North Dakota, Part One

We left the beauty of Spearfish and headed north to North Dakota, destination Medora. We heard about Medora from a fellow parent at our kids' gymnastics class. She told us about the lovely painted canyons there and the country music theater there, the Medora Musical. Along the way, we passed gorgeous farmland, including fields and fields of sunflowers.

Sunflower fields along our drive.

My photos don't do them justice because we were driving as I took them, but rest assured that they were amazing to see. We checked in to our hotel in Medora and decided to take a drive to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park (Northern Unit, near Watford City, ND). Again, we were just amazed with the topography there. The hills/canyons were beautifully striped with layers of color. 

Canyon views in Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit.

Hiking trail leading in to canyons.

Layers of color on the canyons.

We stopped to take a short hike. It was really funny, as we started out along the path, we couldn't help but notice the bison dung all about. It made me wonder whether or not we should really be out there hiking with our kids. Luckily, the only wildlife we spied up close was a bunny.
After the hike we drove the rest of the way through the park. It was just incredible. We again got a great look at a bison up close. 

Bison on the road side.

It just doesn't get old for us east coasters to see those huge beasts along the road. So cool! We took in all the vistas and then headed back to Medora. We also couldn't help but notice the oil rigs along the way. Oil is booming in North Dakota. Oil rigs dot the landscape, but not so much that they are ruining the views.
Once back in Medora, we had dinner at the Rough Riders Hotel, and then Lily and I got ready for the Medora Musical. I ordered tickets for all of us, but the weather was chilly with threats of rain. We weren't even sure the show would go on, as the theater is an outdoor venue built in to the side of one of the canyons. Plus, our littlest one was so tired, we knew she wouldn't make it through the night.

My little cowgirl in the gift shop at the musical.

We went to the Medora Musical which was really fun. The show started in a mist of rain, but largely the rain held off. The performance was tweaked to keep the performers safe (not so much dancing on a slippery stage). It was a fun night of country music, which isn't my favorite, but being in North Dakota, it was hard not to enjoy it. It was a bit of a hokey show, but it was also patriotic and celebrated the glory of North Dakota. Lily absolutely loved it, and it was hard not to see it through her eyes and get captivated. We had a great night!

Medora Musical ampitheater built in to the side of a canyon.

View of canyon behind the stage.

Performers in the show.

The next day, we checked out Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit) in Medora. It was even more spectacular than the North Unit! We absolutely loved it! 

Panoramic photo of Theodore National Park South Unit.

We could see herds of bison roaming free in the valley where the Little Missouri River winds through. We stopped here and there to walk and take in the sights. It is no wonder that Theodore Roosevelt fell in love with the Dakotas. I am so glad that he had the amazing foresight to protect this grand area. We took a longer hike along one of the trails. 

More views from Theodore Roosevelt National Park South Unit.

More views from Theodore Roosevelt National Park South Unit.

Family photo in TR National Park.

Hiking trail.

More views from Theodore Roosevelt National Park South Unit.

More views from Theodore Roosevelt National Park South Unit.

Family selfie in the park.

It was gorgeous terrain, and our girls did a great job hiking close to four miles. It wasn't hilly, but we walked quite some time and it was warm. We loved it. On our drive out of the park, we encountered a bison traffic jam! We caught some close up video of these huge beasts. What an experience! 

We made one last stop on our way out of Medora to view the painted canyons. Then we hit the road for Bismarck.

Painted canyons in Medora.

Another view of the painted canyons.

Bismarck is the capital city of North Dakota, and rather than being very urban, it is largely suburban. It is a really nice city with lots of parks and biking/walking trails everywhere. We checked out some of the parks in the area including Pioneer Park which runs along the Missouri River and the Overlook Park above it, site of an ancient Native American village. 

Playing along the Missouri River & waving to trains.

Overlook park above the Missouri River. 

Play area in the overlook park.

We enjoyed walking the paved path in Pioneer Park, stopping along the way to check out some of the sculptures and beaches along the river. Much of the history of Lewis and Clark is celebrated along this stretch. Later, we found the upper overlook area which provided spectacular views of Bismarck, Mandan and the Missouri River.

Another view from the overlook park.

The next day we met up with friends of ours from home. Patrick (our friend from home) is originally from Bismarck, so when I was planning to run a race in North Dakota, I recruited Patrick and his family to join us. Pat's wife, Patti, is a great friend of mine, and their daughter Julie has been a babysitter for our kids since they were born. Julie and her boyfriend Joey were along on the trip, too. We all met up in Bismarck on Wednesday afternoon, and that evening, Pat's sister, who still lives in Bismarck, had a party at her house. She was celebrating her daughter's high school graduation along with Pat & Patti's visit. It was great to be a part of a home party with friends and their family. It was like being at home on the road. We had a great time with everyone and wished Pat's niece well wishes on her college time in Fargo.

Holland Runabout circa 1900 in the Heritage Center in Bismarck.

The next day all of us went to the Heritage Center in Bismarck. What an amazing museum! It is free and contains all kinds of artifacts and history pertaining to North Dakota. The museum is organized by time periods, presenting everything from prehistoric fossils and dinosaur bones to the recent oil boom. We all loved the exhibits, ranging from animals to technology to farming and history and energy. It was a great day. We had lunch at a diner and then took some time to relax after.

Our gang at Kroll's Diner in Mandan.

Friday, we left Bismarck for Fargo, the site of my second race. It was largely an uneventful drive out there, save for a giant cow statue on the side of the road in a town called Salem.
Fargo was an interesting place. The hotel where we stayed was located in an area completely surrounded by new construction. Everywhere around condos, apartment buildings and gorgeous homes were either just newly built or were still under construction. A huge medical center was also being built. When I ventured out to get my necessities for the race, I discovered mile after mile of strip malls and shopping centers. There really weren't any tall buildings, just loads of retail. It felt kind of weird for a city.
That afternoon when we arrived, the girls and I needed to go pick up our numbers at the expo center where the race start and finish lines were. The girls were running in the girls only race that evening, while my race was the next morning. We easily picked up our numbers and found that the expo center was within walking distance for me the next morning. That was good news. The girls swam in the pool for a bit that afternoon before their race. Pat & Patti arrived shortly after we did, and they joined us for the girls race at 6:30 pm. 

Our runners dressed and ready!

Warming up pre-race.

Stretching out.

Ready to get started!

The race was a one mile out and back route that departed from the expo center. There was great excitement in the air for everyone, as this race was the first girls only kids race that had been offered at this marathon event. My girls were nervous and excited as they stretched out and warmed up. At the starting mark, they took off with my littlest one gunning away from her big sister. We could see all the runners all the way to the turn around, so it was pretty easy to keep an eye on approximately where our girls were. Lily finished in about 8:40 and Ella at 9:22. 

Lily crossing the finish!

Ella crossing the finish! 

Two happy runners with their medals.

Pretty excellent for their first one mile race. They collected their medals and we all went to dinner at a great Italian restaurant called Toscana in the old part of Fargo. Nestled in what (I guess) would be considered downtown Fargo, this restaurant was amazing! I wished I could've ordered one of the heavier, creamier pasta dishes, but the night before a half marathon is not the time to go experimenting with unusual foods. I stuck to my standard spaghetti and marinara, and had it topped with grilled chicken for protein. The food was so incredibly delicious. Great place! The downtown area was lined with the kind of brick buildings you'd expect to see in an old time western town, but now they were updated and contained retail, restaurants and bars. It was cute and quaint. 

The girls and Julie at dinner.

After dinner, it was back to the hotel for bed for me and my runner girls. I knew I'd be up early the next morning for my half marathon fun. Craig stayed up with our friends playing cards in to the wee hours of the night. 

August 16, 2015, Leading Ladies Half Marathon, State #23, SD.

I awoke before the alarm went off, which in a way is good because then it didn't wake up my sleeping family, but it also meant even less sleep for me, which is the bad part. I was bleary eyed at 3:09 am, but I began my morning pre-race routine nonetheless. I kept most of my doings outside in the hallway to avoid making too much noise in the room. So there I was, doing sun salutations, stretching, rolling my legs with my stick roller, drinking coffee and prepping my breakfast to take along on the bus ride. My stomach just wasn't ready for food that early, and since the race didn't step off until 6 am, I'd also be starving at gun time if I ate too early. 

The Leading Ladies Marathon & Half Marathon is an all women's event hosted in Spearfish, SD. It features a downhill course in the beautiful Spearfish Canyon there. The race director, Elaine Doll-Dunn lives and runs in the area and wanted to share her beautiful country with other women. She is an accomplished runner and cancer survivor. Not to mention very fashionable. I caught a glimpse of her at 4:30 am at the second bus stop and she was all decked out in rhinestone cowgirl attire. She totally rocks!

Pre-race photo in the dark at the drop off point on the canyon.

I left the hotel around 4 am to walk across the street to the host hotel where buses were loading to bring runners to the start of their respective races. Marathoners started atop Spearfish Canyon, while half-marathoners started 13 or so miles downhill from there. It was dark when we boarded the buses. I sat near the front in a seat by myself trying to prepare my mind for the race. I spied Fiona getting on the bus and called her name. She ended up sitting with me, and we had a great chat on the ride out. We couldn't believe how early this race started (the earliest one to date for both of us). Since the course was on a main road and was remaining open to traffic, we figured that the race directors wanted us on the road (and off of it) before the busiest traffic hours started up. We exited the bus at a small pull off on the side of the canyon road. About a dozen porta-potties greeted us, and maybe a couple of hundred runners, all women. It was a small but hearty group. 

Fiona and I fell in to conversation with some other women. One was from South Dakota where the largest corn palace was located; the other was from Nebraska. We all traded stories about our racing travels. It was interesting to find out that in the Dakota area, very few races are available. I guess they are just hard to come by because of the lack of larger cities and towns and running organizations. I was really surprised by this, as in this region there are large numbers of walking/hiking/biking trails and outdoor activities. In fact, my husband and I noticed the lack of overweight people around. Most of those who were overweight were clearly tourists.

View from the starting line with the first light of day on the canyon.

As we all chatted away, the sun began to appear and awaken the canyon with a gorgeous glow. It reminded me of my canyon race in Utah. Stunningly beautiful. The race stepped off on time, and the downhill nature of it was lovely. The hill wasn't so steeply angled as to make for difficult footfalls, but rather it made for a nice lively pace. The views were gorgeous, and after the first few miles, I began to count the (presumably) Indian caves in the canyons. It was like playing I-Spy all along the way. 

Cars courteously gave us shoulder space, and some cars spent time following their runners. One large black pick-up truck was among that group, and unfortunately it belched out nauseating exhaust all along the route as it passed by and sat idling at various pull-off spots along the way. Yuck! But really, that was the worst of my troubles. I was keeping a nice steady pace, but I wasn't killing myself. After all, I had another half marathon to run in 6 days! 

This was the first all women's half marathon I'd run, and it really was lovely. Although the participant stream was sparse along the way, everyone who either passed me or who I passed gave each other words of encouragement. As I neared the end of the canyon and began the last couple of flat miles, I had counted 11 caves, and carried a big smile in my heart as I approached the end where my family would be waiting for me.

Just past the bridge and on to the finish!

Getting closer... 

Waving to my peeps!

The last little bit of the race entered a public park and campground. We approached the finish line along a paved walking path that wound through the camping area, over a bridge and on to the finish line. I saw my husband and girls from a distance and started waving to them as I got closer. Some fine young fellows staffed the finish line area where I received my medal, a red rose and a lovely chilled, lemon scented damp facecloth. How fancy! After crossing through the finish area and catching my breath a bit, I learned that I finished 4th in my age group and 23rd overall, just missing a trophy by one place. But that was ok, as my official time was 1:47:19, my fifth-fastest time ever for me. Not bad for not killing myself. 

Finally finished.

Finisher's spoils: red rose, cool face cloth and blinking medal. Say what??!!

I met up with my family after I took a few moments to catch my breath and cool down. We walked over to the playground where they spent the morning waiting for me. It was cute and had plenty of things for them to climb, hang on, bounce from and walk on. We snapped a couple of photos there and then meandered along the paved walking trail behind it that ran along the river. It was a pretty park and a nice spot to host the end of the race. Before long, we went on our way back to the hotel so I could shower up. I grabbed a more substantial breakfast back at the hotel and then we jumped in the car and headed for the badlands. 

My stomach was giving me some grief post race which is never a good sign. As one of my running friends once told me, the GU makes you poo. Sometimes that is true, and this seemed like one of those times. My patient husband made some pit stops along our way for me to take care of business, but it was looking like our idea of hiking the badlands might not work out too well.

My wonderful cheering squad.

Family silliness at the playground.

We arrived at the Badlands National Park and couldn't believe how amazingly beautiful it was. I always thought the badlands were some kind of big desert; really they are like mini-Grand Canyons all around, with more muted colors. It was otherworldly to look out on the scenery. It felt like we were looking out on the landscape of the moon or something. Its beauty is incredible. We stopped at the first overlook and took some photos and then continued along the road that winds through the park. 

The first views of the badlands we encountered.

Desolate beauty.

Yikes!

Family shot.

Next we stopped at the visitor's center, where I spent some quality time in the loo. My husband and girls did some exploring and rock climbing in my absence. I was sad to miss out, but I had to take care of my stomach which took awhile. When I finally got to a better place physically, we hopped back in the car to continue our drive through the expansive park. It was just spectacular everywhere we looked. The landscape changes from moment to moment in the badlands. It is hard to explain. We spied pronghorn, prairie dogs and bison along the way. We sure were a LONG way from home! We were all just so enthralled with the landscape in South Dakota. It was far beyond our expectations. 

Off to rock climb!

Another gorgeous view.

Pronghorn.

Views along the drive.

Bison herd.

We took our time winding along the roads in the national park, enjoying moment after moment of the extreme beauty all around us and getting out from time to time to get a closer look at things and take photos. We concluded our drive through Badlands National Park and headed back to our hotel so the kids could swim for a little while in the pool which featured a curvy waterslide. That was fun! That night for dinner we found a great local pizza shop called Dough Trader in Spearfish. My stomach was finally back to normal by then, and the pizza tasted wonderful. It was a great end to a great day. 

Thank you, Spearfish and Leading Ladies for a fabulous race! Thank you South Dakota for some amazing scenery. We never would have visited this area if it weren't for running. 

Race number, shirt, medal & rose. Cowgirl up!

South Dakota, Part 1

We left for South Dakota on Friday morning (8/14) and landed in Rapid City. Our first hotel was about an hour from there in Spearfish where my race was to take place on Saturday, August 16th. Spearfish is located in the Black Hills region of South Dakota, and there are several nearby points of interest. We arrived pretty late on Friday night, so we pretty much just hit the sack so we could start fresh on Saturday. 

We decided to go check out Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monument on Saturday morning before I picked up my race number. We headed though the beautiful Black Hills out to the Mount Rushmore monument, passing through quaint touristy “wild west” towns along the way. We traveled along the windy road that leads up to Rushmore, and suddenly, we caught a glimpse of the presidents! As we got closer, we realized the magnificence of the monument.

First glimpse of Rushmore from the car!

Getting closer...

It is really so strange to see Mount Rushmore in person after seeing it in books and photographs for your entire life. It seems surreal and unbelievable, but there it is. We parked and walked up to the entrance of the park, and I have to say, it is really impressive. A large stone gate marks the entrance and once inside, a gallery of pillars flanked by all of the flags of the states lines the walkway. On each pillar the name of the state and its date of statehood is listed, as well as its numerical order of entry in to the union. 

It was a very warm, beautiful day with picture perfect skies, and the white of the granite statues contrasted beautifully. What an amazing work of art for Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln, to have envisioned and created. The park is circled with a boardwalk trail that winds around the area providing many wonderful viewing angles. We loved soaking it all in. It is really cool to see how the perspective of the statues changes as you move around. 

Majestic view from the main balcony.

Future great Presidents?

Nostril view angle.

Rushmore selfie.

Silly fun in front of Mt. Rushmore.

Also of note, when you put your back toward Mount Rushmore and look out in the opposite direction, you have a gorgeous view of the South Dakota landscape, and wow, is that spectacular, too!

Our next stop was for lunch in Keystone, a wild west themed town. We ate at the Ruby House which is an old time saloon-feeling restaurant. It was filled with old west artifacts and artwork, and was certainly part of the experience of being in this part of the country. We walked around the town a little bit and shopped for a few souvenirs before hitting the road to Crazy Horse.

Keystone billboard.

The Crazy Horse monument is also impressive, although you can’t really get up close to it like you can at Mount Rushmore. Because it is an active construction site, you aren’t allowed to walk out to it from the parking lot. We got a great view of the monument in progress from the parking lot. A lovely welcome center and Indian Museum of North America are on site, and we spent some time there admiring the beautiful creations of the Native Americans.

Although Crazy Horse is still a work in progress, it was interesting to see. I thought it was cool that my little ones were able to see it under construction, as someday they may be able to come back with their families and visit it when it is complete. 

Crazy Horse Memorial.

After we left the Crazy Horse site, we headed back to our hotel. The hotel across the street from ours was the host site of the running expo and packet pick up. I went in and got my number, swag bag and nailed down a few last minute details like where the finish line was for my husband and kids to pick me up. It only took a few minutes, and then we were off again. 

We found a local mom and pop type restaurant for dinner in Spearfish called the Bayleaf Cafe. The restaurant boasted a slight Middle Eastern influence, but they also had several American and local cuisine dishes on their menu as well. We chose this restaurant for its fresh, made to order cooking and non-chain affiliation. It was a great meal. The girls and I all ordered spaghetti and meatballs. Perfect for pre-racing. 

As we dined, two women entered the restaurant and sat at the table next to us. I overheard them telling their waitress that  they were running the race the next day, so before we left I stopped to talk to them. One of the women, Liz (from Ohio) was running the full marathon in her quest of marathons in all 50 states. The other woman, Fiona (from South Dakota) was running the half. We chatted for a few minutes about our goals and wished each other well. It was back to the hotel to get ready for the morning and bed.
I had a feeling sleep wouldn't come easily for me, as I had some nervousness about having to get up at 3:30 am to catch the 4:15 am shuttle bus to the start of the race. Ugh! But to make matters even worse, just as we were all trying to fall asleep, my oldest daughter's tooth fell out! Now I had to worry about the tooth fairy coming after we all fell asleep! OH GOODNESS! And to top it all off, our tooth fairy has a creative side and likes to origami her dollar bills, which I'm sure takes some research and preparation. Wonderful. Goodbye early to bed. By the time I finally fell asleep it was past midnight, and I awoke a few times for bathroom breaks, too. Not much rest, but so be it.

A Running Vacation

My family is awesome. They allow me to indulge my crazy running habit, and as a result, they experience the lucky side effect of sometimes traveling to the various states with me. Last year, we took our summer vacation to Washington and Oregon. I ran in both states, and we visited with friends and family while we were out there. It was a great trip for all of us. 

This year, summer vacation again included races for me. I love having my family at the finish line of my half marathons, cheering me on, but these “running vacations” are not without their difficulties. First, there is the responsibility of packing for an entire family for the trip. I need to make sure everyone has their clothes, shoes, bathing suits, hair necessities, creature comforts, books, art supplies, coats, socks, etc. It isn’t just making sure I pack my GU and Rock Tape and running gear (which is hard enough on its own). 

Next, there is the issue of getting a good night's sleep prior to the race. I hardly ever sleep well the night before a race, but with the whole family in the room, it is even more difficult. I worry about waking them up early in the morning as I leave, I get hyper-sensitive to everyone’s breathing/snoring (although my ear plugs help with that), I tiptoe through my trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night hoping no one hears me and wakes up, and as much as I adore snuggling with my little ones, a tiny little body smushed up against me for the night isn’t exactly conducive to a sound sleep. 

Family vacations, of course, involve all kinds of activities…swimming, sight-seeing, walking, hiking and lots of eating out. All of that stuff is loads of fun, but sometimes it is really tiring (when two races bookend the trip) and all the good restaurant food makes me feel heavy, not exactly the best way to feel before a race. 

But the family running vacations come with great benefits, too. Having my spouse and kids there with me rids me of loneliness unlike when I am on my own for a race. They are silly and happy and cuddly and energetic which is all really good for mental fortitude. They get to experience the same cool places that I do, and we make fabulous memories. We laugh and relive our favorite moments “on the road.” It is pretty terrific to have a gang to do that with. Most of all, it is so lovely at the end of the day to have a hug and an “I love you.” It is like being at home even when you are far away from home. Bring on the running vacation!