Mississippi Blues and First Light Marathons, a one-weekend recap!

First Class upgrade, sweeeeet.

Dear Friends, Family and Neighbors-

Successfully made it through my first double-marathon weekend!  Two marathons, two states, two days.  I'm grateful that it all worked out.  It seemed like a fairly reasonable idea since I'd already run a 50 miler (JFK50, 11/09), and I thought that if my body could handle that, it could handle two marathons in two days.  Only 2.4 additional miles, right?  It was a mental game of perseverance -- a 'just do it' attitude -- and putting one foot in front of the other.  Not over-thinking, just starting...  The hardest and most stressful part of the weekend though, was navigating back through the Atlanta airport before the big storm hit on Sunday.  Made it home by hustling, riding standby (3 times), and a whole bunch of luck.


Before I start with the recap, some Housekeeping:

1. December's Washingtonian article, did you see it?
2. End-of-Year donations are just about in and it looks like... $32,500+.  Thanks to ALL for supporting The RunningBrooke effort and making a real and lasting difference.  More to come as I start making my grants!
3. National 1/2 Marathon and The RunningBrooke Fund (in association with Lululemon).  An exciting opportunity to challenge yourself and change a life.  Train (I'll help you), raise some money for The RunningBrooke Fund, and run a half-marathon through downtown DC.  What's in it for you -- besides health and satisfaction of helping your neighbor?  Great Lululemon team-gear, a training plan,  race-day Pace Runners, a Lululemon after-party and more!  Register HERE using these special discount codes:  11rbhalf (half-marathon) and 11rbfull (marathon).

So without further ado...

Part 1: Jackson, MS and the 4th annual Mississippi Blues Marathon 1/8/11.  A small marathon -- 665 finishers -- with a big marathon feel.  A very friendly place where onlookers yelled "thanks for running in Jackson!"  My goal was to take it easy and finish strongly, with enough left in the legs to run again on Sunday.  Fairly pleased to finish 146th overall, 8th in my division with a 3:46.  Especially with the relentless hills...  Big thanks to Ken from Celebration, FL for providing the tunes -- ipod/speaker attached to his belt.  He and I ran from mile 6 on, and played 'name the song/artist/band/album...'  Highly entertaining.  See you in New Orleans, Ken!

Jackson, MS elevation chart

New Capital - 1903

Jackson, located on the Pearl River, is the State Capital and the largest city in Mississippi, with the slogan: City with Soul.  And it has that.  In and around Jackson are known for its greats: Elvis Presley (race day was his birthday),  Muddy Waters, Charley Patton, BB King, Bo Diddley, just to name a few.  This unique Mississippi art form has long been recognized as the foundation for much of today's music.  It's tangible, a way of life.

Terry "Harmonica" Bean

Since the mid-60's, Jackson has undergone a series of dramatic changes and growth.  Much of its downtown has been replaced by modern-ish buildings that little resemble a city with history.

Named after President and General Andrew Jackson, in recognition for his victory in the Battle of New Orleans, Jackson in the 1960's became a site for civil rights activism.  A place of sit-ins, merchant boycotts, Freedom Rides and the murder of Medgar Evans.  Evans, a prominent civil rights activist and leader of the Mississippi chapter of the NAACP, was murdered by Byron De La Beckwith.  Thousands marched in his funeral procession to protest the killing.

MS state flag outside Jackson's Governor's mansion

** Factoid:

In 2001, citizens of Mississippi voted overwhelmingly (65%) to keep their original Rebel Flag as part of their state flag.

Part Two: Mississippi to Mobile, Alabama, and the 10th annual First Light Marathon 1/9/11

In my Lululemon

After some finish-line red beans and rice (with Andouille sausage) -- I know this will surprise some of you -- I drove 200 miles from Jackson, MS to Mobile, AL, in my hot-rod, rental car.

Fun to drive, and pleased that I didn't get lost OR get a ticket (8 hours of recent driving school left an impression).

Mobile (pronounced / mou'bi:l / moe-BEEL)  Finally got the pronunciation right just as I was leaving.  I kept wanting to say Mobil, as in Mobil oil.

Mobile is the third most populous city in Alabama,  and sits at the junction of the Mobile River, Mobile Bay and the northern Gulf of Mexico.  That's a lot of water!  But it is the state's only seaport.  Mobile felt like a less-amplified New Orleans, more Old Town less Georgetown.

** Factoid: Mobile is known for having the oldest organized Carnival celebrations in the United States, dating to the 18th century and its early colonial period.

And I'd go back there in a heartbeat.  For everything Jackson has lost in its old-style architecture and sense of 'walking back through time,' Mobile has retained.  Huge trees, converging limbs, and large concentration of historic architecture.

Sunday's course was much flatter (thankfully) and was run to support the L'Arche Mobile organization, an international group that help those with intellectual disabilities lead fulfilling and independent lives.  Unbelievably, I felt pretty good -- the hardest part, motivating to the start line.  Finished 3rd in my age group with a 3:55, 95th out of 471 finishers.  Thanks to Paula -- Lobsterman from Maine -- for her entertaining stories and descriptions about her life as a lobster-boat captain.  Made for a very quick 20 miles.

L'Arche Mobile resident who gave me my hand-made, by him, finishers medal

**Factoid:  This marathon was not chip-timed.  We ran into chutes and tore off the bottom portion of our bib to record our finish place.

Home along a tree-lined street

Like Jackson, Mobile struggled with social justice and race relations.  By 1840, it was the second only to New Orleans in cotton exports for the nation.  As we all know, Mobile was part of a Confederate state and we know the history.   Starting at the turn of the 20th century, segregation ordinances and Jim Crow laws were passed, legislating what had been the informal segregation practices.  After WW II, according to some accounts, Mobile became more tolerant and racially accommodating -- compared to other cities in the South.  Its police force and Spring Hill College were integrated in the 1950's and bus and lunch counters were voluntarily desegregated by the early 1960's.

The Good

 

• Running two marathons (#28 and #29), in two states in two days.  And, it wasn't that hard.
• Reuniting with running-pal Jerry. Jerry has completed marathons in all of the continents and is on his way to finishing the states.  Way ahead of me!  Jerry and I compare marathon notes, okay, it's usually him giving me loads of practical advice and me following his instruction to the letter.  He and I have now run simultaneous marathons in Easter Island, The Outback, Omaha, Hartford and now Jackson.
• Hearing awesome Blues at The Mississippi Blues marathon expo and getting a good sense of what Blues is all about.

The Bad/The Ugly

• The Atlanta Airport.  Just the thought of being stuck there.

That's it.  You made it to the end.  Next month's marathon New Orleans Rock 'n' Roll Mardi Gras Marathon.  See you there!

Assorted Pictures

Me and Terry "Harmonica" Bean

met back up with Dane at the Mississippi Blues expo.  We last saw each other in Kiawah Island, SC.  Dane ran 52 marathons in 52 weeks after losing a bet...

Governor's Mansion, Jackson, MS

Me and Paula (Lobsterman)
Mobile, AL

Mobile, AL

                                                           her hoop and hat were so large that this was a close as I could get...

Weekend Finisher Medals

Going the Distance - Washingtonian, Dec. 2010 edition

One Alexandria woman is running hard—all in the name of charity

By Robert Fulton

Brooke Curran at the May 2010 Great Wall Marathon.

Brooke Curran ran her first marathon in October 2004. Twenty-five marathons later, she’s still running.

But now she doesn’t do it just for sport. Last year, Curran combined two of her passions: running and giving back to her Alexandria community.

Running to raise money isn’t an original idea, but the scope of Curran’s ambition might be: She plans to complete a fundraising marathon in every US state and on each continent, including the five major marathons—Boston, Chicago, London, New York, and Berlin.

“I wanted more out of my running,” she says. “What can I do to make it more worthwhile and to have an impact on the community?”

Curran, 42, runs a marathon a month and pays for all travel expenses and fees. She’s up to 17 states, four of the five majors, and five continents, with Antarctica and Africa still on the to-do list. Her highlights include running along the Great Wall of China and coming face to face with a moose in Anchorage. She’s scheduled for South Carolina’s Kiawah Island on December 11 and is registered for Antarctica in 2012.

Curran, who grew up in Richmond and got a degree in studio art from James Madison University, is a stay-at-home mother of three teenage daughters; her husband, Chris, is an attorney in DC. Her current goal is to raise $50,000—she’s more than halfway there—to benefit a handful of charities. Helping children is her focus. In February, Curran gave $20,000 to the Alexandria-based Child & Family Network Centers, which provides free preschool education to some 200 at-risk children in Northern Virginia.

“I believe that making a great adult starts with making a great kid,” she says.

Curran raises money from area businesses, through donations, and by holding events at her Alexandria home. She publicizes her efforts and accepts donations primarily through her Web site,runningbrooke.com. ACT for Alexandria, a community foundation, handles all the donations.

“I didn’t realize what impact I could have on others until I took this on,” says Curran, who so far has seen her fundraising used to help keep open two Child & Family Network Centers classrooms that serve 36 students. “I feel like I’m doing something really great.”

This article first appeared in the December 2010 issue of the Washingtonian. 

Kiawah Island (SC) Marathon Report

Dear Friends, Family and Neighbors-

Thirteen marathons run in 2010, one-a-month, with two in May!  To recap, this year I've raced in Florida (Goofy Challenge -- half, then full marathon), Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, China, Minnesota, Australia, Alaska, Nebraska, Connecticut, North Carolina and South Carolina.  I've racked up over 95,000 flight-miles and together, we've raised over $26,500.00 for Alexandria's kids and families!

2011 takes me to Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, London (5th and final major - a category closer!), West Virginia, California, Wyoming, South Dakota, Utah, New Hampshire, Indiana, and either Alabama or Hawaii...

I'd like to say 'thank you' and send hugs to all of my supporters. Your support of me is giving support to Alexandrians in need.  It's giving a family a safe place to call home.  It's providing preschool classrooms for a jump start in life.  It's providing books to homeless children and after-school tutors for homework and extra help.  Your donations are putting food on tables and giving stability to where none was.

I'd like to bring special attention to my Sponsors:  Bonitt Builders, Pacers Events, a division of Pacers Running Stores, McLaughlin/Ryder Investments, TJ Fannon & Sons, MacNair Travel Management, Mark G. Anderson Consultants, Sean McEnearney and McEnearney Associates and McGinn Investment Management, INC.  These are local businesses who have laced up their shoes to donate $1K a year over the next 5 years to The RunningBrooke Fund.  And neighbors, as your checks keep pouring in, I am inspired by your giving, and my heart warms with the encouraging notes.
*There is still time to make a difference in 2010!  Please consider making an online donation through ACT for Alexandria's website.  Remember to designate RunningBrooke in the Comment Box.  Always 100% tax deductible and always, 100% goes to those in need.

Goldie Hawn and me

*A final note before the Kawah Island marathon report...
Earlier in the month, we had a terrific time hosting an event at the house for Goldie Hawn.  Visit The Hawn Foundation to learn more about her work with children!






So, without further ado:

about the only trees without Spanish Moss...

Kiawah Island, in South Carolina's low country was calm and beautiful.  Spanish moss hung low from most every limb, and even though it was cold and windy (and rainy), you could imagine a hot and sultry afternoon, dappled sunlight filtering through the dense canopy.

* Factoid.  England 'purchased' Kiawah Island from the Kiawah Indians on March 10, 1675.  Purchase price: cloth, hatchets, beads plus other manufactured goods...

Dane and me at marathon expo

I've known of Dane, and followed his blog for years, and it was good to finally meet him.  Dane lost a bet.  The result?  Him running 52 marathons in 52 weekends.  Love it!  To learn more, check out his website: See Dane Run.

heading over to the race

Favorite husband was with me -- he celebrated a big-number birthday, but you'd never know it...

Can't say that he was thrilled about the half-marathon distance -- he'd probably have preferred a 10K -- but he finished well.  I had a lot of fun being and running the first 8 miles with him!  Half-marathon today, marathon tomorrow, because if you can run a half -- with little training -- you can run a full -- with some training -- for sure!





This was a terrific weekend.  The marathon was a beautiful loop, run twice.  There was no Bad and certainly, no Ugly.  So I've had to deviate from my normal Good/Bad/Ugly format...  Sorry fans.  As you'll see from my pictures below, I was fascinated by the interaction of light and color, by the reflections in a winter-beach landscape, by the birds foraging for food and by all things washed up on the shore.

I wish you all Happy Holidays and Peace in the New Year.

-Brooke


Sunsets

sunset approaching

lone figure

Water and sky

water

and sky...

and more sky...

Birds

birds

birds

and another...

Washed-up things

one of hundeds

horseshoe crabs

animated sea twig

beautiful symmetry

in my Lululemon

That's it.  The End.

City of Oaks Marathon, The Raleigh Report.

Dear Friends, Family, Neighbors and New Readers-

Finally a marathon that I could drive!  Favorite Daughter #3 and I pulled out of Alexandria just before the Friday rush-hour(s) traffic and headed for Raleigh.  Soccer tournament (CASL) for her, marathon for me  -- state # 17, marathon # 26 and marathon # 11 in 2010 -- and Favorite Father's 75th birthday...

(*Small segue for New Readers:  I run marathons around the world to change the lives of others.  I run to raise awareness and to raise money for local, at-risk children and families.  How: by starting The RunningBrooke Fund with ACT for Alexandria and committing to running a marathon on every continent, in each of the 50 states and the 5 marathon majors -- a marathon a month.  I pay for everything.  All donations go to 5 worthy Alexandria charities (Community Lodgings, The Reading Connection, ACT for Alexandria, Child and Family Network Centers and Girls on the Run).  A donation is 100% tax deductible and ACT for Alexandria generates tax receipts.  Visit www.runningbrooke.com)

Noble Oaks on the capital grounds

Commercial over, back to regular programming...

Founded in 1792, Raleigh is North Carolina's capital city.  Named after Sir Walter Raleigh -- who attempted to establish the first English colony in the New World in the 1580's -- it was soon known by its citizens as the City of Oaks.  And they dedicated themselves to the oaks preservation...

* Thanks Raleigh Observer for the great RunningBrooke press.  They consider me part of the hard-core contingent who love to run marathons -- i.e.  me and The 50 States club.  Click HERE for more.

* And to FYI Alexandria (city's e-letter) for the feature...



So, without further ado...

The Good

• The Marathon.  The course started and finished at N.C. State University and featured a surprisingly scenic and diverse way through downtown Raleigh, the city center and the beautiful Umstead Park.  Felt great and finished in a respectable time -- fastest this year.  Plus, I was able to stay WARM until race start.  Sweet!

Feeling strong

I met and jogged with 1/2 Marathon Winner Maria Busienei, origionally from Kenya.  She led the women with an average of a 6:08/mile and a 1:20:21 finish.

• The Soccer and The Birthday...

Favorite Father on his 75th birthday

Favorite Mother keeping warm and dry...

Celebrating...

• The Downtown Walk-A-Bout...

The Capital

Completed in 1840, the capital building is a great example of Greek Revival architecture.  Total cost: $532,682.34, three times more than the state's general income at the time...

At the capital with downtown at my back...

Episcopalian Spire.

• The Perfect Equipment...

Kudos to Gracie, who had a booth at the marathon expo, at gracies gear for the design and development of (possibly?) the most perfect, chafe-free, non-belt carry-option out there.  For demo, it holds phone and chap-stick but race day, it held 5 GU's, car key and inhaler...

Am a little envious -- written with a smile -- as many runs ago, I was in the planning phases of co-marketing the similar idea of running-pal Kathy.  Ours was going to be called the Gu Garter.  Shrug.  Missed opportunity...

The Bad (no Ugly, sorry)

• The car.  Great option pre-race, but an albatross, post.  Loads of time wasted trying to circumvent on-going marathon and stress of the GPS Genie calling out invalid directions.  Thanks to the nice Raleigh policemen who after listening to my plight, allowed me to cross the marathon path...

and The Featured...

Having fun...

Girls on the Run (GOTR) -- a 2010 RunningBrooke beneficiary -- is a truly innovative organization with a mission!

Through fun activities and running, leaders educate and prepare girls (grades 3-5) for a lifetime of healthy living, as they train for a 5k fun run...  Self-esteem enhancing lessons encourage positive emotional and physical development and are an integral part of the framework to the curriculum.  I wish I could have done this when I was a kid!

Currently in City of Alexandria, GOTR has 125 girls (3 public schools and 2 private schools) running towards a healthier future!  Thanks GOTR for having me to your practice.  It was incredible to see so much teamwork and group success.  See you at the Reindeer Romp (5k), if not before...

Me and the GOTR Team

Best quotes, "I did it without stopping" and "I don't need ruby slippers when I have running shoes!"

* There are 3, 365 GOTR girls running towards a healthier future in Northern Virginia.

Upcoming Events

• This Saturday Nov. 20 - Lululemon Charitable Giving Day.

                                Sweat once a day and join us in giving back!

                                3-mile Fun Run (led by me), Yoga and light brunch
                                  Saturday, November 20th. Event begins at 9AM.

                                                      2847 Clarendon Blvd.  Arlington 707-807-0539

This year, we are celebrating the following two local organizations in their efforts to elevate our community: The RunningBrooke Fund and YoKid...Stretch Your Limits. We will be donating a portion of sales from the past year to support both organizations. *Join us in giving back by donating gently used yoga mats, athletic wear (any brand) and athletic shoes to benefit both organizations. Drop them by anytime that day.*

• Save The Date!  Wednesday Dec. 1 (6:30 - 8 PM) and Thursday Dec. 2nd (10 AM - 7 PM)

 Kiskadee is doing it again!  

20% of sales during Wednesday's special RunningBrooke hours (separate invitation to follow) and ALL day Thursday -- mention my name at checkout -- will go to The RunningBrooke fund benefitting the at-risk kids and families in Alexandria.

Shop and make a difference!  women's apparel and accessories...  gifts for all occasions... men's and boys' shirts, belts and ties...  home, garden and gourmet...  kids and babies...

Think of ALL of the Holiday shopping you could do, and for such a good cause too!

• Watch out for the December issue of Washingtonian Magazine -- at newsstands later this month...  I'm in it!
• An exciting and new RunningBrooke Website to be unveiled within a few days...
• Become a fan of The RunningBrooke Face Book Page!
• Fundraising letter with "I'm a RunningBrooke Supporter" pencil coming to mailboxes later this month.  Please consider The RunningBrooke Fund for your annual giving.  Remember, 100% of your donation goes to Alexandrians in need -- fighting for literacy and health, and fighting against hunger and homelessness -- PLUS, your donation is 100% tax deductible.  Click HERE to contribute now!  Remember to but "The RunningBrooke Fund" in the comment box.  $26,500.00 raised so far this year.

Whew.  Congratulations on making it to the end!  December's marathon is in Kiawah Island, SC and completes my 2010 goal of running -- at least -- a marathon a month on behalf of Alexandria's at-risk.  13 marathons ran, 2 continents covered -- Australia and Asia -- and 11 states; 95,000 miles flown.  2011's running schedule is coming out soon and includes London -- which concludes my 5 marathon majors category.

Cheers and it is a beautiful day to run.

Brooke