well crud!

i’ve been training for grandma’s marathon in duluth, mn for about 4 months. i was pretty excited about it because i have been consistently running personal best times with each of the last 4 races i have run. i was convinced that i was going to break 4:30:00 for this marathon. this is not fast but it is better for me. for the first time i really trained for a marathon rather than just a half marathon. unfortunately auto trouble has killed my excitement.

i was driving from point to duluth tonight to pick up my race packet for the race tomorrow. i stopped for fuel just outside the thriving metropolis of spooner, wisconsin (population 2,653 – SALUTE!). up until this point everything had been running fine. my car had not indicated any trouble. the problem occurred when i tried to start the car back up. nothing happened. well that’s not actually correct. all the power came on which indicated that the battery has plenty of juice. but the starter didn’t even budge. no sound, no rotation, nothing. so it is either starter trouble or ignition trouble (i’m guessing ignition because the wheel suddenly doesn’t lock). all i know is that the tow truck operator says there is no one in town who works on mazdas and he can’t take me to a town large enough to have a mechanic that does work on mazdas until later tonight.

so i am now sitting in the schmidt’s economart deli waiting for 8 p.m. when the tow truck driver will take me to chippewa falls which is a little closer to home. the good news is that schmidt’s has wifi in addition to its greasy food and thankfully perry and andrea polnaszek are going to put me up for the night. i’ll make plans for tomorrow.

i am very thankful for my friends in chippewa falls but my feelings about the general situation are ARGH!!!!!

SIDE NOTE – if there is anyone in duluth who would like my bib number contact me and i will gladly give it to you so you can go all bandit on the race.