Cheryl The Blue Ox! Completes The Bemidji Marathon.

Cheryl in race form

It has felt like this has taken forever!   (Actually over a year and half!)  But Cheryl has completed a full marathon after Boston... Breaking that dreaded curse that has plagued her all that time.  Yeah!

There is much to talk about... so let's get started.

Cold-ish start.

Cheryl's new Spirit Animal. 

We were able to sleep in later than normal, because the start line was literally right outside our hotel room.   We could see the start line from our window and waited until the last possible moment to get out into the cold.   With bottle, camera, maps, jackets, gloves, ear-warmers, and the kitchen sink...  I was prepared for battle.   Oh!   And I should not forget about Cheryl...  she is kind of important for this.

Not many people wear Shorts

No gun, No Song, Just "GO!" 

The start was cold, but not freezing as predicted by the weather man.   Lucky break!   Chery was able to wear shorts and a long sleeve shirt.   She started out with a jacket, but ditched that after mile 5.   With so few people running the thing,   I was able to pick her out of the crowd easily.  It did begin to rain slightly, but the rain faded and the sun came out for a couple of hours.  At least the race started quickly.   No long and boring speeches from unknown people about causes no one cared about.  It was cold, rainy and windy.... let's get this race started!

Mile 5.  I forget to take pictures.

Cheryl runs past.

I drove to mile 5 and waited for her arrival.  One of the advantages of such a small race is the freedom for the spectators.   We are few and far between so no one messes with us when we park, loiter, or cross the marathon path.  We can even hand contestants free beverages to give them an edge over the competition.... and that is just what I did. 

This way to Mile 10

Power Up Mario?   Deadly Webcap?

I would like to think that what we did was perfectly legal.   And if anyone else had thought of it, I'm sure they would have done it too.   I was so focused on giving Cheryl her elixir or performance,  (Secret ingredient:  3/4 flat diet coke with 1/4 regular coke.)  that I did not have time to take any pictures.   She handed me her jacket and sprinted off. 

Is mile 10 really down here?

I see Cheryl.

Mile 10.   I almost got T-Bones by a car that ran a stop sign... The route I staked out was surrounded by private land with signs threatening violence to trespassers,  when I did find a place to park where I could access the trail, I was forced to run 1/2 a mile to get to the race route.    Luckily,  I found this cool mushroom...   (Possibly a deadly web cap.)   That has nothing to do with anything, just thought I would add that in.

She's alone and needs the Juice!

Power Up with Power Aid.

Cheryl was mostly alone by now.  I think she was in 4th place.  ( female) and looking pretty good.   I gave her a sip from the fuel cell and off she went again.

Mile 15 is this way?

Down there? 

Mile 15.   Mile 15 was located in the middle of no where.   It was a single cone in the middle of the trail where the runners were to run around it.   There was no one there.

Better find a power Mushroom.
Like this Fragile Crowned Coral.

By a single cone?

I stood there for a few minutes waiting to make sure I had the correct spot.  After a while, a single runner came down the path and asked me if this was were they turn around or continue.   I told them I think they turn around here...  according to the map.   I was not a race official.

Cheryl runs up,  Power Juice. Ready!

Around the Cone

But for the next 20 minutes, I might as well have been one.   I directed people around the cone like a pro...  or at least I would like to think so.  I almost felt important. And for a brief moment, my life had meaning.   The thought of runners spared from getting lost or going several miles out of their way gave me an inner peace... and then I saw Cheryl

And past the Power Mushroom.

I found a really great specimen of Coral Mushroom for Cheryl to smash and power up....  but she just wanted the juice.   She had slipped down to 5 or 6th female at this point. She was doing well though and seemed in good spirits.  I ended up smashing the mushroom myself.    On to mile 20!

She grabs the Best Buddy
(Not Me.)

Mile 20.   Cheryl really needs the
those Sugars now.

Mile 20.    Cheryl was feeling the burn now.   She seemed ok but was talking about things that made no sense.   I pretended to listen and gave her the last of the juice, which I transferred into a Best Buddy cup so she would not spill it on herself.  Off to the final stretch!

No spill-age this time. 

Off she goes!

The Big Windy Finish! Mile 26

Cheryl in the home stretch.

At the finish line,  Cheryl came in saying that she had to finish.  I offered words of encouragement, but she just told me to be quiet.   So much for inspiration..   And I had the best pep talk in history prepared in my head.   But she will never hear it....  Her loss.

I run next to her. 

All the way to the finish.
(Check out that time!) 

Despite my added motivation,  she managed to cross the finish line without it.  I guess I was not needed after all.   But I did get the picture of her crossing the finish line.   Hurray for me!

Lets get warm!

Showing off he medal

With the cold creeping up and the wind blowing stronger, we headed to the award ceremony.   Only 7 women were faster than Cheryl in the whole race.   And 2 of those women were in her age group.   IN fact.... only three women in Cheryl's age group ( 40-49) ran the race.. and both were faster than she was.   She won 3rd place female....

And the Major Award!
(3rd Place Cow Bell)

Boston Curse is lifted!

BUT she DID qualify for Boston.. AGAIN!(2020)  By a full 20 minutes!    This race time was not her best over all, but it was very close.  (3:35:05 compared to her best 3:33:33) She is happy with the results and I am happy to finally lift that Boston Curse.  She has not done a single run over 17 miles at all during this training cycle and still managed to run a good race.   Hurray!

Tourist stuff.

Petting the Spirit Animal.

Do I have Horns?

I dislike Selfies.

So,  the only thing to do now is get those pictures of the famous land marks,

Mushrooms Cluster.

Possible Honey Mushrooms.

 Find HUGE clusters of Mushrooms

Time for Celebrating. 

With The Blue Ox Beer.

and eat food and drink beer. 

Camping in the Hotel room. 

AND take pictures of all of those.

The best food in the world!

   My work never seems to end.   Add in that I have to blog about this stuff and I am beginning to feel like I should get paid somehow.   Then again, I always give my labor away for free.   No wonder we are constantly on the edge of poverty.

Cheryl wants the Plush. 

I get the Shirt!  

One last thing...  Cheryl found her Blue Ox Doll that she had pegged as a "must have."   I said she could have it only if I could have the shirt.   She agreed.