kyrkan

We are MARSHALL

Published November 5, 2016

accountability partner end goals: Carolyn BQs (Boston qualify), I PR. Both happen if we run sub 3:55 this year.

Been a long journey since May – whole lotta texts back n forth (Indiana to Colorado) – so couldn’t have been more surprised when Carolyn chose a race in West Virginia for her BQ. Out of all 50 states, my run in Morgantown WV was the hilliest.

Never argue with a woman – I signed up 🙂 Not super easy to reach the coal mining lands of southern WV. Boarded a mighty small connection in DC. One by 2 seats across, prop plane. Sunday’s marathon commemorates the university football team, who went down in a plane crash November 14 1970. No survivors. Team, coaches, prominent citizens. Makes one think.

Arrived in Charleston, day ahead of my running pal (5 hours away in Indiana). Woke Saturday to sunshine. Added West Virginia to my capitol-dome tally, my tenth (LA TX IN IA AR AL CT DC & IL). Was never a goal to see all 50…but have certainly enjoyed the journey. Quiet, still morning…just me & a parade of ground squirrels. HUGE fan of both history & architecture. FAAANNNTASTIC morn!

On the highway before noon, hour drive west to Huntington. Bib pick-up, 50 State Marathon Club reunion & PASTA 🙂 (however no red sauce for me/stomach cancer irritant, but do love to carb load – YUM!) Dumb luck re: the reunion — completely unplanned. Have been to three in my life (Indianapolis, Falmouth Mass & Santa Rosa). Always fun to connect with folks on a similar journey. Humbling too. More than handful of runners have collected 300+ medals. That’s a whole lotta miles.

Buddy time. Did a thorough campus walk. ‘We are Marshall’ – snapped that shot plus one of Memorial Fountain. Thankful I saw the movie this past week. Made my experience much more impactful. Tomorrow we’ll lay white roses at the fountain…last two-tenths of our run; marathon finishes in the football stadium. Quick drive to Spring Hill Cemetery, then parted ways with my friend.

Tomorrow a.m. my 75^th marathon – We are MARSHALL.

: one by 2 seats across, small prop plane to WV

: Welcome to West Virginia

: Veterans Memorial

: “The West Virginia Coal Miner”

: State Capitol

: We are Marshall

: the Thundering Herd

: Memorial Fountain

: marathon bib pick-up

: “They shall live on in the hearts of their families and friends forever, and this memorial records their loss to the university and to the community.”

Marshall’s Memorial Fountain is a celebration of life

“They shall live on in the hearts of their families and friends forever, and this memorial records their loss to the university and the community.”

The Memorial Student Center Fountain is a tulip-shaped sculpture which will always serve as a reminder of Marshall University’s past and its future. Located in the plaza area on the campus-side of the Student Center building, this unique landmark stands as a monument to those who perished in the November 14, 1970 plane crash that killed most of the school’s football team.

This tragedy cut so deep because it involved more than the football team, coaching staff and school administrators. Also lost were some of the school’s strongest supporters. Doctors, attorneys, business people and civic leaders were also on board the ill-fated flight in which there were no survivors.

The fountain serves as a monument to honor those who died, but that isn’t the sole purpose for its existence. When the fountain was dedicated a few days before the second anniversary of the crash in November 1972, sculptor Harry Bertoia made it known that his creation was more about celebrating life as opposed to mourning the tragic deaths of the crash victims.

There’s strong symbolism associated with Memorial Fountain. The flowing waters from the fountain represent the continuation of life. Every year on November 14, the school conducts a memorial service which includes the traditional laying of the wreath at the front of the fountain. Once that part of the service is completed, the fountain’s waters are turned off until the next spring.

Posted in Northeast | Tagged buffalo, capitol-domes, cemeteries, kyrkan | Leave a comment

до свида́ния Russia

Published September 26, 2016

Marathon done, no friends to tag behind – last day in Russia.

Woke Monday to sunshine, first rays my entire Moscow stay. Gorged on a lavish breakfast buffet, showered, layered up, grabbed a local map & hit the pavement. Best guess: no more than 2 miles from Red Square, multiple art & history museums. Have feet, will travel.

Prospect Mira to Lubyanka Square, up & under multiple street crossings, left on Teatralnyy. First stop: the Bolshoi [Theatre], iconic home of the Russian ballet. Point, click, snapped my shot. Continued thru a park littered with Communist statues, popped out in front of the State Historical Museum. Attempted to purchase lamb kebabs at an outdoor kiosk; received 2 lamb chops, pickled cabbage, sauerkraut, sweet pickle & a hard dinner roll. Yeah my Russian is pretty lousy these days…but hey, I didn’t starve 🙂

Slow stroll thru Red Square. No time constraints, took time & studied the architecture. Circled St. Basil’s Cathedral (far end of the Square), bridge-crossed the Moskva River – STUNNING view of the Kremlin, gleaming white & gold inside its red brick fortress.

Bridge returned, took a right – and got in some art history. Self-toured 4 Orthodox cathedrals (one monastery), all garish with religious artifacts, marveled at their dome construction. Entered 2 Metro Stations…just to see the art. Finished the day at McDonald’s – yep, McDonald’s. 2 cheeseburgers & a Coke. Not my finest moment…but appreciated knowing exactly what I was gonna get.

and blink…that was it. Home in morning – 28 hours & 7 time zone changes later; travelling back in time, would be a day that seemingly never ends. 17 years [after my expat assignment], super thankful for the opportunity to revisit Mother Russia.

My heart is full. Большое спасибо!

: Bolshoi Theatre

: Minin & Pozharsky Monument

: Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed

: the Kremlin

: Russian Orthodox church (Храм святой великомученицы Варвары)

: Russian Orthodox monastery (Собор Иконы Божией Матери Знамение в Знаменском Монастыре)

: goodbye Mother Russia

до свида́ния Russia

Posted in Europe | Tagged kyrkan, museo | Leave a comment

Red Square

Published September 24, 2016

2 hours up, 2 hours down. Crazy way to log sleep hours but by noon Saturday, had successfully completed the process 🙁

Met Dima & his wife Natasha in my hotel lobby; super excited to see Russia’s capital city. Have metro ticket, will travel.

Whole lotta marble. Metro stations in Moscow arguably are among the world’s most ornate. Early Communists pillaged the country’s cathedrals & imperial buildings and moved its art, marble & statues to where the people could see & enjoy.

Marathon bib pick-up at Luzhniki Stadium (site of the 1980 Summer Olympics). Next up: Red Square.

Haven’t been to Russia since my expat assignment ended in 1999. (if ever I ever) Two places I wanted to revisit: Moscow’s Red Square & the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. Winter Palace, another trip, another time – but today, Red Square would be reality.

Passed by make-shift kiosks celebrating Harvest Festival, temporarily stationed in front of the State Historical Museum. The museum, a massive 18^th century crimson structure (commissioned by Peter the Great), creates the northwest corner of Red Square. Walked the brick cobblestone between the Museum & Nikolskaya Tower, one of multiple towers which surround the Kremlin.

In Russia, a “kremlin” is a Russian town’s fortified stronghold, and Moscow’s was built in the 1150’s with a low, wooden wall. It now features high red brick walls 2.25 km long, with Red Square on the eastern side.

Can’t believe I’m really here — Red Square. WOW, WOW, WOW!

St. Basil’s Cathedral straight ahead, Lenin’s Tomb & Spasskaya Tower to my right, GUM (State Department Store) forms the Square’s left edge. Each May Day, the Soviet Union would flex their military strength, parading tanks in front of the Communist nation’s supreme leader. That’s the history portrayed by American media, influencing our collective history – just as Russian media structured their peoples’ views. Fair & balanced? Certain WW2 battles never made our history books…Germany’s Eastern Front/Russia’s Great Patriotic War. Cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin & Valentina Tereshkova both orbited space before the U.S. moon landing. Musicians, like singer Alla Pugacheva, mega-stars/multimillionaires completely unknown to us. Hmmm.

Chilly September day, glad I brought my coat. After snapping shots at each landmark, retreated inside GUM, warmed up & completed my souvenir shopping – matryoshka [Russian nesting] dolls for all 🙂

Tomorrow a.m. running my first marathon outside North America. But tonite, I’ll continue to cat-nap (2 hours on, 2 hours off) & watch Russian TV – game shows, reality, crime dramas & the Voice. Sadly, our countries are really not that different.