States 21 and 22 Idaho and Wyoming

State 21 Idaho What an amazing trip this was from start to finish. It could not have gone better. I flew into Spokane Washington on Saturday June 9th and ran in The St Joes River half marathon on Sunday the 10th, in St Maries Idaho. The temperature in Houston when I left was low in the 80's and I had been having trouble training in the heat. I had been hoping that it would be at least a little cooler in Idaho but didn't expect much improvement. A few days before I left I checked the forecast and was Thrilled to see that the expected high temperature fro race day was in the 60's. When I arrived on Saturday the radio reports were calling for early morning showers which never materialized, and it was a perfect day to run. NO wind, No rain, just overcast and cool.

On a comical note....I was at the Rental car counter in Spokane, and the woman asked for my credit card and driver's licence. After I gave them to her, she asked how many passengers would be in the car. I replied "One....Me". Then she asked "Who will be the driver?" Huhhhh....once again, Me !! Thinking back, what I should have done was begin arguing with myself in several different voices, about who's turn it was. However then I probably wouldn't have got the car

My Hotel was only a block from the starting line which was a good thing, because 10 minutes before the start, I discovered I had left my water bottle in the room. I had to run up and get it and got back just in time to here 5-4-3-2-1 BANG and the race started.
St Maries is a small quiet town in remote Idaho. Not a lot going on there. I really enjoyed myself, despite  the fact that there was nothing particularly outstanding about the race. It was very small, and there were no spectators except for the aid station volunteers. There was no expo or an after part to speak of and they didn't have post race beer. It was a nice out and back run through the little used roads of rural Idaho. the roads varied from the highway to asphalt to gravel to dirt (turned mud by the previous day's rains). The scenery was nice, but paled in comparison to what I saw later in the week. Nothing fancy, no bells or whistles, but a Great run, if this is the kind of experience you enjoy, which I did.

The day after the race I drove down to Syringa Id. and went White water rafting on the Lochsa river. A complete blast. The 60 degrees on race day went to high 80's for the rafting and was a perfect day. We covered 20 miles of the Lochsa and encountered 32 named rapids, 22 of which were class IV. Everyone in the raft had a Great time and no one went into the water until the next to last rapid. Named the "Terminator" the raft went totally vertical and everyone went into the water and ended up swimming. It was a near tragedy as I thought I lost my camera which I had on a lanyard. When I got back in the raft the lanyard had snapped and the camera gone. I was upset, not because of the camera which was about 10 years old, but because of the memory cards which had all the pictures from all my half marathon runs on it. At the time I just wanted my card. at the take out the guide found it lodged in the bottom of the raft and all was good. The camera still worked and the card was fine. The next mooring the camera stopped working and I had to replace it, but I request to recover the card had been answered. A minor miracle. Our guide Mikey had to drink a beer from his bootie for having to swim. Pretty nasty, but at least it was beer and not something disgusting. Drinking from the bootie was bad enough.
While in Syringa I stayed at the River Dance Lodge. I was by myself , so I didn't need one of their cabins which sleeps 6, so they put me in a "Glamping Tent". Pretty cool, it was the most upscale tent you ever saw. The tent was mounted on a wooden deck and had a queen size bed and wood burning stove inside. It was right beside a little stream which provided the most sleep educing gurgling. The stream was also fed from  snow melt, and was ice cold, which made it the perfect beer cooler. The lodge served meals if you wanted, and the food was excellent. You didn't get to order what you wanted, just ate what they were serving. The only thing I found strange was the dessert on the first night. They had Ice Cream flats, but instead of Root Beer or Soda, they used Guinness Beer. I like ice cream, and I like beer, but the combining of the two really didn't work for me. However, I still highly recommend the River Dance Lodge if you are ever near the area.
After the time in Syringa, I moved on down state to Victor Idaho, and stayed in the Teton Mountain Ranch there. Another really great place to stay. They had a hear of about 200 elk which were not far from cabin. It was very peaceful to listen to the bugles of the elk as it got dark out. While at the ranch, I took a day long horse back ride with the owner. we rode up through the Teton Mountains and got up to around 8000 ft. There was still snow on the ground where we were. We made it up to the second highest peak in that part of the range. The highest one was still blocked by snow on the ground..
I took the horse ride on Thursday and then on Friday, I drove about 2 hours to Arco Idaho. I was in the Navy and served on the USS Hawkbill SSN 666, a Nuclear Powered Sturgeon Class Fast Attack submarine. The boat was decommissioned in 2000, and the sail was set to Arco where it is on display. So I went to see it there making it's final surface there in the Idaho dessert. It brought back a lot of memories.

States 22 Wyoming
Saturday the 16th I ran in Jackson Hole half marathon in Jackson Hole Wyoming. An absolute Gorgeous race. The "Run the Bluegrass " in Kentucky bills itself as America's prettiest half marathon, and it was beautiful, but Jackson Hole is some strong competition for Lexington Ky. They both are stunning, but in different ways. Jackson Hole was another small race, not many spectators, or a big after race party, just mind blowing scenery and a Great course to run along. They did attempt to have a full marathon, but canceled it due to only having 18 participants. The half marathon had busses to take you to the start in Teton village and you ran back to the Finish near one of the Ski Lodges. For those who wanted to do the full marathon anyway, they showed up at the finish line and had to run from there to the start line in time to do the half marathon back. There was no timing so full marathoners were on the honor system to keep their time and make sure they ran the entire course going out.

State 20 Kentucky "Run the Bluegrass" March 31st 2012...Lexington Ky

After Cowtown and the run in Georgia, I went back to the Dr and he put me back in the walking boot for 4 weeks, that would be until April 3rd. At the time he said that he was disappointed that it had not improved more than it had. If it was not a lot better after this session in the boot, we may have to think about surgery. Once again I was not allowed to go to work with the boot on , so I was off for a month. After 2 week. it did not seem like there was much improvement, maybe a little but not a lot. I went back to talk to the Dr to see what my options were. If surgery was going to be necessary, then I wanted to go ahead and do it then , so I could begin the recovery period of 4-8 weeks, rather than wait a waste the time till the 4 week period was up.He told me that if surgery was required it couldn't be done until April any way because he was closing his clinic and going Spring break with his family. He had me go and do an MRI on it and and scheduled me to return at the end of the following week to discuss my options. I was frustrated, I didn't want to just sit around for that amount of time. If the surgery was going to be required then I wanted to get it over and use the time off for recovery. I decided to get a second opinion, and the new Dr told me that he didn't feel surgery was going to be required. In fact, he showed me where the stress fracture was not the problem. It had indeed been fractured, but when he mashed it during assessment, it was not painful. He said there was some inflammation and that wearing the Orthopedic inserts should fix the problem over time. He didn't think that removing the boot and beginning to walk would pose any threat to cause any further damage. I found that taking the boot off actually made it feel better.

I had a little over a week left on the 4 week time off from work and decided to get out of my apartment and go do something. I found the race in Kentucky that was tailor made for my situation. It was highly recommended in the reviews of it. It had a 4 hour time limit, so I knew I could walk the entire thing if necessary. It was on Saturday which meant I would have Sunday and Monday to drive back after the Race. Finally it was close to my friend Eddie who lives in Cadiz Kentucky, so I could get in a visit as well. I was scheduled to see Dr Baxter on Thursday, but I already knew what he was probably going to say. I canceled that Thursday appointment and told them I would come in on the 3rd as originally scheduled and I was off.

I left early Wednesday morning, and headed toward Memphis Tn. I have a friend who lives there and figured that would be a Great first stop. I had been in Memphis on my trip to Arkansas and Tennessee, and wanted to go back. I wasn't able to get in contact with my friend, and ended up staying in a room very close to Beale street in Memphis. I had a Blast in Memphis. I ate at arguably the Greatest Fried Chicken establishment in the known world, and partook in the Memphis Live Music scene.

Thursday, I drove to Cadiz and stayed with Eddie and his family and Friday I moved on to Lexington to do the race on Saturday.

The "Run the Bluegrass" was exactly what I needed. It was a medium size race that was very well organized. We started at the Horse Track in Lexington and ran a big loop through the surrounding horse farms. Friday and Sunday were both fairly warm and muggy, but the weather on race day was Optimal. Overcast and cool, rain showers were predicted, but never materialized. A Special Gift from Mother Nature. The race is billed as "One of America's Prettiest Half Marathons" and with good reason. It was the most scenic course I think I have ran on. The dogwood trees were all in bloom and made the peaceful early morning run very tranquil and totally Therapeutic. Other than the aid station volunteers, there were no spectators to cheer you on. If you have been following my stories, you know that is fine with me. It was a fabulous run on a fabulous course and there is very little that I would have changed about it. It was pretty hilly, and I did have some issues with my foot. I found it painful to run uphill, plus I was untrained. I hadn't been running at all, and began by walking up hills and running down them, rather than try to keep run/walk schedule in minutes. I was doing well until about the middle of the race when I foot started getting tight, so I stopped running at all and just walked a while. Eventually it felt better and I again started to run the downhills, and very short stretches that were level. I was close to finishing under 3 1/2 hours, but barely missed it at 3:31;48. This race reinforced the reason why I want to do the 13.1 in 50. It was a Magic Elixor that re energized my desire to continue this 50 state quest.
I would give it a 5 star rating except that there was no beer at the finish line. That is the only disparaging thing I have to say. It was the very minimum deduction, as I was able to find beer at a little store next to my room, so all was good. There are SO Many good things to say about this race. There was a massage tent at the end and they were still operating after I left, which is saying quite a bit. Most finish line don't stay up as long as "Run the Bluegrass" did.

There was a bonus on this trip, as the NCAA Final Four was going on. Lexington is the home of the University of Kentucky, and UK was playing Louisville, which was one of their big rivals. After the race I watched the game in one of the local Sports Bars and enjoyed the excitement of the Wildcat crowd. The next day there were reports of crowd violence, fire being set and cars turned over, but I didn't see any of that. The whole trip was nothing but the Best Case Scenarios.

State 19 Georgia (and Cowtown #4)

Back in November I had changed my insurance to Blue Cross of Texas, and it went into effect January 15th, the same day as the race in Louisiana. Shortly after that I decided to go see a Foot Dr about the problems I had been having with my foot. I did, and found out that I didn't have Plantar fasciitis, but had a stress fracture instead. The Dr told me I had two options. The first was to be put in a walking cast with a boot for 8 weeks, which would allow it to heal. Or the second was to receive cortisone injections which would mask the pain I was having and allow me to continue training. I was signed up to do the New Orleans 70.3 in April, and being in the cast would end that. He told me that stress fractures were difficult to predict how long they would take to heal. I get the first injection that day and went back the next week. Everyone I had talked to about it said that the best thing was to do the cast and get it healed. The injections would only prolong the problem and cause more problems over time. When I went back to the Dr the next week, I told him I wanted to get it fixed and discussed the cast/boot options with him. At the time it wasn't painful, and I felt like I could go out and run right then. This was about a month before the Cowtown race in Ft Worth.

I have been doing the Cowtown 5 year challenge, and this was to be the 4th year. I really wanted to continue the challenge. If you do all 5 consecutive years, the Finisher Medals form a big star. If you miss a year, you can't make it up. (There is a option to buy one, but the medal says "Contributor" instead of "Finisher" to me that seems like it would cheapen the accomplishment) Being an athlete with less than elite ability, I don't get many opportunities at noteworthy accomplishments. This was one within my grasp, and I want to finish it. So...we agreed that I would wear the cast/boot for 2 weeks and then remove it, giving me 10 days before the Cowtown event. Afterwards. he said it may be improved and not need to be re-cast, or if it did need to we would put one back on for 4 weeks.

I managed to get that week off from work so I could stay and visit my Mom who lives about an 2 hours Northwest of Ft Worth. Since I had the whole week off and wouldn't be staying the whole time with my Mom, I looked for another race the following weekend. It would have to be one with a generous time limit, a fairly easy course, and within driving distance. I found one in Albany Georgia that meet my demands. It had a 7 hour time limit, and was on Saturday, so I would have all day Sunday to drive back to Houston. I decided to enter the race and make Georgia my next state.

I went to work with the cast on and was told that I wasn't allowed there with it on. I was going to have to stay home until the cast was removed. When it was removed, my foot felt good, and the Dr told me to take it easy on it. Not to go out and run a long distance right away, but gradually break it back in. I returned to work, and of the next 10 days, I was only off for 1 of them. I went to Ft Worth with my foot still tender and I decided I would walk the entire thing. There was a 4.5 hour limit for the half, and I knew I could do it in that that amount of time.

Normally, on race day, I will wear the shirt from my previous race. Not this time, however. While picking up my packet at the expo on Saturday, I found a running shirt that pretty much spelled out my thoughts for that week. On the front it had the word "FAITH" and on the back "Fight the Good Fight...Finish the Race...Keep the Faith....2 Timothy 4:7". I bought it and wore it in both events.

Race day in Ft Worth was nice. It started a little cold but warmed up by the end. Totally in contrast to the weather of the 3 previous years. (All had been Frigid and Windy). from the start of the race I tried to run and see how my foot would feel, but only made it less than half a mile before it begin to be uncomfortable. I walked the rest of the way, with the exception of the last .1 of a mile. I jogged in from the 13 mile marker. I wasn't sure how long it would take me, but I was a little disappointed when it was nearly 4 hours. (around 3:50) Despite the fact I took it easy my foot was still painful at the finish and remained so for several days.

Several times I questioned my decision to go do Georgia, but I assured myself with the fact it was a 7 hour time limit. I could take a leisurely stroll and would even have time to stop for lunch and beers if I wanted. It wouldn't be a true run, but it would still be a state. I keep thinking that if/when all 50 are done, there will be at least a few completed under less than Normal circumstances. on Tuesday I left my Moms and drove to Shreveport La for the night, then to my sister's in Ocean Springs Ms for 2 nights, and finally to Albany Georgia on Friday. Listening to the news toward the end of the week, Indiana and Alabama had been brutalized by tornadoes. When I got to Albany, the weather forecast was not good. The storm that had battered Indiana and Alabama, was due to move through the area during the time of the race. the worst part was expected toward the end, around noon. The post race party, an all day Mardi Gras festival had been postponed till the following weekend, and the race officials were going to meet at 6am the next morning to make decide if they were even going to have the race at all. Also, while the Full marathon would have a 7 hour time limit they were going to impose a 3.5 for the half.

What to do? If I walked I probably wound not make the 3.5 limit, and if I ran some would I risk further injury of my foot. Then again, would they even run it in the Storm Conditions. I decided it made no sense to drive all the way to Georgia, and walk the race and not get an Official Finish. I would run what I could and if it got real bad I would stop. I didn't want to blow it up, but as long as I was here I would endeavor to get a finish.

The race went off, but not as scheduled, as there was about a 20 minute delay. We started under torrential rain and gusting wind. the rain came in sheets, it would lighten up for a while, then we would get pounded again. Had this been a meaningless local race around Houston, I would not have thought twice about packing it in, and waiting for another day. I started out thinking I would run 2 minutes and walk 3. My foot was doing good and I increased to 3/3, still no problem. I increased again to 5/5 and held that till around mile 7 when I started feeling the familiar sensation in my foot. I knew I was far enough ahead of pace that I could walk the rest of the way and make the 3.5 hours. It was about this time that the local tornado sirens went off. There were loudspeakers and a Booming voice stated "A Tornado Threat is in Effect for the Albany Area...Everyone take Shelter Immediately" That scared the Hell out of me. I looked around, thinking I was going to see a funnel coming right at me, and was expecting to be sucked up and deposited somewhere in Kansas (Damn those Flying Monkeys). Unsure of what to do, I figured I would just follow everyone else, but they just kept running, so I did too. I firmly believe it added some speed to my pace. Then I was wondering, if I get picked up and deposited closer to the finish line, would there be a DQ for not running the whole way? Something to think about. After Ft Worth. I had forgot to recharge my Garmin. I didn't realize this fact until I was ready to leave for the race. I put it on the charger and manged to get it up to 20% before I had to leave. It died at around mile 12, shortly before the Tornado Alarms went off again, but at that point it had ceased to matter. I knew I was going to Cross the Line, and despite everything, I did. Bad Foot...Terrible Weather....Tornado Dodging...soaked to the bone the entire time...and my Garmin going out

And yet YES !!!! I HAD a GOOD TIME. Now that it is over, I enjoyed myself. I can say I did something only a few others would do.

Over all the race was good. Barring the weather, which they had no control over, there was nothing bad about it. The course was entirely through residential areas and there was nothing scenic about it. The after party sounds like it would have been Great, but it was cancelled. The one shining point was the amount of support they had. Since it was through residential ares there were a lot of people out in their yards and on their porches. Surprisingly a lot, considering the weather. Im sure there would have been a lot more had it been nice out. The spectators were very vocal and supportive. They weren't just clapping when you went by, they were yelling and screaming and making a lot of noise. A lot of the businesses had welcome runners on their storefront marquees. It was fairly small, and while I would recommend it if you need to do Georgia, it is not in my list of Ones I want to repeat

State 18 Louisiana

What a great trip (Mostly), but the race itself was a 5 star event, and Highly recommended. The Inaugural Louisiana Marathon was Jan 15th, the same day as the Houston Marathon. I signed up for it because I was looking for a race option other then Houston. The Houston race has gotten really big and you must go though the lottery process to enter it. Houston has raised their prices up way high and they have shown disdain for the local runners. Therefore,I don't want to participate. Luckily,I found the Louisiana Marathon. It was not only another state off my list, it was an outstanding event, and most likely will be my January race in the future. First time races be one of two things. Either their very good, as they would go way out to make a great Impression, or their unorganized, unprepared and just an over all catastrophe. (can any one say.....Rock and Roll San Antonio) It was the first option as they put on a spectacular event. A week before the race, I got an email saying they had created the Crewe of 1812 which consists of all the runners who participated in this, their first year. If they ever begin to sell out and start requiring the lottery system, then the Crewe of 1812 has guaranteed entry for life. In fact I already got an Early Bird offer to sign up next year, only 35.00..I am in, and going back to Baton Rouge next year.

The trip started out a little shaky. I wasn't sure if I was going to have to work the Saturday before or not. I was going to have to be in Baton Rouge by 7 pm for packet pickup and if I had to work, would not have been able to do that. I managed to find a back up plan, in that a friend who was going too, said she would pick up my packet for me, if needed. Well, it turns out I didn't have to work and managed to get to baton Rouge without difficulty. It worked out well for me, as it was on MLK weekend. I always have Monday off of that weekend and was able to stay in Baton Rouge Sunday night and drive back home on Monday.

The BCS Championship game for college football was played the Monday before the Race. It was LSU (Baton Rouge's hometown team) vs Alabama. I was hoping that the LSU Tigers would win and that the party would still be Raging in Baton Rouge for the weekend of the Race. They didn't...(Damn the luck). Furthermore, the New Orleans Saints played their playoff game in San Francisco and lost. So much for a Big Party. Thankfully, however the marathon experience was not dampened by the disappointments of the football games.

Packet pick up was in one of the casinos located by the I-10 bridge over the Mississippi River, the Belle of Baton Rouge. Since I was there I decided to take a turn around the Crap table, and only made it through one roll. The shooter got HOT and reeled off a number of points, 20 minutes later he was done, I was 93.00 up and out of there. That paid for my meals while in the city and most of my Gas to get there. Nice Little surprise.

Race day brought in absolutely perfect weather for running. Clear and cold at the start and it warmed up nicely for the after race party. The course was very scenic, we started out downtown and wound through the LSU campus and several old and distinguished neighborhoods. There were not a lot of spectators, but the ones out were very supportive. Several of the LSU sorority's and fraternities were out in full force and were quite vocal. I lost count of the number of "Unofficial" Aid stations along the way, set up by people who just wanted to be of service.

As much as I liked the race, I did have some personal difficulty. The Plantar fasciitis in my feet woke up about mile 10 and I had a painful run the last couple of miles. It hurt if I ran, it hurt if I walked, so I continued running. I started out the day with a goal of under 3 hours. I had just bought a new Garmin, and according to it, I hit the exact halfway mark (6.55 miles) at 1:22. I was 8 minutes ahead of a 3 hour pace. About mile 10, I had a new experience in organized marathon running. There was a train track we had to cross, and myself and the other runners around me had to stop for a what seemed like the Longest train ever. There were quite a few of us who got caught by the train. We were all stretching and wondering if we could get credit on our Final Times for the stoppage. Even with the delay, and the pain in my feet I was able to finish at 2:58:44. A successful race, at least in my humble opinion.

The after race party was one of the best I have been to. They were celebrating the Louisiana culture and there was some fantastic Cajun food. All my favorites any way.I had Seafood Gumbo, duck gumbo, Red beans and Rice, and Jambalaya. There was a lot more there but that is what I got. It was all really. They also had the Best Beer Tent Ever!!! There a number of beers offered but I took the Southern Pecan Ale. I have had it before and it is a really micro brew from somewhere in that region. Despite the pain in my feet, I managed to make to the beer tent 4 times.

This is going to be one a Popular race very soon. Within the next few years, I will be taking Full Advantage of my Guaranteed entry status. Of that, I am sure. Definitely put this one on your list. If you are doing all 50, then you cant go wrong with Louisiana Marathon in Baton Rouge.

State 17 Oklahoma

Oklahoma was a quick trip. It was on November 20th which is my birthday and I felt compelled to go and get in a race on that day. I was not able to get any other time off for it, so I originally decided to drive up to Tulsa on Saturday, run Sunday morning, and return home Sunday evening. Would have been tough, it is an 8 to 9 hour drive each way. I had a friend who I knew was living in Oklahoma,and found out she lived 20 minutes from Tulsa. She offered to pick me up at the airport, and I could stay with her and her boyfriend for the weekend. What a deal!! I accepted. Leading up to the race I was struggling with Plantar Fasciitis, and the week before had a bad case of upper respiratory aliment. I wasn't sure how well I would do running. I just wanted to finish and knew that I would, seeing as how there was an 7 hour time limit. I merely had to finish before the full Marathon was over.

The forecast for the that weekend was low in the 40's and high in the 50's, so I was looking forward to some Great running conditions. There was also a 30-40% chance of rain, (not good conditions) When I got there Saturday it was still warm, and I was thinking "Great I brought the Houston weather with me", However that night the front came through, and I got my Birthday present of some really nice running weather. It was over cast and threatened to rain the whole time , but never did. As usual, my goal was to finish and get my bling, and mark another state off my list. The secondary goal was to finish under 3 hours, which would be close to my normal time. (I hadn't ran since 5150 in Galveston 4 weeks before.) I started out a little slow, but managed to find my stride about half way through the run. The last couple of miles I saw I had a good shot at the 3 hour mark and pushed to make it. I ended up 2:58, and was happy with my effort and time :0)

A HUGE Thank You to Deanna and Guy for their hospitality during the weekend.

Sunday morning we left for the run about 6:30, right about day break. Just before we reached Highway 75, a large doe jumped the fence along the road and ran across in front of us. Guy stopped to avoid hitting her, and when he did, we saw following right behind her, still on the other side of the fence, a Trophy Buck. he was at least 10 points. Here he was walking through an open field, during deer season !! How that deer was still alive is beyond me. I have never seen one that big in the total open. I have seen them on some of the military bases I have been on. Obviously on a Military base they don't have to worry about getting shot. But this guy was walking through open country in full view. Sometimes its better to be lucky than good.

4 States, 3 Weekends...Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire

This was quite a trip. I think it will go down as one the the more memorable ones of the 50 states saga. I ran 4 outstanding races in as many states, drove nearly 3000 miles, got shook down at the Canadian Border, visited the Emergency Room, took an amazing bicycle tour of Boston, Toured the Sam Adams Brewery, and repeatedly gouged myself on Lobster, all in the space of 15 days.

As I said, all 4 races were well worth the effort it took to be able to run them. For the most part, it was a Great trip and there are only a few things I would do differently. Canada would be one of those things.


State 13 Pennsylvania

I left for my trip on Sept 17th and flew to Buffalo NY. I rented a car and drove to Erie Pennsylvania, for the race on Sunday the 18th. Erie Pa is in the Northern part of Pennsylvania, on the South shore of Lake Erie. Presque Isle, where the race was held, is a peninsula that runs out into Lake Erie. There is a national park there, and that is where the race course was located. One of the things I look for in a race is the ability to see wildlife, and I was not disappointed here. The geese were gathering in anticipation of their migration South for the winter, and as such, they were everywhere. I also saw several flocks of Wild Turkeys. The course itself was not as scenic as I would have hoped for. Most of the time, we ran on the main road which ran along the interior of the park and was not able to see the lake. There were a few stretches were we could see the water, and they offered some nice views. Crowd support was very little, and I ran most of the race by myself, which is fine with me. Like most of the races I do, If you need a lot of encouragement from a Loud Crowd, this race is not for you. The aid station volunteers were very supportive, there was some kind of competition among the aid stations. I am not sure what the prize was, but they were definitely competing. The Moonshine Station was my favorite. They were all dressed as Hillbillies, and had a Still, an Outhouse, and a clothesline with assorted underwear. They were very funny. Other than the aid station volunteers, there was very few others out. It was a cool and windy morning, and the races did not run through any neighborhoods. It was a great race in almost aspects. The one reason I was forced to deduct points from the overall rating was that there was no Beer at the Finish. For the record, in Order to get the Highly coveted 5 Star rating, there MUST be Guilt-Free Beer at some point after the Race.

Just putting that out there in Case any Race Directors are reading this and wondering how to improve their race's image. :0)

Upstate Pennsylvania was beautiful country. I enjoyed the drive through their wine country which encompasses most of that area. In between Erie and the Hampton's Run in Long Island, I went up to Toronto Canada for 2 days stopping on the way at Niagara Falls. The Falls were pretty Spectacular, and I had a gorgeous day to see them. (For the most part, the weather played along well for the on this trip. The day before the Niagara stop, it was rainy and dreary the whole day, as was the day after) It was the entire Canada leg of this trip that I would like to wipe from my memory banks.

Canada...UGGGGGGH

To start with, I got stopped and searched at the Border going into Canada. While in Erie, I had bought a 6 pack of Sam Adams beer and drank 3 of the bottles. When I left for Canada, I cleaned out the fridge in my room. I had the 3 beers, 3 pony size Diet Cokes and a couple bottles of flavored water. I put them all in a plastic bag and put it on the floor board behind the drivers seat of my rental car. When I got to the Border and stopped at the Check point, I got grilled by the agent. Where was I going, How long would I be there, and WHY did I come all the way from Houston "BY MYSELF" to only stay 2 days in Toronto when I didn't know anyone who lived there. I was asked if I had any weapons, Large amounts of Cash, or Alcohol in the car. When I declared the 3 beers, that is when the Proverbial *S* Hit the fan. (Actually, he was just looking for an excuse to Search the car.) This has happened before, I have been stopped and Searched in Ohio, and Louisiana. Being a Male, traveling alone, and in either a Rental Car, or in the Ohio case a car with Texas Plates, immediately draws suspicion. Under those circumstances, You just have to be smuggling, either Guns...Drugs....Little Vietnamese girls...or Something. Anyway, as soon as I said I had the 3 beers, he wanted to know if I had been drinking, I said "No". He told me to pull over to the curb, and immediately 4 guys looking like the Canadian Swat came out, and told me to exit the car and stand off to the side. They began going through the car. Thay took all my luggage out and emptied it, went through the car, under the seats, hood, trunk, and took off the Hub Caps. While this was happening I was being questioned by what must have been the leader. He wanted to know what was I doing driving with beer in the car. I asked what was the problem, I wasn't drinking it, It wasn't open, It wasn't even cold. He said it was illegal. I asked in what way? the mere possession of it (if so, then how did Canadians get their Labatt's Blue from the store to their house, or do they just drink it all at the brewery), or because I went across the border with it. He never answered that question. Even after they were finished with their search, and I was allowed to repack my stuff and put the car back together, the Ordeal still wasn't over. I had to surrender my pass port and cell phone, and go sit in their office while they must have done some half @ssed background check. Finally I was released. To show what BS this actually was...when I left, they didn't even confiscate the allegedly illegal beer. They left it in the car, and I drove off with it, and drank later that night at the hotel where I stayed. Profiling, Pure and Simple.

I drove to Toronto, only to find it to be dirty, mostly under construction, and extremely expensive. The only attractions were the Royal Botanical Gardens, (it rained the whole time I was there) and the Hockey Hall of Fame. (Is Hockey really a sport?..Really???) I stayed in my Hotel for most of the 2 days I was there. I ventured out only to attempt to find a decent reaustrant (Yeah Right..I was in the Muslim part of town, and all they had was Middle Eastern food, which I am not fond of). On Thursday, I was thrilled to get back to USA. We have our problems, but I am pretty sure I will journey to Iraq, or Somalia to visit the Pirates, before I go back to Toronto.

State 14 New York

The Hampton's race was another Good one. They gave out an outstanding collection of Swag, a very cool Tech shirt, a Lined stocking cap for Cold weather running, and a Great duffel bag, easily the best Swag I have ever gotten from a running event. They weren't able to beat out Rivercities Triathlon for best Overall, but they do get the Nod for Marathons. This races was well supported by spectators along the way. Mainly, because it must have been a target race for "Team in Training". TNT was out in force, with probably 50-60% of the field wearing Purple. All along the course there were TNT cheerleaders there to support their fellow team mates, and everyone else who was participating. I have a lot of respect for TNT, they have a very worthy cause, and they do a Great job at supporting it and the individuals who get involved with them. The course was a little Bland. We ran along the mostly heavily wooded roads. There was one out and back portion along the water, but other than that, not much scenery.

I was doing 2 races in 2 days, this one and Ocean's Run in Rhode Island the next day. I had 4 hours to do this one, but only 3 for the run in RI. I planned to go a little easy and save something for the race the following day. I went into this race thinking it was going to be a memorable race. It was, but not for the reasons I imagined. There were a number of factors that lined up to create the "Perfect Storm" for having a Bad race.

When I crossed the border from Canada to Buffalo on Thursday, I hoped my problems were over. As it turned out, however, Not Quite. I was supposed to fly from Buffalo, to Manchester New Hampshire, arrive at 1:30 in the afternoon and drive to New York for the Hampton's run on Saturday. It was about a 5 hour drive and I should have arrived around 7 Thursday evening. Well...my US airways flight leaving Buffalo, had mechanical problems and left late, causing me to miss my connecting flight in Philadelphia. Then bad weather must have set in in New Hampshire, because 3 flights I manged to get a seat on were all cancelled and/or delayed. I finally had to give up on US Airways, and got a flight on Southwest, which landed in NH at 7 pm, and it took me till 2 am Friday morning to reach my hotel in New York. Once there, I found out Travelosity had screwed up yet another hotel reservation, (4 out of the last 4.... all booked at the same time). It took about an hour to straighten that out, and finally get into my room. (Travelosity..NEVER again) The hotel I was staying in was 60 miles from the race, because that's the closest one I could afford. Race morning, I had to wake up at 3 to get ready, make the drive, and be there early enough to get one of the few parking spots near the start. Also, the weather was unseasonably warm. It was in the 80's and the humidity was 100%. The stressful travel day Thursday, Lack of sleep, Unusual weather conditions, and maybe a few more I am not fully aware of, all led to me not being ready for a good performance.

I remember while standing at the Starting Line, ready to go, that I was sweating profusely, and thinking "This is not Going to Go go Well"....and It Didn't.
I started out fine, but it didn't take long for me to grasp the concept that a New England "Flat Course" is not the same as a Houston "Flat Course". All 4 races billed themselves as Flat. (Pennsylvania is the only one that really was). Long Island was the hilliest of the 4. Around mile 6, my legs started cramping. I cut back on my run/walk ratio to try and get over the cramps, but they continued to get worse. By mile 11 I was down to steady walking. I reached the mile 13 sign and made the final turn to the finish line. I wanted to run across the finish line, but it was more of a Wobble. (A Webbles Wobble but they don't fall down, kind of thing). Any way, I had kind of a Shaky finish and was approached by two of the EMTs. They asked me how I felt, and I told them I was fine, just having some cramps. They wanted to help me over to the Medical tent, again I said I was ok, but they insisted. I sat down outside the tent, got some water, and had several of the volunteers talking to me. All this time, my leg muscles were visibly fluttering. Some one gave me a bottle and said "Drink This", I don't know what was in it, but it was the Nastiest stuff I think I ever tasted. I handed it back. I asked for more water, and received some that they had put salt in. I took a big shallow, not knowing it had been salted, and that made me sick. NOW....It was ON. They wanted to get me over to the Dr, because I was throwing up. I still maintained that I was fine, I just want expecting the salt water. The Dr wanted me to come in the tent and sit down and he asked me a bunch of questions. What day was it? Where was I at? Who was the President of the US? (I asked him if that was a trick question, Is Obama, really the President? one could argue) I kept telling him I was fine, except for still having the cramps, so he sent me to the massage tent to get massaged. The Best idea I had heard yet !! The lady worked on my legs for while but they keep fluttering. Finally, my whole right leg from the ankle to the hip seized up in a giant cramp, and she decided that something wrong was going on. She said "I have hit all your trigger points, and you are not responding" She called the Dr over and told him. He then told me that he wanted me to get an IV. This was beginning to be a little too much. I was felt like I was improving all the time, and I just wanted to get up and walk around. I was sure I would be ok. Well the Dr talked me into getting the IV, saying I was exhibiting signs of fatigue, my blood pressure was low, and my heart beat high. He said the IV would replace lost fluids and then if I felt ok , I could leave. I agreed, reluctantly.... then I found out there were no IVs on site and they wanted to take me to the hospital ER to get one. NO, I was not going to the Hospital, I just wanted to leave. The Dr then explained to me that when I entered the Medical tent, I was then under his jurisdiction. He felt that my health was at risk, and that if he released me, and if something happened, he would be liable. He wanted me to go to the ER, because he thought I migth be having a "cardiac event". I really felt stupid, because I knew I was not having a Heart Attack, as he seemed to think. I continued to say I wanted to leave, that I need to be in Rhode Island by 6pm. He wanted to know what was in RI, and I told him I need to pick up my packet for the race the next day. He laughed and said, "You"re NOT running tomorrow" I replied "Yes I am" He then guaranteed me, that I would not be running. I told him, "I may not Finish, but I guarantee you I'm going to Start". He sent me to the ER any way. When we got there, the nurse came out and asked me how I felt. "Fine, I want to leave" was my answer. She immediately started in on the Driver. I was the 5th one they had brought in, that didn't need to be there. She told him the DR needed to quit over reacting. She took my BP, said it was fine and told me to get up and walk around. I did, and she said I could go. Problem was, Now I was 3o miles away from my car. She said it was going to be about a 75.00 cab fare back. I asked about the other people who were brought in needlessly, and if they had left yet. If any were still around, we could split the fare. She checked, and found a couple from Pittsburgh. The woman had been admitted, and the Husband had their car. She told me he agreed to give me a ride back to the race. Unfortunately, the wife had passed out about a quater mile for m the finsih line, and actually needed treatment. We had to wait about 3 hours for them to get her blood work back before we could leave.

In summation, I liked the race. It had the best Swag, there was a lot of support from the crowd, and it was well managed (other than the over zealous DR. I'm not sure I can blame that on the race director). I can't comment on the post race party, since I didn't get to participate. I do recommend the race, and would like go back to see if I could better my performance. However, that is unlikely, as I still have 36 more states before I begin repeating.

State 15 Rhode Island (From the ER to the Finish Line in less then 24 hours)

Of the 4 races I did on this trip, this was my favorite, even though it was the toughest one for me. At the finish line, I may not have looked like I enjoyed the run, but I did, at least in retrospect.

Ocean's Run, in Rhode Island is how a race should be organized. It was a small race, the course was very pretty, the Race Director was approachable concerned and helpful, and there was a Free Beer at the end. Result: 5 Stars with a snap. I had emailed before the race and asked if I could have bib #15 as this would be my 15th state, and was given that number. So far, this is the only race to do that. (Very Cool)

Not only did they have the usual aid stations, but there were also mobile ones as well. There were about 6 people on bicycles that had the front mounted wire baskets. The baskets were filled with water, goo, bananas and other assorted needs. They were continuously riding the course offering whatever you needed. An outstanding Idea(And again...Very Cool)

As I said...this was a tough run to do. Because of the ER fiasco of the previous day, I had to take the 6pm ferry from Long Island to Groton Connecticut. I got to Rhode Island to late to drive thecourse, and I missed the Saturday packet pickup. I had to get it the next morning before the race. Sunday morning was a little cooler, and the humidity was down some, but my legs were still pretty trashed from Saturday. I really wasn't feeling the urge to get out and run another 13.1. I was determined to, just wasnt looking forward to it. This race had a 3 hour time limit, and I was concerned that I would not make that. I talked to the lady about it and she said there was a little wiggle room there. By mile 4, my legs were almost completely Dead, and by mile 6, I had hit the wall and was reduced to walking. By the end of the race, I felt like I was trudging through wet cement, and truly believe that was the happiest I have ever been to see a Finish Line. Despite finishing at 3:19, I still got an official finish, and wasn't the last one in. Woo Hoo !!! At the finish, along with the Finisher's Medal, they gave us a HUGE coffee cup, and a bag of ground coffee, that smelled wonderful. I am not a coffee drinker, so I gave the coffee to a friend of mine, who said it is really good (just as I suspected), and I use the Huge cup for a cereal bowl. In the race packet, there was a coupon which could be redeemed for a Beer at one of the local Beach bars. That was one of the Best Beers I have ever had.

I am certain that there will be days in the Future when I encounter problems. Finishing this race despite the numerous reasons I had to quit, will give me the confidence to over come whatever hurdle I face at the time. I only wish that I had the New York Dr's address, so I could send him a picture of me at the finish line.

This was a Great experience, and a Great race. If I had to pick one to repeat, it would be between this one, and the Breast Cancer run in Florida. (26.2 with Donna) Actually, Florida would probably be first, but Rhode Island is a close 2nd.

After Ocean's Run, I spent 2 days in Boston, taking a tour of the Sam Adams Brewery on Monday, and a bicycle tour around the city on Tuesday. Both went really well. The weather for the bike tour was perfect, and I just missed the rain that set in the next day.

The remainder of the week leading up to the run in New Hampshire, I spent in Maine, right outside Bar Harbor. Maine is a beautiful state, at least in the Summer and Fall. I'm not sure how impressed I would be with it while It's buried under 3 feet of snow for weeks at a time.

State 16 New Hampshire

The Smuttynose Rockfest in Hampton, New Hampshire was another Great race. Smuttynose is a local brewery in New Hampshire and it was the first weekend in October, so it was Octoberfest. There was supposed to be a big party in conjunction with the marathon. However, the weather turned from that of the previous weekend's warm and humid, to that of cool wet and windy. It rained the entire length of the race (constantly cycling from a Heavy downpour to a light drizzle), and up and down the length of the seawall, the wind was gusting. The course was a good one. We ran through the several neighborhoods and on the highway along the beach. Absolutely no complaints. The crowds were sporadic, but I am sure there would have been many more had it not been raining the whole day.

I started the run a bit nervous, wondering how my legs would do. I wanted to take it a little easy, but soon got my stride and ran my pace with no problem. I didn't get to stay around long after the run, as I had to get to back to the airport in Manchester to catch a flight back to Houston. As it turned out, I didn't miss much of an after race party, because the rain kind of washed that out. They did give us 2 tickets for free beer, but I only used one of them, as I needed to get going to catch the flight back home.

Rivercities Tri

This past weekend I went to Shreveport Louisiana with a group of friends who are in BAM (Bay Area Multisport, which is the Triathlon group I train with). We did the Rivercities Triathlon which has been running continuously since 1981. This was their 31st year, and it was a Great race experience. Definitely a race you should put on your list if you are a triathlete. It is a sprint (half mile swim, 18.2 mile bike and 3,1 mile run). it is put on in a park outside Shreveport and it is a great course. the park is mostly shaded which helped mange the brutal heat that we suffered through. It was over 100 degrees. After 31 years of practice, they know how to put on a quality race. Plus the goodie bag was the best of any I have ever seen for any race. We got a tech shirt, a cotton shirt, a pair of performance socks, a cap, a windbreaker, and a really nice transition bag. Everything seems to be really good quality as well. This was my first Rivercities experience, but I do not plan on it being my last. Not only were there a lot of members from my training group, but my sister and brother-in-law also met me there. Brian and Melanie raced and Brian's sister came up from Longview to cheer us on and be the media woman. It was a great race weekend, and also a social one as well. The only complaint I had, was the heat. If some one could have turned down the thermostat a little, it would have been perfect

My race list continues to grow. I have a busy rest of this year and first few months of next year. I am doing the 4 half marathons in 3 weekends next month starting on the 17th in Pennsylvania, and ending in New Hampshire on Oct. 2nd. Three weeks after that trip I am doing Olympic distance Triathlon in Galveston, and for some reason, I signed up for a half Iron distance two weeks later, on November 6th. Actually the reason was that I wanted to a half Ironman when it would not be as hot as the two I have done in Galveston. I had been thinking that the 4 half marathons and the Olympic tri would be good training events leading up to the "Oilman" half iron distance in November. But alas, I just keep adding races. I have since signed up for half marathon in Tulsa Oklahoma in November, and Baton Rouge in January. I also have registered for the New Orleans half Iron man next April. Like I said, It is going to be a busy race schedule for while.

The one in Tulsa is going to be a hectic pace. It is on my birthday (my 52nd) which is November 20th. Being the weekend before Thanksgiving, I am probably not going to be able to get any time off from work other than the weekend. It is 500 miles to Tulsa, and from the looks of it, I am going to be driving up Saturday, running Sunday Morning and driving back the same afternoon. If it were not my Birthday, I most likely would not be dong it. However, I feel very strongly about this. I want to do a race on that day. It will be several years before I get the opportunity to run a race on my birthday again, and I do not want to miss this chance to do so. There are some races closer than Tulsa, but they are in Texas and I would like to do a state run. This will be the 2 year anniversary of the conception of this whole 50 state mission. I am not exactly sure when I actually made the decision to run all 50 states, but the catalyst was the trip I made to run in Nevada for my 50th birthday. From that trip "13.1 in 50" was conceived, therefore it only seems fitting that I should make the effort to do this trip in November. This will be a milestone, both, in my life, and in the "13.1 in 50" adventure. I have been saying that if I do indeed finish all 50, then each will have it's own story. Oklahoma will be no different. An 8 hour drive, a run, and another 8 hours on the road, all in one week end, surely will be an interesting chapter in the story that is waiting to be told.

The race in Baton Rouge should also be an interesting one. It will be the inaugural Louisiana Marathon. Being the first one, it could suffer from growing pains, or the race directors could go all out to make a Good impression. Regardless, I am in. I am signed up and am looking forward to participating. It will be the same day as the Houston marathon, which is Jan 15th. The running group I belong to trains for the Houston marathon. However, starting last year, you must go through a lottery system to gain entry into Houston. Rather than do that, I was looking for an alternative and found Baton Rouge. I have ran Houston 3 times, so it was not that important to me to continue running Houston. The entry fee for Houston Half is 105.00, and the entry into Baton Rouge was 55.00. The price of Houston, I can get into Baton Rouge and have enough for a room as well. Besides, when I finish running the race in Baton Rouge, I will be in Louisiana. I believe there is a good chance that there will be a party going on. That is what I am thinking. The good thing is that is MLK weekend, so I will have a 3 day weekend. I can stay the night after the race, instead of having to rush back home. If things go as planned, Louisiana will be state #18, not bad for just a little over 2 years of pursuing this long term goal