Antelope Dash

On Saturday, I ran my first ever trail race.  It was SUCH a good time, helped along, I'm sure, by the fact that several of my friends ran it with me AND the husband and the kiddo came up to cheer me on.

I got 3rd overall (womens) in the 4 mile and felt really proud of my effort.

Running buddies- (I'm number 18-note how the black capris make my white legs even whiter)

It was a gorgeous day and even though some of the hills made me feel like my heart was in my throat, there was a nice downhill coast for the last mile that gave me that coveted runner's high/on top of the world feeling.

At the finish line, I overheard one woman (who I passed at about mile 1) talking about how her "34 year old ankles just can't do this stuff anymore."  Um...I'm 33?  Heh.  So I've got a year?  *wink*

The post run spread was awesome, too- watermelon, apples, bananas, cookies, crackers, cheese, coffee, sportsdrink...I think I probably put back in whatever calories I burned.

I got a kickass huge medal and was cheered on by the cutest bystander ever:

It was a good day, except for the fact that I missed getting to see a friend in Colorado Springs because of the race.  Sorry, L!

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On an unrelated note, my husband shaved his beard off this weekend.  It's the second time I've seen his chin in the 17 years I've known him.   I kinda feel like I'm cheating on him with a stranger.  He looks that different.  But he also looks about 10 years younger and pretty effin' cute.

On the edge of 17

Confession:  I met my husband for the first time at a catholic youth organization picnic.  ( How funny is that given my current state of non-believing?)

It was August 27, 1993.  I had just turned 16 and was brand new in town, my family having just moved there from Montana.  My mom thought I could 'meet some nice people' at the gathering.  He was 17, an incoming senior and adorable in a grunge-rock 90's sort of way:  A tall, muscular redhead with shoulder length hair, combat boots, flannel shirts...a guitar player.  Neither of us were at the CYO picnic by choice.

We were attracted to eachother right away and I got grounded a couple days later for staying out super late with him after a Welcome Back to School dance.  After all, we were in a new town and I was with a boy I barely even knew.   No cell phones in those days.  I remember trying to call my parents once during the evening to let them know we were going to hang out after the dance, but I got a busy signal.  In an effort to appear cool, I shrugged it off and headed towards the city park with him, where we swayed back and forth in swings in the dark and talked the night away.  Sometime around 2am, my folks found us and the sound of rage in my father's voice is something I'll never forget.

By the way, the Husband got congratulatory high-fives from his parents for the same incident.  Double standards!

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Anyhow, here we are, 17 years later.  That is a long ass time.  Over half my life, that I've known and loved this man.   
Craziness.

Gifts

Yesterday was my birthday.  It was a good day.  I took the kiddo to daycare (his first day in a new classroom- he was so. excited.) and then grabbed the dog and headed up to the mountains for a long trail run.  No ipod or cars to distract me.  Just my breath... my heart beating in my now 33 year old chest...my footfalls hitting the dirt trail in a rhythmic, hypnotizing beat.

I also got a lot of gifts.  From the Husband, a Nike Sportband, something I'd asked for and will use almost daily.  From parents and parents-in-law, money for clothes.  I've gone down almost 3 sizes since this whole running nonsense started and none of my fall/winter clothes really fit well anymore, especially pants. 

The most touching gift, however, was one from a person I barely even know.  In my volunteer job see this woman, we'll call her Shannon,  from time to time- a single mother who works two jobs to support herself and an infant son.  I've been privileged enough to share information with her a few times and I feel like I've helped her have a successful breastfeeding experience so far.  She also sells farm-fresh (delicious) eggs to help make ends meet (which I am SO GLAD we buy- no salmonella worries for us!). 

Anyway, we don't know each other too well but Shannon noticed on facebook that it was my birthday.  While most friends, and frankly even close family were content with a "Happy Birthday!" on my wall, I got a text from her yesterday saying simply "I have a present for you! I'll bring it by tomorrow." 

Today, she came by my day job with her baby (soooo cute) and presented me with a card.  Inside of it was $6 in cash.  "It's not much," she said.  "But I wanted to get you something and I know you said you were asking for money from your parents for clothes."

Honey, you just gave me Everything.

I hugged her.  Told her how sweet it was, realizing that this small amount could very well represent almost an hour of work for her.  I never thought about refusing it...that seems insulting after she went to so much effort. As she drove away, I teared up a little, wondering if I will ever bring myself to spend this hard earned, selflessly given $6.

I'm still not sure.

(Some of the) Things that make me Weird

For some reason, I've been getting a lot of (half-joking...I think)  "you're so WEIRD's"  in the past few days from friends and family alike.  Usually, its as a reaction to my warped sense of humor or my random quoting of movie lines that gets this reaction.  But then I start thinking...maybe I am really weird?   

1.  I love voting.  I don't know...is that weird?  Primary elections are happening here today and I hit the polls before work and savored every little bubble I got to color in.

2.  In the same vein, I also love filling out forms.  Of any sort really.  The doctor's office, tax forms, whatever.  I see a clipboard coming my way, I get all anticipatory and start rubbing my palms together like a comic book villain.   I loved playing school/secretary as a child and would gleefully design and then fill out my own forms.

3.  I really, really, REALLY hate to have the bottom of my feet touched, especially the arches.   I'm super ticklish and it makes me feel all violated and ooky.  Consequently, I am not a person who enjoys foot massages.  I know!  Weird.

4.  I love Neil Diamond.  Dudes.  Sweet Caroline is the SHIZ.

5.  I hate Tom Cruise.  Although, maybe that's not that weird.

And just for fun, here's a picture I took this weekend that was supposed to be of the fog rolling over the mountains as I drove up over the summit, but just turned out to be a picture of my dirty car window.  You're welcome.

Working for the Weekend

1. Yesterday, at work, a colleague came in and asked me what the Kid would like to drink at a company picnic since she was in charge of bringing non-alcoholic drinks.  I said something like "Oh, I'll probably just bring a water bottle for him," and then this somehow segued into a tirade against HFCS and how sodas/koolaids/etc. are evil.  Sorry, co-worker.  Didn't mean to spew verbal diarrhea at you.   Obviously, I'm passionate about that subject but really- there's a time and a place and this wasn't it.  I feel bad.

2. Speaking of co-workers, I've been SO ANNOYED all week that its been hard to concentrate.  I don't want to elaborate much here but OH MY GOD.  So hard for me to just focus on my work and not develop a nervous twitch due to coughing/loud crunching/endless chit-chatting/etc.  I need a weekend.

3. In a more hopeful and less whiny vein, I might have mentioned that I interviewed for a job this week that would be a small step up income-wise, but a big step up job-satisfaction-wise.   Oh, and after some planned remodeling, this position would also get its own office.  See #2 on why this would be awesome.  I hope they let us know sooner rather than later.

And now, a little gratuitous kidpic:

The kid loves books.

Happy Friday!

Nothing Much

I've thought about posting something here several times in the past few days but I just can't seem to get my shit together to formulate any sort of coherent thought.  And so, without further adieu, a completely random posting of nothingness.  You're welcome! 

We have a lot going on- some of it completely awesome.  The husband has been participating in a series of mountain bike races and really enjoying it.  Its so fun to see him digging something so much.  Also, at last night's race he won a prize in the raffle of 5 free yoga classes...and guess who has a wifey who likes yoga!  Whee!  The Kid and I grabbed some portable dinner and drove up the mountain to watch him race and had a blast.

The Kid is entering that age 3-ish place and we're definitely noticing an increase in asserting of individuality, arguing and tantrums.  It's all completely developmentally appropriate but that doesn't make it any less frustrating when you're trying to get out the door in the morning/ do the grocery shopping/ insert any adult-initiated activity here.  We're brainstorming ideas for his birthday next month and having fun window shopping for strider bikes and roller skates, both things we know he'd love.

He's making huge intellectual strides right now and its so much fun to see him comprehending more and more on a daily basis.  His favorite book to read right now is A Frog Prince which is super wordy without a ton of pictures...he will sit through the entire thing multiple times if his reader is a sucker game.

As for me, I have some job stuff hopefully coming up (fingers crossed) and lots of volunteer work stuff happening as well. Also, I'm making plans for how  to continue running when the snow and ice hits.  I've been scouring craigslist and other classifieds for a good used treadmill and asking everyone for cold weather running stuff for my birthday later this month.  I figure I can get out there as long as the ice isn't too bad, and in that event I'll hopefully be safe and warm and sweating on a treadmill. 

I've got some races coming up- a 5K this weekend and a 4-mile trail run later in the month.  Then in October, my dad and I plan on running a 10K together in Missouri (hooray for low altitude!)  Imma gonna kill it.

Realizations

1.  I need to start writing in a journal again.  Blog/facebook/twitter do not take the place of pen and paper for purging my brain of clogging thoughts and feelings.  I'm feeling mentally constipated and need to get that shit out.  I've been feeling that way for a couple weeks and only just now realized the solution was just to sit and write.  Now to carve out some time, another problem entirely.  :-)

2.  I want more tattoos.  I have 6 or so tattoos but I want more!  I want something on my foot that has to do with running (a recent idea)  and I want a forearm tattoo of a key (an idea I've had for ages.)    As far as the running tattoo,  I've been thinking of a pronghorn.  I see these gorgeous creatures almost daily on my runs and their wiki article contains a quote calling them "the true marathoners of the American West."  They are super beautiful and such graceful, amazing runners.  The only problem is that I don't want a 'western' tattoo and I'm worried that without the right artist, that might be exactly what I'd get.  Thoughts?

3.  I need to change up my skincare routine.  I've been breaking out a lot more lately and the only thing I can think to attribute it to is the increased sweating from working out and the warm weather.  To be honest, I can't afford pricey cleansers/lotions etc. so for almost my entire adult life I've used Dove soap in the evening and a gentle facial cleanser (like Olay) in the am.  I love Say Yes to Carrots face lotion , both their day and night versions.  Not sure where to go from here...anyone have affordable all or mostly natural products that they love?  I'm thinking I might need to switch to something made for 'normal-oily' as opposed to 'normal'?

4.  Louis CK is a genius.  If you haven't already, check out his show Louie on Hulu.  Its the most hilarious thing ever.  I heart him big time.

What the WHAT, now?

I hit the pavement this morning at 5-fucking-in-the-am (ouch) and like always, the first few minutes felt stiff, awkward, disjointed.   I was hobbling down the dark street, my way lit only by streetlamps and the moon, half-asleep and half-hungover, the 1/3 Tiger's Milk bar and glass of water sloshing noisily in my stomach and the dog trotting a long behind me and not moving much faster than I was.

But at about the first mile, I started to find my rhythm.  Justin Timberlake started to convince me that I really WAS bringing sexy back even after copious amounts of homemade grilled pizza and beer consumed last night in honor of the husband's birthday.  My legs started to feel warm and beads of sweat formed on my upper lip as my heart and breathing found a steady, comfortable beat.

Its at this point in the run, usually, is where my body begins to remember how to do this whole pacing thing.  The music starts to motivate me and the run turns from torture into catharsis.  My brain gets freed up from just making myself GO, and can move on to rehashing the day before, going over my to-do list, and daydreaming a little about future happenings.

So what did I daydream about today, in my woozy, still kinda beer-loopy state at approximately mile 4?  Having another kid.

Yeah, I don't know either.