$2 of Bliss and Other Musings
Its been a whle since I've composed on LuckyTri.
Why? While I am on a quest to complete 2 Ironman triathlons this year it doesn't feel like every day or week of workouts is a noteworthy step toward one monumental event. Which is OK because I think endurance triathlon training has simply become a part of my daily life. To me, its just as important as ever...but doesn't feel like a new adventure each day. So I don't write about it quite as much.
Having said that I have tried to write about some of the more adventuresome training sessions I've had. Most of these involve travel to places away from my daily training grounds of Raleigh, Wake County, Franklin County, etc in the NC triangle area. This weekend I've had a noteworthy adventure!
I am in Atlanta again running and assisting ING in one of the races we sponsor. - the Georgia Marathon and 1/2 Marathon. Race day is tomorrow. I will be doing a 1/2 marathon instead of the full marathon. I'll explain that shortly. Here are some pre-race day highlights.
1) Yesterday I presented on ING's behalf at our ING Run for Something Better luncheon. IRFSB is a program that ING facilitates to encourage children to lead healthy and active lives. Find out more at http://www.orangelaces.com/. The lunch was fantastic and I had a great time as ING's official presenter of sorts. Not only was I on stage awarding many of the outstanding Atlanta Public School Coaches for their support and enthusiasm (over 1500 of their students are participating), but also in attendence were the great Greta Weitz, Kathrine Switzer, and Jeff Galloway. So I was presenting to some greats of endurance sport! Our MC for the luncheon was Brenda Wood, a local news anchor. At one point, after reading aloud my resume of eight marathons and one Ironman, she actually told the crowd that I seemed to be an "elite" athlete with Greta, Kathrine, and Jeff. Hilarious. Oh, and did I mention that I was hanging out with one of our program's local spokespeople, Atlanta Falcons Linebacker Keith Brooking? Great guy who is also committed to kids health issues.
2) The city of Atlanta is reconstructing itself after a tornado ripped through downtown two weeks ago. There are broken windows everywhere and its a boom for glass and construction companies right now. To connect this to the race imagine that the race finishes in Centennial Park right where the tornado passed. Then imagine glass flying all over the area two weeks ago. Then imagine all the runners taking off their shoes to walk in the grass at the finish. Not so good.
3) I am running the 1/2 marathon instead of the full 26.2. I planned and trained to do 26.2. Then I found out that the IRFSB program, which pours over 500 of the kids onto the course for the final mile, begins only 3 hours after the start of the marathon and half marathon. I always run with the kids to help the program -- so I can't miss that! Its too fun and funny to miss - imagine all these middle school students sprinting their way, on the actual race course, for the final mile of their own fitness journey. Three hours time is just not enough for me to run the marathon, grab some food, and get 1/2 mile away to the kids starting area.
4) Finally, $2 of Bliss. I found one of the greatest public pools on the planet today. The Martin Luther King Natatorium (A City of Atlanta Public Pool), which I found through a few minutes of online research, is 2 miles from my hotel. I have no car so I had to walk there and back. Not always through the nicest of neighborhoods. However, while there there I enjoyed a crystal clear, clean pool with 6 open lanes at 9AM on a Saturday. I had my own lane for an hour of swimming for only $2. Awesome. Won't forget that one for a long time!
Well, maybe time for a nap or some food. Need to fuel up the system for a 13.1 cruiser tomorrow.
Below is a (crappy blackberry cam) photo of the window damage on some of the buildings. I took this from my hotel window. The white spots are not lights, they are pieces of wood or plastic covering the missing windows. And yes, it might rain on us today and tomorrow.
Why? While I am on a quest to complete 2 Ironman triathlons this year it doesn't feel like every day or week of workouts is a noteworthy step toward one monumental event. Which is OK because I think endurance triathlon training has simply become a part of my daily life. To me, its just as important as ever...but doesn't feel like a new adventure each day. So I don't write about it quite as much.
Having said that I have tried to write about some of the more adventuresome training sessions I've had. Most of these involve travel to places away from my daily training grounds of Raleigh, Wake County, Franklin County, etc in the NC triangle area. This weekend I've had a noteworthy adventure!
I am in Atlanta again running and assisting ING in one of the races we sponsor. - the Georgia Marathon and 1/2 Marathon. Race day is tomorrow. I will be doing a 1/2 marathon instead of the full marathon. I'll explain that shortly. Here are some pre-race day highlights.
1) Yesterday I presented on ING's behalf at our ING Run for Something Better luncheon. IRFSB is a program that ING facilitates to encourage children to lead healthy and active lives. Find out more at http://www.orangelaces.com/. The lunch was fantastic and I had a great time as ING's official presenter of sorts. Not only was I on stage awarding many of the outstanding Atlanta Public School Coaches for their support and enthusiasm (over 1500 of their students are participating), but also in attendence were the great Greta Weitz, Kathrine Switzer, and Jeff Galloway. So I was presenting to some greats of endurance sport! Our MC for the luncheon was Brenda Wood, a local news anchor. At one point, after reading aloud my resume of eight marathons and one Ironman, she actually told the crowd that I seemed to be an "elite" athlete with Greta, Kathrine, and Jeff. Hilarious. Oh, and did I mention that I was hanging out with one of our program's local spokespeople, Atlanta Falcons Linebacker Keith Brooking? Great guy who is also committed to kids health issues.
2) The city of Atlanta is reconstructing itself after a tornado ripped through downtown two weeks ago. There are broken windows everywhere and its a boom for glass and construction companies right now. To connect this to the race imagine that the race finishes in Centennial Park right where the tornado passed. Then imagine glass flying all over the area two weeks ago. Then imagine all the runners taking off their shoes to walk in the grass at the finish. Not so good.
3) I am running the 1/2 marathon instead of the full 26.2. I planned and trained to do 26.2. Then I found out that the IRFSB program, which pours over 500 of the kids onto the course for the final mile, begins only 3 hours after the start of the marathon and half marathon. I always run with the kids to help the program -- so I can't miss that! Its too fun and funny to miss - imagine all these middle school students sprinting their way, on the actual race course, for the final mile of their own fitness journey. Three hours time is just not enough for me to run the marathon, grab some food, and get 1/2 mile away to the kids starting area.
4) Finally, $2 of Bliss. I found one of the greatest public pools on the planet today. The Martin Luther King Natatorium (A City of Atlanta Public Pool), which I found through a few minutes of online research, is 2 miles from my hotel. I have no car so I had to walk there and back. Not always through the nicest of neighborhoods. However, while there there I enjoyed a crystal clear, clean pool with 6 open lanes at 9AM on a Saturday. I had my own lane for an hour of swimming for only $2. Awesome. Won't forget that one for a long time!
Well, maybe time for a nap or some food. Need to fuel up the system for a 13.1 cruiser tomorrow.
Below is a (crappy blackberry cam) photo of the window damage on some of the buildings. I took this from my hotel window. The white spots are not lights, they are pieces of wood or plastic covering the missing windows. And yes, it might rain on us today and tomorrow.
posted by Lucky at 1:03 PM
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