One of a Kind Show

There's lots to sample and buy at the One of a Kind Show and Sale this year. After taking the LRT from Union Station and getting off at Spadina, the connecting TTC shuttle bus takes you right to the front door. And the lights and chandelier at the Princes' Gate are gorgeous. Saw my friend Kelly, co-founder with Joelle of KanvasInk which creates paper and online designs and also ran into Janet who was sourcing artisans for her company orangefish. Bought a few gifts but mostly I bought specialty food items, including dips and cakes. Christmas is coming - Mmmmmmm... See you in December!

Marathon Recovery

People have been asking about my post-marathon recovery. This video from the London Marathon shows better than I can describe how people look and feel after running a marathon. SCROLL DOWN to see it (the music & video will automatically play)

Normally my recovery is pretty fast, because of the Gu gels I take on long runs and the process I follow afterward. We didn't have time for that after Washington because we were heading to our Celebration Dinner. And flying home on Monday, those bozos at Air Canada made us walk down stairs into a shed to disembark from the plane (hadn't they seen this video?)

After 2 days of general stiffness and walking funny, I finally did this:
Step 1: Draw a shallow ice cold bath and extend your legs in it for at least 5 minutes (wear a T-shirt on top to stay warm in the tub)
Step 2: Draw a full hot bath with Epsom salts and sit in it for at least 10 minutes (drink water to hydrate and stay in longer if you have time)
Step 3: Finish with the hottest possible shower with highest possible water pressure and be grateful that God created hot showers.

Then you're ready to face the day! This worked all summer after my Saturday long runs before heading out to weddings, parties, anything. And the morning of my return to work I was walking normally again, right into the lovely surprise reception my manager threw for me at the office. So SWEET! Her daughter even drew me a Congratulations! banner for my cubicle.

I also heard warnings about the post-marathon blues. I wasn't blue - I was just annoyed. With everything. The lineup at Starbucks, missing the subway, fumbling for my keys or the phone, the phone ringing in general, the lack of quality movie releases out there - whatever! I think most of the lingering effects from this have passed. I am also told that irritability is a symptom of dehydration. My frantic schedule at work and the prospect that Christmas is only 31 days away gives me other things to focus on.

One Minute Film Festival

I was hoping to go to this on Thursday but I now have other plans. The One Minute Film & Video Festival (www.minutefilmfest.com) started as a dare between lapsed filmmakers and is now an international event that has been happening since 2003. You can view the top 60-second films this Thursday November 22 at the Bloor Theatre. Maybe I can submit a film to next year's competition? The theme of secrets looks very interesting and some of the filmmaker bios are pretty funny.

Congratulations Frances!

Our JeansMarines running friend Frances posted an awesome finishing time of 4:23:42 at the Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday, November 18th. There were 15,000 runners (many of whom registered after Chicago was cancelled mid-race) and it looks like a great day was had by all. Way to go Frances - you ROCK!

DOC SOUP - C'mon, step it up!

I signed up for Doc Soup, a monthly screening series through hotdocs. Our first film was No End In Sight a haunting doc about the Iraq War told through the stories of top government officials. Disturbing how their recommendations were continually overlooked by the administration.

My second film next Wednesday is Manda Bala (Send a Bullet)

I just wish they would stop showing films about war. At hotdocs in April, they already screened some documentary films in competition at Sundance 2007. I love hotdocs Director Sean Farnell and hope he will come back from Doc Leipzig or somewhere else far away with some fresh new screening titles because I won't be able to take war, war, war all season long...

If someone wants to see Manda Bala, add a comment and let me know.

WE DID IT IN WASHINGTON!

Running the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC on Sunday was an AWESOME experience! We had a perfect day to accomplish a mighty goal and we are both so proud!! THANK YOU to everyone for all your support before, during and after the race. We flew home on Monday with our shiny new medals and returned to work Tuesday.

Richard was a SUPAHSTAH and did the 26.2 miles in an impressive 4:45:11 (faster than Al Gore when he ran it a few years ago but slower than Oprah.) I was over 2 hours slower than Richard clocking a time of 6:48:37 but as everyone I tell says: WHO CARES, YOU FINISHED. Check MM's Finish Results here. Lynn and Hardish were just behind me. Congrats to all the JeansMarines who made it to the end!

The day was filled with many beautiful memories...

Finding my running partner Hardish at the start line amidst 20,000 people... Running up and down the hilly terrain in Virginia for the first hour before going through the trees of Rock Creek Park and crossing Key Bridge over to the mansions of Georgetown... The energetic high school bands that kept us entertained along the way... Digging in to get to the bridge at mile 19 before it closed... Seeing Hardish's sister Baily and my dear filmfest friends Les Boys: Shawn, Joe & Chris along the route, along with THOUSANDS of supporters with their cowbells and banners... Seeing the funny slogans on the posters: Your feet hurt cuz you're KICKING A** and Pain is temporary - Pride is FOREVER! We even composed a few haiku enroute (will post once I remember them all!)... Seeing people running for fallen comrades or children, many with photos on the backs of their shirts... Running past family homes and then all the glorious buildings and monuments on the Mall (AND stopping to take photos along the way (Rich can't believe I was doing that even with the threat of the bridge)... Getting through the last 6 miles slowly because a) we were bored and b) we knew the medal was within our grasp... Sprinting to the finish because I heard a marine say: "Go and get it" and I DID!... Wearing my medal with pride on the plane ride home and every day to work because I know how many months it took to earn it... Smiling and nearly crying when my manager organized a SURPRISE welcome back reception for me at the office, complete with balloons and a banner across my cubicle illustrated by her daughter --Thanks Jenny and everybody on the L&D team, it was SO NICE of you - I was truly touched!!!

The online race tracking features are truly amazing. Sorry for the hundreds of emails the system sent you if you signed up for tracking (it should only have been 7 with updates for mile 5, 10, half (13.1), 15, 18, 22, and the Finish. You can still see me move through the course (press Play on this Map Track link and watch my dot move along with the elevation). Both our families were able to follow us along the route as if they were there and see where we were when the winners crossed the finish line. Rich's mom sent us printouts at various stages - thanks! - a lovely souvenir for the scrapbook... PLUS the continuous text messages let my local friends know exactly where I'd be on the route so they could be there to cheer me on. My emails will stay in my gmail account for posterity as well as the link to my finisher's website.

Can't believe it's all over... a bit anti-climactic, really. I'm looking for things to do on Tuesdays and Thursdays now. Before the race I never thought I'd run another marathon but now I think I might, not sure how soon. Next year I'm already planning the Big Sur Half Marathon in November 2008 so Wes and Marcella reserve your guestroom now! So maybe this time next year you'll be reading about our exploits on the west coast?

Check back later this week for more post-race posts and official race photos from haikugirl...

Congratulations!
Richard ran the marathon
faster than Al Gore

(this link connects you to videos of the finish line from the Washington Post - find the 4:45 block and look for Richard in a white shirt and cap, raising his hands as he crosses the finish)