Jingling in Monumental Fashion

Training was a lot of fun today, as it usually is. First, it was a lot warmer than the last couple of weeks - abut 20 degrees warmer. Second, we cut our miles back a bit to five miles. Third, much of the team went to breakfast afterwards - I had guilt-free flapjacks. And fourth, Christmas coming next week, we all wore a large jingle bell, making a festive sound as we ran and jingled along. The route was a nice one, including much of Monument Avenue, home to the wonderful Monument Avenue Ukrops 10K race each spring.


What a great looking team, all wearing our jingle bells!

Lexi, our first Virginia Rock Star, was awarded the coveted star for exceeding her fund-raising minimum by at least $1,000! I am her mentor, and while I would love to say that she did it all because of my sage advice, that would be a bald-faced lie! Lexi hit rock star status without any help from me! Go Lexi! I am proud of you!!!

Some of the team in a walk mode. In front - Nicole. In back, from left - Kathy, Nancy, Theresa, Kristi.

Our route went through the "Fan", then up Lombardy to Monument Avenue, then back to the west along Monument. It is a very beautiful street, especially in spring time. Here is a monument to Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart, guarding the approaches to inner Richmond.

General Robert E. Lee is immortalized in bronze atop his famous steed, Traveler.


Theresa and Nicole during a walk phase of our walk - run training.

Monument to Mathew Fontaine Maury, "The Pathfinder of the Seas". This is my favorite monument, mainly because of the globe at the top.

The globe is very dramatic and includes many images of people and animals caught in ship wrecks. Maury's work made navigation across oceans safer.

Images of people caught in a shipwreck. The work for this monument back in the 1930's was very controversial in conservative Richmond. The artist sketched nude models and fully clothed models soaked to the skin to get the images right.

Monument to tennis great and Richmond native, Arthur Ashe. Growing up in Richmond under segregation laws, he was not allowed to play tennis at the public courts because of his race. Today, a statue to him stands on Richmond's most famous street.

View along Roseneath Street on the way back to Byrd Park - only about a mile or so to go.

Back at the park, I ran into three teammates from my very first season with Team in Training. They had gathered there for a Saturday morning walk together, as they often do. It was great to see them. From left: Betty, Liz, Art, Beverly. Betty and Liz coach and mentor for some of our TNT seasons, and Beverly was my first mentor.

At the restaurant where some of the team gathered for breakfast after training, Jen and Amber model a little extra Ho-Ho-Ho with little Santas and reindeer on their hats. Jen and Amber work for LLS, but often give of their own time on Saturdays to come out and train with the team. Both of them have done races for Team and Training and raised money in the process.