AILA Chicago 5k Run

 

I did a race! I was in Chicago for a work conference, and they had a 5k race on a Friday morning before class sessions! So, some 200 or so attorneys and friends wandered over to Lake Michigan --a Great Lake! -- and ran a timed out and back on the waterfront trail there, the name of which escapes me right now. We'll just say my time was under 40 minutes, and that there was some walking and talking. The lakefront trail is great, and as the pic above shows, there is a big view of the Chicago skyline. 

After I finished, I hurried back to the hotel and attended a panel, still in my running gear. That's a first for me, but glad I did.

Northern Lights

The Northern Lights came to Mount Vernon and Washington State on the night of May 10th, 2024. I was in Seattle that evening and returned late. At first, I didn't notice so much, but I went outside around 1 AM to make sure I wasn't missing a show, and I'm glad I did. The lights were visible to the naked eye, and with short time pictures from the phone, easy to capture. It was indeed a spectacular show, and all the papers and on-line feeds reported on it. These photos are taken from 15th and Fir Street in Mount Vernon, and are just a sampling of the photo-ops. Fir Street is a somewhat busy arterial in the MV, but the cars were few at this hour.

 

Kauai

 

We went to Kauai not too long ago, and so I want to include some photos here of that trip, as I'm catching up here. There wasn't a lot of running, but there was a boat ride on the legendary Na Pali Coast, as well as a tube ride through irrigation tunnels that were sometimes a half mile long. Farmers markets, a luau, and lots of aloha every day, looking out at the ocean blue.

A visit to the Kauai Museum - Hawaiian history is very interesting.

A tribute to surfing legend Andy Irons of Hanalei. 

I didn't bring my camera on the tube ride, but it was better than advertised. The actual tube ride was about an hour long I think, and it went through five tunnels on an irrigation ditch. The tunnels were claustrophobic--they went on for up to half a mile and were truly underneath mountains/hills, with limited overhead clearance. We had helmets and headlamps.

Just another Kauai sunrise..

Father and son at a well known ukulele store-they were great

I have so many of these pics--they never get old

Bought this from a guy making them at Wailua Falls for $10

Na Pali cliffs from our Blue Dolphins snorkel tour--I think this is Kalalau Beach, but not 100% sure as I type - we got there

That's a dolphin--maybe two. There were lots of spinners.

Love the farmer's markets. Prices seemed higher than in the past... a common story everywhere, I suppose.

Luau at the Kilohana Plantation in Lihue - we've been to a few of these around Hawaii and this was on the upper end of our faves

Hanalei taro fields

Tiki Iniki - Michele and Todd Rundgren's bar in Princeville. Todd is a R&R HOFer and well-known innovator. This bar was great. We are proud owners of a Tiki God goblet now, thanks to friends.

Hanalei pier - one of the prettier places I've been, though this pic fails to capture that

Kauai Sunrise

Kauai Moonrise

Washington D.C.

I've been pretty busy this year, but not at this blog. I'm going to try to get a few posts up, but the short story is my running has not been strong, but I've been to a few interesting places and gotten a few good runs in. Starting with...back in March, Washington D.C. As the above picture shows, I was back there for business, but whenever in DC, I always try to get in a run down to the Lincoln Memorial, by the Washington Monument and reflecting pool. It just so happened this year I was back during near-peak Cherry Blossom Festival time, and so the cherry blossoms were popping, especially over by the Jefferson Memorial. My run was a bit of jogging, walking, take a photo, and then start jogging again.

After Washington D.C., we drove down through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, through North Carolina, down to Greenville, South Carolina. Pretty drive, but no pics. 

 

Baker Lake 50k

I finished my 20th Baker Lake 50k in a row today. I'm pretty happy about that, and I'll wait and see how things go, but this may be the end of the streak. Or, I may switch down to the 25k next year. I don't know, but the 50k distance was a bit much for me today, aside from the finish.

The weather was great, as the pictures here show. The course is terrific, and it was dry, although the bridges were a bit slippery. A few mosquitoes later in the day.

I never felt right. I've been active, but I haven't really been doing marathon or ultra training. I basically ran a bit over 4 hours going out, and over five hours coming back.  I walked a whole lot on the way back.  My left hamstring started cramping, and so I had to be cautious, since that was happening about within the first hour of the return.

I've had a few streaks over the years. I ran something like 15 Seattle Marathons in a row, a Thanksgiving weekend tradition for a long time. Today's finish banks another year with at least one ultra or marathon. That goes back to 2001, I think.I used to have a list. But Baker Lake has been a fall routine for me. It's a wonderful race and I fully expect to be back, for at least one of the distances. Always my favorite.

 

Skagit Flats

I volunteered Sunday at the Skagit Flats races. My job was to monitor the half marathon turnaround. I guarded this cone with all due diligence. Honestly, watching the runners run around the cone, I felt like I wanted to be out there running too. We had good weather and a good turnout--lots to be happy about.

Cutthroat Classic

 Glad to get out, get east, and run the Cutthroat Classic again. Ran the event with three family members, which made it particularly special. Crossed the finish line together with Dan, near the back of the pack. Camped out the night before at Lone Fir Campground. Highway 20 was open--it's been shut much of the summer-- but near Blue Lake you can see trees smoking and active fire from the road.