My Trip to Long Island

Here are some photos and a more upbeat post that go along with the one above (after, which tends to load first).

Jimbo and I set out before 3AM to reach Eisenhower Park in Garden City, NY on Long Island about 8:00 AM. We wanted to get there in time for the first of the Diva Half-Marathon festivities. The Friendship Run was scheduled to go off at 9:00. It was a chance to meet some of the other women who were registered for the race on Sunday and take a 3 mile run through the park. I was all for it because Jim is my friend, I wanted him to to be able to run with me and I wanted to get a feel for the park well in advance of the race.

We learned a few things. Driving East on the Long Island Expressway just after sunrise is a real pain. There are no hills to hide the blazing sun when you are heading due East. We learned that the light on Hempstead Blvd at the base of Eisenhower Park leads to a pedestrian only walkway, the one to Park Blvd is farther to the East. I also realized that I get bored waiting around for things.

We decided to loosen up and explore a little before the Friendship Run. We jogged away from the car at a really slow pace and immediately came across some white and red arrows painted on the walkway. They were so friendly, we had to follow them. We followed them for less than a mile when we came to a sign describing that the white arrows lead on a mile loop and red ones lead on a 3 mile loop. We checked our watches and felt we could do a 3 mile loop on our own and get back in time to say, "Hi" before the Friendship Run folks started out.

This run with Jim was the real highlight of the weekend. The morning was beautiful and the route took us by some neat areas of the park. The 3 miles were just enough to work the kinks out and we got back to the parking area in time to see people standing around and waiting to start the group run.

Sadly, the facilitators were reticent to start drawing people in or introducing themselves. It wasn't unfriendly but the Friendship Run wasn't very friendly either. We were just as shy as the rest of the folks standing around and I didn't feel like facilitating something that was really the role of someone else. No bother, we had a nice run, changed out of our sweaty running gear and went to pick up my racing packet at a health and fitness boutique just a mile away.

This left us with a lot of idle time. It was mainly a good thing as were drove a lot of the race route for the next day. We determined that it was next to impossible for Jim to see me at the 10th mile marker the way the map had made it seem. There was an exclusive golf course that owned the very thin strip that looked like the part of Eisenhower Park that fell between the race route's 2 mile point and 10th mile point.

We also had time to check out where I thought we could have supper, it was too far and hard to get to. We realized using the external speaker on the iPod used battery power much more quickly than I expected. I had no way to recharge it before the race because I left the USB cord at home. I didn't trust the laptop to sync properly with it. We found an Apple store at a mall and bought a wall outlet converter with USB cord.

We had lunch at the mall. We had spring rolls and soup from the Soup Man at the food court. As we relaxed a bit, we could look down and watch a woman making chocolate dipped strawberries in the Godiva shop a level below.

We then got some gas for the car, drove more of the race route (it's 13 miles you know!) and parked in the park again. We walked over to where the finish line was being set up so I could see the final approach. The final stretch is where I always need an extra boost and asked Jim to stand along it the next day. We chose a section of the course where he would hand off my favorite purple feather boa and potentially take the boa and tiara I had been given about 3/4 a mile before.

As we walked that stretch and made our plans, we saw the marker for mile 13 spray painted on the ground. We walked the final tenth of a mile with the flags and finish line getting closer. As I approached it I started to choke up with the awesomeness of knowing I would cross it the next morning. I pictured myself in my signature race day day hat; my hat that recognized Ruffian, the filly, a champion race horse on the mid 70's. She was an amazing horse who refused to stop running even after she had broken her leg in a match race that was billed as the battle of the sexes. They tried to set Ruffian's broken leg but she didn't come out of the sedation well. She thought she was running in a race and broke her other legs as she came out of the sedation. It is her spirit, this great huge woman of a horse, I carry with me in every race. She is buried less than 20 miles from Eisenhower Park in the infield at Belmont Park. What I would have to endure to get to my finish line was a big unknown at that point. I doubted my leg would break but injuries happen. I knew I had prepared for the race as best as I could and planned to keep Ruffian with me the whole way.

On the walk back to the car I realized I may have over extended myself a little more than I should have before race day. Some sweaty bits from the run earlier never really dried and I was feeling a chafe potential. It was time to check into the hotel.

The hotel was not far but road closures the next morning for the race would make the return route winding and take maybe 15 minutes. We checked in along with many other women carrying Diva Half-Marathon swag bags from the race packet pick up. Our room was nice and the real bonus was the local dining guide. There was a Thai restaurant much closer than the one I had thought we would go to.

We had a really nice meal and took some away with us. More spring rolls, drunken noodles with tofu and a veggie pad thai. Perfect for loading some carbs. We returned to take a sunset swim in the indoor heated pool, went back to our room and played with the crazy shower head that was too high for me to reach. It gave a great calf massage but the third jet was aimed at a not so enjoyable area. YOW! We laughed and laughed about that.

It wasn't that the shower was so funny but we were really tired and were sleeping by 7:30. I had set out all of my racing gear like a little triathlon transition zone so getting it all together at 4:30 AM would be a no brainer. We ended up getting a solid 8 hours of sleep!

I showered so my hair had time to dry and set about systematically fueling up, last hydration and getting my gear on. My shorts were custom made for me by Nancy Radetsky, mom of one of Arron's co-workers who makes tights. I had a complimentary colored shirt and wore a glamorous fabric necklace generously shared by my best friend, Missy. My clothes were as diva as I could get with my matching painted nails.

The feet got extra attention. Not dirt or stone or fabric pills in the socks nor shoes could be tolerated for over 2 hours of pounding asphalt. I applied generous layers of a substance called Body Glide over my toes. My outer toes can blister sometimes. My supination has me running on the outside of my feet and I tend to run mostly on my toes.

True to form, we were the first to arrive in the park. This allowed us to get premium parking by the finish line and port-a-potties. I walked to the start corral and posed under the pace group I hoped to be in. There was a chance I really belonged in the 11:01 - 12:00 minute milers. The 13 or 14+ corrals I was pretty sure I would be running around more people than running with that pace group. Getting to the start line is always a pain in large groups but it's much less of a concern when you have a chip that tracks your time from line to line.

The morning was breezy and had quite a chill. I was tired and excited. We got a text from Arron and Amy that they were catching the Long Island RR that would have runners on it. They could just follow the women to the park.

As I walked back, I realized that I had put WAY too much Body Glide on my feet. It turns more solid and if over applied turned into little solid balls. We went back to the car and I was glad for the extra pair of socks. I re-applied the Body Glide in a more suitable amount and I was set to warm up.

Final fuel of fruit mash ups an hour and 1/2 hour out were good but multiple potty trips were needed. With less than 1/2 hour to the race, I resigned myself that it was mostly nerves at that point and the typical 30 person deep line wasn't worth it. It was a good call, I never needed to stop for the potty from the on.

We ran into Arron, Amy and our friend Katrina all at the same time. I was shedding my warm up pants and getting ready to make my way to the corral when the National Anthem played.

Cutting through the lines to the potties and the small corals made for quite a traffic jam. The pre-race 5k race went off as I finally got close to my group. We stood as sardines for quite a while but my plan was to go slowly at first.

I would say all went as planned. Jim, Arron and Amy were able to take my jacket at the second mile marker. I checked my watch and was about 1:30 off the posted clock time. I blurted that out and 3 "I love you"s for the 3 of them as I trotted by.

The sections of the race that doubled back on itself was the most fun. You could watch the faster runners go by on the opposite side the firs time and then the slower runners as you headed back the other way. with all of the various costumes, this made for a lot to look at.

I finally took water and a Gu packet that had been stashed in my bra at the 4 mile water break. I got most of the water down and didn't feel the need to walk. My pace at that point was about an 11 minute mile.

We crossed a long bridge over a highway and I said out loud, "The sights I have seen." We made our way by the Nassau Coliseum and clicked off 3 more miles before doubling back across the bridge on the other side. This was where the strong breeze was what I call a head wind. The bridge was an incline and the wind was a force. It was nice to make the turn up along the East side of the park and I looked down onto the little pond Jim and I ran along the edge of the day before. "Just lovely," I said to no one in particular.

The stretch between mile 7 and 9 were annoying for some reason. The section of neighborhood was grungy and t affected my mood a little. It was cold and the families waiting to cheer on mommy were looking frozen. I thought, wrongly, that mile 8 would have water and downed a second Gu only to have to run a mile and a half to wash it down with water. That's 16 minutes of cloying sweet paste in my mouth. I was sad when I decided to littler my Gu wrapper and a gum wrapper because I was tire of carrying them.

The 9th mile marker was a bright point, good music, joking with fellow runners and Spider Woman passed me with an energy like she had just started the race. The water helped the Gu kick in just after the 10th mile marker. I wished at had been just before because it had a significant incline and... well... it was mile 10. "Why is this part always so hard?" again to no one in particular.

The 11the mile marker had me singing abut kissing cats and a little sprint to beat the clock time of 2 hours. I saw it ahead and shouted, "YEAH!" and treated it like a little finish line. I crossed it at clock time 1:59:35. My watch had me closer to 1:58:00.

Next was the section of the course that looped around a high school. We could see a short section of runners who had just ran around the school coming out and running off totally changed. I could see mundane runners ahead of me heading toward the school and emerging on the other side as glamorous starlets. It was a hilarious sight. A transformation like Dr. Seuss's Sneetches as they traveled though the "fix-it-up chappie's" machine but instead of coming out with stars on their bellies they were all wearing hot pink feather boas and tiaras!

Those pink feather were everywhere. They flew into my mouth as I ran through the tunnel of extended arms offering boas and tiaras. I seriously did not lose any time grabbing up a little fun on the way along this part of the route. It was the next part, along the edge of the hoity toity golf course where all of the hot pink feather were being blown to. Photographers were going crazy on this section and I tried to look like I was having a grand time as my boas was making me a little warm.

I finally took off my gloves and prepared to leave them and my new diva gifts with Jim, Arron and Amy. They were right where I expected them and swapped it all for my PURPLE boa, a gift from Amy & Arron weeks prior. They took a movie of me and as I run off with it you can hear me yell, "Now I'm a Divaaaaa!"

My crazy loving family all raced ahead of me to the finish line to see me cross, diva style, clutching my boa over my head in victory. Just before I crossed the line I heard someone off the side of the course loudly say, "How'd she get PURPLE!?" That made me smile the whole way across the line.

I was tired but 11 minutes faster than I had hoped will get me that. I spooked around the festive grounds for a bit but knew a long trip home was ahead. Amy and Arron came back to Manhattan with us after a near miss with one of the poorly design Cube cars. They graciously allowed me to shower. THAT was a gift. We had a great meal at Candle Cafe before the loooong trip home.

Jim and I had a lot of fun talking about our individual experiences. I didn't sleep the whole way, even though we got stopped in traffic for a half hour on the Poconos. Long trip to Long Island and back and it was long on fun!

Thoughts from the Road - #1003

and One Tenth

I have scheduled this post to be published just about the time I will be struggling with that last 1/10 mile before the finish line at the Run Like a Diva 1/2 Marathon.

Ten months ago I couldn't run a minute without needing to take a break. I was shocking to know that that was all the more endurance I had. My goal of being able to run a half hour or 5k without stopping seemed unlikely. It was depressing but I didn't give up. I won't give up today either.

In the winter I liked being able to go outside and sweat even in the coldest weather. It was, and still is, personal time for me. I am doing something good for myself, frequently by myself. As I felt more confidant, I let a few people who were closest to me know of my 3 times a week running. Today I will be in the midst of thousands of other women but I will still be running by myself and for myself.

I struggled with some minor tendinitis, a few pulled muscles and a couple of blisters. The support of my good family saw me through any of those frustrations. Today I will do my best to avoid injury and deal with any aches as I make my way to the finish line in Eisenhower Park, Garden City, NY.

My Mom and Dad bought me great running shoes for my birthday that saw me through my first race in Frederick, MD. Mom and I also shopped Goodwill for running clothes. The Body Glide that I thought was much to expensive was bought for me by Mom. I love it and have a back up tube just in case. Today I am carrying both parent with me in my dna. They have always encouraged me to run and I will keep running for that final 528 feet.

My son and daughter-in-law gave me gifts of love and running gear. The iPod which has allowed me to run for hours on end without being bored and the Camelback which let me distance train on summer week days are indispensable. My son coached me on stretching and overuse injuries and his good wife coached me on upper body strength. They have flown by my side in spirit on my long runs and showered me with fun toys and Diva gear. It is their supportive wings that will keep my feet lifting as I pound the pavement for a final .1 mile.

My mother-in-law came to cheer me on in a local 5k race. My best friend, sister and folks I hardly know gave me support of last minute phone texts and Facebook messages. Each of you will be in my mind as I see the finish line.

I would never have made it as far nor expanded my horizons if it weren't for my husband, the dearest man and love of my life. His support is without smothering but come in the way of gentle suggestions. He is "can do" as my road crew by setting caches and shuttling me from point to point. My routes would have become much more stagnant and limited if he wasn't up for driving out to a new location and joining me for portions of my runs. He has been with me, biking by my side in Central Park, running with me on the road back in Fisherman's Paradise and cheering me as I end up near our home. It is thanks to him that I will cross that finish line today.

*iPod says, "Congratulations, you have reached your goal..."*
or did it just say
"Halfway point, thirteen point one miles to go." !!!????

Maybe someday but today I am glad to have run the hundreds of miles I have since the beginning of the year. Thank you all for your support.

Thoughts from the Road - #1001

The Thirteenth Mile

Well, this is it.
I can tell I will make it and I can even pick up my pace enough to keep up with that crazy guy on his bike.
I am not feeling as I had imagined at this point. I know I am tired but momentum is an awesome thing.
I need to pass that walking couple.
"Coming on your left, Good Morning."
Wow, a mile is a long way.
I am tired.
Transcend it, transcend it.
Push hard.
Deeper breaths.
Watch your footing.
Relax the shoulders.
Smile.
Enjoy.
Transcend.
Push.
Go...

Thoughts from the Road - #930

The Twelfth Mile

This is uncharted territory for me.
It's hard to stay zen about this but I just have to keep moving.
I don't want my play list to run out. I am going to try to pick up my pace a bit.
I can't believe I haven't walked in over 2 hours.
Hey, I think my Gu just kicked in!
Oh please don't let me have blisters.
Darn, my right arm is chaffing now too.
Annie Lennox always makes me feel glad to be running. Another vocal grand diva.
I see the 12 mile marker ahead and there is Jimbo on his bike. I could push him off and bike the last mile. I better warn him.
Well where the heck is my feather boa and tiara!? Oh right, at home on my dresser beside my wand and diva compass. Arron & Amy, you are the best!
Look at the cute chalk on the road ahead!
*pushing my 2 index fingers into the air*
"Go, go go!"
*iPod says, "One mile to go."
Oh my god. I can do this!

Happy Goose Day 2010

“Eat a goose on Michaelmas Day,
Want not for money all the year”.

Thoughts from the Road - #928

The Eleventh Mile

One of the signs I am past the 10 mile mark is that songs are a little more fun now.
"I kissed a cat and I liked it, it taste of her tuna catfood
I kissed a cat just to try it, I hope my boyfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong, it felt so right, don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a cat and I liked it, I liked it

Those cats they are so magical, soft fur, and dibs, so kissable
Hard to resist, so touchable, too good to deny it
It ain't no big deal, it's innocent"

Haha, Footloose. I wish I could loosen up my feet a little.
It feels like I am almost starting to shuffle.

*iPod says, "Eleven miles completed."
"Thank you"

Taper Time

My last longer (8 mile) trail run was today with one week until the 1/2 marathon. Now I just have to try to keep out of my head and keep self doubt in check. Idle time leads to too much thinking.

Thoughts from the Road - #925

The Tenth Mile

"Go on now go, walk out the door..."
Any pain or fatigue can just go.
"Just turn around now 'cause your not welcome anymore."
My pain can just go out the door. *hands make sweeping gesture*
I sure hope that Gu kicks in soon. I am really dragging.
If I don't lift my feet higher I will trip.
It scares me that I have never hit what they call "the wall." I guess I am just so slow and refuel so frequently that I never deplete my glycogen to that level.
My back is tired.
Wow, I have more energy than some of these folks who started at the same time I did.
Maybe I'll put on a little burst of speed here. HAHAHA!
This mile is taking forever.
I can't wait for my chocolate milk and ice bath.
Awesome, here comes that upbeat guy cheering on the racers I am running with. He loves it when folks hold out their hand to slap 5 with him.
*holds out hand and gets slapped with enough force to almost knock an exhausted body over*
"Hahaha!"
At least I didn't get creamed by that elite runner.
*iPod says, "Ten miles completed."*
Man oh man.

Autumn Time

Two Great Horned Owls woke me early this morning. They reminded me to share this pagan chant:


Autumn time, red leaves fall
While the weeping sky looks over all
Demeter sadly walks the land
The dying grasses in her hand

Thoughts from the Road - #920

The Ninth Mile

Oh my.
I need to remember to watch carefully for oncoming traffic.
Ooooh, my feet feel like ground chuck.
I wonder if I have gone 8 1/2 miles yet.
I guess I'll just carry this trash with me until after Sheetz.
Ow, that little strip near my armband is really stinging. Chaffed skin takes a while to heal too.
The air smells great here.
My knees are really feeling it now.
I am just dripping sweat!
It's so easy to just zone out and plod along.
My toes are numb.
*iPod says, "Nine miles completed."
*sigh*

Summer's End

A quick trip to take A&A back to their home after a long and wonderful visit in PA. We went to the Jekyll & Hyde Club as opposed to the pub we went to a few years ago. Good times then a run in the park along side the ING New York City Marathon Tune-Up racers in Central Park the next morning.










Above are photos of the trip but the outstanding memories of the summer include:
toasting with pickles on a stick
the scent of wet bamboo in the bathroom
spinning on a single point trapeze
coffee in cat mugs
Jimbo the driving king!
watching flourishes added to juggling clubs
Casie's little butt, "rarrr!"
Apricot Wheat running out seconds after we sat down
birthday songs, short and long
Trevor... "..., keep the peace."
hot sauces; meek, firey and foaming
biking & DDR
limes
Shia LaBeouf's head
"I NEED this!" (glowing razor)
a new ab regiment & a way to attack a "let down"
crackerfuls (one in the drawer made me tear up this morning)
the evil un-Queenly Queen
Arron doing Harry doing Paul... "belittling you! hah hah hah!"
feather boa (you gonna just sashay outa here with that?), lavender wand, diva compass and butterfly tiara ("AUGH!!"<<< Birbanto)
Chef Jim serves up another meal of perfection - corn bread in a skillet, Uncle AB would be proud (oui chef)
Cracker Barrel(hehe - Macaroni Grill) & Waffle House!
Miles in every bag
Mr. B being busty and scared
Mooch hissing!
fairy floss for breakfast
garden offerings and a harvest's end
our best friends

Thoughts from the Road - #919

The Eighth Mile

*iPod says "Four miles to go"*
"Ok"
I don't mind this light misting rain at all.
Excellent, Cyndi Lauper! Sing it girl!
Look at all of the robins, flocking now that it's cooler. That one if taking advantage of how the cars have cracked open the black walnuts and is eating the nut meat right off the road. Opportunistic robin! cool.
The joints are feeling used.
Thank the goddess for body glide!
There's my second cache, thank you Jimbo! Orange Gu and water. I don't need to walk at all today.
More smashed fruit on the road... AUGH! Get away yellow jacket! *picks up pace*
My gum has gone so stale it's like chewing a kneaded eraser.
It's curious how I can envision my past selves and what kind of pace I have had each time I run this route to this playlist. I can see ghost images of myself just a bit ahead or behind, a lot like that dirt bike computer game where you could race against your past games.
Hills are hard but I love them.
Give me my eighth mile, Give Me My Eighth Mile, GIVE ME MY EIGHTH MILE.
*iPod says "Eight Miles Complted"*
"Thank You!"

Thoughts from the Road - #917

The Seventh Mile

When I stare at the road for a long time without blinking, the white lines glow.
My feet are numb.
Aggressive driver, I was so far over I was in that person's lawn. *frowns*
Apples smashed all over the road, what a waste.
Keep your elderly Akita over there, thank you.
Why does it feel like I am wearing my tabi socks!?! There is no way there could be material between my toes!
Boy am I slow but this is my 24th mile in less than a week so I will look at it that way.
Holy cow! Smashed pears on the road from a glorious pear tree.
Gerald Street for my final mile, what a stupid route choice.
Over 6 miles and I can finally take my gloves off. Uphill is good for something.
Oh my GOSH! That is the second whole smashed banana I have seen on the road today!
I wish I could cut this run short but I am building endurance.
*iPod says, "Seven Miles Completed."*
*Ripping the iPod carrier from arm and immediately pulling out the Nike+ chip before slowing to a walk.*
*iPod says, "This is Joan Benoit again. I hope you are feeling good 'cause you sure are looking good. Congratulations for completing another 500 kilometers."*
*sigh*

Miles and more Bags!

Birbanto added some more photos. Miles had a lot of bags to explore this week.

14th Annual Dorito Tree!!!

Come one, come all (yes you too) to harvest a bag from the 14th Annual Dorito Tree! Supplies limited, not available on any other non-Dorito Tree day of the year. Doritos is a registered trademark of Frito-Lay North America, Inc. Frito-Lay North America does not endorse Dorito Tree Day and is no way affiliated with our Dorito Tree. No Doritos nor trees were harmed in the creation of any Dorito Tree Days.First Dorito Tree, August 1996.

14th Annual Dorito Tree, September 2010.

Thoughts from the Road - #915

The Sixth Mile

Thank you Infected Mushroom, I am definitely feeling "Deeply Disturbed and Completely Unhappy" right now.
Why did I ever choose this route with the final mile all a steep uphill? I swear I am going to have to walk some of it... later.
Here comes that woman who started out at the Alexandria trail head just before me! I bet she turned around just after 6.5 miles like I plan to. If we had time to talk I would ask her if she was running a 1/2 marathon today. "Hi"
Wow, it's crowded and even in this last mile I am still having to run sideways to pass other women.
I am so pleased that I use my downhill well.
Darn, this part of Houserville Rd is always busy and it's narrow to cross the bridge up ahead.
Feeling fatigued, watch the drain that drops off up ahead.
Over half way today, I can't imagine what running 13 might be like.
Poor Nightjar, I will always have time to turn around (on this brutal hill) to right you and help you into a shaded ditch. I wish you the best.
Why did I pick such a fast tempo this far into my playlist? That was just stupid.
*iPod says, "Six miles completed."
"THANK you."
*iPod says, "This is Tiger. You have just covered another 250 miles. Congratulations."
Tiger!? WTF?

The Power of an Image

It was 75 years ago today that Nazi Germany adopted a new national flag with the swastika. Archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates from the Neolithic period and throughout the Iron Age and Classical Antiquity. The word being derived from the Sanskrit word "svastika", meaning any lucky or auspicious object, and in particular a mark made on persons and things to denote good luck.

The flag's anniversary provoked me to research how powerful images and icons can be and I came across an interesting article by Julia Tagliere on Buzzle. She focuses on photographs and how they impact our world and it's worth reading.

The Power of an Image

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Indeed, the earliest forms of communication used were symbol-based, dating back almost thirty thousand years. By comparison, writing as a form of communication only came into existence a mere seven thousand years ago. Although a multitude of people around the world today are able to communicate in written form, images are still a necessary tool of communication for many others. A 2000 study estimated that there are 862 million illiterate adults worldwide, with some seventy percent of those adults living in Sub-Saharan Africa, South and West Asia, and the Arab States and North Africa. For those people without the ability to read or write, images still serve as their primary means of gaining information, giving to visual images the capacity to communicate with those living in even the direst of circumstances.

An image can convey thoughts, ideas, or events to which words alone sometimes cannot do justice. Images can thrill us, like the images sent back to Earth from the Mars Rover missions. They can inspire us, like the photo of the American flag raised over the rubble of the World Trade Center by three New York firefighters on September 11, 2001. They can be heartbreaking, like the image of Oklahoma City firefighter Chris Fields carrying tiny Baylee Almon out of the wreckage of the Oklahoma City bombing. They can incite outrage, like the photos of the stacked bodies of Holocaust victims; they can bring us face to face with the worst inhumanities imaginable. They can bring tears to our eyes, lift our spirits, or sink our hearts. Images are powerful, and with such power must come responsibility for their prudent and thoughtful use.

In the U.S., there has always been a battle between judicious reporting (which often includes the publishing of accompanying photographs) and the public’s right to know. The First Amendment guarantees to the press the freedom to pursue its mission. Any suggestion that the press hold off on putting incendiary or inflammatory stories in front of the public is often met with cries of censorship, something no one would dare to suggest. So many times, images have served as catalysts for righting horrible wrongs (has anyone forgotten the images from the Abu Ghraib scandal?) But sometimes, an image is published and creates an unintended effect, and it is that sort of image with which the press should take more care.

For example, there appeared recently in a well-known news magazine an article about U.S. troops in a firefight Qubah, Iraq in late March. One of the images that accompanies the story is of of Qubah’s residents having identifying numerals written on their hands, while another shows simply a hand with the number written on it clearly visible. The writing of the numbers on the residents’ hands, the story and caption explain, is to help U.S. soldiers tell what part of town people were from and whether they were out during lockdown, which sounds perfectly legitimate. But the photo—what an image! The story itself only briefly mentions the assignment of numbers, but the images of the numbered hands and the residents as they receive them take up the bulk of two pages, dwarfing the intended point of the story with images that are starkly reminiscent of Holocaust survivors, their identification numbers standing out on their arms. The similiarity is chilling, especially when one notes that in the pictures, it is U.S. soldiers this time assigning the numbers.

Perhaps for many people, particularly those fortunate enough to have received enough education in order to be literate, the pictures within that story may be only sidebars, items of marginal relevance to the story itself. But for those who can’t read, or for those people around the world who may only see a picture, the story told in those two stark pictures isn’t the firefight in Qubah: the story here is yet another image of a specific group of human beings being reduced, for the second time in world history, to something less than human, to being nothing more than a number. The people shown in those pictures did not appear to be insurgents (although we are all too well aware of how dangerous it can be for the military to make assumptions about what an insurgent or a terrorist should look like); in one photo, it was a group of women and children. The reasoning behind the use of numbers, the need to create a safe environment for our soldiers once the firefight had ended, is not debated here—the issue is that the picture itself conveys a powerful image of a military subduing a group of people and reducing them to a number, removing their very humanity.

Several months ago, the world watched in dismay as the Muslim world rose up in fierce anger over a cartoon depiction that they believed had insulted their faith. It is hard to imagine there would be Americans today who would advocate censorship in any case, but that ferocious backlash, resulting from an image, should have reminded us all that there is a fine line to be walked between freedom of the press and the responsibility that the media bears as our "arbiters of truth". More consideration should be paid to the selection of images that will accompany those articles.

In a report dealing with U.S. soldiers’ continuing efforts to fight the insurgents in areas removed from Baghdad, what purpose could there be in choosing images that have so obvious a visual connection to one of the most horrific events in history? Was the visual link between a heartless Nazi tactic and a current U.S. military procedure deliberate? Was is it unintended or not thoroughly thought through? If a picture paints a thousand words, then what was it that this picture was intended to convey, particularly to those without the literacy needed to read the accompanying story?

With images wielding such tremendous power to stir up emotions, to change events, to break our hearts, to inspire us, it is difficult to see a picture of members of our own military writing numbers on a man’s neck as he sits surrounded by what appear to be his wife, in tears, and his children. Is the man an insurgent? Is his wife? We don’t know—we are forced to rely on the image, which is disturbing in its similarity to the numbered arms of Holocaust survivors. Moving? Absolutely. Poignant? Without a doubt. But necessary? No one would advocate censorship or limiting the freedom of the press we enjoy so thoroughly in this country, but there are times when the responsible parties should take a step back, and look at the images they are sending out with a fresh eye. Long after the words to that article have faded from memory, that image, of U.S. soldiers reducing human beings to numbers, will stick in the mind. Is this the image of the U.S. soldier the magazine intended to convey, or was it incidental? The answer doesn’t really matter at this point; that image is out there now and that image is what will endure. This is the power that an image inherently possesses, and as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility—the responsibility to question what even the incidental impact of a visual image may be to the world and to measure whether that gain is worth the cost.

Thoughts from the Road - #912

The Fifth Mile

Now how am I going to work another mile into this route? I guess I will zig-zag through these deserted parking lots before turning for the home stretch.
Crossing Branch Rd is always a little tricky. Stay aware, stay aware.
I feel that tendon, I know it's a sign of over use but I have dealt with it before.
Watch the footing on the icy spots, you are getting fatigued.
What's with these deer flies!? I never expected bugs when I chose Pine Creek Rail Trail! Augh, I better pick up the pace and try to out run them.
I never, ever, see anyone in this stark development. It's like a ghost town.
Oooo! Spotted Jewel Weed! A late summer friend that really adds color to this creek side trail.
Hmph, my calibration might be off. Here comes the Mt. Etna parking area.
"I CAN DO THIS!"(at my first race - 8k in Frederick MD)
*iPod says, "Five miles completed"*
Thank you.

Thoughts from the Road - #910

The Fourth Mile

Here is where I had to walk that one time when my IT band totally seized up. Boy my knee really hurt that time. I was lucky that a minute of walking let me finish out the mileage that day.
Time to turn around and head for home. Uphill becomes down but I don't quite have the steam to take full advantage of it.
Cool tune, it makes me smile.*little quivering grin*
Why are my feet starting to feel numb? Stupid new shoes. Maybe I added too much mileage this week. Duh, it's not the shoes.
I fueled up just right for this longer run and there is the cache DH left for me on the way to work this morning. I don't love Gu but don't mind it with an ample chaser of cold water. I will walk for one minute to make sure I get the water down properly.
I see some deer way up ahead on the trail! They see me, there they go.
Sketchy guy with dog. At least I know I have seen him on this stretch before.
I guess going to that coffee shop is going to be well over 4 miles but it will be a fun diversion.
A commuter by bike, cool! "Good morning"
*iPod says, "Four Miles Completed"*
Thank you.

New Moon - Cranberry Harvest

Cranberries are harvested in the fall when the fruit takes on its distinctive deep red color. This is usually in late September or early October. To harvest cranberries, the beds are flooded with six to eight inches of water above the vines. A harvester is driven through the beds to remove the fruit from the vines. For the past 50 years, water reel type harvesters have been used. Harvested cranberries float in the water and can be corralled into a corner of the bed and conveyed or pumped from the bed. From the farm, cranberries are taken to receiving stations where they are cleaned, sorted, and stored prior to packaging or processing.

Labor Day with the Crayola Posse

I was moving pretty slowly after my long run on Sunday. Getting together with the folks to find a new mystery letter box was just the right idea for my Labor Day. We could put our thinking caps on, explore some ideas in the field and see what we could turn up as we visited and enjoying a sunny drive south.

We started in Mifflin County to check out how Toolman Luke was doing with the 1967 Corvair he has been polishing up since... well it feels like 1968 but I know it was really more like 1978. It is really coming together! Look for him and Maga11 at the Car Show in Carlisle at the end of the month!

Maga treated us to some beautiful muscadine and scupadine grapes to fortify us until we found a place that was open for lunch. Holiday weekend are more difficult but we wanted to leave our dining options open to what ever Juniata County through our way.

We drove south but no eagles were seen on our trip along the Juniata this time. We loved seeing our ancestor's grave stones in Thompsontown, Center and obscure places not mentioned on maps but know as locals as Texas Hollow and Up the Pinnacle and Muskrat Springs.

We stopped in Mexico for a break at the Mexico Market. Their hand dipped ice cream can't be beat. The "small" is a huge cone of multiple quality dips and the price is an amazing $1.00. Toolman Luke started off with a cone of raspberry and we had some sandwiches before our dessert.

We drove a short way to a Juniata River access near Buttonwood Campground. One of our old mystery letterbox was at this location but we removed it because it was totally water logged, a hole got ripped in the logbook baggy. It is so much fun to see the names who had puzzled out where it was since the logbook had been replaced in 2006. Last finders were exactly a year ago.

We enjoyed seeing white herons fly low on the river and look at the map with a lot of the Juniata access points, State Game Lands areas and camping areas. I saw the section of Lower Trail I had run the day before. I showed the folks where I ran from Alexandria/Water Street access past the Mt Etna access and back. A lovely 1/2 marathon along the dear Juniata.

Time for dessert, we went back to Mexico Market and were greeted by a bunch of chickens in the parking lot. They wandered around looking right at home. I found them to be a little intimidating.

We each chose a different flavor of ice cream. I got Cherry Vanilla, RGBisMe got Vanilla, Maga got Butter Pecan and Toolman got Chocolate this time. It was warm enough that driving anywhere with our melting treats would not be a good idea so we found some nearby picnic tables. It happened to be where the chickens had settled and they got all excited as we walked toward them.

RGBisMe got it into his head that the one chicken was asking for a lick off of his cone and bent down to offer it some. That chicken took such an agressive bite of icecream that his thumb cracked right through the cone with the force he had to use o hang onto it. Crazy man, crazy chickens.
We did have success with the letterbox. Toolman's knowledge of the surrounding area aced us a first find on a cute local letterbox. All of the pleasant conversation, mellow activity and good times allowed me to feel good enough this morning to take on a 4 mile recovery run. Thanks for the great Labor Day, Crayola Posse!

Thoughts from the Road - #907

The Third Mile

I am feeling well enough to pick up my pace a little. Having this be a nice short run, I can turn it on a bit.
Here comes that hill that never ends.
Mr. Golden Retriever man. He always has his old dog sit off in the grass as I pass. "Good Morning"
Down and through the tunnel. Glasses off for a bit. Meow, meow, meow. Glasses back on.
That stream is just beautiful right here. *takes out ear bud to hear the gurgling*
Glasses steamed up, oh well.
Here is where I saw that snapping turtle laying eggs.
Major uphill for the rest of this mile.
Good that car is going wide, they see me for certain. *wave to car coming toward*
CATA has a route in Penn Hills now, very cool.
Ha! Bus congregation, school bus makes CATA Bus wait.
Will this hill never end?
Push hard, eyes on the crest.
I like this song, make me want to pour it on.
There's that hammy again, I better ease up.
Move the toes around a bit on the little downhill.
Switch sides of the asphalt for the IT band.
Pound it out, bring it home.
*iPod says, "Three Miles Completed"*
"Thank You."

Thoughts from the Road - #906

The Second Mile

Finally getting in the groove, finally getting past the itchy transition to sweating.
I am loving this stretch of road. Look at these beautiful plants.
Ah... my neck finally cracked and my legs might not be quite a heavy as when I started.
I think this downhill should work that cramp out of my left foot. Time to wiggle those toes around and work through my whole foot.
Wow! A little heron just landed over there!
This is such a quite area, no one to be seen.
Here comes that hill. Should I bear down on it or just keep my eyes up? I don't mind hills like I used to and I know that they are good training. It makes my overall time better on flat courses.
I'm sweating now!
Sun is up for sure, glad I brought my sunglasses.
*iPod says, "Two miles completed."
Thank You.

Thoughts from the Road - #904

The First Mile

God, it's chilly out and my muscles are so stiff this morning.
Watch out for that pot hole.
I wish I could wake up. Stay loose and pace yourself, you're in it for the long haul.
Ok bunny, run off into the brush, trust me I am not chasing you.
Darn, I can still feel my sore hamstring.
I need to stop running on my toes, oh good - the downhill will force me to heel strike fr a little.
Oh cool, a baby deer with it's mom!
Mind the gravel, look both ways aaaand cross.
Ugh, uphill. Now I need to lean and onto the front of my feet.
Does this car see me? Yes. *waving thank you*
My legs are feeling like lead this morning. Maybe if the cats had let me sleep past 4AM I would feel lighter up this hill.
There are the crows on the roof tops. Oops, I spooked the Coopers and there they all go.
Augh! Stupid little white dog that I never see until the last minute. Glad I run on the road now and don't accidentally kick it anymore.
Am I going to fast? I don't think so. No, I was much farther along in this song before.
Oh boy, there is that lady with her twin Miniature Schnauzers. Yes, yes, bark all you want. I am getting by you as fast as I can.
My foot is starting to cramp and I am sweating. Shake it out, wipe it off.
Crest the little hill and level out.
What a nice view from up here.
*iPod says "One Mile Completed"*
Thank You.

2010 NYRR Women's Mini

Did I ever mention I slapped a high 5 with Kara Goucher as I crossed the start line in the 2010 NYRR Women's Mini? No? Well I did.

Kara Goucher runs the final few meters of the 2010 NYRR Women's Mini with Paula Radcliffe (Radcliffe's daughter Isla between). Both are sporting baby-bumps and due later this month.

Cats, Out to the World

Miles - zonked

Birbanto - snoozing

Mooch - never quite asleep if the boys are. "Why waste good time sleeping when I haz my freedom?" she asks.

Thoughts from the Road - #902

Since my long run ideally shouldn't exceed more than 1/3 my total weekly mileage, I find myself running some days back to back. I like days off to think and plan and on mornings when the cats have been demons the night before it is even more difficult to get moving. This was one of those mornings.

I was adding in another 4 miler today to help build my overall endurance. I thought I would mix it up a little by running to Branch Rd and cutting down to the new Café Lemont. I was trying to time it just right by getting started just after it was light enough but not get to the café before it opened. I added in one other little time table twist as to be able to grab a coffee and make it onto a bus to come home and shower as soon as possible.

I got off a little late so it was definitely light enough to enjoy watching the crows enjoy their morning in Sterns Crossing. No Coopers Hawk nor deer this morning however. The sprinklers were on in many lawns and on the soccer field near Houserville Elementary. More crows were enjoying the fields there.

As I approached Houserville Rd. I was extra vigilant looking for traffic, my iPod was a little too loud and this was one of the few places where I had to run with cars. All went well but I was surprised by an early morning biker emerging from the parking lot of Spring Creek Park. It was Jimmy-the-Eye!!

Get this, he was disappointed to see me! I popped out my earphone as I met up with him on the bike trail and he said he was trying to beat me. If you are a reader of this blog who really knows us, you may be as shocked as I was when I heard him say that. It was but a heartbeat of confusion for me because he finished the statement with, "... I wanted to surprise you by doing a chalk drawing on the trail up ahead of you."

What a treat to have my dear fellow with me even for a couple of minutes. We laughed and enjoyed the next 1/4 mile together before we kissed our hands and slapped them on each other's arms and nearly colliding. He went onward to work and I turned toward Lemont on the bike trail.

One reason I waited for the sun to come up was I wanted to take a couple of photos with our cell phone. It is of a cute little bandaid stencil I saw the day before on the same running route. It was painted on a crack in the bike trail on top of a hill. I added it to our Guerrilla Art blog and you can see the photos at this link.

Just one other person was on the trail and I passed this walker on the final approach to Branch Rd. My complete run was about 4.5 miles and I celebrated with some French Roast before jumping on the next bus home.

Walking the final bit on College Ave I got a close look at a new red hot air balloon that was enjoying the temperature of the morning. It had small flags dangling as decoration around it's lower third. The morning was filled with a lot of little treats and I was glad to have gotten my butt out the door.

Hurrah September!

September begins on the same day of the week as December every year, because there are 91 days separating September and December, which is a multiple of seven (the number of days in the week).

The scents of Autumn are creeping in as Summer draws to a close. Unlike the verdant smell of Spring, September is a mix of hot grapes on the vine, parched earth and late summer flowers like the honey scented butterfly bushes.

Students and teachers are back in school. My morning runs are again treated to friendly waves from kids on school buses. My afternoons are a bit more free when I treat myself to a few rounds of DDR. Only homeschooled kids are waiting for their turn or asking to double up with me until after 3PM. Their demeanor and conversations are always engaging.

First harvests have passed with Lughnasad and Mabon's second harvests are quickly approaching. My first name reflects that of the reaper. I have sown over 300 miles this year and hope to reap a 1/2 marathon in a month. What will you aim to reap this year?