The Broad Running Broad

I’m not sure where all in the world you are, Reader-friend(s), but if you would allow me, I’m going to indulge you all in a tidbit of Ohio history.

As a full disclosure, this is a super abbreviated version. The full article is here, for your reading pleasure.

Most college football fans know of the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan, but it turns out the rivalry started about a century earlier in 1797. Congress drafted the Northwest Ordinance, which decreed the land around the Great Lakes would become states.

However, the map they were using at the time placed the border between Ohio and Michigan about five to eight miles further north than it should have been. This plopped Toledo in Ohio, and lead to feuding between the two states over whether the disputed Toledo Strip should be part of Michigan or Ohio.

Following the cold Toledo War in 1835-1836, Congress finally intervened and issued a compromise: Michigan would give Toledo to Ohio and in turn become a state, as well as claim a chunk of the Upper Peninsula. Michigan accepted this.

So with that being said, you’re probably wondering why I’m mentioning any of this. Well Reader-Friends, a week from today, I’m going to be in Detroit getting ready for the Detroit International Half.

You all have no idea how pumped I am and, surprisingly, how prepared I feel in spite of this training cycle having a few hiccups I wasn’t anticipating. I’ve been running five times a week without any pain and getting slightly faster each time, which is amazing because in cycles past I would have the opposite problem of that first run being excellent and the ones following it being straight-up garbage.

There’s also the excitement of a city I’ve never been to and a state I think I’ve been to … once? Maybe a handful of times when I was too small to remember? The one time was a family trip up to Traverse City, where I was told I freaked out and cried on the boat (this checks out). This may sound a little weird in light of the stupid tire pressure sensor issues I’ve written about on here, but I actually like driving through new cities over places I already know. I guess it’s a case of excitement trumping anxieties with a small dose of ignorance is bliss if I don’t know that I’m driving through an accident-prone intersection.

The tires are fine, by the way. The mechanic gave me the go-ahead to road trip north.

Which brings me to right now. A week from today – about this time – I plan on being in Detroit, doing some sightseeing along the riverwalk and sending my mom pictures of Windsor, Ontario across the river. The weather channel app says the Saturday before the race is supposed to be beautiful and sunny, while the race day is going to be lows in the 40s and highs in the 60s, which is the ideal running weather.

Painting my nails before a race is my self-care tradition, and I’ve decided the night before I’m going with a new favorite shade from OPI, a light lavender called Achievement Unlocked. There’s a few things going on in my life outside of running where I’m optimistic, working hard and trying to manifest some new achievements and blessings, so this seems like an appropriate shade choice for crossing an item off my bucket list – becoming an international half marathoner.

I’d consider crossing off a bucket list item a good enough reason for an Ohio gal to venture north into nemesis territory. Who knows, maybe the Canadian border patrol will pull me off the course in Windsor and I’ll have to live in Canada forever. That’s not the worst place to be, although my mom won’t be thrilled with me at all. She doesn’t have a passport and how else would she visit, aside from standing on the Detroit side of the river with a megaphone and yelling at me?

That’s all for now, Reader-friends. I hope you all are enjoying your weekend and I look forward to telling you all about Detroit and the race. Until then, enjoy your weekend and week ahead!

Yours in running and life,

Allison