Accept or Fight?

The other day, my friend Naresh (@iamarunr) posted a link to a youtube video on Twitter. He warned us that we would need tissues to watch this little video and I should have listened. So you've been warned too!
I swear I've teared up EVERY time I've watched this video. Darn you, Naresh!

The thing that gets me about watching this video is how sad it is that the Kiwi wants to fly so badly that he would make that kind of sacrifice. It got me thinking about how we deal with the hand we're dealt with in life. Do we accept what fate and/or nature has given us? Or do we fight like hell to achieve our dreams? Even if they may never come true? Even if they cause heartbreak? Or worse?

I say...fight like hell. Because you know what? We didn't see EXACTLY how that video ends. I choose to believe in happy endings and I think a miracle saved that little Kiwi. Maybe a trampoline? Something.

So I may not have long legs or a thin runners build which would make me a speed demon. But I sure am going to fight for as much speed as I can get! If it's the last thing I do! Well...probably not the LAST thing. ;)

Animals & Warriors

On my run to work today, I helped corral two very cute pups that escaped when their owner came out to get the paper. I planted myself in their path and sacrificed myself to keep them from running into the street. They were so happy and funny and I was laughing so hard, I wanted to stay and hang out with them instead of continuing on to work. But their owner arrived and gathered them up and I went on my way.

One of the things I like about running and riding to work is seeing all the regulars: bunnies, squirrels, birds, dogs, cats, and even a pig! Some of dogs are so used to me they no longer bark at me. Um, the pig never did. ;) But there’s this one gorgeous German Shepherd who waits for me at the corner of her yard and then when I get there I say “come on, let’s go” and she runs with me to the end of her fence. It's our little routine and I always look forward to it.

My biggest regret about living in my apartment is that I can’t have a dog. I’d love to have a dog that I could go running with! And they are just so much fun to have around. We had dogs our whole lives growing up. My little dog, Tiny, I had for 19 years. She was a mutt and crazy. She loved sunflower seeds & oranges, sitting in windowsills, and when she howled at sirens (which, sadly, she could do often because we lived behind a senior complex) her front paws would come off the ground because she’d give that howl everything she had. I miss her. Don’t get me wrong, I love my cat but if you put him on a leash, he lies there like a log so he’s no good for running with.

So, if you haven’t figured out yet, I love animals. All creatures big and small. Except fish…and I don’t appreciate spiders crawling on me…but I don’t want them to DIE. I just don’t want them looking at me. Yes, I know. I’m nuts. Hey, everyone has some quirks, right? Anyway, back to my point which was…oh yeah, I love animals and every month I give a monthly donation to the World Wildlife Fund and the Defenders of Wildlife. Sometimes I forget that we humans need help too. And that is why I was very happy to see that the Nanny Goat 12 Hour that I’m doing is raising funds for the Wounded Warrior Project.

The Wounded Warrior Project is a great way to say thank you to our service men and women who have served our country and have been injured. Last year the Nanny Goats raised over $20,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project and this year they are hoping to raise over $50,000. I hope to raise $300 by May 26th. If you can help even a little bit, I would greatly appreciate it!

My Donation Page

Thank you! I hope you have a great Thursday and good luck if you're racing this weekend!

Taking A Trip...Or Two

I tripped on my run home from work on Monday. Right in front of the office as everyone was leaving. I'd hoped no one saw but, of course, someone did. It just better not be on youtube, that's all I have to say!

Did I mention that I fell last Thursday on the run TO work? That time it was a stumble and I had a chance to land & roll in the grass. No damage at all except to my ego. Just one scratch from one of those stupid prickly balls that were in the grass. Luckily no one saw and my breakfast and lunch didn't get squished.

But this one...this one was a bad one. One minute I was running and the next I was flat on my face on the sidewalk. Hard. That quick. I have no idea what happened. I immediately stopped my Garmin (priorities!) and jumped up to assess the damage. The coworker who saw me said she was going to pull over to see if I was okay but I was up in a flash. I think part of that is from cycling. When I crash my bike, I am up in a flash to make sure I get out of the street and the path of cars. Preservation is highly motivating to get your butt off the ground.

There wasn't that much damage this time either. I have bruises and road rash on both knees and on my arms but not bad enough to keep me from running. The thing that hurt the most was my arm. Yeah, the bad arm. The arm that I was so happy was finally healed during the race. I'd even planned on finally adding weights back into my routine so I could start working on getting killer arms again. Try, at least. ;) I knew as soon as I landed that I'd hurt it and I felt like crying. But mostly, the fall shook me up and then pissed me off. And what do you know, the rest of it was fabulous. I felt strong and very, very close to my old self. It could have been the anger fueling it.

I AM accident prone. I know this and I usually am hyper aware of tripping. I have been tired and a little sub-par lately because of the stomach bug I had so maybe that's it. I certainly hope this isn't a trend for me! I mean, I kind of expect it on the trail. I don't mind falling in the dirt or mud (like at the Jackson Jackass 50K) but the sidewalk falls are the pits.

I DO NOT need to lose any more time running so I better stay upright! That's the goal anyway. It's supposed to rain again tomorrow so I'll be running to work. Wish me luck. I may need it. If not I may have to use one of the suggestions some smarta$$es, I mean, helpful people suggested:

*Letting someone know I'm going out so they can send an ambulance to follow me.
*Wear padding like the Pillsbury Dough Boy or one of those dog training suits.
*Wrap myself in bubble wrap.
*Wear knee/elbow pads & a helmet.

Ha! I'm not that bad. Am I? Other people fall all the time, right? No, I guess not. Do you fall?

Foxy Half Marathon Recap

I ran the Foxy Half Marathon at Lake Hodges in Rancho Bernardo today. It was the second race in Dirt Devil Racing's Half Marathon Animal Series and it was a lot of fun. I sucked but I enjoyed the run anyway because for once NOTHING hurt. Well, except for the quarter size blister I got on my left foot for some weird reason. But my foot, my groin, and my shoulder all felt really, really good. If only I could say the same for my stomach.

I knew going into this that I wasn't going to "race" it because I hadn't been feeling that great all week and I have been so SLOW on my runs. No speed at all. And then starting on Tuesday, I had some stomach issues. It was a little hot on my run home from work that day and I felt really nauseous after and dinner didn't stick around long. Wednesday I seemed fine but then it happened again on Thursday after my run home from work. So I thought it might be the heat. But then it happened again during lunch at work on Friday and that place is on icebox so it wasn't heat related. On Saturday I woke up feeling just slightly nauseous and decided to go for a run & ride and see how I did. Both actually went really well so I had high hopes it would be okay for today. It was mostly okay but I still have a lingering bleah feeling. Anyway, that's the back story going into this morning's race.

Pre-Race

Rancho Bernardo is about 90 minutes away from me so I woke up at 3:30, ate, got ready, and packed. I headed out at 4:40 so I could be there about 6:15 to pick up my packet. Traffic was non-existent so I made good time. I did have one moment of panic when I looked in the rear view mirror and saw flashing lights but he zipped right by me. I found out why in a few miles because he was doing a break on the freeway. Luckily it didn't last long and I made it there about 6:10. I got my bib and chip and my goodie bag. It had a shirt and a hat in it for the race. I really like the logo. I was SUPPOSED to eat something before the race but I forgot. But it was too late to go back to the car so I hoped the Gu Brew I had in my little bottle would be enough.

The Race
There were 2 waves for the race: the fast people and the snails. I got in the second wave but they were still moving. It was single track at the start and I kept up with the line and went out at a 9:30 pace. I did okay in the first mile but my legs were already noodley and I decided I better back off so I could finish and not blow up. I had no energy going up the hills but only walked a very small portion of them.

It was a pretty interesting course. Some single track, some fire road, road, and bike path, lots of fishermen. Um, but they weren't running. The course took us around a portion of Lake Hodges and even across a cool suspension bridge. Since I wasn't racing, I was able to enjoy the views. It was foggy this morning and it was hanging over the hills and the lake and gave it a very peaceful feeling. Kind of reminded me of Milford Sound. Hey! A girl can dream (it's #2 on my list of dream run vacations behind Scotland). So that and all the birds made for an awesome run. I wish I had stopped to take pictures but I didn't want to get in anyone's way or step off the trail (we were warned repeatedly at the start about watching for rattlesnakes).

The only bad part of the run was that I started getting a blister on my left foot about mile 6. I wore my Peregrines because they are more protective than the WT110s and I wanted my foot to not have a setback. But I haven't worn them in forever and paid the price. :( I thought I might have to stop and take care of it at one of the aid stations but decided to wait and see. Well, I waited til the end. One thing that helped keep running was when we crossed a stream for the second time. The first time I crossed I hopped from rock to rock like everyone else. The second time I stopped and looked at the rocks and looked at the stream and debated whether getting my feet wet would hurt or help. I finally decided to go for it and plunged right in. The water was cold and felt so good! It definitely helped and I was able to finish without stopping. :)

So I just ran along at a steady pace, enjoying the morning, and happy I was going to finish my 9th Half Marathon. Then I was done and I got my medal. I WAS happy to be done but it was a little bittersweet. I wished I could have run it harder. There was a part of me in the beginning that was sad but once I let it go, I really enjoyed the run. I just bought Of Monsters and Men's new album last week and there's a song on the album which fit perfectly for today. It's called Slow and Steady and these are some of the lyrics...

My dear old friend, take me for a spin
two wolves in the dark, running in the wind
I'm letting go, but I've never felt better
passing by all the monsters in my head
I move slow and steady
but I feel like a waterfall...

Here's my medal, front and back. The saying on the back of the medal is also on the back of our shirt. I like the quote a lot. This was a fun race, the volunteers and some of the runners dressed as cats, foxes, and other animals. Everyone was very friendly and the aid stations were great. Bonus...Merrell was one of the sponsors so I got to check out their new trail shoes. I'm not sure how I walked away without buying any. I was in lust. :) Yes, I have a shoe problem! The only downside to Dirt Devil's races is no food at all at the finish. Not even a banana. What's a starving runner got to do to get some food in her! Actually, it was better that I didn't have any food before I drove home. I would have hated to get another speeding ticket because I had to hurry.

I went for a ride when I got home. No soreness at all but I just wanted to spin out my legs a little. All in all, it was a good day. I can't wait for the Cougar Half in June and then Raptor Ridge in October. I've never done a series before. If I lived closer, I'd do their Grand Slam Series too. The first one is the Coyote 5K. What do you think? Should I?

Wordless Wednesday - New Bike Edition

Shades Of Normal

The past week was closer to normal for me. As far as volume goes anyway. Speed...not so much. It's a little frustrating but I guess I can't expect miracles, eh?

I was really happy that I was in good enough shape to get back to run commuting since it poured on Wednesday and Friday. I took it slow and easy and shorter than I had been doing. On Wednesday, I ran as the crow flies and did 5.5 miles before work. I felt good after so ran the long way home - 7 miles. On Friday, I ran a roundtrip of 12.5 miles again. Because, you know, I can't knowingly leave my mileage at a half for the week. It's okay if each run is .1 or .2 over but .5 just bugs me. I don't know why. It's a thing.

On Saturday, I decided not to run trails because of the rain and snow so I rode my bike over to Bonelli and ran the path along the lake's edge. We called it Puddingstone when I was growing up and I always liked that name better. It was a cold day but pretty.


This is the route for the Turkey Trot 10K I do so I like to run it a few times a year to remind my legs what it's like. Bonus for the day was watching an osprey dive bomb the water and come up with fish right in front of me.

Stats for Saturday were 13 miles on the mt bike to Bonelli, a 10 K run, then 13 home (w/a bit of a bonk and stomach cramps that I could have done without) and then another 10 miles later in the afternoon to REI. A good full day that took the mile totals for the week to 111 on the bike and 43ish running. That's getting closer to my regular weekly totals and makes me so, so happy to see. :)

However, this morning I ran 12 miles and it was miserable. :( I am so out of habit for long runs that I didn't fuel properly for it. It wasn't so bad until after mile 10 and then I was kicking myself for:
-not eating anything before
-not bringing food for just in case
-not bringing money w/me so I could stop somewhere and buy something (this is often my biggest regret!)

It was iffy for a while and I was really tempted to head home early but I got it done. My legs and feet were achy afterwards like I'd run a 22 miler or something. What is up with that? How did my legs get so mushy in such a short time? I may or may not have cursed nature while I was running. It's just not fair that it takes so much hard work to get to a point where you can run long and then BAM, you take a little time off and your muscles decide to revert to pre-running days. If we are meant to run shouldn't it be the other way around? Come on! Life is so unfair sometimes.

Sigh.

Still, I'm running. That's what matters. I'll get back to where I was soon.

And so I don't end on a depressing note...I took this on my ride this afternoon. I rode the bike path and had great views of our mountains dusted w/snow from the last two storms. I kept thinking while I was looking at them "I'm going to have to run up there one of these days". Mt Baldy is about 10,000 feet. Lower Monroe Truck Trail (the one I ran a couple of times earlier this year) is only 3400 feet so it'd be a liiiiiittle bit more. Just a little. It would be a fun challenge! Want to join me?

Yeah, I'm a nut, but it's totally doable. Right?

Lean Mean Running Coyote

Operation Lean Mean Running Coyote (LMRC) started yesterday! I am focused. I've spotted my prey and I'm stalking it. Just like this coyote...

(I swear it looks like she was smiling at me. Don't you think? I think it was 2 kindred spirits recognizing each other. At least, I'd like to think so. :) )

So what do I mean by LMRC? I mean that I'm going to get serious about doing all the little things like strength training and eating properly and doing speed work again. I am going to work on getting my speed back! I miss it. :( I want to be the girl who did this just one year ago at the Lovell Canyon Love Me Two Times challenge (back-to-back halfs)...

"Why should I practice running slow? I already know how to run slow. I want to learn to run fast." ~Emil Zatopek

I didn't worry about speed or anything while I was training for the New Years One Day or the 50Ks. I was thinking finish not fast. Well, that's changed. I want to finish AND be fast! So tempos, intervals, hill repeats...they're coming back!

I have a Half in less than 2 weeks and I don't think I can do a whole lot to get speed back by then but I hope to by the next one on May 6th - the San Diego Safari Park Half Marathon. Not only do we get to run a half marathon thru the park but our registration fee includes entrance to the park for the day. I haven't been there in forever so I'm looking forward to hanging out with my camera after. It's also relatively flat so I'm wondering what I can do there. Hmmm.

I also signed up for the Nanny Goat 12HR at the end of May. Yep, another loopy course. This time with a twist. I can start at 8am or 8pm. The 24HR and 100 milers start at 8am on Saturday so I can run with them at that time or I can start at the later time and do a night run. Right now, I'm thinking night run. And not just because there will be a pancake breakfast on Sunday morning. Ok, yes that did have a little bit to do with it. Fine. A lot. What can I say...I run for pancakes! Or burritos. :D

The Nanny Goat raises money for the Wounded Warrior Project and I'm hoping to raise a little money for my run for it. We are supposed to be able to accept pledges per mile but it's not active yet. Right now, it's just straight donations. I have a late start since there's just over 6 weeks til the race so I put a goal of $300. I hope I can raise at least that much. Crossing my fingers. This is my page:
Wounded Warrior Project

2 weeks after the 12HR, I hope to do another Half and then do the Firecracker 5000 on the 4th of July. I want to be speedy for those as well. So, no more playing around. I'm bringing spreed back. At least til mid summer. After that, we'll see.

But by golly, I'm going to make wearing my Run It Fast shirt be a call to arms if it's the last thing I do!

Did I just say "by golly"? Sigh.

Do you have any big race plans? Anything big or fun on the horizon for you?