Northeast

Charm City

Published October 16, 2015

SD – WV – OH – NH – CT – next up, Maryland. 6th consecutive weekend marathoning, running state 42 Saturday 🙂

Hotel stayed in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor – GREAT location. Day’s first stop, the National Aquarium. HUGE building hugging the Chesapeake Bay – 5 levels of wonder. Black tip reef to Shark Alley, well done. Time constrained, unfortunately had to cut out early – still needed to fit in lunch & bib pick-up downtown.

Long jot down Pratt, opted to walk by Yankee great Babe Ruth’s Birthplace Museum before righting myself toward the city’s two premier sports stadiums, Camden Yards & Ravens M&T Bank Stadium.

Much of downtown Baltimore is uniquely designed in the region’s locally harvested red brick – including tomorrow’s mile 25 paver path to the Finish. Welcomed BIG at Camden Yards: “This Land is Birdland”. Tomorrow’s marathon wraps Orioles Stadium – finishing down pedestrian Eutaw Street, connecting Camden Yards to the city’s NFL home.

Snapped a pic of the marathon ‘Finish Line’ – classy, Baltimore.

WOW whatta day – whole lotta, whole lotta before a 26.2. To anyone who thinks of Baltimore only as the city jungle portrayed during last year’s riots – think again. Much to see & do!

Early start tomorrow a.m. [MARATHON DAY] then hitting the highway – dinner plans with Aunt & my Virginia-based cousins (2 hours away in Martinsburg WV). Livin’ life with no regrets – FAAANNTASTIC!

: Thursday nite flight — next stop, Baltimore

: 5 levels of wonder, highly recommended

: sand shark

: horseshoe crab (ranger presentation)

: sea anemone — specifically, a plumose anemone 🙂

: the mighty pint-sized sea horse

: jellies

: Yankees great, home in Baltimore?

: MLB’s Baltimore Orioles

: Eutaw Street — mile 25 red brick paver Finish

: ‘Charm City’ loves their Birds

: bib pick-up in NFL Ravens stadium

: Baltimore’s famous football son — Colt, not a Raven

: eye on the prize

Posted in Northeast | Tagged aquarium, baseball, football | Leave a comment

Hartford Marathon

Published October 10, 2015

#41 done – next weekend: Baltimore

Having lived in Connecticut for 9 years, two things I remembered ‘bout the Hartford Marathon: (1) scenic Bushnell Park finish & (2) it always, always rains – cold, heavy rain…not just a sprinkle.

Fast forward to 2015 & my first Hartford Marathon – woke Saturday to SUNSHINE & cool morning temps. FAAANNNTASTIC!

8am start — lined up across from the Capitol dome (7th dome on my journey).

Started out fast, crossed the Connecticut River at mile 4 into East Hartford, then out to South Windsor on Highway 5 just past the half. Least scenic portion of today’s run, 10 miles of out-n-back highway (mentally zoned out, time suffered)…returned to East Hartford at mile 23. Back over the river, climbed up Hartford’s historic Founders Bridge at mile 25 before re-circling downtown.

Whole lotta memories. Worked downtown at Deloitte & Touché (CPA firm) just outta college; Hartford Whalers (NHL) played across the street. 100 years ago, never pictured myself finishing a marathon. Running down Pearl, passing the City Place II Building, remembered that first ‘real’ job.

2 long blocks more, left on Trinity, then crossed under Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch into Bushnell Park. Not my strongest finish but 41^st state complete.

K R Haga at Eversource Hartford Marathon 2015 (short complimentary race video)

one race, 2 medals – Hartford Marathon & the New England Double (completed Vermont & CT same year)
Marathon Maniac family — TITANIUM, baby — 30 marathons, 30 states, in 365 days! WOW! WOW! WOW!

Hartford Marathon

#1062 K R Haga Net Time 4:35:41

: Connecticut’s state capitol dome

: downtown Hartford

: autumn colour & city skyline in Finishers’ Village

: one race, 2 medals — completed the New England Double (VT & CT same year)

: trifecta pose — Vermont, Connecticut & New England Double

Posted in Marathons/Ultras, Northeast | Tagged capitol-domes | Leave a comment

before Colorado, there was Connecticut

Published October 10, 2015

Flying to Hartford for this weekend’s marathon was like flying home. Before Colorado, I lived in New Haven & worked NYC for 9 years – whole lotta memories. Family, friends, marathon, friends, more friends – that was the plan.

Once Upon a Fairytale CT

Started Friday with breakfast at the Cosmic Omelet, then shared the day with family – FAAANNNTASTIC! Bib pick-up 20 minutes away in Hartford, then watched Michaela doll it up for a neighborhood character lunch, promoting her entertainment company, Once Upon a Fairytale CT. After months of following her progress on social media & the web, was super fun to see the girl the action. Well done, so very proud!

What happens when you combine a professional makeup artist with a lifelong obsession with storybook characters? You get Once Upon a Fairytale CT.

Our story begins with a young autistic boy named David. Who has spent most of his life in love with his fairytale characters and visiting the world they live in.

The story continues with a woman trained in the art of makeup and transformation. A beauty and special effects makeup artist, Michaela was trained at Marinello School of Beauty and Chic Studios NYC. In 2012 Michaela launched her own freelance makeup artist company “Glam It Looks”. And in 2014 started Once Upon a Fairytale CT. Using her skills our characters leap off the pages with the most accurate looks in the business….

Late dinner, even later to bed, tough a.m. marathon start. No regrets – 50 State Quest is much more than a running journey.

Fast forward to Saturday nite – still tight from the day’s marathon finish, my 5^th consecutive weekend running – drove an hour south to Guilford, home of my Connecticut bestie, Dawn. Why do I love Dawn? Big heart, no soul more honest, loves life, loves to laugh, amazing chef & horse passionate. Her farmhouse in southern CT is something out of a magazine. You ever need to get away & recharge, spend a weekend with Dawn. Hot tub, dinner, laughs – movie, conversation, cards, more conversation.

Hate to waste hours sleeping. Up early; at the barn, watched Dawn feed Rudy & Spot. Special treat: Dawn harnessed Spot & showed off the new carriage (rode alongside Quonnipaug Lake). Whatta experience! Thanks my friend.

Late flight return to Colorado meant one more stop before the airport – 30 minutes shoreline-south to Branford, where we met up with Andrea, Betsey & friends for brunch & a walk along the beach. Ocean breeze, sea gulls, sunshine, peace.

Returning to work Monday morning, gonna be a struggle. New England vacation in 3 days – friends, family, food, horses, beach AND my 41^st marathon – lot more to Connecticut than folks give credit, not simply a halfway point between Boston & NYC.