Summer Bounty

Our garden is a sad sight but my race t-shirt collection is growing wildly. I hope they can sustain us over the winter months! I've toed the line at: Dexter to Ann Arbor 1/2 marathon, The Legend 10 mile trail run (Enter if you dare!), Curwood Festival 10k in Owosso (On my birthday!), Chesaning Showboat River Run, New Lothop Car Show 5k, the Churchill Classic 10k in Cheboygan on a whim because the race I really wanted to run was full, and the Crim.



This weekend was the 33rd running of the Crim where I was able to meet runner extraordinaire Joan Benoit Samuelson and had her sign a slew of items for me including this poster of her at the 1984 Olympics where she won the gold medal in the first ever women's marathon. My heart sped up a little when I saw her, not like when I'm near the finish line but more like when I get super good news. It was really her, in the flesh! Being a "non front of the pack runner" there are rarely opportunities to talk to the greats in our sport. We just know they run fast as we stare in awe of their times and look further down the list to find ours. She was not impressed to meet Mechelle, runner and mother of 4. My feelings aren't hurt, she didn't care about Joel Feick, the channel 12 news reporter, either. Maybe she was tired or sick (although she ran 6 minute miles at the race) or maybe sick and tired of the attention. She is still my hero, bad expo day or not.

She tells me to "Run in good health."

If she only knew the road blocks thrown my way the past two years. I had tears in my eyes as we started the race because it was difficult to believe that I was actually there and running. It would be so easy to quit, to give into the struggles, but I don't. I keep lacing em' up and wearing em' down.


Anne Audain was at the expo too, sharing a booth with Joan. An inspiration to women, runners and those with hurdles to leap over. She was extremely friendly and I wish we would have invited her to eat Chinese with us!

Thanks Joan, you better believe I will "Run on!"