Lenawee County Photographers

Lenawee County Photographers

Lenawee County is notable for its wealth of resident photographers. Many teach at local intuitions, others work at professional studios and retailers, some photograph for local periodicals and newspapers. When not doing their regular jobs, all of the photographers included in this exhibition pursue their own fine art photography. Using a variety of photographic techniques and styles, these artists express their personal concerns and reactions to the world around them. This exhibition present these Lenawee photographers and their art.

-Deborah Danielson
Professor of Photography & Klemm Gallery Director

The photographs above are three of my photographs that are included in the exhibition.
Below is a statement about my photographs.

Instead of photographing an entire building marked with graffiti, I concentrate on the interesting aspects and small details, such as the colors, shapes, designs and style of letters of the graffiti. My style of photography focuses on the details that people may not see at first glance.
Although graffiti is deemed illegal, debate is ongoing as to whether graffiti is ugly or if it is art. I view graffiti as beautiful and would like to present it in a different way that viewers may not have seen before.

The exhibition runs from November 8 - December 14, 2011
Siena Heights University, Studio Angelico, Klemm Gallery
1247 East Siena Heights Drive
Adrian, MI 49221

Gallery hours:
Tuesday - Friday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday: Noon - 4 p.m.

Books read in 2011

The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton
Circus of the Damned, Laurell K. Hamilton
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Origins, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Bloodlust, L.J. Smith
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, Dean Karnazes
The Kennedy Detail, Gerald Blaine with Lisa McCubbin
The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After, Steven M Gillon
50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathon in 50 Days, Dean Karnazes
The Brotherhood: A Precinct 11 Novel, Jerry B. Jenkins
127 Hours, Aron Ralston
JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters, James W. Douglass
My Life on the Run, Bart Yasso
On the Trail of the JFK Assassins, Dick Russell
Run!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss, Dean Karnazes
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Steig Larsson
Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents, Cami Ostman
The Scarpetta Factor, Patricia Cornwell
Dual in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley and America's Greatest Marathon, John Brant
Born to Run, Christopher McDougall
Iron Heart, Brian Boyle
Running With Joy: My Daily Journey to the Marathon, Ryan Hall
Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell
Predator, Patricia Cornwell
Port Mortuary, Patricia Cornwell
Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons, Ryan Powell & Eric Grossman
Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner's Story of Love, Loss and a Record-Setting Run, Marshall Ulrich
I'm Here to Win, Chris McCormack
Book of the Dead, Patricia Cornwell
The Extra Mile: One Woman's Personal Journey to Ultra-Running Greatness, Pam Reed
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls, L.J. Smith
William and Kate: The Love Story, Christopher Andersen
Reading Jackie: Her Autobiography in Books, William Kuhn
My Story, Sarah Ferguson
The Diana Chronicles, Tina Brown
Diana and Jackie: Maidens, Mothers, Myths, Jay Mulvaney
Sarah: The Life of a Duchess, Ingrid Seward
Diana in Private: The Princess Nobody Knows, Lady Campbell Colin
Thirteen Reasons Why, Jay Asher
The Death Valley 300, Richard Benyo
Finding Sarah: A Duchess's Journey to Find Herself, Sarah Ferguson
Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail, Jennifer Pharr Davis
My Story So Far, Paula Radcliffe
Once a Runner, John L. Parker, Jr.
Again to Carthage: A Novel, John L. Parker, Jr.
Running Hot, Lisa Tamati
Confessions of a Backup Dancer, Anonymous
Killing Britney, Sean Olin
Devil Bones, Kathy Reichs

Currently Reading: Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, Gabrielle Zevin
Up Next: Death Du Jour, Kathy Reichs

ING New York City Marathon

I was up really early Sunday morning. I couldn't sleep because of the time change. Since I couldn't sleep, I decided to start my morning run around 3 :15 am. My run finished sometime after 6:20 am. That gave me plenty of time to shower, eat and do some homework before sitting down to watch the ING New York City Marathon.

The start of the women's race was crazy. Mary Keitany of Kenya, took off. Keitany had a lead of over two minutes for most of the race. She was caught by Ethiopian Firehiwot Dado and Buzunesh Deba. Dado was the women's winner in 2:23:15. Deba was second; 2:23:18 and Keitany was third in 2:23:38. It was the closest women's finish in seven years.

On the men's side, winner Geoffrey Mutai stayed with the pack until the 20th mile when he accelerated away from the others. Mutai won the marathon in 2:05:06 and set a new course record. The second and third place finishers, Emmanuel Matai (2:06:28) and Tsegaye Kebede (2:07:14) also broke the old course record. Meb Keflezighi of the US, the 2009 ING New York City Marathon winner, finished sixth with a PR of 2:09:13.

My favorite ultrarunner, Devon Crosby-Helms, ran in the ING New York City Marathon Sunday. Crosby-Helms finished with a new PR of 2:42:44. She was the 21st woman overall and the 5th American woman overall.

Top photo: The men's leaders in the ING New York City Marathon cross the Pulaski Bridge running toward the borough of Queens November 6, 2011. The winner, Geoffrey Mutai, of Kenya, is on the right. (Associated Press/Kathy Kmonicek)

Bottom photo: Eventual women's winner Firehiwoto Dado, of Ethiopia, runs behind Caroline Kilel, of Kenya, in the chas pack as they run through the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn in the ING New York City Marathon November 6, 2011. Kilel finished in sixth place. (Assoiated Press/Gregory Payan)

Gallery show

A new exhibit "Lenawee County Photographers" will be on display from November 8 - December 14, 2011 in Klemm Gallery, Studio Angelco, on the Siena Heights University campus in Adrian, Michigan.

The photo exhibition will feature three of my photographs along with photos from Lad Strayer, Robert Gordon, Brad Taphouse, Linda Narvarro, David Schamberger and Vicki Schmucker.

Regular gallery hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. Klemm Gallery is located at 1247 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, MI 49221.

ING New York City Marathon

The ING New York City Marathon is Sunday. Sunday is also the day we fall back. So instead of enjoying an extra hour of sleep, I know I will be up and running. I plan on running early so I can be sitting at my computer at 9 a.m. watching the marathon.

This year universalsports.com will be streaming the marathon for free! I think that is awesome. When they stream the Boston Marathon, it isn't free. So I very thankful for the free live feed because my cable provider doesn't carry the Universal Sports Channel. I'm looking forward to watching the elite men and women runners. It is amazing how fast they can run a marathon. The men can finish running a marathon in two hours. At two hours, I just finished a half marathon about five minutes ago.

A couple of years ago, I really wanted to run in the ING New York City Marathon at some point in my life. I'm not so sure now. After entering the world of ultramarathons, I love running in a small group. I'm not a fan of huge crowds. I don't know if I could handle standing in a corral with 40,000 people. The largest race I have ever run is the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon. This year between the marathon and half marathon 20,000 people ran. Coming from a small town of 22,000 people that is a lot of people crowded together.

Maybe someday I will try to enter the lottery. Just to see if I can get in. If not, I will always have a front row seat watching one of the greatest marathons in the world from home.

Photo of Devon Crosby-Helms. Crosby-Helms is an ultrarunner who will be running in the ING New York City Marathon Sunday. She is one of my favorite women ultra runners.

Wisconsin cross country

The Big Ten cross country championships took place Sunday at the University of Illinois in Urbana. The replay of the cross country championships will be November 11 on the Big Ten Network.

The Wisconsin's men's team won their 13-consecutive Big Ten title. The Badgers were nearly perfect Sunday with a score of 17 to win the team title. A perfect score in cross country is 15 points.

Wisconsin's Mohammed Ahmed won the 8K race in 23:18. The Badgers finishing behind Ahmed were Maverick Darling (2nd-23:26), Elliot Krause (3rd-23:27), Reed Connor (5th-23:36) and Ryan Collins (6th-23:36). Minnesota's Hassan Mead broke up the sweep by Wisconsin by coming in 4th in 23:29.

Finishing behind Wisconsin in the team battle was Indiana with 60 points and tied for third was Michigan and Minnesota with 104 points.

The Badgers race next at the NCAA Great Lakes regional on November 12 in Toledo, Ohio.

Wisconsin's Mohammed Ahmed (204), Minnesota's Hassan Mead (159) and Wisconsin's Redd Connor (209) lead the field during the Big Ten's men's cross country championship in Urbana, IL Sunday. Ahmed won the race and Wisconsin won the team title. (Associated Press/Darrell Hoemann)

Major decisions

I decided over the weekend what my major races for 2012 will be. There are so many great races that it was difficult to make a decision.

-Umstead 50 Mile - Raleigh, NC - March 31, 2012
-Glass City Marathon - Toledo, OH - April 22, 2012
-NorthCoast 24-Hour Endurance Run - Cleveland, OH - September 22-23, 2012 (USATF National Championship)
-Tussey Mountainback 50 Mile - Boalsburg, PA - October 21, 2012 (Was the USATF National Championship in 2011. I'm hoping it is for 2012 as well.)

There could be one or two 50Ks added to my schedule, but I'm still undecided about those. They are close in date to races already on my list. I will wait until they get closer to make a final decision.

I decided to wait until 2013 to officially run a 100 Mile race. My goal for the NorthCoast 24 Hour is to run over 100 miles. That race is on a flat surface. I thought it was a great place to go for 100 miles without worrying about hills or twisting my ankle on a trail. In 2013, I'll try my luck on a course that isn't so flat.

Books read in 2011

I finished reading all of the running books I bought about a month ago. I went to the library last week and found some books. Most of the books I found were in the teen section. Yes, I'm 32 and I read teen books. I did come home with a couple of Kathy Reichs mystery books, so I didn't get all teen books. I love reading books about running, but it is nice to read something that is silly.

The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton
Circus of the Damned, Laurell K. Hamilton
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Origins, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Bloodlust, L.J. Smith
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, Dean Karnazes
The Kennedy Detail, Gerald Blaine with Lisa McCubbin
The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After, Steven M Gillon
50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathon in 50 Days, Dean Karnazes
The Brotherhood: A Precinct 11 Novel, Jerry B. Jenkins
127 Hours, Aron Ralston
JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters, James W. Douglass
My Life on the Run, Bart Yasso
On the Trail of the JFK Assassins, Dick Russell
Run!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss, Dean Karnazes
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Steig Larsson
Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents, Cami Ostman
The Scarpetta Factor, Patricia Cornwell
Dual in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley and America's Greatest Marathon, John Brant
Born to Run, Christopher McDougall
Iron Heart, Brian Boyle
Running With Joy: My Daily Journey to the Marathon, Ryan Hall
Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell
Predator, Patricia Cornwell
Port Mortuary, Patricia Cornwell
Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons, Ryan Powell & Eric Grossman
Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner's Story of Love, Loss and a Record-Setting Run, Marshall Ulrich
I'm Here to Win, Chris McCormack
Book of the Dead, Patricia Cornwell
The Extra Mile: One Woman's Personal Journey to Ultra-Running Greatness, Pam Reed
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls, L.J. Smith
William and Kate: The Love Story, Christopher Andersen
Reading Jackie: Her Autobiography in Books, William Kuhn
My Story, Sarah Ferguson
The Diana Chronicles, Tina Brown
Diana and Jackie: Maidens, Mothers, Myths, Jay Mulvaney
Sarah: The Life of a Duchess, Ingrid Seward
Diana in Private: The Princess Nobody Knows, Lady Campbell Colin
Thirteen Reasons Why, Jay Asher
The Death Valley 300, Richard Benyo
Finding Sarah: A Duchess's Journey to Find Herself, Sarah Ferguson
Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail, Jennifer Pharr Davis
My Story So Far, Paula Radcliffe
Once a Runner, John L. Parker, Jr.
Again to Carthage: A Novel, John L. Parker, Jr.
Running Hot, Lisa Tamati
Confessions of a Backup Dancer, Anonymous

Currently Reading: Killing Britney, Sean Olin
Up Next: Devil Bones, Kathy Reichs

Displine

I made a choice in January 2010 to improve my health. I ended up losing 80 pounds in ten months. I've been pretty good about my eating choices. But I have slipped from time to time. And those slips have led me to gain a few pounds back.

Those pounds that I gained, helped me make a decision over the weekend. I decided until I lose the extra weight, I will be give up eating some items. Those items are cookies and ice cream. Besides giving those up, I also need to watch what I eat. I need to stop overeating at meals and snacking. Those calories do add up and pack on the pounds.

I want to lose the weight before the holidays start. When it is the holiday time, I need to really watch my intake. I know last year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I gained a couple of pounds. So many desserts and extra plates of food. I worked hard and lost most of them at the start of the year. I don't want to do that this year. I would like to maintain a healthy weight through the rest of the year.

I love cookies and ice cream. I gave them up for almost an entire year back in 2010. I think I should be able to go without for a month or two. The new journey begins and I know I can achieve my short term goal.

Letchworth State Park - Castile, NY

Crossfit Games

The other day I set my DVR to record the Pan Am Games on ESPN. I started what I thought would be the Pan Am Games the next day, but it was the 2011 Reebok Crossfit Games. I was about ready to delete it, but I decided to see what it was.

The CrossFit Games are the world's premier test to find the Fittest men and women on Earth. The CrossFit Games is a multi-stage event that lasts for three days. According to the CrossFit website, "the Games competitors will have to prove that they are not only fit but capable of handling the unknown. No one know what the events will be. Every year the events are different. The best movements to test for fitness are a combination of gymnastics, powerlifting, Olympic lifting, jumping rope, climbling ropes, lengthy runs and a vast amount of pure grunt work such as getting sandbags over a wall..."

The CrossFit games that recorded were of the women's competition. It was amazing what these women were doing; rope climbing, handstand push ups, pushing a 275 pound sled, handstand walk, overhead squats, dead lift and chest-to-bar pull ups. Some of the woman were lifting 30-50 pounds over their own weight. Just amazing.

The winner for the women was Iceland's Annie Thorisdottir. Finishing second was last year's winner Kristan Clever and third was Rebecca Voight, both of the US.

I'm really glad to have watched this. Thank you for surprising me with a great endurance event ESPN.

Photo of the 2011 Fittest on Earth (Woman) - Annie Thorisdottir of Iceland

Books read in 2011

The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton
Circus of the Damned, Laurell K. Hamilton
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Origins, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Bloodlust, L.J. Smith
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, Dean Karnazes
The Kennedy Detail, Gerald Blaine with Lisa McCubbin
The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After, Steven M Gillon
50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathon in 50 Days, Dean Karnazes
The Brotherhood: A Precinct 11 Novel, Jerry B. Jenkins
127 Hours, Aron Ralston
JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters, James W. Douglass
My Life on the Run, Bart Yasso
On the Trail of the JFK Assassins, Dick Russell
Run!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss, Dean Karnazes
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Steig Larsson
Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents, Cami Ostman
The Scarpetta Factor, Patricia Cornwell
Dual in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley and America's Greatest Marathon, John Brant
Born to Run, Christopher McDougall
Iron Heart, Brian Boyle
Running With Joy: My Daily Journey to the Marathon, Ryan Hall
Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell
Predator, Patricia Cornwell
Port Mortuary, Patricia Cornwell
Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons, Ryan Powell & Eric Grossman
Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner's Story of Love, Loss and a Record-Setting Run, Marshall Ulrich
I'm Here to Win, Chris McCormack
Book of the Dead, Patricia Cornwell
The Extra Mile: One Woman's Personal Journey to Ultra-Running Greatness, Pam Reed
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls, L.J. Smith
William and Kate: The Love Story, Christopher Andersen
Reading Jackie: Her Autobiography in Books, William Kuhn
My Story, Sarah Ferguson
The Diana Chronicles, Tina Brown
Diana and Jackie: Maidens, Mothers, Myths, Jay Mulvaney
Sarah: The Life of a Duchess, Ingrid Seward
Diana in Private: The Princess Nobody Knows, Lady Campbell Colin
Thirteen Reasons Why, Jay Asher
The Death Valley 300, Richard Benyo
Finding Sarah: A Duchess's Journey to Find Herself, Sarah Ferguson
Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail, Jennifer Pharr Davis
My Story So Far, Paula Radcliffe
Once a Runner, John L. Parker, Jr.
Again to Carthage: A Novel, John L. Parker, Jr.

Currently Reading: Running Hot, Lisa Tamati
Up Next: Library trip

Racing schedule

It is that time of the year where my current racing schedule is coming to an end. My final race of the 2011 season will be on November 12. It is a 5K in town. I did have plans that day to drive to Toledo, Ohio to watch the Great Lakes Cross Country Championships that same morning. But I decided to save gas, parking fees and entrance fees to stay in town and run a final race.

Now that the current season is basically complete, it is time to start planning for 2012. As of now, I have a couple of races scheduled:

- Frosty Five 5 mile trail run, February 11, 2012 - Adrian, MI
- Umstead 50 mile, March 31, 2012 - Raleigh, NC
- Glass City Marathon, April 22, 2012 - Toledo, OH
- Tussey Mountainback 50 mile, October 21, 2012 - Boalsburg, PA

One race missing from the list is the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon. I wanted to run it again but it is the same day as Tussey Mountainback 50M. I've done Detroit four times already. As much as I love Detroit, I want to run this new race.

I'm sure once the first of the year rolls around, I'll be adding more races to the list. My plan is to not run as many 5Ks as I did this year. The reason is because I want to run more ultras in 2012. Something that may help me is that I found a list of qualifying runs for Western States 100. I doubt I will ever run a WS 100, but the list is extremely helpful. There are races on the list that I didn't even know about. Just more things to think about as I put together my 2012 racing schedule.

Haunted Graveyard 5K

It was a perfect night for racing. The temperature was in the 50s, it was sunny and no wind.

At the start of the race, all of the adults were stuck behind children. For some silly reason, all of the young kids lined up right on the start line. When the horn went off, all of the adults, including me, were dashing in the grass around the kids. I heard a woman who was watching the race comment, "All of those runners are cutting the course!" OK lady. How do you suggest that we get around a line of 5-6 kids without running in the grass to pass them? Knock them over? Sorry. I won't push a kid down.

After passing the kids, I could get into a nice running rhythm. The course is run through the city's largest cemetery. It has a lot of hills. I was so surprised at the speed I was running down the hills. At first, I was afraid I was going to bite it on the asphalt path. I was able to keep my footing and continue on. Slowly, I started to pass runner after runner. It felt really good to be able to pass so many people on this hilly course. I really enjoyed it when I passed people running up hills. I also worked on keeping my speed the same going up hills. My hill training has helped me so much this year. I'm so glad I incorporated it into my training.

Besides working hard on the hills. During the race, I would randomly pick up out runners in front of me that I wanted to catch. I was able to catch quite a few of them and pass them. Heading into the turn and straightaway, I was next to a guy. Once he saw the finish line, he just took off. I wanted to stay with him, but he got away. I wasn't sprinting as fast as the guy I was just near, but I did sprint away from a runner that was behind me. They were really close to me because I could hear them breathing when we made the final turn. There was no way that this person was going to pass me. I just took off and out kicked them.

I finished the race in 25:30:10. That time was a 20 second improvement from last year. I thought that I ran this race four years in a row, but I skipped 2009. The awards only went two deep and unfortunately my name wasn't called. The results from the race should be posted today and I'm looking forward to seeing where I finished in a huge group of runners.

Haunted Graveyard 5K finishing times:
2008: 33:50:92
2010: 25:50:10
2011: 25:30:10

Where have you run?

The following is a list of the places I have run races or while on vacation. Most of my races or runs have taken place in my home state of Michigan. The places from Wisconsin were from the Ragnar Relay Series Madison, WI to Chicago, IL. I was sad I didn't get to run a leg in Illinois. I have run in Chicago, but that was on a hotel treadmill. I hope to run a race in the Windy City in the future. If I do, it will probably be the Fall Chicago Lakefront 50K or 50M.

Borrowed this from Bananza. She had a similar list on dailymile.

-Chicago, IL
-Boston, MA
-Addison, MI
-Adrian, MI
-Ann Arbor, MI
-Blissfield, MI
-Clinton, MI
-Dexter, MI
-Dundee, MI
-Grand Rapids, MI
-Hell, MI
-Hudson, MI
-Mackinac Island, MI
-Onsted, MI
-Pinckney, MI
-Pittsford, MI
-Saline, MI
-Tecumseh, MI
-Ypsilanti, MI
-Cranford, NJ
-Canandaigua, NY
-Rochester, NY
-Toledo, OH
-Beaverton, OR
-Cottage Grove, WI
-Dousman, WI
-Kenosha, WI
-Madison, WI
-New Berlin, WI
-Waukesha, WI


I will be adding Raleigh, NC to the list next year and hopefully Boalsburg, PA.

Four tries

Back in 2008, I wanted a new challenge in running. I have been running regularly since 2003 and run in many 5 and 10K races. I wanted something new. That is when I registered to run my first Detroit Free Press Half Marathon.

I didn't run the crazy miles I do today back in 2008. I was lucky if I ran 20-30 miles a week. I do remember training for it. Running over six miles back then was difficult for me as I was overweight. But after a while, running over that distance got easier. Leading up to the half marathon, my longest run ever was 10 miles. I didn't go any higher then that.

The day of the race, I ran and walked. I thought the Ambassador Bridge and the underwater tunnel were the steepest climbs ever. I wasn't the fastest or the slowest, but I did finish my first half marathon in 3:01:05. I remember after the race, how much my legs and body hurt. I said to my husband that I would never run a half marathon again. Two days later, I changed my mind and said I was going to run the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon again in 2009.

I did improve my time in 2009. I finished in 2:47:39. I was so proud of myself for running the entire way. I knew I wanted to do better, but I didn't know how I was going to do it.

I decided to lost weight at the start of 2010. Over the month leading up to the half marathon, I lost 80 pounds. With the weight loss, my running and times improved. So it was no big shock when I beat my previous half time by 44 minutes. I finished the 2010 Detroit Free Press Half Marathon in 2:03:14. I was so proud of myself. Even though I was proud, I was disappointed that I didn't get a sub-two hour time. The three standstills on the Ambassador Bridge and also starting in a far back corral didn't help. I was weaving all over the course passing slower runners.

Heading into this year's half marathon, my only goal was to run under two hours. I was hoping to do it, but I was unsure if I could do it. The week before the half, I ran my second 50K in 5:45. This year luck was on my side and I did it. I started in the first corral, which had no traffic. No standstills on the Ambassador Bridge and no weaving around slower runners. I was the one who was getting passed by all of the faster runners and I didn't care. I knew I was running my pace and race. I finished in 1:59:19. I made my goal and I was so happy.

I'm planning on running the half marathon again in 2012. It would be nice to run close to my PR or actually set a new one.

Detroit Free Press Half Marathon times:
2008: 3:01:05
2009: 2:47:39
2010: 2:03:14
2011: 1:59:19

Mt. Hope Cemetery - Rochester, NY

Books read in 2011

The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton
Circus of the Damned, Laurell K. Hamilton
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Origins, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Bloodlust, L.J. Smith
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, Dean Karnazes
The Kennedy Detail, Gerald Blaine with Lisa McCubbin
The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After, Steven M Gillon
50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathon in 50 Days, Dean Karnazes
The Brotherhood: A Precinct 11 Novel, Jerry B. Jenkins
127 Hours, Aron Ralston
JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters, James W. Douglass
My Life on the Run, Bart Yasso
On the Trail of the JFK Assassins, Dick Russell
Run!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss, Dean Karnazes
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Steig Larsson
Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents, Cami Ostman
The Scarpetta Factor, Patricia Cornwell
Dual in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley and America's Greatest Marathon, John Brant
Born to Run, Christopher McDougall
Iron Heart, Brian Boyle
Running With Joy: My Daily Journey to the Marathon, Ryan Hall
Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell
Predator, Patricia Cornwell
Port Mortuary, Patricia Cornwell
Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons, Ryan Powell & Eric Grossman
Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner's Story of Love, Loss and a Record-Setting Run, Marshall Ulrich
I'm Here to Win, Chris McCormack
Book of the Dead, Patricia Cornwell
The Extra Mile: One Woman's Personal Journey to Ultra-Running Greatness, Pam Reed
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls, L.J. Smith
William and Kate: The Love Story, Christopher Andersen
Reading Jackie: Her Autobiography in Books, William Kuhn
My Story, Sarah Ferguson
The Diana Chronicles, Tina Brown
Diana and Jackie: Maidens, Mothers, Myths, Jay Mulvaney
Sarah: The Life of a Duchess, Ingrid Seward
Diana in Private: The Princess Nobody Knows, Lady Campbell Colin
Thirteen Reasons Why, Jay Asher
The Death Valley 300, Richard Benyo
Finding Sarah: A Duchess's Journey to Find Herself, Sarah Ferguson
Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail, Jennifer Pharr Davis
My Story So Far, Paula Radcliffe
Once a Runner, John L. Parker, Jr.

Currently Reading: Again to Carthage: A Novel, John L. Parker, Jr.
Up Next: Running Hot, Lisa Tamati

Detroit Free Press Half Marathon

I was pleased with my half marathon time. I finally ran under two hours on this course. Got it done on my fourth try. I wasn't very close to my PR time of 1:55:18, but that didn't matter because I ran a 50K last week. My only goal for the half marathon Sunday was to go under two hours.

I started the race in corral A, which I thought was weird. Corral A is for very fast people. I'm a faster runner, but not that fast. I don't know how I ended up in it. When I registered for the half marathon, I put in my projected finishing time as two hours. Oh well, I was pleased not to start in a huge crowd. When we started running, I stayed off to the side of the street. I didn't need to be in the way of other runners.

The run started off well until getting on the Ambassador Bridge. It was really windy on the bridge. I couldn't feel the wind leading up to that point because the buildings on the street blocked it. The wind on the bridge slowed down my pace by a minute. When I got off the bridge, I really worked to get my pace back to where I wanted it to be. Over in Windsor, practically at the same time, I saw four people that I knew. It was nice to see friendly faces in the middle of the run. I ran with one of my friends for a stretch, but we got separated when I went to the aid station to get a drink. I caught back up with her in the tunnel. She was walking because her hip was bothering her.

Running in the tunnel heading back to Detroit, it was warm and I could tell I was slowing down. Coming out of he tunnel, I ran faster to get back on track once again. At the ten mile marker, my watch read 1:30. I was back on track. Over the last three miles I did slow down. At mile twelve, my watch said 1:48/1:49, I knew I needed to hurry if I wanted to go under two hours. Making the final right turn onto the longer straightway to the finish, I picked up my pace. I did pass some runners heading into the finish line. I crossed the line in 1: 59: 19. Not my fastest half marathon, but it was the my fastest half marathon run in Detroit. I was happy with my time and effort. My legs felt pretty good over the course of the half and I couldn't ask for anything more.

Results
Chip time: 1:59:19
Overall place: 1717/8469
Gender place: 619/5296
Division place: 128/881
6.2 mile: 55:29
7 mile: 1:02:36
8 mile: 1:11;38
12.2 mile: 1:53:15
Tunnel: 9:02
Pace: 9:07

Weekend plans

I will be doing a little bit of work and having fun this weekend. I really don't consider this work, but on Saturday morning I will be photographing the County Cross Country Championships. I have been photographing this event for years and I love it. This race includes all of the county runners. In separate races, the boys and girls run against each other to see who is the best. It doesn't matter if you run for a big or small school, it is about running fast.

Once I'm finished my photo assignment, my husband and I will be heading to Detroit. I will be running the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon for the third time Sunday morning. I would love to go under two hours. I was so close last year. I missed it by three minutes because of coming to a standstill on the Ambassador Bridge a couple of times. I'm not sure if I will go sub-two hours this time around. I ran a personal best in the half back in September, 1:55:18. But I did just run a 50K Saturday. During my runs this week, my legs felt really good. So there is always a chance. If it happens, it happens. If not, I'm not going to be upset about it.

I'm looking forward to the weekend of running. First, photographing high school runners at their best and then me running the streets of Detroit.

Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls, NY

Can Lake 50K photos

Photos of me on the Can Lake 50K course in Canandaigua, New York on October 8, 2011. Photography by Al Randt, Karl Marchenese and Mike Osborne.

Stats:
Finishing time: 5:45:48
Overall runner: 12/31
Female overall: 3/12
Age group: 1/5

Sports notes

I love sports. The past couple of days have been wonderful. So many games to watch and be excited about.

The Minnesota Lynx defeated Atlanta Dream 73-67 to win the WNBA championship last Friday. The Lynx swept the series 3-0. They won their first title in franchise history. Leading the way for the Lynx was Seimone Augustus with 16 points. Maya Moore, who was named WNBA's rookie of the year, finished the game with 15 points and 7 rebounds.

Minnesota Lynx's Maya Moore fends off Atlanta Dream's Armintie Price in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the WNBA finals, October 7, 2011. Associated Press/David Goldman

The hotel we were staying at Saturday didn't have the Big Ten Network.
We had to rely on the Michigan-Northwestern score from the ESPN ticker and twitter. In the first half, Denard Robinson threw three interceptions. It wasn't looking good for them. Northwestern led at halftime 24-14. When the third quarter started, I think I was already sleeping. I woke up around 3 a.m. and started reading my twitter account. I was happy to read that Michigan came back and beat Northwestern 42-24. It would have been great to see the Maize and Blue come back and win. Oh well. This week, Michigan goes on the road to Michigan State. This game starts at noon. I should be able to watch it without falling asleep.

Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson looks to pass during the second quarter against Northwestern, October 8, 2011, in Evanston, Illinois. Associated Press/Nam Y. Huh

Sunday's game between Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers was postponed until Monday. It didn't seem to help the Tigers any. The Tigers lost Game 2 in 11 innings 7-4. The Rangers, Nelson Cruz, hit a home run to tie the game in the seventh inning and he also hit a grand slam walk-off to end the game. The series now heads back to Detroit, where the Tigers are down 0-2. Hopefully they can get a win. If not, it doesn't look too good for them.

Max Scherzer hands the baseball over to Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland during the seventh inning of Game 2 of the American League Championship series against the Texas Rangers, October 10, 2011. Associated Press/Tony Gutierrez

At least one Detroit team won last night. That win came from the Detroit Lions. The Lions defeated the Chicago Bears 24-13 on Monday night. With the win, the Lions are 5-0 for the first time since 1956. By the time the game started, I was already in bed. Sorry, I was tired. Lions running back, Jahvid Best, rushed a career high of 163 yards. Calvin Johnson had five catches for 130 yards and he scored his ninth touchdown. And my favorite player, Jason Hanson, kicked a 31 yard field goal.

Detroit Lions kicker Jason Hanson kicks an extra point against the Chicago Bears during the third quarter, October 10, 2011. Associated Press/Paul Sancya

Can Lake 50K

I ran the Can Lake 50K Saturday in Canandaigua, New York. This course had so many hills and inclines. The was the hilliest road course I've ever run. I walked up about 4 or 5 major climbs and heading into the aid stations. Other then that, I ran the rest of the course. The course ended on a huge hill. I really wanted to run up the hill, but there was no way. I ended up power walking the hill. When the hill flattened out, I ran to the finish line.

The weather was about 80 degrees and very sunny. A couple of times during the race, we were really close to Canandaigua Lake. I just wanted to jump in. The weather was perfect for swimming. With the warm weather and the sun beating down on me, I got a major sunburn on my arms, neck and forehead. I was wearing a visor, but some of the visor didn't cover my forehead. The warm weather really didn't effect my running. I just keep running and drinking water from my Camelbak. At the aid stations I drank water, Heed (sports energy drink) and pop. The only real food I had was M&M's. The aid stations had sandwiches, pretzels, bananas and some other stuff, but I didn't want any of it. When I was on the course, I ate Clif Shot Blocks.

During the race, three guys and I were leapfrogging each other. At one point, I would be ahead, then they would pass me. We would then come to an aid station and I would beat them out. A couple of miles down the road, the guys would catch me again. At the final aid station about 3-4 miles away from the finish, all three guys were there around same time. I noticed one guy was stretching, another was eating and I don't know what the other guy was doing. I got something to drink and grabbed some M&M's and left. Only one of the guys passed me again. He passed me with two miles to go. I wanted to catch him, but my legs couldn't go any faster.

I really enjoyed the road 50K. It was nice not to trip over branches, tree roots and rocks. At one point during the race I almost twisted my left ankle twice. A fresh batch of gravel was put down on a road. I couldn't see the low spots in the road and almost rolled my ankle twice. I was happy to get through it injury free.

I finished the 50K in 5:45:45. I placed 12th overall and was first in my age group. I was shocked when I found out about my placing. I thought there were more people ahead of me. In the future, I might do this race again. If I do, I will definitely do more hill intervals. I had a good base coming in, but I want to be better.

New York

My husband and I drove to the great state of New York Wednesday morning. The trip to New York has a propose. A race.

I will be running my second ultramarathon Saturday morning. It is the Can Lake 50K in Canandaigua, New York. I'm really looking forward to this 50K. Unlike my first 50K (Dances with Dirt - Hell, Michigan) this is a road race. I won't have to worry about tripping over tree branches, rocks or walking in water. Another great thing about this race is my time should be faster. I ran DWD in seven hours. I'm hoping to run this ultra in five to six hours. One factor that could slow my time is the weather. The race starts at 10 a.m. and it is supposed to reach 80 degrees. I'm hoping to get through these 31 miles without any issues.

Besides driving to New York for a race, my husband and I have done some sightseeing. We first stopped at Niagara Falls. The falls were gorgeous. Especially with the rainbow that formed by the falls. After visiting the Falls, we headed to Rochester to check into our hotel. On the second day, we visited the Rochester Institute of Technology campus and the Barnes and Noble bookstore at RIT. We stopped at RIT because my husband attended there for two and a half years. Following RIT, our next stop was the Mt. Hope Cemetery. Famous people that are buried there are Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Besides visiting their grave sites, I had my camera out photographing beautiful cemetery statues and mausoleums. I could have spent the entire day there. So many things to see and photograph.

We left the cemetery around lunchtime and I called Oiselle teammate Jen. My husband and I had lunch with her at Nick Tahou's. That restaurant is famous for their Garbage Plates. I didn't get one, but Jen and my husband did. It looked good, but I wasn't that hungry. After lunch, my husband took some photos of Jen and I. Jen is a fantastic runner and person. I was so glad to finally meet her.

Our next stop was the Susan B. Anthony House. When my husband and I are on vacation, we always stop at places that are history related. We were given a tour of the house she lived in and learned about her life and work. My favorite thing at the house was a dress that she wore. It was a black silk dress and very lovely, especially for the time period she wore it in. After the house tour, we headed across town to the George Eastman House and International Museum of Photography and Film. Loved looked at the camera's that were used throughout the years. I really loved Eastman's home. So grand. At the Eastman house, I learned that he committed suicide. His suicide note was on display. It was eerie to see. Eastman died with a gunshot to the heart at the age of 77. His note read, "Dear Friends, My Work is done. Why wait?"

This trip isn't over yet. I still have a race to run. But I have been enjoying so far. Upstate New York is a wonderful place to visit. I hope we can make it back again.

4-0

I've been a Detroit Lions fan for as long as I can remember. The Lions have had their share of ups and downs, especially downs of lately. Their last winning season was in 2000, with a record of 9-7. But who could forget the horrible year in 2008 when the Lions went 0-16. Through all of the bad seasons, I was still a fan.

Now in 2011, the Detroit Lions are 4-0. Detroit and Green Bay are the only teams left in the NFL with undefeated seasons. The Lions host the Chicago Bears (2-2) on October 10 for a Monday Night Football game. I can't even remember the last time Detroit played on Monday night. The Lions need to play well in the first half so they don't have to come back in the second half like they did against Minnesota and Dallas.

Photo Credit: Associated Press/Tony Gutierrez

Detroit Lions kicker Jason Hanson celebrates a field goal against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half of an NFL football game October 2 in Arlington, Texas.

Books read in 2011

The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton
Circus of the Damned, Laurell K. Hamilton
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Origins, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Bloodlust, L.J. Smith
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, Dean Karnazes
The Kennedy Detail, Gerald Blaine with Lisa McCubbin
The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After, Steven M Gillon
50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathon in 50 Days, Dean Karnazes
The Brotherhood: A Precinct 11 Novel, Jerry B. Jenkins
127 Hours, Aron Ralston
JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters, James W. Douglass
My Life on the Run, Bart Yasso
On the Trail of the JFK Assassins, Dick Russell
Run!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss, Dean Karnazes
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Steig Larsson
Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents, Cami Ostman
The Scarpetta Factor, Patricia Cornwell
Dual in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley and America's Greatest Marathon, John Brant
Born to Run, Christopher McDougall
Iron Heart, Brian Boyle
Running With Joy: My Daily Journey to the Marathon, Ryan Hall
Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell
Predator, Patricia Cornwell
Port Mortuary, Patricia Cornwell
Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons, Ryan Powell & Eric Grossman
Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner's Story of Love, Loss and a Record-Setting Run, Marshall Ulrich
I'm Here to Win, Chris McCormack
Book of the Dead, Patricia Cornwell
The Extra Mile: One Woman's Personal Journey to Ultra-Running Greatness, Pam Reed
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls, L.J. Smith
William and Kate: The Love Story, Christopher Andersen
Reading Jackie: Her Autobiography in Books, William Kuhn
My Story, Sarah Ferguson
The Diana Chronicles, Tina Brown
Diana and Jackie: Maidens, Mothers, Myths, Jay Mulvaney
Sarah: The Life of a Duchess, Ingrid Seward
Diana in Private: The Princess Nobody Knows, Lady Campbell Colin
Thirteen Reasons Why, Jay Asher
The Death Valley 300, Richard Benyo
Finding Sarah: A Duchess's Journey to Find Herself, Sarah Ferguson
Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail, Jennifer Pharr Davis
My Story So Far, Paula Radcliffe

Currently Reading: Once a Runner, John L. Parker, Jr.
Up Next: Again to Carthage: A Novel, John L. Parker, Jr.

Game 1

I didn't get to watch the game Sunday. We had too many TV shows recording on our DVR's and the game started a half hour before I went to bed. But I was very happy to read that Minnesota Lynx defeated Atlanta Dream 88-74 in Game 1 of the WNBA finals.

At the half, the Dream were leading the Lynx 39-36. The Lynx had a big fourth quarter scoring 26 points and holding the Dream to 12 points. Leading the way for Minnesota was Rebekkah Brunson with 26 points, Seimone Augustus chipped in with 22 points and Lindsay Whalen had 15 points.

Game 2 will be played Wednesday in Minnesota at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.

Photo Credit: Associated Press/Stacy Bengs

Minnesota Lynx forward Rebekkah Brunson takes a shot over Atlanta Dream center Courtney Paris in the second half of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals Sunday in Minneapolis. Brunson led her team with 26 points and the Lynx won 88-74

Dances with Dirt 50K photos

Race photos from Dances with Dirt - Hell were released on Sunday. Here are a few of the photos of me taken by Greg Sadler Photography.