“THREE THINGS IN LIFE ARE IMPORTANT:
THE FIRST IS TO BE KIND;
THE SECOND IS TO BE KIND;
THE THIRD IS TO BE KIND.”
-HENRY JAMES
THIS GREAT TRIP TO THE NORTHEAST FOR A FANTASTIC FALL WEEKEND OF RUNNING HAD AN OVERWHELMING THEME RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE, IT WAS KINDNESS FROM DOOR TO DOOR.
FIRST, MARY AT THE TAMPA AIRPORT GRACIOUSLY REROUTED MY TRAVEL TO RHODE ISLAND VIA CHICAGO INSTEAD OF NEWARK (WEATHER) TO AVOID A NIGHT ON THE FLOOR AT THE LESS THAN LOVELY NEWARK AIRPORT. THANK YOU MARY, SHE MULTI TASKED, POUNDED THAT KEYBOARD AND I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO PROVIDENCE AS SCHEDULED.
FIRST, MARY AT THE TAMPA AIRPORT GRACIOUSLY REROUTED MY TRAVEL TO RHODE ISLAND VIA CHICAGO INSTEAD OF NEWARK (WEATHER) TO AVOID A NIGHT ON THE FLOOR AT THE LESS THAN LOVELY NEWARK AIRPORT. THANK YOU MARY, SHE MULTI TASKED, POUNDED THAT KEYBOARD AND I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO PROVIDENCE AS SCHEDULED.
UPON ARRIVAL AT THE THURSDAY HOTEL, THE EXPERIMENT WITH SOME NOT QUITE 100% FOLKS WAS NOT WORKING AND IT TOOK 4 TRIPS TO THE LOBBY TO GET A FUNCTIONAL KEY. THE NEXT MORNING AFTER AN IMPROMPTU CHAT WITH MANAGER JAY, I GOT COMPED FOR THE NIGHT. YAY HAMPTON WARWICK.
NAN AND JAY
AFTER A LOVELY DRIVE TO HARTFORD CT ENJOYING THE PERFECT COLORS (SEE ABOVE)
I GOT A SUPER EARLY CHECK IN AT HARTFORD.
THANK YOU LADIES (HAMPTON)…. AND THEY ARE NOT PAYING ME)
THE STATE CAPITOL IN HARTFORD IS STUNNING.
THEY HAD A CONSTITUTION IN 1639 THAT THE USA FOUNDERS COPIED 140 YRS LATER.
THEY HAD A CONSTITUTION IN 1639 THAT THE USA FOUNDERS COPIED 140 YRS LATER.
THE CONSTITUTION GOT HIDDEN IN A BIG OAK TREE TO SAVE IT DURING AN EARLY CONFLICT, AND THE CARVING IS FROM THAT TREE.
SO APPARENTLY THERE WAS A GROUP OF FOUNDERS BEFORE THE 1776 FELLOWS THAT HAD SOME GREAT GOVERNMENT GOING ON IN CT.
THERE WAS ALSO A COT DISPLAYED FROM THAT DAY THAT BELONGED TO GENERAL LAFAYETTE. IT WAS 2 CANVAS STRIPS LASHED TOGETHER WITH A LEATHER STRING. THE STRING WAS TIGHTENED TO MAKE A COMFY BED, HENCE THE EXPRESSION: SLEEP TIGHT.
THE REUNION OF THE 50 STATERS FEATURED LOTS OF FOLKS GETTING THEIR 50 STATE FINISH AWARD.
HERE IS DENIS MCCARTHY GETTING HIS ROUND 2…. AND HE DID 30 STATES IN ONE YEAR.
IMPRESSIVE
STEVE AND PAULA BOONE AND THE SOCK MONKEY KEEP THE 50 STATE CLUB RUNNING AND THEY ARE
SO APPRECIATED
SO APPRECIATED
DAVE BELL DOES A GREAT JOB RUNNING THE CLUB, KEEPING TABS ON ALL THE FOLKS AND IS AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FACTS, GEOGRAPHY AND EVERYTHING RELATED TO MARATHONS. THE ONLY TIME I EVER SAW HIM CRABBY WAS WHEN HE WANTED TO TOSS SOME COOKIES AFTER THE RACE IN COLORADO SPRINGS. HE RAN THE 50 STATES BOOTH FOR 2 DAYS IN HARTFORD AND RAN 2 GREAT RACES AND KEEPS THE PARTY GOING.
I BELIEVE THIS GAL WAS ABOUT TO FINISH HER STATES.
OH YES THE SOCIAL CHAIR OF THE 50 STATES THAT WOULD BE DENIS THE IRISHMAN FROM ST LOUIS. WE MET IN JULY IN MT AT MILE 23 , RAN IN COLORADO AND HAD MORE MILES IN CT AND RI.
BEFORE DAY 2
AFTER DAY 2 WITH A HAPPY FIRST TIMER FROM CHINA !
THE ROUTE IN HARTFORD WAS GLORIOUS, THERE WAS A BIG FIELD AND THE RACE WAS VERY WELL PUT TOGETHER.
THE FINISH LINE -POSED ON FRIDAY
THE GANG SATURDAY MORNING
I RAN WITH MARSHA WHO DROVE FROM TEXAS, WE MET IN MISSISSIPPI AND VARIOUS OTHER STATES. WE WERE YAKKING UP A STORM AND SOMEHOW GOT AHEAD OF THE 5 HR PACE -WHOA NELLIE, PULL BACK THOSE REINS
MARSHA FROM DALLAS
AND YES THOSE ARE PEOPLE ON OLD FASHIONED BIKES
AND AN OLD TOBACCO BARN. THE SLATS ROTATE TO LET AIR IN.
THESE ARE REALLY OLD.
THE GLORY MILES
FINISH AT HARTFORD
THIS GAL DOES MARATHON WEEKEND DOUBLES WITH HER PAL AS A GIRL’S GETAWAY WEEKEND. HER FATHER IS A REAL HATFIELD FROM THE MCCOYS. YES WE ARE GOING TO THAT MARATHON IN JUNE- YE HAW.
AN APPALACHIAN WEEKEND IS ON THE CALENDAR.
THE LAST 100 YDS OF HARTFORD I WAS SO HAPPY TO BE RUNNING A BIT FASTER AND REALIZED IN A BIG WAY THAT COMPLETION OF THE STATES IS GETTING VERY CLOSE. I WAS A LITTLE WEEPY.
AFTER A GRILLED CHEESE, TOMATO SOUP- OH IT HIT THE SPOT- AND A LOST PHONE THAT WAS QUICKLY FOUND, DENIS AND I HEADED OFF ON SOME LOVELY BACK ROADS TO NEWPORT RHODE ISLAND. PACKET PICK UP NUMBER 2, CHECK.
HERE IS THE OCEAN AT NEWPORT. THE WAVES HAD A PURPLE HUE, A LOCAL SAID IT WAS THE SEAWEED.
AFTER MEETING KATE THE CELEBRITY FROM THE T REX BLOG AT A GREAT DINNER, IT WAS TIME TO PIN ON ANOTHER NUMBER AND REST UP TO DO IT AGAIN.
HERE IS THE GANG SUNDAY MORNING READY TO RUN AGAIN
CHERYL B FROM IL, WE RAN THE STRIP IN VEGAS AT NIGHT IN 2011 , THE BELLAGIO PUT ON A SHOW JUST FOR US
WE SAW ELVIS, AND KEPT RUNNING.
THE ROUTE WAS STUNNING, ALONG THE OCEAN WITH SOME HUGE OLD MANSIONS AND A BEAUTIFUL-COLLEGE- SALVE REGINA, JUST LIKE THE WHOOPI GOLDBERG SONG
TROY AND CATHY (71 YRS YOUNG) FROM RED BOIL TN AND DAGMAR FROM COLORADO SPRINGS
BILL O FROM BRADENTON RUNNING CLUB OF ALL PLACES !
A COTTAGE
PASS THE PEPTO BISMAL
I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO FINISH WITH THE MOST MARATHONS WORLD RECORD HOLDER LARRY MACON. WHAT A THRILL. NO PICS OF LARRY HE SPRINTED ALL THE WAY TO THE AIRPORT FOR AN EARLY FLIGHT.
JUST 5 TO GO. OH YES
45TH STATE=CHECK.
NEXT STOP IS PLYMOUTH ROCK MASS. THE MILES STANDISH MARATHON-IN NOVEMBER
****public apology- this is wrong. i forgot about maryland. so sorry terrapins.
this was 44, 6 to go. how ambarassing.
THE ONE UNIVERSAL IN MY LITTLE ATHLETIC WORLD IS ….THE SHOWER IS ALWAYS THE BEST PART, AND THANKS TO MIKE AT THE YMCA OUR STINKY CLAN HAD A GREAT CLEAN UP BEFORE HEADING OFF TO THE AIRPORT.
MIKE
ONE OF THE MYSTERIES OF THE NORTHEAST TO ME IS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FOLKS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR 400 YRS IT IS STILL VERY RURAL -THERE IS GREEN SPACE, FOREST AND ROOM TO BREATHE. SO REMARKABLE AND PASTORAL. CHICAGO PLEASE TAKE NOTES.
A SHOUT OUT OF THANKS FOR THE KINDNESS OF THOSE THAT GIVE US THE TIME OFF TO GO OUT AND RUN, THOSE THAT HELP US GET THERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE BLIPS, FOR A CLEAN QUIET PLACE TO SLEEP, AND SOME GOOD FOOD TO KEEP GOING. THE SAINTS THAT HOST A MARATHON OR TWO EVERY WEEKEND OF THE YEAR IN SOME PLACE ON THE MAP YOUR PLACE IN HEAVEN IS A LITTLE BIGGER.
WHEN I STARTED CHECKING OFF MARATHONS IN STATES 3 YEARS AGO, IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE PACE AND RANK. THEN THE UNIQUE FEATURES, SIGHTS OF THE PLACE BECAME A PRIORITY AND MOST IMPORTANT.
AT THIS POINT THE PEOPLE ARE BY FAR THE BEST PART OF THE TRIP AND IT IS TERRIFIC TO SEE FAMILIAR FOLKS AND MEET NEW ONES.
PEOPLE ARE VERY KIND EVERYWHERE AND MANY ARE WILLING TO GO OUT OF THE WAY WITH A HELPING HAND ON THE 50 STATE JOURNEY. NOTHING IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT KINDNESS FROM EACH OTHER. NOTHING.
WE CAN PAY IT FORWARD AND IT WILL BECOME SO MUCH MORE.
HOW ABOUT THOSE FAMILIES AND SPOUSES AND NEIGHBORS KEEPING THE LIGHT ON AT HOME ? ANYONE WHO IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS QUEST THAT CONSUMES OUR TIME, TALENTS AND ENERGY.
THANK YOU. ALL. BACK HOME AND ON THE ROAD.
DEBBIE M.
NEXT STOP FOR OUR FAMILY IS THE HALLOWEEN HALFATHON OUT AT SPOOKY FT DESOTO. WE HAVE OUR HALLOWEEN NANDANNAS READY.
IF YOU ARE A BANDANNA, I MEAN NANDANNA FAN LET ME KNOW A POSTAL AND YOURS WILL BE ON THE WAY. I AM SPREADING KINDNESS THRU THE 50 STATES ONE NANDANNA AT A TIME. WITH TONS OF HELP FROM THE SEAMSTRESS EXTRAORDINAIRE SUE S.
THE EVERYDAY KINDNESS OF THE BACK ROADS MORE THAN MAKES UP FOR THE ACTS OF GREED IN THE HEADLINES.
CHARLES KURALT
LOVE TO ALL,
DARE TO DREAM BIG
FONDLY,
NW
Nanadventure 
