Water water everywhere

It's not often that you get to return to what you thought was a once in a life time place.   Niagara Falls is that place for us.   But thanks to a weekend get away for a race we were again able to see the falls.  

It's been about 10 years and we saw the falls on a dreary foggy day.  Was it still beautiful?  You bet.  We rode the Maid of the Mist to the base of the falls getting soggy but enjoying every second.  There was one thing though.  Where were those people coming from that were standing at the bottom of Horse Shoe Falls.   We didn't have time to find out at that point......

Fast forward to May 2013, it's a beautiful clear day and the falls have never looked better.  The water is an amazing shade of green, blue and white.   After a short walk and a few photos we were in the van and headed to Toronto.  We still have to get our packets for Sunday's race.  After a short walk and a few photos we were in the van and headed to Toronto.  We still have to get our packets for Sunday's race.

 Look at that water.....it just draws you in

The best thing for legs that have worked hard all morning is an easy walk around town.   Oh and the falls at night? Well I'll let you decide

 

At dusk.

Then the lights, white is first.

Blue wow

WOW

Yellow?  Very pretty

Remember those people I was jealous of?  You know the ones that stood at the base of the falls.   Well there is a little thing called the Walk behind the Falls.  After a short elevator ride you walk out on a platform at the base of the falls. 

 

Looking up under the falls.

Not only that but there are tunnels where you get to walk behind the falls and look out.  Yes you see a wall of water but the power and the sound is so cool

See those little yellow things down there.  That's were we just came from.  :-)  How cool is that.

Fund Raising and a Giveaway

For the first time in 20+ years I am going to run full marathon.

After watching for 2 years I decided to run the Marine Corps Marathon . My plan was to not tell anyone and run.

 No pressure right?

Seems God had other plans.

 The only way I’ll be able to do this is with him so it should be to give honor and glory to God. It’s difficult to do this if no one knows what you are doing. That’s how I became a member of the Semper Fi Fund Team. The Semper Fi Fund is a nonprofit set up to provide immediate financial support for injured and critically ill members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.

So what am I asking for? Donations for Semper Fi ( which you can designate for the victims in Boston) and prayers for me.

In the wake of Monday's tragedy in Boston, phone calls, texts, and emails are continuing to roll in from people who want to help the victims of the bombing. The Semper Fi Fund is all too familiar with the challenges that lie ahead for the wounded and their families as they have been at the bedsides of our injured service members from Iraq and Afghanistan and have supported them in their recovery, so it's a natural fit.

Fundraising is always tough but I’m excited that Semper Fi has set up the Boston Marathon Relief Fund, through their America's Fund Program, to aid in this homeland terrorist attack are collecting donations to directly assist victims of the Boston bombings. Assistance will start with the most critically injured and expand as we receive donations for this program.


From now until May 1st, you can designate a portion of your Marine Corps Marathon donation to the Boston Marathon Relief Fund. To make a donation, please visit my fundraising page: http://www.active.com/donate/semperfifundmcm2013/SFFCGoeder

Now for the give away part that you've all been waiting for.   For each $20 donation you will receive an entry into my first ever give away.   The names will be drawn on May 15th.   I am collecting the items now which will include some great Under Armour product. 

Miles, miles, miles

I’ve never kept track of my total mileage for a year. At times I’ve kind of estimated and thought it was interesting. I’ve never set a yearly mileage goal either. I have several individual run goal and always have the “magic number” in my head as I’m preparing for a long run. It’s the mileage I want to accomplish even though I’m reluctant to verbalize it.



But while logging miles In Step for Life site on Saturday, I was interested to find I was just about to hit the 100 mile goal.

Well, I thought, that will be remedied on tomorrow after all I was only 3 miles away. Sure enough I hit 104 miles after our run on Sunday. Immediately the goal on the site switched to 150 miles. I didn’t even have a second to enjoy the accomplished miles. I was reminded of a previous employer that has the tag line “there is no finish line”.

Today I found 3 workouts that had not been posted. It’s March and I’m at 115 miles and haven’t even started serious training.

As beguiling as it is to go for as many miles as I can in the year, I’m not going to do it.

WHY?

I have a couple of large goals that I really want to accomplish; I don’t want to get distracted.

In all things we need to decide to what is important and sticking to it. It will be interesting to see what the grand total for the year is.

LOL SNOW

All winter we had dire warnings of snow that never came.  Finally this morning it's here.  Yes,  March 25 and we have big beautiful snow flakes falling and about 4" on the ground already.   

Heavy, wet snow perfect for snowballs.   It's the kind of day that makes you want to call in sick to work so you can play in it or sit curled up on the couch with a cup of something warm and watch it fall.

I'll have to content myself with watching it fall through the windows at work and hope that there is still some left this evening.

I borrowed this from Tom's facebook.

Spring has sprung?

I remember a poem my Uncle Bob made up one day while Cindy and I were driving with him from Meeker to Denver.  We were on  snowy Loveland Pass around Easter.

Spring is sprung, the grass has ris,  I wonder were all the chipmunks is.   

I'm still waiting for spring.   One step outside this morning before our run had me heading quickly inside for a wardrobe  change.  Forget the shorts and sleeveless tee,   Capri's and a long sleeve shirt seems in order.   And it was just about right.   It never warmed up today but someday it will.  I'm sure of it. 

I'll leave with this photo of warmer times and climes.

SPRING ?????

It’s the first day of spring.  The sun is shining and the flowers are starting to bloom.   What does this mean to me?   NO MORE DREADMILL.  Seriously who am I kidding it frigid out there.

Just a few years ago someone said they were so inspired by me because I ran outside all winter long in shorts and a tee shirt.  I was flattered but also said to myself well winter here is nothing.    That was then now I’m not so keen on running in frigid weather.   Oh we did a few this year and ended up slipping and sliding on the cold bricks.   I was hugging the far edge because I could just see me slipping and sliding into the harbor.  YUCK   The last thing I want to be is the body of the month.   Supposedly they average a body a month out of the harbor here.   

Geez how did we get from spring to bodies floating in the harbor?  It’s just my mind running amok.

 

 I'll leave you with this photo and the thought that spring will be here one day, hopefully SOON

 

Happy Valentines day

We stopped mid run this morning for a little photo shoot.  Outside the new UA store.   Which by the way is fabulous!!

The idea was to have one person pushing and the other person looking like they were holding it with one finger.   BUT they didn’t all come out.  So Tom took the two best, stitched them together and posted on facebook with the caption.  
Pushing each other around and the sun isn’t even up yet  J 

  We'll try again so stay tuned to the next installment.  How will win and who will be the pushover.