runningbrooke: Big Sur Marathon Recap + Asthma Awareness Day and Spring2ACTion

Dear Friends, Family and Neighbors,

The Big Sur marathon on Monterey Pensula, CA -- yikes, two weeks ago now -- was one of the most scenically stunning, visually arresting marathons I've ever run. The region's coastal beauty is unsurpassed -- with panoramic, cliff-fringed Pacific vistas with easy access to water's edge. I understand why Californian's stomach the seismic activity.

Sailboats in Monterey Bay

Monterey -- the region's most historic city -- was discovered in 1602 and named after Spain's Count of Monte Rey. It remained the official capital of Spanish Alta California until 1849, when California's State Constitution was drafted. Positioned right at Monerey Bay, this turf translates into scores of recreational activities: *white-knuckled sailing, scuba diving, whale-watching, deep-sea fishing + biking and running along the 18-mile Monterey Bay Coastal Recreational Trail.

*New Feature... The RunningBrooke Round Up; A video-tour of the latest.

Two weeks wrapped up in a two-minute YouTube Video -- loads of good stuff.

1. Big Sur Marathon, May 1st. This is a must-run! To see for yourself, click HERE.
2. Asthma Awareness Day on Capitol Hill, May 4th. As an athlete with exercise-induced asthma, it was powerful to be part of such an important and constructive conversation with our legislators. Asthma effects us all, but it doesn't have to slow you down! To learn more, click HERE.
3. Spring2ACTion, May 5th - 7th. A 3-day, online, fund-raising extravaganza where The RunningBrooke Fund competed with 43 other local charities for the top cash prizes. We placed 6th out of 44, raising $8,420.00. I'm thrilled that we did so well! Thanks to the 77 of you who 'laced up your shoes' and joined the fun... *a personal thank you note to follow... To learn more about this innovative fund-raising approach, click HERE.

The Statistics:

35 Marathons run and over 65K raised for at-risk, local kids.
5 of 7 Continents run, with Antarctica (3/12) and Africa left .
24 States + DC, done.
Marathon Majors (Berlin, Boston, Chicago, NY, London): Done!

On the Horizon:

1. Next Marathon (state #25!): Ridge Runner in Cairo, WV -- June 4th. Under 100 runners registered so far.
2. Big-City cover story. Details as they emerge...
3. Hairspray. Come see the award-winning musical and support The RunningBrooke Fund. The songs are sure to please: 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm. Set in 1962 Baltimore, teenager Tracy Turnblad wins her dream to dance on a local TV dance program, becomingHairspray a celebrity overnight. But Tracy is outraged by the social injustice of the show, and sets out to change it. Thanks The Little Theatre for the opportunity! Loads of details to follow.

And now, without further ado, The Big Sur Marathon Recap:

The Good

1. The Marathon. With the beautiful weather, unbeatable scenery, and pristine air -- warm and cool pulsating pockets, it was easy to run fast and free. A perfect day, where mind meets body for an unparallelled experience. Ran with goose bumps for 26 miles. Really.
2. Bella on the Bay. A 2-hour, white-knuckled ride on Monterey Bay. The video seems tamer than the experience... guess the Cap' knows not to video during the hairier portions. Safety rules.

3. Spending three days with good friend Joyce.

Race Day morning with Joyce

The Bad

1. Marathon Course Change due to Highway One land slide and road closure . Nothing you can do about that except change the course -- and it was still breath-taking. But I missed the chance to run among the Red Woods and be surrounded by the silence of the soft-sounding padding of runners' feet and then burst out from the trees' cover and into the sunlight of Highway One.
2. Airport Food that came back to haunt me.

The Ugly

1. Delays, Missed Connections and Near-Bumps. We had problems on every segment of the trip, capped off by getting caught in a 30-minute beltway closure at 12:45 AM. Yuck!

That's it. Hope you're well and enjoying the Spring. Be back in touch in a few weeks, but until then, run strong!

-Brooke