I'm in...anyone else?

Saturday, March 14, 2015 | North Park Boathouse | Allison Park, PA

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Youth Reach, Inc.

The March Mad Dash is Saturday March 14, 2015!

The March Mad Dash 2015 shirts are here! New Logo for 2015! Royal blue 100% polyester long sleeve shirt feels like soft cotton!

The March Mad Dash is a 5K, 5 Mile and 10 Mile running race/fun walk on Saturday March 14 at the North Park Boat House and lake area in Allison Park, PA (a northern suburb of Pittsburgh).

Photos by Madia Photography
Slideshow script provided by Dynamic Drive

Proceeds from this event support teens helping others through service projects on a local and national level.
Middle school youth volunteer during the summer with with The Pittsburgh Project, completing home repairs for those in need.
Senior high teens are often found repairing damages from natural disasters in places such as Louisiana, New Jersey and Colorado.
Adult mentors guide students in becoming mature adults with a heart for service as they teach practical repair and building skills.

Check out the March Mad Dash on Facebook!
Please take a moment to visit the sponsors of the March Mad Dash on the sponsors page!

Contact Information

Race Director: Sandy McKnight
sandy_mcknight@hotmail.com
(412) 585-2361

Thanks, thanks and more thanks!

 

 

I have so many reasons to be giving thanks this year; perhaps if I share my partial list, I can also get you current on all the wonderful things going on in my life...

 

So, in no particular order, Let me share with you:

 

The hubster and his newly forged friendship with Linda Lou:

 

 

 

I'm thankful I can still, at the ripe old age of 63, run AND compete:

 

 

 

And occasionally win:

 

 

And be the proud mother of a winner as well:

 

 

This was the year I got a wonderful Father's Day gift from Andy and Ashley:

 

 

 

 

 

Yes!  it's a

 

BOY!!!

He'll be here mid-February!!!!!

 

There is the new home with enough bedrooms for grandchildren to visit:

 

 

A wonderful patio in the back:

 

 

AND a dressing room for all my shoes!

 

.

 

I'm thankful for that darn birthday fairy

 

and the opportunity to celebrate my mom's 83rd birthday!

 

 

We celebrated Ashley's graduation from nursing school...

 

 

Of course, it's a no-brainer to remember and be thankful for time on the river...

 

 

 

And bicycle rides!

 

 

Ron and I got to go all kinds of neat places, like Thousand Islands,

Atlantic City, Texas and Florida...

And Boston!

 

 

 

As always and forever, I'm thankful for:

 

 Andy, Vicky, Michael and Tony

 

 

 Michael and Catherine

 

 

Jamie and Vicky

 

 

Andy and Ashley

 

 

Tony and Noelle

Whew!  And to think, that's just a partial list...

I could go on and on and on!

 

Also, I'm so thankful for friends and family who take time to visit my blog!

 

Have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving...

I'll be back soon!

Promise!

 

Love,

Jan

 

Take me out…

Tonight I'm going with friends to watch the Pirates play. I'm not a baseball fan, but I love to go to the park.  I'm a people watcher, a boat spotter, a river rat and I love Pittsburgh's skyline!  

It should be a fun night, With food and friends. 

It's starting to green up around here, the weeds in my yard are taking over, you can hear the grass grow, and flowers are showing up every day.

I've been getting out to run most mornings, new orange running shoes are such an incentive!  I love my camera phone or is it phone camera?

 

 

Guess what really matters is that if I vary my route every day I see something fun to photograph. Sure wouldn't be able to do that it wasn't for my phone. I can't imagine carrying my SLR around with me.

This morning I passed a house that had more stuff outside than any house on the block. The kitchen sink wasn't there but everything else was including a flower basket hanging from the railing.

No flowers planted in it, but the cat thought it made an excellent cat bed. 

I'll leave you with this photo. Soon as I shower off the sweat, I'm going out and share a smile with someone. Why don't you try it?

Remember, I love you.

God bless you!

Jan

 

While running this morning...

I saw this:

it's a good thing!

Love you guys!

God bless you,

Jan

Running in the right direction...

This morning I thought I'd change things up a bit. Instead of heading for the Industrial park where I like to run, I ran through a new (to me) neighborhood.  I love to check out gardens, flower beds, porches and even sheds.  This morning I was running through an alley and saw this...

 

Made me smile, how about you?

Love ya!

Jan

Running a what?

As all y'all know, Sunday the toned, trained and terrific athletes flocked to Pittsburgh to run the Pittsburgh marathon.

The very special got to run on Saturday.  That's when they held the children's marathon:  1.5 miles, from the North Shore, across the Sixth Street Bridge, through town.  

For security, to encourage family physical activity, to add to the masses, each child running had to be accompanied by an adult wearing a matching bib.

I was asked to accompany Tyler and Ryan, Morgan's step brothers.  

I ran steady, cherishing the cow bells, cheering, whistles and shouts ( something I don't usually have when I run on local city streets).  Ty and Ry sprinted, lagged, walked, skipped and jogged but somehow we all crossed the finish line together.

All kids finishing got medals.  They wore them with pride!  

What fun!

Here's Team Jan:

---

 

So, where have I been?

I keep thinking that I'll have tons of time to sit and post a long, chatty update like I used to do...

Kids, it just ain't gonna happen, but GOOD THINGS have been  going on in my life that I want to share.

Today, I'll share one:  ten days ago I got to spend a few days n Atlantic City, NJ.  It was the first time I was ever there.  

Of course, being near the water inspires me.  I did a no-no (for me) and ran three consecutive days.

Why did I do that?  Running on the board walk provided me with this view:

 

Takes my breath away just thinking about it!

I'm outta here for now!  Now go out and bless someone with a smile.

God loves you and so do I!

Jan

Gutbuster?

Another first in my life:  my first cross country/trail  race.   This morning Andy, Tony, Morgan and a whole bunch of friends and relatives participated in the 35th annual Samuel Holland Gutbuster Race!

Now when I say race, don't think for a minute that I ran all that distance, up and down those hills, but please imagine that I gave it my best shot, up and over, down and out.  Actually, the walk from the car to the start of the course would have done me in a year ago, so I'm pretty pleased.

We started early, way too early for me, stopping for supplies (Gatorade and cough drops)

And once we got to the park, we had a loooong walk down to the start line!

Some of us went faster than the rest.  Once we got registered, we had to hang around for quite a while while they registered everyone.

We finally decided to take the after picture before, while all of us were standing:

The gang:  Andy, Heather, Wes, Tyler, Sydney, Morgan, Tony, Mike, Me, Tori, Kayla and Jim!

The boys ran the 4 mile course, along with Heather and Wes.  Morgan, Sydney and Tyler ran the 2 mile course, so did Tori and Kayla (we think).  Mike, Jim and I SURVIVED the 2 mile course, which is a personal best for us.  Another thing crossed off my Bucket List.

Now we're home, ready to shower and leave again, off on a quest for a turkey dinner.  This holiday feels strange to me, and I don't even feel like leaving the house, but in the middle of all the sadness and grief is that reminder that I am blessed and have much to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving to all you!

Now don't just sit there, go out and be a blessing to someone else!

Love,

Jan

What are those darn kids up to now?

It's Sunday at 7:30 AM.  This is what I see in my driveway:

That's Morgan, Tony and Sydney (Morgan's sister).  Are they getting ready for church?

Not dressed like that!

Guess they have something else in mind...like the...

Marshall Mangler?!?, an 8K race through the woods, up the hills and down.  Crazy?  you bet they are but not as crazy as the people who did the  22.5 or 50K!

Oh, and by the way, NO, I did not join them.  As I said before...I went to church.

YES, there were other crazy people out there, we had a gang of them representing our friends and family.

Since I wasn't there, we only have a few photos, but I think you'll get the picture...

Look, here comes Vicky, I think!

And there she goes...Run, Vicky, Run!

There goes Morgan!
 

Spectators?  That will never do!  Get out your running shoes, Tyler and Uncle Mike (Mark's brother and his son).

Don't worry, we'll have them running in the next race...or the one after that!

What do they see?

Here comes Wes and Sydney:

And there they go!

Go, Sydney!  Go!

Since Tony was our chief picture-taker, and since he and Andy were very close in time (Andy asked me to announce that he not only beat Tony, but was in good enough shape to take Helga on a long walk the next day!

Here are my three problem children:

Tony, Vicky and Andy!

And a few more...

Sydney, Morgan, Tony, Vicky and Andy.

Let's not forget Heather, Morgan's mother, and her friend, Wes.

Hard to believe they just ran 8K, isn't it?

And the whole gang:

Those are Sydney's shoes in the foreground.  Guess her feet hurt!

And that's not all!

Wes is a hairdresser.  After going out to eat and watch the

Steeler's game, he was going to trim Morgan's hair for her.  This is what Tony and Morgan looked like when they got there...

They think maybe Tony got bored...so he picked up the clippers and...

Oh nooooooooooooo!

Tony and Morgan after:

I know...it's only hair and quite a learning experience.  When he got home and tried to pull his shirt over his head, he said his hair was like velcro!  The shirt got stuck!

The results have not been posted yet, but the boys think they finished somewhere in the middle.  They seemed happy and since they sat around the island in the kitchen and looked up more races, they must like it!

Who knows...maybe they will find one that either appeals to me, or one that has a cute shirt that is not orange and I'll be out there racing with them!

Until then, I'll be (almost) training.  We have inside info that in addition to the Friday night community bike rides, there will  be Friday night community walks.

Count me in!

So why are you still sitting there in front of your computer?  Get out there and be a blessing to someone!

I love each one of you...

Jan