10 mile race

As I sit here in my car in a Virginia Beach parking lot at 7:00 p.m. on a Saturday night, I'm exactly 12 hours from beginning the most difficult race of my life. 10 miles on the Virginia Beach oceanfront. It's crazy to think that I'm trying this. I didn't start running until I was in my early 30s and that's about the time a lot of people are quitting. The reasons are vast but other things come up. Maybe that's why in my mid-40s I'm still able to go, it's that I didn't get a very early start.

I've actually tracked the 12 weeks of training and how far I've run and if I leave out elliptical runs as well, I would still have over 192 miles of training over the last 12 weeks. If I added other types of walks and elliptical runs you could add another 30 miles on to it. 

And I'm starting to think why am I doing all this. Everybody does this thing for different reasons whether it's to get in better physical condition, whether it's to set a new PR, whether it's to prove something to themselves, whether it's to challenge what they are capable of, hey, maybe some people just do it on a dare. And I think for me, a part of it is proving that I am capable of accomplishing new things. There are some battles I have conquered and there are a lot of battles that I continue to struggle with every single day. But for right now, as long as God lets me, running is something I can control. I can tune out all the distractions, all the noises, all the critics, all the bad influences in the world, and it's just me and my music. Nobody is going to get in my way. 

Maybe solitude has a little something to do with why I run. Maybe it's an intense form of meditation or prayer, and that might even sound like an oxymoron but the more I think about it, the more it seems to make sense. So from the beginning my goal was under 90 minutes. I have not run 10 miles at a given time at any point in my training but I have hit 9 Mi twice. And each time I've completed that in about an hour and 16 minutes which would have me on that pace. 

But now I head into the outdoors, I head into the wind. There will be a lot more obstacles but I do believe the hardest obstacle I will have to overcome is my own doubts. 

So maybe what it comes down to is I want to prove to myself that I can accomplish things I didn't know that I could. I don't know if I have another 10-miler in me after this, it may be a one and done? I really don't know. But at least I can say to myself that I did it. 

And it's not about bragging to other people, I know I'm not doing it for anybody else's approval. And that's important because you cannot win the approval of everybody. 

The older I get the more fickle I realize people can be. Yes people can have the best intentions in the world but they have the wrong lives they have their own priorities and you can't do it for outside glory. Peace with myself to be the best version of myself. And I hope I'm getting closer to that as time goes on. I know this, I have new reasons to be a better version of me. I don't think I'm ready to go into detail on it just yet though.

So I look forward to around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday when I cross that finish line, well, actually it'll be a finish bump since the tape will already be gone. And I guess the most important thing is not a specific time, it's the hope that I found my pace, kept it, and finished. I would be satisfied with that.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Midwest-Day 3

I woke up at 5 am for what was supposed to be a 9 mile run. Well I knocked out 8 miles, so now this coming week, I need to get 9 to get ready for the 10 miler at the end of the month. That Rocky music really does help. 

Sweating profusely and breathing heavier than Yokozuna I cleaned up and checked out and had breakfast at Corner Bakery Cafe. The Sonesta had a grab and go with apples, milk, maybe a breakfast bar. Truthfully, there was nothing at all that I wanted. At CBC, I had the Anaheim scrambler and yogurt and berry parfait, the latter of which I took for the road. I knew it wasn't the best idea to stick it in a hot car for a few hours, but it was the risk I took.

I started with a drive to Fond du Lac, where I walked on the southern shore of Lake Winnebago. I think the main reason I wanted to visit FDL is because it's mentioned in the song "I've Been Everywhere." Then I proceeded a half hour north up route 45 into OshKosh and then up to Appleton. 

A priority on this trip was to visit the Hearthstone House. Now this is a historical house, built by Henry Rogers, and it's the first house in American to run on water-powered electricity. It uses some of Thomas Edison's system, so factoring in I grew up in Edison NJ and lived on Hearthstone Drive, it had some personal feeling for me. Most of the house was in the style of the 1880s with the decor and furniture. Queen Anne architecture, they said, I can't give specifics on this. But downstairs in the basement is more of the museum with interactive exhibits. There's even a cycle you can pedal to power up the room, it even makes a Thomas Edison figurine start to dance. It's kinda bizarre, but it is fun. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly.

I wanted to eat before arriving in Green Bay, so I went to Jersey Mike's for a Cancro Special. I know it's not local, but I used my points and got my sub for free. All I paid for was my black cherry tarragon soda. 

Thirty minutes later, i arrived in Green Bay. It was an ominous trip though. About 10 minutes away from town, I could see lightning bolts in the distance. I'd checked the forecast previously and it called for a brief reprieve of rain before it was to resume around 7 pm, the start time of the football game. 

My friends Tommy and Karen asked me to meet them at Hinterland, a brewery across the street from the stadium. Now it was around 1:30 in the afternoon, more than 5 hours before the start of the game. But certain roads around the stadium were already closed off. I basically circled the wisdom before finding my way into the lot. I did have to explain to the attendant that I would only be there a few minutes and I was driving some friends. He told me to be out by 3. 90 minutes seemed more than fair. I said hi to my friends and enjoyed a Jamaican style beer with some mint and coconut and pineapple. It was excellent, not too sweet or bitter or heavy. Great balance, one of the best beers I tried all weekend. The rain was coming down on and off while we were inside. After about an hour, we left. First, we drove to the original City Stadium on the east side, where the Packers played until 1957. Now it's just a revamped high school field. 

We also went to the Lombardi House at 667 Sunset Circle, where Coach would host parties after games. It's not right on the Fox River, but it can be walked to in a few minutes. Just a simple one story house, very typical of Green Bay. That's the thing with this town. It's just over 100,000 people, but they don't really have a rich section or poor section. It's kept incredibly clean, and it feels so communal. 

After dropping off Tommy and Karen, I checked into the Bay Motel, about a mile and a half northwest of Lambeau. It was well kept up, a small room, but it was clean. And at least I had a fridge and microwave, which I didn't have in my previous hotel in Milwaukee. As I was unpacking, I could hear the rumbling of thunder outside. I spread the shades and the rainstorm was real. Huge puddles were forming outside. I was scheduled to catch a free shuttle from outside the motel that would take me to the stadium. But with the weather issues, it never came. There I was with 10 other folks, standing outside in the misty rain looking at a hill, hoping a bus would come. So instead, I got a Lyft for about 8 bucks. I had Mike, the driver, take me to the Stadium Club, one of the more popular bars in town. It was packed, the music played loud. After a mediocre brat, Wisconsin lager, and a Miler High Life, we headed with Crazy Sam and his girlfriend to another bar I can't recall the name of. At this point the Fireball shots started flowing.

The street we walked down was Armed Forces Road, the direction was west. We went past Ray Nitschke Practice Field. Past the Don Huston Practice Center. Past the Bart Starr statue. Post the Armed Forces tribute monument.

As we walked closer, we could hear the live band playing at the Johnsonville Tailgate area. We made our way into that Tailgate area, which was also slammed. I passed on the food and had a Paloma made with Casamigos Reposado.

The Packers drum line was also playing right outside, it reminded me of a college football atmosphere more than a pro football atmosphere. 

And there it was. Lambeau Field. Dark green paint, classic bricks. It's really a beauty. Just a wee bit nicer than the eyesore my team plays in. 

We entered through the Fleet Farm entrance gate, one of the many that the stadium has. They'll never sell the stadium naming rights, so they have about 9 gates, all with different sponsor names attached. My seat was in the lower bowl in the southeast corner, Section 132, row 46, seat 10.

It was Jets at Packers. Don't tell me that it was just preseason. The principle remains. I never thought I would get to see a game at this historic site. But I got my chance. Unbelievable experience. 

And from the time I got to the first bar, the fans were very cool, a little ridiculous at times, that can certainly happen after 20 Miller Lites. But incredibly friendly. They would come up to me in my Jets jersey and just start a conversation. Now many other cities in America would that happen time after time after time?

The game went great, a 30-10 win for the Jets. And go figure, it never rained after the game started! Afterwards, I went to another bar, and took down some Texas BBQ wings and beers. The wings had a nice space to them, and they were more glazed, I like that they weren't drowning in sauce. The issue is they were overcooked, to the point that the meat basically crumbled in my mouth.

Was going to be a 2 mile walk back to the Motel, but I just happened upon that shuttle that never came pre-game. More conversations, more fun. What a day it was.

Midwest-Day 2

I slept till 7:20 and Oakley and Ranger were ready for me to wake up. I didn't hold Luca, who's under a year old. I just know he's not walking or talking yet. But I'm just not used to babies. that said, there were a number of times he just stared me down wondering what I was. About as much as I did was hold out my index finger and let him just grip it for a few minutes.

On my way I went into the Badger State. And there was only one place to go for breakfast: Frank's Diner in Kenosha. I've probably been there half a dozen times or more. I love their food, but also their snark and their sarcasm. And it's not a building, it's just a little train car with maybe 6 tables and 16 counter stools. Adds to the atmosphere with the tight quarters. I ordered the garbage plate, which includes 5 eggs, potatoes, peppers, and onion, plus I added with bacon, sausage, jalapeños, cheddar and mozzarella cheese. And of course, the homemade toast, made with yogurt, bran, and honey. And if I'm guessing, they only spread about 2 sticks of softened butter on the two slices. It was like getting a bagel  in New York City and they put two inches worth of cream cheese in between. 

Sadly, I skipped Elegant Farmer, I anted to get my apple pie, but there just wasn't enough time and I wasn't exactly ready to eat right away. Instead, I drove 45 minutes north to Milwaukee, stopping at 

South Shore Park for a brief walk. It wasn't incredibly special, but it was a chance to take a few pictures of some fountains and the shoreline.

Next, I went to the National Bobblehead Museum, which I didn't even know existed until the day before. For only 5 bucks, and they have 10,000+ bobbleheads, why not? They had bobbleheads of athletes, Presidents, comedians, actors, mascots, actors, religious figures, and so on. I did a scavenger hunt where I had to find a bobblehead for every letter of the alphabet. for the final two, I managed to use John Quincy Adams to fill in the Q and Xander Bogaerts for the X. and for that, I scored a free sticker. Sadly though, I couldn't find Waldo. Not even after I googled the picture of the Waldo bobblehead. The store is pretty limited on bobbleheads to take home, that's the one thing I wish was different.

At this point, I was ready for more food. And I'm sorry, but in Wisconsin, it's tough to get away with a chopped salad or a kale smoothie. It was Sobelman's for a huge burger. I ordered the Loser with Colby-jack cheese, smoked bacon, and buttery caramelized onions. Except I made it a Triple Loser. So instead of a 1/3 pound patty, I took down a full pound of burger. The bartender couldn't believe I would dare to order something like that, but he agreed. I also asked for extra pickle chips to help change up the flavors in my mouth and he came through, which was really cool of him. The New Glarus Spotted Cow beer tasted great, I hadn't had one in 8 or 9 years. And even though I tried to go easy on the fries during my trip, theirs were excellent, especially dipped in their jalapeno ketchup. Despite being a guy who never uses ketchup except for making a sauce, this is one ketchup I'd buy and keep in my kitchen.

I then went to Third Space Brewing, which I had only visited once, in 2017. I quickly realized it wasn't the same, just too many sexual flags hanging in the brewery. I had one flight and left. I was feeling pretty loaded anyway and my phone was draining so I decided it was time to check into the Sonesta hotel in west Milwaukee. There was a line of 7-8 people waiting to check in. I got Room 317, which was cool, it make me think of the verse in Colossians. I took a much needed shower while the phone charged, changed, drank a bottle of water and then headed to Miller Park for Mets vs Brewers. 

OK it's called American Family Field, but it's a stupid name. Put it this way, it's not distinctly Milwaukee like Miller is. At the ballpark, it was Hispanic night. I saw lowriders in the parking lot, the national anthem was performed Mariachi style. I had just one cocktail with peach and whiskey and that was it. 

As for the game, it was a typical disaster. Of course, the Mets hit 2 solo home runs to start off the game, but the entire time I was just waiting for the collapse to happen. And sure enough, it did. Kodai Senga can't even get out of the 5th inning. And it was a  3-2 loss, as starling Marte got thrown out at home plate to end the game. And the truth is I was out by the fifth inning. Francisco Alvarez grounded into an inning-ending double play and I knew they were going to lose and there was absolutely no point in watching it. Of course there was an incredibly hot blonde next to me but there was an engagement ring and I knew she was seeing me at my worst so I made sure not to have a single conversation.

The Mets went onto lose the next two and get swept, so thank God I was only there for one of the disasters. As good as the trip as, this was far and away the biggest nightmare I dealt with. 10 losses in their last 11 games and barely clinging to a wild card berth.

Midwest-Day 4

And it was Sunday, my last day of the trip. I got up at 6:15 and did a 3 mile run to Lambeau and back to the motel. It was humid, sort of the sticky midwest heat. After a much needed shower, it was breakfast at the motel restaurant. I had the Philly steak skillet with hash browns, sirloin steak, veggies, and pepper jack along with some sourdough toast. It was not garbage plate quality, but it still did the trick. And I was happy to get my 3 bucks off for staying in the motel. 

From there, I picked up Tommy and Karen and we drove to the Packers Hall of Fame, which is inside the atrium at Lambeau Field. It's a very well organized chronicle of the Packers, as one would expect

The best part was the Ice Bowl Theater where they show a film of the famous NFL championship game  between the Packers and Cowboys from 1968, though I think that theater should have been kept colder than the rest of the Hall. Just my humble opinion. They did have figurines of people bundled up with smoke coming out of their mouths. So they tried to create the atmosphere, at least.

All I really needed was about 45 minutes. We then went on the Classic Stadium tour, and there were probably about 50 people there.  The tour lasted about 60 minutes from the atrium to the Suite level and finally, the walk through the players tunnel onto the field. Well not quite the field itself. Just the outside padded area behind the end zone. And the bad part is no video allowed. Apparently the NFL has a rule where you can take video on gamedays, but not non-game days.

I went back to the motel and checked out. But before I left, I finally ate the yogurt and berries I'd saved from Corner Bakery the day before. And so began the 3 hour drive back to Illinois. There was some heavy rain on the trip, and part of the highway was actually flooded. I did get to Costco in Glenview in about 3 hours. And I could not believe that there was no wait for a gas pump in the middle of a Sunday afternoon. I also could not believe that gas was about 50 cents more per gallon in Illinois than Wisconsin. 

Then it was off to Portillo's in Niles, where I met my friends Q and Ryan. They didn't know each other, but I was glad two of my better friends got to meet. and I had the Italian beef sandwich, the big one with sweet peppers, hot peppers, and shredded cheddar. It's the best. 

Getting to O'Hare was brutal with three roads merging into the terminal traffic. Thankfully I was able to get off that road early to return my rental car. I'm glad Budget let me just park the car, leave the keys, and go. I got the the gate around 5:30, more than an hour before I needed to be there. All 14 standby passengers got on. Middle seat, an hour delay, it was fine. I spent most of the flight reading a book about Vince Lombardi's first season coaching Green Bay. It only seemed appropriate.

Mom picked me up and I was home about 11 pm. This laundry pile is going to be freaking huge!

Midwest-Day 1

Up at 5 am to fly from Raleigh to Chicago for my vacation. It's amazing that it was still raining in North Carolina after it rained all of Wednesday. My Uber driver arrived 15 minutes early and I was crestfallen to see the Patriots sticker on his bumper. My first thought was there goes his tip. Anyway, it was pretty easy to get through RDU and I got my seat pretty easily as I figured I would. Last I checked there has been 6 opens eats and  was first on the standby list. 

After landing around 9 am, I rented my car from Budget through Costco. That line was way longer than any of the other rental car lines, they must have some good deals going on. Even Hertz and Avis had maybe 2-3 people on line, Budget was more like 25 people. And one family of 3 stayed at the same counter for 20 minutes, they would not get out. So they held the rest of us up. As for me, I was done in like 6 minutes.

I was given the choice of a few different cars: an SUV, a Prius (which I immediately turned down), but I went with the Silver Honda Civic Sport. I didn't even know until later that it had a Virginia license plate on the back. Pretty ironic. 

The weather was much better in the Midwest than back hone. Now there had been reports during the week about poor air quality due to the latest round of Canadian wildfires and the smoke working its way down into the northern part of our country. But there was nothing noticeable during my time in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Lunch was in Naperville at Crosstown Pub, one of the best wing joints in the country. And the wings are half off on Thursday, so that made it even better. I went with Chili lime dry rub, which is the perfect blend of heat and flavor. A little bleu cheese dip and I'm ready to go. Truth is I should have just gotten those. I also combined the Carolina Q mustard sauce and Mesquite BBQ dry rub. They had ran out of 3 Floyd's Gumballhead, so I went with a Revolution Anti-Hero. Had to go local. Just one beer was enough. The restaurant is a bit dingy, a bit beat up, but the quality of the wings is just so good.

Then I headed a little north to Wheaton, where I walked around Herrick Lake, a spot I walked many many times when I was a teenager. Took Hogan there a lot too. Had we had his ashes, that's probably where we would have sprinkled them. But then again, he didn't exactly love going IN the water. I completed 3.1 miles, which was one lap around the 0.75 mile lake and another 1.25 down one of the trails and then another 1.25 back to the rental car.

From there, it was driving by my old homes. Wheaton, Winfield, St Charles, They all have their memories. I lived in the first for 1 year, the second for 5, and the third for 14. It was a lot of years. I did make a detour to Wheaton Academy. I got to go inside the old alumni chapel which looks as basic and dilapidated as it did 25 years ago. I ran on my old baseball field, though it's not the same from when I was playing on it. Now they have field turf. And I know I do some running, but my legs are not equipped to handle the sudden starts and stops, plus sprints involved in playing baseball.

After a Target stop for water, Prime, baby carrots, etc, I had to get 2 hot dogs from Portillo's. No fries, just the dogs, dragged through the garden. I was acting in a disciplined manner, clearly. Such good dogs. The drive to Antioch took almost an hour and a half up Route 59. It's located on the Illinois and Wisconsin border, and it's where Matt and Mary Beth now live. I rang the doorbell and it took a few minutes for them to come to the door. I guess they had to get their baby Gianluca ready, plus restrain the dogs, Oakley and Ranger. I guess those are the 3rd and 4th dogs I encountered. Matt had told me they would give me a mug filled with baby carrots to feed Oakley and Ranger and that would help endear me to them. That's why I got a bag of carrots at Target, to help replenish the supply.

Well those nutjobs went through the whole mug. Took 15-20 minutes, but all of a sudden they warmed up to me. Oakley shed extensively, and I knew my allergies would set in, but I'd do it all over again. 

For dinner, we drove to Small Cheval in Rosemont. Basically a burger joint. I had the double cheeseburger with Dijonnaise, chopped onion, pickles, lettuce, and tomato. Also drank my can of  Gumballhead beer. We also got a box of half a dozen Stan's donuts (which was right next door), and later that night, I had their cinnamon glazed twist. Fantastic donut. 

Meanwhile, we watched 2 episodes of the documentary about MH370, the flight that went missing in the South China Sea and was never recovered. All the while, I was still petting Oakley and Ranger.