HOW DID THIS WONDERFUL JOURNEY START ? A DECADE AGO I SOLD MY HOT TUB TO A CO WORKER AND USED THE CASH TO BUY TICKETS TO START SEEING THE NATIONAL PARKS. PEOPLE CAME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO SEE THESE GREAT PLACES SO I FIGURED THEY MUST BE REALLY AWESOME. THEY ARE. A FEW THINGS HAPPENED AS I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE OUR MAGNIFICENT COUNTRY. THE FOLLOWING PATTERNS EMERGED.
MY ADOPTED INDIAN NAME ON WELL MARKED BIKE TOURS IS “GIRL WHO MISSES ARROWS” AND IT WAS CHRONICALLY SUGGESTED THAT I WEAR A SHIRT WITH DON’T FOLLOW ME ON THE BACK. I ALWAYS CHOOSE THE TRAIL LESS TRAVELED THAT ENDS UP SOMEWHERE I DID NOT PLAN ON GOING.
MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD THE HYSTERICAL STORY OF DEBBIE AND I HIKING THE SHORTEST AND EASIEST TRAIL IN THE ADIRONDACKS WITH THE BEST VIEWS. DEB DIRECTED US TO ” JUST GO DOWN”. OUR HIKE ENDED IN A LOCATION 17 MILES FROM OUR CAR. IT WAS RAINING, COLD, GETTING DARK AND WE HAD NO FOOD OR WATER. WE MANAGED TO END UP ON THE PROPERTY OF THE OWNERS OF THE NY TIMES WHO TOOK PITY ON US AND DROVE US BACK TO OUR CAR.
I HAD AN EPIC TRIP ONE JUNE WITH ONLY SHORTS PACKED TO YOSEMITE. THE ANIMALS WERE STILL MOSTLY HIBERNATING. THE TRAILS WERE DECKED OUT IN 3 FEET OF SNOW. TRAIL MARKERS BURIED, WATER RAN OUT AND ONE OF THESE
DECIDED MY CLIF BARS WOULD BE A TASTY LUNCH.
OH DEAR READERS THERE IS MORE…… DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE ALWAYS ACCOMMODATIONS FOR HIKERS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GRAND CANYON IN JULY ? TEMPS ARE 110′ IN THE SHADE. THAT ESCAPADE WAS PERFORMED NOT ONCE BUT ACTUALLY TWICE.
DEBBIE BEGGED FOR A DIVORCE AFTER AN “INTERESTING” ENCOUNTER AT THE BASE OF HALF DOME LOOKING UP AT THE SCARY LADDERS AND THE CABLES ON THE CLIFFS AT ANGELS LANDING IN ZION.
WE DID HAVE A DELIGHTFUL SLOT CANYON WALK IN ZION UNTIL THE SKIES CLOUDED, RAIN LOOMED AND SOMEONE WAS FRANTICALLY TRYING TO EXPLAIN A FLASH FLOOD.
THE ADVENTURES CONTINUED. WE FOOLISHLY ASSUMED A TRIP IN FEB 2010 TO A MYRTLE BEACH MARATHON IN FEBRUARY WOULD INCLUDE BETTER WEATHER THAN CHICAGO. WRONG.
MYRTLE BEACH MARATHON DAY
SNOW CANCELLED THE MARATHON BACK WHEN I RAN TWO A YEAR. ONE IN THE FALL. ONE IN THE SPRING TO KEEP THE HOLIDAY FAT OFF. THE RACE WAS SNOWED OUT, RUNNERS RAN THE ROUTE ANYWAY AND I MET A FELLOW THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RUNNING STATE #49 THAT DAY. HE TOLD ME TO REALLY WATCH OUT AND BEWARE THESE CRAZY PEOPLE IN YELLOW SHIRTS CALLED MANIACS. HE EXPLAINED THE 50 STATE MARATHON CLUB. HE ALSO EXPLAINED HOW TO PREPARE FOR A DOUBLE. THANK YOU DAVID REID FROM SQUAW VALLEY CA. YOU CHANGED MY LIFE.
RETIREMENT LOOMING, LOVE OF TRAVEL, DESIRE TO SEE AMERICA, BAM!!! THE 50 STATE MARATHON DREAM WAS HATCHED.
PLAN B FOR SEEING AMERICA INCLUDED A LOT MORE SUPPORT . CABLE TV. SHOWERS. HOT MEALS. INTERNET. MILE MARKERS. FRIENDLY PEOPLE POINTING THE WAY AND HANDING OUT FLAVORED BEVERAGES IN CUPS . LOTS AND LOTS OF T SHIRTS. GU, COMPRESSION WEAR, ORTHOPEDIC BILLS.
GOOGLE UP MARATHON GUIDE AND A FEW TRAVEL SITES AND HERE WE GO. LET’S SEE AMERICA ONE MILE AT A TIME.
VERY EARLY ON THE 50 STATERS ASKED WHERE WOULD I FINISH ?
WHAT KIND OF CRAZY %$#&*! QUESTION IS THAT ? THE LIST WAS SO LONG AND THE MAP WAS SO BIG. MANY WONDERFUL PALS AND FANTASTIC CO WORKERS KEPT TELLING ME THAT WHEN I FINISHED THEY WANTED TO BE THERE.
I LEFT IOWA TIL LAST BECAUSE IT WAS NEXT TO ILLINOIS (HOME) AND HECK IT WAS SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MAP. I FIGURED WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD FIND THEIR WAY ALL THE WAY TO DES MOINES IOWA EXCEPT PEOPLE WHO NEEDED THAT STATE AND FANS OF THE OPEN ROAD.
IF NOT IOWA IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SMALL GATHERING IN GREEN RIVER WY WITH JUST DEBBIE AND DENIS.
TIRED RUNNER IN WY
A LITTLE PARTY WAS PLANNED FOR STATE 50 IN DES MOINES. TO OUR SHOCK AND AMAZEMENT IT WAS A BIG PARTY. GREAT FRIENDS CAME FROM ALL OVER. THE QUEST TOUCHED MANY AND INSPIRED FOLKS TO GET UP OFF THE COUCH AND BE MORE FIT AND GET OUT AND PLAY. TRULY THIS GIFT EVERYONE GAVE ME TO PARTICIPATE MADE THE QUEST WORTH IT AND SEEM MUCH LESS SELFISH. WE ARE PUT ON THIS EARTH TO HELP EACH OTHER AND MAKE EACH OTHER’S LIVES A LITTLE BETTER AND SHARE OUR ENTHUSIASM. THANK YOU ALL MORE THAN YOU CAN KNOW.
KATJA FROM GERMANY, KATHY K SHS
KARA,LUCH,THERESA,KATHY SHS
BETH, MARIBETH, BETH,MEL,LORI SHS
SECOND OLDEST FRIEND DEE R. FROM COLLEGE DAYS
THE MAN OF THE HOUR MR. JACK
50 STATES MAGNETS FROM ANN K AND DEE R.
LUCH HAD WENTINK’S WARRIOR SHIRTS PRINTED UP !
THE BOMB.
MICHELE V. FROM BRADENTON RUNNING CLUB
WORLD RENOWNED PHOTOGRAPHER AND RUNNER DEBBIE THE BRIT
SON IN LAW JOEL, JACK, DEB
HARRIET FROM HINMAN AVE AND SWEDEN
VERY GOOD FRIENDS THE ZIELINSKIS FROM SHS BADMINTON
PAULA AND MARK FROM NY
PAT AND SANDY FROM BARTLETT
JIM R FROM NH
LINDA B ROLLING MEADOWS
GRANDPA MIKE
CELEBRITY EUROPEAN RUNNERS DEBBIE AND KATJA
ALI AND LIZ BOSTON STRONG
MARY MURPHY FROM HEHS AND ATLANTA
A VERY TOUCHING GIFT FROM THE MURPHY FAMILY
THE LETZELS SHS
THE SCHWARTZ’S PALM HARBOR FL
JULIE C ETHS
JODY R VIRGINIA
THE HUNTS JAX FL
THE MOLONEYS LUDINGTON MI
MARY P ARLINGTON TROTTERS
DAVE B 50 STATES CLUB AND DENVER CO
BIKER CHICS ANN & ANGELA MADISON WI
ANN, ANGELA AND ELLEN P FROM DULUTH MN
CINDY D PROFESSIONAL PACER, DENVER CO
CHERYL B LINCOLNSHIRE IL
JEANNIE AND MICHELE AT SPACE COAST
CINDY AND DEBBIE ARE HUNGRY !
ABBIE FROM KY
JANE S BARTLETT AND SHS
EMILY S AND DOLLY NASHVILLE TN
MARY KATE FUTURE SUPERSTAR
BETSY ALWAYS SMILIING N
SURPRISE GUEST MARIBETH W. AN AMERICAN HISTORY EXPERT
FRIDGE MAGNET OBSESSION- WITH CANADIAN PROVINCES !!!
WITHOUT EVEN A MARATHON IT WAS THE BEST WEEKEND EVER. SUCH ENERGY AND POSITIVE SPIRIT. I HOPE WE CAN ALL KEEP SOME OF THAT IN OUR HEARTS FOREVER. IT WAS SO HUMBLING. THERE WERE MANY OTHER BELOVED GUESTS FROM THOSE THAT MADE VERY LONG DRIVES AND SOME WHO ALSO RAN A DOUBLE IN KC THAT DAY.OUR BELOVED PHOTOGRAPHER DEPARTED TO GET SOME SLEEP TO PREVAIL IN THE NEXT DAY’S RACE.
HERE IS A LOVELY ODE WRITTEN BY POET LAUREATE DIANE RAGALIE
50 STATES 50 MARATHONS
A FEAT THAT IS NOT EASY TO DO
BUT WE ALL SIT HERE WITH OUR FRIEND NANCY TO CELEBRATE HER DREAM COME TRUE.
HER ADVENTURES WERE MANY
AS SHE BLOGGED ALONG THE WAY.
SCALING MOUNTAINS, RUNNING WITH WILD HORSES
EXPLORING THE LAST FRONTIER.
IS THIS FRIEND OF OURS SANE ?
SHE EVEN DID A BACK TO BACK IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MAINE !
SHE STARTED HER JOURNEY IN ILLINOIS
THE STATE SHE KNOWS BEST.
AND RETURNS TO THE MIDWEST TO COMPLETE HER QUEST.
49 MARATHONS,100’S OF TRIATHLONS,17 IRONMANS IN ALL.
SOON THE NUMBER 50 WILL FALL.
SO RAISE YOUR GLASSES TO OUR FRIEND NANCY.
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IF YOU THINK IT IS WORTHWHILE.
IF YOU ARE WILLING TO GO THE DISTANCE
THE EXTRA 26.2 MILE.
WITH DETERMINATION AND EFFORT
NANCY HAS ACHIEVED MORE THAN ANY KING OR QUEEN ON A GRAND TOUR.
SO HERE’S TO NANCY OUR MARATHON QUEEN.
50 STATES 50 MARATHONS ON THIS DAY OCTOBER 19, 2014
PART 2 WILL HIGHLIGHT DES MOINES AND THE WONDERFUL RACE AND CAMARADERIE WE HAD ON THE ROUTE.
NEXT BLOG COMING VERY SOON STAY TUNED.
Nanadventure 
Great article celebrating wonderful friendships. You are truly blessed!! Love you!:)
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Hi Nancy,WOW u did it : )Thanks for the blog and letting me share your retirement.Best Regards,Rick
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Think I ran with you a bit the first few miles of Des Moines. You are beyond inspiring!
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This was fabulous! I wish I could have been there. Thanks for sharing your journey.
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