Why do I write blogs?

I really don’t know. I have never been much of a writer; I never consistently kept a journal or did writings before in anyway until this blog. I do not do it super consistently or on a particular day of the week or anything like that. Sometimes I wait until I have something to say, other times I just start writing and see what happens, or if someone says something that really gets me thinking I will write about it. I don’t think that am a good writer (if I can even call myself a writer at all). I know I am pretty bad at spelling, and not that great at grammar, but I guess I just have a busy mind, and know that I shouldn’t nor can’t talk all the time so I found another way to communicate. I am not sure if I really care if people read or like what I write. I mean, it’s kind of cool to know that people read it, and get something from it, but I don’t think that is why I write it. Maybe I write it just as much for me to read later on, as I do for you to read it now. I do go back and read my blogs later on, and find so many spelling errors. Sorry if the spelling, and grammar bother you, but they don’t really bother me. As I explained before, if I took the time and detail to edit it, I am afraid one of two things could happen, (1) I would change it too much that it wouldn’t really sound like me anymore, it would be too polished, or (2) I would be common too self-conscious of it and nothing would get posted at all.
I have been keeping this blog for a list less than a year now. And even though I do not know why I do it, or generally where all my random blabbering comes from I do even it and I plan to keep blabbering away on here. I hope the few minutes you take to read it every so often isn’t a total waste of your time.

2nd half: Do two halves make a whole?

It has been awhile since I have posted, a lot has been going on. I started a new job Monday (which is good, but I do not really feel like talking about that.) Instead, I want to do a quick write up about my second half marathon, which I ran this past weekend. I promise I am writing this one more for me to remember it than for you to hear about it, but you are more than welcome to join in my experience of it. Oh and for warning of details, runners will understand.

It was in Warren, PA, starting at Kinzua Beach, going across 59 long bridge, across the dam and down Hemlock Ave. into Warren, right past the refinery and to the YMCA. I love this area, and it was very pretty which was awesome.

Charlie, Brianna and I went up Friday afternoon, after Charlie got off work. We went straight to the dam to see the lake before it got dark, then stopped and got dinner at a little old person restaurant. I promise that we were the only people there that were under 70, other than the people working there.   Nevertheless, it was good; we got a hot meal and a piece of pie for less than $10 apiece. We talked about pie a lot of the way up. Then we went to my friend Lydia’s house where her and family graciously let us stay. Lydia, the awesome cook that she made soft pretzels, for a late night snack. Judith and Nathan came up from Pittsburgh as well for the race. So we spread out throughout the house and went to bed. In the morning, we dressed for the race and ate our “normal breakfasts”. Dressing was the hard part, it was much cooler than we are used to lately but 13.1 miles is far and we knew that we would get hot. So what do you wear? Knowing that my parents were going to be somewhere near the dam I knew that I could leave a layer with them. So I wore shorts, a dri-fit t-shirt and a long sleeve dri-fit t-shirt. Oh and Charlie, Brianna and I wore superhero t-shirts. Charlie was the flash (fitting), Brianna was Capitan American, and I was Superman. HAH

I don’t think I can do a play, play for this one, like I did for our first half, maybe thirds of the race.

Started at the beach:

We bused from the YMCA to the beach. At the beach the bathroom was pretty long line but last chance. So we lined up at the entrance to the beach parking area, and unlike any race I have done in the past they had a “Father” from a local congregation lead a prayer which was really neat, and kinda funny. He prayed that God be with our souls, and the soles of our feet. We high fived Charlie and wished him luck, knowing that we wouldn’t see him again until the end. The race was underway. And not long in at all we were running across 59 long bridge. I remember thinking and saying to Brianna, we drove far for this, appreciate the views. The bridge was one of the best views of the run. Gah I love that place. The steam was rising off the lake. Hitting around mile one we were starting to warm up, long sleeves off and we could tell our bodies were officially much warmer than the air because steam was rising out of our mouths. Around mile two a guy came running up behind us, breathing super heavy, and I was actually somewhat worried that he would not be okay for the rest of the race, he ran by, and had to be at least 55 years old with a pretty large “pot belly”. This portion of the race was all on 59. The first mile didn’t “lie” as we called it, it didn’t hurt, we were warming up nicely. Somewhere in the two-mile mark, I started to worry that I would have to stop for a bathroom break in this run and I really didn’t want to, for two reasons, 1. Slow down our time, not that we are super time conscious and 2. Stopping, once you stop it is so much harder to get started again (probably a mental thing). Somewhere between 3 and 4 miles, I was convinced I would have to stop; I knew there would be a bathroom by the dam, mile 4. DARN! (or should I say CRAP! Lol sorry) Mom and Dad were at the dam, they had the kayaks on the car, so the car was quicker to find than them, so I knew they were close. I yelled Diane, Craig!!! (Too many moms and dads) I had to be more specific. Threw them my shirt, chatted as running by and they told us see you on the other side. I assumed somewhere along Hemlock.

Started across the Dam:

This is a big deal! I have been to Kinzua close to 20 times and have never seen the Dam open to crossing. After 911, they closed it to the public for security reasons, with only opening it for some exceptions. This was one of those times, so it was really neat to run across the dam. You can see really far down the river and part of the way up the lake. It is neat to be at the point that the lake and river met, or separate, however you want to look at it. In addition, I have never been on Hemlock or the other side of the dam, so this part was a new adventure. It is paved, back road. Within the first .5 mile off the dam, it is a decline with some weaving back and forth, which was pretty and got to see the bottom side of the dam. At this point, I could really feel the sun shining on my navy shirt. It felt good, but I actually thought that I might get hot, but I really did not. This is when we noticed that the same two older to middle aged men were behind us for a good 3 miles now, and I heard them talking about pace. So I asked, “what is our pace?” he said right around 10:15. That is pretty good, we ran the last half with an overall pace of 10:59 so with that, we were beating our last time. We did not have the goal to beat our previous time. We actually had the same goal, to run the whole thing.   Why the same goal? Because this time, we had an added challenge, hills. But we were beating it, and now knew that we could beat it, new goal, baring nothing goes wrong. Nearing mile 8 it start to get challenging, the metal game was on. People in front of us were starting to walk, which lets that horrible thought enter one’s head, walking, I could walk. NO! don’t walk! You are not doing this to walk, RUN! Back and forth the mental conversation.   Saw mom and dad again, it is always encouraging to see people, especially ones that are particularly pulling for you! This race was very different, since the last one was through a town. This time there weren’t many people cheering on the sidelines, hardly at all. Running and running, doing alright, no runner’s high just pushing along.

Entering town:

Dang we are getting there. Good there will be a bathroom at the finish line! So town meant we were near but not that near. We still had well over a mile, pace was slowing a bit but we were still under 10:59. We were going to beat it, it was all mental now. Some people started to walk, some people started to speed up and pass us. The two guys behind us passed us. Do not walk. Run! We pasted the refinery. Turn, downhill, turn, straight, turn and roll ankle. Yes last quarter of a mile, I rolled my ankle off a piece of metal or something coming out of the ground. No stopping now. Straight away, sprint! Hardly anyone cheering. Push, go, now is the time! Finished!! 2:15:09! Done! This time was different, no runner’s high. But that is okay, it was a big deal still. Mom and Dad, Charlie, Lydia and Judith were all at the end. Charlie and Judith both finished in less than two hours, and Lydia not much over two hours! Great job everyone!