Washington DC - Stand With Ukraine 100 #33

Well, I was hoping my 33rd 100 miler was going to Massanutten Mountain 100. Close to our old home in Woodstock Va, we spent time on the mountains there and I really felt like it was a race I could tackle. Turned out I completely underestimated the technical course. I got a pretty good pre-race photo so that was cool haha. It stormed all night so race morning was thick with suffocating humidity and slick rocks.

By about mile 8, I knew this course was going to beat me and it was just a matter of how long I could hold out. I managed to make cutoffs until mile 33. I've never been cut from a race so early, it was pretty disheartening but with the extreme rocky course, I wasn't willing to risk going faster and take a fall on my knee, and I was honestly relieved when I got cut. I don't start a race to not finish, but admittedly there are going to be some things I can't do on my new knee, and unfortunately heavy rocks is one of them. :(

Yeah, not gonna attempt this course again. One of the boys I run for at No Business 100, Bryan, his family lives near the race course and spent a lot of time hiking those mountains together. I passed Bryan's family home and grave to and from the race. I really wanted to quietly honor him on those trails, and I did for the time I was there, but it did hurt my heart not to finish. Then driving home through Woodstock, so many family memories of my own when my kids were all still at home and Dexter was alive, it ended up being a pretty emotionally difficult weekend. I was glad to just get home and be done with it. It didn't help it was on the heels of Mothers Day, particularly heart wrenching.

Cleaning up Dexter's headstone the week before. :(

Feeling pretty bummed, part of me just didn't want to do anymore running for awhile. Felt a pretty dark cloud of depression coming on. I had no runs planned until the end of July. My daughter Hannah was so enthusiastic and encouraging when we video chatted and she suggested that I should do a run on Memorial Day around Washington DC and all the War memorials. Well, bless her heart, it kind of stopped my downer in its tracks and my mind and heart got thinking back on my mission. I decided to re register for Mohican 100 which beat me last year for June 4-5...an easy course compared to MMT! but that put me at basically going out the weekend after MMT for a 100 in Washington DC. I was not thrilled but I knew it was completely doable...even with a big fat heat wave headed our way, so between Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day with Jason's amazing support I packed up for a last minute 100 mile through the Nations Capitol. About this time an old family friend who had been fighting with the Ukrainian forces was making his way to Washington DC to advocate for sending more help to the Ukraine in the form of training and weapons, so I felt inspired to show solidarity with him and carry a Ukrainian flag and dedicate this 100 miler to not only veteran suicide awareness but to standing with Ukraine.

We were having near record heat, so I delayed running until Sunday afternoon when there were some afternoon thunderstorms expected and I could go to church in the morning. The air was heavy with humidity and a roasting suffocating 94 degrees when I started! Jason and Peter drove me downtown and dropped me off at the Marine Corps Memorial and went to their hotel in Mount Vernon. We hid a drop bag full of meal drinks, juice, and applesauce in the bushes so that they would only have to come out every 20 or 30 miles. My plan was 6 15 mile loops around the National Mall, plus 2 shorter 5 mile loops overnight when I planned to stay right on the mall where there is more security and cameras for safety. I was definitely nervous but had pepper spray and a knife. The date wasn't lost on me. 5-22-2022.

I definitely look overdressed for 94 degrees lol, but the arm sleeves help not lose as much fluid from sweating out your arms, and I really hate the floppy hat but it holds ice in it really well, so looking like a goof I set out. First stop, George Mason memorial, father of the bill of rights. <3 I was originally gonna hurry this course but it was so hot, I knew I had to take it slow so decided to enjoy the sights and get some pictures.

Ice in my hat, buff and down my shirt and I was still melting!

The first part of my loop went down to Haines point along the Potomac River, a little bit sketchy but pretty views of the water, lots of shade, off in the distance you can see the Air Force Memorial. Thank goodness there was a breeze off the water that made the afternoon tolerable. Just trying to survive till predicted storms popped up. Because my phone was having charging issues Jason reminded me that I had an old mp3 player full of music so I played that for the first 18 or so hours. It just happened to start right on all my old church music loaded up...since it was Sunday afternoon it felt like a tender mercy, and though I was hot and miserable I really felt carried by the Spirit while I ran along. It also was full of old songs we used to listen to with the kiddos on car road trips, some to Washington DC, so it brought back so many memories. I could just picture all of our family time spent there and though I ached for those days, I felt a lot of happiness for the fun times we had. It made the miles really meaningful to me.

I met a woman riding her bike along this stretch, she said she could tell I wasn't a normal runner and asked what I was running for. She had lost a daughter to domestic abuse and murder and said she did a lot of advocacy & demonstrations and such, we talked a little about the depth of a mothers love, and all that we are willing to do to make sure our deceased children's lives meant something. She was one of the only people I had a conversation with, but it was an important one. She ran into me again the next day on my last loop and cheered me on so that was pretty special.

Jefferson Memorial is my favorite place in Washington DC. I have so much love and respect for Thomas Jefferson. There has been so much slander and misinformation about the man he was, in fact one of the greatest men who has ever lived. I was quite emotional running up the steps to see him and looked forward to seeing this beautiful monument every loop. Also felt some sadness thinking of a daughter who has chosen to not be in my life right now. She had her engagement pictures done at the Jefferson Memorial and it just really made my heart ache. Sometimes you grieve people who are still alive. :( Leaving here, I could see the storm cells finally starting to form.

From the Jefferson Memorial I went to the Washington Memorial, every loop I went up and placed my hand on it, looking at its towering with greatness to the sky, just like George Washington :) Then ran around it and back to the sidewalk outskirt of the mall. Also noted the bathroom close by, Ha. The mall was fairly quiet for a Sunday afternoon. I imagine the heat was keeping people away.

I'd never seen this memorial so it was cool to stumble on, especially because Jason is a veteran and part Native American, a member of the Ojibwe Tribe.

You can see rain is starting to roll in, humidity was really high but cooler temps were making me feel better. I was really trying to hydrate well, worried I was sweating too much. Mostly drinking liquid calories.

Ulysses S Grant statue in front of the US Capitol.

I'd already teared up a few times at the memorials, but sadly I didn't feel much seeing the US Capitol building. I was underwhelmed... felt bad but it just feels like a place full of corruption so its hard to feel patriotic looking at that building.

Adam and I have spent a lot of time watching WWI history videos so the monument was really meaningful to me, if simplistic. I'm just grateful they finally have one, it was only built recently. I ran around this memorial every loop, its very close to the White House. About the time I passed the White House my first loop I could see we were going to be having some pretty severe weather. There were HUGE bolts of lightning and dark clouds right above the White House so I hurried along and didn't get pics, but it seemed appropriate, like the Capitol, the White House just seems like a symbol of corruption to me, and beyond gates, far removed from the public. It was neat to see but I really didn't feel much about it.

Right about the time I hit the Vietnam Memorial, the clouds burst into an epic storm. People were running for cover so I took the time to walk through the Memorial all alone in pouring rain. It seemed appropriate. I turned off my music and walked through every Memorial to show respect, but especially the War Memorials.

The rain and lightning got so bad, I was worried I wasn't going to make it to shelter. We were having like half an inch hail, branches were falling from trees and it was really hard to run in the wind, gusts up to 60mph. I was very grateful to get inside the Lincoln Memorial with a few hundred other people. We stood around for probably 30 minutes until the storm blew through. Probably some of the worst weather I've ever been caught out in.

The rain cleared out and the winds were still high, but we were treated to an amazing rainbow. Everyone was gasping at how beautiful it was. Pics don't do it justice. Honestly it felt very personal like I could feel the boys I'm running with standing there with me and saying this is for you! <3 A promise that God is in control.

"Valor" statue on the bridge.

After the exciting storm adventure I was happy to have the first of 6 loops done and ready to restock my pack and head back out. Luckily found most water fountains working on the mall so I didn't have to carry as much water, my pack was around 10 lbs starting out with 15 mile solo loops. I was listening to some random music and as I ran up the hill and the Marine Corps monument came into view, all of a sudden God Bless America started playing. Man I got all emotional and cried my eyes out and really felt like I had my Marines there, just saying thank you.

Arlington Cemetery, you cant help but feel so somber seeing the rows and rows of white headstones.

My camera actually took a decent pic, storm clearing out from the Lincoln Memorial.

Sample of the branches that were raining down in the hailstorm.

Well, with the weather cooled off and the storm cleared out, I made some good quick miles, unfortunately it was only a couple hrs later when a much bigger storm rolled through. This one was actually even more terrifying because it had huge bolts of lightning all around and again, 60 mph winds, plus it was starting to get dark. I was running the stretch along Potomac Park and all the cars were leaving because of the bad weather. I ran as fast as I could to a sketchy bathroom. The doors were locked so some high class person had taken a crap outside the bathroom door. So gross! But, it was the best shelter I could find so I had to hide out there for around an hour until the severe thunderstorm warning lifted.

I decided to risk my phone battery and video called Hannah and Ellie while I was hiding out. Ellie looks a bit skeptical here, who is this lady in the wet and dark talking to me? haha. It made me feel a little better with winds and lightning whipping all around! My muscles all tightened up standing around waiting but it really wasn't safe. After it looked like the bulk of the storm went through I started running again. Didn't have my headlamp, streets were deserted. I had a huge lightning bolt crack right above me and I screamed! then it started pouring rain again, sheets and sheets. I called Jason and asked if he could meet me with my headlamp. He somehow managed to find me near the George Mason memorial, I was so relieved! I switched to a ball cap to help keep the rain off my face and took my time, sheltering at the car with Jason and Peter while I restocked. We opened a can of beef vegetable soup and I just drank it right out of the can, was actually really delicious. ha. The rain started to let up after I left them, and I was ready for the night pretty much alone. My dear friend Margaret was going to come pace me, but shed ran the Marine Corps half marathon earlier in the day and actually passed out from the heat so obv wasn't going to be up to running.

It was kindof surreal and spooky but also really neat running the mall at night. The rain had chased most everyone indoors so I wasn't afraid of sketchy people. There were always a small handful of people here and there all night but usually off in the distance. The monuments at night are stunning and even more somber in the dark. I stuck to just the mall and did a few loops. Even though I'd been hydrating well, I still felt dehydrated and spent all night trying to catch up, having to make frequent pit stops. I found a few secluded spots in bushes since the bathrooms were locked at night. I suspected they'd have been homeless camping spots if it were dry but luckily never came across anyone there. :P Because of all the rain there was a lot of flooding so I was splashing through huge puddles and flooded sidewalks. I did another video call with Hannah and Jason at the WWII Memorial and that was really fun to share that with them!

Sometime in the middle of the night though I hardly remember, Jason met me with a pair of dry shoes and hot macaroni & cheese. My feet were fairly shredded from hours in wet shoes and socks, and I peeled off my knee braces to let my skin air out, it was chafing pretty bad from being soaked. Found a phone charger that was actually working so I was able to recharge my phone and use it again.

After Jason left I got sooo tired. I was fighting some nausea, trying to drink and falling asleep on my feet. At one point I was looking directly at the Lincoln Memorial and heading towards it when I closed my eyes for just a moment while I was running, when I opened them, I was at the White House, several blocks away in a different direction! It was so bizarre. The only time I left the mall overnight. There were homeless people sleeping on benches along the sidewalk leading to the White House. The invisible poor. :( I was so tired I started looking for a bench for myself! Back on the mall I laid down on 3 separate benches for maybe 3-4 minutes each just trying to get a minute of sleep so I could keep going. It was pretty rough. I didn't feel nervous or scared though, I felt like I had my silent angels saying its ok, we'll stand guard. I'm not sure how I finally snapped out of it but somehow got thru the night.

Vietnam Memorial sometime overnight

This totem was terrifying in the dark!

Found out from some tourists earlier in the evening that this tree was struck by lightning literally 5 minutes after I ran under it earlier in the afternoon when I took shelter at the Lincoln Memorial. I really felt like I had some special protection going on. <3

I think visiting the Korean War Memorial was the only time I really felt...unsettled. Walking past these figures of soldiers in the dark, their faces looked so alive and it looked like they were watching me, their heads turning to follow me. It wasn't a feeling like I was going to die or be hurt or anything, just like a feeling of being watched and acknowledged. Probably just my tired mind but it was definitely an eerie feeling!

Hard to see in the dark but the Kennedy Center was lit up with the Ukraine flag. <3

Took a few minutes alone around 4am with Lincoln all to myself, to read the Gettysburg address and just say a personal thank you to this giant of a man. <3 I felt really especially Sgt Gray here, a war history buff I knew would love this moment alone in the monument, and just thought what an honor it must be now to be in the presence of great men like Lincoln.

Finally dawn! Jason met me to refill everything, put out another drop bag for me, no idea the miles here, probably 50ish.

Cooler weather, sunshine, caught up on hydration, I was feeling pretty great in the morning! 60 or so miles here, a morning visit to Jefferson Memorial and past the holocaust museum. Particularly noting it because the world is witnessing the Ukrainian genocide and not doing enough to stop it. :(

"I am a soldier, a soldier of peace" - Dexter whispers to me.

More branches down all over.

Daytime temps started getting hot again, headed up to the White House and got stuck on a corner waiting like 10 minutes for a police procession going onto the White House grounds. Enough time to stiffen up. Luckily I located a 7-11 nearby and got a pina colada slurpee and banana, I think that slurpee saved my butt from getting dehydrated again, was running low on fluids and the sun was pretty relentless.

Another pass of the WWI Memorial. Listening to Cliffs of Gallipoli by Sabaton. That'll getcha. "Hear them whisper, voices from the other side, Hear them calling, former foes now friends, now resting side by side,

They will never leave our hearts or fade away

Live forever, they were far too young to die in such a way"

- Still wiping tears remembering that song! Another fallen tree from the storm.

Sometime around mile 73 my watch decided to just die completely and reboot. I thought it lost all my run data & information. I tried tracking via runkeeper for half a mile, till I got it restarted. I had 26 miles left to go. Right then Jason and Peter pulled up and I was so grateful, I was tearing up and hot and stressed and miserable. I re hydrated and ate a can of soup and they got some ice into my arm sleeves and into my shirt and I felt alot better, with a marathon to go.

It was kindof surreal and strange running during the day. Lots of high school kids on field trips to the monuments. People very occupied with themselves, though I was in the middle of the city I felt as invisible as the homeless people. Some people would look at my bib but most people avoided eye contact and though I tried to smile at everyone mostly I was mentally alone. Tough doing the last 25 miles of a 100 in a crowded place. Hurrying to get to the public restrooms trying not to throw up or cry or do anything embarrassing as my body was reaching pretty far past it's strength to keep going by this point. Because of the all the fluctuations in temperature and finally the hot afternoon I think I finally got some heat exhaustion because I spent the next few hours having hot and cold flashes. Sweating, then shivering. It was odd.

I didn't skimp on any monuments, I climbed every stair and walked and read at least something every loop.

"We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain." sob

We had a little trouble finding each other when I had 8 miles to go. My legs were rashy, I was shivering and emotional, Jason and Peter got me sat down and drinking, pain cream rubbed in, and I finally picked up my poles to try and help me through the last stretch. It was so hard that I was crying. Peter saying "Come on mom, you got this"... you just gotta keep moving forward. Luckily after this the traffic died down so I wasn't stuck waiting for so many lights, stops and starts, so hard! and could at least keep a steady pace, was so relieved to climb the capitol steps for the last time, and the Lincoln memorial steps for the last time!

Heading for the finish, was shivering though not really cold out, and the pain in my feet was pretty excruciating. My left knee started really hurting so I took my knee brace off my surgery knee and put it on the other, and was walking the last 3 miles. I got to the monument 1.25 miles short of 100! Listened to Whatever it Takes, (Imagine Dragons) going up the hill. <3 "Working onto something that I'm proud of, out of the box -I do whatever it takes" Coming up short was so annoying, I was so done lol. Peter grabbed a bag of lime jalapeno chips for me and Jason put a towel on me to warm me up and Peter & I walked 2 loops around the perimeter of the Marine Corps monument, and Jason walked the last loop with me, and I was hanging on to him for balance for the last quarter mile, torture, until we hit 100 miles, grabbed a picture and climbed into the car getting my shoes off asap!

Jason managed to save stats from my tracking, missing half a mile and my time has 2 hrs spent sheltering, I estimated about a 28 1/2 hr time to actually run. Slower than Id like but stoplights, heat, heavy pack on long stretches, it was a good effort all things considered, in a special place.

Buckle. Slava Ukraini!

Picture of my family at Glenn Becks Restoring Honor rally on the mall in 2010. We had a blast, did a road trip for that all the way from Oregon.

I've gotten so accustomed to carrying Sgt Gray and SSgt Wilson with Dexter on my runs that I just don't want to run without them, they've become my angel crew! I decided for the remainder of my races we will carry one extra Marine, there are so many who have lost their lives to suicide, I wish I could carry them all. :( I carried LCpl Andrew Carpenter with me for the miles at MMT100

I carried LCpl Jacob Crewson with me through Washington DC. He lost his life on 3-28-2022, my daughters birthday, I really felt my heart ache for his mother. She texted me near the end of my race thanking me for running with him and that carried me through those difficult miles. I hope these brave men will never be forgotten.