Category Archives: Boilermaker

Up the Hill or Over It?

Posted on June 4, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I seem to remember threatening to turn this blog into All Boilermaker All The Time till I actually run the thing. Maybe for a post or two afterwards (must document my crash and burn after all). Therefore I offer the following concerning my run this morning, Sunday June 3, 2012.

On Sundays I like to run up to Herkimer County Community College (HCCC) the front way. That is a quite steep, fairly long hill. It’s a challenge and it looks like one. Local readers are always properly impressed when I tell them I do that. I know, I know, we are supposed to do things for our own satisfaction and improvement, not to impress others. Still, it’s kind of nice when people say, “Ooh, you run that hill?” I guess I’ve blogged (silly verb) about that hill several times, so sorry if I’ve bored you with yet another description of it.

Anyways, I set out. At least it wasn’t misting, as it was on my Saturday run (why didn’t I blog about that one? I never run in the rain!). In fact, my hands were cold. What was that all about? I tried not to worry about it. My legs weren’t complaining too much yet, but I was prepared to ignore them when they did.

No cars in my way as I crossed the street. No dogs to stop and pet. It was shaping up to be a fairly uneventful run. My legs soon informed me they were not in the least inclined to run a hill, small or large. Luckily I had already practiced ignoring them.

One trick to running up a hill is to look down at your feet. Then you can’t see how steep a gradient you are running. Another help is to realize that as long as you keep moving your feet, however slowly and incompetently, you will get up the hill. Eventually. It turned out to be one of those runs where I needed all the help I could get.

Up, up, up. I looked forward. Not too discouraging but bad enough. I looked behind me, thinking if I saw how far I had come I would feel better. No good, the road curves around so you can’t see the beginning. Well, I know that road, I knew I was closer to the end than the beginning. A few more steps and I could look off to my right and see Herkimer spread out below me. If it wasn’t too misty. It was.

No matter, I was at the college. There were the dorms, or barracks as my army brain wants to call them. College is not in session, so no chance anybody would holler something out the window at me, as happened once. I didn’t run on up onto campus but turned right over to the back way to run down. Ah, downhill. Where gravity is my friend.

On the way up I had seen some stuff spray painted on the road for the DARE 5K, which I ran last August. I hope to run it again this year. It’s fun, it’s local, it’s small, it’s SHORTER than the Boilermaker! Actually, the Boilermaker is pretty fun. And it’s the small, local aspect of the DARE run that appeal to me most. But that is for another day. Today my mission was to keep going for 55 minutes.

As I ran down, I saw some more DARE 5K stuff. “Have fun!” I read. That seemed a whole lot less sarcastic on the way down. I don’t mind being told to have fun when I’m doing a difficult run. What I don’t like is on the Boilermaker when they tell me, “It’s all downhill from here,” when I know damn well it is not. But perhaps they mean it figuratively. I don’t stop to discuss it.

I decided to run back to Lou Ambers Drive and stop for a drink at the spring. I had wanted to do that Saturday but had picked up a penny earlier on the run. I had tried to drink one handed. Not so successful. Today I had both hands. Aah! Plenty of water stations along the Boilermaker route. That’s something to look forward to.

I ran up the hill by Valley Health Services for good measure. I must admit I was more out of breath at the top of that hill than I had been at HCCC. Explain that to me. I suppose because it was later in the run. Or because I am old.

The run did take it out of me. I think I may need to start consuming more protein or Gator Ade or vitamins or something. I had some majorly philosophical thoughts as my run continued after the two hills, but I see I am over 700 words, so I will save them for another day. Perhaps a Middle-aged Musings Monday.

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Was That a Training Run?

Posted on April 28, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I shall do my favorite Saturday thing of writing a post about this morning’s run. Perhaps I should warn my readers (if any) that after the play is over (Harvey at Ilion Little Theatre, etc.), my blog may be about All Boilermaker All The Time. I have to train! I’m getting nervous!

Actually, I say I am training for the Boilermaker, but it doesn’t really feel as if I’m training. For one thing, I have no real clear idea of how to train, other than the increase by 10 percent each week thing advised by the guys at the Sneaker Store. I just go running. I write down what I run in a little book. I try to do better as time goes on. Is that training? I suppose I ought to know these things, but heavens, I can’t know everything.

Be that as it may, I ran early, as I like to do. Actually, by 7:30 a.m. on a weekday I would have been at work, worked and had a break already. On a Saturday, I had coffee, read the paper and played solitaire. I set out before I got too hungry and ate, then would have to wait for my food to digest.

The thermometer in my house said 35 degrees, so I put on leggings and my long-sleeved ARMY t-shirt. Winter running socks, which have the advantage that they are long enough to cover the bottoms of the leggings. I hate that little strip of ankle that gets exposed when the two don’t meet. Headband to cover my ears. The sleeves of the t-shirt are long enough to pull down over my hands. I was set.

For the first few minutes I regretted that I had not worn a sweatshirt as well. For the entire run, I wished I had brought a handkerchief or tissue. I spent a good portion of the time pondering the wording of a Facebook post about how my nose ran more than my body. Never came up with anything good.

I ran up to Herkimer County Community College (HCCC) the back way. My body told me don’t do it, but as usual I did not listen. The only downside, really, was that the road is so shaded. I was really appreciating the sun this morning. I thought ahead to July and August, when I will be loving the shade. No matter. My body soon heated itself by effort. Only my nose was still cold.

When I got up to the college, I continued on up Reservoir Road. That meant I was still going uphill, so I could feel virtuous about that. I saw a little beach ball in a ditch. It looked like one of those promotional giveaways. I like a little beach ball. I stopped to pick it up, wondering how awkward it would be to carry a little beach ball for the rest of my run. It was too awkwardly placed to get without major effort, so I gave it up and kept running.

I saw two girls getting out of vehicles in the gymnasium parking lot. One of them made a noisy yawn, or maybe it was an oh-my-back groan. I reflected that it was an unconscionably early hour for many people. Not for us factory workers. I felt virtuous again.

HCCC is a beautiful campus. I like to run around it. I think how I would like to work there, but they never hired me or even called me for an interview. I daresay I lack the right qualifications. Well, I like the job I have now anyways. So there.

I ran down the front way, very steep. A truck came up, and the driver nicely slowed down and moved over partway into the other lane. I waved a thank you, and he waved back. Then two cars zinged by and I don’t think the drivers were paying the slightest bit of attention. Luckily it is a wide shoulder.

I ran by the high school, which I usually save for Sunday. There are often things going on at a high school on a Saturday. Today there were no cars out front. A couple drove into the lot and around the back, but I didn’t get in their way so that was OK.

I ran over the footbridge spanning the stream, which brought me to the parking lot slash road where I often find coins. Dropped by careless people or left by the angels to encourage me? Could be both. I saw a guy playing basketball. Would I feel silly stooping to pick up dropped coins with a basketball player as witness? It did not arise, as there were no coins. Did the angels think I need no encouragement? Maybe the basketball guy picked up any coins. Maybe he needed the encouragement. I ran on.

I did reach the “I can rock this” stage on my run, although my legs warned me they would not be able to rock this all day. At least I rocked it for 44 minutes, the length of time I ran last Sunday. Not quite halfway to my last year’s Boilermaker time (about 109 minutes, if I recall)(too lazy to walk downstairs and look at where Steven wrote it down). I’ll get there. And I’ll write a bunch of blog posts along the way. Stay tuned!

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Running When You Gotta Go

Posted on April 22, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I heard it was supposed to get cold and rain on Saturday, so I set out early, well, early-ish to run. Since it was prior to 8 a.m., I thought I could get away with running a little ways up Route 28. I intended to drive that way later, in search of Mohawk Valley adventures, so I thought I could set my mileage thingy and see how far I had gone.

Right away I could tell it was still a good temperature for running. Aaah! Less than two blocks into the run, I had to go to the bathroom. “No way,” I told myself. “You just peed! This is habit bladder!” Then I pondered further and realized, I had forgotten to go. Let’s see, brushed teeth, decided to get dressed and then pee, got dressed, started running. Damn! How could I forget something that basic?

Now what? I hadn’t gone that far; I could turn around and go back. It might upset the dog. When she sees me after I leave to run, she expects to walk a cool down with me. Anyways, once I start running, I want to run, I don’t want to stop. Oh, I could wait. I intended to run 40 minutes. Could I wait 40 minutes? “Fight habit bladder, fight habit bladder,” I urged myself. After all, I obviously hadn’t really had to go before I left or I wouldn’t have forgotten. I just like to go before I leave the house. A habit my mother taught me.

I thought briefly of running in a different direction, like maybe to McDonald’s and using their bathroom. Then I thought, I’m running out Route 28. Isn’t that out of town? Doesn’t it get rural and woodsy? Maybe I could find a friendly tree. I don’t run out that way very often, so I couldn’t say for sure I would find such a tree, but I thought the odds seemed good. Then I thought, I could also run the other way on 28 and come to Hannaford. They opened at seven and have a perfectly nice bathroom. It would mess up my mileage checking plan, but still.

Friendly tree or respectable grocery store? Friendly tree or respectable grocery store? I pondered as I ran. Waiting a full 40 minutes seemed an increasingly less viable option. Then I considered, I’ll probably blog about this (as you see). I think it is not quite legal to pee behind a tree, however friendly, within village limits. Might not be the sort of thing to put out on the internet for all to see (um, I mean to read about; I did not intend to take a picture or anything).

Then I got to the H.A.R.C building at the end of German Street and I saw it! A porta potty, apparently for whoever was doing all the work on the building and grounds. They don’t lock those things, do they? I sprinted towards it and hoped for the best. Success! It was open and not too dirty. There was plenty of toilet paper (I even managed to blow my nose, which usually needs it). Oh, I was happy.

As I continued my run out Route 28, I was extremely grateful for the porta potty. There were trees, but they did not look very friendly and they certainly did not look discreet. There were more houses that way than I remembered. In short, there was no handy place for a tinkle.

I did not run very far out the highway, though, because traffic was heavier than I like. It wasn’t horrible, but enough cars were zooming by me that I was not comfortable. When I drove out that way later I found I had gone more than a mile but less than a mile and a half. I had still run for my forty minutes, though, by dint of following other streets.

I felt pretty happy about my run: beat the rain, beat the cold. It was important to me to get the run in, because I only ran once since Sunday. I had intended to run on Friday, but came home from work with the most debilitating headache. You know, the kind of headache where, when you realize your head has finally stopped hurting, you want to weep with gratitude. Maybe some people can run with such a headache. I cannot.

On the Boilermaker route, there are porta potties. There are usually lines for them. 14,000 runners, I guess there would be. I shall plan to get to the starting line early enough to wait in line for a pre-run tinkle. Just another thing to think about as I train.

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Not an Ice Cream Run

Posted on April 18, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

As the Boilermaker looms ever closer, I’m feeling the pressure to run, run run. I also have rehearsals for Harvey (the play I am in with Ilion Little Theatre) (feel I must say it every time) as well as other responsibilities (hello, working to pay the bills), so today I thought I would compromise with a shorter run. Sunday when I added my weekly 10 percent, I was up to 40 minutes (laugh and point if you must), so I thought a 20 or 30 minute run would at least get me out there.

I put in a load of laundry before I started out. Then I thought a 30 minute run would be perfect. Followed by a 10 minute cool down walk around the block with Tabby, I’d be getting home just as the laundry was finished. How efficient am I? I could hear the ice cream truck as I came out the back door. No ice cream for me, I thought. I’m not just training for the Boilermaker; I’m trying to drop that last ten pounds.

So off I went, ice cream truck tune playing in my head. At least it gave me a good pace. The sun was brighter than I had realized, making the temperature warmer than I had expected. Yesterday was downright hot, and I did not run. I thought today would be better.

I heard the ice cream truck behind me. No way! Was it following me? Well I couldn’t get ice cream anyways, I told myself; I didn’t have any money. Still, I thought, I bet that ice cream truck would follow me home, especially if I promised to buy a half dozen treats, which I could stick in the freezer and surprise Steven with. If they lasted that long. I didn’t see the truck. Another block down I didn’t hear it either. Phew!

Down this street, up that street. Is this the way I went Saturday? Go the other way. I thought I saw a bag of yard waste with a head. I mean, it didn’t look like a real head. Like a bucket or something with something on top to look like hair. When I got closer, I saw it was a kind of a lumpy person sitting on the ground near the curb. He had a bucket shaped head with one of those hairdos that are shaved all around but mop-like on top. I am being completely unspecific about what street I saw this person on, because I think that is kind of an unflattering description. To mitigate, I couldn’t really see him all that well; my running glasses are several prescriptions ago.

I ran down Folts Street, which the Folts Home is not located on. Carney’s Corners is. They make great subs. Hmmm… I could go in, order a sub for delivery, run home and pay for it when it arrived. What a great idea! I turned the other way before I could talk myself into it.

I decided to head toward Myers park, which I used to always run through just before heading home. I had to cross Main Street. Traffic. Ugh. I jogged in place till I had my chance then sprinted. I’d like to say I crossed the street at a dead run, but two thirds of the way across I saw the curb and thought my stride was not the proper length. I had a brief vision of myself sprawling on the sidewalk, toe bruised, shin bleeding, pride in complete tatters. I avoided that disaster and headed towards the park.

Was that the damn ice cream truck heading in the same direction? Was it stalking me? Probably not. I believe the person who owns or runs it lives near where I live. I’ve seen the truck parked at a house a couple streets away. Again, I will not get specific. I’m sure there are those that stalk the ice cream truck.

I ran though the park as the truck drove on. Then around the perimeter of the park, to gain my full run time, then home without further incident or temptation. I did not have ice cream. I do not intend to have ice cream. Today anyways.

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Keep Running, Cindy!

Posted on March 30, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had it in my head that Wednesday’s run was going to be a good run and I was going to blog about it. I thought how my last couple of running posts had been about difficult runs and I felt a little uncomfortable with that. Of course, it’s a good thing to persevere through a difficult run and to write about it; the one thing helps the other, without a doubt. But I don’t want to give the impression that all my runs are difficult runs. If all I’m doing is persevering, I think it’s time to find a new hobby slash workout (I really felt the need to write the word “slash” and not use a “/”).

It helped that the weather cooperated. Warmer, not humid, nice. Shorts and short sleeves were definitely the way to go. I felt pretty OK as soon as I started out.

I wanted to run the hill by Valley Health Services. That necessitated crossing German Street, not always easy with four o’clock traffic. I managed it at the three-way stop at Caroline Street, waving “thank you” to the cars that didn’t run me over. The hill is what I would call respectable. Not as challenging as the hill to Herkimer County Community College, but not negligible. Respectable.

I shuffled up it, thinking how my previous method (and I’m not the only one to use it) was to sprint up hills. My reasoning was, get up it as quickly as possible, so the difficulty only lasted a short time. It was not a good method. Slow and steady wins the race (is that a cliche? Should I have added “as they say” or some other self-deprecating, post-ironic phrase?).

On my way down, on the other side of the building, I saw a lady walking away carrying a large umbrella.

“Didn’t need the umbrella after all,” I called.

“No, it’s beautiful,” she said.

“Oh, it sure is!”

There were still clouds, but as I rounded the corner some sunlight broke through and lit up some forsythia bushes. I love forsythia. It’s beautiful and fun to say. Now the sun was behind me with dark clouds in front of me. I admired the effect. I checked out my shadow on the sidewalk. Still lumpy. Keep running, Cindy.

My run seemed to be taking a long time. I felt that I was running very slowly. That’s all right; you mostly have to run slow on the Boilermaker. With 14,000 runners, I don’t see things thinning out much as we go. I started thinking about the Boilermaker and how I’d wave to people cheering the runners on. I can say silly things like, “My fans, how they adore me.” I mentally calculated how many weeks till the Boilermaker and how long I would be running if I added 10% each week, as recommended by those guys at the Sneaker Store. As long as I’m up to an hour I’ll feel comfortable. If you can run one hour, you can run two. You just don’t stop.

I did not need to put on a sweatshirt for my cool down walk with Tabby. I felt happy about my run and even happier when I thought about running this weekend NOT after a 10 hour workday. So you see, not all my runs are difficult or un-fun. And I bet they’ll get even better. See you at the Boilermaker!

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Cool Runnings

Posted on March 29, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Note to self: no more days off running. At least, no more four days in a row off running.

It was that damn pedicure. If I had not been so anxious to have pretty toes for Saturday’s wine tasting tour, I could have run on Wednesday. And it was that damn wine tasting tour. If I had stayed home, I could have run Saturday and felt better Sunday and Monday. But it’s useless to repine. We can’t go back and change things, and if we could go back there’s no guarantee we would make the right changes.

All this by way of saying, I did not enjoy Tuesday’s run as much as I had hoped. I felt better Tuesday than I had on Monday, and I thought the temperature was a little warmer. Not as warm as it could be. I recall at my last difficult run wondering if the difficulty stemmed from the warm humidity or from running after a 10 hour work day. Tuesday I had the chance to find out. Nice 40 degree weather. Good temperature to run in, right?

When I walked out of work in Ilion, it seemed colder than expected. I thought, maybe leggings and a long-sleeved t-shirt. But it was sunny; my truck cab was warm. And Herkimer is often warmer than Ilion. By the time I got home, I thought I could rock the shorts and short sleeves. I do hate getting overheated, which I find can happen when it’s over 40 degrees. I had a slight delay while Steven helped me find a headband. My ears can still get cold while my body overheats. Finally Steven located one.

Apparently the temperature had dropped and/or the wind picked up during my slight delay. Oh dear. But I was not about to go back and change, so I trusted to sunny spots and my own efforts to overcome the cold.

I right away started looking for things to put in a blog post. Different things, so my blog does not become monotonous. I did not notice anything right away, but I remembered two things. The Boilermaker organizers this year are allowing people to give their registration to somebody else if they decide not to run. One of my nieces would like to run the Boilermaker but did not register. Hmmm…. I could give her my registration and go back to leading a sedentary lifestyle. I considered that for maybe half a block. My body sure liked the sound of “sedentary lifestyle.” But I have had the foresight to mention to a good many people that I intend to run the Boilermaker. No easy way out for me! I kept running.

I had turned right onto German Street and managed to cross both Main and Washington Streets despite heavy traffic (I came as close as I can get to a sprint at this point). I made it all the way down to the old factory-looking building that is now owned (I think) by H.A.R.C and houses the Herkimer County Chamber of Commerce (I meant to go to their open house when they first opened and blog about it). I always liked that building, because it makes me think of an army building. When it was vacant I used to run through the parking lot and behind it, till I noticed the No Trespassing sign. I decided to try it again, to see if the sign was still there.

As I entered the parking lot, I saw a sign that said rental space was available, for office or manufacturing purposes. I wondered what kind of business I could start. I noticed a couple of disused loading docks and one that was completely cinder-blocked up. I didn’t see a No Trespassing sign, so I continued around the building and came out on a residential street.

I ran down it, noting as I like to screened-in porches I admire. I saw buds on some trees, a welcome sight. I never reached the “I can rock this” stage, but I got to a neutral point where my body seemed reasonably content to keep going. I did not begin to feel warm. As I ran down Prospect Street, I met a two pedestrians wearing winter coats.

“Makes me feel even colder!” the lady said, looking at me.

“I thought it was warmer when I started out,” I said. “I was wrong!”

I saw a girl running with a pit-bull-looking dog trotting beside her. She sensibly had on long pants, long sleeves and even boots. Running in boots? When she got to the park she slowed to a walk as the dog started sniffing trees, so perhaps they had merely been hustling to a business meeting.

As I neared home I got past the neutral stage and back to the “I want to stop NOW” stage. I did not stop, however, till I had run my intended time. I threw on a sweatshirt before Tabby and I walked my cool down, but it didn’t help much. The wind had picked up so much, it was making a whistling noise over the top of my water bottle. When we got back to the house, I thanked Steven again for finding the headband, because my ears were the only parts of me that weren’t cold.

I had actually written more observations and happenings from the run, but I see that I am over 800 words. I like to keep my posts short, or at least short-ish. That may be a challenge as my runs get longer, but I’ll see what I can do.

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A Not So Fun Run

Posted on March 22, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Since Sunday’s run went so well, I felt quite confident setting out on Tuesday. Silly me.

I had spent the afternoon at work feeling the warm temperature, watching clouds come and go, and pondering my life for the week. With only twenty-four hours in the day, ten of them devoted to work and a certain number (rarely high enough) to sleep, one can’t do everything one would like. In the army there was always some officer or NCO ready to intone the mantra, “Time management,” as if it were some magic formula that actually increased said 24 hours. Of course, they never gave the formula or even any specific organizational tips. I’m sure they did what I do: NOT everything.

That was a digression (sneaking in a middle-aged musing, I suppose). To get back on track (appropriate for a running post), I chose to run. I noticed right away that it was warm and humid. Of course I had been noticing that all day, but now it was emphasized.

I saw a young man run down the street I intended to turn onto. I thought briefly of turning the other way, then decided not to flatter myself. There was little chance of my catching a pedestrian let along a young man running.

He was dressed in black. I don’t like to dress in black on the bright, sunny days. I get too hot. I had searched my drawers for a large, white shirt. I found a Hummel’s Office Plus t-shirt we had purchased at a rummage sale at our church a few years ago.

It was soon clear that this would not be an easy run. My legs acted as if they had never run one step ever in their lives and I was ridiculous for asking them to. I wondered if this was the difference between running in forty degree weather and running in seventy degree weather. Then I thought it was more likely the difference between running in the morning of a day off and running after ten hours of work.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s how to persevere through a difficult run. I started looking for things to mention in my blog, to distract myself. I saw a lady walking a dalmatian, a beautiful dog. They were on the other side of the street, so I could not ask to pet the dog, as I like to do. I was pleased that there were no puddles, especially as I ran down a section of Caroline Street where there is often a deep one. My bunions have been saying rain, but they often say that a day or two before it actually does.

Soon I was having trouble with my breathing. Nothing too serious. Only, with my sinuses it is next to impossible to do the “in through your nose out through your mouth” thing they say you’re supposed to do. My throat dried out in an uncomfortable fashion. I experimented with breathing through my nose. No good. I remembered that a friend had recommended concentrating on my exhale at times like this. Make sure I’m getting rid of the bad air to make room for the good. That seemed to help. I wished I had run toward the spring so I could stop for a drink. I thought about the bottle of ice water I had waiting for me on my deck and was encouraged to keep moving.

When I was almost home, I passed a couple of ladies with kids and dogs, pushing a four-seat stroller.

“Is there room for me in that stroller thing?” I called.

“There is!” one answered. “I’ll give you a piggy back — you look like you’re working way too hard!”

“I’m trying!”

She started to say something about being an anti-runner, but I was past before she finished. That’s the trouble with these running conversations; sometimes you miss the good parts.

I managed to keep running for my set length of time. I thought that was pretty good of me. I confess I spent a good portion of my run saying, “Each step is one more step I can make on the Boilermaker.” I know it’s a difficult run when I notice each step.

But you’ll have difficult runs. I could say something profound about making it through difficult times in life, but I think we all get the idea. Maybe that could be some of my half-baked philosophy for Lame Post Friday.

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First Run after Registering

Posted on February 29, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I registered for the Boilermaker and proceeded not to run. In my defense, the weather was bad and I felt like crap (oh, don’t point me out folks who run in a blizzard with pneumonia; that is not me).

I was determined to run on Monday. The weather cooperated. My body cooperated. My dog didn’t act too bent out of shape. I was off.

Regarding my dog: I was not completely without exercise all weekend, because Tabby and I took a lengthy walk on Sunday. I had not intended to do such a thing. I had intended to sit with my feet up, possibly sipping hot tea, recruiting my energies for the week ahead. However, when I went upstairs (for a purpose I no longer remember), Tabby assumed it was preparatory to taking her for a walk. She started jumping and hopping and looking so happy and hopeful, I just couldn’t disappoint her.

And for the first five minutes of the walk, I thought that maybe fresh air and exercise were just what I needed. I spent the subsequent thirty minutes of the walk realizing that they were not. As we walked through the park, I envisioned myself sitting on a bench and falling asleep. I wondered if somebody would rescue me before hypothermia set in but decided not to risk it.

I was feeling better by Monday afternoon. I only wished I had laid out my running clothes before work, but, goodness, who thinks of such things at four in the morning? (Probably those same folks that run in a blizzard with pneumonia.)

So there I was, running down the sidewalks of Herkimer. I saw the discarded underwear I’ve noticed before. They were crumpled up just off the sidewalk this time. I noted a screened-in porch with a lot of junk piled up in it. What a waste of a screened-in porch! Perhaps the owners mean to clean it in the spring. An open porch had two lovely wooden rocking chairs. Oh, I’ll be so glad when porch sitting weather arrives! (I almost said “I can’t wait,” but in fact, I shall have to.)

My run was feeling pretty OK. I got to the “I can rock this” stage fairly early on. A few leg muscles expressed displeasure further into the run, but you’ll have that. I refuse to let a little muscular miftiness deter me.

I felt so happy at the end of my run, I wanted to walk around with my fists in the air while somebody sang the chorus of “We Are the Champions.” Quite a feeling of triumph for one little run. Well, I try to accept joy wherever I find it. Boilermaker, here I come!

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Registration Rigamarole

Posted on February 26, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Having started running again (see previous posts), I thought I’d better register for the Boilermaker before it fills up. The cap is 14,000 runners, and they are more than halfway there. Yikes!

Previously, I went to the Distance Runners Hall of Fame, filled out an application and wrote a check. The hardest part was navigating the one-way streets in downtown Utica (that would have made an awesome blog post; I love that section of Utica). I knew I could register online, but I prefer in person adventures. The Hall of Fame website did not even list their hours (that I could find; we all know I’m not very bright about the internet), but they had a place where you could submit a question, so I did.

I was pleased to receive an email the next day, disappointed to learn that I had to register online, and a little embarrassed for the emailer, because she spelled “through” “threw” (just goes to show, spell check does not solve all problems). (But that was not as bad as a boss I heard of who sent an email about somebody being out with “ammonia” and, when called on the error, bristled, “I used spell check!”)

With a resigned sigh, because I am not internetly adept, I typed in boilermaker.com. It seems they have contracted with the Active Network Inc. (active.com) for registration. A paragraph bragged about how this company utilizes firewalls and encryption to make sure our information and credit card numbers are safe.

I clicked on it, clicked that I was a New York State resident, then settled down to read the lo-o-o-ong waiver I had to sign off on. I almost didn’t read it, because I knew I was going to sign it, because I wanted to run. Only, they rather sternly (or do I read too much into a typeface?) stated that by signing I guaranteed that I read and understood it. I don’t like to be too much of a liar (although when I do it, it’s called fiction). I guess I was partially truthful, because I skimmed it and understood part of it. Basically, I think I promised not to sue, even if they did something wrong. Well, that made sense. 14,000 runners, the Boilermaker people don’t want folks suing them for medical bills over turned ankles because they didn’t clear away the discarded paper cups (although I’m sure they meet the reasonable man standard on that one. Hello! 14,000 runners!). But do they need to go on and on about it? I suppose they do.

The waiver went on for even longer when they started talking about the things I wasn’t going to sue active.com for. After the earlier boasts about how secure they were! Oh, I know, CYA (Cover Your Ass; who says you don’t learn anything in college?). Then they went on at some length about California jurisdiction, where the company is based.

So. Our proud, grand, LOCAL tradition has contracted with a California company for its registration. I understand Active is a huge, reputable company; that they register many races; and with 14,000 runners the Boilermaker perhaps needs the expertise. Still, I am Mohawk Valley Girl, and I wish it were being done by somebody local (is there anybody local? Come on, Utica! Start a company!).

Be that as it may, I signed the waiver and drove on.

They wanted to know my last Boilermaker time. There was no space to put, “Oh, just send me a grey number; I run with the masses.” I guess with 14,000 runners, they don’t have time for everybody to be a wise ass. Luckily, Steven had written down my last year’s time on a poster my niece had drawn for me on the occasion.

I had to check twice that I did not want a training t-shirt. That made for some amusement when I went to “review registration.” I saw “I am not purchasing a training t-shirt,” then two lines later, “I AM NOT PURCHASING A TRAINING T-SHIRT.” Just like that, upper/lower then all caps. As in, “I SAID, I’M NOT PURCHASING…” etc. I know, it takes so little to please some people.

Active.com offered me three months of magazines for free. That was tempting, but as I read on I saw that if I did NOT call and cancel they would automatically charge the subscription price to my credit card every year till I did. If I subscribe to a magazine, I want them to ASK me IF I want to renew. I don’t like this automatic stuff; Homey don’t play dat.

Still later I was offered a trial membership to active.com. It was the same deal: free for three months, then automatically charged to my card. I said it before and I’ll say it again (because I like saying it), Homey don’t play dat.

At last I got the registration completed. Oh, how I missed driving somewhere and doing it in person! Some love to do everything on line, but I prefer people (I know, that is so 20th century). I’m sure the Boilermaker people had very good reasons for doing registration this way, probably having to do with those 14,000 runners I find so intimidating.

The important thing is I am registered for the Boilermaker (got my email confirmation today). I seem to remember last July getting three posts out of not running. Already I’ve gotten over 800 words out of registering. The sky’s the limit!

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