Running it all out.

I seem to be finally be getting over that little bout of depression or whatever it was I've been going through the last few weeks. All I can say is...THANK GOODNESS.  I was a lean, mean, bitchy machine to just about everyone.  Everyone and everything was annoying me and I was pretty disinterested in things that would normally really get my juices flowing.  All I wanted to do was sleep.  Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), I've been down that road before and I recognized the feeling.  I did what I could to self medicate through exercise, good food and being gentle with myself.

In hindsight, I think the little black raincloud was a combination of post-marathon blues, the weather and just feeling overwhelmed by work/volunteer stuff/personal commitments and relationships/etc., etc. It was starting to scare me, though, so I'm glad that things seem to be on the upswing.

One thing that really helped pull me out of my funk was a half-marathon in Colorado that I ran on Saturday.  It was a clear, cold day and the course had a good view of snow-covered Rocky Mountains.  I wasn't worried about the distance...it was only a half!  I just ran all my stress, my sadness, my funkiness out- tried to leave it all on the course and I think it worked.  I PR'd-  1:58:58...my first half in under 2 hours!!  And it was cathartic.  Afterward, I felt like a new person, scrubbed clean on the inside. 

I'm just so glad I found running.  10 years ago I was on anti-depressants.  Today, the road is the only antidepressant I need.  I know that's not how it is for everyone, but I'm glad that's how it is for me.

Because 26.3 would be crazy.

I'm alive!  I did it!  And what's better, I did it in under my goal time*.  Squee!!

The whole experience started on Saturday, the day before the race.  We woke up to snow, icy roads, and general weather shittiness.  Thankfully the snow turned to rain around the state line, and my two running friends and I eventually made it to Denver and to the expo to pick up our packets.

At the convention center, we stood in one line to pick up packets, in another line to pick up our t-shirts, and yet another to get our swag bags.   And then we were turned loose into the madness...There were SO MANY people!  And free stuff!  and...people!  It was a nuthouse.  We got free energy bars, drinks, pictures taken, and I even met Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea, authors of Run Like a Mother and the website another mother runner.  (Dimity is so tall! Wow!)  We saw crazy compression suits, minimalist shoes, tried gross electrolyte drinks, and laughed at weird outfits.  It was fun.  I'm kicking myself that I didn't actually take any expo pictures.  I was too distracted!

After the expo, we checked into the hotel and walked out to grab some dinner.  The hotel recommended a nice Italian restaurant that was nearby but they couldn't seat us for another 2 hours.  We made do with a brewery around the corner.  It was weird eating at a brewery but not ordering beer.  A couple hours and some nervous giggling later, we were in bed and counting down the hours until the start.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

5am.  Woke up, ate, freshened and then bundled up...the temp was in the 30's but expected to warm to the mid-50's.  Hard to dress for.  I threw some long pants and a sweatshirt (to be checked at the last minute) over my shirt and shorts, and cut up some little girl knee socks to make disposable arm warmers and mittens. 

The long pants and sweatshirt got checked right before the start.

The start line was a PARTY.  At 6:30 in the morning!  Music! Lights! People!  SO MANY PEOPLE.  (You can tell I come from a relatively unpopulated place, huh?)  Fortunately, they did a lot of things right, including tons of porta-potties and clear signs directing us to our starting corrals.  I was in corral 7 (determined by your estimated running time) so I said bye to my buddies and slowly jostled my way through the crowds to a spot near my pacing team.

Yes!  I signed up for a pace team on a whim at the expo and I'm so glad I did!  I latched onto the cute redheaded guy holding the 4:20 sign (and yes, people yelled stuff at him about getting stoned pretty much along the whole course.  He responded with good humor.)  After the gun went off for our corral (they staggered the starts, letting each corral go for a couple minutes before starting the next one) I made sure to keep him in sight and that really helped me to reign myself in and not rabbit out of the gate.

I had to stop and pee (naturally...sigh.) around the 5K mark, so I lost sight of the pacers for a while.  About a mile later, I caught up, passed them, and then settled into my own groove.  Around mile 6, things were warming up and I tossed my "mittens" aka the feet from the little girl socks.

The capitol and race crazyness.

The course was gorgeous, weaving through downtown Denver, into parks, pretty neighborhoods.  There were live bands and spectators holding signs all along the course.   The temperature rose into the mid 50's and the sun shone brightly.  The aid stations were well run and the folks holding traffic did a great job.  All we, as runners had to do was keep running!

I used the aid stations but also carried a few things with me:  I had my little handheld water bottle, a couple gels (I like Hammer gels) and some sport beans.  One gel went down at mile 6, and then I ate the sport beans at the half marathon mark.  After that, once I got into the higher mileage, I couldn't talk myself into eating that second gel, so I started drinking the energy drink offered at the aid stations in addition to some water.

Around mile 20, my right leg started to hurt and cramp up..my hip hurt, my thigh, my butt...the whole thing.  I felt myself slowing down.  The pace team was catching up to me.  This was a moment when I had to do some serious self talk and just hunker down and get through it.  I remember repeating to myself "you're fine, you can do this, you're fine, you can do this" over and over.  I didn't want to stop because I knew it would be really hard to start again.  I took energy drink whenever they offered it and dug deep.

Soon, I passed the 21 mile marker, the 22, 23, 24...25.  I knew we were close.  I shut everything out and just concentrated on moving my feet and how good the finish was going to feel.  Right before the end there was maybe the steepest hill in the entire race.  Mean!  It was hard.  But I was going to be damned if I started walking at that part!  I just ran 25 miles!  I can run up a stupid hill!

When I saw the finish line and all the people and the music...it was an awesome moment.  Under my breath, I told myself "You just ran a marathon."  Holy Shit!!

Concentration!

Headed towards the finish!

The mister and the kiddo were snowed in and couldn't make it down but my friends were there, yelling my name.  When I crossed the finish line, they gave me my medal, a shiny blanket thingy, a bottle of water and took my picture.  I grabbed a bagel from a box and shakily made my way out of the finishers area and to the predetermined meeting place to wait for my friends. 

I spread the shiny blanket thingy on the ground and sat in the sun, breathing, drinking water and just taking everything in.  At that moment, I felt so damn proud.  Proud of the months of training.  The lost toenails, getting up at the buttcrack of dawn, weekend mornings spent away from my family, exhaustion...at this moment it was all worth it.**



* Official finishing time 4:17:40...way under my goal of 4:30:00.  !!!
**When I got up to walk the mile back to the hotel, however, it was another story.  Ouch! 

Getting PUMPED

3 days until the marathon! Eeeeek!

Ran my last pre-race run this morning, a mere 2 miles. I've got my clothes picked out, including some Hello Kitty little girl knee socks cut at the ankles to make disposable arm warmers and mittens to keep warm before the start (6:55am!). Sometimes I'm so smart I surprise even myself. Heh. They were $2, so I plan on just chucking them when I get warm enough. The race has indicated that any clothing thrown off will be donated, but I seriously doubt anyone will want knee socks that have essentially been cut in half...

I've got my fueling/hydration plan down (2 gels, some sport beans, handheld water + aid stations) and even what I'll have for breakfast that morning (a powerbar + banana + starbucks double shot seems to be my magic combo.)

I've decided to run without my ipod, as there will be live music all along the course, and I like to be able to hear in races. Am I forgetting anything? If its sunny, I'll do sunglasses but right now, they're predicting a nice cloudy, 56 degree day with a 20% chance of showers so I might do a running hat instead. I've found that I don't really mind running in rain as long as its not going straight in my face.

Now. It's time to GET PUMPED UP and try not to go stir crazy while waiting for Sunday. My favorite way to do that is to listen to a ridiculous playlist full of songs that get my juices flowin'. The funny part is that music I listen to while running or getting ready to run in NO WAY resembles music that I listen to for pleasure, to relax, or at any other time really. Anyone else have this sickness?

For your viewing/listening pleasure, I've listed some of my choice picks below. *EXTREME CHEESE ALERT* You've been warned. Also, recommendations for more will be accepted. I love a good cheeseball-getting-pumped-song.




and, of course, my favorite running song of all time...

Moooove over

Bits and Pieces;

Image Source

- I ran 18 miles this weekend.  Farthest. Run. Ever.  Pretty proud of myself.  On this same run, however, my friend Beth and I were CHASED BY A HUGE, BELLOWING COW at about mile 9.  We sprinted, our heart rates soaring, with the huge black mama gaining on us until I turned around, grabbed some rocks, and started throwing them at her feet.  She bellowed once and then turned around.  We felt stupid for being so scared but...it was scary!  I'm not sure if she was mad (there were a couple calves there...maybe she felt threatened?), curious, or thought we were going to feed her...?



-A couple weekends ago, we went on a trip to South Dakota....Spearfish, specifically.  We had an amazing time!  The Mister KILLED it in a 50 mile mountain bike race, and Otto had a blast in the Strider World Cup.

"They're gonna put my face up there too, Mom."

-My little boy turns 4 in two weeks.  How have I been a mother for 4 years?

Pass the Pickles

Right now, I feel consumed by my training.  It's not all together a bad thing.  Its a special kind of awesome to devote yourself to an endurance goal and work, work, work to meet it.  I feel focused, centered.  motivated....tired.

It occurred to me last night, however, that I've felt like this before but for a very different reason.   I now present:

2 lists

List the first:  Ways in which marathon training is uncannily like the 2nd trimester of pregnancy:

1.  I am hungry ALL. THE. TIME.  I will eat anything and everything put in front of me...

2.  ...except for things I won't.   Such as cilantro (GROSS), and cheesecake (GAG) and super heavy, fatty things the night before a run.

3.  I can't drink (much).  While I technically can drink more than I would allow myself in pregnancy, any more than one or 2 beers WILL be felt in the next morning's run.  And not in a good way.

4.  I am tired ALL. THE. TIME.  I can and will sleep anytime, anywhere.  If only I got more opportunities.  Stupid work.

5.  I mostly feel really mentally energetic and motivated and don't really have the time or brainspace to devote to feeling sorry for myself, except for...

5.  ...the mood swings.  Exhaustion/hunger/burned-out-ed-ness manifests itself in some crankypants.  Occasionally.

6.  People who have done something similar or know someone who has tend to react to my "condition" with advice or horror stories about their brother's wife's cousin's daughter who had some totally fucked up thing happen.  People who have never been there just give me strange looks that imply that I'm probably not right in the head.



List the second:  Ways in which marathon training is definitely different from 2nd trimester pregnancy:

1.  I am losing weight, rather than gaining it. 

2.  I'm not spending crazy amounts of money and time shopping for nursery items/clothes/toys/slings/carseats/etc.  Although I am replacing my running shoes more often.

3.  My "due date" will not involve medical bills.  Hopefully.

4.  My husband does not have that constant look of abject terror in his eyes.  Mostly he just rolls them and tells me to make sure I get enough rest so that he and my son can stand to be in the same house with me.

Oh, its ON

This post coming to you from smack dab in the middle of marathon training.  And...ZOMG.  Consider my ass thoroughly kicked.   I can't seem to get enough food/sleep/hugs, my knees are starting to complain and its getting harder and harder to push through some of the longer runs.  This is supposed be fun...right?

It occurred to me recently, that if I'm feeling this burnt out this early, the training plan I chose may well be a bit ambitious.  This week, I made the decision to scale back to the Novice 1 plan which is a bit gentler.  We'll see if that helps the motivation and squeaky knees.

(I also gave myself an extra rest day last week.  Shhhh.)

Race-wise, I've got a half marathon coming up in 2 weeks (through a wild horse refuge!!) and an 8-mile trail race the week after that and then that's it until October 9th's marathon.

Butterflies.

I'm trying to remind myself that I'm doing this for ME- not to beat any time records or anything.  And that I run because I love it.

But, truth be told, right now I'm looking forward to October 10th.  :)  At which point I'll probably look a lot like these folks:

Weekend Update

Last weekend, we took advantage of a friend's timeshare and went with 4 others to Solvista Resort for a whirlwind couple of days.  It was amazingly fun EXCEPT for my Sunday morning 8 miler taken after a night of beer, lasagne, more beer, and very little sleep.   Beer/heavy food/tiredness + high altitude distance running = PAIN.  Lesson learned.  The hard way.

Other than that, we checked out a free music festival, went swimming, took advantage of the hot tub in the condo, hung out on the deck and enjoyed each other's company.  

Some besties and I checked out a  hippie music festival in Winter Park-beer! sun! hairy armpits!

The only black mark on the trip was a dead body on the side of the road between Winter Park and Granby- There was a cop car with blinking lights, a motorcycle on its side and a body with a sheet over it.  Couldn't help but think about all the lives that were just drastically altered in a split second...  Scary.  And we were seeing motorcycles zip up and down that stretch all weekend, weaving in and out of the traffic at high speeds...Those things scare me anyway, even without a such a somber reminder.  Wear helmets, folks.

...and part of every day.

Stuff that's happening right now:

1.  I'm getting ready to have my very own office for the first time ever at work.  I've always been in a cubicle but we're remodeling/expanding and I'm getting a room with a window...and a door!!  I'm gonna need some pictures of something for the wall!  Who's got fun office decor ideas?? 

2.  Ruby's hair is slowly coming back from her yearly shaving.  I forget how incredibly skinny she is with no hair.  She's still my faithful running buddy and we're liking the increasing number of nice days.

3.  Speaking of, we've had some nice-ish days, but lots of snow lately which makes me old before my time.  I know its the same story every year but oy veh.  It wears on me.  Today, however, looks pretty so...yay!  I think the weekend is supposed to stay above 60 and sunny so maybe we can get outside.

4.  My son's favorite band is KISS.  I'm not sure how it happened but we're all enjoying it.  Rock and roll all night!

Awfully Awesome

So this is a TERRIBLE picture but its also the ONLY picture from my first half.  And so I am ridiculously and inexplicably proud of it.

This was at the finish and I was giving it my all...but somehow in the photo I look like a speedwalker.  Heh.

My friend and I did our first track workout this morning.  I ran to her house and then we ran together to the high school track.  First time I've been on a track since high school and BOY HOWDY did it bring back painful memories.  We eeked out 6 x 400's and holy OUCH.  My legs were hamburger at the end and I still had to run 1.75 miles back home. 

I think we'll plan on doing these every week to every other week over the summer and hopefully it will translate into a speedier race time!  I'd really like to break 2 hours in my July 4 half.

Right now, I'm day dreaming about trail running on Saturday...if the stupid snow would just QUIT already.  Fuck.

Trippin'

I'm hitting the road tomorrow for work.  A 7 hour drive, a 1 hour meeting and then 7 hours back.  Best use of resources?  Probably not.  But I do know that the folks I'm going to see really appreciate someone making the effort to come out.  And as long as I don't run into snow (knock on wood), it should be a gorgeous drive.

I'm prepared with a couple books on CD from the ol' public library, water, gum, snacks, and breakfast plans with a friend along the way.  And while I'll miss my boys for the 2 days I'm gone, I've gotta say that the open road and time with my own brain sounds pretty attractive. 

The only thing that's really annoying me is that I need to leave at like 7:30am tomorrow morning.  And somehow I need to fit in a 3-mile run AND a strength workout.  So I guess I'll be up at the butt crack of dawn, sweatin' it out before I hit the road!

2:03:30

I did it!  My first half-marathon went down yesterday and I not only survived it, but beat my (very conservative) goal time by 27 minutes.  Ha ha!

Training for this race went wonderfully and aside from a nasty cold about 3 weeks before that waylaid me for a couple days, I was injury free and just enjoying the ride.

I was so lucky to have a great training partner towards the end...a good girlfriend who's completed marathons (and even an Ironman!) ran my last 3 long runs with me leading up to the race.  It was so helpful to be able to pick the brain of an experienced distance runner.  She was supportive and encouraging, convincing me that I have what it takes to run a half and even a full marathon.

Yesterday, race day, I woke up with butterflies but managed to choke down a Clif bar and a banana- a breakfast that's been proven (for me) to stay down and not cause any 'gut-bomb' feelings.  Oh, and coffee, of course.  My friend and I rode down together (the Husband and Kiddo were planning to leave later and meet us at the finish line).  It was good to have company and conversation to distract from the nervous energy I was feeling.

After sunscreening up, deciding on how much/how little clothing to start out with (it was in the 50's but sunny so I opted for a tank and shorts, leaving my arm warmers in the car at the last minute) and peeing (yay for lots of porta potties!!) we were ready to go.

There were a shit ton of people at the start...I read later that nearly 1500 people finished the race.  By far the biggest race I've done!  My buddy moved ahead in the pack, knowing that she wanted a faster start.  I hung back, knowing that the first 2 miles of the race were straight uphill, my strategy was to go easy and then pick it up later when the course flattened out again.

And suddenly, we were off!  People clapped and cheered and photographers took pictures and we all started the (torturous) climb up the first "bitch" (I learned over the course of the race that the 4 hills are commonly referred to as the 4 bitches.  Heh.)

The breakdown:

Miles 1-2: My plan to start easy and make my way up the first and biggest of the hills really paid off- after the first two hills, I was feeling strong and seeing many folks who had bolted ahead of me starting to flag and we weren't even at mile 3! 

Miles 3-4:  Uh oh- even though we peed 20 minutes before the start, I kinda need to again.  I spend the next 20 minutes or so thinking "Should I stop?  Should I hold it? "

Mile 5:  The 2nd aid station and a porta potty with no line- I make a split second decision to stop.  Best 30 second investment I could have made!  I can now run comfortably and think about something other than my bladder.

Miles 5-8:  We roll along over a couple more hills, along a reservoir, and through green farmland (complete with manure smells).  At one point we pass a pen with Shetland ponies and I nearly cry out "Look, its Little Sebastian!"  But quickly check myself realizing that 1) no one will probably know what the hell I'm talking about and 2) people with think I'm "off" either way. 

Mile 8.5: The course at this point leaves the road and goes onto a bike path- I power chew a GU Chomp at this point and gulp down some water.

Mile 9-11:  These are the hardest miles for me.  The bike path leads through an open, exposed field with a quarry or construction site of some sort on one side.  The scenery is boring and the cement path is starting to feel hard on my joints.  I manage to keep my pace but am constantly looking ahead for some hint of trees or something more interesting.

Mile 11.5: Another chew and some more water.  We're in the home stretch now!  I concentrate on keeping my pace up and maintaining my form even though I'm getting tired.

Mile 13.1:  Somehow, I charge the finish line, digging deep and ending strong.  I look for the husband and Otto but after waiting a while, they pick that exact moment to be crouched down putting on sunscreen :(  They didn't see my triumphant finish or get to snap my picture (sad!) but are proud of me just the same.  I collect my finisher medal, my free beer glass and water.  My friend (who finished 8 minutes before me) and I listen to live music as we sit in the grass and rehash the course.  Otto asks, "Did you win, Mama?" 

After the race, we forgo the heavy BBQ post-race lunch (just the smell turns my stomach) and opt to leave and go for light, fresh Mexican instead. 

Today, my legs are tired and a little sore but I'm still riding the high of finishing my first half.  So proud of myself and already looking forward to the next one!

The One in Which a Good Run Equals a Temporary Lapse in Judgement

So I did something mildly rash two days ago.  I registered myself for a half-marathon.  In less than a month.

Let's all pause for a moment to ask, "WHAT THE EFFING EFF WAS I THINKING?"

Ok. Let's continue.

My original plan was to very sloooooowly ramp up my mileage (dutifully following the 10% rule) and run my first half in July.  I went on a trail run this weekend, planning on completely 6 or 7 miles and somehow ended up running almost 11.  What can I say?  It was a beautiful day, it was the first dry trail I'd seen in months and I was running with some new running buddies and the conversation was good. 

Anyhow, one of them clued me in to this great half-marathon taking place next month only an hour a way.  Its a gorgeous course, at a gorgeous time of year.  And dudes, the finish line for the thing is at the New Belgium Brewery. 

So here's my plan:  I'm going to (as gently as possible) ramp up my mileage in the next 3 weeks while cross and strength training and doing my darndest to avoid an overuse injury.  Good nutrition, rest, etc. and I should be ok right?  What are rules if not to be broken?

My boys (both the husband sized one and the 3 year old sized one) are being incredibly supportive although they may be secretly laughing at me behind my back.  They're tolerating the long weekend runs and my general complaints about soreness, tiredness etc. 

The kiddo is insistent that when he's big, he'll run a race with me and win.  We'll see, little boy.  We'll see.

Running Update

Holy shit.  My daily mile tracker (see it over there?  on the right?) says I've gone over 500 miles since I started tracking.  Wowza.

Its been a challenge, frankly, to keep up the running in recent weeks.  We've had several cold snaps that dropped temps to well below zero (think -45 with windchill) and that's too cold, even for me.  I've decided that I draw the line at zero.  And so does Ruby, the poor dear. 

So, I've been doing more workout DVD's in the basement and in spite of cultivating a minor case of cabin fever,I've gotta say...my guns are looking pretty rockin' at the moment.  Maybe I can keep it up until temps are actually warm enough for bare arms...you know, like July.

The slight reduction in mileage, while not good for my mental health, has been advantageous for my pesky right knee, I think.  It's feeling better (knock on wood) and I've done the past 2 five milers without my knee strap. 

As the weather warms (gradually...very gradually) I'm looking forward to beginning to train in earnest for some spring and summer races.  There's a 10K I have my eye on in the spring and then a half-marathon in July.  Better get runnin'!

At any rate, at least I'm keeping up some semblance of an exercise schedule...because we keep doing silly things like going to Fort Collins on day trips and eating at Smashburger.  Yum.

Der Burger!

How to Run in the Early Morning in Winter-A Step by Step Guide if You're Me

1.  Set your alarm for 5:15 AM or whatever time you want to drag your sorry ass out of bed.  Double check that you have indeed set it for AM at least twice because you don't trust your sleep-deprived, toddler-parenting brain.  And being wakened by your 3 year old at 7 when you need to leave the house at 7:35 does not bode well for the rest of the day.

2.  Wear as much of your running attire to bed as possible.  Typically this is (thick, knee-high) socks, running tights, and tee.  Your husband will of course appreciate the sheer sexiness of this ensemble. After your alarm successfully goes off, put sweats over tights (because it WILL be fucking cold.)  Squeeze yourself into a sportsbra and throw on a sweatshirt or fleece.  Put a waterproof layer on top in the event of snow or sleet.  Put on shoes and tie them.  With a double knot.  Because ice provides enough challenges for those of us who are clumsily inclined.  (THIS MEANS YOU.)

3.  Protect your extremeties:  This means a hat that you don't mind sweating in, and some sort of gloves that still allow you to open up one of those little dog poop bags and pick up shit when your dog takes the inevitable pit stop in the middle of the street at which time you will also see the only car ALL MORNING headed right towards your shitting dog.

4.  Be able to see and be seen.  This means remember your headlamp, dummy.  Some reflective gear of some sort also does not go amiss. This will prevent the car from hitting you while your dog shits and prevent you from hitting black ice at full tilt.  Usually.

5.  Last, put your RoadID, NikeSportBand and Ipod in proper locations on your body.  Wonder briefly why you have so many electronic crutches to run.  Then decide you don't really care.

6.  Take a deep breath and try not to recoil when that first blast of icy air hits your face.  Tell yourself, "This is going to be fun!"  Almost believe it.

7.  Get in a good warm up while you wait for your dog to pee.  Do some lunges, some side-to-sides, high kicks and whatever else feels good.  Briefly hope that no one is watching you as you probably look like a total dork.

8.  Start running.  Spend the first couple minutes hating this, wishing you were still in your warm bed snuggled up to your kid.  But then notice how your ipod is picking great songs.  As your body gets warm and approaches 'cruising altitude,' (meaning that you don't have to purposefully tell your legs to move forward anymore), start to think about shit that went down yesterday/last night/last year/when you were 7.   Take this time to process what's been bugging you.  Think about the future.  Think about your husband, your kid, that book you're reading for book club, whether there will be enough snow for snowshoeing this weekend, what you're going to make for dinner.

Feel how strongly your heart beats in your chest, how your legs carry you over snow and ice, how warm your core is while your cheeks and nose feel delightfully cold in comparison.  Notice how bright the moon is.  Start to wonder how you got so lucky that this is your life. 

9.  After an hour or so, approach the end of your run and feel a little sad that its almost over.  Walk to cool down.  Stretch.  Shovel the walk if it needs it.  Take some deep breaths of the cold, clear air, noticing how great it feels now that you're hot and sweating.  Pet the dog and tell her "good run."

Open the door and go inside feeling exhilarated, centered, excited for a hot shower and ready to kickass all.  effing.  day.

10.  Be thankful.  Look forward to doing it all again tomorrow.

My mama said there'd be days like this

Saturday was just ill-fated from the beginning**.  After a kind of shitty night's sleep, I really wanted to run.  So after a bowl of oatmeal and some snuggle time with the kid, Ruby and I headed a ways out of town.  I wanted to run this road that goes past the old cement factory and turns into a wildlife refuge.  Supposedly great views of our surrounding mountain ranges and all that.  Unfortunately, while in town it had seemed relatively calm, if cold, out on the high plains there were hurricane force winds whipping snow and tumleweeds around willy-nilly. 

But, being the stubborn idiot I can be sometimes, we set out anyway.  It was awful.  A facebook friend commented that my particular locale is known for its "free microdermabrasions" and holy shit she's not kidding.  3 miles and 30 horrible minutes later, I had grit in my eyes, nose, and mouth and was half wondering if there was any skin left on my face.

We finally made it back to town, and I decided to drive through for a pumpkin pie latte as a consolation prize.  As we pulled into the coffee hut, Ruby puked all over the passenger seat of my husband's car.  Sigh.  I thought puppies grew out of car sickness...?

Finally, we made it home and as I pulled into the driveway, I saw the husband and the kiddo standing on the stoop.

The kid's face looked like this:

He'd lept off the coffee table and directly into a wooden cabinet.  This picture was the day of.  You should see it now- he looks like a prize fighter with lots of purple and blue around that pretty eye.


Thank goodness this is a 2-day week for me with a 5-day holiday weekend because fuck.




**There was ONE fun thing on Saturday- I caught a showing of that one big movie about the boy wizard that night with friends.  Loved it.  RIP Dobby the Elf!!

Making Hay

On what could very well be the last pretty weekend of fall before the snow hits (its forecast for this week), a friend and I took our dogs on an epic trail run on Saturday.  We set out to do maybe 7 or 8 miles up at Happy Jack...and ended up doing somewhere between 10 and 11 (my NikeSportBand, which I think tends to be high, said 11 and her GPS phone said 10.6...).

Here I am at mile 8 or so, stopping to enjoy the view.  I definitely look like I've been running for a while.  Heh.

It was beautiful day.  Brisk enough that I never felt overheated but warm enough to run in a tank and capris.  The dogs had a great time, too:

We couldn't believe that 8 miles in, they still had the energy for these kind of shenanigans.  Although later that night, Ruby was dead. to. the. world. and I physically had to pry her off the couch and make her go outside to pee before bed.

To tell the truth, I was pretty tired myself.  But in a good, feeling like a total badass kind of way.  :)


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AND!!  Omg!  I just saw that the freaking Coen brothers are remaking one of my favorite movies  from when I was young.  My husband it excited because this one doesn't have John Wayne in it.  (He HATES John Wayne.  I sort of totally love him.  Opposites attract, I guess.)

So. Excited.  Take a look:

Holy shit

1.  Look over there =>   ...My DailyMile counter says 250 miles, baby!!  That's how far I've run since I started logging mileage.  Pretty impressive.  To these eyes, anyhow.

My knee is feeling better (knock on wood) thanks due, I think, to reducing my mileage, running on gravel/dirt for a bit and wearing a knee strap like this one.   Let's hope the trend continues and I can knock out some amazing runs before the snow flies.

2.  Work...OMG, y'all.  My new job is kind of monopolizing things right now.  Definitely don't want to go into too much detail here but suffice to say that things are crazy but hopefully will be settling down in the next few weeks.  Just gotta keep my eyes on the light at the end of the tunnel.  And drink lots of coffee.

3.  My son is such a joy right now.  He's going to be Batman for Halloween and we've been learning all about the letter "B" lately ("its like a man with a big belly, mama!") so its fun to see him connecting all the words that start with B in his head, including Batman.  He's growing at a ridiculous rate- I've noticed recently that most of his jeans are nearly too short for him, although he's constantly pulling them up because he has a skinny little butt and they keep slipping down.  (Anyone know a good brand that might fit a skinny butted, long legged kid?)

He's also doing a lot of pre-reading things like becoming OBSESSED with puzzles and asking what signs/papers/labels say.  He's always liked puzzles but now he'll knock out several before dinner and want more after.  Aside from writing his own name (which he's done for a while now), he can also recognize the names of each child in his class, and some other basic words.  I don't think its quite reading yet, more like just recognizing certain letters but I don't think it will be long!  It's so amazing to see that little brain figuring it all out.

4.  The fall here has been one of the prettier ones in recent memory.  I've made it up to the mountain for several runs which is SO good for my mental health and spirit in general.  The weather seems like it will hold for at least a few more days so I have plans for another run with a friend this weekend.  We're all wondering when the first snow will hit...its usually before Halloween.  We'll see...

I Need to Vent About This...

So I'm having an issue with my right knee.

Ever since I started running seriously, my right knee has been a little wonky.  I've had runner's knee and general soreness come and go but never anything more than just an annoying ache that would go away after a while.

But now I'm kinda scared that I've done something to really damage it and it has me sad and kinda worried.

I did an 8 miler about a week and a half ago, then a 6 miler two days later.  Then two days after that, I went for what was going to be an easy 5 and had to completely stop at about 4 miles because my knee was just...done.  Not just sore- it was a sharp, arresting pain just below my knee cap that literally stopped me in my tracks.

I took 4 days off (from running- I cross-trained), then ran 3.5 miles this Monday- my knee still hurt, but I was able to modify my stride to keep it from doing the sharp-totally-shutting-me-down pain that it had done the run before.  I can feel that its still injured- it hurts to go up stairs and if I even step wrong while walking, I get that sharp pain- like there's no cushioning in there at all.

This has got me so, so down.  You wouldn't think that a little thing like having a hurt knee would really affect your mood, but its keeping me from having good runs which are KEY to my mental well-being.  Also, I was planning on running a 10K in two weeks in Missouri when we go to visit my folks.  Frankly, I can't see that happening now, if I can barely limp through 4 miles.

I've been icing, taking anti-inflammatories and I'll go get a knee brace to immobilize it for a few days.  I just want to feel better so I can get my road therapy in.  I really hope that works and I don't need a doctor's visit. 

/venting session.

34 before 34

I think I mentioned that my 33rd (otherwise known as "Jesus") birthday was a couple weeks ago.  Since then, I've been thinking about what my goals are for the coming year...what things do I want to complete before 34?  Some of these are Big Ones...some are small, but most are doable. There are a few that might be a stretch but sometimes just saying/writing things down plants a seed that eventually grows up into awesome.

1.  Run a half-marathon.  My goal is the July 4th half in my hometown next summer. Done!  Ran the Horsetooth Half-Marathon in Fort Collins, CO in April 2011.  2:03!!
2.  Journal (more) regularly with an actual paper and pen.
3.  Organize family photos.  Ugh.  Bane of my existence.  I am so NOT a scrapbooker.  Its all I can do to make sure everything is uploaded to a photo site and prints dumped in a shoebox.
4.  Try mountain biking.   Done!  2 girlfriends took me up with the Husband's old bike last night.  We did 6 miles of rocky trails at twilight.  It was brutal but awesome.  My wrists and ass are freakin' sore.
5. Run a 10K - Registered for one at the end of the month in MO with my dad.  Done!  But not in MO- did it in hot, humid TX instead.  52:35!!
6. Organize Otto's artwork by age.  I got an accordion folder and labled sections "Age 1, Age 2," etc.  It will work for now and it forces me to do some triage and only keep the really awesome stuff.
7.  Get a new job.  Done!  I start my new position on Monday.  A promotion/transfer that has me both nervous and excited. 
8.  Start knitting again.  I need socks!  And there's a felted slipper pattern that has my eye...
9.  Learn at least 5 new songs on the ukulele.
10.  Take a road trip to visit a friend.
11.  Snowshoe at least once this winter.   Went snowshoeing a handful of times and even tried back country skiing.  (Not my deal, but at least I tried it!)

12.  Brush the dog at least once a week.  Poor thing, she gets so matted.  We're doing pretty well on this front.  We got her shaved in April and so far, so good!
13.  Get a massage.
14.  Go on more dates with the Husband...once a week seems hard but maybe once a month?  We're really trying to take more time for eachother and we took our first weekend away from the kiddo over Memorial Day.  It was glorious!
15. Purchase and learn new piano music.
16.  Learn how to (really) swim.  I can tread water and dog paddle but I want to learn how to really swim so that maybe I can
17.  Try a Triathlon.  Seems a little out there right now (given #16) but a sprint tri might be doable...just putting the idea out there for myself.
18.  Buy hard copies of the Hunger Games trilogy to save for when Otto is old enough to read them. 
19.  Watch Dr. Zhivago again because my mother insists that I should love it. 
20.  Keep moving towards eating homemade/ local foods.  We're doing well so far: local farm eggs, local honey, making our own bread...
21.  Run the Warrior Dash.  How fun does that look!?!
22.  Buy a small deep freezer.  (Probably used.)  For storing local beef/bison!
23.  Start a charity giving family tradition at Holidays time.  I want to start doing something yearly with our family where we together choose a charity and together shop/find items.
24. Actually prepare and cook a whole chicken.  I know!  I've actually never done this...we always just get boneless/skinless chicken breast.  But I want to learn the art of a simple roast chicken and explore all the things you can do with it.
25.  Attend more yoga classes.  I do yoga at home fairly regularly but the classes provide benefits beyond what I can do at home.  And they are fun!
26.  Organize my kitchen cupboards.  Aaaaaarrrrrggggghhhh.
27.  Meditate for at least 5 minutes a day. 
28.  Take Otto to the children's museum and the zoo in Denver.
29.  Visit my little brother and soon to be born niece/nephew in Hawaii.  Hey, a girl can dream!
30.  Start Otto on beginning piano lessons.  Taught by me! 
31.  Have a garage sale.  Might be too late for this year, but next spring I know we'll be ready to unload some "treasures."  Just slid in under the wire!
32.  Go to a major league baseball game.  I'm not a huge fan, but Otto and the Husband would have a wonderful time.
33.  Try Zumba!  This scares me but I want to give it a shot...if only to do something outside my comfort zone.
34.  Sleep more.  Goal is 7-8 hrs. a night.  I'm actually doing pretty good with this one.  One day (night) at a time.

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.