Countdown to Triathlon - 242 Days, 34.5 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 29 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY -

Christmas in Bethlehem.  The ancient dream: a cold, clear night made brilliant by a glorious star, the smell of incense, shepherds and wise men falling to their knees in adoration of the sweet baby, the incarnation of perfect love.  ~Lucinda Franks

My wish for all of you is a joyous Christmas, remembering the reason for the season and much joy, love, peace, health and prosperity in the New Year.  This will be the last day of the blog until Monday January 3rd.  Who has time right now to post or read a blog?  We'll be visiting our kids in southern California after Christmas until almost New Year's Day. 

Cindy hasn't had time to finish writing her part of the marathon and this is a terrible time for me to ask her to do it.  Below is a part of what happened to Patti and I while trying to find Cindy along the marathon route.

The Journey - Installment Twenty-Nine

         

        After leaving Macy's and taking the subway, Patti and I arrived at our destination, the place we thought that we could see Cindy pass by.  We walked up the stairs and arrived at an intersection.  You could tell that it was part of the run because of barricades.  There was a police car parked in the middle of the side street.  Since it was cold, the policeman was sitting in his patrol car with the windows up.  I tapped on his window, he rolled it down and I asked him how long before the runners would come through.  He replied that they’d already been there.  WE HAD MISSED HER!  We flew all the way to New York and because we dinked around – we missed her. 

           

            So, we hopped back on the subway.  Every time we were on the subway we had incredibly stupid looks on our faces as we never knew exactly where we were going, where we had been or what stop to get off the subway.  People would see our blank looks and always offered to help. We knew that Sloan Kettering Hospital had set up bleachers for patients and family member of the running team.   Sandy and the boys were supposed to be there.  We asked people on the subway where we should get off for Sloan Kettering were told to get off at 77th Street and 1st Avenue.  Unfortunately, we had been given the wrong information because Sloan Kettering is between 67th and 68^th Streets.  It turned out to be the wrong stop,which was fortuitous for us.  When we got off the subway and walked up to the street level but were about ten blocks too far.  Patti and I started to walk back toward what we thought would be the direction of the Hospital.  All of a sudden, we saw Cindy right in front of us on the street. I remember hollering at Patti, “I don’t believe it – look, there’s Cindy!”





 (Cindy is just to the right of the man.)



Cindy is the one looking at her watch



We'll leave Cindy running the marathon while we spend Christmas Day and New Year's with family and friends and I hope you'll all come back on January 3rd. 

Countdown to Triathlon - 243 Days, 34.71 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 27 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY -

Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home!  ~Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, 1836

The Journey - Installment Twenty-Eight

(Barb is writing this again.)  

        While Cindy was running in the marathon, Patti and I had been eating a bagel breakfast with Marilyn and Lynda.  After Lynda had told her story about her experiences on September 11^th,  Lynda had to be somewhere so Marilyn accompanied Patti and I to Macy’s to Herald Square.  We figured we had time for breakfast and even a short subway ride to Macy’s before we headed to the rendezvous spot to see Cindy running.  Marilyn was an old pro at taking the subway, compared to Patti and I,  so she got us to Macy’s without incident. At Macy’s, the decorations were beautiful and we enjoyed looking around the store.  Marilyn convinced me to buy a pair of shoes as my feet were still hurting from the day before.  AND... as an added bonus – you got a free Macy’s cloth bag.  What a deal!  I really have to say that Marilyn talked me into the shoes and convinced me that they were cute.  Well, they’re NOT!  Here’s a picture of me the next day with the shoes on.  Not as stylish as the boots, but a whole lot more comfortable.



The shoes look so good with the skirt, don't they?  (I'm kidding, don't you know?)
See the free Macy's bag?  I still use it today. This was taken the day after the marathan; we went back to Macy's with Cindy.


          (Since I began writing about those shoes, two days ago I went into my closet and dug them out.  I hadn’t worn them since November of 2001 and it’s now December 2010.  They’re still comfortable and I have been wearing them this week with my jeans.  I wonder what happened to that jacket.  I really loved that jacket and haven't seen it in years now that I think about it.)

        Patti and I looked at our watches and decided that we’d better head out if we were to catch Cindy and her team in the Bronx/Brooklyn.  At one point in the trip I was standing in the subway car looking at their map on the wall.  I saw that we might be going near where the Trade Center had been and I said to Patti, “Maybe we will be able to see something.”  Patti looked at me with a funny look on her face and said, “Barbara, we’re in the SUBway.  ‘Sub’ means ‘underground’.”  “Oh, yeah!”  I replied.  “I forgot!” Did ever feel like an idiot! Even if we had been above ground, we couldn’t have seen anything anyway because the subway was closed near the Trade Center due to collapsing tunnels and intense fire. 

Countdown to Triathlon - 244 Days, 34.85 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 27 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY -

My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?--Bob Hope

I have really noticed this year how different the average person in the stores are behaving.  It has probably been the same every year, but maybe I was too busy to notice.  It seems that everyone, shoppers and clerks alike are kinder, gentler, more generous with smiles and Christmas greetings.  I spoke with a clerk in Macy's the other night and he said he'd really lost weight last week and it would be worse this last week before Christmas.  I asked him if most people were nice and he said about half were really mean.  That truly did amaze me as I have not witnessed that attitude, but then I'm not out in the stores much.  I do the majority of my shopping all year or online.  I asked him, "How mean?" and he replied, "Really mean."  Let us hope that we never behave that way at Christmas or any time.

My Mom took Bob and I too her club last night for a delicious dinner for my birthday.  The club was beautifully decorated and there were four people dressed as old time carollers who went from table to table singing Christmas carols to the diners.  Here are some real live Christmas carollers.  The picture is not too great as it was not very light in the room and I had to use my cell phone.  The lady on the left had a tiny mouse pinned to her muff and said it was her "Christmouse".

Her muff, she said, was cut down and made from her grandmother's mink stole so her grandmother is with her every time she dresses as a caroller.

My Mom June

Me (not a very good angle)




My Sweet Ol' Bob

 

Poor Cindy. I've left her running in place in New York City for a whole week while I went on to other things.  She said she will try to email me another installment of her thoughts of the race so hopefully that will be in the blog tomorrow.  Today, we will continue with Lynda's last part of her story.

Thank you Lynda for sharing this very emotional story with all of us.

The Journey - Installment Twenty-Seven

(Lynda's story as told by Lynda - continued)

Shortly after 9:00AM, I heard people on the street screaming louder than they had screamed before and realized it was something very bad--worse than what already was going on.  It was the second plane heading towards the south tower.  I did not see that plane, but turned around just as it hit the south tower.   I was about three blocks away and felt the heat of the massive explosion.  At that point, all hell broke loose and people started running.  In all of the mayhem, someone stepped on the back of my sandal and ripped it, but I was still able to walk in it.  My co-worker Ken and I arrived at his friend's apartment.  She had just gotten out of the shower and wondered why we were there.  We must have been a sight.  We turned on the TV and watched the buildings collapse.  Watching the TV that morning was the first time I saw the planes, too.  Since I didn't have my cell phone, I was able to make four calls from the apartment.  The first was to home and I awoke my Mom and immediately said, "I'm okay."  She had no idea what was going on so I told her to turn on the TV and to know that I'm okay and that I had to go.  I also called a friend of mine in LA and told her to let everyone know I was okay.  I then called information to try and get the number of a friend's boyfriend who lived nearby.  Three other friends of mine worked downtown, near the WTC, so I figured they were all meeting there.  Luckily, he was listed and I was able to get through.  A friend answered the phone when I called and I said I was heading over.  I said goodbye to Ken and his friend and walked to my friend's boyfriend's apartment in the West Village.  We decided that we'd meet there then head uptown to my apartment.  On the walk over to his place, my shoe broke so I threw my shoes away and walked to rest of the way barefoot.  When I met up with my friends, one of them had a gym bag with a pair of tennis shoes in it so I didn't have to walk the 60 or so blocks up to my place on the upper west side barefoot.  My landlord was home and opened my apartment for me.  I spent the rest of the day/night at home.  My friends continued north to yet another friend's place, but I was exhausted and wanted to stay put at home.  I saw my building, number 7, collapse on TV at about 5 or 6PM that night.  Both of my roommates were out of town so another friend came over and spent the night with me.  The day before, on Sept. 10th, I mailed a package to my sister from work that was then postmarked on September 11th.  She still has that package.  About a month later, I met my husband Peter through one of my Citibank co-workers.  So, yes, this story has a happy ending (for me) .

Countdown to Triathlon - 247 Days, 35.2 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 26 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY -

One of the most glorious messes in the world is the
mess created in the living room on Christmas day. 
Don't clean it up too quickly.  ~Andy Rooney

Does this remind anyone of a special Christmas morning when you awoke to find a new bike beside the Christmas tree? That was a magical time for a kid.  Too bad I didn't know then what Christmas was really all about.  To me as a child, it was only about receiving presents.






Right now it's too bad that preparations for Christmas are taking precedence over exercise. However I am mentally preparing myself  to get back in gear the day after Christmas.  What an excuse, huh?  A nice lady named Eileen has sent me  information of a web site to check out about training and I'll do that right after Christmas. 

Do you remember the saying: "Procrastination is a crime that only leads to sorrow, I can start at any time, I think I will tomorrow."

The Journey - Installment Twenty-Six

(Lynda's story, continued)

        Upon exiting the building, I looked up and the first thing I saw was a huge black, fire-ringed hole on the side of the north tower.  I thought a bomb had gone off in the building and that other buildings around me had bombs in them and were going to blow up.  On the street, I saw a lot of people lining the sidewalk, watching what was happening and had no interest in sticking around.  I thought bombs were going off and wanted to get out of there.  I kept hearing mention of a plane, but still didn't believe it.  I saw a co-worker who mentioned that he had a friend who lived a few blocks uptown and that we should head north in case one of the buildings was to fall sideways.  By this time it's about 9:00AM, so about 15 minutes had elapsed since I headed towards the stairs.   The people lining the street/sidewalk had been screaming and yelling, "They're jumping" and I explicitly did NOT turn to watch the buildings for that reason.  [Talking about this part of the day is still difficult for me and it's not a part of the story I mention unless one asks and I remember either you or your sister asked about it.  When I did see the buildings on fire, I saw things falling, but I can not say for sure whether it was people or files cabinets/office furniture.]  Either way, I did not want to see the horror, so I kept my focus on walking north and calling home.

Come back Monday for another installment.

Countdown to Triathlon - 248 Days, 35.4 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 25 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY -

He who has not Christmas in his heart will
never find it under a tree.  ~Roy L. Smith











Bob and I just got back from Mendocino with our good friends Lynn and Shirley, their son and his friends, Cindy, Dale and Kathy.  We had a wonderful relaxing time in our other "Feel Good Place".  Lake Tahoe and Mendocino can't be beat! 

The above four photos were taken from our deck outside our room at the Albion River Inn, Albion, CA.  When I say we were in Mendocino, this is close by and we did actually go into town to grab a couple of meals.

The Journey - Installment Twenty-Five -
September 11, 2001

 (As told by Lynda)

          My Mom was in town visiting me when you and your sister (meaning Barb and Patti) came to town for the marathon.  I remember we met you both at the bagel place on 57th & 7th in Midtown Manhattan and retelling my September 11th story.  Everything was still pretty fresh for me and I hadn't really told my story to many people, so you two were some of the first to hear my recount.  It seems so long ago now, but back then, time really stood still for a few months while I tried to sort everything out.  

            I got to work at about 8:30AM on September 11th.  I worked at Citigroup in 7 World Trade Center, across the plaza from and just north of the North and South Towers (aka buildings 1 and 2--there were 7 buildings in the World Trade Center complex).  At about 8:45AM, I felt the building shake and the lights flickered on and off.  At first, I thought a truck had hit the building, but after logically thinking that we were on the 37th floor, I thought maybe it was an earthquake. Someone yelled "Stairs!" from the other end of my floor, so I headed straight to the stairs without bothering to get my purse or any other personal effects.  I, of course, thought I'd be back later to get everything.  What I didn't know at that time, but found out later, the person who yelled "Stairs!" had seen either the impact of the first plane or some of the fiery debris falling.  Thank goodness for the person!  Most people went to the stairs, but some of my colleagues took the elevator down to the lobby.  Those who took the elevators were "stuck" in the lobby because security was holding people inside the building.  Those of us who took the stairs were able to exit on to the street.  On my climb down the stairs, I met a woman who was in great distress and I held her hand all the way down to the bottom and made sure she was okay when we got to the ground floor.  Someone mentioned that a plane had hit one of the towers, but I thought it was a small plane and it never entered my mind that a passenger jet would hit one of the buildings. It was unthinkable to me at that time.

Friday will be the second part of Lynda's story.

Countdown to Triathlon - 253 Days,36.2 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 24 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY -

 There has been only one Christmas -  

 the rest are anniversaries. 

 ~W.J. Camero

We're really into the Christmas Season now.   It's fun to see all the decorations lit on the homes and hear the carrollon playing Christmas music from the top of a nearby church.  It's great living in a small town.  Last night, the firetruck came down the street in it's annual drive around the town with it's sirens blaring. Santa was riding on the back shouting, "Ho, Ho, Ho!"  and firemen, walking and riding threw candy out to any kids who came out of their homes to stand on the side walk.   But lest we forget, the above picture is the reason for the season.  Tonight will be the last post until next Thursday morning.  We'll be somewhere where there is no cell phone or Internet.  Be sure to come back then.    

The Journey - Installment Twenty-Four

(Barb's writing below)

                                                      



From the point of view of the spectators, everywhere you went in NYC that weekend, you saw American flags flying, people wearing either flag shirts or shirts with the insignia shown below:

                                                                 I



 NY



                                                                               

   

I certainly do hope that the lady in the picture doesn't accidentally stumble upon this blog and sue me for putting  her picture on without permission.  Heaven only knows who she is.  But notice her shirt.



                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                   We also saw shirts, hats, hand bags, sweatshirts and all kinds of apparel that said, FDNY or NYPD. Many street corners had vendors selling T-shirts and I bought Bob two, each representing the fire department or police department.  We found the New Yorkers to be friendly and kind.  Not at all pushy or like I pictured them after watching many Hollywood movies. And we all know how true to life movies are, don't we?   The worst movie that comes to mind is Death Wish starring Charles Bronson.  It portrayed the streets of New York as really scary and dangerous, even in daylight.  Of course, we weren’t out walking alone in bad areas at night, but the mood of the city was one of camaraderie and concern for others, especially after the tragedy which had occurred there just seven and a half weeks before.  We were told on several occasions by local residents that Mayor Giuliani had really cleaned up crime in the city since he had been in office. 

               While Cindy was running, Patti and I met Bob’s cousin Marilyn and her daughter Lynda for a leisurely breakfast  at a bagel shop. Patti and I knew how fast Cindy ran and we knew how far it was to different points of the race so we thought we had plenty of time before taking the subway to Brooklyn/Bronx. Remember, I can’t remember which place it was.  We figured we had time for breakfast and even a short subway ride to Macy’s at Herald Square.  Cousin Marilyn was visiting from California and staying with her daughter Lynda.  While at breakfast, I asked Lynda about her experiences on September 11th.  She had worked in 7 World Trade Center and while we ate those delicious New York bagels, she told us of her harrowing experience of fleeing her buidling which was across from the South and North Towers.  As we listened, all four of us had tears in our eyes as she recalled the horrors of September 11th with her building colapsing at the end of that awful day.   

Come back on Thursday morning.  You won't want to miss Lynda's story. 

                                                                                   

Countdown to Triathlon - 254 Days, 36.3 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 22 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY -

Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree.  In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.  ~Larry Wilde, The Merry Book of Christmas

I was out today in several stores.  In Staples I met a really grumpy old man.  But the rest of the people I passed all smiled at me; one even winked.  I think people really feel the spirit of Christmas, of love and joy and peace and no one seemed harried or rushed.  It was actually very pleasant to be out this morning.

The Journey - Installment Twenty-Three

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES, NOVEMBER 5, 2001

The following is from my sister Cindy as she began the New York City Marathon:

        On the morning of the marathon, we were up very early for a 6:30 am breakfast.  Fred’s Team which supports pediatric cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center served us our breakfast.  We had all raised money for Fred’s Team and were then able to stay at the Plaza Hotel.  Because of the recent events on 9/11, all runners had to be across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge by 8:30 am.  We got onto the bus and a photographer from Prevention Magazine arrived and wanted to take a picture of our group.  So we got off and I am sure the rest of the people on the bus were probably wondering who we were to hold up the bus.  When we arrived at the race starting point, we headed toward the waiting area, a park at the end of the bridge.  There were so many people there waiting for a 10:50 am start.  The security was very tight and everywhere you looked you could see police and the military guarding the bridge.  There were even officers at the very top of the bridge and over the toll booths.  It was a little cool that morning and it had been suggested that we wear some outer clothing like sweats that we could discard at the start.  I bought some inexpensive sweats and left them on the side of the road before beginning the race.  Volunteers then picked up the clothing and were to donate them to a homeless shelter.  

      Our race numbers were pretty high so we should have started way back in the pack.  We made our way towards the middle so it wouldn’t take as long to get to the starting line.  I heard that Mayor Giuliani spoke before the race started but I missed it as the lines to the bathroom were very long.  As the race started and the runners began moving forward to start across the bridge, they played “New York, New York” getting us all in the mood for a great race.  I was with my friend Linda, Dr. Peeke and Connie.  We ran toward the middle of the bridge since Connie was afraid of heights but we were still able to look to our left and see the Statue of Liberty.  It was an amazing sight.  The bridge was about 2 miles long so once we got going it took us around 24-25 minutes to cross.  I remember coming to the end of the bridge to turn left on a street and seeing so many people waiting for the runners, yelling and encouraging us.  There were many police cars and fire trucks along the side of the road.  Some of the fire trucks had their ladders raised with flags draped from them.  I don’t think that if I ever ran the NYC marathon again, it would be like it was on Nov. 4, 2001.  This was the first positive event for New Yorkers to come out for since the terrible tragedy.  I was so glad that I was part of it and will always remember our great experience. (Remember, this is Cindy writing this portion, not Barbie Jo.)

 

Countdown to Triathlon - 255 Days, 36.42 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 22 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY -

The only blind person at Christmastime is he who has not Christmas in his heart.

Helen Keller

Have any of you had carolers yet?  We usually get some before Christmas.  The problem is that they usually come at really bad time like when I've already put on my night gown and can't stand at the open door,  Bob has to stand there while I hide behind the door and enjoy their singing.



The Journey - Installment Twenty-Three

  

           After our adventure, our first time in New York City, The Big Apple, Patti and I walked back to the hotel.  I can assure you that my boot that looked very nice with my skirt, were killing my feet and I felt almost crippled by the time we arrived at the Plaza Hotel.  Cindy and her family, Patti and I all headed for a restaurant for dinner sponsored by Prevention Magazine.  Cindy remembers that it was a very expensive Chinese restaurant and we were glad we didn’t have to pay.  Cindy remember that dinner very well because she said it sat heavy  in her stomach all night and for the marathon the next day.  Of course, some of that heavy feeling was probably nerves just thinking about what was going to transpire in the morning.

            We arose early Sunday morning, the morning of the New York City Marathon.  The New York Times newspaper read, “Police officers and firefighters linked arms to lead the field of 30,000 onto the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.  The firefighters and police officers wore race bibs with the names of the dead on their arms and scribbled badge number on their headbands.  They also wore photographs of their fallen colleagues and relatives.  As the runners began to climb the bridge, many looked to their left to see the brutal altering of the Manhattan skyline, a construction crane visible where the twin towers of the World Trade Center once stood.  One man, from Bordeaux, France who was running this race for the fifth time said, ‘It’s empty, like something important is missing.’  The mood was subdued but lightened and built as the race went on.  No incidents of terrorism were reported.”

Countdown to Triathlon - 256 Days, 36.5 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 22 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

                                                                        

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - 

 Instead of being a time of unusual behavior, Christmas is perhaps the only time in the year when people can obey their natural impulses and express their true sentiments without feeling self-conscious and, perhaps, foolish.  Christmas, in short, is about the only chance a man has to be himself.

  ~Francis C. Farley
                    

 That quote sure is the truth.  Don't we all seem to be friendlier and more loving during December than the other months?  Maybe it is because of the internal feelings we get from the Reason for the Season,  Jesus.  Maybe it's because of all the decorations and Christmas music. .  I know some of you reading this will say to yourself, "But I'm always friendly and loving."  Well good for you but the Christmas Spirt does seem to permeate the air during this time and causes people to seem nicer than usual. 


The Journey - Installment Twenty-Two

The Plaza Hotel at Central Park

After arriving in New York City and checking into the Plaza Hotel at Central Park, the three sisters reunited and had lunch downstairs in the hotel.  It was a very old hotel and often used in photographs advertising New York City.  Sandy and the boys went out by themselves for lunch and some sightseeing.   After lunch, Cindy had to go with the other runners to get registered and get her bib.  Patti and I headed out to do some sightseeing of our own.  Our hotel was in a very central location and within ten blocks we could see so many sights. We walked several blocks to Trump Tower, the 58-story skyscraper located at the corner of East 56th Street and 7^th Avenue.  It is a beautiful building housing such tenant notables as the Gucci flagship store, Qatar airways (22^nd) floor and Saudi Prince Mutaib who owns an entire floor of the building.  

            Patti and I headed toward Rockefeller Center.  When I have seen camera shots of the Center, usually while watching the Today Show, I never quite had the perspective of the layout.  I remember that the ice skating rink has been shown in many movies and on the Today Show, but I didn’t understand just exactly where it was.  Patti and I came upon what I would call a narrow corridor which goes from the sidewalk on which we were walking and ends at the skating rink.  The rink is encircled by flags. The little alleyway or corridor was decorated beautifully with gold and bronze colored Chrysanthemum hanging balls and arches.  It was quite a gorgeous sight and we took lots of photos. 

Patti under the arch with the red jacket.

That's me under the arch wearing boots that were killing my feet.

See how beautiful the flowers were?

The world famous skating rink at Rockefeller Center.

Countdown to Triathlon - 257 Days, 36.75 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 21 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY -

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.  ~Norman Vincent Peale

We went to Lake Tahoe for the day on Sunday, which made a long day - two and a half hours up and two and a half hours back.  Before driving home we we stopped to help my Mom finish her decorating.  Her tree and home look absolutely beautiful.  I'll have to take some pictures next time we're there.  The real blessing of the day, besides Bob buying a pickup from a pastor of a church at Lake Tahoe, was the fact that we had good weather going and coming home until we got out of the mountains.  Since Bob was driving his new pickup ( it's a older model Ford), I had to drive his other pickup  home and I was praying all the way that it wouldn't snow.  I actually drove a little faster than I should have and took full advantage of passing lanes because I was really scared to get caught in a blizzard.  Driving in the snow gives me a giant stomach ache and going over the summit is really scary in bad weather since the road is so narrow and winding.  The fact that there is only a waist-high stone fence that separates the drivers from a thousand foot drop to the valley below adds to my discomfort.  Incidentally, that valley is called Christmas Valley, quite apropos to the season we are in currently. By the time we were out of the mountains and only half an hour from my Mom's, the storm hit with pouring rain and wind.  But we did arrive home safely late Sunday night after a very long day.

The training is taking a backseat, I'm afraid, to Christmas preparations and holiday activities and get-togethers.  It seems that the same thing occurred during my bike ride training.  The first of the year I will definitely have to turn up the heat on the training program. I most likely won't be swimming until then, but at least I can use my elliptical trainer which is in my family room so that I don't have to get out in the rain.  Poor Roxi will have to wait until the weather is better before I go out walking. 

I hope all your plans for the Christmas Holiday are going well and that you are not stressing out but are able to enjoy this very special time of the year.

The Journey - Installment Twenty-One

(Note – I have asked my sisters Cindy & Patti to help me remember these next three days.  Lynda is a second cousin to my husband Bob and she has graciously told me her story about September 11 which will be included in a couple of days.)      

        

      After September 11^Th, there had been some talk of canceling the marathon. It was decided by the marathon committee that this country was not going to let the terrorists run our lives and keep us in constant fear.  However, a week before we arrived in New York City, anthrax was found at the NBC studios in an envelope mailed to NBC headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Center.  Several floors of the NBC headquarters were closed for several days.  Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) also received letters tainted with anthrax.  There were other cases and one woman died from the disease.  There was certainly a heightened level of concern with what was being sent through the mail.  Not only had I been nervous about flying on Halloween because of possible terrorist attacks, we also wondered if we were safe from an anthrax outbreak.  My sister Patti flew to New York from Minnesota on Saturday, the day Cindy’s family and I arrived by train.  Patti did mention that she was very nervous taking a cab to the hotel because it seemed that most of the cab drivers were Middle Eastern.  The prevailing mood of our citizens was one of wariness about anyone who even looked Middle Eastern.  I do remember that the Sikh Temple in Hughson put up a huge sign on their chain link fence and kept their gate locked.  The sign read, “We are not Muslims and we love America.”  They had dozens of small American flags attached to the fence.  They feared for their property and lives, and rightly so, because many Muslim places of worship in the U. S. had been attacked since September 11th. This particular house of worship was not Muslim, but many Americans didn't know the difference between Sikhs and Muslims. 

           

            Cindy was part of a group of 11 patients of Dr. Pamela Peeke of Bethesda, Maryland.  Dr. Peeke had asked the eleven ladies if they would consider training for the New York Marathon with her.  The Marathon was to be held the first Sunday of November 2001.  Cindy and all the ladies, including Dr. Peeke,  had been training for months.  Their little group was being sponsored by Prevention Magazine for which Dr. Peeke sometimes wrote articles on health and physical training.  Each of the ladies had raised at least $3000 for Memorial Sloan Kettering and their Pediatric Cancer program.  With that contribution, each received two nights free at the Plaza Hotel at Central Park.   One of the women had been getting Cancer treatments of her own during the time of her training and actually had to go to the hospital the night before the marathon.  That is real determination and motivation on a level I find hard to comprehend.