At around 4 o'clock in the morning the hall light came on dimly. We knew someone was up. We were alert because we knew a bug was going around and wanted to be sure no one was sick. Matt got up first, was gone for a minute, then came back to bed. He didn't comment, so I went back to sleep too. The next morning he had a funny story to tell.
He went into the girls' room first. Makenna was in bed asleep. A second later he heard a flush and instantly a flurry of footsteps. Jess came sprinting back into the room. She had on her sleeping hat, as always, but also a headlight. It didn't matter that Matt has the hall light AND bathroom light turn on to 30% at night when her door opens. She had to have a flashlight on her head too. And even with all that, she cuts her time in the hall down to a fraction of a second thru sheer speed.
Seeing Matt caught her off guard. "What are you doing in here?" she demanded. Then went back to bed.
This is unrelated, but I want to get it down before I forget. We were on a family walk last night and saw someone working on their car. Makenna told us, "Jess asked our next door neighbors if she could borrow their corvette."
"Yeah, I did," piped up Jess. "But he said no."
The funny thing is that she really thought it was possible.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Memorial Day
We have made friends with a nice grandpa at Costco named Harold over the last year. He served in the 101st Airborne Corps. The kids made cards for him and we made cookies and delivered them to him with balloons. We dropped them by Sunday morning because the store is closed on Memorial Day. We hope he is having a great day today.
This morning, we woke up early to go on a tri-stake fun run. There were 1 mile, 5K or 10K options. The original plan was for me to run the mile with the girls and Isaac would do the 5K with his friend. But Matt didn't end up needing to work, so he went with Jess and Megan on the mile. Makenna did the same distance a little faster with a group of 4 friends. Matt challenged me to keep up with Isaac and Dillan. I stuck with my friend Wendy and we helped push each other. Good thing because we have done zero speed work over that last several months. We managed a 8:16 pace overall and beat the boys by a hair. Isaac totally thinks he could have gone faster if he didn't want to stick with his friend, but it was still faster than his last official time. Maybe if I run with him more often, he can help me get faster.
This morning, we woke up early to go on a tri-stake fun run. There were 1 mile, 5K or 10K options. The original plan was for me to run the mile with the girls and Isaac would do the 5K with his friend. But Matt didn't end up needing to work, so he went with Jess and Megan on the mile. Makenna did the same distance a little faster with a group of 4 friends. Matt challenged me to keep up with Isaac and Dillan. I stuck with my friend Wendy and we helped push each other. Good thing because we have done zero speed work over that last several months. We managed a 8:16 pace overall and beat the boys by a hair. Isaac totally thinks he could have gone faster if he didn't want to stick with his friend, but it was still faster than his last official time. Maybe if I run with him more often, he can help me get faster.
I don't have enough pictures of Matt on the blog. Here he is with our friend, and the girls' soccer coach, Jared (father of Megan and Dillan--we're sorry his wife, Kim, had to work).
Dillan and Isaac
Amberlee, Ellie, Jess and Megan
Hannah, Elisabeth and Makenna
I took a couple shots pre-race. Then Matt took the camera with him on the run, so we have a few more of the little ones. They had fun running off and on. They totally sprinted the end in the parking lot, not to be outdone by an "old lady" (probably my age.) There was juice and donuts at the end and everyone had a grand time.
Running in the beginning.
Matt says they chatted the whole time.
Running again at the end.
We got back home and I was adding up the miles for the month in my running log and found I was at 99.5! Drat the pre-race taper and week off after the race. I thought doing the 5K would be enough, but I was .5 short of 100. So I put my shoes back on and joined Matt for a 4 mile loop. (He wasn't counting the mile "run" as his exercise. :-) I guess I have become one of those runners.
Star Wars in Concert
The long awaited concert was Saturday and it didn't disappoint. We were a little over dressed perhaps wearing clothes that required ironing. We should have taken a clue about clothes choices from the fact that it was in an "arena" and it was "Star Wars". There were lots of kids dressed up in Star Wars halloween costumes and quite a few adults too. The full symphony was excellent. There was a choir too for the Syth Lord music themes. The whole thing was narrated by the C3P0 actor, which was fun. Most of the time, there were movie shots being shown on the big screen, but sometimes they would show the orchestra. Makenna (who was closest to me) had fun finding all the different instruments. She has a good friend who is part of a musical family and is learning to play the harp, so Makenna is reflecting that knowledge.
Ice Skating
We were all having a blah afternoon. Everyone was bored, didn't know what to do. Lucky we have Matt. He announced we were getting shoes on and going to the ice rink. We have looked into it before, but the open times have never worked out before. We got there right as they were opening and had the option of staying for 2 hours. I thought everyone would be sore and tired after one at the most, but it turned out quite different.
I guess roller blading really helped. The girls took to the ice cautiously, but without a wobble or a stumble. Isaac had a harder time at first and asked to switch skates. They originally gave him hockey skates, which are apparently much different. Once he switched to figure skates, he didn't fall again.
At the most crowded, I think there were only 9 other people there besides us. The best were a couple of little girls and their coach. The best girl had to be about Jessica's age. (She was her size.) But to see her jump and spin like a miniature pro was a little unnerving. It was the best thing for the kids though. It made them put caution to the wind and stretch themselves a bit. The girls tried skating on one foot with the back extended. Jess tried "spinning". Makenna tried going faster and then dragging one foot behind. Makenna did tumble a few times as she tried harer things, and learned falling isn't so bad.
Isaac didn't try too many "girl moves," but he tried skating backwards and timed his laps to go faster. He was apparently too fast because we don't have any good shots of him. The lighting was not great for pictures, but here are some of the better ones Matt took. We will definitely go back. The kids all loved it and it was cheaper than rollerskating!
I guess roller blading really helped. The girls took to the ice cautiously, but without a wobble or a stumble. Isaac had a harder time at first and asked to switch skates. They originally gave him hockey skates, which are apparently much different. Once he switched to figure skates, he didn't fall again.
At the most crowded, I think there were only 9 other people there besides us. The best were a couple of little girls and their coach. The best girl had to be about Jessica's age. (She was her size.) But to see her jump and spin like a miniature pro was a little unnerving. It was the best thing for the kids though. It made them put caution to the wind and stretch themselves a bit. The girls tried skating on one foot with the back extended. Jess tried "spinning". Makenna tried going faster and then dragging one foot behind. Makenna did tumble a few times as she tried harer things, and learned falling isn't so bad.
Here we are watching the little ice dancers.
Isaac didn't try too many "girl moves," but he tried skating backwards and timed his laps to go faster. He was apparently too fast because we don't have any good shots of him. The lighting was not great for pictures, but here are some of the better ones Matt took. We will definitely go back. The kids all loved it and it was cheaper than rollerskating!
Park Weather
It is still cool enough to go to the park mid day. The kids all had so much fun with friends at In N' Out, we went to the park to play for another hour. No picnic needed because everyone was already stuffed. The weekends have been cooler, then the temps heat up during the week, only cool down again. Great for running, if only the wind would calm down. I'm getting off topic. These are just a couple of shots of the girls at Butterfly Park. I didn't bring the new camera, but hopefully I'll have some great ones soon. I have an assignment to practice from our first Photography group.
Makenna
Jess and Megan
Sunday, May 30, 2010
In N Out Field Trip
We had a fabulous field trip last week to In 'N Out with a bunch of our homeschool friends. I left even more impressed with their quality, freshness and prices than before. We started the tour with them taking our orders. All the kids AND grown-ups got the hamburger/cheeseburger of their choice along with fries and a small drink on the house. Add the hats and stickers for everyone and they spent quite a bundle on us. I guess chalk it up to advertising costs, but it's not like we weren't loyal customers to begin with! We got to go all through the back of the store and hear interesting facts and figures about their massive deliveries that come every other day and how many punds of potatoes they peel twice a day and how it is still a family run business and they only promote from within their ranks. The kids all took turns using the french fry machine--using the lever to push them through the cutter. And afterward we ate fresh, hot yummy food. The only downside was that they have to do field trips early--before opening crowds. So hambergers for 2nd breakfast felt a little funny, but they were still so tasty.
The potato peeler that takes off at least 80% of the skin.
Listening attentively. Makenna, Selma, Megan, Jessica, Taylor shown from left to right.
The soda and water filtration station.
Coring the tomatoes with what looks just like a melon baller.
Jessica making fries. Check out those arm muscles!
Makenna's turn. Can you see the cute earrings?
Isaac did it the fastest and the only one out of all 16 kids that I caught the fries coming down. The manager told him to come talk to him when he's 16.
Isaac eating with the boys. Andrew, Isaac, Aydin, Dillan.
My girls ate with Selma and Megan--their soccer pals!
This is what Jessica always does with her stickers. Someday she will grow out of it. We hope. Is it because Makenna used to cover her with stickers when she was a baby in her bouncy seat?
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Catch Up with the Kids
Makenna's 2 month wait is over. She can now switch out her earrings and she is having great fun doing just that. I used to think the girls changed clothes a lot. That was just a warm-up. Makenna still changes clothes quite often, but she is changing all the accessories even more. She likes to try 2-3 different pairs when she gets dressed in the morning. Then when the weather warms up and she sheds a layer, she has to try a new look. Hair-dos are getting more attention so they don't detract from her ears. It was the birthday present that just keeps on giving. Other Makenna news, she is signed up for dance again after a long soccer break. Dance won't start until fall, but we are holding her spot. It's a real studio with 3 rooms and tons of classes and choices. It could get completely intense, but for now, she is signed up with 2 friends for one class a week. It's a tap/jazz combo. Since going and checking it out though, she can't wait till September. We would do a summer class, but all the ones that would fit her age are conflicting with swim team. . . .
We found a new family hobby of sorts. Geo-caching. We knew of it in Germany, but recently figured out we can participate with iPhones/iPads. We have only found 3 so far and have been stumped on a 4th. But we'll go back again and see if we can't find it. The kids think it's pretty cool and want to hide one of our own. If you haven't heard of it, look it up. Simple fun, worldwide. Here are a few pictures of our efforts so far.
Spoiler alert:One of these pictures shows where one is.
A moving treasure?
A little distracted from the task at hand. But who gets a chance to pick up a turtle? Jess wanted a turn until it started to pee.
A ha!
We added our names to the log inside.
Searching, searching,
searching, searching, searching. . . .
Jess just got back from her second to last soccer game. She is a little fireball on her team. She is very fast and not shy. Last Saturday she scored 3 goals. Final score 4-1. Go Red Vampires! Matt was working and missed the game, so she wanted to score for him tonight. The team they played was significantly tougher, but she managed. Final score 2-2. The opposing coach was a Hispanic guy who kept his son in the whole game and had him kick every corner kick and goal kick. Yeah, he was good, but who wouldn't be with that much practice. This is city league, guy. He was not pleased wactching this little blond girl outrun his players again and again. I loved it. Other Jess news: she has had a few swim lessons. A lady in our ward is teaching private lessons and comes to Jessica's best friend's pool. So they have lessons back to back and get to play together too. She is getting quite good. Today she told me that she could probably do swim team this summer if she wanted to. That was great to hear, but 5 hours of swimming a week is still a bit of an endurance stretch, I think. Jessica agrees. She saw how much work it was last year for Isaac and Makenna. We'll give her another year off and stick with lessons for now.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Frog and Toad
Sunday, May 16, 2010
I Run Like a Girl
Warning: This is a selfish, all eyes on me, entry about the race, so if you don't want to hear running stories, go back or forward and you can find cute pictures of the kids.
At the race expo, there was a license plate bracket that read, "I run like a girl." I would put that on my car. Too bad Matt and I trade cars so often. I don't think either one is labeled his or hers and he probably wouldn't appreciate it when driving.
The long awaited marathon was yesterday and I almost didn't go. Thursday morning I woke up in the pre-dawn hours to start a horrid bout with a flu bug. Makenna and I both got hit hard and we spent all day either in bed or the bathroom. Being sick is always bad enough, but it was even more miserable because I was seeing months of training, race fees, and airline tickets going down the drain. Isaac said it best as I tried to walk to the kitchen to take another airborne/Advil cocktail, "How do you expect to run 26 miles if you can't even walk 26 feet?" I sure didn't know. Matt did. He was sure it was a 24 hours bug and I would be fine after a restful night and extra food the next day. He was right and I am so so so glad.
I woke up Friday feeling weak and with a slight headache, but that's it. No more dizziness, no more nausea, no more aches. I tried to eat a sensible breakfast and pack in time to leave for the airport, but of course I forgot a few things I meant to bring. Luckily Jen and her wonderful friends took care of me. I got to the airport feeling hungry again; a good sign except for the insane prices. It amazed me that the lady who gave me my little sandwich and juice could say, "$10.25 please," with a straight face. Oh well.
I got on an airplane by myself for the first time in 14 years. It is such an easy short flight to SLC that I didn't get much reading done. After landing and playing phone games with Jen several times, "I'm by the security." "So am I, but I don't see you." "I'll go down by the baggage claim." "I still don't see you." We realized that we were in two different terminals. Ah hah! I walked over and met Ruth. She is a lovely person and it was nice to put a face with the name and say thanks in person for the training schedules from years past. She's been helping me out for quite awhile now. As soon as we went outside, it started POURING rain. Hmmm. Didn't plan on that. On the way to Ogden, it even hailed for a bit. We all watched the sky feeling a little anxious. Dark clouds would come, dump and move on. But more kept coming.
The only disappointment at the expo were the shirt sizes. They are huge. My medium might actually fit Matt, but they wouldn't let me switch till the next day. Like anyone wants to worry about a trading a shirt on race day. We met up with the rest of the Colorado girls at an Olive Garden. I think 8 of them used to be in the same ward, but have moved around a bit since. Jen and one other girl brought along sister-in-laws, and there was another Colorado friend. They are a jolly bunch and they happily welcomed me into the ranks. But the long, slow carb filled dinner wasn't quite enough. After we got back to Bountiful, Jen, Ruth and I joined Kelly and Rylie for do it yourself frozen yogurt. yum.
Friday night, Ruth and Jen inducted me into their tattoo, nickname and mantra tradition. Everyone picks a temporary tattoo, and then they jazz them up with sharpies. I had a jolly roger with "I run like a girl" written around it on one arm and the traditional kokopelli on the other. I think they each have lots of nicknames, but Jen went with "Pleh" and Ruth had "Grace". As the newbie, I'll have to earn a nickname before next time. As we discussed weather possibilities, I was given a gift from Ruth. I learned the higher order of sock tricks. I have been using mismatched lost socks on my hands for years. The CO girls cut the toes off longer men's dress socks and cover their whole arms with them. You can chuck them when you get warm, and no loss. So we laid out the final choices of clothes to wear and pack in the race bags and tried to go to sleep. Morning came early. We quickly threw on clothes, ate a few bites of food and left the house at 4:00 MST.
In Ogden we parked and waited on the corner for their other marathon friends. (Half of the Olive Garden crowd were doing the 1/2.) They didn't show up by the time some buses started pulling away, so we went to get in line. Angela did find us before we boarded, but not Paige. I'm really glad Angela found us, because she and I ended up running the first half together and the chatting made it go by fast. But first we had an hour to kill at the start. There were long potty lines and groups huddled around fire pits. 10 minutes before start time, people started peeling off layers and throwing their bags into a truck. It turned out to be a lovely morning, though still chilly, in the 40's. I took off my pants and one long sleeved tech shirt, but kept my old sweatshirt and put the socks on my hands and arms. I wish I had been brave enough to try starting without the sweatshirt. I didn't know the socks would work so well, and I ended up throwing the sweatshirt before the second mile marker.
Jen and Ruth were up ahead. (Jen tried to get a head start, and Ruth had to hustle to catch up. :-) Angela and I had plenty of time to get acquainted and enjoy the pastural scenery. She has done some triathlons too, so we had plenty to talk about. It was a downhill start and despite the crowd, I kept finding that we were going much faster than my goal pace; much faster than was advisable. But then the terrain leveled out and even had slight ups and downs and we maintained a better mid-nine pace for several miles. Angela made me laugh when every few minutes she would say "relatively flat?!" complaining that the race description was skating over the bumps. We made it to the halfway point, the starting point for the half-marathon, before having a potty break. It was a good place because there were dozens of them and no lines, unlike all the previous spots. We separated there, and I became very grateful for all the work I put into iPod song selection earlier in the week.
The aid stations were frequent, well staffed and well stocked. I made sure I slowed to a walk long enough to gulp 1/2 cup of Powerade until mile 25. (I skipped the last one right before the end.) I was also brave and tried GU for the first time. Three different times I grabbed one and a cup of water. I squeezed a small swallow into my mouth and flushed it down with water. I honestly can't say how it tasted because I didn't give it a chance. And I was wasteful and chucked the rest of each one because I was scared they might mess with my stomach if the whole glob was in there. I just wanted a few extra calories to keep me going. Between those few swallows and the juice, I made it okay.
The route went more than halfway around Pine View Lake and up a hill before crossing the dam and going down into the canyon. Somewhere around mile 12 I threw away the socks. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. A light breeze even picked up at times blowing up the canyon. Lovely. Running by the river was nice. There was a beautiful waterfall somewhere around 22 or so. That's also where my watch lost the GPS signal for a few minutes. Canyon walls too high, I guess. This race was so very different than the previous two that were mostly city scenes. The spectators were almost non-existant, but there were plenty of runners around the whole time, so you weren't alone. Plus people had come up the night before and staked signs and well wishes all along the course. Some were funny, some were cute, some were just special. But it helped pass the miles. So thanks to the sign makers.
I realized at mile 20 that I could seriously blow my old time out of the water. Unless I totally bonked, I could be under 4:15. My Venice time was 4:49, I think. I remember just being really glad it wasn't 4:50, and safely under 5 hours. It wasn't great, but it was a huge accomplishment for me, the running hater. Paris, I don't want to talk about. The time was much worse, but it was a great trip, and given the chance, I would totally do again. But my point is that under 4:15 would be like cutting 30 minutes off my time. I just had to keep up the pace. If I really kept it up, no stops and stepped it up at the end, I could be close to 4:10. It was hard. My quads were already complaining. My feet were sore, but not shot. And I was still breathing. I dug deep and tried to think about the people who run the ultras. Tried to imagine that running was just second nature, not a colossal effort. I did still walk to drink and have to admit I sipped a little slower before chucking away the cup. But to make an already too long story a little shorter, I did it. When I crossed the finish line and stopped my watch, it said 4:10:21. I gulped some air, gratefully accepted a medal, then stood in the misting showers and cried for a minute as it all sunk in. Then I started hobbling to find the massage tent--our meeting place. I quickly drank one bottle of water on the way and started a creamy popsicle. I didn't see them around the tent and thought they probably were getting some food, not thinking anyone would show up for another 15 -20 minutes. I got a lovely massage. I felt a little guilty allowing anyone to touch my nasty sweaty/salty skin, but it felt amazing until I started shaking. I thought it was just from cooling down and eating the popsicle. But it just got worse, even in the sun and several people started yelling at me. Well no, not yelling but being very bossy. One lady pushed more water and a banana into my hands and said if I don't eat and drink these right now, she's going to march me over to the medical tent. I did eat and 10 minutes later the shaking had stopped. I guess that was a bad sign, but it's my little badge of honor that tells me that I really did give it my all; my body was spent. Then a little bit of great news. My official time knocked a few more seconds off. 4:10:04!
Jen also beat her time and can say she is fastest at 40! 4:02. Ruth not only beat her PR, but went sub 4 hours. 3:58. It was a good race. We met Angela later and she beat her old time too. Ruth was sweet to say I was the good luck charm, and should run more races with them. I must say it's tempting. They made it lots of fun. After we stopped for lunch, we headed back to Kelly's to shower, then drive to the airport. Whew.
Kelly was a wonderful chauffer and hostess. I honestly had my best pre-race sleep ever. I think I got a solid 4 hours! She had a crazy busy schedule, but provided all we needed. It was good to see them, even if it wasn't for very long. I guess we ran by Andy and Jake in the early morning Saturday. We didn't realize their fathers and sons campout was at Pine View.
Today I feel really good except for my quads. They really don't like stairs or the transition from sit to stand or visa versa. It feels like I did a thousand squats. Was that from the downhill part? And that's my story. This has been way too long, so congrats to anyone who actually read through till now! And it's too late now to update about the kids. That news will have to wait till tomorrow.
good night
ps Here is a picture Isaac took with a phone camera after I got back from my last 20 mile training run. Hee hee.
At the race expo, there was a license plate bracket that read, "I run like a girl." I would put that on my car. Too bad Matt and I trade cars so often. I don't think either one is labeled his or hers and he probably wouldn't appreciate it when driving.
The long awaited marathon was yesterday and I almost didn't go. Thursday morning I woke up in the pre-dawn hours to start a horrid bout with a flu bug. Makenna and I both got hit hard and we spent all day either in bed or the bathroom. Being sick is always bad enough, but it was even more miserable because I was seeing months of training, race fees, and airline tickets going down the drain. Isaac said it best as I tried to walk to the kitchen to take another airborne/Advil cocktail, "How do you expect to run 26 miles if you can't even walk 26 feet?" I sure didn't know. Matt did. He was sure it was a 24 hours bug and I would be fine after a restful night and extra food the next day. He was right and I am so so so glad.
I woke up Friday feeling weak and with a slight headache, but that's it. No more dizziness, no more nausea, no more aches. I tried to eat a sensible breakfast and pack in time to leave for the airport, but of course I forgot a few things I meant to bring. Luckily Jen and her wonderful friends took care of me. I got to the airport feeling hungry again; a good sign except for the insane prices. It amazed me that the lady who gave me my little sandwich and juice could say, "$10.25 please," with a straight face. Oh well.
I got on an airplane by myself for the first time in 14 years. It is such an easy short flight to SLC that I didn't get much reading done. After landing and playing phone games with Jen several times, "I'm by the security." "So am I, but I don't see you." "I'll go down by the baggage claim." "I still don't see you." We realized that we were in two different terminals. Ah hah! I walked over and met Ruth. She is a lovely person and it was nice to put a face with the name and say thanks in person for the training schedules from years past. She's been helping me out for quite awhile now. As soon as we went outside, it started POURING rain. Hmmm. Didn't plan on that. On the way to Ogden, it even hailed for a bit. We all watched the sky feeling a little anxious. Dark clouds would come, dump and move on. But more kept coming.
The only disappointment at the expo were the shirt sizes. They are huge. My medium might actually fit Matt, but they wouldn't let me switch till the next day. Like anyone wants to worry about a trading a shirt on race day. We met up with the rest of the Colorado girls at an Olive Garden. I think 8 of them used to be in the same ward, but have moved around a bit since. Jen and one other girl brought along sister-in-laws, and there was another Colorado friend. They are a jolly bunch and they happily welcomed me into the ranks. But the long, slow carb filled dinner wasn't quite enough. After we got back to Bountiful, Jen, Ruth and I joined Kelly and Rylie for do it yourself frozen yogurt. yum.
Friday night, Ruth and Jen inducted me into their tattoo, nickname and mantra tradition. Everyone picks a temporary tattoo, and then they jazz them up with sharpies. I had a jolly roger with "I run like a girl" written around it on one arm and the traditional kokopelli on the other. I think they each have lots of nicknames, but Jen went with "Pleh" and Ruth had "Grace". As the newbie, I'll have to earn a nickname before next time. As we discussed weather possibilities, I was given a gift from Ruth. I learned the higher order of sock tricks. I have been using mismatched lost socks on my hands for years. The CO girls cut the toes off longer men's dress socks and cover their whole arms with them. You can chuck them when you get warm, and no loss. So we laid out the final choices of clothes to wear and pack in the race bags and tried to go to sleep. Morning came early. We quickly threw on clothes, ate a few bites of food and left the house at 4:00 MST.
In Ogden we parked and waited on the corner for their other marathon friends. (Half of the Olive Garden crowd were doing the 1/2.) They didn't show up by the time some buses started pulling away, so we went to get in line. Angela did find us before we boarded, but not Paige. I'm really glad Angela found us, because she and I ended up running the first half together and the chatting made it go by fast. But first we had an hour to kill at the start. There were long potty lines and groups huddled around fire pits. 10 minutes before start time, people started peeling off layers and throwing their bags into a truck. It turned out to be a lovely morning, though still chilly, in the 40's. I took off my pants and one long sleeved tech shirt, but kept my old sweatshirt and put the socks on my hands and arms. I wish I had been brave enough to try starting without the sweatshirt. I didn't know the socks would work so well, and I ended up throwing the sweatshirt before the second mile marker.
Jen and Ruth were up ahead. (Jen tried to get a head start, and Ruth had to hustle to catch up. :-) Angela and I had plenty of time to get acquainted and enjoy the pastural scenery. She has done some triathlons too, so we had plenty to talk about. It was a downhill start and despite the crowd, I kept finding that we were going much faster than my goal pace; much faster than was advisable. But then the terrain leveled out and even had slight ups and downs and we maintained a better mid-nine pace for several miles. Angela made me laugh when every few minutes she would say "relatively flat?!" complaining that the race description was skating over the bumps. We made it to the halfway point, the starting point for the half-marathon, before having a potty break. It was a good place because there were dozens of them and no lines, unlike all the previous spots. We separated there, and I became very grateful for all the work I put into iPod song selection earlier in the week.
The aid stations were frequent, well staffed and well stocked. I made sure I slowed to a walk long enough to gulp 1/2 cup of Powerade until mile 25. (I skipped the last one right before the end.) I was also brave and tried GU for the first time. Three different times I grabbed one and a cup of water. I squeezed a small swallow into my mouth and flushed it down with water. I honestly can't say how it tasted because I didn't give it a chance. And I was wasteful and chucked the rest of each one because I was scared they might mess with my stomach if the whole glob was in there. I just wanted a few extra calories to keep me going. Between those few swallows and the juice, I made it okay.
The route went more than halfway around Pine View Lake and up a hill before crossing the dam and going down into the canyon. Somewhere around mile 12 I threw away the socks. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. A light breeze even picked up at times blowing up the canyon. Lovely. Running by the river was nice. There was a beautiful waterfall somewhere around 22 or so. That's also where my watch lost the GPS signal for a few minutes. Canyon walls too high, I guess. This race was so very different than the previous two that were mostly city scenes. The spectators were almost non-existant, but there were plenty of runners around the whole time, so you weren't alone. Plus people had come up the night before and staked signs and well wishes all along the course. Some were funny, some were cute, some were just special. But it helped pass the miles. So thanks to the sign makers.
I realized at mile 20 that I could seriously blow my old time out of the water. Unless I totally bonked, I could be under 4:15. My Venice time was 4:49, I think. I remember just being really glad it wasn't 4:50, and safely under 5 hours. It wasn't great, but it was a huge accomplishment for me, the running hater. Paris, I don't want to talk about. The time was much worse, but it was a great trip, and given the chance, I would totally do again. But my point is that under 4:15 would be like cutting 30 minutes off my time. I just had to keep up the pace. If I really kept it up, no stops and stepped it up at the end, I could be close to 4:10. It was hard. My quads were already complaining. My feet were sore, but not shot. And I was still breathing. I dug deep and tried to think about the people who run the ultras. Tried to imagine that running was just second nature, not a colossal effort. I did still walk to drink and have to admit I sipped a little slower before chucking away the cup. But to make an already too long story a little shorter, I did it. When I crossed the finish line and stopped my watch, it said 4:10:21. I gulped some air, gratefully accepted a medal, then stood in the misting showers and cried for a minute as it all sunk in. Then I started hobbling to find the massage tent--our meeting place. I quickly drank one bottle of water on the way and started a creamy popsicle. I didn't see them around the tent and thought they probably were getting some food, not thinking anyone would show up for another 15 -20 minutes. I got a lovely massage. I felt a little guilty allowing anyone to touch my nasty sweaty/salty skin, but it felt amazing until I started shaking. I thought it was just from cooling down and eating the popsicle. But it just got worse, even in the sun and several people started yelling at me. Well no, not yelling but being very bossy. One lady pushed more water and a banana into my hands and said if I don't eat and drink these right now, she's going to march me over to the medical tent. I did eat and 10 minutes later the shaking had stopped. I guess that was a bad sign, but it's my little badge of honor that tells me that I really did give it my all; my body was spent. Then a little bit of great news. My official time knocked a few more seconds off. 4:10:04!
Jen also beat her time and can say she is fastest at 40! 4:02. Ruth not only beat her PR, but went sub 4 hours. 3:58. It was a good race. We met Angela later and she beat her old time too. Ruth was sweet to say I was the good luck charm, and should run more races with them. I must say it's tempting. They made it lots of fun. After we stopped for lunch, we headed back to Kelly's to shower, then drive to the airport. Whew.
Kelly was a wonderful chauffer and hostess. I honestly had my best pre-race sleep ever. I think I got a solid 4 hours! She had a crazy busy schedule, but provided all we needed. It was good to see them, even if it wasn't for very long. I guess we ran by Andy and Jake in the early morning Saturday. We didn't realize their fathers and sons campout was at Pine View.
Today I feel really good except for my quads. They really don't like stairs or the transition from sit to stand or visa versa. It feels like I did a thousand squats. Was that from the downhill part? And that's my story. This has been way too long, so congrats to anyone who actually read through till now! And it's too late now to update about the kids. That news will have to wait till tomorrow.
good night
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Another Tooth, Gone
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
