Last month kicked off the series with my local ‘go-to’ run, a quick 5 miles ‘round Waneka Lake.
This month thought I’d highlight one of my sis’ favourite runs in St. Louis. Past 3 years have FaceBook-followed Sis’ love/hate relationship with Queeny Park – summer time she’s red-faced, spring time: rain soaked, dodging lightning.
Family Reunion 2016 in St. Louis: HAD to experience Queeny.
4th of July weekend; most of Sis’ running group no-show’d (think there was a competing run in Forrest Park). Luckily this day, also missed St Louis’ infamous hot humid summer weather. Overcast skies kept morning temps in the 70’s/low 80’s. FAAANNTASTIC!
Shaded deciduous, big leafy vegetation, long patches of wildflower, multiple lake views AND hills – lotta up n down. Let’s the body know you’re alive. Often I zone during mile-stretches of flat road.
Don’t get me wrong, LOVE my Colorado trail runs…but St Louis’ Queeny Park did not disappoint. GREAT morning run!
Post-run food reward at The Shack. Family that runs together, stays together 🙂
Welcome to the fourth annual edition of The Go! List, a celebration of the best people, places and things in St. Louis. Here are our critics’ and readers’ picks.
Best breakfast • The Shack
Where 13645 Big Bend Road, Valley Park • More info 636-529-1600; shackstl.com
Where 731 South Lindbergh Boulevard, Frontenac • More info 314-736-5900; shackstl.com
The Shack began life as a midtown restaurant serving larger-than-life sandwiches. Since relocating to Valley Park and later expanding to Frontenac, it has made larger-than-life breakfasts its main calling card. (Lunch is also available.) Feast on waffle-breaded fried chicken, corn-flake-encrusted French toast or any of the omelets, skillets or other dishes, and you can skip lunch. Maybe dinner, too.
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- GREAT morning run in S-T-L!
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- action shot fail
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- food reward: chili & Fritos burrito at The Shack
morning run series: Queeny Park (StL)
Colorado in the house – let the Games begin!
Pre-crack of dawn Saturday start. Pre-crack? 215am wake-up, Ash & Tom’s home at 3am, 5am flight – connection in Kansas City. Even with the time difference, arrived in St Louis by 10am. Met up with Michaela in baggage claim. She had arrived 30 minutes earlier from O’Hare (after an unexpected overnight stay). Family Reunion 2016!
Weather forecast? Rain. Every day, all day. Sis has the worse luck EVER with weather. Lucky for us though, she’s also one of the planet’s best vacation planners – rain or shine, the Games would go on as planned 🙂
Started with a late breakfast/early lunch. Met up with Mom, brother & his family – in addition to my Sis’ two children. No kids no more. Everyone’s now in high school, college or boozers over 21. HA!
1st activity: ceramic painting at That Painting Spot
Here’s how easy it is to create your own masterpiece:
- Pick out a piece pottery that you would like to paint. Prices are marked on the shelf and typically run from about $7 up to $40 (maybe a little more for a giant platter). We have lots to choose from — from useful cups and large platters to all kinds of animals and fantasy figures.
- Go to the the Paint Bar and pick out your colors. We have red to purple and almost every color in between, so go wild. We also have specialty paints called jungle gems to give your piece and extra bit of pizzazz, at no extra cost.
- Get to work. One of our Studio Consultants will help you get comfortable at a table. Feel free to ask for any advice or how to use or stencils, sponges, writers or other special techniques. We also have paper and pencil available if you want to sketch out your design before starting to paint.
- When you are finished painting, let us know. We’ll put your name or initials on the piece and then move your artwork to a safe drying area. After that our Studio Assistants will check you out and you can be on your way. Hold onto that white ticket though, you’re going to need it later.
- When your pottery is completely dry, we still have work to do. We will glaze your artwork and then let it dry again. Next we will load it in our kiln and fire it. Temperatures in our kilns reach nearly 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. It will take at least another day to cool off after firing. Your masterpiece will be ready to be picked up in the next 7-10 days.
And that’s all!
Spotted an unfinished toucan with a kitchen sponge in its mouth – yep, that’s for me. Honestly, not a crafty person – so enlisted help & advice with colour and brush selection.
You really have to trust the process, applied paint appears super dull. Basted my bird twice. Surprisingly, took the entire 2 hour time allotment. Will long remember sharing this day with family. Whole lotta laughs.
Sis shipped our masterpieces a couple weeks later. Whatta GREAT idea! Quite the creative bunch.
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- pre-crack of dawn: 5am flight, KC connection
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- Saturday, Sunday, Monday — lucky for us, we avoided any sunshine 🙂
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- Colorado in the house – let the Games begin!
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- tuxedo black – fave colour at the table
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- Mom & Sis
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- Ash
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- Paul
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- Maddie
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- my bro, James
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- Victoria
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- Jack
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- Michaela
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- Tom
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- ok, ok — had a ‘little’ help finishing mine 🙂
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- whatta GREAT idea!
Woke to rain, finished in rain.
Hitched a ride to the University of Illinois, my Saturday morning marathon Start. Cold drizzle; car camped 15 minutes from gun time. Glad yesterday was ‘Land of Lincoln’ tourist day, ‘cause today’s forecast: 100% rain. Grey day.
2 light runs earlier in the week – only non-swim or bike exercise since St. Louis. Concerned ‘bout the knee of course but not about the distance. Despite the rain, mentally in a good place. picture in my head – Bib #50 – Maniac friend Stacy picked up my Sunday marathon garb in Fort Collins & iPhoned an image. It all suddenly got real. Run, walk, crawl…whatever it takes, gonna finish state #49 today – 50 State finale lined up tomorrow morning. I’ve run a double before. I can do this. Today, Champaign-Urbana.
except for a 4-loop Canal run in DC last November, this course would my 50 State flattest – only 85ft elevation change. I’d be hard-pressed to post news ‘bout any hills this day 🙂
illinoismarathon.com: “…run through crowd-filled neighborhoods and tree-lined parks, and finish on the 50-yard line of historic Memorial Stadium.”
Yep, that’s what happened.
Hung with the 4:30 pace group most day. No pain ‘til mile 20. Left knee stiffened, IT band. Hydrated at mile 21, walked a tenth-mile, dropped my pace to an easy jog. Not winning any awards today – double marathon weekend, another 26.2 tomorrow. Slow & steady.
Stadium finish – LOVE all stadium finishes – Fargo Dome [in North Dakota] still my fave, but today also mighty memorable.
CHRISTIE CLINIC ILLINOIS MARATHON Results
K R HAGA LOUISVILLE/CO 1142 4:45:14
Post-marathon shower at U of I’s gym ($5 well spent), located Stephen, then autobahn’d north to Chicago. Heavy shower/downpour now – thankful I didn’t have to drive, even more thankful I had already finished today’s run 🙂
Chicago airport security, an hour half sentence managed by TSA rejects. Slowest, laziness, most inefficient location in our nation. Don’t argue you’re short-handed. Tens of employees walking around sharing weekend plans with co-workers. FOCUS! Small talk doesn’t keep us safe from terrorists. Lives depend on you doing your job — every day. Yep, every day. Ask me how I really feel. ARGH!
Touchdown in Denver just after 9. 2:30am’s gonna come early. Sharing a ride with Stacy at 3, catching a bus at 430.
50 State excitement is starting to build!
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- rained from Start to Finish – cold, messy day
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- LOVE a stadium finish — the best!
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- only one state to go — will finish my 50 State Quest tomorrow in Colorado
