• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
PolkaDot Butterfly

PolkaDot Butterfly

Musings of Life in the Empty Nest...

  • Running
    • Runs
  • Words
  • Kayaking
  • Knitting
  • Pics
  • About
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Empty Nest / On the Sidelines – Niagara Falls International Marathon

On the Sidelines – Niagara Falls International Marathon

Our Quiet Corner of the Niagara Falls International Marathon
Our Quiet Corner of the Niagara Falls International Marathon

This week we were on the sidelines again… this time putting it to good use volunteering for the Niagara Falls International Marathon.

Let me back up…

My foot continues to improve. If only I could stop learning that foot injuries are crazy hard to heal… or that no, I can’t stay off it. Each week, I think… one more week. I think hope we’re at that point. One more week… The problem is that it’s so hard to just stay off of it. I know… just do it. But there are still a couple items on the list to wrap up before the snow flies. And it seems like everything is on uneven ground. That lateral motion is what’s killing me, even with it wrapped. Oh well, we’re getting there. Slowly but surely…

Missing these fantastic fall runs has me nuts, but… must… wait… until healed. …or I’ll be nursing this thing all winter!

The requisite Selfie of Porter & I
The requisite Selfie of Porter & I

Volunteering always makes me feel good. Yesterday it was a combination of feelings. Excited for the runners, especially for those at the end of the pack! We each run for different reasons…

Maybe… because we can, it’s what we do, to push the envelope, to set a goal and reach it… there are so many reasons.

Bittersweet…and Hopeful… we’ll see how training goes over the next year. There are a couple halfs penciled in, maybe a full in my future? We’ll see how it goes.

We’ve been on the sideline before, in the Clap & Cheer seats. It’s different being there to help. To hold off the traffic for a snippet of time to help these runners, who we will never know, achieve their goal… of running a marathon, maybe a PR. When we ran the Mighty Niagara, I remember being so thankful for the volunteers who gave of their time. Feeling good to give a little back.

If I ever run a marathon, this may be the one. The weather was picture perfect – overcast, 45-50 through the run, dry. The thrill of running across the Peace Bridge I can only imagine. The course along the Niagara River… beautiful!

A couple crazy things that happened… of course there was a fire just before the run started… we got to explain to the firemen why they were sitting on Richmond Ave waiting for all these runners to pass to get back to the firehouse (sorry, my phone was having technical difficulties – no pics). This lady (we think) started screaming out of a window a couple houses away… we thought someone brought out their pet goat. Must have been a tough night… too funny.  The runners heard her and loved it! (Bet they thought it was a goat too!)

BTW this is the second run – the first was a 5K we were running – that firefighters were traversing the run to get to a fire. They didn’t seem to know there was a run or the roads involved. With technology today, well… would think that info might be helpful.

Lead pack at Mile 2 of the Niagara Falls International Marathon
Lead pack at Mile 2 of the Niagara Falls International Marathon

The Niagara Falls International Marathon start is in front of the Albright Knox Art Gallery/Delaware Park. The pregame can be inside the gallery (no food or drinks allowed) or around the park. There were many volunteers and support for the runners… lots of port-a-potties. Runners are a little over 3 miles in the US before they cross the Peace Bridge and enter Fort Erie to finish the remaining 23 miles along the Niagara River in Canada. It’s a beautiful route finishing just this side of Niagara Falls, Canada.

They have a cadre of runs (5K, 10K, half) along with the full. Only the full starts in the US and finishes in Niagara Falls, Canada. The shorter runs are in Canada. Guess to run the Peace Bridge, it’ll be a full….

Primary Sidebar

About Me

I'm a 50-something wife, mom and business woman. My planner tells me there are a few more roles... but that's a good start. I'm a techie and a small business owner who loves good coffee, dark chocolate & running in the rain. And an empty nester... While … more about About

Archive

Tags

5K 5k family 5K Runner 8K 10K Angry Orchard Hard Ciders Ash Wednesday Becoming Friends Books Breville Juicer Buffalo Beer Week Buffalo River Buffalo Turkey Trot chafing Change college graduation Cooking couch to 5k Creating Habits Cuisine at Home Dirty Girl Mud Run Dr. Glenn Braunstein Eating eBooks Effects of Juicing Empty Nest Fasting First Apartment Fun Runs George Bernard Shaw Goals graduation Habits of Others Half Marathon Happy New Year Hazy Apple Health1 Health Care Jeff Galloway Juicing Resolutions Running Shamrock Run TGIF Weight Loss
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Posts to your Inbox

Have our blog posts delivered to your inbox.
  • *
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Footer

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Blog Categories

Search PDB

Recent Posts

  • Keep Your Eyes Open ~ Paulo Coelho
  • Striving ~ Paulo Coelho
  • What the heck Hammy?
  • Every Person ~ Paulo Coelho
  • Alignment for Achievement ~ Paulo Coelho

Disclaimer

I am not a licensed medical professional. Views expressed on this website are my own. As always, please consult your doctor on any medical issues, or before beginning a training program.

Copyright

Copyright © 2023 PolkaDot Butterfly. All Rights Reserved. You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else. Feel free to quote excerpts of any post with a link back to the original piece. Contact PolkaDot Butterfly for information on syndicating content or photos.
  • Home
  • About
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 · PolkaDot Butterfly · All Rights Reserved
Site By Maroon.Technology