rivers-lakes

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Published May 20, 2017

pic-perfect day

Promised months ago, would not marathon Memorial Day weekend. No race conflicts permitted during Ash & Tom’s Colorado wedding [or 2 weeks following – dog-sitting my grandpup during their Iceland honeymoon].

Week before? No such promise. Targeting run #90, 5^th in 6 weeks, 12^th of 2017.

Flight delay in Chicago, +2 hour time difference, arrived in Manchester 2:30am Saturday morning. Six hours sleep, short 2 mile pre-marathon run (‘cause every day’s a run day), hit the highway – destination: Portsmouth, New Hampshire. 2 cars: Stephen, Sheila, daughter-in-law Ashley & two toddlers. Beautiful sunshiny day.

Portsmouth’s right on the water – New Hampshire’s only port city. Public parking off Market, street-scanned for grub. Irish pub, outdoor seating. Check, done 🙂

Post-lunch walk in Prescott Park, along the Piscataqua River. Picture perfect New England. Alarm sounded. Watched Memorial Bridge lift, allowing a passing ship to clear its mast. History-trekk’d thru Portsmouth Navy Yard while Ashley’s kids climbed atop the Park’s whaling memorial. AND there was ice cream ❤

More of Stephen’s family – Patricia, Noreen & Maggie – joined before his concert start at Christ Episcopal Church. Second year singing, my first time attending. Gotta get back for Christmas — hear the conductor wears jingle bells & a tree. SUPER FUN day!

: WWI Memorial Bridge: vertical-lift bridge linking Portsmouth & Kittery, Maine

: celebrating New England’s whaling history

: Prescott Park

: intermission & a costume change

UPDATE: Friday Jun 9^th – National Anthem at Red Sox’s Fenway Park

: Boston’s Fenway Park

WWI Memorial Bridge (NH to Maine)

Posted in Northeast | Tagged concert, rivers-lakes, whale | Leave a comment

Toronto Marathon

Published May 7, 2017

4:45am alarm, crazy tired start to marathon morning. Living B-I-G can have its drawbacks.

comparing FINISHER bling

Didn’t end Super Saturday early, even after a FULL day at Niagara Falls. My Canadian bestie next drove us from her Brampton home to downtown Toronto (45 minutes away). Trip wouldn’t be complete without a ride UP the CN Tower, tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. Sarah however had other ideas. No trip would be complete without FINE DINING at the WORLD’s highest & largest revolving restaurant – 1,152ft UP. Yeah, yeah we walked out on a scary glass panel (2 floors BENEATH the restaurant) – but it’s our fancy 3-course meal, I’ll long remember. Thanks friend, GREAT idea!

Home by 11pm – morning came early. 5:15am climbed in Sarah’s car Milo, arrived at Ontario Place by 6am. 45-minute bus ride to Mel Lastman Square (marathon Start), dropped between the North York Civic Centre & Toronto Centre for the Arts.

7:30am Start, Orange Corral. Caught the 4 hour pace group after 2K (no miles today — we’re in Canada, running 42.2K). Cold damp day but unlike yesterday, no rain. After running in shorts the past 2 weeks, risked getting hot & donned a ski jacket…trying to outthink today’s 2^nd Half along wind-happy Lake Ontario.

One steep climb 5K in. 3:50 pacers passed me going up, I caught them on the down. Stayed just ahead thru 25K. HUGE blast off Toronto’s Great Lake pushed me backward. Pacing bunny (that’s what they’re called in O’ Canada) went by on the left…and that was that. No mo’ gas. Flat course ‘round the lake (Martin Goodman Trail) but went out too fast too early. Strong headwind next 7 miles, running 9:40-10/min miles.

Entering Humber Bay Park, passed by the 4 hour pack. Wind at my back, 35K to the Finish. Slow/run combo to the end, no more slog. Either gonna run or walk fast – but no more humped shoulders/slow jog.

Realize I went out too fast today but on the right path – know I got it in me, I WILL PR this year. It will happen.

Back at Ontario Place, marathon FINISH #89. Couple seconds quicker than last weekend, 2^nd fastest run of 2017. Third province completed & a new Canadian PR (almost 30 minutes better).

Convoluted flight path home, Monday morning work day awaits. Sunshine – home, sweet Colorado home 🙂

Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon
2017-05-07 • Marathon

583 K R Haga Louisville 04:17:04.8

: tonite’s glass elevator adventure

: tallest building in the Western Hemisphere

: HIGH ABOVE the City Aquarium

: CN Tower’s revolving 360 Restaurant

: MOOSE!

: ‘La Tour’ at night

: 3rd province, new Canadian PR

Posted in Canada, Marathons/Ultras | Tagged rivers-lakes | 1 Comment

Niagara Falls

Published May 6, 2017

12:30am arrival – even the best of friends say ‘take an Uber’ after midnight. My Canadian bestie? Short cat nap, greeted me just past Customs…then hit the highway. HUGE surprise. Middle-of-the-night trek to Niagara Falls. Hotel slept, woke directly across from North America’s greatest free falling water. Chilly a.m. mist but whatta morning run!

GREAT to wake in Canada! Purchased 2 tickets on Hornblower Cruises. Would be seeing the Falls up close & personal. Donned my plastic ‘Hornblower pink’ rain jacket & boarded the boat (America’s competing ‘Maid of the Mist’ provide jackets o’ blue).

Niagara Falls is actually comprised of three waterfalls: American, Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls. The first 2 lie in the U.S., the latter straddles both U.S. & Canada borders. Elaborate walkways built on the American side provide ‘a’ view of the Falls. Canada however, positioned directly across from the Falls, claims BEST view…by far.

Cruise first passed by American & Bridal Veil. Lotta opportunity for selfies, water crashing over large boulders below. Seagulls darted in & out of the Falls, diving into the water below fishing for dinner. Provided some of the day’s favourite shots.

When folks think of ‘Niagara’ Falls, it’s Horseshoe Falls we’ve seen. Powerful, thunderous water, tinted green of mineral-eroded limestone. The force of falling water created a wide spray across the entire boat. Whatta memory – SUPER FUN (& wet)! One of the most wondrous, magical, ‘take your breath away’ places on Earth. I was here, May 6^th 2017. Could not stop smiling ❤

Boat disembarked. Slow-walked 2 miles down the boardwalk, past flowering Queen Victoria Park. Watched fast moving water pour over Horseshoe Falls, self-surrounded by a swath of daffodils. Hot chocolate at Tim Horton’s. a WOW kind of day!

Rode the QEW (Queen Elizabeth Way), over Burlington Skyway Bridge, then the 407 – to Sarah’s flat in Brampton. Impromptu pull-off to view an old grounded ship on Lake Ontario. Unplanned excursions, highly recommended. Many thanks Sarah, much LOVED!

The Grounded Ship was a replica of the Grand Hermie used by Jacques Cartier in 1535-1536 and 1541-1542 to explore Canada. This ship was built in 1967 for Expo 67 [in Montreal] as part of the nautical theme as Expo 67 which was on islands in the St. Lawrence Seaway. The ship was taken to Quebec City and abandoned in 2001.

Marathon in early a.m. – but not before dining fancy in North America’s tallest building, the CN Tower. No regret, B-I-G life 🙂