Victory Gardens, Ragnar Relay, Another Marathon

How do I top starring in Bleacher Bums and running a 7th straight Boston Marathon qualifying time? These are the ways I tried in 2017.

Because of being in Bleacher Bums at pride Arts Center, I was invited to join the Artist Development Workshop at Victory Gardens. I met Calamity West, Laura Baker, and Mike Ervin. Calamity is a superstar playwright who joined Tanya Saracho and Annie Baker as three of my favorite playwrights. Laura is an amazing director. Mike is a talented writer, activist, and networker. I spent 2017 rewriting my previously produced autobiographical play.

Because of Bleacher Bums, I was offered a spot in Tellin’ Tales’ Divercity 2017 show. I wrote and performed a solo piece featuring love, lust, risk. My performances opened with What You’re Told by Liz & The Lovelies. Thank you Liz Chidester for permission to use the song. Performances took place at Prop THTR on the very stage where I performed in the world premiere production of my autobiographical play years ago. Scenes from my autobiographical play were performed at Victory Gardens for Sketchtopia. Laura Baker directed. I was in awe at how Laura knew my intension with each line, character, and storyline.

Kendra Stevens invited me to perform at Serving The Sentence at Fillet Of Solo. Next, I joined the Is This A Thing Chicago lineup for Freedom Of The Press where I shared stories of being censored for editorials I wrote in grade school and high school as well as similar stories from my days as a radio reporter and host who dared to ask questions and follow-ups till I received satisfactory answers. This One Woman invited me to write and perform a piece inspired by Martha Stewart.

Pinnacle Performance Company sponsored my racing season once again. I raced my first ever Ragnar Relay. 190 miles from Madison to Chicago on team Bad Ass Mother Runners captained by Kyna. Mark McHugh guided me for three legs over thirty hours. Thank you Meg Sullivan for connecting me with Mark less than two weeks prior to Ragnar.

Lindsey Kane graciously guided me for the Universal Sole Burgers and Beers 5K. As always with Lindsey, it was a blast.

After years of wanting to meet and run with the beautiful elite Jill Czarnik, I finally did when she guided me for the Big 10 10K. Thank you to the kind folks at RAM Racing for making it possible. It was hot and I was fresh off an injury. I was ready to walk midway through the race, but Jill did not let me. She made me run faster. After a quarter mile that desire to walk disappeared. I pushed. The faster I ran the more Jill pushed me. To run with Jill and more important, to be friends with her, is a case where dreams do come true. When they do, reality is even better than the dream ever was.

What I learned from Jill I applied in my next 10K next to Eric Robb at RAM Racing’s Mag Mile 10K. I started slow then began to build. At the midway point, I flipped my hat backwards and went to work racing home with a negative split.

Buck town 5K. Kristine raced me home to a solid performance there as we took it slow for the first half then pushed it especially in the final half mile.

A week before my eighth straight Chicago Marathon, I pulled my hamstring. I knew I would not run fast, but I wanted to finish strong to my eighth consecutive BQ. Ironman triathlete, Todd Smith took me the first 13.1. Elite marathoner, Erica Alansari took me the second half. I found a pace and sat on it. Seven miles in, I learned I was running consistent splits. Jenna Parker had always wanted me to get to the point where I could just feel my pace and not rely on a GPS. Todd, “You’re a machine, baby!” Through thirteen miles, I was running even splits. Once Erica took over, the pace continued. I rolled through the first twenty-two miles running each mile within seconds of each other. I was a machine! In fact, no one ever told me my splits. I just smile as my guides marveled at my consistent pace.

Todd Smith organizes yearly Beer Miles. I jumped at the chance to run alongside a beautiful talented athlete who is an American Ninja Warrior National Semifinalist. Runners chug beers prior to each quarter mile. Word is I set a world record for fastest beer mile by a blind person.

Thank you Pinnacle Performance Company for sponsoring my races in 2017. Thank you for sponsoring me in 2018. Thank you Jenna Parker for being my coach, friend, inspiration. Thank you Jill, Mark, Lindsey, Eric, Kristine, Todd, Erica, and Tom for guiding me in races. Thank you Calamity, Laura, Mike, Tekki, Kendra, Jake, Kyna for my theater and storytelling experiences.