Tag Archives: Friends

4 October 2011

Wineglass Marathon – Race Recap I

By Nicki

I have wanted to run Wineglass Marathon for over a year. I decided in July 2010 I was going to run a marathon. I just didn’t get registered in time to run the 2010 edition of Wineglass. Fate had it that my first marathon was the 2011 Myrtle Beach and Wineglass – a local marathon running its 30th race – was my second.

As I decided about Wednesday or Thursday, I prefer the destination marathon. Once I leave the house for the destination, the trip is all about the race. Here, running a race that ends about an hour and fifteen minutes from my home has lead me to get caught up in daily life. I had a college kid home who needed to get back to college on Saturday. I had a high school son who had SATs and play read through on Saturday. All I wanted to do was go the expo, pick up my bib, stop for lunch at Market Street Brewing Company and rest.

Good news! Enter my friend Steve who was also running Wineglass. He has a spare room and transportation to the expo and to the buses to the start. To top it off, we haven’t seen each other since he ran a half in Binghamton back in May so this offers us a chance to catch up.

 

Saturday morning I get the boy up and off to his SATs with the reminder he needs to find a ride home after play rehearsal. I come home, pack all the stuff I have had laying around since Friday night and wake up the college kid. He is going to take me west and then come home before heading back to college.

Steve and I headed to the expo about 1:30 Saturday afternoon.  I have been to Wineglass twice as a spectator so knew what previous expos were like. I realized that they have just one sponsor at the expo and that it is a small race, even though the numbers have increased drastically in the last two years.  Upon entering the YMCA in Corning – a new and indoor location as opposed to a tent outside – a volunteer instructed us to check the wall for our bib number. I knew mine so proceeded on to the next line while Steve looked his up.

Look Up Your Bib

We then proceeded to get our bib numbers and timing chip in a cellophane bag. Next we received a blue, reusable bag stuffed with information about the area and a course map. We used these bags to put our shirts in and then looked around at the expo.

Once we left the expo, we had to head over the pedestrian bridge that use to be home to the finish line to get our champagne split and wine glass. Reason behind this was put to us quite simply by one of the volunteers at the YMCA. Y’s do not allow alcohol on the premises so those could not be given out in that location.  Truthfully, I am not exactly sure where they would have put more tables. Also, in the information center where the glasses and champagne were handed out, runners were able to purchase a $5 breakfast ticket if they so desired. A representative from the local UPS store was available to bubble wrap the glass and bottle if you desired and I was very happy to take advantage of this since I was unsure when I would be arriving at home with my goodies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the tradition of the last three years would have it, once the pick up was finished, Steve and I headed to one of my favorite places in Corning, Market Street Brewing Company. A brew pub is always on my list of places to visit when I travel and to have one so near the finish line makes me happy. The food is wonderful, from past experience, and I love a good beer.  Even better, the last two years, Octoberfest was not  yet released so I could not sample it but this year it was. Yippee!!

 

After lunch, Steve had to go back to work. I had time alone to go over my race plan and get my stuff all laid out. I am rather anal about organization. I also still had to make some sort of decision about what I was going to wear. Yes, I had long sleeves with me but I truly did not want to wear them. The thought of getting a long sleeve shirt wet and then having to keep it on did not move me at all. I laid out my outfit and put my chip on my shoe. I unwound a bit with some internet time and reading. I am trying to finish Howard Schultz’s Onward about his experiences with Starbucks. Basically, I wanted to be in bed by 8 and asleep by 9 pm. Plans were to be up by 4 and eating so we could be on the road to Corning by 5:30 am Sunday morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stayed tuned for part two which is the actual race. :-)

1 comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Fitness, Just my Thoughts

21 July 2010

The Long Solo Run

By Nicki

After my day at church on Sunday, I went with my fifth child to a live music festival.  We both love live music and have somewhat similar tastes or can at least tolerate each other’s varied tastes in music.  There will be more about the music in the near future.

I saw a friend there who has run multiple marathons and just recently completed a huge trail run.  She has mentored several groups of new marathon runners through Team in Training.  I asked her about the trail run and if she had heard – she is a friend of mine on Facebook even though we do not see each other daily – I was going to run the Wineglass Marathon this October.

As we talked about what training program I was going to follow, how long my longest run will be in that program, she expressed concern.  She said that her immediate concern was that I would be running a 20 mile run alone.  I told her that thought had not really crossed my mind as I have always run alone.  I had never run a race until December of 2009 and, while I now love running races, I can easily resort to my solo running days.

Then, an offer of help came.  My mind immediately flashed back to the giving and receiving discussion in the homily that morning at church.  She said to let her know a couple of weeks out.  She would meet me at a given point with fresh water and some encouragement.  She also strongly suggested I email other friends and ask for the same support.

Why is it asking for help is difficult?  I have managed to wiggle my way through life as a single mom to six kids for the last 14 years.  I do, on occasion but not too often, ask their father for some assistance with them.  Seldom is the help asked for for me.  This is going to be a new thing for me but I am going to take her advice.  I am going to be sure that my first 20 mile run has people at various points to help me get through it.

19 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Fitness, Just my Thoughts

26 June 2010

Friday Fun

By Nicki

With a quick nod to Momalom.com and to Bad Mommy Moments, I wanted to post photos from Friday’s Happy Hour at Chapter House in Ithaca.  I frequently head over to this bar on Fridays to hang out with friends and meet new people.  I will say that yesterday the bar area was seriously packed when my daughter and I got there.  They had been opening at 2 pm for the 2:30 pm World Cup games.   After all, what is more !!! than a summer Friday evening spent with friends.

Hope you can read the glass's message!

Some Gallows and their Others

Steve and Judy

Steve's sister Cindy

Kyle

Not only did I get to meet Cindy for the first time, I later found out it was Steve and Judy’s 27th wedding anniversary.  On top of that, their youngest – Allen who was not with us as he is not old enough to get into this particular establishment – is graduating from high school today.  That is a lot of !!! in one weekend.

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts

7 March 2010

A Friday Tradition

By Nicki

I must sound like a lush to my friends who seldom join us for Happy Hour at Chapterhouse in Ithaca on Fridays.  We have a wonderful group of diverse people that show up.

Sometimes it is a family gathering.  We have all been Gallows for the day when the Gallows gather on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  Sometimes it is just an end of the week gather of good friends.  There are always a few artists in the mix, sometimes more than a few.  There are always a few academics in the mix.  There are those of us that are hard to categorize.  Actually, that may be all of us.

To offer a bit of proof, I have a group of photos below from Friday’s gathering.

2 comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts

4 February 2010

What To Blog About?

By Nicki

This post has been weighing on my mind.  When I started blogging at Yahoo! 360, I didn’t write all that frequently.  When I moved to WordPress, I started writing more often.  There have been days when I have put up three or more posts – short but still.  Then, Yahoo! announced 360 was closing.  There was no import so I started moving posts over manually.  An import was finally made and I imported all my posts.  Some came as duplicates but I think I finally, one day, managed to get all the duplicates down.  So this post, this rambling is my 1000th blog entry.

I wondered.  Should I write about something going on in my personal life?  Should I post the next in the series I started last week about our senses and memory?  Should I write more about my journey to a healthy lifestyle?  Should I write about some of the issues from the State of the Union?  Should I write about other issues that are near and dear to my heart?  Should I do a review?

I did a lot of writing yesterday.  Some writing was for work.  Some writing was personal.  I wrote out an apology and practiced – yes, I said practiced – it so I would not forget anything I wanted to say.  It reminded me of a friend who prepares diligently for job interviews.  I wanted the apology to be perfect.  I forgot most of what I had written when face to face with the person to whom I was apologizing.

So what is my 1000th post going to be about?  It is going to be about writing for my blog.  That is truly ironic.

I write all kinds of things here in my blog.  I noticed, as looked through to pick a post from each month last year for my best of 2009, that I have gotten away from writing about news and politics.  I want to get back to that.  I noticed that I wrote about a lot of great things I did last summer and fall.  I want to continue that.  I noticed that I write a little about my life – though usually through the looking glass of mother.  I want to do more of that.

I also want to continue to write about our senses as mine seem to be developing anew.  Maybe they have always been there – of course, they have always been there – but I am discovery their connection to memories anew.

I am off to get ready for a weekly meeting of Moms.  We call ourselves the Lonely Moms’ Club as, with most of us anyway, we have our children in school and are not employed in a 9-5 type job.  We get together during the school year once a week for breakfast.  Maybe  I will even write about that some day.

28 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts

18 January 2010

Balance, Judgment and Some Personal Thoughts

By Nicki

I have spent a lot of time this new year – and yes, the first month is just barely halfway through – reading and commenting on balance, perceptions and judgment.  The problem, personally, is that I was not relating these readings or my comments to my own situation.

While balance is, and seemingly will always be, a struggle, it is a tightrope walk when it comes to how others perceive you and ultimately judge you.  I was thrown down this road when first Sarah at Momalom.com wrote “We care what people think about us.” My initial response was that I don’t really care what people think about me but that is not totally true.  Those who are close to me – friends who are close, family – I care what these people think.  Then, Deena at A Day in the Life of Me posted some of her own “Reflections,” based on her life.

This all has had me thinking about how others look at me and do they judge what they see without knowing me.

I am a single mom.  I have had people who do not know me question why I am not married.  Do they know the circumstances which led to the end of my marriage?  No.  I have told very few people this story.  Does it hurt when people say I am not doing what is best for my children by not being married – a line of thinking I have never understood?  Definitely.  Do I generally let these people see the hurt?  No.  I tend to hold it in and keep control.  Remember this as control will come back later.

I have six children.  Now before anyone can ask it, yes, they are all from the same father.  That is another question I get from people a lot – or did when the kids were younger.  Now that most of the kids are out of the house, I seldom have all six together so I do not get asked this as often.  I do not understand this question at all.  It does not hurt me.  It annoys me.  First, is it a new acquaintance’s business how many times I have been married (just one if you really want to count) or how many men fathered my children (again just one)?  Is a large family, without a television show to track its every move, that unusual in our culture?

I have become use to these questions from new acquaintances in my life and from people who do not know me.  I have never had someone close to me question these things because those who know me know I am fiercely loyal.  I would have never thought of cheating and having a child with someone other than the man who was my husband.

More recently, I have had a friend, someone who knows me extremely well, say that I was too in control.  It took a long time to look inside myself and see that maybe I project being in control.  I run a household by myself.  I do like to plan and know what is going to happen.  I like to be in control but lately there has been little control internally.  I don’t feel like I am in control although, to the outside world, it probably does look that way.

Why project the control instead of the chaos I feel?  Whether I like to admit it or not, I do worry about what people think.  I worry that my children will think that chaos is the norm.  I worry that others will think I do not have the ability to live as I do.  I worry that others will judge me.

Evidently, the worrying does come out without my knowing it.  My youngest bought me a book for Christmas about how to stop worrying.  I laughed at first but now, I see maybe it should be next on my reading list.

Do you worry about what others think of you?  Do you worry you cannot find the balance between caring what others think and being yourself?  Do you worry about how others judge you?  Do you judge others?

I am coming to see that I can tell myself I don’t care what others think but, ultimately, I do care at least a little.

20 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Family, Just my Thoughts

21 September 2009

Poetry – Let’s Be Friends

By Nicki

I have a web site other than my blog where I have a lot of poetry I have written over the years.  I also have some poetry that has not yet been put online so here is one I came across recently and want to share with my readers.

Let’s Be Friends

“Let’s be friends”

Words we don’t always want to hear

Soft smiles and feelings for another

Ears ready to listen to joys and troubles

Logic trying to help with life’s dilemmas

Support for dreams and fantasies

If these are the “things” of friends, how can we not want to hear

“Let’s be friends”

2 comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts, Poetry

29 April 2008

High School Friends

By Nicki

Okay – I know I don’t want to be the person I was in high school, but I miss my high school friends.  We had so much fun when we were in high school.  With few exceptions, since college, I have not seen very many of them.  I went to my ten year reunion but the people I knew didn’t necessarily come.  I had four kids by then and was thinking about number five.  Most of my classmates didn’t understand.

The one person I have tried to keep up with is my friend Beth.  She moved in high school so was not there our senior year but in New Jersey with her mom.  We kept up as best we could through college, and then her to law school.  We both got married.  We have kids that are similar in age but I have a couple extras.

Last year, her father died and we saw each other for the first time in literally years.  Why is it death brings us together so frequently? 

Today, she called.  She and her oldest, Ashley, are on their way up to New York from the Richmond, Virginia area for the weekend.  They are leaving early evening Friday so won’t be here until Saturday morning early.  She is coming to get items from her father’s estate which is finally almost settled after a year.  We are going to get together.  I can’t wait to see her and Ashley.

2 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Just my Thoughts

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