds outside of a BQ. He missed his goal by less than 75 seconds.
I held back my emotions and bit my tongue. Runners are always lamenting the difference between their finish distances and the course actuals. GPS watches are notoriously incorrect as Runners' World has repeatedly reported. But as we walked, and waited for our friend, many folks around us were murmuring the same type of disbelief. W recovered quickly (and honestly, he looked the best of the finish of any of his three races) and we slowly walked over to cheer for Josh as he completed a PR finish.
Back to the car and then to the hotel. It was a quiet ride, followed by a quiet lunch of leftover pizza. C was bouncing off the walls at this point and still barely eating. I crawled into his little couch bed with him while still in my running clothes. Then came a first, he clutched my hand and fell asleep. We have kept C out of our bed deliberately since he was a baby and couldn't get him to sleep with us if we wanted to. But today, he did. Everyone napped for about an hour, then we set out in the Courtyard van for some sustenance. Molly Darcy's was the recommendation for a good pub. We relaxed and taught C how to play foosball, then caught up with Josh. Some good gelato and we all hit the hay. Tomorrow would come quickly with a 4 year old in the room. It was time for sleep. Decisions would come later.
Showing posts with label Mebane Running Club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mebane Running Club. Show all posts
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Visit to Portland, Oregon - July 8th, 2008
After an unreasonably easy and pain-free set of flights, W and I arrived in Portland for some much needed vacation and the wedding of our friends Eric & Katherine.
Upon arrival, we grabbed our car and headed downtown to the Residence Inn on the riverfront. We laced up our running shoes and headed out for a 3 mile run along the waterfront and across some of Portland's many bridges.
Then upon the recommendation of my 
friend and local resident, Heather, we set out for the Pearl District of Portland on the streetcar, to the newly opened Deschutes Brewery and Pub. We had a great dinner that included our own personalized flights of beer. We browsed around some of the downtown stores, including a gigantic REI, the Puma store, and the North Face, wandered through the Pearl and found ourselves at a local gelato cafe. We grabbed something sweet and planned to catch the streetcar back to the hotel.
friend and local resident, Heather, we set out for the Pearl District of Portland on the streetcar, to the newly opened Deschutes Brewery and Pub. We had a great dinner that included our own personalized flights of beer. We browsed around some of the downtown stores, including a gigantic REI, the Puma store, and the North Face, wandered through the Pearl and found ourselves at a local gelato cafe. We grabbed something sweet and planned to catch the streetcar back to the hotel.Unfortunately, everytime we arrived at a streetcar stop, the LED sign indicated that the 
ride was over 10 minutes away....so we just kept walking. We hit the Safeway for some sodas and snacks....and walked some more. We were approached by many of the locals who were interested in some spare change....so we walked some more, eventually walking all the way back to our hotel - a 3 plus mile journey. We figured we'd rest later. It was a great introduction to Portland...we're looking forward to our next adventure tomorrow!
ride was over 10 minutes away....so we just kept walking. We hit the Safeway for some sodas and snacks....and walked some more. We were approached by many of the locals who were interested in some spare change....so we walked some more, eventually walking all the way back to our hotel - a 3 plus mile journey. We figured we'd rest later. It was a great introduction to Portland...we're looking forward to our next adventure tomorrow!Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Add sobriety to your workout!
W teaches an indoor cycling class each Monday and Wednesday for our good friend Annie at the Fitness Playground in Mebane. Since I typically attend ballet on Mondays, I missed out on the night we decided to go cold turkey. W, Annie & Sarah were bemoaning the extra empty calories, loss of wallet control and general Sunday stupor that seemed to accompany each of our nights out in Mebane. Brilliant minds stunted by an hour of riding a bike to nowhere came up with a plan for them to be alcohol-free until our attendance at the Blue Ridge Wine Festival. That's basically one solid month in the liquor-free zone. A sucker for supporting anyone's efforts at sobriety and looking to speed up my running times, I decided to join the group.
Three weeks later and almost 6 pounds lighter, I have spent less time numbing my brain in front of the TV, spoken to my husband more and run faster than I ever have. Of course, the 18 beers and 3 bottles of wine in the fridge keep talking to me like those snarky vegetables from the Muppet Show every time the interior light goes on. And holidays with the family take on an entirely new light when sober. I have never been one for drinking to excess but I do enjoy a glass of wine or a nice Belgian brew a couple of nights per week. With work ever increasing, perhaps more than a couple nights per week. So this has been an interesting challenge.....not difficult, just interesting.
The sobriety has made me do odd things, like finally sign up for a bootcamp session with Annie and get up for a 6:30 track workout with some Mebane Running Club pals. But the heavier wallet, lighter me and better relationship status have made it all worthwhile.
Maybe this will be a new annual event? (Although the lack of tolerance may make for an ugly Wine Festival....9 more days and we'll see!)
Three weeks later and almost 6 pounds lighter, I have spent less time numbing my brain in front of the TV, spoken to my husband more and run faster than I ever have. Of course, the 18 beers and 3 bottles of wine in the fridge keep talking to me like those snarky vegetables from the Muppet Show every time the interior light goes on. And holidays with the family take on an entirely new light when sober. I have never been one for drinking to excess but I do enjoy a glass of wine or a nice Belgian brew a couple of nights per week. With work ever increasing, perhaps more than a couple nights per week. So this has been an interesting challenge.....not difficult, just interesting.
The sobriety has made me do odd things, like finally sign up for a bootcamp session with Annie and get up for a 6:30 track workout with some Mebane Running Club pals. But the heavier wallet, lighter me and better relationship status have made it all worthwhile.
Maybe this will be a new annual event? (Although the lack of tolerance may make for an ugly Wine Festival....9 more days and we'll see!)
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Mebane Runners Compete in Charity and Fun Runs
Published in the 3.12.08 edition of the Mebane Enterprise - written by yours truly)
Photo Information - Franklin St. 5K Photo - Photo courtesy of Pete Elder Back row, left to right- Wally Bixby, Sarah Elder, Elaine Bixby, King Nelson, Mike Aydt, Kim Powell-Bailey Front row, left to right - Annie Luxmore, Tara Corbett
Photo Information - St. Valentine's Day Massacre Marathon Relay Back row, left to right - Derek Waterhouse, Rod Snyder, Sarah Elder, Pete Elder, Steve Gray, Wally Bixby, Jack Mignosa Middle row, left to right - Denise Snyder, McKenna Snyder Front row, left to right - Elaine Bixby, Lynn Waterhouse, Laura Brown, Barbara Taylor, Chris Walker
Members of the local Mebane Running Club and Fitness Playground's Boot Camp came together over the last several weekends to participate in local competitive and charity events.
Four teams and one individual braved a cold day with threats of rain on February 17th , 2008 for Off 'n Running Sports' annual Valentine's Day Massacre Marathon and Marathon Relay. The event offered either a full marathon or a relay option for 2 or 4 person teams. The first participant ran a 2.2 mile leg and then three 1.6 mile loops, and the remaining three team members each ran four 1.6 mile loops to make a full marathon. Team members alternated with about 30-40 minutes of recovery time in between each lap. Throughout the event, participants and their families, including many from Mebane, were able to cheer on their fellow team members.
Jack Mignosa won the overall individual event as the first finisher of the solo marathon category with a time of 3:01:09. Team Mebane 2 finished in second place at 3:09:43 for the 4 person, co-ed category. Team members included WB, Denise Snyder, Barbara Taylor, and Chris Walker. Team Mebane 3, which included EB, Pete Elder, Sarah Elder and Steve Gray, finished in third place in the same category with a time of 3:15:02. The fourth team was Mebane 1, which finished second in the 'Geezer' category which included runners whose combined ages exceeded 160. This team included Laura Brown, Rod Snyder, Derek Waterhouse and Lynn Waterhouse. The Mebane Running Club's participation in the event was headed up by club member Stephanie Rankin. Last minute illness prompted Lynn Waterhouse and Rod Snyder to substitute for Stephanie and her husband Bob.
On February 23rd , 2008, the Coach Bubba 20 km and 4 mile races took place in Durham. The event was organized by the Carolina Godiva Track Club to honor Bruce Koenig, aka 'Coach Bubba' who passed away unexpectedly while leading a group run. This year the primary beneficiary of the race was the Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers (TROSA), a treatment and rehabilitation program founded in Durham. Mebane Running Club member Rachel Massai finished 8th in her age group in the 4 mile event with a finishing time of 34:43.
Saturday, March 1st brought the 19th annual Zeta Tau Alpha Franklin Street 5K Race to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. It was a perfect day for running for the nearly 400 participants, with near 60 degree temperatures and sunny skies. Mebane Running Club members won first place in three age categories, including Sarah Elder in the 25-29 group with a time of 23:20, Elaine Bixby in the 30-34 group with a 27:01 finish and Wally Bixby in the 35-39 group coming in at 21:11. Annie Luxmore of the Fitness Playground challenged her Bootcamp and CardioFit program participants to run in the event. Three members of the group received third in their respective age categories, including King Nelson at 28:38 in the 35-39 group, Annie Luxmore at 27:48 in the 25-29 group and Kim Powell-Bailey at 29:44 in the 35-39 category. Tara Corbett finished twelfth in the 25-29 group with a finishing time of 37:23. Mike Aydt finished fifth in the 50-54 age group with a time of 28:59. Mike's daughter Melanie is a member of the race organizers, the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority at UNC Chapel Hill.
Members of these two groups will be participating in many more events as the spring racing season takes off, including the Carrboro Classic Endurance Sports Festival and the Dogwood Festival 5K. The Mebane Running Club welcomes new beginner, recreational and competitive runners to its Saturday morning runs. They meet at 8 am each Saturday in front of Sweet Tooth Heaven on Clay Street. Coffee and conversation after the group run is optional but highly encouraged. Email mebanerunning@gmail.com for more information. The Fitness Playground is in a new facility on North 5th Street, offering Bootcamp, CardioFit, Indoor Cycling, Yoga and personal training. More information is available at http://www.fitplayground.com/.
Four teams and one individual braved a cold day with threats of rain on February 17th , 2008 for Off 'n Running Sports' annual Valentine's Day Massacre Marathon and Marathon Relay. The event offered either a full marathon or a relay option for 2 or 4 person teams. The first participant ran a 2.2 mile leg and then three 1.6 mile loops, and the remaining three team members each ran four 1.6 mile loops to make a full marathon. Team members alternated with about 30-40 minutes of recovery time in between each lap. Throughout the event, participants and their families, including many from Mebane, were able to cheer on their fellow team members.
Jack Mignosa won the overall individual event as the first finisher of the solo marathon category with a time of 3:01:09. Team Mebane 2 finished in second place at 3:09:43 for the 4 person, co-ed category. Team members included WB, Denise Snyder, Barbara Taylor, and Chris Walker. Team Mebane 3, which included EB, Pete Elder, Sarah Elder and Steve Gray, finished in third place in the same category with a time of 3:15:02. The fourth team was Mebane 1, which finished second in the 'Geezer' category which included runners whose combined ages exceeded 160. This team included Laura Brown, Rod Snyder, Derek Waterhouse and Lynn Waterhouse. The Mebane Running Club's participation in the event was headed up by club member Stephanie Rankin. Last minute illness prompted Lynn Waterhouse and Rod Snyder to substitute for Stephanie and her husband Bob.
On February 23rd , 2008, the Coach Bubba 20 km and 4 mile races took place in Durham. The event was organized by the Carolina Godiva Track Club to honor Bruce Koenig, aka 'Coach Bubba' who passed away unexpectedly while leading a group run. This year the primary beneficiary of the race was the Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers (TROSA), a treatment and rehabilitation program founded in Durham. Mebane Running Club member Rachel Massai finished 8th in her age group in the 4 mile event with a finishing time of 34:43.
Saturday, March 1st brought the 19th annual Zeta Tau Alpha Franklin Street 5K Race to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. It was a perfect day for running for the nearly 400 participants, with near 60 degree temperatures and sunny skies. Mebane Running Club members won first place in three age categories, including Sarah Elder in the 25-29 group with a time of 23:20, Elaine Bixby in the 30-34 group with a 27:01 finish and Wally Bixby in the 35-39 group coming in at 21:11. Annie Luxmore of the Fitness Playground challenged her Bootcamp and CardioFit program participants to run in the event. Three members of the group received third in their respective age categories, including King Nelson at 28:38 in the 35-39 group, Annie Luxmore at 27:48 in the 25-29 group and Kim Powell-Bailey at 29:44 in the 35-39 category. Tara Corbett finished twelfth in the 25-29 group with a finishing time of 37:23. Mike Aydt finished fifth in the 50-54 age group with a time of 28:59. Mike's daughter Melanie is a member of the race organizers, the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority at UNC Chapel Hill.
Members of these two groups will be participating in many more events as the spring racing season takes off, including the Carrboro Classic Endurance Sports Festival and the Dogwood Festival 5K. The Mebane Running Club welcomes new beginner, recreational and competitive runners to its Saturday morning runs. They meet at 8 am each Saturday in front of Sweet Tooth Heaven on Clay Street. Coffee and conversation after the group run is optional but highly encouraged. Email mebanerunning@gmail.com for more information. The Fitness Playground is in a new facility on North 5th Street, offering Bootcamp, CardioFit, Indoor Cycling, Yoga and personal training. More information is available at http://www.fitplayground.com/.
Photo Information - Franklin St. 5K Photo - Photo courtesy of Pete Elder Back row, left to right- Wally Bixby, Sarah Elder, Elaine Bixby, King Nelson, Mike Aydt, Kim Powell-Bailey Front row, left to right - Annie Luxmore, Tara Corbett
Photo Information - St. Valentine's Day Massacre Marathon Relay Back row, left to right - Derek Waterhouse, Rod Snyder, Sarah Elder, Pete Elder, Steve Gray, Wally Bixby, Jack Mignosa Middle row, left to right - Denise Snyder, McKenna Snyder Front row, left to right - Elaine Bixby, Lynn Waterhouse, Laura Brown, Barbara Taylor, Chris Walker Sunday, April 29, 2007
27:28
This weekend marked the second 5K of the year for many members of the Mebane Running Club, including myself. The extremely run was part of the Mebane Dogwood Festival, an annual weekend of vendors, food, kids rides and general great weather fun. Running club members Stephanie and Jack each placed in their age categories. Sarah ran her first race ever and finished in less than 25 minutes. W ran for the only the second time this year and finished in under 23 minutes. And I ran a new PR of 27:28. Even better, a friend and I ran the first mile in 8:13!!! That may be the fastest I've run in my life. Initially I did not know my time as the last nearly half-mile long hill had me in such pain that I didn't stop my watch or hear the announced time as I crossed the finish. Plus there was no large time display or a chip time. But W came around the corner a little late with the camera and my watch still said two plus minutes left out of 30 right before I crossed. I found out via the Mebane Business Association website my actual time. A rest day today to paint and prepare for family coming in next week and I'll be back and running again tomorrow.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
#3 (in my age group)
Members of the Mebane Running Club participated this Saturday, March 31st, in the 3rd annual Capitol Bank Loaves & Fishes 5K run in Burlington, NC. The race is held to raise money for the Loaves & Fishes Christian Ministry, Inc., a faith-based non-profit organization that provides groceries to food insecure individuals and families in the Alamance County area of North Carolina.
Mebane Running Club member Stephanie Rankin placed 3rd in the 50-59 female age group with a time of 26:21. Her husband, Bob Rankin, also placed third in the 50-59 male age group with an event time of 24:31. They were joined during the race by their daughter Kaylea, a Burlington resident, who finished with a time of 26:26. EB finished third in the female 30-34 age group with a time of 30:15. John 'Jack' Mignosa finished first in his age group and fourth overall with a time of 18:08. Congratulations Jack!
Mebane was well represented in this charitable event with resident Jill Fricke finishing as the third overall female with a time of 21:41. Caleb Barker finished fifth in the under-19 male age category with an event time of 23:08. Barbara Taylor finished fourth in the 35-39 female category with a finishing time of 30:29.
The Mebane Running Club began last summer with a group of recreational runners who wanted to meet some neighbors and have fun while working out. The club meets each Saturday morning in front of Sweet Tooth Heaven on Clay Street to run approximately 3-5 miles. New members of all fitness levels are welcome. For more information and meeting times, contact the club via email at mebane-running@usa.net.
Mebane Running Club member Stephanie Rankin placed 3rd in the 50-59 female age group with a time of 26:21. Her husband, Bob Rankin, also placed third in the 50-59 male age group with an event time of 24:31. They were joined during the race by their daughter Kaylea, a Burlington resident, who finished with a time of 26:26. EB finished third in the female 30-34 age group with a time of 30:15. John 'Jack' Mignosa finished first in his age group and fourth overall with a time of 18:08. Congratulations Jack!
Mebane was well represented in this charitable event with resident Jill Fricke finishing as the third overall female with a time of 21:41. Caleb Barker finished fifth in the under-19 male age category with an event time of 23:08. Barbara Taylor finished fourth in the 35-39 female category with a finishing time of 30:29.
The Mebane Running Club began last summer with a group of recreational runners who wanted to meet some neighbors and have fun while working out. The club meets each Saturday morning in front of Sweet Tooth Heaven on Clay Street to run approximately 3-5 miles. New members of all fitness levels are welcome. For more information and meeting times, contact the club via email at mebane-running@usa.net.
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