Dover Air Force Base Heritage Half Marathon

Joe and I are doing this on Saturday...can only pray for NO DRAMA!!!.. I mean what could POSSIBLY happen on an air force base??!
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4/14/2010 - DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- The 436th Force Support Squadron is teaming with the Air Mobility Command Museum to host a half-marathon, 5k run and childrens' 100 yard dash May 8 at 8 a.m.

The event will be open to the general public and begin at the AMC Museum."This is the first time we've allowed the public on base for an event like this," said John Murray, 436th Force Support Squadron fitness program manager. "This is an opportunity for the public to run on the base and see what the base is about."The half-marathon will span the length of the base and back for a total of 13.1 miles."

"The event will be held to honor the C-133 Cargomaster crews, which will be holding a reunion at the AMC Museum.

Click on Here for Website info: Dover Half Marathon

To market to market to buy a fat pig - My Marathons

So sometimes you have to step back.. and look at stuff... and well I stepped back and realized that in the last three years I have done 12 marathons and 2 Ultra runs....completing 5 states out of 50.........SWEET!!!!!

Ocala Marathon: 01/31/10 - Ocala, FL
4:25:30
It was cold, 45 degrees but optimal running weather, a bit of wind, a bit of stomach distress, Oh yeah there are hills in Florida, wasnt pretty, but got it done

Rehoboth Beach Marathon 11/21/09 - Rehoboth Beach, DE

4:02:50
WOW... some race! best time to date.. almost broke 4 hours.. would have not my legs been a bit tired... ran at a 3.50 marathon pace until about mile 16... by mile 22 I was at a snail pace but still moving forward. Great course, a couple slight inclines, but all in all great weather (bit chilly at start). LOVE this course!

Tussey Mountainback 50 Miler 10/03/09 - Boalsburg, PA
10:03:46
This was my first 50 miler. What an awesome experience. Shocked myself at how fast I did it considering the hills were HORRIBLE and that this was the longest I had ever run in my entire life. The terrain reminded me a bit of Vermont but I was in PA. Relatively little cramping, and no blisters! Nutrition was perfect, all Hammer products, liquid nutrition only. Weather was perfect, foggy and cold at start 46 degrees but then mid 50's, and finally low 60's. Mix of rail trail and road, rail trail felt wonderful on feet, any road encountered after mile 40 hurt. Each mile was marked and course is certified. Relay runners were also on course. Only problem was the relay runners aid cars would pass us on the rail trail near the aid stations and it was tight and the runners would get pushed to the side of the road where the larger rocks were, so this was kinda not cool, but the support from the people at the aid stations was great.

Lehigh Valley Marathon: 09/13/09 Allentown, PA
5:01:28
Tough day for me... spent 18 weeks training to qualify for Boston and something like Anemia stood in way. Was out for the count by mile 4, walking and jogging rest. Bit humid but course was mostly shaded, temps mid 70's. Course was not completely flat as stated, there def were some inclines and a couple steep descents. The rocks around mile 19/20 were brutal, tore up my feet. Some of the aid stations ran out of power aid, and I didnt see any aid station with any kind of food, nor treats, not that its expected but its always nice late in a marathon to grab an orange or twizzler. A little disappointed that once I crossed line that most of the food vendors and such had packed it up and left. Didnt get any food. Another runner from NY had stated he was a bit disappointed in that. Didn't seem like they took into account people who would finish after 5 hours... Didn't care much for having to wait for the shuttle to get driven back to where my car was. All in all the marathon was scenic and nice and I am sure I could have run it faster if I was not as ill.

Bob Potts Memorial Marathon: 05/31/09 York,PA

4:08:55
Signed up for the race for two reasons, 1) it being a memorial race to a great local man who passed away and 2) I needed to get in a "long" run of 16 miles... so I ran the first 16 hard and walked jogged the last 10... INCREDIBLE course.. flat (except last hill onto track), rail trail so the running surface was more giving for the legs, mid 50's at start of race with low humidity, got warmer and sunny but was a nice early start of 6:30am... Support was fantastic, they put on a class A marathon, this IS A MARATHON you can PR at.. I PR'd and used it as a training run! Next year I am coming back to blast it and try to win one of the cool awards.. they were train track rail spikes(if that is what you call them)on a plaque.. VERY COOL!

Ocala Marathon: 02/01/09 Ocala, FL
4:26:30
FREEZING at start (32 degrees), warmed up to 60...Very nice course, rolling hills, friendly volunteers, glad I did it!

Rehoboth Marathon: 11/22/08 Rehoboth Beach, DE
4:39:35
VERY COLD, windy...but great course.. flat and would have been fast .. if I didnt have total left leg failure.. oh well.. back to drawing board... great race, scenic... hope to try again... very nice medal.

C&D Marathon: 11/02/08 St. Georges, DE

4:37:42
OMG.. legs died at mile 7!!.... WAY too early for that stuff... was keeping a nice Boston Q time until then... then legs left.. went away.. still looking for them.. course was different than last year, some hills, lots of gravel. When I find the legs will be back.

Chesapeake Man Ultra Triathlon (Ironman Distance):09/27/08 Cambridge, MD
5:46:13
Ironman Distance Triathlon.. 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run.. Rain...Dead fish, Chop, and Jelly fish...Rain...25 min Flat tire and chain issue...Rain.....Road flooding..with Fish...Rain...Bugs....Rain...DARK.. DARK.. DARK.. Did I mention Rain?

50K Hat Race: 03/29/08 Havre de Grace, MD
6:44:08
My first ultra.. WOW.. it was great. Hilly course in Susquehanna State Park, Maryland. Day was perfect.. 40's temp., sunny, amazing!

Tybee Marathon: 02/02/08 Tybee Island, GA

4:10:06
AWESOME!!!! Perfect Weather 40 degrees at start, 50 during race, little headwind, flat double loop course, EXCITED I smashed my previous PR... !

Philadelphia Marathon: 11/18/07 Philadelphia, PA
4:31:43
Cold and rainy this day. They changed the course a bit. A bit more rolling hills. Was my second in three weeks, hamstring issue. Felt great at finish.. knew I was a confirmed Maniac now!

C&D Marathon: 11/04/07 Delaware City, DE
4:21:27
Scenic course, mostly flat with only the St. George Bridge hill to contend with. Friendly volunteers, well organized. Low key home town feel! Didnt have to walk except at drink stations! SO THIS IS WHAT ITS LIKE TO ACTUALLY RUN A FULL MARATHON! NICE!!! LOVE IT!!!!
Frederick Marathon: 05/06/07 Frederick,MD
5:01:23
1st marathon.. WOW.. humbling.. I had only done one 16 mile training run prior to marathon.. so this is why you should do long runs!.. My legs seized up.. had to do a walk shuffle from 18 on.. Suffered but LOVED IT.

TheKnot

Heather's Wedding Website... TheKnot

WHY DOES NO ONE RELAX AROUND ME!!!>????

So not sure if the over two feet of snow.... being up for over 35 hours TWICE in one week... or the actual driving for 40+ hours made us brain dead.. but yup brain dead ..so will be adding the stories.. from a few weeks ago.. bit by bit..

Florida Trip
Thursday, January 28th
Time to head to Florida.. for our annual.. lets driving as far south as we can in as short of time as possible.. on no sleep, run a marathon and then drive back.. yeah..

So we start our yearly trip around 11pm, Thursday night.… oh yeah.. after already working a full day and sitting through 3 hours of night school… by the time we hit the road, we had already been up for 17 hours… but the goal was to make it to Savannah, GA (12 hours away)… and then relax….I am sorry but Joe should severely question the word “Relax” when I am around..

Well I think we handled it quite well…the mindless driving for hours and hours in the dark with NOTHING to look at but endless, flat roads… "Oh look Joe".. "There's something".. "Oh, no, sorry.. hallucination"….yeah right no open space… just like no global warming.. what sick twisted hell do I subject myself too.. ! ...I am not sure how many people can say that they still have plenty to talk about 22 years later.. but yeah.. we still do…

Savannah arrived around noon…. Strange how that works... but I convinced Joe that it would be a good idea to go to the waterfront and walk around, stretch the legs a bit.. I mean the fact that we have now been physically awake for 30 hours, smelling quite ripe… and looking like that brown stuff that gets stuck on your shoes…I told him it could be worse.. at least this is good training for 100 milers…

We checked into the hotel around 2…realized that we were now unable to sleep and went to pool, quite possibly funny that we did not drown, and then went to dinner… I found it almost hard to chew I was THAT tired.. up now 36 hours… dinner is a plate of fantastic chicken n dumplings from cracker barrel… carb heaven…

"Sure Joe".. "I will be ok walking back to hotel"..stomach bloated with expanding flour (note: there are about 10 hotels in walking distance of dinner).. "Not a problem… go ahead.. you go get your beer"… I head back to hotel.. …I am not worried... I mean someone snatches me.. good luck… god bless them and all that..

.. whew.. weather is soo much nicer here then home.. I get to hotel.. walk inside ... go to walk up lobby steps.. QUESTION??????... Steps are in a different place.. ????????...now how did they do that.. hmph.. I glance over to the lady at counter.. hmph.. Ohhhh…. SHEEEEEZZZZA

I am a complete moron.. I am in the wrong hotel.. ok.. need to act really cool...turn and look at pamphlets.. feel my face get really really hot... I know I am a few shades of stupid… I slink to the door.. and bolt.. whew.. what an a-hole… what a freaking cracker... I make it back to the CORRECT hotel.. been up now 37 hours… … hope joe makes it back..

Saturday, January 30th
Time to head to Ocala… Florida.. yes that’s the next stop on the Mastripolito road adventure.. because we need to run a marathon.. I mean ok.. so the ride should only be a good 4 or 5 hours tops… easy stuff…

Stop at Florida Welcome Center… they have free welcome OJ.. and popcorn… yum... this is turning out to be a good ,good day.. still a bit tired from not catching up on sleep... but good…. Look over and.. WTF is Joe doing!???

Look of stun on my face.. … Joe has a big ole smile.. like "special bus smile".. and he is feeding the birds!.. the popcorn!.. what is wrong with him!!!… now Joe has big ole eyeballs… as the birds attack him.. serves him right.. stupid idiot... I hope they shit on him.. what an a-hole.. now Joe runs to truck… and to think I am the sane one.. shaking head.. sigh….

A little bit tired of driving.. thanks… but we arrive in Ocala by 3pm. SWEET… time to pick up the race packet, check in and …..R-E-L-A-X??? YEAH…

Sunday, January 31st
Ocala Marathon.. 7am will be the start time… it’s a bit cold.. 44 degrees..its Florida????.. just checking.. we are bundled up from head to toe heading to the race… we run into another runner who was from Ocala… she asked us if we were from Miami… should we lie to save face.. shouldn’t northerners be hard core ?

Ok… when is running 26.2 for fun.. fun???? JUST CHECKING... … a bit of stomach distress.. a couple "pot-o- lets" (it's what they call them)... and I'm completing my 10th marathon in three years.. not counting my 2 ultras… nice…

Thankfully Joe came back (after he finished) and ran me in the last half mile.. because I was a miserable SOB.. and needed SOMETHING to make me not walk..having him to bitch at .. helped TREMENDOUSLY... just saying...

Joe smashed his previous marathon time and broke 4 hours.. coming in at 3:57 something.. after the race we looked at his specs and he had dropped a minute off his time each mile after mile 22… how do you get FASTER after running for 3-1/2 hours!!!! Joe will end up taking 2nd in his age group.. and win a great trophy… and for those who know me.. and my love for hardware.. YES I'M GREEN WITH ENVY!!! I'm just assuming beer does the body good!

Congrats Joe!!!!.. K.. so now time to jump in car and drive the 4 hours to Joe's parents house near Fort Myers, Florida.. … OH YEAH…. that leg will not get stuck on the accelerator.. ?!

Monday, February 1st
Welcome Florida... first day in paradise.. um.. Where DA SUN??? It's cloudy with rain.. Improvise... We don on the wetsuits.. and jump in the pool… life is good..


Tuesday, February 2nd
Cloudy and rain.. did someone say SUNNY??? FLORIDA?? Homework.. catch up on work emails… stuff.. maneuvering on the leggies.. is a bit of work...backwards down steps...

Wednesday, February 3rd
Going to take our first run since the marathon.. get the legs shook out… NICE.. sun is out… .. IT'S F-CKING HOT… Pool time…

Thursday, February 4th
Watching the weather channel again.. big snowstorm heading to the northeast.. what to do??.. what to do…?? BIKE… GO TO THE POOL… NICE… this is the life… "Joe, you realize we have to leave tonight after dinner to make it back home before this mother of all storms strands us in 95 hell?!".. yeah...

…….simple things for simple folks.. we leave at 8pm to head home.. PA here we come. 6 hours out of Florida, 2 hours out of Georgia, 4 hours out of South Carolina.. the storm is chasing us… 3-1/2 hours out of North Carolina..

Friday, February 5th
STILL IN THE F-ING TRUCK.. 4 hours through VA, 1 hour through MD, 1 hours through DE, Not that I believe in violence but the whole Washington DC area just need to be… sucked into a vortex and dispelled… snow has started.. traffic is I-N-S-A-N-E… almost home.. 20+ hours of driving… awake for 35 hours.. we are home… THANK GOD... truck unpacked.. sleepy time.. 6:30pm…
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One week… 41 hours of driving, twice being up for 35 hours straight, 30 hours of running, (marathon plus training run), 4 hours of school work (Wendy) and work emails (Joe), 4 hours of sun, 1 hour of biking.. and XX amount of relaxing ...WHY DOES NO ONE RELAX AROUND ME!!!>????

Lets go out into the Lobby and GET SOME

I know you all have been anxiously waiting for a story…

... but alas not much interesting going on.. or perhaps maybe TOO MUCH interesting going on.. Either case.. HAD TO WRITE about almost burning down the house last night… and to think I almost have a college education…

Perhaps I can blame it on .. not reading thoroughly or a lack of proper comprehension skills……or too much M-U-L-T-I tasking... whatever it is, I took something relatively simple.. and turned it into something complex….

...I thought what a great idea to have some pop-corn.. simple... easy to cook… tasty… yum…

So tearing myself away from my Facebook peeps… I hurried to the microwave …bag of unpopped corn in hand…. read the instructions.. ok.. 4 minutes on high… plop it in microwave… skip back to room and on Facebook..
.. the jolt of the fire alarm.. and the spewing mounds of grey smoke emanating from the kitchen should have been an indication that something was seriously wrong…

Gasping on the smell of black, charred kernels, I made my way through the dense cloud of smoke and unlatched the kitchen windows.. coughing... and taking in a LONG breath of fresh air…JEEZ US... the utter look of amazement as i watch smoke continue to billow out of the microwave... at least NOW I have something to write about....UGH

Playing too much

Perhaps I have been playing too much.. or just too damn lazy but either case.. here are the last couple of updates.. LATE AGAIN

10/28/09
Hello my little peeps.. this getting older stuff is rough.. sigh... so I dress in a normal sweater and pants to come to work.. you know .. normal clothes... and well I guess I have a heat flash?.... I instantly become 1000 degrees, like someone was holding a blow torch to my body.. like I was being boiled alive in my own clothes.. so now I'm screaming to get out of my sweater …. and pleading with my co worker to give me the shirt off their back.. and thankfully they have an extra shirt - go figure - in their desk.. (brand new)…whew....so I bring up this dilemma to my two "buddies" here and work… and this is what is said,

“You are insane. Maybe if you left a tiny bit of room for air to pass between your clothes and your skin you wouldn't overheat? "

Just call me the human torch..

10/31/09 - Saturday
It is time to play.. this is the time of year that I don’t take any of my racing too seriously and just sign up for a whole bunch of crap and run it… with no direction or rhyme or reason… so like I said.. its play time..

So on Halloween I signed up for the Hatboro Skeleton Skurry 5K.. I debated that morning on if I wanted to run it in costume or not.. and thought it would be sacrilegious if I DIDN’T wear a costume since it was actually ON Halloween.. So I hemmed and hawed about what to wear since I had been too busy to actually make anything .. then I remember I did make the underdog costume last year that I had used at the McGuires Mud run.. so up in the attic I go.. sifting through boxes and viola.. find it and on it goes..

It was another wet, damp, dreary morning.. quite typical for Northeastern weather for the end of October ..


I was kinda proud of myself that I didn’t pick a costume that was hot with all fur and stuff like last years Viking costume.. you know since I was having heat issues... so I got my picture taken with Elvis… got to run next to the corn again....got to beat a cave girl.. and clocked one of my best 5K times 23:37.. alas didn’t place… too many crazy old people running.. but did win a costume award!!!... VICTORY!!

11/7/09 - Saturday
See its really not me… not always.. Joe.. took his friend Jim mountain biking up at Marsh Creek on Saturday… and well to make a long story short.. Joe writes this posting on facebook….

“We are back at the ambulance...er I mean truck; time to go evacuate a broken Standish (his friend)…. damn trees; hate when they jump in front of you like that. I'm not a very good story teller, but I can tell you this: I heard a thump, and then the most blood curdling scream ever outside a movie. When I turned around and ran back up the hill Standish was on his back down the slope; his bike was a twisted mess up the slope, and there was a tree in between the two. I'm going to say because he feels like he's going to puke every time he moves his arm, that he broke his collar bone.”

Later communication provided that his friend is only bent not broken… and will be out of commission for a couple of weeks so then Joe can drag him back out through the woods again…

SO even with all this drama we still made it to the family Halloween birthday party …although the costume contest was fixed.. and my family is completely evil.. handing me the costume award.. me getting all excited.. then snatching it away saying NOPE YOU DIDN’T WIN… whatever…



11/8/09 - Sunday
BECAUSE we do NOT know how to relax… on Sunday, Joe and I headed to Bear Creek to run the 10K trail race (6.2 miles)…this time we were hoping to not have the subsequent circus act and ambulance ride...I mean the bees are all sleeping now... right?

Yeah.. except when there is an unexpected “heat wave”… I swear I almost made him get back in the truck and head home prior to the race when just standing outside our vehicle we were accosted by a bee.. WTF!

But oh no Joe said he had to do this.. and so off we go.. I can only say that Joe is a truly gifted trail runner.. we were together for what, the first half mile, then he just leapt like a mountain goat up those hills and away from me… the day was not without incident… there was a couple falls with some blood.. and ankle twists..and I almost kissed a tree.. but other than that.. fun was had… and he completed the race on his own accord!... Joe actually placed fairly high up in the field.. placing 34 out of 142 runners… very nice.

... so clean up .. head to Mom’s birthday dinner... and then back home to collapse..no wonder I dont have time to write..

Santa's Note

I sent Santa a note:
Dear Santa Claus, My name is Wendy. I am a girl and I am already 43 years old!! I live in the great city of Glenmoore. Of course, that's in Pennsylvania, United States, but I'll bet you knew that!! This year I've been so good that my halo is just a teensy weensy bit crooked!

Santa Claus, some things I might like for Christmas this year are: - HOT TUB; - CASH; and, - SWIMMING POOL.

Santa Claus, I almost forgot to say... Please santa I have been a really good girl and deserve a hot tub and cash this year.

Love, Wendy
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AND HE WROTE BACK:
#1, Rudolph Way
North Pole, Canada
HO HO HO

Glenmoore, Pennsylvania
United States Friday, November 06, 2009

Merrrryyyy Christmas Wendy!!

Thank you for sending me your email all the way from Glenmoore! The Net sure is wonderful because now I can get emails from Glenmoore and around the world in the blink of an eye. Even Rudolph gets emails... from pets! Why, here's Rudolph right now! HO!! Ho!! ho!! He just asked me to say 'Hi!' to you!

Jumping Jingle Bells, Wendy! Are you fibbing to ol' Santa Claus?!? You can't possibly be 43 years old already! Why it seems like only yesterday that I was leaving presents for a certain little girl and here you are now, practically one of Santa's elves! (*grin*)

Sorry the presents the last little while probably haven't been quite as exciting as they were when you were a little girl but, well, you know how these things go (*wink*). Anyway, Santa's glad to see some of the 'older kids' (not to mention anyone in particular!) still take the time to write. I also hear you've been a really good girl. (Of course, you won't mind if I do a little checking, will you? HO!! Ho!! ho!!).

Let's see what you put in your letter for Christmas wishes: 1. hot tub; 2. cash and; 3. swimming pool. HO!! Ho!! ho!! Those ARE good presents Wendy! We've been so very busy this year that I hope you won't be too upset with me if you don't get everything you want for Christmas.

Oh yes, before I forget Wendy, the elves really want you to visit my new blog! It is called Santa Claus' Christmas Blog. My blog is all about Christmas, life at the North Pole, and me, Santa Claus ! You can even write messages to me and see what others have written. I can hardly wait to see what you write!

Oops! I guess I shouldn't have had that last cookie because a button just popped right off my suit. I better go see if Mrs. Claus has any thread left! ho!! Ho!! HO!!

Take care Wendy and don't forget to come back and visit me here at EmailSanta.com on Christmas Eve!! And remember... only 49 more sleeps until Christmas!!

BFF (Best Friends Forever :),

SANTA

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Here is a great, fun website for Christmas... http://www.emailsanta.com/
.. Can't wait.. 49 days until Christmas! Oh and by the way I didnt write this.. amazingly enough.. but it was soo funny I just HAD to post it... you can actually create one of your own letters online too... and track Santa...

...............Santa better leave me some good loot..!