Vegan...with Curves

Big shoes to fill, 50 milers and other (mis) adventures

2011-09-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

I am rehabbing the same pesky knee issue that forced me to run all of TNFEC 50K with a KiniseoTaped right knee. After two weeks of VERY light running it is better, but I'm finding that if I step in slightly the wrong way I seem to re-injure it. *sigh* This is not making it any easier for me to decide whether I want to start training for BRR50 and if I actually want to run it, I need to start training like nowish. Clearly I just need to be patient with my knee, to continue working with the capacity I have available and to decide further down the road, but patience has never been my strongest trait. Like right now I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my (new to me--last year's model) Hoka One One Mafates from The Clymb. I've been curious about them for ages and at 60% off I could hardly pass them up. So I'll be switching back and forth between barefoot, minimal and super cushioned. A recipe for disaster? I hope not.

A tiny bit of progress

2011-07-24T16:51:00.000-07:00

With the help of a little pre-cut pink and blue Kinesio Tape I managed to wake up free of that pesky plantar pain, to run 5 miles outdoors, and to complete a Lotte Berk-style warm up and stretch routine all before the temperatures really began to rise at 9 AM. I feel accomplished and tired, but I also feel like I need to do more. Trails next week. I'm putting it in writing so I can't back out. Until then I continue to work on my championship couchsitting/arch icing skills.

On Running and not running

2011-07-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine just told me she loves my blog so I was shamed into coming back to post something.
I had these beautiful and lofty plans to stay the running course post-50K and mostly I've stuck to the plan. However...my left foot and that pesky plantar fascia are trying to sabotage my good works. *sigh* (I do that a lot lately). I didn't run yesterday--instead I hooped in my living room and went to a fantastically strenuous Barre Body class at night. I feel good. I feel sore in new places. I feel like I'm being proactive about my fitness, but I don't feel the same way I feel after a run: accomplished, exhausted and like my legs can carry me anywhere.

Aaaaaand I won't be running today either. (Hello, Left Arch. Yes, I know you are still there--you keep reminding me in a not so gentle, throbby kind of way.) So I'm taking a bit of a run break while I re-group and plan for my upcoming relay in August, my rematch with the women's trail half marathon (you may have broken my foot last year, BRO Trail, but you have not broken me yet!) and Tough Mudder in October. I have a lot of planning and crosstraining and running to do in the coming months and I am so looking forward to the point where all my body parts are willing participants in that process.

Fresh fare

2011-06-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

So...initially I came here to report that pre-50K (Saturday), I am yet again slightly mangled, but I'm surviving. I ran 2 on Tuesday (and did AbRipperX after) and 3 today. The next two days are planned rest days so I'm going to keep my jumping about and running around to a minimum, BUT I am going to pick up our CSA share tomorrow and I'm super excited about some of the offerings:

Kohlrabi, Turnips, Broccoli, Beets, Fennel, Snow Peas, Garlic Scapes, Oregano, Free-Range Eggs and Raspberries. (I think I did a little OMGraspberries happy dance when I read the produce list)

No, I don't eat eggs--I AM vegan after all, but KJ does so he gets a rare treat (for him). I am already planning a beet and fennel salad or perhaps a saute of garlic scapes and beets? Not sure yet--there are lots of options, but I have no idea what to do with the kohlrabi. This will be a first foray into kohlrabi prep for me. This could go so badly. Better start researching recipes...

I am also picking up my race packet tomorrow so I'll be making a quick trip to The North Face store to get my race bag and fondle check out all the new gear . *sigh* This stay at home dog mommy career choice has its down side.

Sleep, eat, run or practice?

2011-03-20T20:29:00.000-07:00

These are my choices these days. Do I eat breakfast first and run later? Quick smoothie and quicker run? Hills or speed? Choices choices.

This weekend I didn't bother choosing --I just did a little of everything. Yesterday, I was already tired from the very little sleep I manage on a good day, but I still picked up a friend, did a 70 minute silks class, went home to pick up the dogs and then hit Fountainhead for 10 miles on the trail. By this morning I felt like hell and I couldn't decide which trail to run or whether to go back to sleep. PHT is generally my go-to trail for 6 milers, but last weekend more than half of the trail was washed out by the Potomac and I didn't want to chance it. So I compromised (going back to sleep wasn't ever really an option), strapped on the Kinvaras and started my run at my front door. It was a bit of a cheat since I'm meant to do trails on weekends, but I still covered my mileage and was able to get to dance class on time.

My delts are pleasantly sore from TRXing on Friday and from aerial silks practice Saturday...AND my House dance practice is still a little klutzy but I feel better about my progress every week. Everything worked out this weekend (sort of), but I really need to find balance if I want to be able to continue.

Best of both worlds?

2010-12-19T19:43:00.000-08:00

I'm finally back on my feet (again) running short distances and working up to getting back out on the trails. Currently running roads in the Saucony Kinvara ViziPro and loving them, but ever since my trail incident I've been wondering if I need to change my shoes again. Is it possible to be minimalist on the roads and ultra-cushioned on the trails?

I've been reading reviews of the Hoka One One Mafate for the past several weeks and being the lover of crazy shoes that I am, I'm really interested in trying them, but at $170 I'm wondering if they live up to the hype?

Off the map and into the cosmos

2010-11-15T21:38:00.000-08:00

Welly welly well, my little droogs, it would appear as though I stepped into the Korova Milkbar for a quick shot and spent the next 60 days on a soya milk bender...But that story would be far more interesting than the truth. The truth, my friends, is that my fall in that race two months ago was a bit more damaging than I originally thought and I've spent the last eight plus weeks doing as little as possible on my feet, limping about and losing all the mileage I gained over months of training. So now I'm tired from a few VERY short runs and I'm working hard to get my head in the right space and to get my body back.

So, while I plot modest upcoming race goals, and continue conditioning my body for longer runs and low flying aerial dance (my latest aerial interest)...feel free to enjoy a brief video. Be kind, please, as this was my first official public performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAMz0ak9cPw

Trail Runners don't cry...

2010-09-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

...but the moment after I had my inexplicably painful fall on Saturday and tried to walk-run a few steps I really really wanted to. I looked at the two women who had been using me as their pacer as they disappeared further up the trail ahead of me, I saw the early finishers coming toward me and I thought for a crazy moment that I might be able to hobble my way through the remaining 5 miles. I tried to put pressure on my right forefoot and I knew for sure that I was done. For the first time in my relatively brief running career (10 years is brief compared to some, right?), I pulled myself out of a race. The official photographer at the water crossing marveled at the gnarliness of my injury and insisted on taking a photo.

So I gamely posed for the photo and then limped my way back up the switchbacks toward the finish. Every time a runner on the outbound congratulated me on being so near the finish or asked me if I was okay, I could feel the hot prickle behind my eyes and I repeated one of several phrases I'd mastered without a quaver in my voice. "I'm okay." "Doing fine." "I'm good..", and then I kept moving. I exited out of the trees into an area just above the finish chute because a quick limp through the finish would be accompanied by a name announcement and there was no way in hell that I felt like so publicly quitting. Ugh, it was just so frustrating and disappointing and I constantly felt the need to re-explain to people I encountered that if I'd only scraped my knee I would have continued running, but between the swelling in my knee and my battered foot it just wasn't on. I've done this race for the past two years and will likely go for it again next year, but right now I just feel really conflicted about the experience.

Part two of my half marathon weekend was equally bizarre (woke up early but still arrived after the start of the race, it rained the whole time, I had to run hard to catch up with my pace group after a bathroom break, and without a cell phone I couldn't find my boyfriend post race), but I finished AND I finished my first half in my VFFs. And I got a cool hat as well.

Back to life...

2010-09-08T19:38:00.000-07:00

I have a double half marathon/aerial silks sandwich planned for the weekend. What's on your menu?

Planning and running and inverting...

2010-07-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

...that's what I've been doing since I last posted. I'm planning a double half marathon weekend in September because I couldn't find a Fall marathon that I wanted to commit to and I have an aerial show the weekend after so my life consists of (very little) sleep, aerial, lifting, running and doing it all over again often. I'm not complaining at all because my time could be full of far worse things. I'd like to have more time to write though, but that's more of a resolve/time management issue than anything else. Sporadic updates when I have silks breakthroughs or a particularly good run--I think that's all I can promise myself for now.

Hanging around

2010-06-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

It was a hot day in the tent and foot locks were particularly challenging, but it was nice to have such a small class and be able to rotate between silks so often.

Running away to join the circus

2010-06-01T07:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, I got willingly kidnapped by some circus folks and I'm completely unharmed, but not unaffected. Aerial arts have captured my imagination and I want to try a little of everything! I haven't braved the trapeze yet as I'm still working on my getting over my fear of scaling that shaky ladder, but I just attended my second lyra class at TSNY yesterday and I can see myself loving that too. My lyra instructor, a young college student who grew up studying circus arts, caught my attention yesterday with a simple phrase that she probably didn't even realize was important. She said, essentially that aerial arts were a pivotal growth tool for her because one might be awkward on the ground, but one need not be awkward in the air. I totally get that and it resonates with me on so many levels (Hi, remember me? I'm the lady who steps in cheese and trips on her own shadow ;). Silks can be frustrating and challenging, but I keep returning because its beautiful and the process is teaching that I know such a small amount about the universe and I'm okay with that as long as I remain open to learning and evolving.

I may be occasionally awkward in the air right now, but I'm enjoying defying gravity.

I stepped in cheese.

2010-03-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have been gone for a long time, but no that is not a euphemism. On Sunday I stepped in cheese. Real, full dairy, animal fatty, melty and sweating on a black topped parking lot in the sun cheese. I think it was pepper jack. If I'd allowed them to lick my shoes as they kept trying to do, my dogs might be able to confirm this, but I'll get to that in a second.

Before the assault by dairy, KJ and I made a plan to enjoy a rare sunny and warm March day. I busted out a short sleeved t-shirt, post-Goth cargo pants (seriously, they have a lace waistband and flared legs. I bought them at Hot Topic and yes, I fully appreciate the irony) and put on my favorite pair of Onitsuka Tigers. KJ and I walked around Old Town, enjoyed a Belgian breakfast and then spent the afternoon hooping in the park. We smiled at dogs, visited a candy store and strolled around town commenting on gardens and architectural elements. *sigh* It was bliss. And then that damned piece of cheese ruined my day, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Before heading home we stopped at a grocery store to pick up cold meds for KJ (despite the weather, it is still Winter)and a few other items we needed around the house. As we walked back to the car we laughed about the kooky Girl Scouts squealing and hawking calories outside the store and KJ referenced a Chris Kattan joke from some really bad Lorne Michaels feature film (something about CK dressed in a Scout uniform and offering COOK-AYS!). Goofballs on the loose...we almost made a clean getaway, but as I approached the back door of the car to place our purchases on the back seat I felt a squish. Initially I thought it was a wet paper towel dampened by the piles of still melting snow, but when I tried to shake it off, it wouldn't go away. "Must be gum," I thought. Gross, but fairly easy to remove with an ice cube. But the texture was wrong. It squished not so much like wet paper or gum, but more like...dog poop. I lifted my foot and there, caught between the rubbery blue and lime green spikes of my retro climbing shoes were the remains of a partially melted and fully rubberized piece of white cheese.

*Hurk*

Seriously. The older I get, the more certain things (the smell of seafood, paper litter on a running trail, melted cheese on my shoe) activate my gag reflex.

I wiped my shoe on the pavement but the offending dairy product continued to cling to my kicks and further embed itself amongst the treads.

"Wipe it off on the ice over there," KJ thoughtfully suggested in between stiffled guffaws. It *was* funny--hell, I was laughing too if only at the sheer ridiculous grossness of stepping in someone's discarded cheese but it really was so so disgusting. Nope, icing it didn't help.AT.ALL.

So I drove us home, careful not to touch anything in my car with the cheese shoe. I could only imagine the way rotting bits of cheese might smell hidden amongst the floor mats on a 90 plus degree Summer day. *shudder*

Safely at home I kicked off my shoe on the front porch, limped around in my one cheeseless shoe, greeting the dogs and gathering supplies to clean my footwear.

Outside all three of the girls were jockeying for space to sniff and get close enough to taste the amazingness that was the cheese shoe. KJ thought it hilarious to allow them to get close enough to attempt a lick and then call them off. Yep. Ha ha . Three bowls of soapy water, one old sponge and five paper towels later my shoe was clean enough to bring into the house. I tried lining it up in the shoe tray by the door to dry but there must have been tiny cheese molecules left in my shoe tread because the girls continued to try to nose my shoe upside down in order to claim their prize (really, what self-respecting dog wouldn't enjoy a little shoe with cheese topping?). Cleaning FAIL. Right now the shoe is drying in the hall closet away from canine noses--drying just enough so I can throw it into the wash and hopefully forget this ever happened.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

2009-10-31T08:31:00.000-07:00

Sooooo....I am writing a novel. Yep, its one of those life list things that I never really wrote down but always wanted to do. No plot yet, no title, nothing, but I have at least one more day before I need to start putting words to paper so that's good.

We shall see...at least I now have the push I need to start writing again and it will help me shift my focus from all physical training all the time to a bit of mental training.

Three more weeksish until JFK. My finish time in Nike was good--on target with where I want to finish JFK this year so go me!

Just hanging around

2009-09-16T08:31:00.000-07:00

...waiting for the afternoon to pass so I can get my mileage in and catch up on my reading (for school and for pleasure). I miss aerial already even though I've only missed a week, but with a broken finger I am likely to miss several more.

This is not a test...

2009-09-12T14:56:00.000-07:00

...in fact, the gurgling you may have heard (if you'd been running ahead or behind me in this morning's trail half), was my intestines. Too much liquid, not enough solids. No port-o-potties and just my sheer will (and an aid station a few miles away) to keep it in check. Other than my intestinal roiling early on, I felt great so I made a vow to myself to eat something (a PB&J bite and some Pringles) at the next aid station. I settled for a cup of water, a few chips and a bite of the PB&J bite --crust and part of the bread followed the empty water cup into the trash bin--and then I was off. There's something about that aid station that makes me run a little more purposefully. For the second year in a row, one of the volunteers has commented on how strong I looked as I re-entered the woods.

A few minutes into the woods and I'd already picked off my first runner and began progressing along the trail. I felt confident in my technical skills and that made up for my lack of speed. A few miles in I began a conversation with the woman ahead of me--I needed to remind myself that this was just a training run and I needed to save a little for my run tomorrow. So we chatted about last year's race, about JFK50, about trail fashion (I was wearing both a new shirt and new Inov-8s--that's a no no, right? It all worked out, thank goodness--no new blisters, no chafe). Chatting helped keep my pace steady/slow. At the last aid station I gambled on a cup of Mountain Dew. Can't stand the stuff in every day life, but there's something about that neon yellow liquid that gives me the extra push to finish well. And I did--finish well, that is.

As we entered the final 200 m I could see the historical cemetary ahead and to my right and I could hear the strains of some classic rock song. Crazily, it felt like the final scene in The Warriors--hearing that jangly music and seeing the Wonder Wheel and knowing I was home. It felt like that until I broke out of the tree line and saw the crowd in a small knot at the finish line. I was not on Coney Island, but in my temporary home further down the East Coast and I was done--at least for today. I ran through the finish chute and just stopped short and into a walk. My toes hurt a little (a combination of klutziness and new shoes, I suspect), but really I could have gone another 13. I feel good and closer to being ready to slay bigger dragons.

Still. Here.

2009-07-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

I'm running. Slowly and in need of new trail and road shoes, but I am happy to report that I am officially training for JFK50. The race essentially filled in two or three days so it has been a worrisome two weeks of waiting to find out whether my application made the cut. Today its official. So I'm pleased.

And I had a fantastic weekend so I'm glowing (and its Monday morning so imagine that!)

As part of my training/life plan I'm also doing this (thanks Ben. Things are going well ;). If you wonder how I look so good (tee hee hee) check it out!

And as part of my sanity maintenance regimen I took an aerial silks class at the Trapeze School-NY on Saturday. It was ridiculously fun and challenging. My shoulders, my forearms and pecs are sore, but in the best possible way. I had such a good time I'm going back next weekend.

Oh and I also checked out a new trail . And somewhere in there was dancing and drinkies and a few too many late nights, but I feel good and had a much needed enjoyable weekend.

Trail inspiration

2009-06-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

Yay pix (or at least a single picture)! I'm working on getting a new camera (why are there so many options?!?) and on finding my inspiration these days. The weather is bumming me out, as is the parade of semi-flaky running partners. *sigh*

Sunday Fun Run (ha ha ha)

2009-05-19T08:25:00.000-07:00

Sunday's trail half really was mostly fun. A little chilly, a little rainy and VERY muddy, but overall really beautiful and enjoyable. Oddly I hated the technical hills a lot less than the flat, long, boring fire roads. I'm not sure what that says about me other than that I prefer a rocky, rooty run in the woods to wide flat roads stretching interminably ahead. NO pix yet because my camera is broken and official photos have yet to be posted.

This was my first race with this adventure racing company and so far they get two thumbs up from me. Great course, well marked, enthusiastic volunteers and racers. I have nothing else planned until September at this point (of course I'll run--that's just what I do) and am envying those people who live in places where there's either an organized trail race or an FA almost any weekend.

Mmm...food

2009-05-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

Other than trail food I don't talk food much, but those who know me well know that I love to eat. Let me qualify that, I love to eat when the food is high quality and the company is as well. Yesterday I wanted coffee but given a variety of minor health issues, caffeine is a really bad choice right now so instead of spending $4.00 on a random hot drink I went shopping for red chai and almond milk and returned home with nearly $70 in groceries. Go me! I'm single handedly working on saving the economy.

On a whim I purchased a few new (and expensive!) products to try: Teese Mozzarella Vegan cheese and Honest Granola Planks.

I love that there are more and more vegan cheese options every day: Sheese, Chreese, Teese, Follow Your Heart, VeganRella, Tofutti...and I wanted to love Teese as an alternative to Follow Your Heart, BUT I don't love the consistency. Teese melts, but then it develops watery pools so you have to wait a little while for it to re-solidify so it doesn't slide off your dish. Once it resolidifies it has an unappetizingly rubbery consistency. The flavor? Its a little sweet--which I didn't mind, but its disarming. It also tastes, sadly, rather like processed "cheese food." All this being said, I think it might work really well in recipes (other than pizza) where cheese is not the focal point.

The Honest Granola Planks were fantastic! A little high in cals and fat but what granola isn't? Great flavor, good mouth feel and texture (soft and chewy, but held up well in coconut milk yogurt) and conveniently packaged for breakfast on the run, post-gym snack or out on the trails. Two paws up on the granola front for sure!

So, to recap: skip the Teese for pizzas but give it a try on sandwiches if you have the room in your grocery budget (retails for approx $5/tube) and want something different. And if you enjoy granola or chewy and grainy snack bars you will dig the Honest Granola Planks

Still crosstraining

2009-05-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

The rain is killing my workouts, I can't bring the dogs out in a downpour because they refuse to walk too far when its wet out and I can't leave them alone inside on a rainy day because they are totally stir crazy. *sigh* Yep, excuses--I have many.

I did a brief trail run yesterday once the rain stopped and cross trained on the TRX today. We are in for a rainy week so I'm planning for many lunchtime run/crosstraining workouts. This will all hopefully help me feel more prepared for the half in two weeks.

I'm having a few issues with my current road shoes and am hoping to address them in a few weeks.

Hitting the trails/rocking the roads

2009-04-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

In three weeks I run my first trail race of the year and then my schedule is all over the place: Komen 5K, another trail half, a trail 50K, the Nike Women's Marathon, and possibly JFK if my budget supports it. So I'm splitting my weekends into one day of trail running and one day of road/light trail running. I have no plan in mind yet other than to run and think, to drink and eat and run, and to run more. My work/school life are scheduled enough that I'm not sure I want my running life to be the same. We'll see how that goes. Just another few strides in the grand experiment.

Happy Trails.

I dream of running

2009-03-17T07:43:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the craziest dream involving an ultrarunner houseguest, my father (who passed away nearly 10 years ago) and the idea of running, but I never ran more than a few feet in the dream. On one hand I want it to have this weighty symbolism, but I'm sure it was just a brain dump. I've been thinking about running so much lately and doing very little of it (other than the rainy trail miles on Sunday) that this was probably my mind's gentle reminder. Time to hit the trails for sure. Time to do, not just dream.

I'm so ready.

Yes, I am

2009-02-23T07:26:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'm biting a Melissa Etheridge line to finally come out of the fitness closet: I am nearly 60 days into P90X and I love it! The time commitment is HUGE, but I feel stronger than I have in a long time and I think my running is/will benefit from it. I'm still figuring out my race schedule for the year, but I do know that I have a trail half coming up in May and I need to get on it!

In other news I am super duper jazzed about seeing the boys in a little over 10 days. Its been a long time coming and I'm really excited to share the experience with KJ (and to run on the beach!!!).

The whole world is watching

2009-01-21T07:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday (hell, the whole weekend) was AMAZING! Sometimes I really love living in the DC Metro area. We were about 1.25 miles away from the Capitol behind the Washington Monument, but we felt every moment of pride and excitement right along with those actually seated/standing at the Capitol. I'm still awestruck and sleep deprived. More later...

Happy New Us!

2009-01-05T08:27:00.000-08:00

KJ and I spent NYE playing RockBand with two of our favorite people. I broke out of my public singing shell and handled the vocals because I just couldn't get the hang of the other instruments. You'd think someone who dances/skates/trail runs would have better hand-eye (hand-foot?) coordination, but not so! Our friends were gracious enough to allow me to hog the microphone and to indulge us until 4 AM. The perfect low stress way to sing in the new year. ;)

On New Year's Day we took two of the pups to Maple Tree for some quiet and outdoor bonding. It was coooooooold, our wood stove had a few "technical glitches", our neighbors in the woods indulged in a little 11 pm drunken target practice, but overall it was really beautiful. At night we could see miles of stars that seemed so close we could nearly touch them and during the day we took the dogs out for a ramble on the Appalachian Trail.

We also made a few agreements (resolutions? who keeps those anyway?!) with each other and with ourselves. So, here's to a brave new beginning to 2009.

Beautiful things

2008-12-29T06:48:00.000-08:00

This weekend I received several really wonderful gifts: a bottle of vegan wine, an adorable photo of my nieces and nephew, and a gorgeous day to run and hike with KJ and the pups (the quest for zero impact was not entirely successful, but the few gifts we gave/received were incredibly thoughtful and useful).

Saturday was the clearer, but slightly cooler day of the weekend and it was perfect for a jaunt out to Great Falls with the dogs. Initially I had planned on checking out the towpath-Billy Goat A-towpath loop, but there was too much foot traffic and Billy Goat A is not safe for the dogs. Instead we parked across from Old Angler Inn, dropped down to Berma Road and then picked up an uphill segment of the Gold Mine Trail (to the Great Falls Tavern> Billy Goat C). The weather was perfect, Sascha and Hippo were reasonably well behaved and I got the opportunity to run a little in my new Roclites. Great day, great company, fantastic little shoe.

No Impact - A Christmas Without Gifts

2008-12-24T07:25:00.000-08:00

This gentleman was on Democracy Now this morning discussing his family's Christmas without presents. I feel vindicated (not that I really required it, maybe validated is the better word choice) for our nearly no present Christmas. We've bought gifts only for the kids and for the dogs, but are not exchanging gifts amongst the adults in my family--its better this way, the pressure to spend spend spend is gone so instead of shelling out money that we should be saving we will spend our Christmas day enjoying each other's company. Win-win.

What next? Good question...

2008-12-22T11:33:00.000-08:00

On the running front I'd been considering two upcoming longer options: HATRun 50 K (now full) and the Bull Run Run 50 Miler. Both runs are fairly early in the year and both would have required me to get off my rear end right now. I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet as I've semi-settled into shorter running bursts during the week interspersed with strength training days and hanging out with KJ and the dogs. BRR is still under consideration since the lottery doesn't open until late next month, but HAT is sold out so clearly that one is out.

I've also wanted to run in my hometown again so I've been looking at the latest addition to the RnR marathons/halfs: Seattle! As silly as this may sound, I've been avoiding marathons--yes, I've been running far longer distances and for longer times, but there's something about me being so slow now that is resisting the speed work and tempo runs required to get me back into a road race. Have I whined enough yet? For sure.

The real answer is I'm not sure what's next--there are a lot of races coming up and a lot of miles still to cover so I'll think about it a bit more, get a few runs in in the meantime and get back to that.

I *have* decided that I need more dancing in my life though. I don't yet know if that means finally taking a belly dance class or getting back to my old standbys: jazz, modern and ballet?

Today one of my horoscopes says this:
You are a star, as evidenced by your full calendar. Today, examine the force behind your gift. It is not by accident that you excel on stage.

I'm not sure that means anything other than that I need to learn to take a compliment and that my hoop dancing exhibition at the work talent showcase may not have been as silly or as bad as I'm assuming it was. So, cosmos, thanks for the reminder.

JFK 46

2008-11-24T15:28:00.000-08:00

Saturday, November 22 was the 46th running of the JFK 50 Miler and my first 50 miler. My biggest concern before the race was hitting all the elimination points in time, but soon after the first cut off I realized that I didn't need to worry at all. Somewhere between the first and fourth aid stations I made up enough time to remain in the race and to become an official finisher. Kurt was an excellent support crew of one, I survived without frostbite, dehydration or blisters! I'm pleased, but I'm also already mentally working out what I can do differently/better next time.

Yep, next time.

Learning a new language

2008-11-17T07:17:00.000-08:00

I am seeing things newly every day. I watched 60 Minutes last night and grinned uncontrollably as Barack Obama and our future first lady, Michelle Obama bantered congenially back and forth. "He seems like a really cool guy, someone you could and would want to hang out with or talk to, " Kurt mused--he read my mind. It still seems a bit unreal/surreal,like everything else these days.

Three weeks has turned into just 5 days and I've been spending the last few trail runs psyching myself out a bit: 12 hours? Just 12? Really? I'm walking a lot--can I really do this? And on and on with the head chatter.

I'm rolling my eyes right now because this is my silly way of keeping myself humble and retaining the proper respect for what I'm about to do. Others--many others--have done this before me and succeeded, but for me this IS a new experience, a new country/culture/language. I'm still teaching myself where to step, what to listen and look for and how to roll with things when they just don't go as planned.

Signs are cropping up everywhere, maybe because my eyes are more open now? Who knows. Dimes. Snakes. ASL. Dropping out of work and into life. Its all there, as it has been before--germinating and growing roots. The last is a note to myself to mark this moment. More, hopefully on this later.

Its a New Dawn...its a New Day...

2008-11-05T11:12:00.000-08:00

I've focused here on running because besides work and school THAT is what I do, but my friends also know that I have been watching the election very closely. I'm not going to hide my politics--I'm very excited about the outcome of the presidential election and think this an amazing opportunity for us to move forward in a positive way as a country. More thoughts on that in the coming weeks and months, but right now I am still basking in the spirit of celebration.

This morning I shared a few thoughts with friends and now I share them with you, dear blog.

I am overwhelmed. My mother called me from Seattle in tears. She's just happy her mother who was born in the Jim Crow South has lived to see this amazing turn of events. She and my aunt are making flight arrangements to come out and visit for the inauguration.

Before we went out to see Flobots last night we already knew that Barack Obama will be our next president AND we knew that the state I've grown up in had officially turned BLUE!

Driving to the 9:30 Club we listened to McCain's concession speech and drove through the subdued streets of Crystal City. DC was a whole different story. Every few blocks cars honked their horns to the rhythm O-BA-MA...O-BA-MA! Everyone crossing the streets wore Obama t-shirts, buttons, hats and huge grins.

In the club Flobots finished a song and then took a moment to reflect on change and our president elect. The crowd was small but energetic, buoyed by the spirit of something so monumental words don't do it justice. We all swayed and bobbed together to political hip hop rock Colorado style and when Obama was ready to speak the band took a break so we could all hear the sound of history in the making.

We were all aware that there is still so much further we have to go but we are moving together in the right direction. Yes. We are.

Flobots quickly dispatched George Dubya with a blistering cover of "Final Countdown." I laughed and Kurt and I sang along.

The show ended with a slightly slowed down "Handlebars" that seemed less like the kitschy fun song it once was and more a cautionary tale...

I can end the world in a holocaust...in a holocaust...

Maybe I was the only one who heard it, but I think not. The final song of the night, exhorted us all to "RISE", to be better people to be a better country to be the change we all so desperately seek.

Josh, the doorman with the surgical steel septum horns and the super gauged lobe stretchings bobbed his head slightly and wished us all a safe journey as we floated out the door into the damp night.

"Let's walk", Kurt and I agreed simultaneously.

We dropped down one block onto U Street and into another world. The sidewalks were a press of people high fiving and hugging strangers, wearing Mardi Gras beads and beatific expressions, homeless men in Obama shirts or no shirt at all cheering along with the 6 block long impromptu street party.

Outside an Ethiopian restaurant people bounced and danced to the strains of Kool & the Gang's "Celebration". People sat in their cars, going nowhere for quite some time, but content to share their go go music, to hang out their windows to wave fists--peace signs--flags, and to allow strangers to stand on the roofs and hoods of their cars.

At one corner I joined the real photogs in capturing shots of the blue rainbow airbrushed Vote 4 Barack car.

Amidst the fireworks and flags and people dancing atop bus shelters (ole ole ole ole!) DC Metro police and firefighters leaned on their cars and just watched--a few of them seemed to wish they could join the festivities.

We walked and walked, gawked a little, yelled a lot, high fived more than a few, held an impromptu traffic light rave and rejoiced in what is only the beginning...

Don't you know
They're talkin' bout a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
Don't you know
They're talkin' about a revolution
It sounds like a whisper

While they're standing in the welfare lines
Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation
Wasting time in the unemployment lines
Sitting around waiting for a promotion

Poor people gonna rise up
And get their share
Poor people gonna rise up
And take what's theirs

Don't you know
You better run, run, run...
Oh I said you better
Run, run, run...

Finally the tables are starting to turn
Talkin' bout a revolution

3 Weeks

2008-10-31T07:40:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I haven't posted since September and here we are on the final day of October! My first 50 mile is three weeks from tomorrow. I have new pictures and adventures to post (I ran most of a 50K two weekends ago) and new shoes! Actually they are the same trail shoes I always run in--just a different color.

I'm still working on my nutrition, but I think I've discovered a few different foods that work well.

Tonight I will be out celebrating Halloween with friends and then tomorrow I'll be up and out on the trail (should be quite an experience!). It would be wrong to dress the dogs up, right? ;)

Happy Halloween!

I'm here.Still.

2008-09-25T07:34:00.000-07:00

Before my weekend of running started Saturday I got a rather unpleasant call informing me that a work colleague had been killed in an auto accident on Friday night. Stunned and sad for her surviving family, I spent my collective 22 miles of running this weekend in a meditative state. I also discovered a few more things about my on course nutrition that will hopefully help me prepare better for the 50K next month and to run stronger.

I've got a Pilates session tonight, a brief run after and then a day off tomorrow. I think my workouts this weekend are 3.5 - 4 hoursish each day. I need to do some route planning.

Survived my first trail race

2008-09-16T06:29:00.000-07:00

JamGirlz/Guyz have probably already read this and should feel free to move on to something more fun, like speculating on Phish's comeback tour (I'm still hoping for a huge 12/12/12 show to celebrate my big day--but that is all tangential).

On Saturday I ran my first official trail race, the VHTRC Women's Half Marathon. I've run many road halfs, a full, several 10ers and various other shorter length races, but this was my first foray into something a little (oh, hell, VERY) different.

The day was beautiful, if a little warm and humid, and the crowd had great energy. KJ and I even ran into a woman from the shelter who helped us adopt our second bully, Hippo (she even checked in on my at the last aid station to make sure I was still okay). My fears going into this race were totally unfounded--somehow I always forget that IN a race I find a way to keep moving, to keep running, to shut off the head stuff. Trail races are by nature slower than road races, but overall I did fine. I just enjoyed the scenery (at one point in a loop in the course there is a broken down Nash Rambler and another old car--a Ford Fairlane, maybe), the women were incredible and supportive and I just had a really stellar experience. One of my old housemates came in 3rd place, but she's always been a crazy fast ultrarunner.

I fell once in the first 5.1 miles and again in the last 3 or so so now I have this huge goose egg under my left knee, but I didn't bleed or completely scrape off the top layer of skin (as I have in road falls) and was able to get up from both falls, brush off the dirt and keep running. In fact, I think falling just made me run faster.

So now that I've had my first trail race experience I know a bit more what to expect in the 50K next month (boy, I need to get my mileage up!).

Yay! and its done...now on to the rest of my training. ;)

Pre-race planning

2008-09-10T08:41:00.000-07:00

My next race is three days away and I'm already mentally lining up my running gear, figuring out the hydration situation. This is all good but its giving me time to get nervous. I think this is just a weird race year/schedule for me. I started out the year with a half marathon and rapidly rolled through a Spring racing season and have not actually raced since May or June. So, here I am several months later, head chatter in full force as if this is my first race ever. I'm contemplating the new Nano for all the new whistles, the higher storage capacity and the distraction possibilities.

I KNOW I'll have fun on Saturday, rain or shine--I love trail running--I just need to stop thinking for a second.

Fountainhead practice run

2008-09-08T07:25:00.000-07:00

I ran part of the Women's Half course yesterday as a practice run. Post-Hanna it was muddy and buggy, but its a really challenging course so Saturday's race should be *interesting*. This weekend I discovered a few things: the Stimulus pack is great for carrying all of my stuff but it makes me feel like I'm carrying around an extra few pounds and I'm not loving it. I think for the half I'll just bring a couple of handheld bottles and some gels and be satisfied with that. Also, my shoes are not the lightest, but they'll do fine for the road portion of the race. And I'm having a bit of a motivation issue. I'm not sure what it is. Hopefully, when race time comes I'll be able to find it somewhere, but I'm puzzled and concerned. I'm not usually like this--I have a race plan, I make adjustments, I provide my own motivation and most of all, I don't walk. I'm walking a lot these days and I just can't decide whether its motivation or fitness. Ay yi yi.

Bah!

2008-08-20T12:06:00.001-07:00

I just created this brilliant post and the blogosphere ate it (okay, it wasn't really brilliant--it was more me whining and justifying couchsitting tonight). Anyhoodle, I'm taking an unscheduled rest day tonight, hanging with the pups and watching a documentary...but if that destroys the illusion of me as dedicated to the point of crazy, pretend I'm going for a beach run with my pup.

Back to Back to Back

2008-08-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

I had a completely leisurely week of running so I decided to stick rigorously to my training plan over the weekend. Did 90 minutes on Saturday--primarily flat trail plus stair repeats. I felt good after, but developed a raging headache in the afternoon because I ate only an apricot before my run and subsisted on Nuun (and a shot of Gatorade during and after). Dumb. I know better and vow to do better.

Yesterday I did 3 hours on the towpath and the Billy Goat trail. Out and back on the Billy Goat trail and additional mileage on the towpath. Crowded, but I ran into three women (two hiking together, one with other friends) whom I had encountered the last time I was out on Billy Goat. One recognized me by my running skirt and the others probably by my white hat/locs in a bun combo. Each encounter gave me the opportunity to pause and allow the large family groups ahead of me to move further forward...and a bonus in meeting the pair of women: I got to introduce two new people to the Potomac Heritage Trail! The trail is narrow and overgrown and I don't exactly relish it being overcrowded, but I was happy to share the info with such nice people. (Sophia--Sofia?-- and Kim, if you happen to encounter my blog in your search for the Potomac Heritage Trail/PHT, yay and drop me a line! Otherwise, perhaps I'll see you next time we are both out on the Goat trail.) I completely kicked the Camelbak about 20 minutes before my run ended so next time I'll remember to bring extra water bottles! I also developed raging headache part II after yesterday's run, even though I seemed to be well hydrated, had taken a gel 60 minutes into my run and eaten a Probar about 2.5 hours in. I love Probars and eating definitely helped so I'm thinking the issue is one of hydration. I love love love Nuun for its sugarfree goodness, but may need to supplement with salt tabs or something a bit stronger. Like during the Honolulu marathon, I think my body just has a hard time absorbing fluids and minerals in that heat. So, back to back runs and back to back headaches--bleh! I guess I'll keep experimenting until I find the right combo.

Watching..Doing

2008-08-15T06:48:00.000-07:00

Olympic track and field coverage begins today and I am so excited to see the steeplechase, the women's and men's 100 and 200m and a host of other events. It would be even cooler to see it all in person, but I think its a bit late to fly off to Beijing so I'll be content with watching it all transpire from my couch.

Last night my Pilates instructor, in the midst of a particularly blistering shoulder bridge series, told me I'm crazy for running 50 miles. And on some levels that's true--even I can't quite fathom it sometimes, but most of the time it makes a good deal of sense to me. Like its the natural next step. Besides, I totally dig my Pilates instructor so I just laughed off her comments (inasmuch as I was able to laugh while balanced on shoulders with one leg in the air). I'm actually a bit sad to not be able to take the Advanced Pilates Mat class next session, but school begins in two weeks and I'll have a class on both Monday and Thursday night until mid-December. So I'll continue training for my runs and I'll sign up for an Intermediate class that better fits my schedule.

Slacking

2008-08-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

While I would love for this to be a post about slacklining, it is not. I went for a very brief run near Baltimore yesterday, but otherwise I did not run this weekend for a couple of different reasons. Instead I spent the entire weekend at Virgin Music Festival and I'm not ashamed! The DJ tent is STILL the best attraction, but several of the bands (She and Him, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Lupe Fiasco to name a few) were fantastic!

A quickie check up tomorrow and then back to training.

Training (REALLY) begins...

2008-08-05T07:48:00.000-07:00

Saturday I logged a few short treadmill miles because it felt too oppressively hot to be outdoors. Sunday we: discovered that Turkey Run is a bit of a casual pickup park (um...yeah)...and finished the last 4 miles of the PHT--from Turkey Run to American Legion Bridge. Its beautiful out on the water and the path wasn't too crowded so overall it was a good run.

Yesterday was a rest day, but today my training officially began. I was supposed to do: 6-10 miles with 4 X 1 mile at 10 MP, but I settled for 7 miles at my pace (it was early, I was tired--it was kind of amazing that I even got out of bed).

I'm trying a modified Feed Your Tiger basic plan to clean up some of the repetitiveness of my diet (I feel like I eat the same breakfast and the same lunch salad every day) and to work on a few bad food habits. So we will see how that goes. I may be snoring at my desk by midafternoon, but hopefully not because I have A LOT to do today.

My skin is your skin

2008-07-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

I was reminded by a friend today that I also LOVE this project. Not just because I AM a word, but because the project is just super effing rad. The story's manuscript is waiting on my desk at home. Some day soon I'll read it.

Mini vacay

2008-07-29T09:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a normal rest day and today was a sleep late (read 5:30 AM) and miss your morning workout kinda day. Tonight KJ and I are going to dinner and then to see George Michael (I'm smiling big right now just typing that). I'm excited and I think my body needs a bit of a break.

The Trance 8s arrived last night so tomorrow I get to take them for a little two foot tour. The fit is good so far so I'm looking forward to it.

Did back to backs this weekend: Saturday on the PHT from Chain Bridge>Pimmit Run>stream crossing>Turkey Run and Sunday just a 3.8 miler at Accotink. I barely finished my stair run when the rain began to pelt the ground. I spent the rest of the day watching bad and semi-decent movies (One Missed Call and The Bank Job, respectively) and staying out of the Summer electrical storm.

Saturday's end and Sunday begins

2008-07-21T09:14:00.000-07:00

Back near the trail head I stopped to take a picture of the rocks on the river

Looking slightly sweaty and more than a little tired, Saturday's run comes to an end

The view down the Potomac from the bridge at Roosevelt Island began my run on Sunday. At the beginning of the bridge a group of park rangers and local kids provided emergency contact numbers, water, sports drinks, reflectors, whistles and maps to any trail users who needed them.

Saturday's run continues

2008-07-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

Rafters in the river

The cliff face across the river

Waiting for a hiking party to descend the cliff so I can go up

A lizard sunning on a rock. I saw a small snake on the way in, but he didn't stop long enough for me to take a picture.

Weekend runs

2008-07-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

This weekend I did two short back to back runs: Saturday on the Billy Goat Trail A in Great Falls and Sunday Roosevelt Island to part of Potomac Heritage.

A climber on the Virginia side.

The still water below

Taking a break and a breath to check out the path ahead

Hikers climbing down the cliff

Solitude

2008-07-16T08:23:00.001-07:00

Last night I managed to get away from the pups long enough to trail test the new Cascadias and to get in a 45 minute run. I moved quickly because I knew I had little time to spare--quickly enough that my feet knew which rock to jump to next and how close to the edge I could scramble without falling into the stream. It was beautiful and quiet! I only saw two people during my run and they were at the beginning of the trail, no dogs, no trail maintenance crew (although I did see a few bags of litter waiting to be carted away), not even a single deer. It was weirdly silent so I took a bit of time to count my stream crossings and pause to occasionally look at the path behind me before I trotted on. I only wish I'd brought the camera along-- this portion of the path is so lovely and still.

Roosevelt Island Run

2008-07-14T11:18:00.001-07:00

Marsh Flowers
Originally uploaded by Stars Are Stars

This is where our run began yesterday. From this angle you'd never know that every few feet we passed another couple, another couple of dogs or another group of people out enjoying the cloudfree day.

Its amazing that this very bridge is right next to the GW Parkway.

Georgetown looks so much better from this side of the river.

This picture doesn't do the falls justice. Again, RIGHT under the Parkway! In fact, the erosion above the falls was so bad we opted not to climb up to explore.

This was the path behind us--through and over the rocks.

Twisted trees toward the end of our run. At this point even the small child on a bike next to us was moving faster. It was a great run, a bit too hot, and very rocky, but I'll definitely do it again.

I like dirt.

2008-07-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

A couple of things to know about me: I like things hot (sorta) and a little dirty (emphasis on the little part). ;)

1. Heat: I drink my coffee extra hot, almost exclusively. I don't know what it is, but there's something oddly incongruous about ice cubes and coffee. I definitely get some strange looks when I order an extra hot soy latte on a 90 degree day, but I like what I like. I also like my Thai food spicy (that's Thai spicy, not American spicy) and my reheated soup/sauces/leftovers need to bubble and boil a little before they are fit to eat. That being said, I only tolerate extreme high temps moderately well--go figure. I am enjoying trail running immensely, but I think it is the shade of the leafy trees that saves me from having an overheated experience like that in the Honolulu Marathon in 'o4. I also think that carrying enough water helps a little too. Sooooo...I think I need to spend a little money on a hydration racing vest that will keep me comfortably hydrated (and carry enough water for me AND the bf--who never comes prepared!)

This little beauty is pretty sweet, don't you think?

2. I don't mind sweating and getting a little dirty is fun. Who doesn't still wish she could stomp around in mud puddles like a little kid, hula hoop until dripping sweat or rock hop through the overgrowth splashing and collecting grit along the way? Okay, maybe not too many people still love to do this stuff, but I completely dig it. I love the crazy feeling of emerging in a new place on the trail only to be floored by the awesome beauty of a buck and a doe staring back at you from just a few feet away. My trail runs thus far have delivered all of this and more...oh so much more. On a recent Sunday run, we encountered so much litter and garbage on the trail I thought I would be physically ill. Really. Seeing all that post consumer, non-biodegradeable waste, rotting bits of food and stench nearly made me wretch. I like it dirty, but not like that! All the litter from careless trail users and fishers is threatening to make a beautiful headclearing run feel like drudgery. At this point I'm not even sure a trail clean up day every weekend of the Summer would resolve the problem and it just makes me a little sad. I feel like I need to resurrect that silly slogan from the '70s/'80s "Give a hoot, Don't Pollute!" and wear it on a neon shirt for every trail excursion. I wonder if that would actually work?

So now you know more than a few things extra things about me: I have old fashioned ideas about manners and I don't think Ma Nature is being treated very courteously.

The day arrives

2008-07-01T07:15:00.001-07:00

The last several days have been full of oddball occurences and changes in plans, but KJ and I still managed a decent trail run on Sunday and a much needed rest day yesterday. I'm still waiting for the Trance 8 to debut (my feet are waiting too), but the wait for the JFK 50 Miler application to be released is over. I now have my completed application in hand and am trying to figure out whether I really need to apply for the 5 AM start time. It feels like more mental assurance than anything else, but I'm still up in the air about it and have at least one more day to decide. It would give me a 2 hour "leg up", but if I'm diligent about my training, I hear that I won't really need it. Decisions...

A beginning of sorts

2008-06-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

In less than 6 months I will run my first ultramarathon, the JFK 50 Miler. My training begins next month and by August I will be immersed in combination road/trail training and trying to balance my life, my relationships, and my pups. And so it begins, or more accurately it continues. I am not a speed demon. I'm steady and methodical and everything I choose to do I do at my own pace. As I have done for the past 8 years, I'll run. I won't place and I won't finish at the back of the pack, but I WILL finish. Wish me luck, share your stories, feel free to volunteer as my crew because even though running is a very individual pursuit, it is nature and intellectual curiosity and the love of friends and family that allow me to challenge myself to keep going.