Yearly Archives: 2018

2018, another HUGE year.  My SEVENTH YEAR blogging – who would’ve thought.  Alaska, Hawaii, EVERY state along the East Coast (Maine to South Carolina).

End of year reflection, time to give thanks.

Biggest year of marathoning.  Topped 2015’s race tally.  Went Maniac Platinum a second time.  Ended 2018 only 5 states short of a second trip ‘round the USA.  Added two Canadian provinces (Newfoundland, my new Maple Leaf fave).  Marathon’d Brazil in April, South Africa July – CONTINENT total now FIVE.  Learned elephants DO snore.

Longest distance covered EVER – 34 miles at Bighorn.  Mud, altitude, 10 hour on-course DNF (timed out)…still my longest run to date.  Third time lucky, 2019 I’ll be back.

Surpassed 2000 miles again (2016/17/18).  Run thermometer still climbing (138 finishes) AND maintained ‘the Streak’, now 61 consecutive months marathoning.  Never envisioned feeding ‘the crazy’ 5 years on.  Life’d so many memories.

 

Driving-on-the-left mishap in Africa.  Kayak’d Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau Alaska.

Phoenix, Nashville & HAWAII – MEMORABLE laughs with Sis.  Hilo to Volcano (an all UPHILL ultra).  7+ hours without a porta-potty (nope, didn’t stop Sis).  Card games, luau fun, beach runs & an evening LAVA trek never to be repeated.  Spot literally BLEW UP 4 months later.  No joke, yikes!  🌋

3 Christmases, 2 New Year’s, ended 2018 in K* fashion – celebrated ‘cross 4 states, 3 time zones.

Never set limits.  Absolutely ANYTHING is possible 😎

 

 

#yearinSport

 

 

FAMILY ❤️

Day & a half with FAMILY – just what the doctor ordered.  Peace.

Lotta details this past Fall.  11 marathons including a new Canadian PR.  6-month stomach woes diagnosed – intestinal parasites (never mind heat & humidity/don’t drink water from random paper cups during a Brazilian marathon).

Lunch at Calico County (fried green tomatoes – YUM!)  Both Saturday/Sunday nites, living-room movies with FAMILY.  “I Can Only Imagine” – awesome flic ‘bout Forgiveness.  ‘Abusive dad’ themes generally I avoid.  Good film.

Church morn Sunday with Mom brought clarity.

Dog who attacked Ro was someone’s pet.  It wasn’t a rogue animal.  Aside from filing a Police report to keep the Public (my Louisville neighbors) safe, that’s that.  All vet bills were picked up by Pup’s kennel.  Excellent care – wrong righted.

Unexpected things happen in life.  If your child is injured at school, you don’t kill the other kid in retaliation (though I tell ya, that was my gut first 2 days).  Life forward.

 

Mom, Bro – love ya to the moon & back.

Mark your calendars.  Registered for the Fort Smith Marathon in February.  Team 4-Layer Delight & Sis RETURNS (celebrating Williamsburg Kitchen’s 40th anniversary)!  Bro – you & your ugly bent finger are running the third [relay] leg.  Surprise 🙂

 

 

UPDATE:  Back home, all tech’d up for 2019.  Thanks everyone!

 

 

Springfield/Saturday, Houston/New Year’s Day.  New Year’s marathoning schedule preplanned, jam-packed.  Out-with-the-old, 2019: in-with-the-new.  Airport awaiting.

Call from Ro’s kennel.  Pup’s been attacked.  Seems to be just fine but taking him to an emergency vet to look at one of the wounds.  Phoned Ash should they need follow-up, boarded my plane to Tulsa.  Post-midnite hotel, checked my cell.  No message.

Pup had multiple bite wounds – neck, flank, bum, leg, 2 large openings on his side, whole lotta bruising.  Stitches required for one gash, drain in the other large puncture.  20 minutes before my marathon Start.  Those were the words.  Ash’s a straight shooter.

Ok, guess I’m gonna run now?  21 degrees, cold & windy.  Head cluttered, spirit overwhelmed.  Replayed the conversation over-n-over.  Checked my Garmin, 3.3 miles.  Another lap of subdivision shorts – empty open asphalt or oncoming traffic.  2 laps, just over 10k.  Did the math.  8 loops.  Seriously?  How did I not know this?  Ear buds in place, tunes loud, focus required.  Throwaway gloves not doing the job, fingers numb/throbbing.

4 laps, 2:02 Half.  4 to go, then a 3 hour drive to Arkansas.  Visiting Mom & my Bro before flying to Houston.

Why am I running laps?  Why is it so cold in Missouri?  Why am I HERE?  Antibiotics, anxiety meds, pain pills every 8 hours.  Why did the kennel gloss over Ro’s injuries?  What would happen if Ash wasn’t local?  Holiday weekend – hotels, cars, flights all pre-booked.  Don’t care, gotta get home.

Lap 5.  Groin pull return.  Kentucky river plunge couple weeks past.  Running all December, injury never fully healed.  Conversation still rolling.  Southwest…so much 2018 flying, A-status gotta get me somewhere.  Cell phone car-abandoned, battery goes fast in the cold (never buy the upgrade).

Lap 6.  Water, short walk.  Turned the corner, turned around.  What the heck am I doing?  I’ll figure out the 50 State puzzle later – gotta get home.  RD at the timing mat.  Bib 73.  It’s cold, I’m done.

On paper, ended the year with a DNF.  Change-of-plans.

2 flights cancelled.  No Houston Start, Colorado HOME New Year’s Eve.  Return ticket secured.

I’ve finished 138 of these, nothing to prove.  33 marathons in 2018 alone.  Lick our wounds, run another day.  Parental digs in Ft Smith, my Flatirons spot afternoon next.

It’s a New YEAR.  Folks, I’m going HOME.