Well since I hadn’t seen Vickie for over a year, we got to reminiscing about some of our adventures on the bike trail where I used to do my long runs when I was training for my first marathon in 2007.

I told several stories about our training runs/bike rides in my book “Running Blind,” but this one particular adventure took place the summer after my first marathon.

I had called Vickie up and asked her if she wanted to ride her bike alongside me while I ran. She readily agreed since we had so much fun the year before.

The day started out cool, but by the time we were nearing the end of a 16 mile run/ride, we were both hot and my legs were sore!

Vickie suggested that we take this little trail off the main bike path in order to get to the creek that ran alongside it.

Well that sounded pretty darn refreshing to me, so I followed as Vickie led us farther and deeper into the thickly covered trail.

All of a sudden Vickie yells, “Oh My! Mosquitoes!!!”

Here I must digress for a moment.

I hate, I mean really, really, really, hate mosquitoes! When I could see, about the only thing that could get me to run in fear was the sight of mosquitoes.

But since I can’t really see them anymore, I have lost some of that primal fear. Don’t get me wrong, I still really, really, really hate them, as I get huge, monstrous welts when I get bitten.

And they itch like crazy, but I don’t seem to get quite as freaked out about them as I used to.

So back to the very hot and dense trail, that was apparently a breeding ground for the little blood sucking creeps!

Vickie is one of the most conscientious people I know when it comes to attending to me as a visually impaired friend. So even though she was freaking out at the bazillions of microscopic vampires buzzing around us, and she was running like the Wicked Witch from a bucket of water in order to get out of mosquito heaven, because she was still attending to my lack of sight, without breaking stride she yelled back at me, “Hold on to the bike seat!  I’m getting us the heck out of here!”

And with that she took off at a dead run wailing and screaming, flapping and swinging her arms all over the place while trying to steer the bike and keep it upright, hoping against hope that I had grabbed hold so she wouldn’t have to venture back into the thicket to drag my welted carcass out of there.

Me in the mean time, I’m holding on to the bike for dear life, knowing that Vickie, even though she loves me, will probably not come back for me if I let go!

So after what seemed like hours of trauma, but was in reality only a few minutes, we emerged from the trail out onto the bike path, Vickie still running, and not stopping until we got to her truck a quarter of a mile away.

Relieved and laughing I said, “That was awful!”

Vickie was busy getting something out of her backpack in the truck. Before I knew what she was doing, still shaking, she put some kind of oil behind my ear.

I said, “What is this?”

Vickie said in a rattled voice, “It’s peppermint oil.”

Hmmm I thought, I never heard of peppermint oil as a mosquito repellent. So I asked her, “Is this to keep the mosquitoes away?”

“NO!” She said, still panic-stricken and breathless, “It’s to Calm us down!”

In all my years, I have never met another person who was more afraid of mosquitoes then I was. Yup, Vickie wins the award for most freaked out!

Needless to say we never did get to the creek that day to cool off.

How ‘bout it?

- Vision Runner

So, how goes the winter running now that our big snow storm of 2012  is a distant memory….NOT!  

With over 16 inches of snow in the main event, not a distant memory at all.

Here it is over two weeks later, and there are still quite a few tricky winter obstacles for me to be on the alert for whilst on my winter runs. One very obvious obstacle is ice in all its forms – from black ice to sleet falling from the sky to ice puddles and everything in between.

The morning temps have been in the mid 20’s F, so I know there is going to be ice when I run to work.

And by the time the afternoon rolls around, the temperatures have jumped up a bit into the high 30’s F to sometimes even low 40’s F. So we do have a significant amount of melting of the enormous amounts of snow we received.  Which means winter running is defined as slushy and sloppy in the afternoons, and treacherous and slick in the a.m.

Snow berms created by the plows are another potential tripping hazard. For me it is sometimes hard to see how big, and wide they are when trying to cross over them to get to the street crossing. But I use my white cane to poke and prod at them until I feel I can step on and over them safely.

Of course, the constant freezing and thawing and rain and freezing and thawing and snow always keeps the footing a question mark. Now that I am able to run in the mornings again, I have been wearing my cleats to help keep me upright.

With all of the obstacles thrown at me recently, it kind of reminds me of that ABC show “Wipeout” where they throw obstacle after hazard after spine-jarring spill at the contestants who actually volunteer for that kind of abuse.  (I imagine chiropractors can’t even watch that show for the horror of the trauma voluntarily imposed upon their bodies.)

There is one obstacle that threw me for a loop a few mornings ago.  As I was running down the very clear and easy-to-navigate bike path across town, I noticed that there was some snow in the middle of the path.

Well since I don’t have much 3D vision left, it is always best that I go around things in the path, but for some reason, I don’t know what it is about seeing something, and feeling I have to step on it?

But can you say, “Snow Boulder?”

Yep, a huge chunk of snow had broken off from the large snow bank along the side of the path and rolled right into the middle of the trail.

But I didn’t see it that way. I just saw a white patch on the black asphalt – and of course, I was thinking it was just snow on the trail – not a monstrous ball of snow standing sentry in the middle of the path.

Luckily for me it was so big, I just kind of fell on top of it. Yes, I know you can visualize it, kind of belly flat across it, arms flailing, very startled and amazed that this thing could just kind of sneak up and do me that way.

So I casually-self-consciously stood up, wondering whether anyone got to see such a fabulous display of grace and style, nothing battered but my fantasy of myself as a graceful gazelle, bounding beautifully across the open plains.

But it’s the small snow/ice chunks that are more dangerous to my life and limb, as those ones will send me flying in a more impactful way!

Anyway, I used my Herculean strength and rolled the icy snow boulder off the path, so no one else would fall victim to its hypnotic beckoning to run straight into it.

Yes, I admit – it was larger than life.

But that’s me; I like to run into big things. Just see my blog post entitled “Don’t Worry, The Bridge Is Still Standing” and you’ll see what I mean.

How ‘bout it?

- Vision Runner

But it had been close to two weeks since we dug out of our 16 plus inches of snow, and I was curious about the condition of actual bike trail where I like to run. I know that they usually try to keep it pretty clear for bicyclists and pedestrians and runners to have an easy path across town.

So I put on my running shoes and the ice cleats I bought for times when the path is not so clear and dry, and of course, my flashers – oh my!

So the going was still pretty torturous, I mean treacherous –  okay either works in this situation, as I had to go very slow and watch out for…err  rather, “feel” for chunks of snow and ice with my white cane. I knew that they were there just waiting to trip me up and slip me up!

But once I got to the bike and pedestrian trail, it was smooth running, as they did a great job of clearing it.

So, yay!! I got in 12 miles on Sunday, running the bike trail and skating the sidewalks.

Our local running club “Run Wild Missoula” was out doing 13 miles that day, and as I was out running in the same area, I got a big hug from Tim from the Runner’s Edge, our local running store.

It was great to see him. He helped me across some tricky snow berms at the crosswalks. “Thanks, Tim!”

The forecast is for warmer temps, so the route should dry up even better. And maybe the holdouts will actually clear their sidewalks like they’re supposed to (but probably not.)  But the warmer weather means by week’s end I could be back on my normal morning running schedule, albeit with soggy sockies and shoes!

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

Well it finally came…Yes that dreaded snow storm. But it really didn’t feel like a storm. It was just a light snow falling for 3 days straight! Very fine and steady snow with no let up, until we ended up with over 16” of the white stuff.

Up until the 17th of January, I had been averaging almost 10 miles a day this year. I just joined Run Wild Missoula again, our local running club. They have a 1200/2000 Mile Club. All you have to do is log your miles on the website, and if you run 1200 or 2000 miles in the calendar year, you get a fabulous prize!

Last year they got running jackets. A fellow runner who I was talking to in my favorite coffee shop, Starbucks told me all about it because I had told her I had logged over 75 miles for the week.

When she told me that Run Wild Missoula had the 1200 Mile Club, I thought, “Heck, I’m on track to run a lot more than 1200 miles this year.” So I’m shooting for 2000 or more.

But as I said the snow came, and then it just kept coming like the clouds had finally been given permission from Mother Nature to let go.

When I woke up on Wednesday morning, T looked out the window and said “There is about 3” of snow out there.”

I said, “Is it runnable?”

She just laughed and said, “NO!”

That is when my life as a runner came to an end for 5 days!

Oh my! What is this world coming to?! Well can you say “snow shovel?”

We picked up our snow shovels and hardly put them down for 3 days. There was a run on shovels, and Ace Hardware ran out of them and had to ship them in from some of their stores across the state.

The only good thing that came from all that shoveling was a good workout!

One thing I did notice was although my back was aching from all the shoveling, but it was my middle and upper back that was sore, not my lower. So I know all my sessions at the chiropractor’s is working. This was just soreness from all the strenuous use of previously hibernating muscles.

I had every intention of going to work on Thursday, and had done all the shoveling and clearing I needed to do for T to drive me to work. But as we backed out of our driveway into the alley, we promptly got stuck…oops, there was over a foot of snow in the alleyway.

So I called work and left a message that I would not be in that day. Luckily one of our neighbors had a 4 wheel drive, and he hooked up chains to us and pulled us out.

Before he did that, we first shoveled most of the alley to the street so we would have a place to land when he pulled us out of the hole/drift.

T then backed our van into our driveway and there it stayed! We decided it was a good day to stay home!

On the news that night, we heard of numerous reports of vehicles getting stuck, and how treacherous the roads were. When it was all said and done I took Friday off as well, as the roads were still being cleared and I knew even if I took the bus, I would still have to navigate by myself downtown from the bus stop to work, not something I was willing to do with the conditions.

So on Friday morning T and I went out again and shoveled (again – so by now we were on about our 10^th shoveling event), and as T came from the front of our house down the alleyway, she said, “You know what makes me really happy?”

“This time when I’m done shoveling, the snow isn’t covering over where I just shoveled! Yes that makes me very happy indeed!”

We found out later that it was 5th biggest snow event since they have been keeping records in 1893! I think that it ended up being 16.7 inches! No wonder my back hurt!

Saturday morning I tried to walk to my mom’s place – just a few blocks away – but it might as well been 100 miles away. It was way too hard to navigate through the unplowed sidewalks, and then . . . it started to rain!

So before I could even get to my Starbucks a block and a half from my house, I had to turn around. And if you know me at all, it really does take a force of nature to turn me back from a Starbucks mission!

Okay by now it’s Sunday, and I am officially going stir crazy! T and I went grocery shopping and then drove down to see if the bike path where I run was clear. It was!

Right then and there I made a plan to have T drop me off where it was cleared, and I could run until the path was covered over.

It ended up being clear for about 2 miles. So I ran back and forth on the same stretch of dry path. Hey it was great to be running, and not on a treadmill!  It was sunny and in the low 30’s and felt great! I got in a total of 8 miles.

We have a city ordinance that your sidewalks have to be shoveled by 9 a.m. and by Monday I was tired of all these places where I travel being unpassable by a blind woman with her cane.

So I got on the city website and submitted several complaint forms about sidewalks that had not been cleared. I’m hoping to have a clear path to my running route and work by the end of the week!

Until then, T will drop me off after work where it’s cleared on my running path so I can get a few miles in each day. As Anne Burrell would say, “That makes me a HAPPY, HAPPY Girl!”

How ‘bout it?

- Vision Runner

A few months ago I listened to Jim Fixx’s book “The Complete Book of Running”

One thing that really struck a chord with me was when he was discussing the concept that if you’re passionate about running, you will find ways to do it.

Well that got me thinking. . .

Ever since I started working the day shift at the hospital, my running has been limited to the weekends and the occasional day off. I didn’t necessarily appreciate that fact. 

Thinking about it though, I realized that I was doing a lot of walking to and from work: about 6 miles round trip. So I thought, “Why not run?”

Okay, well I could run to work but I knew I would not be satisfied with a measly little ol’ 3 mile run. That was almost not worth getting dressed for – although notice I said “almost.” Of course if that’s all I could run, I’d take it. J

But I thought if I got up a wee bit early, I could run a few more miles before the 3 miles to work.

When I was processing all of this, it was already November. So when I decided to try this, the days were getting shorter and shorter all the time!

So how early could I get up and run safely? It’s a tricky thing with my eyesight (or lack thereof.) Too dark and I can’t see a thing!

But morning twilight was just before 7:30 a.m.  I knew if I could see well enough, I could get in 5 extra miles before running the 3 miles to work, giving me a total of 8 miles, and then 3 miles back home after work. Now that’s what I’m talking about!  Yea, this could work!

Now I had to find a way to shower all the running off me before mixing in with the general population.  If I listened to Jim Fixx, well, he didn’t think it was a problem to smell a little sweaty. But sorry Jim, I just can’t do it! I have to face patients and their families and co-workers and of course, myself all day long. I much prefer smelling sweet as a tropical fruit salad to sweaty as an 8 mile runner.

Fortunately I work at a hospital that has a Fitness Center. For $20 a month, I could use the showers as well as the Fitness Center itself.

I really didn’t need to use the fitness equipment, just the showers. And score, the Fitness Center provided clean towels as well!

So I put my plan into action, and joined the Fitness Center, and the next day I got up before 7 a.m.

I had my pre-run meal of yogurt, and then proceeded to put all my blinking lights on – a total of 4, in red, green, blue and white. Yes I was a flashing fool, but thought it better to be seen as a flasher, then a fool!

I made out quite nicely on my run, as I could see fairly well. I was even able to time it so I could still stop and get my beloved lunch bagel at my favorite bagel place, “Bagels on Broadway.”

I had put a package of instant oatmeal in my running pack, so I could replenish my glycogen stores when I got to work.

As I write this, it’s been almost 2 months since I started running to and from work, and I feel great! I love the fact that I get to run almost every day.

I have run in temperatures as low as 9 degrees F, and my water had ice cubes in it when I got to work! But since I know how to dress for the cold weather, I stayed pretty toasty.

The only part of me that gets really cold is my hands. I was thinking I never had this problem in the past, but then I realized I didn’t have to run in such cold temps before, as my work schedule didn’t limit when I could run.

But not to worry about my fingers, as T’s mom and dad made me some really awesome hand warmers. They are filled with seed corn, and when you place them in the microwave oven for a couple of minutes they come out oh so nice and warm. I hold one in my left hand, and the other wraps around my right hand (that’s the one that I use my white cane with) custom made for me!

These corn bags have been a lifesaver, as I don’t think I could have run in such cold temps without them!

I really like it when it snows about an inch or two. The path I run on is asphalt and therefore the snow melts off pretty fast, leaving white edges in the grass and on the side of the trail. This gives me a great visual field: a black path with white borders! I wish it was like that all the time, then I could run faster and without the need of my cane so much.

Because of the angle of light and the frequency of having my black on white path, winter running can be some of the best and fastest runs I have.

All this running has made it possible for me to have the highest weekly mileage since I have been a runner. The last part of December I had 70 miles total for the week! Some might think it’s crazy to run that much, but I love, love , LOVE It!

So what is your passion? What is keeping you from doing everything possible to make sure you are able to enjoy and do what you love to do?

Make 2012 a “NO Excuses” year!

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

My O’l Buddy Joe

Runners are hugely loving and generous people in general. And it never ceases to amaze me the genuine compassion and willingness to help that it is exhibited by my fellow runners.

I’ve always had good experiences when running in organized races, especially when running with my white cane.  And the running of my third full marathon was no exception.

Whenever the cannon booms for the start of the race, there is a moment of trepidation and subtle uncertainty inside of me – a hesitation and wondering if I will actually be able to see well enough to make it the entire 26.2 miles to the finish line.  

This feeling only last a few moments and thankfully it disappears as I fall into a rhythmic pace with all the other racers. 

Unlike a lot of runners who take the beginning of a race as a signal to pass as many people as they can, I have to concentrate on a) not running smack-dab into the rear of the person I’m following, and b) not running off the edge of the road.  With all of that jockeying of racers taking place in the initial minutes, I’m content to just let them all pass me as they will.

Adrenaline can really get you into trouble at the start of a long race.  Going out too fast is one of the biggest mistakes a runner can make.  And believe me, I have done it and lived to pay the price!  Sometimes it’s hard to control because it’s such a high to be passing hundreds of other runners as if they are standing still!

But since the decline of my eyesight, I have been forced to take a backseat in the pack of runners, for my own safety as well as theirs!

As the crowd of runners thins out, I can mostly make out the white line on the side of the road, and I pretty much stick to it like a baby monkey to its mama, not letting it out of my sight. 

This year I was able to run for over half of the 26 mile race and it was 16 miles in before I needed to deploy my white cane. 

Even though I was running in very familiar territory, the glare of the sun, and the many turns, and the increased number of runners and walkers, all convinced me that I needed to get out my cane.

It insured that I would be seen.  The white cane not only helps me to navigate the path in front of me, but it also lets my fellow runners, volunteers  and the wonderful crowds cheering along the route to know that I don’t see too well.

It was just after mile 18 that I met Joe. 

He was running along, and graciously asked if he could help me around some tricky turns on the route.  I of course said yes.  He took my hand and gently guided me around some very scary drop offs and uneven pavement on the side of the road. 

As we continued on, Joe and I got to talking, and I found out that this was his 44th marathon in 44 different states since 2002!  WOW! 

What an accomplishment.  Me, with my own little ol’ third marathon nearly in the history books, I was appropriately impressed.  Yup  - he is going to run all 50 states.  How cool is that?!  I don’t know if I would have that in me even if I could see.

We were talking and I told Joe that I had written a book about my first marathon experience, “Running Blind – The Journey of a Blind Runner Training For Her First Marathon.” 

He asked me if it was on Amazon. When I responded that yes it was, he let out a laugh and said that he had seen it.  He couldn’t believe that was me!

Joe became my eyes as he took my hand once again and led me through the tunnel area that always gets me twisted around and going the wrong way. 

At mile 21 T met me again for a hug and some well appreciated words of encouragement.  I quickly introduced her to my new ol’ buddy, Joe. 

 As I always do, I used my rendezvous with T to walk a few blocks and drink some water.  Joe kept running, and I was sad to see him go.

But as luck would have it, I would run (ha, ha) into him a little past mile 23. 

I had run into a small parked car when I had veered too far to the right, and another runner named Daniel offered his help to guide me through this part of the course. 

So there I was running alongside Daniel when I heard my name called out.  It was Joe!  “JOE!” I yelped in excitement.  I was very happy to see my ol’ buddy Joe again! 

Daniel, Joe and I ran along with me in the middle – my two bodyguards protecting me from stealthy walking trees and invisible cars!

Joe and I lost Daniel at a water station around mile 24. 

It was at this point in the race that I told Joe how much I appreciated all of his help and friendship, and that he was making it possible for me to meet my goal of finishing around 5 hours. 

Joe turned to me, his voice cracking with emotion and emphasized how I had made his marathon for him.  He thanked me for running with him!  He said his wife was going to be so surprised that he had got to run with me.

The last two miles seemed to go by like the first two, FAST!  Now how many times have you heard that from someone who has run a marathon? Probably not too often.

We took the turn onto the Higgins Street Bridge for the final  sprint to the finish line.  

Joe said if I would cross the finish line with him, he would buy a finisher’s photo, something he has not done in all of his 44 marathon finishes.  

I replied that it would be my honor to cross that finish line with him, as I could not have had such a wonderful marathon without him.

So with hands clasped and arms raised, we crossed over the timing mat together with the crowds going wild!  Well maybe not wild, but lots of cheering.

T met me to guide me through the corrals and gates and out of the finishing area, and our local TV news anchor, Heidi Meili from KECI TV put my finisher’s medal around my neck.

I gave Joe my card with my website on it and encouraged him to check out my blog, because for sure he would be in it.  

When I told T that Joe had seen my book on Amazon, she asked him if he had bought it. 

A little sheepishly, he said No, that he had bought “Born to Run” instead. Okay  - not  a problem – we’ve read that one and it’s a powerfully good book, too!  

So … all’s well that ends my best marathon to date, thanks to my new ol’ buddy Joe.

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

The running of my third full marathon was a glorious event, to be sure.  Despite a few mishaps and delays along the way, I was still able to shave over 20 minutes off my PR, and finish with more fuel in my tank then should be possible after running 26.2 miles. Amazing! 

We had a very cool start to the 5th Missoula Marathon, with temps in the mid 40’s (Fahrenheit)  I had T position me at the start behind the 5:00 (5 hour) pace group. 

I felt good and well-rested, and I could see well enough (for a blind person, anyway :) )for more than the first half of the race.  It’s not until I got into town that I had to really slow down, due to all the turns, parked cars and other potential obstacles.  So I didn’t have to use my white cane during the first 16 miles of the marathon. 

This year they had put out orange safety cones all along the course – a good idea – but when I learned about it, I was a bit concerned.  Those little guys can give me grief and trip me up. So I knew they were there, but believe it or not, that awareness didn’t keep me from tripping on one half way through the race. 

I was feeling really strong, and when T met me at mile 9 she told me I was just ahead of the 4:45 pace group.  I was shocked that I was doing so well; I thought it was the 5:00 pace group I had passed.  After an electrolyte drink, a honey pack, and a pit stop, I was on my way into the very shady and beautiful Big Flat area of the course.

Now, the placement of the safety cones along the route was based on how much shoulder there was on the road.  As I run along the course, I use the white line as my guide, staying on it as much as possible. But when I have to pass other runners and walkers, I pass on the left, because I don’t know how much shoulder there will be on the right, and I don’t want to twist an ankle on the edge of the road.

It was just after mile 13, before the only hill on the course that I came upon two runners on the white line.  I went around them on the left, and I tripped on the bright orange safety cone that naturally just happened to be there! 

Down I went: hands stretched out in front of me, taking the brunt of the road rash!  I got up, moved off the road and surveyed the damage.  My right palm had a pretty good sized chunk of skin flapping off the wound, so I bit it off and spit it out with a growl! 

The passing runners who had seen my fall graciously stopped and asked if I was okay.  I assured them that I was, and thanked them for stopping to check on me.

Well I licked my wounds, literally and saw that my race number was torn a little, but not too badly.  Of course, I was feeling a bit deflated after the fall, as I had been feeling so-o good beforehand. It kind of took the wind out of my sails. 

Then, with an abrupt shift in attitude, I made a conscious choice, and decided that I was not going to be defeated: I was going to use this fall as a catalyst, to propel me like a warrior into battle.  I charged up the hill and was passing other runners that were using the the hill as an opportunity to walk and rest their weary legs. But not me! I was determined not to let my lack of eyesight bring me down again!

As I was descending out of the Big Flat canyon, I noticed that my legs felt great, not at all sore as they usually feel when going downhill.  I think this was due to the fact that we had been climbing to the “M” several times in the weeks before the marathon.  That’s a 620 ft climb over ¾ of a mile with 14 switchbacks…I’m sure that hill work is what had helped to strengthen my lungs and legs.

As I approached mile 18, T called out to me.  I slowed to a walk, and as I got closer I told her I had fallen.  She looked at me worried and asked me,  “Are you okay?” She then looked down at my hip that had a dark stain creeping down the front of my shorts. “Are you bleeding?” she asked with more than a little concern in her voice.

 I showed her my palms and replied nonchalantly, “Well, maybe a little on my hands.” 

“NO! Your hip!” 

I looked down at my right hip, and it was wet and dark.  Then T got a closer look and felt the spot.  It was sticky. “It’s HONEY!“  She laughed. When I fell, the honey pack I had in my “SPI” belt had burst open, and for the last few miles, it had been creating a sticky trail down the front of my shorts.

I hadn’t even realized it, but Oh, now that I knew it was there, I needed it to be gone!

I had never done this at any race in the past , but luckily I had packed an extra pair of running shorts for T to keep in the van.  Why? I had no idea – it’s a real mystery to me. But the day before the race, when I told T that I wanted to bring extra shorts, socks and Body Glide in the van for the race, she had asked me if I had read this tip somewhere. I just said, “No, I just feel like I want to.”  So I did!  And I am so glad of it!  And of course,  now I know why.

We walked a couple blocks to where the van was parked ahead on the corner of the race course. I got in the back seat, whipped off my sticky, gooey shorts and slipped into the clean ones.  T cautioned that I better not linger, as there was a police officer directing marathon traffic near the van, and I might get arrested for indecent exposure! 

So after my cleanup, I had my last honey pack and electrolyte drink of the race.

T met me one more time at mile 21 where I declined the electrolyte drink and honey that she offered, reassuring her that I would get some delicious gummy bears at mile 23.  Ultimately, the gummy bears never happened.  The race information had said that they would be there, but I didn’t see any. You know, being blind sometimes sucks!  But not to worry, I didn’t need the replenishment as I was feeling really good at that point. Normally I would have hit “the wall” by mile 20 or so…but it didn’t happen this time.

Another part of the race course that can get a bit tricky for me is along a very shady street lined with parked cars and round-a-bouts at several intersections.  At one point I think I was lost in a forested round-a-bout, fighting off shrubs and tall grass, when a spectator yelled for me to move to my right. “Go right! More right – right - right, now straight!”  she yelled.   I thanked her. I was going along okay until a little later I drifted over too much to my right and ran into a parked car!  Lucky for me it was a small compact car, and I bounced off it, only banging my right knee a bit. 

This incident inspired a fellow runner named Daniel to come up alongside me to offer his much-needed assistance. He mentioned that he saw me hit the car, and he was going to help me through this part of the course, if that was okay with me.  How nice was that?!

So Daniel and I ran, him giving me verbal commands, as to when to turn and kept me from straying off towards other parked cars!

With all the delays and mishaps and wardrobe change-out, I thought for sure I was going to finish, like in the previous years, in around  5 ½ hours.  But to my delight, I did the full 26.2 miles in a PR of 5:06:55! 

Making me oh so very happy! Couldn’t have asked for a better experience all the way around!

Tell me about your best adventure – Leave a comment!

How ‘bout it?

- Vision Runner 

I’m committed to getting the word out and spreading the message that you can do anything you believe you can, and I’d like to ask for your help in making “Running Blind” even more successful. Here’s how you can help make that happen.

1. If you haven’t read it, and you think it would be useful and engaging, please go to this link “Running Blind” and purchase a copy or two for yourself and/or as gifts for people you feel would benefit from a motivational and inspiring book about lifting yourself up to do seemingly impossible things!

2. If you have read it, please leave your comments and feedback about the book here on the blog.

3. If you have great things to say about it, you could even help me out by posting a comment or update on your LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter feeds and recommending it to all your friends, family, acquaintances, hairdresser and strangers on the street as well  

4. You could go to Amazon.com  and leave a book review on the Running Blind page.

5. You could inquire at your local bookstore to see if they have a copy or two in stock.

6. If you have video capabilities, you could create a video recommendation and post it to the “Running Blind” book  page on Amazon.com – that would be really cool!

7. You could call your local newspaper and any contacts you have at blogs, magazines, bookstores, running stores, talk shows, etc., and suggest that they do an article, story, segment or promotion featuring me, Rhonda Copeland, aka “Vision Runner” author of “Running Blind – The Journey of a Blind Runner Training for her First Marathon.”

8. If you have any other great ideas…definitely include them in the comments below – we’d love to hear them!!

Thanks again for helping me to spread my message!

How ’bout it?

- Vision Runner

I just finished my third full marathon on Sunday July 10, 2011, about ten days ago.  And I guess what they say is true…Third time really is a charm!  I had the best marathon experience, despite a few mishaps along the way.

Not only did I finish the 26.2 mile race with a PR of 5:06:55, knocking more than 20 minutes off my best time, I finished strong and could have run further if I had wanted to…No I did not really want to, thank you very much, I was very happy to cross the line when I did!

But seriously, I just kept waiting to hit the “WALL”, but never did, never even came close to running in to it…Only parked cars, but that’s another story…

So in light of such a great marathon experience, I decided to look back and think about why it was that I had such an awesome marathon. This is what I came up with.

For starters, my overall conditioning is better this year.  I have been walking on average 7-8 miles a day for over a year and a half, setting up a really good base line for my fitness level. Of course walking isn’t enough. 

About 3 months before the marathon, I started to get up early to run 6 miles, approximately 4 to 5 times a week, in addition to my walking. Then I was doing my long runs on the weekend.  Then about 2 months before the marathon, we started hiking up to the “M” which is about a 620 foot climb above the Missoula valley.  It’s a ¾ mile switch back trail up a very steep mountain. We usually make it up to the “M” in about 20-ish minutes, soaking in the beautiful views of the valley below, and then heading back down.

I also finally got dedicated to my strength training this year. And I know that helped immensely.

Another factor that I believe played a major role in my marathon success was the food and nutrition element. We have been on a journey over the last several years to take baby steps towards being smarter and making healthier choices when it comes to food, without being too obsessive or rigid about the whole process.  This year I was able to cut my sugar intake a lot.  And we also started using portion control…Using actual measuring cups, and not my eyeballs…You can see where that might get me in trouble. J J  I wasn’t heavy before, but I was able to drop 10 lbs.  I was not even close to being overweight, but by trimming and toning to an ideal race weight, I had less joint pain after my runs, making recovery so-o much easier.

I also know that having my back in alignment for these past 2 years has made a huge difference in my training and ultimately in the great race I had and the easy recovery.  I was faithful about going to my wonderful chiropractor every month for my tune up, and going again 4 days before the race itself, just to make sure I was in tip top shape.

These were all things I had control over.  I simply stuck with what I knew worked, and implemented a few new strategies. One of my new tactics was to eat pasta with roasted turkey and broccoli for my pre race meal, and then having a delicious bagel from my favorite bagel place, “Bagels on Broadway” right when I got up at 4:30am, instead of the banana and yogurt that I had in previous years.  I still had yogurt, but since I had the bagel at 4:30, I waited until just before we left the house to have that. 

But there were things I could not control, such as the weather.  And what a glorious day it turned out to be.  We had a very cool start to the 5th Missoula Marathon.  In fact it was so cool, 45 degrees I wished I had kept my knit gloves for the first half hour of the race. But I toughed it out, and the sun came out and warmed my hands up quite nicely. 

It was a warm, sunny day, but the sun seemed less harsh, the light almost diffused, and I never got overheated like I did during my first marathon when we had that record-breaking heat wave. (You can read all about that adventure in my book: Running Blind.)

The other thing I don’t have any control over is my fellow racers.   As I get closer to town, I rely on the kindness of strangers to help guide me around turns, round-abouts and other potential obstacles.  Once again my fellow marathoners and the volunteers and spectators rose to the occasion!  Sometimes even grabbing my hand and saying “I’ll take you through this part here because there’s a lot of turns and obstacles.” (Thanks, Joe and Daniel!)

And of course I rely on T to be at our pre-designated spots to give me encouragement and my electrolyte drink and honey pack.  Without her support and willingness to get up at the crack of dawn to take me, and then to meet me four or five times along the race course, I know my marathon could not have been as successful as it was!

So not only did I have an incredible marathon this year, my recovery time was almost non-existent.  Sure, I was tired and my legs were a little bit sore, but not once did I have trouble walking down the stairs.

After the marathon, we took three days off and went to our favorite lake and camped.  There we floated in the lake and sat around the campfire.  By day four I was more than ready to run. So I did, running 6 miles that day, in addition to walking another 7 and climbing to the “M”.

So now that I’ve had the best marathon experience I could ever hope to have…the decision looms. I have to contemplate whether or not I want to run the full Missoula Marathon again.  Do I end on a high note?  Or do I keep riding this rollercoaster that is marathon training?

Hmmmm? What do you think? Leave your comments below!

How ‘bout it?

- Vision Runner

Yahoo!  My new book is finished.  It’s called  “Running Blind: The Journey of a Blind Runner Training For Her First Marathon”

I got it done just before I ran the 4^th annual Missoula Marathon last month. The marathon I finished in July was actually my second time running the full one, cause after I ran the inaugural Missoula Marathon, I’ve run the half marathon the past two years.

When I was finished with my first marathon in 2007, I was convinced that I had no need to put myself through that torture ever again.

It wasn’t until I started writing my book about my first marathon experience that I decided to run another full marathon, so that’s how I ended up running it again a few weeks ago.

But let me tell you about my book – I’m so excited!  “Running Blind” is all about my first marathon experience. It includes everything from what lead up to my decision to run a full marathon, to the long months of dedicated and consistent training and finally to the running of the full 26.2 mile marathon, including all of the many lessons I learned along the way.  It’s full of great stories and the humorous tales of my journey.

I hope you’ll buy a copy for yourself, for friends and family, and be sure to tell everyone you know, too.  ’Cause it’s not just for runners – it’s for anyone who enjoys a great read. We all have obstacles to overcome in our life; this is just my story of how I took on the challenge of one of mine.

Right now there’s a couple of special promos going on to get a discount on the book – Purchase Running Blind: The Journey of a Blind Runner Training For Her First Marathon with 15% off with coupon code BEACHREAD305 or

You can get free shipping with a purchase over $19.95 with coupon code FREESHIP. So use whichever code works better with the amount you’re purchasing!

Just click any of the  links on this page to order your copy today! Click here:  Running Blind or download the first chapter for free at the top of the right hand column/sidebar!

And Enjoy!!

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

As you may know, I have been training for my 2^nd full marathon coming up in July.  After writing my soon to be published book, “Running Blind: The Journey of a Blind Runner Training for Her First Marathon” I decided it would be fun to run another full marathon to be able to put into practice all that I had learned from the first time around. 

So starting in March, I have been adding miles onto my long run on Sundays.  A few weeks ago, I ran the 18 miles that my marathon training schedule said I was to run.  Not really having a route that is long enough to run straight out and back, I had to come up with a plan that would allow me to get my 18 miles in somewhere around town, in areas that I was familiar with. 

It did involve me having to back track some of my miles, and run past my house again, which usually makes me want to head straight for the barn like some kind of out of control horse, but since it was only a few miles into my run, I didn’t have a problem passing the barn…err my house. 

I was now 6 miles into my run with another 12 to go.  I knew if I ran all the way down the Kim Williams Trail, an old railroad route turned into a bike and pedestrian path, I’d be able to get my full 18 miles that I needed.  I have always enjoyed running this trail, but since my eyesight has gotten worse, I have not run on it by myself in a few years. 

The main reason I don’t run it is because I have to go a lot slower and really watch out for tripping hazards such as rocks, fallen branches, and small children. 

Once on the trail, I remembered how much I loved running on the well traveled path. The mostly dirt trail runs right alongside the river.  It starts at the edge of the U of M campus and goes in about 3 miles.  It’s very peaceful and pretty, but as I said, lots of opportunities for me to get tripped up.

So on this particular Sunday, I had to be extra careful as I was running the trail with 12 miles already logged on my pedometer.  My legs were getting fatigued as I turned around to head back, the last 6 miles home.  

But it wasn’t on the rocky, family and children-infested trail that I “ran” into trouble.  The trouble was much less obvious to anyone with eyesight. It  came on the newly paved Riverfront trail that hooks up with the Kim Williams Trail.

I had deployed my white cane after coming off the dirt trail, and was weaving it back and forth on the shiny new path, thinking how nice it was.  The weather had been a perfect 56F degrees and partly sunny. All of a sudden a gust of wind and some light rain began to fall, just as I felt myself leaving the path. 

I was on a downward slope, and I knew I had gone off the path, and was preparing to stop, when a very large and very hard concrete pillar stopped me instead! 

Imagine my shock and disbelief as I did a face plant into concrete.  My nose and upper lip took the brunt of the impact.  Thankfully my running hat and white cane kept me from hitting it super hard.  I’m not saying I didn’t hit it hard, but at least I didn’t knock out any teeth or break my nose!

This concrete pillar is attached to a major bridge.  Yup about the only obstacle on this path, and I run right in to it!

So I stood there licking my wounds….well, not really licking… I used a tissue, and made an assessment of the damage.  Other than a fat lip and a small cut on my upper lip, I would live to run another day.  I debated with myself whether I should call home.  But since I was not hurt too bad, and I really did want to finish my run and get my 18 miles in, I pulled myself together and continued on.  I’m just glad I couldn’t see the people’s faces as I ran by, I’m sure I was a sight to see.  I did stop and run cold water on my lip from a water fountain.

Sometimes it sucks to be a blind runner!

When I got home we got an ice pack for my lip.  I said, “At least I didn’t come home without any teeth.” 

T replied, “Just come home, we’ll deal with the teeth later, just come home!”  We  both laughed, what else could we do?  I know it’s scary for her to let me go out and be independent, especially when I do things like this, but she knows that I’m doing what I love, and really I am careful, and now I know not to run into pillars…Yes I knew it before, but now I REALLY know!

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

When I first started writing my marathon book back in 2008, I really didn’t think I would ever run another full marathon again.  But as I wrote each chapter of the book, it seeped back into my bones, and eventually it became clear to me that I would indeed run another full 26.2 mile marathon.  Why? 

Well for starters, I really do believe I can run a better race.  Through the process of writing and reflecting on all the aspects of my marathon training program, I came to realize that I’m still learning.  And it would be a shame to not put into action all those valuable lessons that I learned from training, running and finishing my first marathon. 

I now know what it is like to put it all on the line: to dig for and find the will and determination to see something all the way through. To find the infinitely amazing spirit and drive that is buried deep within myself to be gathered up when I need it most. 

Until I was put to the test, how did I know if I truly had these qualities in me or not?  I had never really been a quitter before, but I’d also never really challenged myself to such an extreme degree, either.  

I hoped I did, but it was not until I was at my lowest and most desperate point in the race – the point where my fatigue and delirium were screaming at me and praying “Please, God!” for relief – that I came up against the question – Should I continue on or should I quit? 

My feet had been pounding relentlessly on the pavement for 20 plus miles, my body reverberating from the never-ending percussion; my right calf was cramping up; my leg muscles felt like the overcooked-to- the- point-of-charred, dried-out, roasted wienie barely hanging on to the end of a hot dog stick.  I was overheated from running in the 90 degree plus temperatures, probably dehydrated, and most definitely delirious with physical and mental exhaustion. It’s actually kind of surprising that I wasn’t reduced to the point of singing the ABC song while following a hallucination of a baby elephant down the street. 

Although there was no hallucinating, there was a point where I was feeling defeated and ready to quit, and hearing the confidence and support on the other end of my call for help, the absolute belief and encouragement emanating from my cell phone, pretty much wiped the defeat out of me, and kept me from repeating the thought that I was ready to quit. 

It was then I knew I had it in me – what it took to finish – not only the marathon, but whatever else life could throw my way. I continued on, definitely slower and in pain and misery, but with the knowledge I was going to complete my journey and the strength in my heart to carry it through to the finish line. After all, I had to make it to the balloons!!   

Running a marathon for me was the best life lesson I could have ever had…and I’m going to go back for a refresher course! 

How ‘bout it?

Vision Runner

Well lots of lessons learned, as you gathered from the last post. Now this one, I’ll focus on what I did right 

I can tell you the first thing I did right was to decide to run the marathon in the first place! 

I had always told myself I didn’t need to run 26.2 miles to prove anything, to myself or others.  But when Run Wild Missoula announced that they would be putting on a full 26.2 mile marathon in my hometown of Missoula in 2007, I was all over it. 

Deep down inside, I had always had an urge to run a full marathon. I had always said that I didn’t really want to because I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of travel and running in a strange environment where I didn’t really know the area or the race route. Logistically, running a race alone, away from home is stressful for a blind runner. 

But since it was going to be right here at home, wow – kazow…let’s do it! I felt I was at a good place in my running program that I could train for and run a 26.2 mile marathon.  

And what fun to be part of the Inaugural Missoula Marathon, especially if it became an annual event. It would be great to be able to say that I had run the Inaugural Missoula Marathon. That carries a little deserved swagger, don’t you think?

So when I started training for the marathon at the beginning of January, one of the first right things I did was to start studying all sorts of material on training for a marathon.  One very important tip I learned was to eat a recovery meal within the first 30 minutes after a run.  This was something I had previously not been in the habit of doing before I started my marathon training.

In addition, my overall nutrition plan became much healthier, as I really began to pay attention to what I ate, and how it would affect my running. 

One brilliant idea I had was to enlist the help of my friend Vickie to help me with my long runs.  By having Vickie ride her bike with me on my long runs, I was able to concentrate on running instead of things like traffic, and where or how I was going to get my water and power drinks to replenish on my long training runs.  She took care of all of that for me so that all I had to do was run.  There was the added bonus of having great company and conversation as she rode alongside on my run and of course, the rekindled friendship with a dear friend.

Another thing I did right (and would highly recommend to you) was to buy two identical pairs of running shoes at the beginning of my marathon training program.  I set one pair aside after I got them broke in. All I did was put about 150 to 200 miles on them, and then brought them out for the marathon.  This was great because I wasn’t wearing brand new shoes that were too stiff that hadn’t been broken in yet. Nor was I wearing a worn-out pair with too many miles on them. My feet had great support the whole race, and I didn’t need to buy a new pair of running shoes after the race, ‘cause there were still a few hundred miles left on the race shoes. Thanks Anders at “The Runner’s Edge”. Great advice! Now I do that every time I’m preparing to start training for a race.

Another good strategy was to tell as many people as I could that I was running in my first marathon.  This not only got me excited about running 26.2 miles, but it got others pulling for me, too.  Their respect, enthusiasm and awe of how I could even think of doing something like that as a blind runner, was highly motivational.  Since I knew they were watching and were going to inquire as to how my training was going, etc., it made me stick to my marathon training schedule, even when sometimes I wanted to skip a long run.  I knew by having told so many people about running the marathon, that I could not disappoint them or myself.  It was a very good tool to keep me motivated when my body was insisting that I “Stop this nonsense!” 

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. The most important thing I did right was… are you ready?

I finished the race! 

26.2 miles in just under five and a half hours.

5:28:00

Yea for me!

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner 

What I Did Wrong: 5 Lessons From My Marathon Experience

I think it’s important to look at an experience and figure out what could have gone better, in addition to what went right.  So, in considering my first marathon experience, I wanted to expand on some of the things I did wrong with my marathon training and preparation for the race.

As I look at it, I see about 5 significant things that I could have done differently to improve my overall marathon experience.  

I recently heard it said that it’s not “Experience is the best teacher,” but rather “Someone else’s experience is the best teacher.”

Obviously experience, whether your own or someone else’s, is a good teacher, but in the spirit of providing you with the best instructor (someone else’s experience) I’m going to share with you lessons from my own marathon trials and tribulations. That way, if you should decide to train for a marathon or half-marathon, these lessons that I learned could be beneficial to both of us.

After all if we’re going to spend 6 months training and preparing for an endurance race that lasts multiple hours, it would be wise for us to do more things right than wrong.

So…Away we go.

One of the first things that I know I did wrong during my marathon training program (and actually, I was aware of it when it was happening) was not doing any strength training, especially core strength exercises.

Even though it wasn’t until over a year later that I found out that my back was way out of alignment and that I was running over 13 lbs heavier on my right side than my left, by doing the core strength exercises I know I would not have had as much trouble with my right hip and foot during the 26.2 mile race.

Not to mention it would have been a quicker and easier recovery afterwards.

Another thing I should have done but chose not to (purely from an immediate gratification standpoint) was training in hot weather.  Since the Missoula Marathon is in mid-July, it should have been a no brainer…but I despised running in hot weather.  Big mistake on my part, as we had the hottest summer on record! 

By only training during the cool morning hours, my body was not prepared for the 90 to 100 degree weather that day. I totally screwed up my water and nutritional intake.  While I was racing, I was consuming way too many power gels. But I was in a panic – not knowing what else to do, trying to maintain my fuel tank and hydration levels.  Granted, in temps over 95 degrees I’m not sure how anyone can stay hydrated running for more than four hours, but I clearly didn’t help the situation.

The third major mistake I made was a mental error: starting out too fast.  For some unexplained reason, in my mind I thought I could run a 4:00 marathon – even though I had never run that fast in any of my training runs.  In fact, I had not done any speed work at all!  So that I chalk up to plain ol’ ego! 

By starting out at too fast of a pace, I set myself up for right hip pain, my foot going numb, and hitting the wall at mile 20.

And the one genuinely stupid thing I did, that I actually knew better than to do was wearing a pair of socks that I had not washed yet. And believe me, I paid for it with a nasty blister on the back of my heel.

Remember that thing I said about someone else’s experience being the best teacher? Well take advantage of this last lesson, cause this one I learned the hard way – I couldn’t have known it before I did it – but you can, now that I’m going to tell you: never, never sit down right after the race!  Not only will it be excruciating to try and get back up, but it’s embarrassing as you’re providing entertainment for anyone watching when you do try it. Walk around for about ten minutes or so after hitting the finish line.

I know the first instinct is to sit – for crying out loud you’ve just run 26.2 miles!  But don’t do it!   You’ll thank me when you don’t have to call for help to get off the toilet! Sure, it’s funny…but I’m not really kidding.

So now that you know what I did wrong, you won’t have to make the same mistakes – you can make your own. For that’s what it’s all about: learning from your mistakes, so the next race will be that much better.     

Ready to Run?

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

Well let me tell you, after running my first marathon in 2007, I really needed some time off to heal.  After the stiffness wore off, I found that my right ankle was weak.  Sometimes walking on it, it felt like I may have had a stress fracture.  But it wasn’t all the time, and since I was not planning on running any time soon, I just made sure I was very careful with it. 

And my legs! They stayed sore for days.  I was amazed how long it took for my legs to stop feeling like twin tree stumps slogging through knee-high mud whenever I walked! 

Not only did I need to rest my body physically, I needed to rest emotionally as well.  Training for the marathon had taken up over half of my year!  In some ways it was hard to believe it was over.  For 6 ½ months my life revolved around my marathon training schedule, and now, suddenly, it didn’t. In a way, I felt more emotionally drained than physically. 

In the weeks that followed the marathon, I vacillated between elation and frustration. Of course I was proud of the fact that I had run a full 26.2 miles, but at the same time, I was disappointed that I had to walk a lot of the last 6 miles, which significantly slowed my finish time.  

I recognized that I had made some errors in my training and the actual running of the race.  It was too bad, but there was no way I was going to ever run another full marathon again…or so I thought. 

It was a good month or so before I started to feel the need to run again.  In the meantime I did a lot of walking, and that was just fine by me. 

It was not until over two years later, at the very end of 2008 that I realized that my structural alignment was off the charts.  A bout of sciatica brought me to my knees (literally).  During 2009 I spent lots of time getting to know my wonderful chiropractor and following his instruction on everything from stretching to hydration and nutrition.  And now I’m in tip-top shape. In fact, I’m in better shape than I’ve ever been in my life before considering that I’ve spent my entire adult life until 2009 with my back out of alignment as my body compensated for a knee injury I suffered in high school. In fact, I was so askew that I was 13.5 lbs heavier on my right side when I first went to see the chiropractor. 

Running now, with my body in alignment has allowed me to put in more miles in a week than I ever thought I was capable of.  It’s nice to know that if I ever do choose to run another full marathon, my alignment should have a major role in a better outcome at the finish line. 

Ready to Run?

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner     

Last year I ran in a little 4 mile race that took place in an area of town I am not as familiar with.  The Missoula Roots Run is in conjunction with the Missoula Roots Festival:  lots of live music, arts and crafts and plenty of food!  Having lived in Missoula all my life, I knew the area but had not run in this particular part of town since the mid-90’s.  So while I “knew” where I was, I was still a little bit nervous about running this race and staying on the race route. 

The race started at 11 a.m. which I thought was kind of a late start for the end of August.  But as it turned out, it was quite pleasant: not too hot yet with blue, sunny skies.  

The time was getting close to the start of the race, so T positioned me somewhere in the middle of the group of runners off to the right side.  

We were waiting for the bang of the start gun to go off when Anders, the owner of our local running store “The Runners Edge,” announced that we had to wait a few minutes to start the race as there was a train crossing right on the road we were starting on.  

As we stood there, a gal who was waiting next to us said she has seen me running out by her house.  I commented on the hill we would be running less than a mile into the race.  I told her I had not run hills in years, and was not sure how I would do.  She told us about what a fellow runner had advised.  

He said, “If you want to be good at running hills, Run Hills. If you want to run fast…Run Fast.”  

This was such a straight-forward concept, but very profound at the same time.  How many times do we say “I wish I could….”  But how simple it is, really: If we just simply did it, eventually we would get good at it.  

Me, personally, however, I do not wish to be good at running hills…

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner 

P.S. The hill was fairly easy, and I also ended up with lots of help on the race route as people were so generous when they saw I was using my white cane.  I am so grateful for the kind and loving women who took the time during their run to make sure I was okay and following the right route.  Sure makes me proud of my fellow runners! 

And I finished the four miles in about 46 minutes…Not too bad for a blind runner.

Well, it’s been 3 years since I ran my first full 26.2 mile marathon in 2007.  And even though I said I would never run another full marathon, and the past two years I’ve been perfectly satisfied to run the half marathon, the time I’ve spent writing my book about training for and running my first marathon really got me considering running the full marathon again. 

Experience is a great educator, and I realized that there were a lot of things I did wrong in my first one. Such as starting out too fast in my delusional fantasy of running a 4 hour marathon, when I have never run that fast before, ever!  

And there were a bunch of things I could have done better, such as training in hot weather, and incorporating a strength training program into my workouts. 

But most of all I’m planning on running another marathon simply because I just want to prove to myself that I can have a really great marathon experience from the running aspect of things. I struggled with the heat and some physical issues from not realizing that my body was out of alignment. 

The reason I’m even considering a full marathon again is because I had such a wonderful experience with the whole process the first time around:  from the training runs with my good friend Vickie, to the wonderful support from my partner, friends, and family, to the awesome celebratory dinner afterwards at the Lolo Creek Steakhouse.  

But most of all, it was the Missoula Marathon itself!  It was an incredible experience for me, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. In fact, Run Wild Missoula does such a fantastic job of pulling together such a phenomenal race experience for the runners, that it was named Runner’s World Magazine’s Reader’s Choice 2010 as Best Overall Marathon!  How’s that for a great reason to run it again?

So with some new challenges to face this year as I train and prepare, like having to use my white cane more, and my work schedule shifting as I coordinate the logistics of working a new job, I am still more than ready to put in the miles to get me to the finish line healthy and with a huge smile on my face!

Ready to Run?

 How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

I just couldn’t stand it anymore…it didn’t matter what the weather was like, I had to get outside and run this past week!  Even though the path I use still had some snow cover and patches of ice in shaded areas, I simply decided that it didn’t matter. If it was too bad, I would just turn around and head back home.

As it turned out, I landed in an ice puddle just as I exited our alley!  Well, I didn’t have to try and avoid puddles any more since my feet were now members of the “Polar Bear Club”. 

It felt so great to be outside again: breathing in the fresh, crisp winter air.  There was one place on the trail that could have been a child’s wading pool…and I managed to run right through the middle of it, splashing freezing cold water onto the front of my running tights.  Luckily, the weather was in the high 30’s to low 40’s.  I just gave a loud yelp and vowed not to hit it again on the way back!

It had been about 10 days since my last outdoor run, and I was more than ready.  The day before I had run on the treadmill for 40 minutes, and because of my limited eyesight and elusive balance, I had to hold onto the treadmill as I ran. This makes running on the treadmill, which is already a tedious task, more trouble than it’s worth. I would rather slog through ice puddles than run on a treadmill any day!

So you don’t have to let a few ice puddles get in the way of having a great run – I certainly didn’t.

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

For those of you paying attention, back in September I was telling you about my first marathon and the events of race day. Well, I never got around to publishing part four, the final part of my marathon adventures, because a lot of miscellaneous stuff came up. But for those of you that have been waiting, clenching the edge of your seat, only removing yourself from the glow of your computer screen for bathroom breaks and to open holiday and birthday gifts . . . Your patience is about to be rewarded!

Here it is…the long awaited conclusion and results of my marathon race day.

You’re Welcome!!

Part 4 Missoula Marathon 2007 Race Day

Well, as you’ll recall, I had just had a pit stop, where T poured cold water on my neck and changed out my neck wrap for a fresh cold one. 

It was hot – 90 plus degrees out – a record breaking summer for western Montana! The sun was intense, and there was no shade to be found. 

I was running along, nearing the 20 mile mark, when I noticed my right foot was feeling numb.  I stopped to examine it and as I felt my ankle to see if it felt swollen, I flexed my toes on my right foot…Whoa!!! Big mistake!  My whole leg started to cramp up.  I never get cramps, so when this one started, I panicked a bit.  I pushed my toes back down and furiously rubbed my right leg, and luckily, with that immediate and intense attention, I was able to avoid a full blown cramp.  But of course, this whole situation had me worried – a lot.  Would I be able to finish the race? If I ran on my numb foot, I could injure it even worse and not even realize it. Would it hurt to walk on it? Could I keep myself safe and healthy, or was it too late?

Obviously I couldn’t run on a numb foot…that was just too dumb, so I started walking because I didn’t want to risk twisting my ankle and being unable to finish the race.  With my ever-present cell phone, I called T.  I think she was surprised to be hearing from me.  I said I didn’t know if I could go on.  We had a bad connection, so when she said, “What?  I didn’t hear you…,” right then and there I decided not to repeat my negative thoughts, and instead I told her I was going to have to walk some of the last 6 miles due to my numb foot and leg cramps. 

So we pushed back the next meeting time, and I told her I would call again when I was getting closer.  I was more than a little bummed by my set-back, but at the same time, I was glad that I was able to walk, and even run some when the numbness subsided, and I felt my foot was okay. 

All along the way, volunteers were there to hand out water, power aid and gels, and the crowds were so supportive. 

At one point, a volunteer on a bike came up to me and asked how I was doing.  I told her I was walking due to some cramping in my right leg.  She gave me about 6 Pringles potato chips for the sodium and, can you believe this: her own personal water bottle!? How amazingly generous and compassionate!  She told me I could leave her water bottle at the next aid station, and she would get it there. I was so grateful for her care and attention. 

By now, I knew it was true what I had heard about the marathon: that it was really two races: the first twenty miles, then the last six.  Because my last 6 miles were hell.  It seemed like it was taking forever. 

My next pit stop was near the mall with about 3.2 miles to go on the bike path that I was very familiar with.  There again I met T, and this time our good friend Marty was there too.  They got me a fresh cool neck wrap and water.  T walked with me for awhile, but I really wanted her to be at the finish line, so I said I would be fine and started to run for a bit, and she peeled off to head towards the finish line downtown. 

The enthusiastic crowds at the mall gave me a much needed boost of energy, and I ran for quite some time before I had to walk again.  I was very aware of my time: that it was going to be well over 5 hours before I would cross the finish line.  Of course my objective had now changed, and I was only concerned with finishing, and doing it in under the 6 hours required to be an official finisher. 

So with my run-a-little/walk-some-more strategy, I plugged along on the path that had no shade at all.  The sun was beating down on me, and I knew it had to be getting close to 100 degrees! 

As I was approaching the turn that would take me over the Orange Street Bridge, I could hear the music playing and the crowd cheering, and in my brain I did an imaginary back flip with excitement:  I knew I was just about there! 

As I got to the bridge where the finish line was, I was looking around.  I could see balloons tied to the side of the bridge, but I was expecting so much more.  According to what the website had said, there was supposed to be a huge balloon arch.  Oh well…I was just excited to be on the bridge.  I gave it my all, running as fast as I could, high-fiving the onlookers as they stretched their hands out and shouted words of encouragement.

I finished strong, running at a sprint towards the finish line.  I was never so happy to be done with a race in all my life. 

I was a marathoner!  Albeit a bit of a dazed marathoner, but an undisputed one, nonetheless.  My finish time was: 5:28:00.

T came to the finish line and escorted me to get my finishers medal in the shape of a star, and then on to the food:  to the re-fueling station to replenish my glycogen stores!  I was  wobbly and very tired, and with the temperature hitting the mid 90’s, of course I was overheated.  I sat in a folding chair under a tent, and chowed down on watermelon and bagels.  The pasta and salty nut mix were just what I needed. 

After I regained some of my strength, I turned to T and said with absolute conviction, “I’m never doing that again!” 

“I was hoping you would say that,” she replied. She knew how hard this whole marathon training process for the past six months had been on my body.

Then it was time to head for home.  But there was one small problem with that plan: I could not get out of the chair.  My legs had stiffened up.  But T managed to pull me up to a standing position.  I didn’t want to hang around as it was hot, did I mention it was hot?  And I needed my Starbucks fix! 

So we stopped at my favorite coffee hangout, and I showed off my medal to anyone who would look!  At one point I asked T to tell me what it said on my star-shaped medal. 

She looked at it and then said with a straight face, “My Little Sherriff.” 

“WHAT!?!” 

Of course it didn’t really say that, but I have to admit the shape of the star medal did look like one of those kids play tin sheriff badges. To this day, we still laugh about that.

Once we were home, I had a soothing bath and tried to take a nap, but my legs were too sore and every time I moved they hurt. So it was not very restful.  I got up, and within a few hours my legs felt better.  It wasn’t until I tried to climb the stairs that I realized just how sore they really were.  And don’t even get me started about going to the bathroom!

That evening, T and Marty took me out to our favorite steak house for my celebratory dinner.  Yes, I wore my medal, and if it was socially acceptable I would have worn it as a badge of accomplishment everywhere I went for a week or two!  But I was content to wear it to dinner, where I did talk to several other marathoners and half marathoners who had run in the race, and we all agreed it was way too hot! DUH! I don’t know if anyone running a marathon could really stay hydrated in that heat.

Oh yeah, that balloon arch that was supposed to be at the finish line? It was there, big as life.  I didn’t see it when I ran under it, so imagine my surprise when I saw it in the photo. What’s that all about? You’d think I was blind or something….

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

P.S. If you’re getting value out of this blog, you can do me a favor by linking to us and mentioning my blog to friends and co-workers. Here’s the link information for this particular article:
Title: Marathon Training: My First Marathon – Race Day Part 4

URL: http://runnerinsight.com/2010/01/12/marathon-training-my-first-marathon-race-day-part-4/

The best part of my winter runs is when I’m going over a bridge that’s about 3 miles into my 8 mile run.  I just love the way the winter sun hits the river.  The angle of the sun is lower in the sky, casting a more diffuse light across the water at a different angle than during the rest of the year.  It looks like the cascading of diamonds across the surface, sparkling, glimmering and fading, over and over again, millions of times each instant. Awesome.

Sometimes I’ll just pause and take in all that this winter scene has to offer, free of charge, just for the price of a minute’s stopping and savoring: peace, tranquility, and a calming of my soul.  And even though I can’t see the river the way I used to be able to, the cool thing is that my eyes allow me to view the rushing water in a way I have never before experienced it.  Abstract trees line the banks, as an artists’ brush paints a serene,  indistinct, yet beautiful landscape for my eyes only.  

Nothing makes me feel more alive than when I’m running in the cool winter air, and I find myself grinning like a fool just for the pure pleasure of running. And that’s the way I like it!

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner