More Thoughts from Eugene, Oregon

While I had been to Oregon twice before both trips were to Portland. The first was for a race that took place in Portland and while I was there Smitty drove up so we spent some time together. The second time I only flew into Portland and drove to Vancouver, Washington for another race. This was my first extended trip and I fell in love with Oregon, a truly beautiful state. It was a fun trip that included a half marathon that finished on the historic Hayward Field Track, some beautiful training runs with Smitty, some beautiful meals on the river and a chance to watch my first World Championship track meet because the World Junior Track and Field Championships were taking place while I was in Eugene.

Historic Hayward Field

Meeting Celebrities - Lauren Fleshman & Mary Cain as well as Mascots

Track Legends - Steve Prefontaine & Bill Bowerman

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Great place to walk for a pre race stretch!

Smitty & Denise's Beautiful Garden

The Race that was the Catalyst for this adventure!

I was leaving to drive home the next day so after some time to clean up and rest up we made the best of the rest of the day with a trip to a pizza place on the river for lunch, a trip north to visit the Smith's friends who own a vineyard and the day ended with Smitty and I playing cribbage, something we hadn't done in over 45 years. So while the years have passed, the connections remain.

A final walk, a final game and the next morning I was on the road bright and early. I had to be back home for an appointment the next day and the day after that I was leaving to housesit for my nephew in Laguna Hills for 11 days. I didn't know what kind of adventures the trip to Southern California would bring but those will be shared in a new blogs because this will be the last post for this one.

If you are interested in continuing to follow my story, the new blog is available at - runningreadingreminiscing.blogspot.com

Old Friends, New Places & New Memories - Eugene, Oregon

At the end of 2013 I signed up for a half marathon in Eugene, Oregon, a true running mecca. After signing up I mentioned in my Christmas card to my friend Smitty that I was planning a trip to Eugene for the race in July. Soon after I received an email from him telling me that he was going to train for and run the race with me and not long after that I heard that another Navy friend who lives in Florida was going to be spending a month in Oregon this summer and would be there when I arrived. My plan was to drive up the Wednesday before the Sunday race and stay with Smitty.

The week before I received emails from both Smitty and Joe telling me that Joe and his wife Judy would be leaving to Mississippi for a family reunion on the evening that I would arrive. They asked if I could come up a day earlier so that we could spend some time together because they wouldn't be back in Oregon until after I departed. I checked with my niece Brandy to see if I could take her dog, Ivy, a day earlier and confirmed with Smitty and Joe that I would be there Tuesday.

IVY - My travel companion. She went on to win her first show in Oregon!

I'm really glad that I changed my schedule and got to spend time catching up with Joe, Judy, Smitty and Denise as a group. We crammed a whole lot of fun and friendship in just over 24 hours. After dinner, and wine, the first night the wives went into the house and the three of us guys caught up on our time spent together in the Navy, first at NATTC in Memphis where we met and then at NAS LeMoore where we went after school and were assigned to VA 23. We made our first WestPac cruise together on the USS Oriskany and when we returned our squadron was scheduled for decommissioning. We rented a house in Hanford, California and lived together until our orders came. I was assigned to VA 147 and stayed in LeMoore while Smitty and Joe were transferred to a squadron at Whidbey Island, Washington. (The Oriskany has also been decommissioned and eventually sunk to create a manmade reef off of Pensacola, Florida.) So the three of us and our friendship have outlasted our first squadron as well as our first ship.

"These people are healthy eaters"! Swordfish!

The first night there was filled with laughter as we reminisced about our friendship through the years and the laughter actually started with a conversation about dinner. First let me say upfront that I like and eat very little seafood. For some reason while driving to Oregon I was thinking about how I could politely let them know that if they were seafood eaters or asked me what I did or didn't like for meals. The first dinner planned? Yep, Salmon! I just started laughing and because we are such good friends I was very upfront about my feelings about salmon and seafood in general. They offered to cook a piece of fish for me and I accepted. We went to the store for the fish and Smitty bought swordfish instead, I agreed to try it and I enjoyed it. Would I order it on my own? Probably not but I know that I can eat it and enjoy it. People often say that you should eat what you are served. I disagree. If you really do not like something then you should have the option of saying so and either eat something else or simply go without.

Good friends! Good Food! Good Laughs!

"WE'VE BEEN SAWYERED"

Smitty and Denise have two rental homes and one of them was between renters and was in the process of being rehabbed while I was there. Joe and Judy had been helping do the work before I arrived and I joined in the day after I got there. After we had worked for a while Smitty had to go to the hardware store for some more materials and Joe and I continued working. Joe was painting and I was was working on a new kitchen floor. After a while when Smitty had not returned I called Joe out with a question on the floor and after answering my question, he said, "I think we've been Sawyered". When Smitty returned I shared the story with him and it provided us with laughs every time we worked on the rental the rest of the week. It was fun sharing the experience with them.

By the way, "Sawyered", is in reference to the story where Tom Sawyer tricked his friends into whitewashing a fence for him by pretending that it was fun.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN!

Smitty's 21st Birthday in the Barracks at Lemoore NAS

The Race May Be The Catalyst

Catalyst - "A person or thing that precipitates an event" More and more as I travel to run a race I find that the race is just the reason to go but once there, or even on the way there or back, there can be so much to see and do. Things to see and do that I might not have been aware of if the race didn't motivate me to research the area where I was going. This is as true for a race as close as the next town down or up the Valley as it is a trip for a race to another state requiring a long multi-day drive or a flight. There is so much to see and do in this country and racing has motivated me to do a lot of it.

As the title says, "The race may be the catalyst". There are so many other things than can be, visiting family, visiting friends, or simply a destination vacation where a race can be a part of the whole experience. In my case the race very often is the catalyst. A recent example of this just occurred this past weekend. I ran two races. On Saturday I raced and subsequently visited a local town for the first time and on Sunday I went to San Rafael to run a race and complete the "I Run the Bay" series. Because San Rafael is good distance from here and you never know what kind of traffic issues you might encounter I always leave early enough to allow a buffer. Sunday was an unusual day on the freeways for sure, there was no traffic and I had a quick and uneventful trip. I parked, picked up my shirt and race number and then had an extra hour to look around. I warmed up a lot more than I normally would simply because I wanted to jog around the downtown area as well as the outskirts of downtown. Additionally I was able to explore the course more than I might have otherwise and as a result I wasn't discouraged when I encountered hills that I had not anticipated. I have included some pictures from this exploration in this post.

The first two pictures are from the local race in Escalon.

 These next pictures are from San Rafael. It was a nice cool morning but humidity was over 90%.

While the race is often the catalyst for me I hope that you find your own catalyst to lead you on many journeys to enrich your life. Life really is an adventure and we can make sure that it is an adventure that keeps going. Enjoy your travels no matter what the catalyst.

After Double Dipsea

It has been over two weeks since I dropped out of the Double Dipsea race at the halfway point and I can still say that without a doubt it was the right decision. I wound up going to the doctor and he prescribed antibiotics and steroids for a respiratory infection. I have to believe that I'm luckier that I didn't get even sicker than I did. I took a week off completely from running and tried to recover and while I still have a lingering cough I'm much better. Will I consider doing the race again? That decision is still up in the air.

I overlooked writing about my first race in June. It was a race that I didn't intend to run but my Niece Brandy signed up for it before she knew that she was going to have shoulder surgery so she asked if I wanted her entry. The race organizers let us transfer the entry so I decided to run it. It was the Hook and Ladder 5k at the Wente' Winery in Livermore. It was a nice event. The only negative was the delayed start because of so many late arrivals. It is only a two lane road to get in and out of the area. I have said it before and I'm sure that I will say it again. I can't believe that people don't plan ahead and get to races early. I honestly resent it when they hold a race for late arrivals when it is their own fault. I still enjoyed the event.

This past weekend was the 4th of July and I went back to Atwater for their 4th of July race. It wasn't as hot as last year but it still got warm early. I was nervous about the race because I had been sick and had run very little leading up to it. I made a point of going out slower than usual knowing that I could finish if I did. After about half a mile I felt good enough to pick up my pace and actually finished 12 seconds faster than I ran last year. Last year I was 4th in my age group and this year, also 4th. The important thing is that I felt mostly recovered from the Double Dipsea and that's a good thing because I have two races coming up this weekend and then a half marathon later in the month in Eugene, Oregon.

Joe and Robert raced on the 4th as well; Joe in the Springs and Robert in Boulder. Gerald had planned to run in Washington State but they didn't have race day registration. He still hopes to do some races while he's working in Washington.

The bond that we all share through running is pretty amazing!

This next picture is so typical of my feelings immediately after some of my more challenging races. When I finish it's often, "I'm glad that's over" and "I won't be doing that again" followed by thinking about future races on the drive home and further followed by getting online to see what else is available on weeks that I'm not already scheduled to run somewhere. This sport sure gives me a lot to look forward to and a lot to enjoy and share with others.

"Know When to Say When" - June Races and Red Sox

When planning this blog the I thought I would be simply writing a summary of my June races and the Boston Red Sox - Oakland A's game that I was going to go to with my sister and my niece. Then I attempted to do the Double Dipsea race and the theme of this post changed.

I had been sick the entire week leading up to the race and only ran 3 miles and walked 6 leading up to what would be the toughest race I had run since the Pikes Peak Ascent in 2009. The race was described in the November 1973 issue of Runner's World as, "The steepest footrace in the world". While I doubt that description is accurate, it can't miss by much. The thing that made the climbs more difficult is that there were so many railroad tie stairs going east, actually the reverse direction of the Dipsea. The race begins in Stinson Beach at sea level and tops out at 1500 feet. From there the course drops down, after another stair climb, to Old Mill Park at 60' elevation. You return in the western direction where you encounter a set of 671 stairs almost immediately after beginning the return trip.

It was those 671 steps that helped me make the decision to drop out at the halfway point, 6.85 miles. (The pictures on the stairs were taken looking up and down from the same place. At this point I had a genuine concern that if I leaned to far I would fall down the steps). As it is I should have missed the cutoff of 2 1/2 hours but for some reason the changed the cutoff to 3 hours and I was there in 2:46.44. And this is the reason for the title of this post. I thought about stopping at 2 miles and again at the top of Cardiac at about 3 miles. Then just after 5 miles, I did make the decision to stop and walk back to the aid station to see if I could catch a ride back to the start. That decision was made at just after 1:51. I turned around and walked back down the hill. Then I decided that I should at least try to get to the halfway point so that I would at least know what the rest of the Dipsea Trail was like. So that's what I did and it took me almost an hour to cover less than two miles. I knew that it would be unsafe and unhealthy to try to go back. Looking back and judging how I still feel two days later as I write this it was unsafe and unhealthy to start the race. Unwise as well.

Will I attempt it again? I'm not sure. I certainly don't feel that I have anything to prove and I have not second guessed myself even once for dropping. But I also know to never say never because time usually softens the impact whether positive or negative.

The weekend after returning from Colorado and just 6 days after running the Garden of the Gods 5K I had two races in California. I ran a two mile in the Hilmar Udder Run, a race that I ran and enjoyed last year on Saturday. Then on Sunday, Father's Day, I ran a The Fantastic Father's Day 5K in Salida. It was a small race only in it's second year and was sponsored by a local church. Unfortunately I think one feature of the race could potentially keep runners from returning. After the race we had to go into the church where we were presented our awards in front of the congregation and then invited to attend the service. I don't mind going to church but I want it to be my decision where and when.

It was a good weekend of races and a nice Father's Day. Stacie sent the following collages. Great memories.

The second example of why I chose the title, "Know When to Say When" occurred yesterday at the baseball game in Oakland. Despite feeling sore, tired and sick it was a great day. We first drove to Jack London Square in Oakland for brunch. We didn't have a plan about where to eat but decided on a family owned place, "The Home of Chicken and Waffles". Good choice!

The game? The Sox took the lead and never trailed but fortunately we still chose to stay for the entire game. I spent too much of my life being the type of person who starts thinking about leaving and the hassles that I might encounter as soon as I arrive somewhere. In recent years I've been able to overcome that attitude and have learned to enjoy the event instead and let things work out. In the past I probably would have left after the seventh inning stretch when the Sox were leading 6-1. In the 8th inning the Sox started had two outs and was pulled for a relief pitcher who immediately gave up three straight hits up the middle, each one scoring a run before the third out was made. So at the end of 8 it was 6-4. OK to leave now right? Wrong! The Sox didn't score and the new Sox pitcher gave up back to back home runs. 6-6. Fortunately the A's didn't score again and the game went into the 10th inning. In the 10th David 'Big Papi' Ortiz fouled off multiple balls and then hit a home run to straightaway center field and in the bottom half of the inning the A's went 3 up, 3 down. Great finish to a good game if you are a Sox fan. Needless to say, I'm happy that we didn't leave early in spite of the fact that we dealt with crazy traffic gridlock leaving the stadium.

2014 Colorado Trip Part 2 - Estes Park

As anyone who knows me knows, books play have very important place in my life. I read incessantly, some would probably say that I spend to much time reading but they'll never convince me that is the case as long as it doesn't keep me from doing other things that need to be done. It is a good balance to the physical aspect of running and a good way to share in the experiences of others just as I hope that somebody might learn from reading these posts. This trip was bracketed by two books. The first was a classic that I first read in the late 60's when I was in the Navy. Travels with Charlie; In Search of America by one of my favorite authors, John Steinbeck. I brought a second book with me on the trip, a Vietnam memoir but didn't finish it on the trip because while I was in Estes Park I went to MacDonald Book Shop, a bookstore that opened in 1928, the year my parents were born. I was looking for a specific book but came across, Wandering Home - A long Walk Across America's Most Hopeful Landscape by Bill McKibben. The title and the cover photo appealed to me because in essence that is what I was doing myself.

I had originally planned to stay in Colorado Springs through Tuesday night because I had a late morning flight out of Denver. The more I thought about it I decided to spend Tuesday night in Aurora on the way to the airport so I would have plenty of time to have a leisurely morning, return the rental car and still get to the airport with plenty of time to spare.

After returning to my hotel on Saturday night I picked up the Steinbeck to finish it and read the following passage:

"In the beginning of this record I tried to explore the nature of journeys, how they are things in themselves, each one an individual and no two alike. I speculated with a kind of wonder on the strength of the individuality of journeys and stopped to postulate that people don't take trips -- trips take people. That discussion, however, did not go into the lifespan of journeys. This seems to be variable and unpredictable. Who has not known a journey to be over and dead before the traveler returns?"

The passage struck a cord with me, while there were still some people I would like to have seen, I was ready to be done with Colorado Springs for this trip. As I stated in a prior post the focal point of the trip was the Garden of the Gods race with friends. I decided to see how the next day played out after the race, leaving open the possibility of heading out a day early to see Rocky Mountain National Park. When I returned from the post race brunch with the guys I made reservations in Estes Park. Time to move on.

I went to RMNP and hiked the Deer Mountain Trail before going back to Estes Park to check into my hotel. It was a beautiful hike and I'm sure I plan to return to the area to do more hiking in the future. I've said it many times before and I will say it many times in the future I'm sure, I am truly Blessed to be able to travel.

The Big Thompson pictures were taken on my way back for my final night in Denver. I stopped at Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver, ate lunch at Subway and then checked in to my hotel in Aurora and went for a run. Running is such a great way to explore a new area as long as it's done at a safe time; Aurora is known for some pretty shady areas and activity. It was mid afternoon and broad daylight so I wasn't concerned. A bit of irony is that my first run in Denver was 52 minutes and my final run in Aurora was 52 minutes. Odd coincidence because I didn't know where I was actually going either time.

By visiting Rocky Mountain National Park I was able to add a stamp to my National Parks Passport, a fun addition to traveling since Clarence and I bought them in Florida.