In 2018 we were working on a long-term goal of completing a half marathon in all 50 states. This was an ambitious goal for two average, middle-aged runners, but we had started off well, having already accomplished Texas, Michigan and Nevada by the beginning of the summer. When we booked a trip to Ithaca, we knew this didn’t really fit the mission as we’d already run a half marathon here two years prior. Ithaca is a beautiful little college town tucked into upstate New York on the south end of Cayuga Lake surrounded by trees and well-known for its waterfalls and dramatic gorges.
As it was probably our favorite course to date, we determined that duplicating a state was worth the money and time. Excited and planning ahead, we had booked flights, a place to stay, reserved a car, and registered for the race several months prior to the run, expecting we’d be in prime condition to tackle the route again. The best laid plans …
Continue reading Injuries Before Ithaca →
It was the year of the half marathons. That was the plan anyway. We had made progress – Austin in February, Michigan in April and now it was time to accomplish Nevada. Conveniently, a work trip at the end of May allowed us to book a flight a few days prior, and we were able to register for the Mt. Charleston half, a race organized by a group called Revel. This worked out well, since Mt. Charleston was on our hiking bucket list. Having spent some time in exploring Red Rocks about nine months ago, we were familiar with the area.
Continue reading Downhill Marathons are for Dummies →
In 2018, we decided we needed some specific goals oriented around physical activity. The year before had been chaotic, with work and kid schedules. Anticipating a more routine year ahead, we decided it was time for stability. Also, aging bodies needed something to offset excessive food and alcohol. Simple math – more (many more) calories need to be burned to compensate for diets like ours. Someone recommended the Austin Marathon – the half would be 13.1 miles of hills, starting in the city, wandering around the river, and finishing up downtown. Easy enough, said the sacrificial victims …
Continue reading Ninja Style Kung-Fu Grip! →
So … we appear to be committed to long, painful runs that result in exhaustion, days of soreness, and spending lots of money for a t-shirt, a big clunky medal, and a few pictures we manage to catch along the way. Figuring that we’ve seen and pounded enough miles of pavement, we decided to branch out. Trail runs seem to happen on more frequently on Sundays which makes schedules a bit easier, but to offset that, it’s always a good idea to pick one that is at least 5 hours away – convenience is not a watchword we adhere to. Hence, the LSRC (Lone Star Runner’s Club) Palo Duro Canyon Spring Half – 13-point-something miles in the bottom of Palo Duro Canyon State Park. The club also hosts the Palo Duro Trail Run in the fall each year, but getting both of us there on a Saturday has proved tough. One of us walked the 20K (12.2 miles or so) two years ago, and ran (well, jogged) it last fall. While not a walk in the park (sound effect here for bad pun), it seemed like a do-able half marathon. Ummm, yeah.
Continue reading The Agony of the Palo Duro Canyon Half →
We're running all over the place …
graveyardsandghosttowns 