Scratching off another state. ✔️ when I started running at 40, I wish I had put thought into doing this … I’m 33 marathons in and so few states done …. However my friend, Penny Smith has told me she wants us to try to start working on getting more states done. ❤️. Texas and Ohio are already on tap in 2024 and maybe Alaska ❤️👊.
“Time flies” … we say that often …… and sometimes it really hits us. I haven’t been to Pa since fall of 2019! Seems like just a year or two. Someone was asking me this week before we left to come see Gary’s mom and it really hit me. I had to think back to the last time … and what has happen since … 2020 COVID hit and the world shut down …. Then we had work rules where they did not want us to travel. Pa had rules where you couldn't enter the state and his mom said she didn't want us to try to come.. she was too scared of COVID... 2021 … when travel restrictions finally started slacking up ….. my daughter got married in the fall and it was a busy time …. Then 2022 … my son's first child was due September and I ended up getting into the London and Berlin marathons in the fall, which are HARD to get into... that's also when Gary prefers to travel to Pa and the company I work for also started a major merger with another company, so I was limited to when I could travel. It’s not a hop and skip to get here. It’s either a 16 hour drive or a long day of flying and driving. Gary has went by himself several times to check on her, but it’s been 3 years since I’ve been. 😳 As they say … don’t blink … time slips away so fast! Thankful I’m was able to go this year. 🙏❤️. I sure was looking forward to a week of cooler temps. AND a week off work 😂👊❤️
We headed to Atlanta on Friday after work to fly direct to Pa. Trying something new... either you fly out of New Orleans or Jackson and have multi layovers before reaching PA which ends up being 12-16 hour travel day, driving for 16 hours, or doing what we did this time... drive 5 hours to Atlanta, fly direct from there for 1 1/2 hours to Pa! then a short 90 minute drive to his moms. We saved a lot of travel time this time... HOWEVER, it was rough coming back on Sunday after the marathon.. hee hee
When traveling it’s good to ask about local places to eat. If you don’t, you’d miss an awesome place like Morrone’s cafe. We always try to eat here. Gary’s friend, Mike Morrone, owns this restaurant. It’s fabulous! I had the homemade ravioli and it was amazing. We didn’t get to see Mike while we were there, but visited with his daughter.
I’m lucky to have Gary who is a native from here. He knows so many good places to eat that are owned by locals that were friends of his growing up. ❤️❤️
I forgot how much I love running there! The paved path by the river is so nice. Even though it’s was calling for more rain the whole week we were there 😩 I was able to squeeze in my taper 8 miler on Sunday 👊. And yes the grass there is green. While we had a drought in Ms, they’ve had a wet season. It was 43 when I started. But after a mile in, I ditched the jacket, gloves and earmuffs 😂😜😁. Only have 2 short 2 milers during the week I hope I can get in between rain shower before the marathon on Saturday.
Ellie.... Gary's mom... 94 years young.. still living on her own. What a blessing that most never see. She’s doing great and I expect her to make it to 100. Although she’s told me … “D it’s hard to get old … you can’t hear, you can’t see and you got false teeth” as she smiled and laughed. 😂. Still in good spirits. These eyes and ears have many stories. She’s still as quick witted as ever. ❤️❤️❤️
We went to another locally owned restaurant on Sunday evening.... Pier 87 is amazing. Gary’s friend he grew up with son is the owner. Can you image sitting outside looking at the mountains and hearing the water flowing?? It’s awesome. Their outside is closed during the winter months… winter is rough with snow here. We met some of Gary’s high school friends that still live here for supper. It was great seeing them again. We missed Kristy, John’s wife who passed away. She was always smiling and laughing. These guys are so lucky to still be able to get together so many years after high school. I’ve heard their stories many times over the 19 or 20 years of coming here with Gary 😂😁
Eat local. Stay in touch with friends.
Thursday night we ate at another local place that I highly recommend. The Old Corner. Not only is it good it’s beautiful. They have a mirror / window that came all the way from Italy here. Oh did I mention that Gary’s friend, Frank, who passed recently and we missed dearly 😢… Owned this and now his daughter does. It’s been in the family for a long time. Gary remembers when Frank and his family came over from Italy. Frank could not speak any English. I don’t think franks mother ever spoke any English, but his dad did. I had the pleasure of knowing Frank and his dad. It’s not the same coming in here without Frank. He was always a super host and I loved listening to all of his and Gary’s stories of growing up together. ❤️❤️ life is too short! #eatlocal #downtownwilliamsport
After a week in PA with Gary's mom, we drove over to
the Poconos to be here for my marathon on Saturday morning. It’s been another cloudy day with lots and lots of wind. Calling for rain to start tonight and go through tomorrow! 😩 The sun did come out some today and when I went to packet pickup at Promise Land state park, I grabbed a few pictures because tomorrow I may not be able to in the rain. I also didn’t realize this race is somewhat a trail run until the email in the race came with instructions and said there would be water stops every 2 miles except for where vehicles couldn’t get 🙈😜🤔😎 I’m thinking tomorrow will be a slow easy really long run for me 😂😁👊. The area is beautiful and the run around the lake will be beautiful even if it rains. Glad the hubby is letting me do this while we are here. In all the years of coming to PA, I’ve never ran this state.
SATURDAY... State of PA ✔️ done and dusted! 😁👊. It drizzled rain off and on and we had winds. See all the leaves on the ground. I tried to snap a few pictures in between rain showers. Often I was all alone on the course. I don’t think many did the marathon. The first loop there were tons of people but the 2nd loop out and back was lonely. Hence…. My 3rd place age group award 🤗😁. It pays to run the smaller races 😂❤️
I give God all the glory today. He helped me make that 2nd loop. Ezra 10:4 and all the text from my friends that I didn’t see most until after due to hardly any cell service.
I also wore my short from our run group and so many people said thanks for telling me don’t quit when we passed on the course 😍.
They said it was flat on the website … 🤔🤔🤔 Nope! Now it wasn't mountains, but it was not flat.
Gary and I enjoyed ihop afterwards and relaxing in our hotel until our 6am flight home the next morning. It felt like a really long travel day home! We had to get up at 2:30am to leave hotel to go to airport for 6am flight. Then drive home from Atlanta .. 5 hours.... I was so stiff every time we stopped I could barely get out of the vehicle. I don't like long travel directly after a marathon.
So another marathon done and a visit to see my mother in law. Both were a success. Now to recover and prepare for my marathon in December... St. Jude in Memphis. This will be my 11th year running as a hero for St. Jude in Memphis! 💓
