Monthly Archives: October 2015

Started blogging Jan 2012 as a means to measure growth, hold myself accountable & most importantly – not waste a mid-life second chance, my life do-over in Colorado.  Self-tutored WordPress, created a URL & wrote an About page.

After working ten years in media advertising in Manhattan, I did something completely out of character — I took a leap of faith and started living the life I watched others doing on reality TV.  Anyone can do this – just a matter of drawing that line in the sand and saying ‘no mas’.  I want something different.  I am not stuck.

Fast forward 4 YEARS.  Set & met multiple yearly goals – hiking, climbing, Ironman, marathoning.  Now an outdoors guy who respects nature & appreciates FAMILY.  I’m a doer – I walk the talk.

 

This weekend: N-Y-C baby – he’s BAAACCCK.  First return since my 2011 life change.  

Back for the New York City Marathon – only major marathon scheduled in my 50 State journey.  Not a huge fan of crowds (side-effect of living simply) but no place I’d rather complete my New York race, than NYC.

Stretched time away with a midnight red-eye to JFK (via Boston).  Taxied early morn to my Times Square hotel, quick 3 hour nap – up & walking Manhattan by 10am.  So many memories here.  WOW – great to be back!

News Corp building walk-by (my former 9-year NYC home, refuge & prison), tourist walk thru Times Square.  Snapped a shot of Radio City Music Hall, then subway trekked downtown to the Javits Center for marathon bib pick-up.

[NYC pastime: People watching on the Subway.  Forgot today was Halloween — jack the freak meter UP.  LOL>]

Biggest Marathon EXPO of my 50.  Whatta journey: Lottery ‘regrets’ letter in March, surprise Acceptance letter in June [with help from friends] – now tomorrow, November 1st: I’m running the New York City Marathon.  WOW WOW WOW!

Bib pick-up complete – best use of my remaining Big Apple time?

Lazy stroll down High Line Park (park built high above, on old rail lines – LOVE this place).  Tickets to a Broadway matinee – A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love & Murder (thanks Stephen).  Next, a fancy pre-race Manhattan dinner.  While in New York…hafta, gotta, right? Uptown ride to Columbus Circle; outdoor seating hugging Central Park.  Yeah, pretty much perfect day.  a no regrets Life 🙂

FOOD, SHOW, swanky HOTEL digs.  New York, New York: FAN-frickin’-TASTIC!

 

 

In between my Lizzie Borden comings-n-goings, drove to Falmouth for bib pick-up — it’s marathon weekend after all, right?

While at the Expo, met a lady who quilts using marathon race shirts.  Have accumulated many a shirt since my first Alaska run in June 2013.  Quilts are not super cheap – but hmmm, really liking the idea.  Nabbed a business card; seeing this in my 2016 future.

50 States Marathon Club reunion.  Fun to catch up with marathoning buddies, network with folks on a similar journey.  2 or 3 [reunions] are planned each year; place where 50-State finishers are plaque-recognized.  Planning my turn next year in Santa Rosa CA 🙂

 

8:30 AM start on Main Street, Falmouth, MA:  The one-loop course begins and ends at the Village Green in Falmouth center. The first part is easy, the latter is a test. The people who do well on this course follow the following formula: go out easy, take plenty of fluids, and save energy for the hills.

After a restless night (little sleep with Lizzie Borden’s ghost roaming the halls), an early alarm reminded of the reason I travelled to Massachusetts this weekend – marathon #43.  Hour drive from Fall River, crossed Bourne Bridge over Buzzards Bay, then dropped into Falmouth.  Overcast, chilly temps, but no rain.  Perfect running weather.

Easy start: Windy roads littered with autumn colour, reminiscent of Newfound Lake (New Hampshire) three weeks prior.  Falmouth center, quiet residential neighborhoods – first ocean view (Vineyard Sound) just before mile 3.

Course climb at mile 6, high point culminating at mile 13.

Mile 16 – Rolling hills.  THIS is what they were talking about…6 miles of rolling hills.  [Hills] wear on a body, particularly late in a race – but today, felt strong mentally.  Cool temps all morning plus I’m HUGE on New England; LOVIN’ my scenic surroundings.

Slogged flat or downsloped remainder of the run – ocean views at miles 22 & 24.  Big Capes on stilts; homes built on sand, pointing toward rolling ocean surf.  Beautiful.  Slipped back into Falmouth at mile 26; FINISH Line 2-tenths later.  FAAANNNTASTIC!

Whatta weekend!  2 crazy busy jam-packed days – gonna need a vacation from my vacation.  LOL>

Best post-race food in many a race: clam chowder, baby.  Chowdah – a New England race done right 🙂

 

Cape Cod Marathon 2015

#281  K R Haga  4:40:29

 

Cape Cod Marathon (Miles 21-26)

 

“Lizzie Borden took an axe

She gave her mother forty whacks

When she saw what she had done

She gave her father forty-one.”

 

Cape Cod marathon weekend – time to tick Massachusetts from my state tally.  Late Friday flight to Manchester, 6 hours shut-eye, morning highway to Fall River, Mass – destination: Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum.

Sure I’m marathoning tomorrow, sure it’s an hour away from Falmouth – but who wouldn’t want to stay in an axe murderess’ house overnight?  And not just any room in Lizzie Borden’s home…but the actual room where she whacked step-mom Abby (20 hatchet blows to the head & upper torso).  Gruesome, right?  And not just any time of the time…how ‘bout the week before Halloween?  Yikes!!!

Watched ‘the Legend of Lizzie Borden’, a 1975 movie starring Elizabeth Montgomery, to reacquaint myself with the story.  Next signed up for the 11am morning tour (didn’t realize a special 8pm Borden tour was already included in the room price).  Parlor, dining room…then upstairs to the John Morse Room – the room where Lizzie killed her step-mom.

This would be MY room for the night – same creepy bed, same creepy mirror.  No joke.

 

It was in this room, on the morning of August 4th 1892, the body of Abby D. Borden was discovered by Bridget Sullivan and the Borden’s neighbor, Mrs. Churchill. With its beautifully carved Eastlake bed and dresser, the room has been meticulously decorated to transport you back to that fateful morning.

 

John V. Morse

John Vinnicum Morse (1833 – 1912) was born in Fall River, Mass., the son of Anthony and Rhody (Morrison) Morse and younger brother to Sarah, mother of Lizzie and Emma.

 

John arrived unannounced at 92 Second St on Wednesday, August 3rd, and Abby put him in the second floor guestroom, the same room where her body would be found less than 24 hours later.

 

A witness at the inquest, preliminary trial and final trial of his niece, he provided testimony of his intimate knowledge of events within the Borden household.

 

Toured Lizzie & sister Emma’s rooms, their parents’ bedroom, then back downstairs to the study – where Lizzie’s dad took 10 blows to the head while napping.  Yeah, this place emotes spookiness ‘round every corner.  PLUS our guide, a psychic medium by trade, made the story seem even more compelling – ‘cause I think she truly believed what she’d been spouting 🙂

All in now, starting to buy into the craziness.  Quick trip to Oak Grove Cemetery; visited the Borden headstones.  Luckily, before I next consulted a Ouija board, jetted out of town for [marathon] bib pick-up in Falmouth.  LOL>

 

Back in Fall River.  B&B check-in but couldn’t leave luggage in the room just yet – takes away from the evening tour 🙂  Story must’ve marinated in my head all day – walking room to room to room, found it even creepier at night.  Ended downstairs in the basement – at NIGHT – where an eerie image of Mr. Borden appears etched in a wall above the downstairs chamber pot.

Locked in for the night.  Off to my room – the John Morse Room.  Room is big & drafty.  Stairs creak, floors too.  I can hear EVERY sound, EVERY creak.  My side of the bed is just an arm length from the body.  I hear the wind blow outside.  Next a dog far in the distance, barking – but I’m tuned in.  EVERY noise.  Staring into the mirror, can’t close my eyes.

Out of bed, an hour gone.  Walk the hall to a shared bathroom.  Creak, creak.  Wooden floors.  Much too quiet.  Back in my room, switch sides of the bed but still looking into the mirror.  I need a game plan.

One eye open, watching for an image in the mirror, laying completely still/almost frozen.  I need a plan.  Kept my shoulders above the covers.  Ghosts emit a cold breeze, I think.  Right?  Maybe I’d rush the killer spirit & scare it away?

Tick, tick, tick.  Holding my breath.  Gotta stay quiet, can’t make a sound.

 

Alarm goes off.  It’s morning.