Create with Kim!

Almost every Saturday morning this summer I have set an alarm clock, slipped from bed and into running clothes. I run 3-5 miles. Afterward, I go to the Marquette’s Farmer’s Market. It is my hunter-gatherer mode. I come home to Mike and a pot of coffee having brought the fresh fruit and scones.

This Saturday it was time to reap the rewards from my training. I ran the Lake Superior Shore Run which benefits the Superiorland Cross-Country Ski Club. I placed in the middle of my age group, 40-49. Normally, I have been running a bit faster than this–last night I had a migraine and neck spasms–today during the race I felt off, weak, and heavy. But it was a fantastic overcast day, the rain held off and the temps in the low 60s.

The race was at Little Presque, and ran along the Lake Superior shoreline and Songbird Trail. It was crazy crossing the suspension bridge with everyone running. I thought I’d spill right off! It was really quite freaky and fun! The photos are taken by Mike Hainstock, my towel boy, and long-term boyfirend.

I am wearing my I Lost 45 @ 45 Tee-shirt. My race sponsors were: Kudeyirah, Stonehouse Window & Door, Health & Happiness Magazine, and my own biz, Create with Kim. I thank my sponsors for their support and encouragement. They are part of something much larger than just this race. I Lost 45 @ 45! Will include public talks and a new direction in my life and a return to healing arts as a career.

Stats:
Age Group Place: 8
Overall Place: 74
Time: 34:45.7
Pace: 6:57/K

I remember watching Mutual of Omaha with my dad as a little girl frightened by the ferocity of the lioness as she took down her prey. My first death experience.

Bumble Bee. Bee Balm. Blackeye’d Susan. Prayer Flags. Mischief, Bells, Silks, Sparkles and Heart-rocks. Angel. Beach Glass. Color, color, and space. All these speak to me, today. But it is the breathing space and wind. The sound of our lives affected by wind. The rustle of leaves that E. and A. love so much. Like Giggles. And laughter.

Water over rock. Water crashing on rock. Loudly and telepathically I send energy out. Feel this wind. I run the trail between Presque and Wetmore and pause arms outstretched palms resting on trees as I face the surf of Superior.

Today the wind blows past my sore shoulders. I smell pine and hear crickets. And I’ve made space for the wind to blow. I can accept this space. No need to fill it up with expectations or fears. Path’s lead everywhere. I have many to chose from. I can be blown.

Grasshoppers on the trail scatter and as I run and my memory flashes back to Cathead Bay the joy of running thru the dunes on our road of clay and gravel, sun baking hot and the promise of Lake Michigan sparkling. I must have been eleven, still free.

There are church steeples all through these old Upper Peninsula towns. Faithful, inviting, proud. I spend my work days caring for others and during their rest times I get to reflect on faith, hope, and the strength we can find in skylines they never see. Steeples in a haze filled sky, like today…

Running in the rain on Thursday, not knowing how far I’ve gone…I pass the pale pink sweet pea growing in a jumble like my thoughts and I’m bound to run until I’m more clear if my knees hold up.

I took a day off running on Saturday mostly due to heavy rains and a sore foot. But today I woke to sunshine and was back at it. I had to detour around a section of Lakeshore Drive due to water over the road–a big yellow piece of heavy construction equipment was scrapping the road and pushing rocks back into place.

I planned on a long run adding in my new one mile section, even if I had to go slower and walk more. The goal is to up the mileage and get the balls of my feet and my arthritic great toe used to more distance.

It takes discipline for a photographer to get down to the business of running when the sun is shining on Superior and the surfers look awesome in the waves. But I pushed thru my run so I could do my cool-down walk with camera.

It’s a promise I make myself–run this “fill-in-the-blank” distance and then you can take all the photos you want.

After my run this morning I was 154.8. I had already eaten 3/4 a cup of Honey-nut Cheerios and a small Banana and about 16 ounces of water. I’m getting there.

Below is a shot of the beach on my way home. The road is on the other side of the rocks and where that large splash is–that is where the road was closed before my run. It has since been scrapped clean and rocks piled up, again. The road was open, but splashes were still wetting the rocks on the roadside. I love the power of Lake Superior. But I worry this weather pattern has been very November-Like.

I’ll write a book, “How I Lost 45 at 45.” I am that close, now. I have lost over 42 pounds and running is a normal part of my life. I crave running. I still do walk-to-runs but I am under 12-minute miles now.

Today was gray, the temps dropping, thunder clouds building. There was a headwind and a sidewind on the isle. I ran past a flock of geese–two hissed and chased me. I ran past three deer feeding o the lush grasses just off the bogwalk and behind Shiras Pool. One young buck had six-points all velvet and soft looking. None of the deer thru up their white-tails; they just grazed on lazily.

As I got to my car the radio announced it was 50 degrees. The rain drops that fell on the run were fat drops, heavy, but not frequent enough to soak my shirt. My cool down walk was with camera.

I clocked my new route with the car today. I ran off-island and up to the little pond by the power plant. It adds a little more than and extra mile to the 2-mile loop. I intended to do my usual 2 times around the island and the new addition for a total of 5 miles. But after 3+ miles I had noting left to give. It is Friday, afterall, and Mike had been out of town two-nights. I’ve had little sleep. Tomorrow I will recover and do at least 4 miles on Sunday.

The Photos are from my cool-down walk. The second photo is a post-process action in Virtual Photographer (ambiance).

On Saturdays I run Presque Isle, waking early I get into my running gear and grab my grocery bags for the farmer’s market on my way home. Today I was happy to also have my camera. As I turned onto Lakeshore Blvd. I noticed the high seas of Lake Superior and worried about what type of headwind I’d have to contend with out on the island. As I rounded Picnic Rocks I saw this ore boat headed out and pulled into the parking lot. Buffeted by winds I had to use my car roof to steady the shot. I was excited. The lighting was dramatic and my dread of running into headwinds was averted–I decided this would be a sublime day!

I was excited for my run or I would have taken hundreds of shot. There were at least a 1/2 dozen young surfers on the sunset side of the island. All in wet suits, of course, as Superior is pretty cold. I figured if they could brave the waves, cold, wind and unknown bottoms of the lake I could certainly circle the island twice. I got in my 4 miles with a 12 minute average per mile–pretty good (for me) considering the weather conditions.

After a run on Saturdays there is the Marquette Farmer’s Market–combining the two tasks makes me feel like a hunter-gatherer–still sweaty from my run I gathered yummy produce and goodies. Today I picked up a Head of cauliflower and broccoli grown locally by Seeds and Spores. I purchased 5 mini red-sweet peppers from Farmer Q’s and then stopped by to get treats from Peter at the Marquette Baking Company, two pear-rosemary scones and two chocolate-chip walnut cookies.