State #35: Ohio

On Sunday, August 19th, I ran the Rock Hall Half Marathon in Cleveland, Ohio. 

This was state #36, 

and my 39th half marathon!

It was a real pain in the butt getting there! It's been raining every weekend - even flooding in parts of New Jersey! So our flight was delayed due to storms, more delays - and then rebooked for the next morning - for some crazy hour, like 5am.

Tried to stock up on my foods - homemade bread, bananas, Justin's Almond butter - but I needed real food by the time we landed in Cleveland. I've been eating real clean due to my having an acute Crohn's flare two weekends ago, which was scary, frightening. Probably due to the stress of opening my new business:

Beyond Cryotherapy, LLC

Oh, yeah. So excited! I love cryotherapy! It has helped keep my inflammation down IBD-wise, and helped me to recover between long runs. In fact, probably another reason for my flare - I was so busy, I hadn't been to a cryotherapy session for weeks! Cryo does more for you than foam rolling, or ice baths - and you get a sort of "high" afterwards bc it helps release Beta Endorphins. In other words, it's a sort of:

Sexy Recovery!

And, you know what I say, an Athlete's Trifecta is Nutrition, Training, and Recovery - if you're gonna recover - at least make it sexy!

Anyway, thank God for Cleveland's Urban Farmer - all local produce, eggs, and stuff. It was a great brunch! #YumYum.

Next stop the Cleveland Hilton, not the host hotel, but pretty close to the start of the race, which was at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Do you believe, they told us our room was to be ready at 4pm, but we didn't get into our room until 6 pm? I was really upset - I needed a nap! We were up at 3am! I had a race the next day - and you all know how well you sleep the night before a race ...NOT!

At least we were able to take in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. IDK, maybe it's the time of year (pre-9/11) - but I was sort of sad going through this museum - there was Stevie Ray Vaughn, Michael Jackson, Elvis, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Bon Scott, John Bonham, Tom Petty, BB King, Roy Orbison, Muddy Waters, and Prince. Their music is part of who I am - it's part of my culture. It's sad knowing they are no longer with us.

I cried when I saw Aretha Franklin's memorabilia and the flowers from fans that were laid in front of the exhibit honoring her.

I cried when I saw video loops of Dick Clark's American Bandstand - Remember Dick? He was in our living room every Sunday - of course you got all your cool dance moves from watching Soul Train, but who didn't want to see Live Performances from the artists and groups that flooded your little Panasonic Twister Radio?

This was my 70's Spotify, Sirius XM and Itunes!

I also lost it when I saw a huge poster of Frank Zappa - knowing Black Napkins is still on the TurnTable - John loved Frank.

And do you believe Whitney Houston is not in the Rock Hall of Fame? I know she was a pop star - not really a rock and roll star - but IDK, I think she belongs! What do you think?

Time to feed the machine some more - we left the museum, and walked to the Winking Lizard Tavern - I was not impressed. I don't like when you ask for a burger cooked "medium" and it comes out "raw".

We walked back to the Cleveland Hotel, only to have to wait some more - I was that person in the lobby half falling asleep, making not so nice faces at anyone who was loud - yes, I'll admit - I was super-duper cranky.

After my long awaited nap, we ate at a Steakhouse, called Red - The best steak, and Bordeaux ever!!! Only 1 glass, of course. Definitely go there if your in Cleveland!

And, actually, I slept pretty good!!!

The Rock Hall Half started at 7am. By 6am, I was dressed, fed, coffee'd up and using my Thera-gun in the hotel Fitness Center.

Love my TheraGun

I rolled out, topped off with water, and headed to the race. There was music everywhere, it seemed like it would be a great day. It wasn't too hot ... not yet anyway.

Before I knew it, we were climbing our first hill. For the 1st six miles, the race climbs a little, levels off, climbs a little, levels off, and then around mile 6, there are lots of descents for the next 3 miles. Then we got that little up and down again, with a few inclines near the finish. By the time we got to the finish - it was super humid, and I was looking for the race to end.

Even the smallest of inclines are tough for me. Like I said, I had been missing my Cryo sessions, and my left hammy has not been happy. My push uphill really suffers. In fact, we were trying for 1-mile tempo of 7:20 the other day, and I barely pushed out a 7:23. My legs were still tired from the race, but also, the incline in this route sucked out my legs and squashed my tempo. A few years back, I remember doing 3 of these - pushing out 7:20 with lots more ease.

What do you think of when you run? 

Is it different from when you race?

Lately, someone asked me what I think of when I run - I usually pray - I go through the alphabet, and whatever letter I land on, I think of a person whose 1st name starts with that letter, and I pray for them.

When I race - I pray for myself - I pray for strength, oxygen, safety, persistence, God's blessings, and to get rid of any negative thoughts or feelings - I just pray.

Sometimes I hear people who have past rooting for me - yes, I heard Frank Zappa routing for me. No I wasn't glucose deprived. And no I am not off my rocker - but I'll tell you what was off - my watch was off - yeah so at the end of the race, you have a little hill to climb. I was running up, telling myself to run the best I could. Once you get over this little hill, your looking straight at the chute - holy-shmoly, I had to kick it in! Usually I try to kick in about the last 1/4 mile - but my watch said that I was at mile 12.9 once I got over the hill. Oh well, I just kicked it in and

Placed 3rd for my Age Group

1:45:18 

This was the fastest half I have run in almost 2 years! I might just be starting to recover from the marathons! LOL!

Great Medal and I love my new shot glass!

I get a shot glass in every state that I've run - my one cabinet is full of stacked shot glasses. I love it! I call my Rock & Roll Hall of Fame shot glass my new 9/11 shot glass. Probably only a few of you know this - every year, before we go into the city on September 11th for the memorial, we gather around the kitchen island, say some prayers, and make a toast to John with - a shot glass of iced cold tequila. I've been kidding calling my Rock & Roll Hall of Fame my new 9/11 shot glass bc it's HUGE! It's like 2X the size of a normal shot glass.

Anyway, Ohio is in the books!

Eat Right!

Train Smart!

Recover Cold ... Cryo cold!

Running Small

I've been runnin' ...

... just not Blogging!

Lots going on!

I have done some local 10k and 5k races since the London Marathon - I tried to get back my speed. I feel the marathons really slow me down - that and age. I think to fight the effects of age one really needs to maintain their muscle mass - which gets more difficult as we age.

Here's an update: I placed 1st in my age group at the Tom Fleming Sunset Classic. I was just running it as a tempo run to get ready for South Dakota - I had to cancel my South Dakota Half Marathon because we lost my partner's Dad to Acute Myeloid Leukemia. This is the 2nd person I lost to this horrible disease. I HATE CANCER! Lord, have mercy on my family. Running has been very therapeutic. As I always say - there's just not enough road to run out the pain of seeing your loved one's hurt.

Tom Fleming was a local hero - winning the NYC Marathon and placing 2nd in Boston back in the 70's. He was best friends with my Coach, Joel Pasternack. They loved kibitzing on the track while coaching their runners.

I felt badly last year that I didn't run this race because it was the first year they named the race after Tom. It finishes on the track where I cheered as a teenager - so once I got on that track, I took off! There was a little boy beside me, I said, "Put your head down and focus!" Then I told him, "You can breath later, let's go!" He took off, and well, of course, I tried to catch him - so much fun. From the recent stress, my Crohn's was not happy. I remember pointing out to someone to look at my intestine - it cramped up, and you could see it bulging out of my abdomen!

1st place 50-54 years old
Sunset Classic 5 miles
39:10::14
6/28/2018

I also ran the Fitzgerald Lager 5K. It was a really, really hot race - I did not place in my age group, but I did get a Top 100 finishers mug! Last time I ran this race, I ran it 2-minutes faster ....waahaaa....

Ninth place 50-54 years old
23:56:12
6/24/2018

Before the Fitzgerald Lager, I ran Race for the Cure for IBD 5K. I was a little mad after this race - they gave the woman who placed 1st in my age group both the Overall Female Winner and the 1st place age group award. Yes, I finished 2nd overall female - but there was no award for that! Grrr! So, I placed 2nd in my age group. Someone told me that I looked really strong after the race - I told them, "Thanks - not bad for fighting Crohn's for 40 years, right?"

Cure for IBD 5K
2nd place 50-54 years old
23:46:25

#runningwcrohns

Just thought I'd throw this one in. My training partner's daughter came to this track workout and snapped a picture. This is the first time anyone has ever taken a picture of our training together and we have been running and training together for  - geeze - 5, 6, 7 years? Rebecca is amazing - she kicks my ass every Wednesday while having side conversations with people she knows, and sees on the track. She never ceases to amaze me!

Brookdale Park Track
Training with Rebecca

Before the Cure for IBD 5K, I ran the 29th Annual Wayne AM Rotary 5k run. You can see, I was trying to get my speed back after the London Marathon. I placed 1st Overall Female - it was a small run.

Love these local races - so intimate!
6/20/2018
23:24:06

This pic was taken in front of Fleet Feet, Montclair, NJ. We ran to raise money for a scholarship at the local high school, while honoring Doug Williams, and Essex County runner who was tragically killed in a hit and run. It was very emotional. I probably should not have gone into the cemetery - too many family members buried there and I got a wee bit anxious.

Our small running community raised over $1,000!
What a great way to honor Doug!
May 20, 2018

My Why - Singing Show Tunes on HornBlower NYC Manhatten Cruiseship!

 Okay, off to training for the Rock Hall half marathon in Ohio, state #36!

Train Smart!

Run Fearless!

Run to Inspire!

Run for Peace!