A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD



Some things you're likely to see if you run the Grand Rapids Marathon. Above, part of the downtown area. The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. Views from the many river bridges in downtown.



The David Hunting YMCA which is race headquarters. Below that, the start line of the race.


Millenium Park, one of the parts of the race.





A view from the river bridge, another bridge you cross after coming out of Millenium and heading to the opposite side of the river. The foot bridge.




The river boat, near the half way point. The path leading past the river boat to one of the turnarounds.

More Millenium Park.

Another part of the route, near another turnaround. Then back on the footbridge and return to the Y.

RUNNING....ITS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES...

because you never know what you're going to get, to paraphrase the wise Forest Gump. Today was one of those days.

And you've heard it said that God never gives us more than we can handle. I also like to believe that when we have challenges to face, the test is also in how we handle them. Same goes for running, or any long training workouts. The purpose is to not only see how fast or far we can go but to see how we are going to handle ourselves while out there. Today was one of those days.

Severe weather had hit our area, and many other parts of the Midwest, overnight, leaving many without power, downed trees, ruined homes. But the weather people said no more rain would be likely until at least noon today. They were wrong.

It was warm when I got up, still in the 60s, but very windy. Still, I thought it might be another shorts day. So I dressed in shorts and a long sleeved technical T, but as soon as I stepped out the door, I realized the temperature must have dropped. A quick check told me the temperature was now in the 50s with a 17-20 mph wind. So, a wardrobe change was in order. Back to tights and short sleeves with my hoodie wick-away. Only the wick-away had a broken zipper. :( Instead, I grabbed a lightweight zip up sweatshirt, figuring I could always take it off if I got too warm. After all, it wasn't going to rain until at least noon. They were wrong.

When the mist started hitting the windshield on my drive to the park, I had a fleeting thought to call the run off, wait to until tomorrow. The sky was dark and gray. It was already 8 am and the street lights were still on. Still, it probably would cleqr up, because after all, it wasn't going to rain until at least noon.

Out of convenience, I had decided to do my last long run before the half on the 28th on Friday instead of Saturday. But an emergency project had come up at work with a new client that was going to require many hands and many hours of work to complete on time. I had already planned to take Friday off work with many attorneys out either at a retreat or in trial, so I didn't want to let the possibility of a little mist change my running plans, because, after all, it wasn't going to raun until at least noon. And now I would be working Saturday, if not Sunday, so there was no turning back. Besides, part of me needed to be out there and part of me wanted to be out there.

When I got to the park, I knew I would be out there alone again today, because everyone else would be working. It also meant the workers would still be working on the bridge over the path, so I was going to have to maneuver through their equipment and the mess they still had to clean up before next week's race. What I didn't expect was the huge flooded area on the path, with one of the workers trying to shovel off the mud that had obviously washed down the hill and onto the path. But the flooded part! Yikes, no way did I want to ruin my shoes in that. Then I noticed someone had conveniently placed stepping stone boards from one end of the huge puddle to the other, so I used that as a bridge, making my way over the water without saturating my shoes. And at this point, it was still just misting some so it felt a little refreshing on my face, since I had also not worn a hat, thinking it would be too windy. Because, after all, it wasn't going to rain until at least noon.

Sometime between my first and second walk breaks, that thought that it "wasn't going to rain until at least noon" started changing. They were wrong. It was raining. Now. Hard. I was still within reach of turning back. But no, it won't last that long, I'm sure. I was wrong.

It rained, lightly, then hard, but steady, and sometimes blowing in the face. It rained the whole time I was on the river path. It rained coming off the path, now harder and blowing more being out in the open. I decided to put my hood up, not wanting to catch cold, although I wasn't cold. I considered a lot of things: do I want to turn around at 9, 9.5, 10 or beyond? Again, I reminded myself that I needed and wanted to be out there. Keep going, at least to the 1 hour mark, and then see where you are.

At one hour, it was still raining, harder now. Cars going by were spraying me with more water, but I hardly felt the difference. My shoes were starting to feel wet though, as the puddles were becoming deeper and more frequent. Running on one side of the road too caused water to run off from the other side, so I was now splashing with every step. I still was in fairly good spirits, nothing was hurting too much, and I was already on the return trip.

I changed my route slightly, hoping to add a little more distance without taking me too far off course, but the slant of the road, the puddles, and the nonstop traffic soon sent me down a dirt road leading back to the park road. At this point, it was just don't think. Keep going until the next break. Keep loose. Don't think.

Coming off the unpaved road onto paved, I had a bad twinge in my hip/groin area and thought for a moment I would walk. Oh no, its raining much too hard to stop now. So I continued on, and on the next walk break loosened up the hip and that seemed to help. I had a short way to go to get back to the river path, so again, I willed myself not to think of anything else. Just the path. I know I was checking my watch more frequently at this point, but I never felt a need to stop, and the rain was a good motivator. Once I got to the river path, the next thing to think of was the bridge, then the bend in the road, then the flooded area, then the road, then the park.

So that's how it went. I didn't allow myself to think of being done, just getting to the next part of the run. From the bridge to the end of the path is probably the hardest part of the run because you know you are almost done but it doesn't seem to come fast enough. In hot weather, most of this is unshaded too, and on a rainy day like today, it would mean getting pelted from the wind and rain.

When I came to the flooded area, I found more of the path was now flooded, so I had to wade through a section before coming to the stepping stone path I had used earlier. But the water here too had risen some, so walking across the pieces of wood was almost like walking on water, as they swayed and slid in the mud. Just past here was my last walk break and I wanted to be done in the worst way. I still had about a half mile to go, but now had another problem. I had to find a bathroom quick! They've added a new playground section at the park with bathrooms there, so I was glad to come across that. But it was muddy and unpaved around the area yet. Still I decided it was necessary to stop. I had a few more minutes to go.

But to quote Forest Gump again, "I don't feel like running anymore. I think I'll just go home." So I did.

Riding home, I was listening to a local talk show on the radio and the topic that day was "Do you have bad neighbors?" Well, you know the answer to that. I just had to call in and give my account of my recent experience with the jerk next door. I wonder if he heard it??

I was completely drenched when I got home, but I'll tell you what, acid rain is SO nice for the hair and skin!

And another tip to remember when you're shoes are wet? Take out the insoles and stuff with newspaper, changing it as it gets wet. It helps your shoes dry faster and hold their shape. And that's all I have to say.

TIME FLIES......

when you're having fun. At least, that's how it seems lately. Not necessarily in everyday life, but in my running life. Time flies on my runs now. But funny, it drags until the next time I get out there! I guess that's a good thing. It has to mean that running is going better, and it is. I've been holding myself back though, not doing much else but concentrating on the running--no biking, short swims, some weight training, more core. Not only do I want to get at least somewhat faster eventually, but I want to get more fit again.

I'm getting anxious for next week's run. I know a lot of other people will be doing a lot of other things that weekend. Must be one of the last big weekends of the year for races or something. And I know some people will be coming to Grand Rapids who were disappointed in Chicago, so that's something to look forward too.

This morning, it was my one hour run. It was warm enough for shorts again, but its so dark right now at this time of year! The only good thing about snow is it lights up the darkness. I was surprised at how fast each interval came and went. And for the most part, I felt good the whole way. I can always tell from my breathing and how my stomach feels if the run will be good. Running easy and taking the walk breaks seems to keep things under control. The only thing that makes it hard in the darkness is being somewhat restricted in my routes. I want to do a huge loop, rather than several small ones, but it gets the job done either way.

Not only was it warm this morning, but no wind. I could tell the skunks had a party sometime during the night, because almost every block I went down I could smell the odor. And with no wind, it hung in the air like an odious fog. I don't know where those smelly varmints hang out, but they seem to be everywhere in a 5 mile radius. At least I know now when I see something moving in the darkness to quickly cross to the other side of the street or turn around immediately!

I'm also looking ahead to some other running races during the winter. Someplace WARM!

IT WAS A "FALL" WEEKEND.

You can certainly tell that fall is finally here. Our temperatures have cooled quite a bit from last week, and today was one of those cold, rainy days when all you want to do is stay inside. Naturally, that doesn't mean me. I don't know if I'm going through "taperitis" or just have more energy than I know what to do with, but with concentrating on the running only, I suddenly have all this energy and free time I don't remember having in like FOREVER.

Saturday, after my run, I actually set out to clean the house, something I haven't had time to do since spring, it seems. It was a good day to bring in my plants from outside (before the poor babies froze!), vacuum up the hopeful cobwebs, and change out the summer silk flower arrangements with the fall flowers. And oooh, the smell! I finally got around to putting out the fall candles and Bath and Body Works room scents with the pumpkin spice room scent. Umm, the house smells so nice!

Saturday evening, Don and I decided to go out to use my birthday gift card to a downtown "Italian" restaurant, Tres Cuigini. I couldn't help but compare it to the Italian restaurant when we went to New York, the one in North Jersey. Actually, there was no comparison. While the ambience was great--we had a window seat overlooking our "mall" right across from the new Art Museum and the outdoor amphitheater--the menu and food left a lot to be desired. And the bill was outrageous! $78 for 2 meals, an added salad, and 2 glasses of wine. Yikes! And what did we get for that? Salmon with peas and a few roasted potatoes. I can make better at home. Cross that restaurant off my list of places to visit.

We did see an interesting site while waiting for our dinner: a group of young boys carrying a huge Chinook salmon they had caught in the river nearby.

Sunday, I took the kids to the "fish ladder" a sculpture by a local artist, Joseph Kinnebrew. The salmon are running right now, and according to a "fish expert" we have some of the best salmon fishing in the US. Can't confirm that, but it was fun watching the fishermen. Its a pretty popular place to be right now. You can see from the pictures one of my weekday morning running routes. I generally go right past the fishing area and head out to the bridge you can see in the distance, cross over that, go through a waterfront park, turn, and head back to the downtown area, about 3 miles.

After that, we went to the pumpkin patch. And naturally, just as we were heading there, it decided to start raining. We went here last year. I barely remember it, because it was just less than a month after my accident. So it was a milestone for me to be able to maneuver around the whole place without feeling like I needed a walker.

The kids had fun picking out their pumpkins, playing with the kittens, and eating cider and donuts. It doesn't get any better in the fall, does it?

ANOTHER LESSON IN PACING.

Today's long run was a direct contrast to last week's, as far as weather goes. This week, it was get out the tights again weather. Personally, I like the hot weather better, but it is October after all. And its not really this weather that bothers me, its what follows!

I went to the park again, not really expecting to have anyone to run with, but ever hopeful. I was surprised though at just how many people weren't there. I figured there must be some event somewhere to thin out the crowd, because cold weather alone doesn't do it.

I did see Sue's car, but she was no where in sight. Lecia's car was there also, so they probably had started early today. I saw a few of the "casualties" from the Chicago marathon that wasn't, and they pretty much shrugged it off as a bad day. Not much in the way of comment.

A few of the people were talking about their upcoming marathons: one in the Des Moines marathon; one in the Albuquerque marathon; one in the Louisville marathon; and last but not least, one at the Detroit marathon. All are on the same day, so they laughed about how they would all be running marathons "together" but in separate locations.

No one seemed particularly eager to get started running, but I get tired of the chatter and just decided to start ahead of everyone. Not that they would be running with me for long anyway.

My plan today was to run between 10.5 and 11 miles, depending on the route. When I bike it, I get varying distances depending on where I start, so I've never really had a definite distance, but I suspect running it is about 10.8.

Heading out to the first walk break, I again compared it with last week, where last week I was already drenched with sweat. Today, I could still see my breath. Not too many people passed me going out, but several did going back, so apparently a lot of people started early.

After about 15 minutes, I ran into the Grand Rapids Marathon race director, out on his "recovery" run after Chicago. We chatted a minute and then I started back up. The river today too was steaming from the cold air. The trees were changing colors now too.

On and on I went, not feeling particularly great today, but determined. I had to see how I was going to feel going most of the distance, even though I haven't run this far since last May. Surprisingly, I noticed the hills were easier today though, maybe from the cooler weather, but I'm hoping from my improving fitness.

Being out there alone for that long gets my mind wandering. I couldn't help think I was glad I wasn't doing the full marathon. While I was okay with repeating the same route as last week, I also realized that training for a marathon was too repetitive: week after week after week of training. When I first began running, all I knew was running. Eventually, I took up weight training. Later swimming. But neither of those things replaced running. When I was introduced to the triathlon world, biking seemed a good substitute for all the run training, particularly since I seemed to be going through a series of nagging injuries I couldn't kick, and I seriously neglected it from then on. When I did my last marathon 3 years ago, I foolishly thought if I could do a 3.5 hour Olympic distance triathlon, surely I could do a marathon again, with the result that I didn't respect the distance and didn't train as well as I should have. I got through it, but that's about it. It just didn't have the magic the first marathon had.

Once I got to the turnaround, I decided I still felt pretty good. There would be no picking up the pace, but at least I could continue and didn't have to walk back, something I was a little worried about. And the only ones I saw out there by that time was Bruce, a friend of Don's, and a woman I never saw before, who passed me like I was standing still. Then, I was alone again.

I continued on with the run 8, walk 2 cycle until the 2 hour mark and then I just wanted to be done. I was very close to the end, and had I continued on with that pacing, I would have had perfectly even pacing for the whole thing. I wish I would have realized that sooner, before I allowed myself to slack off toward the end.

And today, no stomach ache or sick stomach, so that was a plus. I plan to be conservative in my training for the next 2 weeks, running 30 minutes Monday, 1 hour Wednesday, and 2 hours again next Saturday. It actually seems like a taper, since I'm not going to be biking, and only doing short swims and weight workouts. But next week, once again, I will be out there doing this same route, one more time.

Now I'm off to go watch IM Hawaii!

GOOD DECISION.

It looks like "summer" has finally left us. My decision to run this morning rather than wait until after work was a good one, despite the cooler temperature, since it is also now raining, and it is predicted to continue on and off through tomorrow. This is a little more typical for us at this time of year.

My only hesitation this morning was I was getting a late start. The power had been out overnight, and I really had a lot to do to clean up from the night before and get ready for work today, but I finally decided to just get out there. I did not want to--and knew I wouldn't--run in the rain later, and I'm not ready yet to hit the treadmill for any extended runs. Time enough for that in the cold, dark winter months.

And I was glad I did! It was very dark yet, even at 6:45, 28 degrees cooler than Monday, and windy, with winds out of the northwest, actually out of Canada, the weather lady said. Thanks for that Arctic blast!

Originally, I had planned to run for one hour. When I delayed leaving as early as I should have, I went back and forth on 1 hour, 45 minutes, maybe 40 minutes, etc. But once again, like Monday, the legs ruled. I felt good, in fact a little too good, so I opted to stay with the 1 hour plan unless things fell apart somewhere. With the 1 hour plan, I decided to revert back to the run 8, walk 2, just to get the pacing thing down for the half marathon. I'm sure I won't be able to run the whole thing without stopping, and want to force myself to hold a run/walk pace for now, and not do what I did back in May at the 25k, where I ran the whole thing, just REALLY slow. I'm convinced now that regardless of what people say or think, for me the best plan is to run/walk on runs of 1 hour or more. I will save my non-stop runs for the shorter distances. For now.

To figure the 8/2 timing, I knew I had to do six 8 min. intervals, putting me at 48 minutes, leaving the 12 minutes for the walk breaks. The problem was trying to decide where to run. I didn't want to run the entire way on sidewalks, for fear of tripping and falling somewhere, but at the same time I have to worry about traffic on the busier streets, so that meant doing out and back loops. But being so dark in the beginning meant seeing different things when it started getting light out. And not being visible to people in houses, so it didn't look like I was running around the block a million times (I have done that, I have to admit. Maybe not a million, but you get the idea.)

All I can say is, I wish I felt this good on every run. My life would be heavenly! I actually finished with a 10 minute last interval to bring me closer to home, and used the 2 minutes for a cooldown. Perfect!

NONSTOP.

I didn't plan it that way, but yesterday's run was nonstop, for the first time since before the ankle sprain. I was surprised and pleased, obviously! My only goal was to run 30 minutes, and if that included some walking, so be it. But once I started, I was amazed at how my legs felt. My legs, calves, and hip flexors had been REALLY sore after Saturday's run, to the point where walking downstairs was almost not an option. But maybe it was that delightful soak in Lake Michigan Saturday afternoon that brought things around, because Sunday morning I also road 16 miles, and then hit the lake again. Whatever it was, it worked.

Not that my 30 minutes broke any speed barriers. But it was nonstop! I just felt like I did not have to stop. I thought I should, but I did not have to. And its not like it wasn't a hot morning--75 degrees at 6:15 am. If I have been running 12 minute miles, along with the walks, I would be thrilled. I did time my Saturday run, and it was just below 12 min. miles, including the walks, so yes, I am happy enough.

My secret dream is to once again get back to a decent 5k time. I do miss the fast running, but to tell you the truth, as long as I'm running, I'm happy!

ONE AUTUMN DAY AT THE BEACH.



Need I say more?

I put everything aside for a last trip of the year to the beach. Who could blame me, with the air temperature 89 degrees and the water 69 degrees! That's like bath water for us. Lake Michigan rarely gets warmer, even in the middle of summer! The kids had a great time too. There were hundreds of people sunning themselves, playing beach volley ball, flying kites, swimming, and boating. Unbelievable!

A LESSON IN PACING LEARNED.


When I woke up Saturday morning to prepare for my long run, a check of the weather showed why I was already sweating: 72 degrees at 6:15 am, upper 60% dewpoint, 85% humidity, and no wind. In other words, a sauna. Sounds like I'm talking about July or August, doesn't it?


But I was happy to see that did not put me off. I decided to run at the park on the river trail where it might be cooler, and certainly shadier. It didn't occur to me that maybe I would find someone to run with.


When I got there, I saw the "7 at 7" runners--7 miles at 7 am, and then head back to the park for more. So you get the level of speed I'm talking about when someone can run 7 miles or more in an hour. And its not an easy course, particularly now in the dark.


And then I saw Sue, a woman I have biked with quite a bit. While she is a powerful biker, she isn't that fast of a runner, yet I still find it hard to hang with her. She asked how far I was going, I said probably 9 miles. She wanted to do 12. She was waiting for another woman I didn't know, but did say they would start with 9 and see how they felt.


We started ahead of the usual group, 4 of us, since one of the fast guys was heading out with us. I still haven't figured that out, unless he had already run 20 miles before! That immediately pushed our pace, but it didn't feel too bad to start. I told Jan, the new woman, I was doing an 8/2 routine, since I was trying to build my mileage back up. She said she was really stressed and needed to "work it" today. With this kind of weather, I questioned that plan, but said "Go for it." But she stayed with me until I hit my 2 minute walk. At that point, the rest of the group started passing me too, but I held my ground and did my walk, watching my 3 get farther ahead but not so far I couldn't see them. I was already dripping with sweat, but my breathing was okay. Just about the time I started running again, they were walking. Sue had said she was doing 15/1, but a look at my watch told me they were only at about 11 minutes. "They're going way too fast (for them) for today's weather," I thought.


This pattern continued even as Jan took off with Sue's husband (running!), and Sue and Greg stayed together, but they were taking more frequent walk breaks. The river path eventually goes through a locked gate and out to the main road, with a walkway around the gate for runners or bikes, but doesn't allow any vehicles through. I had actually run with another guy who came up behind me on my break, but he turned at the gate. Jan and Sue were actually walking here, but I was beginning to think that anytime they saw me get close enough to catch them, they took off again! I don't think that was it, but it was how it seemed.


It didn't matter. I was still feeling remarkably good, and seemed to be holding a pace with my run/walk pattern. And I ran the hills if I was on a run, while Sue and Jan walked, so I felt good about that too. By now the rest of the group was returning, and I know they were surprised to see me out there that far!


I decided to turn around at 50 minutes, and it was here I was within a distance to catch Sue and Jan. They were walking--again. They urged me to come with them, but I said I would turn at 50 minutes (it was 48 something). Once again, just when I got back to a run, they took off. But then the longest hill came up and while I ran, they walked. They were still too far to catch, but I was starting to see some hope there. The gap was narrowing. I kept on my pacing, stopping once for more water at a water stop for some other group, and then continuing on through the gate and back to the river trail. They were always within sight, but I didn't push the pace to catch them. I was starting to realize it would happen soon.

By this time too, the sun was coming out full force, so running through areas not shaded was like running through this heat shield or something. It was really weird the difference in temperature; it was that warm out! I was really glad I had stayed on the path instead of heading back on the road with the hills and little or no shade.

The river trail has one bridge that crosses to the other side of the river, but there are a couple of other highway overpass bridges you go under, so I have always thought of this as my bridge-to-bridge run. If I'm having a bad run, I run to one bridge, walk a bit, and continue to the next. Today, I was able to keep going after crossing the one bridge, but I was starting to get that sick stomach feeling, I'm sure from the heat, and which I get occasionally. And here, once again, Jan and Sue were walking. I passed them, and they started running with me, and I explained my pacing. They decided to go along with it, even though I was almost ready for a walk. We were about 1.5 miles from finishing, so I really did not want to go down to a continued walk with them, so I was glad they were doing my thing.

Both of them were whipped. The heat and humidity had gotten to them, due mostly I'm sure to running too fast in the beginning. I told them I had no speed but a lot of endurance, and they started seeing the wisdom of my methods.

Eventually, getting back to the road, and heading back to the park, I was struck by the horrible stomach ache I felt coming on earlier, so I did have to take an extra walk break, but I have found if I limit it to 2 minutes only, I can keep going later. So I did this, and for some reason they dropped back. I actually ended up beating them back to the park (and I made sure I didn't stop again!), but nearly hurled at the end accomplishing this!

I may not be the speediest turtle out there, having slowed down considerably over the years what with one thing or another, but I know I have enough experience to get me through these things at whatever pace it takes to get it done, so I guess I can pat myself on the back for that.

And maybe I will have some running partners next week too!

BACK TO BUSINESS, BACK TO BASICS.

In deciding not to do any more triathlons or duathlons this season, it was for the sole purpose of concentrating on running again. I know I've said it time and again, but for me getting back to basics is improving my running.

So many times I think wistfully of the zen-like state I would be in when running, especially fast running. I'm not even going to go there, physically or mentally, again until I get the whole run thing back where it needs to be. For me, that means running 3-4 days a week, with a gradual buildup of a long run.

Not that I'll be doing anything gradual right now, considering I have a half marathon to do on October 28! Once again, I find myself undertrained, which while that isn't so bad in itself, its just that I know I will not be satisfied with the end result. I know I will be disappointed in myself and my efforts, but as usual I only have myself to blame. I have seriously neglected my long run base since early summer, not all of it necessarily my fault, but when I look back at the calendar, I realize I have been gone or had full weekend commitments every weekend since before IM Louisville! That's about 7 or 8 weeks of neglect.

And its not that I haven't been doing anything, but my focus has not been on running. And I really hate the thought of putting away my bike this soon, particularly with the absolutely, couldn't-get-better weather we have been having and will have again this weekend. But I know that to be more satisfied with the result of my races, I need to get my run put back together.

And then with the Chicago marathon this weekend, I can't help but think fondly back to Chicago which was my first marathon. For some reason, I have never wanted to go back there. The whole flavor of the race changed the year after I did it, so maybe that's part of it. That and I haven't had a training partner since then who really worked for me. We were so excited to be toeing the line that day! We had trained so diligently and faithfully for more than 3 months to get ready for that race! But we had been training together for longer than that.

This training friend accommodated my schedule or I accommodated hers. It was a mutually agreeable arrangement. She was better at running long distances, I was better at running short. But we matched each others' pace when needed. I found our training program and came up with a schedule, and she arranged for our hotel stay and transportation to the race. And more as well, but you get the idea. We complimented each other's talents. And then, once she started having kids, she just stopped running. Altogether stopped. I don't know why now it is so hard to find someone to run with! We have a huge running and triathlon community of support here, but so far I haven't found the perfect match. Or even close to perfect. Everyone is either too fast or, hard to believe, too slow. Or schedules don't match. Or goals are totally different. Again, you get the picture.

That is something I wish for more than anything else--a regular training partner. One who likes running in the early morning. Or who is willing or able to match my pace. And age doesn't matter. My last running partner was 14 years younger than me! But we had fun with what we were doing, even with our different backgrounds and lifestyles. A regular training partner keeps you committed, gets you out the door no matter what, and gives you comfort in having someone else to help you through the rough spots when they come.

I have even looked at different running and coaching programs, but am not completely satisfied with what I find. Its not that I need motivation, just some direction and one-on-one guidance to get me where I want to be. Because, yes, I really want to be able to run a 4:10 (or better) marathon again.

In the meantime, I'll keep looking and searching for what works and putting it into practice as well. I am hoping that by next spring, everything will turn around as long as I keep putting forth the effort.

THANK YOU FOR NOT SMOKING!

Monday, October 1, our city put into "effect" their new smoking ordinance for the entire City of Grand Rapids. The way the ordinance reads, smoking is prohibited in all public buildings except restaurants, bars, and hotels. So basically, just a bunch of crap. When an article in the local paper appeared on Monday, it included opinions from smokers, but not non smokers. Some of the complaints of the smokers was that they felt like they were being treated unfairly, etc. having to go outside for all their smoking needs, claiming that they don't just "blow smoke in people's faces." The article goes on to say that smokers need to "take it outside," meaning their smoking, and must stay at least 10 feet from any building doorway or exhaust system. Ha!

What gets me, and prompted me to write a letter to the editor in complaint, was now these people are everywhere non-smokers want to go now. During lunch hour, no matter where you walk, someone is out and about smoking, blowing smoke in my face. And then to not restrict it from restaurants makes no sense at all. In Michigan, as I suspect in many states, smoking is prohibited in all local, state, and federal office buildings, and most privately owned business already have a no smoking policy in effect. So exactly what is the point of this new "ordinance"? All it really does is forces people outside so the rest of us have to suffer.

Not too long ago, I was out running on the track and there were two people walking and smoking! They have to get away from the hospital grounds, which is across the street, so they either line up against the fence by the track, puffing away, or they actually walk on the track to do their smoking. Senseless! And what about us who don't smoke?

Then last week I was running in the morning and ran by a McDonalds and a guy in a wheelchair sitting in the parking lot tried to stop me. Thinking he needed some assistance with the door or something, while I was cautious about some kind of trap, as I approached, I found out all he really wanted was a cigarette. Oh yeah, wait until I get them out of my pocket! I'm out running you idiot! Duh!

And then there are the people from my office. Our building began enforcing the new policy months ago, to get ready for October 1. So what do these people do now? Go sit in their cars with the windows down and smoke. And I'm talking about underground parking. Or they measure out exactly how far they need to be away from the doorway and then lean on anyone's car that happens to be in the range, smoking away. Any way you look at it, they are still fouling the air that I breathe, so I don't like it!

One thing I want to be clear on: While I detest smoking and cigarette smoke, and WILL NOT go to restaurants that don't have some decent no smoking areas available or don't allow it at all, I am not in favor of mandatory, governmental restriction. If I had it my way, smokers would be restricted to their own homes and cars, with windows closed. What I am in favor of is some sort of sensibility in this ordinance and not some lame attempt to be complying with any clean air act. Clean air in or out is air others breathe.

I realize the restaurants think they will lose business (I think not!), and I'm sure there is some sort of lobbying going on to the prevent the ordinance from really meaning something, but Grand Rapids, you can do better.

WEEKEND IN THE BIG APPLE (part 3)


And the final installment---



I know I can tend to get a little long winded, but there is SO MUCH to see and do when visiting NYC. I am very fortunate I have a reason to visit there often, with my daughter living so close by. But it is IMPOSSIBLE to see everything in just 3 days. Impossible. So each time I have gone, it has been for a specific purpose. This time, of course, one reason was the Wheel of Fortune taping. But the main reason was celebrating Renee's birthday!

Even though her birthday wasn't until Oct. 2, the weekend was opportune to visit and do some celebrating. We had decided on seeing a Broadway play if we could get some tickets, and fortunately, we did.


Saturday then, was to be devoted to the musical. We woke up at our leisure for once, but were surprised to find it was still before 7 am! It gets light MUCH too early out there! And then there are the dogs...


So Corey and I decided to go on a walk with the dogs. A phone repairman was scheduled to come, so Renee had to stay to wait for that. We decided to walk along the bay, and from the coolness and wind, you could see the waves were rolling! I wanted to jump in that steel-gray water in the worst way! If it had been warmer...

Sam, one of the dogs, was actually a very good walker, so I decided after about a mile to try to jog with her, and she stayed with me at a nice trot until we got back to the condo, probably a little over 3 miles. She doesn't get out that far that often but did great. Maisy, Renee's dog, is a little slower, so it was a perfect match for my Corey, who walks, but does not run.

After the walk, lunch, and some errands, it was time to get ready to go out on the town! We weren't sure of the weather, so probably overdressed for when we had to leave, but later in the evening, it was much cooler, so bringing a jacket was a smart thing to do.

We had planned to drive up north to get the train this time, where the Italian restaurants are to die for! We found a place in Harrison, near a train station, which was unbelievable! Linen tablecloths and napkins, waiters who seated you and placed your napkin on your lap, a wine list, and leather-bound menus. True luxury! And yet...so affordable. Unbelievable food at unbelievable prices. North Jersey has THE best Italian restaurants, by far. From the brick oven pizzarias to sit down restaurants, I have never found anything to compare in my travels. And no chains either! Get this...3 first-class dinners, with wine, under $65. We spent at least $50 more in the City the night before for a much lower class restaurant (a chain). We lingered a little too long, however, and then, still planning on taking the train into the City, were rushed. We arrived at Penn Station at 7:20 and still had to get to Broadway for the play.

This time it called for a taxi! Renee had been DYING to take a taxi ride. I was worried we might actually...die. But it definitely made it possible for us to get to the theater on time. Only to wait in the ladies' room line that stretched down the hall quite a long way. I was worried we would still be in line when the show started, but people started moving along quickly, thanks in part, I'm sure, to the bathroom attendant, who was SO helpful in telling you which stall was available AND handing you paper towels to dry your hands. As if, having done how many triathlons and other races I didn't already have a knack for figuring this out for myself?? But whatever, you go with the flow when in NYC.

We did make it to our seats in plenty of time, and found them to be quite wonderful actually! For what we paid, and when we bought them, I felt them to be most excellent! As long as I can see, with my poor eyesight, I am way ahead!


The show itself, Legally Blonde, the Musical, was very cute. I have been to quite a few musicals and off Broadway plays here at home, but this surpassed anything I have seen, as far as talent goes. And don't be fooled into thinking you must be formally dressed to attend a Broadway play. Maybe if you were some celebrity, but we saw people dressed in anything and everything, as we expected. And the old theaters are just too cool to describe.

After, which by then was nearing 11 pm, we headed back down Broadway and into the mob scene that is Saturday night in New York City. Its hard to describe everything you see and hear. No matter where you go, you see people. And what is interesting to note is how many women travel alone, by foot, subway, or rail, even at that late hour. I wasn't fooled into thinking we couldn't possibly run into any trouble, but thankfully we did not, and I suspect that is more the norm than otherwise.

And then there was the train ride back to the car. We actually took the PATH train, which is different from the subways and the NJ Transit. The PATH trains travel only from a few stops in north Jersey (Newark, and other small cities nearby) to a few select stops in NYC, where the NJ Transit trains run quite a bit farther south, with numerous stops to and from the City. All are easy to maneuver, but it was still nice having someone familiar with the area. The PATH trains are crazy though! They seem to go much faster than the subway or regular train, and sitting near the back of one of the cars, you could see the car ahead swaying and jumping. But everyone seems to take all this for granted. What was amazing again, was the number of people, even after the midnight hour, who travel to and from the City, and all ages. I always imagine what brings people to a place like this and then what keeps them there. I'm sure a lot of it is the excitement, but also it is what's familiar. Its such a different culture from my daily life.

By the time we got to bed that night, it was after 2 am and we had to be up by 5:30 for our flight out of Newark. I know a lot of people tend to wait until the last minute to get to the airport, but I prefer to be there early.

Sunday morning, we headed back home. The flight time wasn't long, but we did have a slight layover in Detroit. The Detroit airport is a very nice airport, comparing it to many others I have been through, but it always seems like no matter which airline I fly with, the arrival and departure gates are about a mile apart! So we got our exercise that day just walking the airports--quickly I might add.

Getting back home, Don picked us up at the airport, and I noticed the weather was a very pleasant 79 degrees! Bike ride? Yes! So a nice 25 mile bike ride was just what was needed to get back down to earth after the long, exciting weekend. And it was actually a treat driving to the trail in our normal amount of traffic instead of the frenzied chaos of the Garden State Parkway.

WEEKEND IN THE BIG APPLE (PART 2)

Some pics:

Waiting for the train

Ground Zero




Some weird sculpture I found interesting in the Financial District. The cemetery at the church (I can't remember the name of right now!) in Financial District. I love this old church and the cemetery too. The headstones are so old and darkened with age and dirt you can't read them. This is about a block from Ground Zero, so its amazing that it appears to have gone untouched during the attack.

Another favorite: The Merrill Lynch Bull.



Other picture near Wall Street.

Corey and me (my Ilookdrunkbutamsober look) Renee and me.




In the subway.



Standing outside Radio City Music Hall waiting to get into Wheel of Fortune. Note the VIP tickets.

Inside the Palace Theater waiting for Legally Blonde to start.

(continuation) I think late September/early October is my favorite time to be in NYC. Of all the times I have been there, this time of the year seems to be the nicest weather. It ranges from hot and humid during the day but cooling at night, to balmy, to cool and crisp. Waking up Friday morning, a cold front had come in overnight, leaving us with the balmy weather I love. We had to leave early to get to the taping of Wheel of Fortune. The letter Renee had received with her tickets gave instructions to be there by a certain time. We figured the lines would be long, so decided to go a little earlier, just on the tail end of rush hour.

The drive into the city is always an experience. Traffic moves along at 80+ mph unless someone messes it up by going the speed limit. :D I just sit in the back seat and try not to think of all the ways one could get maimed or killed in the event of an accident. We usually listen to the traffic reports to see which bridge or tunnel has the longest delay and try to detour somewhere else if possible. This day, we took the Holland Tunnel, because it exited near where we would need to be.

People who have done the New York City Marathon will tell you Manhattan isn't flat, and that is the truth. There are some pretty short, steep climbs in some areas. Coming out of the tunnel is one of those areas. I can't remember exactly the street where we parked, but it was near Bryant Park, which on one side is on 6th Avenue/Avenue of the Americas. Radio City Music Hall is in Midtown, near the NBC studios, the United Nations, and other well known places (which escape me right now!). Even though it was barely 10 am when we arrived, and we knew we would have at least a two hour wait to get seated, we could see long lines winding around the building waiting for the show. Ugh, was all I could think of. I was glad the weather was good, however, because it would make waiting that much more pleasant.

We started out in the handicap line, without realizing, until one of the ushers came and announced where to go if you were not handicapped. So we headed to yet a longer line until once again, seeing our VIP tickets, an usher pointed us to a MUCH shorter line right in front of the building. There were maybe 10 people in front of us! Well, I guess VIP really does mean something! While in line, we chatted with others standing waiting, and learned there were people directly behind us who were family of a contestant. We found out the contestants were in tryouts as we waited, so it was obvious it was going to be a long day for them. Renee hadn't been picked as a contestant, as she had hoped, not making the deadline to apply apparently. Regardless, we were there as spectators, and that alone was going to be enough fun.

We hadn't waited more than a half hour outside when they let the VIP ticket holders in to wait in the lobby, again another VIP perk apparently. Had the weather been bad, it would have seemed like more of a treat. We knew we would be waiting for a while yet, as stated in the instruction letter, but what we hadn't been informed of was while waiting there would be NO food or drinks allowed, and no picture taking! The no picture taking rule seemed a little unnecessary, as it didn't seem like there should be any problem taking pics inside the lobby, but every time someone got a camera out, they were told to put it away. As for no food or drinks, that could be easily understood based on the number of people and the long wait. Bottled water would have been a nice touch, though. And fortunately we were allowed to get out of line to use the bathroom.

Waiting in line became an experience. Directly behind me were 4 older ladies who reminded me of what I call the Atlantic City casino set: carefully coiffed hair, stylish clothes, lots of makeup, big handbags, Jersey accents. All talking at the same time and loudly. One woman constantly wanted to know why our VIP tickets had a special seal on it. We would find out later. And they constantly complained about not being treated like VIPs. Lady, what do you expect when you're with 4,000 other people?? And naturally, as the wait dragged on, they complained more and more and crowded me more and more, apparently with the belief if they continued to press forward they would get seated sooner. By the time they actually separated the lines of VIP tickets from Wheel Watcher Club to non, I think my one ear was numb from them talking directly into it so loudly and for so long! With something like this, you really had to be patient and enjoy the moment.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we were shown to our seats. And woo hoo! We were right in the center front, 11 rows back. The 10 rows in front of us were for more superior VIPs we were told. Either way, we had excellent seats. I only wish I could have taken a picture of the set, like the two Italian women seated next to us did! Some people get away with everything!

There was a flurry of activity going on all around, getting the lighting and sound set up, watching the first contestants "practice" spinning the wheel and being excited, watching interviews being given by the few unknown to us celebs that were in the audience doing promos. After a while, we were given instructions about how they would be panning the audience for audience shots and they would let us know when to applaud, wave, or whatever.

Then it was time for the show. The place was filled! I don't know how many people the Music Hall holds, but it looked pretty full, and of course they filled all the gaps in the audience to appear to be full. The set looks exactly like it does on TV: what you see is what is there. The theme for our shows was Best Friends week, so the contestants were in pairs.

Pat and Vana finally appeared, and of course the crowd went wild. Up close, they both look exactly like they do on TV.

Without going into a lot more detail about the show, I will just say we were there for three shows, to be aired on Nov. 5, 6, and 7. Three more shows would be taped that evening, and 6 more the next day. There is a lot of commercial break time, and the actual show itself probably takes less than 20 minutes. Each taping lasted for 45-50 minutes, however.

All in all, it was exciting and fun, if not a little tiring being there all day more or less. When we left the Music Hall, it was already after 5 pm, so we decided to get something to eat before heading into rush hour traffic. We went to a local barbeque place (Mannys?) a couple of blocks down from the Palace theater. We were there for about an hour and when we left, we realized it had rained, gotten dark, and cooled down quite a bit, but was not cold. Walking in the mob that is the City, you couldn't possibly have felt cold, what with all the body heat all around.

And again, it is a sensory overload walking down Broadway, through Times Square, etc. And as long as you are enjoying the whole experience, no one seems to get upset by the crowds. You just go with the flow. We were tired this night, however, and decided to call it an "early" night, planning on being back the next day for other activities. We got back to the car and again proceeded to weave our way to the tunnel to head out of town. What a mess! Traffic was almost the worst I have ever seen it. Friday night, you know? So it took us 2 hours this time to get back to Renee's, and we were all exhausted and went to bed early (11 pm). (to be continued)

WEEKEND IN THE BIG APPLE.

I flew out Thursday morning with daughter #1 to visit daughter #2. The main objective was to visit for her birthday, which actually is Oct. 2. The second reason was to be VIP guests at a special Wheel of Fortune taping at Radio City Music Hall.

We arrived before noon on Thursday and soon realized the weather was more summer like than fall like. While I hadn't worn a coat or anything long-sleeved, even pants and short sleeves proved to be too warm, and soon changed (in the car no less!) into shorts and a tank top. It was that warm (87 degrees!). Since daughter #2 (Renee) lives in NJ and we had flown into Newark, we decided just to take the train into the city from near the airport. The train takes you right into Penn Station, which is at 33rd and 8th Ave.

Just getting off the train puts you immediately into the throng of people that is New York City. Entering the street, it not only was more hot and humid than we would have liked, but you also mingled with the masses and took in the sights and scents that is the City.

Here too you're not far from Broadway and Times Square, but you are quite a way from Lower Manhattan, so the first thing we did was go try to buy tickets for a Broadway play or musical. We had looked at tickets on line at various discount ticket websites, but none of them were all that cheap or affordable, and then you had the added cost of having them mailed by express delivery, which didn't work for us either. As it turned out, buying them directly from the theater not only gave us a chance to see exactly where our seats would be, but it also saved all the add-on fees you get buying "discount." Renee's choice? Legally Blonde the Musical, being performed at the Palace Theater right on Broadway, of course! (She had already seen a couple of the other great shows--Wicked; Jersey Boys.)

Our next mission was to head to Ground Zero to see what, if any, progress was being made on the new World Trade Center construction. From Broadway to Ground Zero, it is probably 30 or 40 blocks, and we were hot and getting tired from the early morning flight, so we decided to take the subway. I am continually amazed at the New York City transit system. If you know where you are and where you want to go, the maps are pretty easy to read. If not, there is always someone available to help you figure it out.

What we discovered when arriving at Ground Zero was you could no longer get up close to the fence surrounding the construction. There was a policeman prohibiting anyone from standing at the fence. Before, while there was still a fence surrounding the area, the fence was on the other side of the sidewalk, giving people a place to stand. Now, it looked to me like the fence came out to the street, which would have meant people standing in the way of traffic to get a closer look. So I'm not sure what exactly is different now, but apparently some changes are taking place.

After this, it was getting late afternoon, almost 5 pm, and we really wanted to get back on the train before rush hour and head to Renee's on the shore. And we barely made it! We heard final boarding just as we were coming out of the bathroom, or would have had to wait more than another hour for the next train. As it was, with the usual traffic, it still took about an hour to do a 40 mile drive. (to be continued when I get my pictures uploaded)