50th state is Alaska - complete

Thank you for supporting me as I journeyed through this amazing 50-state venture, the final state to run a (13.1 mile) half marathon. 50th state is Alaska.  The Race was in Juneau Alaska on July 21, 2019. I finally accomplished running a half marathon in the final 50-state. 

Thoughts, Reflections and Lessons

Reflection of those things I learned during this whole journey

I like to reflect on the lessons I learned throughout my journey in this case it’s my 50 state half marathon journey. These are some thoughts, reflections and lessons…

• You are going to sprain your ankle when you run the Las Vegas half marathon in December 2007 after running it, even though you knew you injured your ankle in kick-boxing that Tuesday before the run. The results, crutches for 3 months and no running - lesson, don’t run the half marathon when you are injured. You will only injure yourself more.
• You are going to tear your ACL skiing down a triple black and be out for 1 year after surgery and many months of physical therapy. Next time think twice before you do something stupid.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 
• There will be setbacks and years when you don’t do “anything running” between 2011-2012, and that’s okay. The goal will simply be there when you get back to it. Sometimes it’s as simple as that.
• A runner crushed her foot, after healing only 8 months later, she is running on this cruise for her 40 state.  Everyone is going through something. Support them in their accomplishment.
• Embrace the challenges. There will be many. Let them come your way and play through them. Make the challenge fun, it will no longer be the monster you pretend it to be.
• Met a runner who has qualified and run Boston 8 times. She is working toward 10 Boston marathons. When she reaches 10, she will be in for life! Learned the qualifying time for my (and now her) age group 50-54 to qualify for Boston is 4:00. I think this is doable and reachable, I may consider this one as my NEXT venture to consider.
• A runner got 1st in the 5K run, said she was going to Australia sometime with her husband not when she retires but NOW, because one thing she learned was sometimes if you wait until you retire your people might not be here anymore to go with you. :*( VERY good lesson.
• I learned that people, especially the running community, will open their arms and welcome you to share a room, their food, their time, and the course with you. Even if they are strangers, they are kind, their heart is in it because they get you.  Runners get each other.
• This is from another runners voice… spectators will formulate that you must look a certain way in order to run. But there are runners of all ages, sizes and races. The fastest runners have been solid and stalkier. Not all runners are tall and skinny. Many time spectators who do not run are just trying to figure it all out. 
• It’s not easy to run a slower pace, but I have several races, in order to help a newby or first-time half marathoner along her journey to finish her first race.
• It takes strategy, as your body ages, you need to be smart and listen to your body most. If it says, “Today I can’t do it.” Then you don’t. Or “Today you need to race-walk.” Then you race walk.
• Just do it, simple as that. Don’t let your mind take over, don’t get in your head or else you will be stuck there.
• Join a group to encourage you and make you accountable if you need that motivation and push.
• Traveling can be expensive, you can be smart about it though.  I traveled all day Friday in my VW car to run a race on Saturday, and turn around and drive back the same day after the race.  This saved me a lot of money and time. The con is I didn’t really get to see the state much, just a short dinner at night or breakfast before the race or saw the people and terrain during the race. 
• I’m glad I took a week in Colorado, it was there where I ran Crazy Horse in altitudes I thought I would never recover from, running 2 miles straight up a mountain and after where I got confidence to write with Susan Piver and discover the enneagram which helps me with characters in my stories.
• I believe travel opens your eyes to new things. When you see these new places, people and history, you see how our country was formed.  
• Traveling the states on the Burlington, Vermont race weekend is where my books, Bugs Adventure Series, came to life.
• Getting injured happens and is not fun. When it happened to me in 2011, it stopped my journey for a full year. I didn’t get back to running until the year later 2012. It takes a while to recover and heal, but if you follow instructions, are patient and do the work, you will heal to full recovery and be back on the road running in whatever time it takes to heal. Be patient with yourself.
• You will find unexpected friends. I ran into a friend, around 73, who is a master swimmer and swims competitively with a team today. She asked me if I wanted to go find a pool at the next town so we could swim laps. Like I said, everyone is so open to sharing their time.
• People are reading my crazyrunninggal blog. Now that was fun to learn about on this trip.

That’s my recap.