Dunn’s Daily upDates (November)
November 1 - Wednesday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 174 of 200
Location: Central Park, New York, NY
Temperature: 39 / 50
Weather Conditions: Cool, crisp, sunny, little wind.....nice.
Running Time: 5:41
Road Finds: a single nickel
Comments: Here it is 5:23 PM, that nap interrupted my clear cut memory of today's run, but ya know what.....I needed it.
My main concern today is: "how am I going to get from New York, NY to Providence, RI? Train, bus, rental car....run? I would consider running if I didn't have to tote all that PowerGel, and Endurox R4, and 5 pair of running shoes. Oh well, I'll figure it out.
There IS a lot of pre-marathon activity going on in the park.....snow fencing, tents, finish line tower, re-painting of finish line logos...you know, "stuff". At least it's something to observe as make my way around the loop.
***
November 2 - Thursday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 175 of 200
Location: New York, New York
Temperature: 44 / 54
Weather Conditions: Who could ask for anything mobetterah.
Running Time: 4:58
Road Finds: No money, but I found a little speed out there today.
Comments: I haven't been under 5 in a while. Maybe it was because I had a deadline to meet; maybe it's because I went to bed at 7:30 last night; maybe it's just because.....but I felt good the whole morning for a change. The last lap was almost as much fun as the first.
Speaking of the first lap, I ran a portion of it with Rob, from Tampa, who works for Nike. His story was that for 13 years in a row, he ran at least 100 miles a month. Not any earth shaking accomplishment, but the consistency was quite an achievement.
I plan to "hook up" with him when I arrive in Tampa, and he'll probably do a few miles with me.
I also made finally made contact with Johnny Betz. He is the person ultimately responsible for all this marathoning madness. Johnny is the man who encouraged, cajoled, pestered, hounded me until I consented to run with him and his lifeguards at the Sarasota County beaches, oh those 25 long years ago. I'm hoping he can come to Tampa and be part of my finale. Today was his 50th birthday, so I was excited that I somehow picked today to call him. It's been at least 20 years since we last spoke, and I had no idea that today was the big FIVE OHH for him.
And to round out the roster of reunion calls made today, I also connected with Dave Spurlin, in Indianapolis, and it's been almost as long since I've spoken to him as it's been with Johnny.
So one could assume that with all this "phone time" today, I would have run slower than usual, but actually, talking on the phone with these old friends, was much like talking to someone running along beside me. And you know how often times while having a stimulating conversation with a running partner, you suddenly find yourself running faster.....that's just what happened today with Rob and Johnny and Dave.
So all in all, I'm having an excellent day....hope you are too.
FYI: I was just informed by my PR people that NBC wants to give me a little "live" airtime on race morning. Probably between 7 and 8 AM, EST. So if you're up early on Sunday, tune in to NBC, who knows, I may be on.
***
November 3 - Friday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 176 of 200
Location: Central Park, New York, NY
Temperature: 44 / 52
Weather Conditions: GOOD.
Running Time: 5:25
Road Finds: 1 cent.
Comments: I got a late start today because of a TV commitment at 7:05. The psychological impact of breaking my routine was not devastating, but certainly unpleasant. When I finished the first loop of the park, and passed the digital clock that I use for checking the temp and also my time for each lap, it was 8:35. Normally at 8:35 I have finished 2 ½ loops...and to have only finished 1, was quite discouraging. Mostly just knowing that instead of finishing at about 11, it will be almost 1 in the afternoon before I’m done. “Not a big deal” you may be saying, but it kind of screws up my whole day. So why would I do it? To please my sponsors! You know, the ones paying the bills.
But that’s not the end of the story. I was scheduled to do a radio show at 4:15 that lasted until 5:00. Then, at 6 PM I was scheduled to work at the Endurox booth at the expo, until 8 PM. A very long day to say the least. And as long as I’m whining, (which I haven’t done much this year), all that activity has some bearing on Saturday’s run.
I did have a good time at the expo though.
***
November 4 - Saturday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 177 of 200
Location: Central Park, New York, NY
Temperature: 45 / 61
Weather Conditions: Beautiful
Running Time: 5:15
Road Finds: nada.
Comments: My peaceful park was invaded today - well not exactly invaded, but 100’s of the international marathon entrants were “jogging” in the park. AND, the United Nations International Friendship Run was held on Saturday morning, and there were about 10,000 runners in that event. As had been happening all week, a lot of these runners looked at my race number, and obviously wondered “what’s goin’ on with that guy?”
Again today I was scheduled to work at the expo from 2:30 ‘til 5, and then I had a dinner engagement at 5:30. I got back to my apartment at about 8 PM, and went directly to bed.
I discovered a couple of days ago that there was a street vendor located just outside the Tavern on the Green, so I’ve been stopping briefly between laps 3 and 4 to get myself a bagel or a chocolate chip cookie...wish I’d seen it sooner.
That’s it for today...Jerry.
***
November 5 - Sunday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 178 of 200
Location: New York, New York
Temperature: 43 /47
Weather Conditions: WINDY, and cool to cold.
Running Time: 4:43
Comments: Thoughts from New York, beginning with Race Day...the 31st running of the NYC Marathon. (Not MY 31st running, but the race’s 31st birthday). The morning began with my usual 4:44 wake up call which was required in order to be ready for a 5:30 departure to the staging area. The weather prognostication had been correct, it WAS windy, and chilly and as I stood on the steps of my apartment building I decided I had better dash back upstairs and get a light jacket to add to my 3 long-sleeved shirts, winter tights, stocking cap and mittens. (I have a tendency to over dress in cold weather, but I seldom regret it.)
I had the driver stop at the first 24 hour deli so I could get my first jolt of Java for the morning, and then we proceeded to Staten Island. As we left the toll booth on the south side of the Verrazano bridge, I spotted the entrance to the staging area and asked the driver to stop. He said: “I can’t stop here”.
I said, “but this is where I need to get out.”
His reply was that he would pull over and ask one of the policemen. So as soon as he had stopped the car, I offered him my thanks, and jumped out... just as I was hearing he officer say: “you can’t stop here”.
It’s now 6:10 AM and the start is not until 10:50... over 4 ½ hours to manage. First I phone Ted from NBC TV, find out where his crew is set up, and go make myself known to them. His request is that I be back to their broadcast site at 7, in order to go “on air” at 7:10.
Next I phone Lindsey, from Alan/Taylor, and find that she is just getting out of her car and is entering the staging area. We make our connection and go in search of the crew from ABC, who also wanted to do a short pre-race interview. Steve suggests that I be with him at 7:12, in order to go on at 7:15, right after his weather report. Fortunately the 2 crews are set up about 40 yards from each other and both interviews go well.
Now it’s 7:20, and I still have 3 ½ hours before start time. I have gravitated to the medical tent, done a little “schmoozing”, and decide to hang out there for a while it’s warm.
About 9 o’clock I head over to the PowerBar tent where I said I would meet Kevin Manley, Marc Hayes, Jeff from the WSJ, and Chris Anderson. Given the fact that by now about ½ of the 30,000 entrants have gathered in Red staging area where I am, I made connections with none of my friends. However, Chris had is phone with him, and he called me to find out where I was located, and we did get together. Chris was with his sister Cindy, and she was here to do her first marathon. So during the next hour we completed all the obligatory ablutions required before a marathon, and then made our way out onto bridge for the start of the race...race being a relative term of course.
In all my previous NYC marathons I had been on the lower level of the Verrazano bridge, but this year I was on the top, out in the open. The windy conditions that I noted earlier became a challenge as this mobile mass of humanity made it’s way across. The strong winds were coming out of the west, which meant that a bit of a lean to the left lent itself to a more upright position as we ran. And not at all infrequently did I see a trash bag go sailing off the east side of the bridge - soaring and then diving to the rhythm of the gusts. One of the things about the NYC marathon that makes it unique, is the start. If you are on the upper level of the bridge, the panoramic view in either direction is nothing but AWESOME. If you are on the lower level, the view is about the same, BUT, there’s always that eerie sense that there are about 4 or 5 thousand pairs of running shoes, connected to bodies, pounding the pavement just a few feet above you. Weird.
Just after coming off the bridge, I looked over to my left, and there was Dave McGilivray, director of the Boston Marathon. Due to meetings, Dave and I had been unable to connect for a short run in the park on Saturday. So given the fact that somehow we had been “placed” beside each other in this crowd of 30,000, we determined that our meeting was destined to happen.
Dave is a former 2:25 marathoner, so even at his advanced age of 46, he’s still way out of my league. The fortunate thing for me however, was that Dave had not come to new York with the intention of running the marathon, and had therefore not been training. So a relaxed, very relaxed, 9:30 pace was comfortable for him, and not out of range for me. We ran and talked all the way to mile 10, at which point I decided to “let him go”. Had I had more than one rest day between New York and Rhode Island, I may have hung with him a bit longer, but I haven’t acquired all this gray hair without learning a few things in the process.
I slowed considerably and waited for Chris and Cindy to ”reel me in.” We played “leap frog” for the rest of the day, and eventually crossed the line in front of the Tavern on the Green together...under the 5 hour mark, and we were all pleased with our effort.
The finish line experience was unique for this year in that I was awash with emotion as I approached the end. Memories of 1993; memories of my father; memories of my friend Diane who died earlier this year; memories of my childhood; and reflections of this entire year, all jumped right up off the road and into my face. I sobbed. I smiled. I thanked God. It was grand.
***
November 7 - Tuesday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 179 of 200
Location: Rhode Island....Warwick to Providence, and variations thereof.
Temperature: 43 /47
Weather Conditions: The weather gods are still with me...
Running Time: 5:09
Road Finds: 2 cents.
Comments: This is another point to point course which always creates logistical challenges. And unlike Boston, where I had a driver to take me to the start line, and a limo to drive me back to my "digs" when I finished, I'm on my own here. My first plan was to drive to Warwick to the start line, run to the finish line in Providence, and then tomorrow I would have run from Providence to Warwick and pick up my car. But, due to financial constraints, I could not afford to stay close enough to the finish line, so I had to abandon that idea. Next idea....drive from my hotel to the finish line and run out to the 1/2 marathon mark and then back to the finish. However, since the map I have is difficult to read, it appeared to be too hard to determine the street names in the last mile in downtown Providence. So, as I headed out this morning, I made the spontaneous decision to drive to the 1/2 marathon mark and run to the finish line and back. This worked out pretty well. Tomorrow I will run from the 1/2 way mark to the start line and back. So much for the boring logistical details.
Mile 13 to 16 are in Pawtuckett, which is a harbor community....very typically New England. 16 through 18 is a combination of residential and industrial landscape. 19, 20 and 21 took me over the river, through another residential neighborhood, and down along the river. This section is very scenic. Miles 21 and 22 are on Blackstone Blvd., which has a wide median separating the lanes of traffic, and in this median is an unpaved running/walking path. 23 is a nice downhill to North Main St. 24 and 25 are on North Main, and this is a commercial area, with a large cemetery on the east side of the course. The last mile is a short tour of downtown proper, including the harbor and Kennedy Plaza which is the finish line.
As I compared this 1st day to the other 1st days this year, I realized how much more relaxed and confident I was today. All in all today was a great start to the 3rd from the last venue of this incredible year.
I'm entering the home stretch, and I feel good about that.
Later
***
November 8 - Wednesday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 180 of 200
Location: Providence, RI
Temperature: 46 / 55
Weather Conditions: Cool and cloudy.
Running Time: 5:10
Road Finds: zero.
Comments: Today's run was relaxed and actually enjoyable.
I ran a circuit of the "back" 13 again today. I'm now familiar the course; the cool weather is comfortable; and I AM getting close to the finish line.
More tomorrow.
***
November 9 - Thursday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 181 of 200
Location: Providence, RI
Temperature: 41 / 50
Weather Conditions: Cloudy, chilly and foggy until about 8 AM.
Running Time: 5:22
Road Finds: 6 cents...all pennines.
Comments: I ran the front 13 today. (From the mid point to the start line and back). This was like running a new course. Well not LIKE running a new course, it WAS running a new course.
I like the back 13 better, but having somewhere new to run today was the motivation I needed to get me going.
I missed a turn on my way back and wasted about 10 minutes getting back on track.
I was interviewed and photographed by the local newspaper, and the article will appear tomorrow. And speaking of "appearing tomorrow," Elaine arrives at 7 PM. It seems like a very long time since we've been together, and I'm looking forward to our reunion. Then on Saturday, Erin, Elaine's daughter, and my buddies Chris and Gere are all coming down from Boston to spend the day.
We WILL have a good weekend. Time for a nap.
***
November 10 - Friday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 182 of 200
Location: Providence, RI
Temperature: 47 / 52
Weather Conditions: Less than ideal....but a nice change of pace.
Running Time: 5:08
Road Finds: 30 cents......and only 2 coins.
Comments: When I first looked out my window this morning I could see that the streets were shining in the reflection of the street lights, but it wasn't raining. But by the time I was ready to leave the hotel it had begun to sprinkle. Upon arriving at the start line, it was raining with some intensity. As I sat there punching holes in my trash bag, and adjusting my Dunkin' Donut bags over my gloves, the phone rang. Chris Anderson, calling from Boston. Chris and I had just run New York together last Sunday, and he was just thinking of me so he gave me a call. Chris usually corresponds with me through email, so it was rather unusual for him to call in the first place, but to call me just when I needed a little external motivation, proved to me yet again, that I must be "wired" into the right program, and doin' the right thing.
Anyway, I stepped out into the rain and began day 182. Over the next 5 hours and 8 minutes "sky shower" was turned off and on about 5 times. The last time, when I was at mile 24, it was turned up to "wide open". Man was I glad to get back to my car.
Home to a hot shower, a hot meal and soft seat.
I had few motorists honk and wave at me this morning.....I guess that had read the paper before they headed off to work. The article was excellent, and it included not 1, but 2 photos.
Now I'm just biding my time until 5:30, when I can go to the airport and retrieve my bride. (I wish the weather were better here, but at least it's about 50 degrees warmer here, even if it is raining..
***
November 11 - Saturday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 183 of 200
Location: Providence, RI
Temperature: 44 / 51
Weather Conditions: cloudy, cool with patches of rain.
Running Time: 5:01
Road Finds: nothing.
Comments: I made a mistake when I set my alarm last night, so instead of getting up at 4:58, we got up at 5:58. Erin arrived from Boston shortly after we awoke, and after a hurry-up-to-get-ready-revely, we were at the start line at 7:30....and this included a stop at Dunkin Donuts for coffee and food.
Elaine ran the 1st five miles with me, and we had a good time just being together. At five miles I sent them ahead to mile 14 to have their second cup of coffee and wait for me. At about 12 miles my phone rang, and it was Gere and Chris calling to tell me that they had in fact decided to drive down from Boston, and they were near the starting line at RICC.
I directed them to the deli where Elaine and Erin were waiting, and at about 10:15 we had a reunion out in the streets of Pawtucket Village.
Chris accompanied me from 14 to the finish line. Erin and Elaine were in one car, and Gere followed them. Everything went well until the last 1/2 mile when I gave them some bad directions and they ended up out on Interstate 95 instead of at Kennedy Plaza. Fortunately I had my phone with me, and so did Erin.....we got it worked out and met for lunch.
Packet pick up lasted about 10 minutes....not much of an expo, i.e. no shopping for Elaine.
Tomorrow will be about like today, in many ways.....the weather, my running time and of course the distance.
More news later.
***
November 12 - Sunday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 184 of 200
Location: Providence, RI
Temperature: 49 / 57
Weather Conditions: A beautiful day.....for anything.
Running Time: 5: 54
Road Finds: 7 cents. A barely recognizable nickel, and 2 pennies. All found in the 24th mile.
Comments: Race morning started with a trip to Dunkin’ Donuts for coffee and sugary pastries, while Elaine and Erin did the “girl” thing in the bathroom. (Waiting for one woman to get ready to run is a testament to my patience, but 2 women is an exam that I would surely fail.) When I returned with the goodies, they were both dressed and ready. Elaine ready to run, and Erin ready to “crew” and to spectate.
The race began at the field house parking lot of Rhode Island Community College. The temp was a pleasant 53 degrees, and the sun was climbing above the clouds where it remained for the duration of our running day. Elaine and I were both overdressed, so we were happy to see Erin at 1.5 miles so we could shed one layer of clothing.
It seemed as though the majority of the field ran off and left us. By about mile 6 or 7 we began to feel the “back of the pack” sensation. This is not all bad, considering that we do most of our running alone anyway. Elaine was having an “off” day, and on more than one occasion offered me the option of going ahead and running my own pace. But as I may have mentioned before, we vowed years ago to finish together in any race in which we are both official entrants. Besides, we have a lot to catch up on since I’m away from her so much. Erin was everywhere we needed her to be, and made our day very pleasant and easy.
The press coverage I had received earlier in the week must have been read by the majority of the spectators because shouts of, “Hey, aren’t you the Marathon Man!”, and “alright, it’s the Marathon Man, how many is this?” seemed to occur every couple of miles. (It’s still fun to be recognized and acknowledged.)
We finished the race in just under 6 hours. And apparently the course was officially closed at 5 or 5 and a half hours, because when we reached mile 23, and made a pit stop at the Shell station, the cone retrieval crew went by us, and from there on we were running on a “open” course. But given that 90% of my days are on “open” courses, we had no problems with the traffic.
There was a young man named Nathan, who was a volunteer worker at the finish line, and he did something that no one else has done this year... he asked if he could have my race number. And given my propensity for asking people for things I want and/or need, I admired his directness and courage. So of course I gave him my official race number, but not before finding someone in the crowd with a pen so I could autograph Nathan’s souvenir. (Who knows, I may yet become famous, and Nathan’s autographed race # and 5 dollars will get him a cup of coffee.)
After a shower and a short rest we went to a nice little Japanese restaurant for our victory dinner. Then went back to the hotel dining room for dessert and coffee. Erin wished her Mother “Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas” and headed back to Boston; Elaine and I retired to our room to do the Sunday crossword and get some well deserved sleep.
184 down... 16 to go.
***
November 14 - Tuesday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 185 of 200
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Temperature: 50
Weather Conditions: Today sucked.
Running Time: 5:37
Road Finds: The only good part of today's run.....27 cents. 2 dimes and 7 pennies.
Comments: In the fall of 1992 as I was preparing to attempt my last year long project which I called 93 IN '93, I spoke with a man who had just completed running across the U.S., and his advice to me was this: "be flexible, and maintain a sense of humor." Well today, I had to remind myself of that advice more than once.
Flexibility was the word of the day today. I awoke with that feeling of "I feel too refreshed, I must have over slept." And sure enough, when I looked at my alarm clock it was 5:08, not 4:45. So instead of taking my time getting ready as I usually do, I dressed in hurry, skipped my bowl of cereal, and dashed down the hill to the Conshohocken train stop. My host had answered "yes" last evening when I asked if the trains ran all night, so I assumed that I would only have a few minutes to wait for train to downtown Philly. It was 5:36 when I arrived at the stop and checked the schedule that was posted on a board under the canopy. First train of the morning.....6:06. Not enough time to go back for the cereal, so I bought a newspaper and strained my eyes to read about the latest election news.
One of the thoughts that went through my mind was that I needed to rent a car for the remainder of my stay, so that I could avoid this situation during the rest of my stay.
The train arrived on time. I paid my $7.50 for a round trip ticket, and settled in with the rest of the morning commuters.....none of whom by the way looked as though they were headed in to town to run a marathon. (Being the only person out in public wearing running tights, a shirt emblazoned with 6 logo patches, a baseball cap with yet another logo in the front, a fleece hood, and carrying two water bottles and a fanny pack, has long ago ceased to embarrass me.) Armed with a rather incomplete map of the course, I made my way from the underground station up to the busy streets of Philadelphia. Between the station and Ben Franklin Blvd., I found coffee and a restroom, both of which are mandatory pre-run necessities. I had some memories of the course from last year's Philadelphia Marathon, so I began running down/up BFB and soon saw PM 3 painted in the street. I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that I had in fact found the course. I looked at my watch and noted that I had only been running for 8 and 1/2 minutes which meant I had jumped on the course at about 2.2 miles. this was OK though, because the course is a "loop" course, the start and finish in the exact same spot, so all I would have to do at the end of the day would be to run past the finish line and continue to the point at which I had started. I settled in to enjoy the morning run. (all of the morning.)
At mile 5 it began to rain. I made the assumption that it wouldn't last long, and chose not to stop anywhere and get a trash bag for protection. By about mile 9, when I realized my assumption was a "bad call," it was too late.....I was soaked. the rain had also wreaked havoc on my map. It was still readable, but I wasn't sure how long that would last.
the part of the map that was unclear was the couple of mile that runs through Fairmont Park. Rather than wander around in the rain, looking for the course, I took an out of the way detour to a park security office and asked the advice of one of the officers.....(a brief respite from the rain). After about 10 minutes of consultation, we determined the correct route, and I was on my way. A few minutes later, when I saw PM 12 painted on the road, I once again breathed a visible sigh of relief. From that point on I was sure of the course, so was able to lay that anxiety to rest.
I was supposed to receive a call from NBC, Channel 13, at 9 AM, and at 9:25 when it hadn't come in, I called the station and got an answering machine. I left my number on the pager, and waited for a return call. I did that again on 2 more occasions, and at 9:45 I got a call from Joe, and he wanted to know my location.....they were going to come out and find me. At 10:20 he called again and said they were still looking for me. At about 10:40 we connected. I don't mind accommodating the media.....it's my job....but on a day like today, I was a little less enthusiastic about doing "retakes" of B roll shots, and standing in the rain doing "stand up" interviews. They hung with me for about a half an hour, by which time I had reached the 20 mile mark, and was headed back up the river to the finish....remembering that when I got to the finish, I still had 2 miles to run. (And as you runners are I'm sure aware, there's something really tough about not being finished when you get to the finish line).
The intensity of the rain increased in converse proportion to my ability to increase my intensity to finish. But finish I did.
I grabbed a hot dog from the 1st street vendor I saw, and made my way back to the underground world of commuter trains. I had just missed the 12:25 back to Conshohocken, and the next train didn't leave until 1:25.....damn! So of course I'm still clad in my "stand-out-in-any-crowd-except-a-field-of-marathon-runners attire, but now I'm dripping wet, and shaking. With almost an hour to kill, I find a Dunkin' Donuts establishment; buy bagel with cream cheese and a cup of HOT coffee; a USA TODAY and find an inconspicuous bench on which to masticate, shiver and read......for almost an hour.
FINALLY, I arrive back at my new digs. (One final insult to my day's rather harrowing experience....my walk from the train stop to my apartment is 3 blocks....straight up. And then, my room is on the 3rd floor. "remain flexible, and maintain a sense of humor." Sometimes easier said than Dunn.)
A HOT shower has never felt so good!
Tomorrow is another day. Another day closer to my goal. Another day to be thankful that I'm still alive and well. Another day to smile and say "good morning".
***
November 15 - Wednesday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 186 of 200
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Temperature: 36 / 40
Weather Conditions: COLD, and very windy......but, SUNSHINE.
Running Time: 5:08
Road Finds: 18 CENTS.
Comments: This being the second day here in Philly, things went a lot smoother. Started at 7am...this time intentionally. Knowing that I wanted to make the 12:25 train, instead of the 1:25 train, I ran with a little more motivation. The sunshine was a real boost to my morale. Things went well..
***
November 16 - Thursday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 187 of 200
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Temperature: 38 / 42
Weather Conditions: Another cold and dreary day.
Running Time: 5:17
Road Finds: 44 cents. A good day for the Penny Angels.
Comments: Just another day at the office. I did stop to help a stranded motorist by allowing him to use my Sprint digital to call for help. I'm also half way through my stay in Philly.
Later - Jerry
***
November 17 - Friday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 188 of 200
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Temperature: 46 / 53
Weather Conditions: Brrrfect. Cool and sunny.
Running Time: 5:04
Road Finds: a record day.....92 cents. 3 quarters, 1 nickel and 13 pennies. (good for the hamstrings).
Comments: The hardest part of today is over.....I had to pack my bags, carry them down 3 flights of stairs at Jeff's apartment, then walk 4 blocks with all the same luggage I had just schlepped downstairs. After descending 4 flights of steps from the street down to the train platform, and hoisting my luggage onto the train, I finally arrived at the Suburban Square Station in downtown Philly. 3 flights of steps UP to street level, and then 4 more blocks to walk to the hotel.....I'm now sitting at the desk in my hotel room....Phew! (This project isn't just about running and being on TV).
Today's run went well. I'm looking forward to Elaine's arrival later, (much later) tonight.
Our hotel is at the 6.5 mile mark on the course, and since it is a loop course, I will begin tomorrow's run right in front of the hotel, and run back to the hotel, thus completing the 26.2 in a convenient way.
I'll really be glad to get this city out of the way. I've basically been on the road since the first of October, and I'm ready for the peace and quiet of Spearfish.
More tomorrow - Jerry
***
November 18 - Saturday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 189 of 200
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Temperature: 32 /39
Weather Conditions: Cold, sunny and only slightly windy.
Running Time: 5:13
Road Finds: 7 pennies.
Comments: I started at 6 AM, and after having started at 7 the previous 4 days, a return to my normal routine was good. It was also nice to just step out my front door and be on the course, instead of having to ride the train for 30 minutes.
My old friend Barry Lewis came out to take some photos which he will use to pitch a story to Marathon & Beyond, and maybe to Runner's World or Running Times.
While I was out running, Elaine took a stroll down the street to Independence Hall, and just happened on a tour of the building. She's full of new information, and is excited about her morning. (Wish I could say the same. Just kidding).
I'm looking forward to the marathon tomorrow for 2 reasons: (1) I get to go HOME right after the race. Yes, home, like in my own bed, my old pick up truck, my yard, and all that formerly familiar stuff. And (2) all during the race tomorrow I can say, "I don't have to run tomorrow." I just love hearing those words.
***
November 19 - Sunday
200 IN 2000 Day Number: 190 of 200
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Temperature: 33 / 40
Weather Conditions: The sun never got out from behind the clouds, and it was a relatively cold day. (relative to Florida).
Running Time: 5:44
Road Finds: found 96 cents, but I only retrieved 73 of it. I spotted a dime and 3 pennies about a 1/4 mile past the start line, but discretion is the better part of not getting kicked, trampled and yelled at.
Comments: I got to sleep extra 2 hours this morning, and the surprising thing is that I was able to do it. I think it was because Elaine and I had been pretty active on Saturday afternoon, and had stayed up a bit later than usual on Saturday night.
Barry and his friends picked us up at 7:30, and had us to the line by 7:50. (As we walked to the start are we stopped in a Catholic church to us the restroom, and one of the sisters pointed us to the back of the sanctuary, to an alcove/office/dressing room, with a sign that read.....neccisarium.....it was for us.
Last Sunday it seemed that the field just took off and left us behind, but here in Philly we had company all the way. (Our number of running companions did dwindle considerably in the last 6 miles.) But we "hung tough" and completed our 36 marathon together since we were married almost 6 years ago.
I made an early stop at mile 3.5 at McDonalds for a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit and coffee. Then at 15 we found an aid station with left over donuts.....we each had one. At mile 20.4 I stopped briefly to get a bagel and cream cheese and more coffee. (I really had a tough time running fast enough to catch up with Elaine while carrying my 2 water bottles, plus a cup of coffee and bagel. (I stuffed the bagel in my pocket).
We finished "stridin' out". Not fast, but still in good form, and running proud.
Finally fell into my own bed...with my wife....at 12:30 AM. And damned happy to be there.
A week at home, ant then off the finale of 200 IN 2000.
Later...Jerry
***
Home | 200 IN 2000 | Dunn’s Updates | Personal Info
Achievements | Media Resume | Sponsors | Gallery | Guestbook | Links
Dunn For Hire
To contact Jerry Dunn:
leanhorse@rushmore.com
(605)642-2382
Designed & Maintained by ScenicView Web Company ©2006
