Day 83 – August 21, 2014

This morning for breakfast Theresa fried up some eggs and, made me another super duper smoothie. Brent picked me up around 8:30 and dropped me off at the track. He did not run with me today.

At 11:00, Kelly, the woman who brought me a bottle of water and a banana the other day, picked me up and we went to Theresa’s and so I could eat lunch. She brought me a barbeque pork sandwich, corn, chicken salad, and fresh strawberries.

We had a pleasant conversation, then she had to go to tend to her children. She asked if there was anything else she could get me and I requested a mocha frappe from McDonald’s.

After Kelly left, I headed out to walk around the neighborhood and get some miles in. I just happened to be near Theresa’s home when Kelly showed up with the substance of my addiction, the mocha frappe. My happiness in a cup. Once I got that down I took a snooze.

Theresa set it up so I would be running with a moms group this evening. She was thinking around 13 miles. I was thinking fewer. It was hot and humid, and I usually like to make 10 miles my limit, before needing a rest when running with others. I can run 10 to 20 miles on my own, because I am in control of the speed every step of the way. I can take a water break or just sit for a while, and not have to worry about inconveniencing anyone else. I had eleven miles done and figured if the ladies wanted to run ten miles, I would be in the bonus for the day.

Around 6:00 Katie picked me up and took me to a park where I met Amy, Alexis, and one other woman from the Mom’s Run This Town group. We ran through a wooded area on a paved trail. Along the way we ran past a garter snake that was crossing the trail, and came upon a deer on the side of the trail. It bolted back into the woods when we got near. There were a few little bunnies running around the edge of the trail as well.

As we approached the point where we started, I heard several women cheering us on. We ran 4.5 miles and the next group of women were there to run the same 4.5 mile loop with me.

For the second loop, I was guided by Michelle, and Melissa joined us. The other women ran the loop in the other direction, I think. As we booked along Michelle and Melissa were getting a bit tuckered out. Then Ashley, who originally was running with the other women decided to head in our direction and run in with us. Michelle and Melissa had slowed to a walk, so Ashley took over guiding me, and we ran the rest of the way. We were soaked to the bone from sweat because of the heat and humidity. As soon as we stopped running we became mosquito food. It wasn’t a matter of swatting them, it was more like wiping sheets of them off our bodies. As soon as Michelle finished the run, we hurried to get into her car.

Before heading back to Theresa’s we HAD to stop at McDonald’s for a Mocha Frappe with no whip cream.

Theresa said she was hoping to go out for ice cream after dinner, but I got back too late. I really enjoyed the delicious meal she made. It was on the spicy side; I love me some spiciness.

Later I talked to Renee on the phone. She said that Theresa got an email back from a Lutheran Pastor in Eau Claire, and it sounds like he is really on board, and the race director for the Eau Claire marathon is a member of his church. They both are on the schedule to run with me tomorrow when I get to town.

20.4 miles
1498.58 total miles run
$5,637.40 total funds raised

Moms Run This Town (MRTT) Maple Park, MN

Day 82 – August 20, 2014

The first night I stayed at Theresa’s home she made me a chocolate and peanut butter smoothie. (Two of my favorite foods, in one drink!) She made me the same smoothie for breakfast yesterday. This morning she made me a fruit smoothie. As much as I liked the chocolate peanut butter one, I liked the fruit smoothie even more. I had another couple of mongo lunch meat sandwiches for breakfast today as well.

Theresa needed to head out of town at 6am for work. She arranged for a man named Brent to pick me up a little after 8:00, take me to the track, and run a few miles with me. Brent told me he is just starting to run to get into better shape. We did a mixture of running and walking, which suited me just fine.

As we ran, Delane Cleveland from 12 News community television arrived at the track. He interviewed me, then Brent. He said he likes to interview multiple people to make the story more interesting. I could not agree more. I always prefer to have other people interviewed along with me. Especially if they have a connection to cystic fibrosis and can provide some perspective on how the disease has impacted their lives.

After the interviews, Delane filmed Brent and I running around the track. I think Brent could have done without that part, but he was a real trooper. I think he was tuckered out after the run. To see the 12 News story click here.

As he was leaving, Brent saw a small building with an open restroom right next to the track. He came back and helped me figure out a route so I could get to the restrooms on my own. He fully understood how I use my white cane to feel for surfaces and landmarks. Brent solved my restroom issue, and I can’t thank him enough for being so thoughtful.

It really has been nice to listen to the Champlin Park High School Band practicing on the field in the middle of the track these past few days. Some of the pieces they’ve played sounded really great.

At 11:10am it was once again time for the CNN HLN interview. Right on time, the same woman from yesterday called and patched me through to the man who connected me to Mike the interviewer. I heard Mike begin talking about me, and the run. I was listening very carefully to every word he said, but the volume was extremely poor, and I wanted to make sure I could hear him ask me a question. Then, I heard my own voice. They were playing part of another interview I had done with someone else. This was unexpected, and threw me off.

Then, that interview sound track stopped and Mike asked what my granddaughter was like. However, as I began answering , I heard another voice, and I stopped talking until I realized it was mine. Then I began talking again, trying to ignore my own voice feedback. It was really hard to do, especially since I had never had that happen before. The sound of my feedback was much louder than the voice of the man interviewing me.

I answered the question about Kylie by saying that she likes doing crafts, and loves her little dog who is always attached to her at home. Then he asked a couple more questions, and the interview was over.

To me, the HLN interview had more of a circus feel to it, rather than a professional one. I couldn’t even tell when the interview was over. I said, “Hello, hello, several times” Hoping to talk to the man who connected me with Mike. The guy was there, and I told him about the feedback problem. He was surprised to hear that I had a problem, and quickly ended the phone conversation.

So, I called the station back. I wanted to know what I should do if I ever have that problem again. Should I say something about it while I am live on the air? Whoever answered the phone patched me through to a phone menu. Since I use an iPhone 4 and am blind, I do not know how to get to the button panel on the phone to press a number. So I called back and explained my dilemma. They patched through to the same phone menu. I called back. This time a man asked who interviewed me. “Mike” I said. “Which Mike,” he asked. I  told him I didn’t know. “Then I can’t help you ,” he said. I asked him if he could connect me with anyone who could answer my question about what is proper interview etiquette when dealing with feedback. So, he transferred me. Guess where? Yep, the phone menu. Here is what HLN ended up running, they didn’t use the interview at all.

Approximately an hour after the HLN interview, I received a text from a friend of mine who lives in Los Angeles saying he just saw the interview about me. I called him to ask which network it was on. He said it was on HLN. Imagine that.

I didn’t know this, but Theresa told Brent to bring me back to her home after he and I finished running. The idea was that someone would meet me at Theresa’s home and have a nice lunch for me. The woman was there waiting, and she left after a while. I felt badly when I learned that she prepared something for me, and she was waiting around.

Theresa came to the track to get me, and told me about the lady I was supposed to meet for lunch. I told her that if I had known that she planned for me to go home after only a couple miles at the track, I wouldn’t have agreed to it anyway. I like to get in most of my miles for the day first, then I’m all about being pampered.

Theresa brought me back to her home so I could rest a little. I had a run scheduled with two women later in the evening. Theresa had to work leading an aerobics class.

Around 4:30, Morgan picked me up and we went to her friend, Corrie’s house. From there we ran a little over four miles. Some of it was on  sidewalks, but most of it was on a paved trail in a wooded area. Boy oh boy, the humidity was a killer. Our clothes were soaked within the first half mile. It was a lot of fun running with those two. Afterwards, Morgan drove to the McDonald’s drive-thru so I could get my favorite after-run fix, a mocha frappe with no whipped cream. I think I am becoming addicted to those things.

24.4 miles
1478.18 total miles
$5,488.41 total funds raised

 

Day 80 – August 18, 2014

On Friday (Aug 15th) I ran with Jeanne, Julie and Michelle in Alexandria. This morning Michelle’s sister, Theresa, picked me up from my hotel at 9am in Minneapolis. Minneapolis was looking a bit shaky as far as hotel stays.  Brent from Discover St. Louis Park was able to get me 3 complimentary stays in hotels, but all in different places. I stayed at the Double Tree last night, and was supposed to move to the Spring Hill Suites today, which is Monday, and then I don’t have another complimentary stay until Thursday. Apparently there is a lot going on in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and rooms are scarce and costly.  We were very thankful for the rooms that were offered, but it is difficult for me, traveling alone and not being able to see, to move every single day. It gets to be a bit disorienting and frustrating.  Then there is the problem of not having a place to stay Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

In my blog post on the 15th I posted that I really enjoyed the egg sandwich at Caribou Coffee in Alexandria, so Theresa suggested we go to a Caribou Coffee in Minneapolis.  I tried two different egg sandwiches, I can’t remember which I preferred, both were winners.  Guess I’ll have to go back again, to figure out which sandwich I liked better. I’m actually salivating right now thinking of those breakfast sandwiches.  Good stuff.  Oh, yeah, I guess I better get on with the rest of the blog.

Theresa said that because she does outside sales, her work hours are somewhat flexible. She had a few sales calls to make today, and she drove me to a track in a suburb of Minneapolis called St. Louis Park, because that is where my hotel stay is tonight.

What a gorgeous track it was.  It was brand new with fresh white lines dividing the lanes.  It was very easy for me to run on. As Theresa and I walked around the track, she said that several of the lanes were blocked off.   “Three or four inside lanes?” I asked.  “No, four of the outside lanes.” she replied.  “Huh?” Generally if any lanes are blocked for use by the public at a running track they are the inside lanes,  to protect them from over use and preserve their integrity for competition. I was curious to why the outside lanes were blocked off.

It turned out to be a thick cloth like material laying across those lanes, that had been folded over.  If fully extended it would stretch across all the lanes to protect the surface of the track from football and soccer players cleats  as they walked to the field in the center of the track.

There were a few women walking/running around the track, and Theresa went into full blown sales-pitch mode, telling them what I was doing as far as the run.  Wow, did she sell them. All three women were immediately on board as far as being sighted running guides for me.

The plan for today was Theresa would pick me up from one hotel, get me fed and to a running track, then later pick me up, we would stop to get something to eat, and then she would bring me to the Spring Hill Suites in St. Louis Park. However, as Theresa and I continued walking around the track, she mentioned that she had a spare bedroom, and I was welcome to stay with her. Not wanting to be too much of a burden, I didn’t reply immediately to her offer. She mentioned that there was a high school with a running track right across the street from her home, and again she extended the offer. I hesitated, but she assured me it would not be a problem for her, so I accepted, and we drove to Champlin, where she lives. It took us about 45 minutes to get there, I didn’t know she drove so far, just to shuttle me to and from the track.

When we arrived she drove to the track by her house and said it looked like the gates were locked. We went into the High School and Theresa asked to see the principal. When he approached us, Theresa gave him her pitch about the run. That principal never had a chance.  He was immediately on board, and said he would have the gates opened. He checked with the activity director to make sure there would be no conflict with any scheduled use of the track and my use. The activity director it would not be a problem, and said he would make sure I could access the track at 7:30 each morning during my stay. It would be locked at 4:30 each afternoon, however.

We went to Theresa’s house to fill my water bottles, then she brought me to the track and headed off to make her sales calls.

Theresa returned to the track before 4:30pm. She wanted to give me plenty of time to get settled into my new room and get acquainted with the lay out of her home.  She made a very healthy and delicious dinner for us. She’s a great cook.

11.2 miles
1433.68 total miles
$4983.00 total funds raised