Well...that was hard.

We've gotten in the most wonderful habit of spending Thanksgiving in Medina, Ohio with friends...family really, of my wife. Several years ago Mary Lou got the idea she'd like to do a race on Thanksgiving day. I took a look around and found the Run for the Homeless in Akron, just down the road from Medina.

ML had done the race twice now and since I didn't do the JFK 50 Miler this year I, well, I had no excuse.

Now ML had told me it was hilly...but well, to be honest I wasn't worried....this is northern Ohio, right? How bad could it be?

The Run for the Homeless is a nice affair but no frills...still, this year they pulled in three thousand runners all for a good cause!

The race got off to it's start a few minutes late and it took me a minute to cross the start line but the street was still so packed I couldn't open up...If I do this again I'll be nearer the front.

Downhill start...then flat then the first hill...an on ramp to a local throughway with a great view of downtown Akron. Down a bit then into the Glendale Cemetery. There are audible gasps from the crowd and in unison many folks yell "OH MY GOD!" Look to the left and it looks like the race is going up the side of a building! The whole cemetery is like that...UP...down...UP down...The UPs are steep and the downs steep and the roads packed so, while you are having fun, but can't make great time. Before too long though we are through it and up one final steep hill before we head back through a residential area and to the downhill race finish...

A stiff four miler. I finish in 33:46 (my time). Chip time 34:44. ML finishes in 44 and I hand it to her...kudos for her third finish of this race!

The picture is of one of the grave statues in Glendale Cemetery. Founded in 1839 it is the resting place of many of Akrons notables, including two women who had survived the sinking of Titanic. It really was quite beautiful.