My Omaha Virtual Half Marathon

This morning my husband was still undecided on whether he would join me for my "virtual" half marathon. The clouds were hovering this morning, and it was clear we wouldn't get into the 70's today. I think when he saw me getting on my gear and realized that the day was going to be nice, he may've figured that he'd rather spend it outside with me, than in the hotel room without me :)
I prepared him for the fact that this could take us more than 4 hours, which is why we were starting no later than 9am. That way, when we finished we could go straight to Upstream and get their Sunday brunch buffet as a celebration of our hard work. (Actually, maybe the promise of the buffet is what got him to join me? Regardless, I was so glad he was there!)

I packet my new purse- which is more like a messenger bag- with 3 Gatorades, a couple waters, a couple cliff bars and some jerky. I started off carrying it, but was thankful when my husband was willing to shoulder it. I don't think I realized how tired my shoulders get with something slung over them for long periods of time!


So we took off, into the ConAgra Corp park, the Heartland of America park, across the bridge to the Seaside port and across the pedestrian bridge into Iowa. At this point, we had gone a couple miles and both of us had to pee. We tried to use the bathrooms at the "Playland Park" just on the other side of the bridge, but they were still locked. It was only a little after 9am. So we decided to go to the left and head to the HARRAH's casino.
When we got there- we both realized we didn't have our IDs with us! I asked the guard at the door if he needed to see our IDs and he said "How old are you?" I said, 34 and my husband said "42" and the guy just laughed and waved us in. A little part of me felt old, but it was soon overcome by the part of me that had to go pee...badly! Total culture shock walking into a casino from outside. This casino was set up like a real riverboat on the Missouri River. The smell of cigarette smoke immediately overtook me as we found our way to the bathrooms.


Luckily we did our business and got out of the ringing slot machines and smoke and back into the open flat land. We started walking the other direction on the path- the direction I had never gone before. We found ourselves side by side with the freeway. Seeing exits for G Street, F Street and other parts of Crater Lake and Council Bluffs, Iowa.



The Missouri river was on our left and the freeway was on our right. We had almost reached 7 miles when I suggested we start back. It was actually kind of cold! My nose was a little red and my body was trying to adjust to the heat from yesterday and the chill from today.

We made it down the path to an old Railroad bridge before we turned around. My husband decided to go down and explore it a little. It was one of those old bridges that rotates and connects into one long track or rotates and separates to let ships go by. It hadn't been used in years and was all rusty on the big wheel they must have used to connect the sides of the bridge back in the day.


As we started back, the sun began to break through the clouds. We made our 13.1 mile goal as we approached the hotel and ended up going a total of 13.3 before we got to the room. I had to shower before even contemplating going to Upstream for breakfast. I think both of us underestimated how much strain 13.1 miles would be on our feet. My husband thought he had broken his foot again! But after a few hours of ice and some Advil, he was doing much better.




We got food at Upstream and then laid around the rest of the afternoon watching movies and watching the thunderstorm roll through Downtown O. Its gonna be hard to say goodbye tomorrow. This has been such a great weekend. I am so lucky to have his support.

To Iowa and back!

I walked to Iowa today. It just sounds so cool to say it! I walked to Iowa- across one whole state.

Granted, where I am staying in Omaha (Old Market, downtown) is not too far from Council Bluffs, Iowa- but just the idea that I could walk across state lines, across the Missouri river is a pretty cool prospect! And who'd've guessed that the weather would be so gorgeous today! at least 72-75 in the sun.

Last time I wrote I was finally feeling better after being for almost a week. By that Thursday I was feeling 100% whole again- had my voice back, not coughing, not wheezy or stuffy. It was great! Then on Friday I picked up lunch from a place called Taco John's- which is similar to a Taco Bell out here in the Mid-West. (Note to self- do not trust any restaurant named after a Mexican Bathroom!)


Needless to say- while it tasted great going down- it did not taste great coming back up. And it started coming back up Friday afternoon before class ended. I had to excuse myself from class between presentations to run to the bathroom. I ended up sick Friday night, all day Sat and was feeling better on Sunday- so I decided to venture out and see if I could actually do the 11miles I was scheduled to do on my training.

I started out by walking in downtown Omaha- in and out of the streets. From 10th up to 19th and back down. Up Jackson and down Farnam, and all the streets in between. When I had exhausted the downtown and hadn't gone more than 7 miles, I decided to hear for the bridge. This pedestrian bridge has only been up for a couple years- so its pretty neat to see it like the Brooklyn bridge, all suspension wires and people.


I went across it to Iowa and started heading toward the most recognizable landmark, the HARRAH's casino. Once I made it there I decided to turn back and go back across the bridge. By then I got a text from Jen that they had picked up Katie (a new student from OR) and had returned my rental car to the hotel lot. They were sitting down for lunch- so I asked if I could join them.

I went through the Heartland of America Park near the ConAgra HQ and back out into Old Market. By the time I walked up to the restaurant I was only at 10.85 miles, so I had to walk around the block a couple times to make sure I hit 11miles. I wasn't too exhausted to do it- and I really really wanted to get to that 11mile mark and hear the Lance Armstrong message.

I walked into the restaurant, that said proper attire required- hoping that meant shoes and shirts- not NO SWEATY PEOPLE IN WORKOUT GEAR, and went straight to the bathroom to try to wash up a little. My hands were swollen and I had to pee- but other than that- I was feeling pretty great for having walked 11 miles in one shot! Today I did 11.01 miles in 3 hours- not too shabby!