How many birds would it take to knock down Queen Anne from the Space Needle?
Angry birds still trying to take over the world.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Race Report - Austin Livestrong Half Marathon
I had an amazing time in Austin. It was the perfect mix of relaxation, excitement, great food and fantastic company.
I've been trying to figure out how to write this post without sounding, mad, upset, disappointed or frustrated. So....I'll just tell you what happened and we can move on from there.
Pre-race history: At the end of December, I went to the doctor (both regular and naturopath) to talk about some strange weight gain I had over the prior few months. (note: I am on a very regimented program with a triathlon coach, I am doing a workout of some sort (running, biking, strength, swimming) 6 days a week....um, not really a recipe for weight GAIN). At the doctor visit, my blood pressure is skyrocketing. We do a few things, I wait 2 weeks, go back to find out it's still really high. At that point, I'm put on meds to make it come down. We're now a month from race day and I am dealing with meds, emotions, etc. I was having some dizziness (that my doctor kept telling me would go away when my body was used it it) when I ran over 5 miles so my training got restricted by CL to the treadmill and elliptical at the gym. At least I could catch up on my trash tv.
The Coach Lesley team made it down to Austin and we are all giddy with excitement. There were 8 of us running either the full or half. The entire week prior I was a little nervous, but knew in the end if I wasn't meant to run the 13 miles, I could walk and be fine.
Race morning - a normal start to race morning....getting up, getting fueled, getting ready. I did a lot of stretching that morning, more than I normally do, incorporating my new yoga moves into the mix. I felt good, I felt ready.
Walking to the start line always produces a lot of emotion for me. I don't know if that's the case with others but I honestly start tearing up as I get closer to the start. I look at all of the people around me who have either done this numerous times, or the folks who are getting their first taste of race day. I think about all of the hard work I've put into getting there and exactly how I want to feel at the end.
As I said goodbye to the rest of the group as they moved closer to the start line into their pace queue, I felt really peaceful, knowing I'd done everything I could to prepare with all the stuff I had going on. I knew this wasn't going to be a pr day for me, nor did I want it to be. I was excited to see the course, which I had been told was challenging (hello 3 mile long hill, then another at mile 12). I was giddy at the thought of stating and finishing in front/behind this amazing capitol building (I'm an architecture nerd). I lined up with the 12 minute pace peeps and heard the cheer of the starting gun. There were so many people that it took almost 15 minutes to cross the start line.
Had a really good start, probably came out a little too fast, but then quickly slowed to what is my comfortable start pace. I knew I had it easy until mile 3....up Congress on a never ending hill that was just steep enough to be super irritating. Mid way up the hill I knew I needed to walk a little....hoping to conserve some energy to gain some time on the down hills. At the top of the hill, mile 5, I started to feel slightly dizzy. I chalked it up to the never ending hill and just kept going. Other than the mild dizziness, my body was feeling great.
At mile 6 the course gradually descended back toward downtown, passing all sorts of interesting food truck trailer parks - I always love a good food truck. :-) My race plan was working, I was feeling really good, fueling well. It was around mile 7 that things started to a little wonky.
I started to get a little more dizzy and slowed to a walk, except where the down grade was good (I was going to get forward momentum where I could....down is always a good start). I remember the Powered by Beef cheering section at mile 8, they were great! A little boost of energy in what started to be a few frustrating miles. I started to think - if I just turn left up at the next intersection, I could go to the zoo and see the monkeys. I kid you not, those were the thoughts going through my head - getting to the zoo. Does Austin even have a zoo? At that point I'm not entirely sure I knew I was in Austin. I also started to weave a little and knew that when I passed the water stops to just keep my head up, take some water, don't open my mouth, just keep going forward. I was going to cross this finish line, no matter what.
I had a moment of clarity at mile 9 - where a ton of Livestrong volunteers were lined up along the road cheering and screaming as everyone went past. They were high fiving, waving, singing along to the loud music, cheering - it was the best cheering section I've ever seen! I knew something was going on with my body that I couldn't at this point control, so I was going to just keep moving forward and do it with a smile on my face.
Thank you to the woman at mile 11 that was handing out cookies as I went by - that was really, really needed at that moment.
A few hundred yards past that was a hill.....well, not a hill... a MOUNTAIN! Remember - I'm delirious at this point....it really seemed like a mountain. Head down, singing Truckin' by the Grateful Dead (that's my go to song that pops into my head during races), I made my way pretty quickly up the peak, rejoicing once it became flat at the top.
I knew I was close and apparently thought I could run the last bit to the finish......that's when I turned the corner at 12.5 and came face to face with ANOTHER climb. Seriously - this course was not a piece of cake. This is also the point that the full and half merge and the streets became lined with cheering people. I couldn't do it, I couldn't run up the hill. I was so close but I knew if I ran up that hill, my body was going to drop and hit the ground with a large thud. I walked up to the top which left about 500 yards to descend to the finish. As the cheering got louder, I got faster. I passed numerous people on my race to the finish. I just wanted to be done.
As I was just about to cross the finish line, I looked up and saw my time. Not a good day, but I finished.....vertically across the finish line.
There's always the next one.
After a nice ice bath and a long chat with CL, we determined that my blood pressure had dropped too low and after a visit to the doctor upon my return, I'm now on a different med, running happily and dizzy-free. Whoo hoo! Vancouver is 2 months away and I'm well on my way to a great race day.
I've been trying to figure out how to write this post without sounding, mad, upset, disappointed or frustrated. So....I'll just tell you what happened and we can move on from there.
Pre-race history: At the end of December, I went to the doctor (both regular and naturopath) to talk about some strange weight gain I had over the prior few months. (note: I am on a very regimented program with a triathlon coach, I am doing a workout of some sort (running, biking, strength, swimming) 6 days a week....um, not really a recipe for weight GAIN). At the doctor visit, my blood pressure is skyrocketing. We do a few things, I wait 2 weeks, go back to find out it's still really high. At that point, I'm put on meds to make it come down. We're now a month from race day and I am dealing with meds, emotions, etc. I was having some dizziness (that my doctor kept telling me would go away when my body was used it it) when I ran over 5 miles so my training got restricted by CL to the treadmill and elliptical at the gym. At least I could catch up on my trash tv.
The Coach Lesley team made it down to Austin and we are all giddy with excitement. There were 8 of us running either the full or half. The entire week prior I was a little nervous, but knew in the end if I wasn't meant to run the 13 miles, I could walk and be fine.
Race morning - a normal start to race morning....getting up, getting fueled, getting ready. I did a lot of stretching that morning, more than I normally do, incorporating my new yoga moves into the mix. I felt good, I felt ready.
Walking to the start line always produces a lot of emotion for me. I don't know if that's the case with others but I honestly start tearing up as I get closer to the start. I look at all of the people around me who have either done this numerous times, or the folks who are getting their first taste of race day. I think about all of the hard work I've put into getting there and exactly how I want to feel at the end.
As I said goodbye to the rest of the group as they moved closer to the start line into their pace queue, I felt really peaceful, knowing I'd done everything I could to prepare with all the stuff I had going on. I knew this wasn't going to be a pr day for me, nor did I want it to be. I was excited to see the course, which I had been told was challenging (hello 3 mile long hill, then another at mile 12). I was giddy at the thought of stating and finishing in front/behind this amazing capitol building (I'm an architecture nerd). I lined up with the 12 minute pace peeps and heard the cheer of the starting gun. There were so many people that it took almost 15 minutes to cross the start line.
Had a really good start, probably came out a little too fast, but then quickly slowed to what is my comfortable start pace. I knew I had it easy until mile 3....up Congress on a never ending hill that was just steep enough to be super irritating. Mid way up the hill I knew I needed to walk a little....hoping to conserve some energy to gain some time on the down hills. At the top of the hill, mile 5, I started to feel slightly dizzy. I chalked it up to the never ending hill and just kept going. Other than the mild dizziness, my body was feeling great.
At mile 6 the course gradually descended back toward downtown, passing all sorts of interesting food truck trailer parks - I always love a good food truck. :-) My race plan was working, I was feeling really good, fueling well. It was around mile 7 that things started to a little wonky.
I started to get a little more dizzy and slowed to a walk, except where the down grade was good (I was going to get forward momentum where I could....down is always a good start). I remember the Powered by Beef cheering section at mile 8, they were great! A little boost of energy in what started to be a few frustrating miles. I started to think - if I just turn left up at the next intersection, I could go to the zoo and see the monkeys. I kid you not, those were the thoughts going through my head - getting to the zoo. Does Austin even have a zoo? At that point I'm not entirely sure I knew I was in Austin. I also started to weave a little and knew that when I passed the water stops to just keep my head up, take some water, don't open my mouth, just keep going forward. I was going to cross this finish line, no matter what.
I had a moment of clarity at mile 9 - where a ton of Livestrong volunteers were lined up along the road cheering and screaming as everyone went past. They were high fiving, waving, singing along to the loud music, cheering - it was the best cheering section I've ever seen! I knew something was going on with my body that I couldn't at this point control, so I was going to just keep moving forward and do it with a smile on my face.
Thank you to the woman at mile 11 that was handing out cookies as I went by - that was really, really needed at that moment.
A few hundred yards past that was a hill.....well, not a hill... a MOUNTAIN! Remember - I'm delirious at this point....it really seemed like a mountain. Head down, singing Truckin' by the Grateful Dead (that's my go to song that pops into my head during races), I made my way pretty quickly up the peak, rejoicing once it became flat at the top.
I knew I was close and apparently thought I could run the last bit to the finish......that's when I turned the corner at 12.5 and came face to face with ANOTHER climb. Seriously - this course was not a piece of cake. This is also the point that the full and half merge and the streets became lined with cheering people. I couldn't do it, I couldn't run up the hill. I was so close but I knew if I ran up that hill, my body was going to drop and hit the ground with a large thud. I walked up to the top which left about 500 yards to descend to the finish. As the cheering got louder, I got faster. I passed numerous people on my race to the finish. I just wanted to be done.
As I was just about to cross the finish line, I looked up and saw my time. Not a good day, but I finished.....vertically across the finish line.
There's always the next one.
After a nice ice bath and a long chat with CL, we determined that my blood pressure had dropped too low and after a visit to the doctor upon my return, I'm now on a different med, running happily and dizzy-free. Whoo hoo! Vancouver is 2 months away and I'm well on my way to a great race day.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Finishing Vertically in Austin
That was my main goal for Austin this past weekend.
A full report to come - had to hit the ground running (ha) upon my return from the long weekend.
A full report to come - had to hit the ground running (ha) upon my return from the long weekend.
I had to dig really deep to get this one.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Under the Weather
I've been sick since Saturday. First the sore throat, then the sneezing and nose blowing. Now the full blown coughing. I leave for Austin in 3 days and I'm officially worried. Heading to the doc this afternoon to see if there's anything I can do to speed this thing along.
I'm winded going up the stairs.....that doesn't bode well for 13.1 miles of running on Sunday.
Hoping for a speedy recovery!
I'm winded going up the stairs.....that doesn't bode well for 13.1 miles of running on Sunday.
Hoping for a speedy recovery!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Countdown to Austin
Well, here we go.....the countdown is on to half marathon day in Austin.
February 19th is the big day. I'm excited to travel with a fun group of people to the race! I've definitely encountered some issues while training for this one, but overall I think I'll be just fine. I'm working through some aches and pains but hope for at least a 20 minute faster time than my last half. I can easily do it if I can keep my focus and run my own race.
The weather is going to be a factor. When I left yesterday morning for my long run, it was 29 degrees outside. I've been running with an extra layer on (temps are usually in the upper 60's, low 70's in Austin), so we'll see what happens!
Here's to a fun trip, great race....and experiencing Texas!
February 19th is the big day. I'm excited to travel with a fun group of people to the race! I've definitely encountered some issues while training for this one, but overall I think I'll be just fine. I'm working through some aches and pains but hope for at least a 20 minute faster time than my last half. I can easily do it if I can keep my focus and run my own race.
The weather is going to be a factor. When I left yesterday morning for my long run, it was 29 degrees outside. I've been running with an extra layer on (temps are usually in the upper 60's, low 70's in Austin), so we'll see what happens!
Here's to a fun trip, great race....and experiencing Texas!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Tuesday night giggle
I just ran across this photo from Christmas this year....this was such a fun evening. Watching adults build gingerbread birdhouses, craftsman homes, and in one case, an outhouse, was hysterical. You can definitely tell a lot about people's personalities based on the style in which they decorate.
The cute gingerbread birdhouse just vacated the dining room. I figured since the holidays were over, it needed a more appropriate resting place. I'll be planning my decor for next year's decorating party.
Hmmm.....not sure what this says about my personality.....Type A with whimsy?
My goal was to use every kind of candy on the table.....I was very successful.
The cute gingerbread birdhouse just vacated the dining room. I figured since the holidays were over, it needed a more appropriate resting place. I'll be planning my decor for next year's decorating party.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Snow!
I'm ok with the names people are calling Seattleites - snow wimps, etc. We don't get it that often - that's not our fault. Sheesh!
Fortunately (or unfortunately) I've trekked to the office the last few days. Of course, it's been with the assistance of a co-worker picking me up in a 4WD Jeep. It's been adventurous. :-) Early, early mornings to make sure our properties are being de-iced, plowed and safe for tenants to come to work. By the look of the garage and parking lots - there were about 7 people working on our campus yesterday. In order to avoid gnarly freeways - yesterday afternoon ended a little early to take part in a group gathering at a warm spot with good drinks in Ballard. bitterroot - a small, quaint little restaurant with a back bar that's even smaller - but has tasty, creative beverages. That was way more festive than sitting in our office in Bellevue. Thank goodness for 4WD.
Here's the view from my deck this morning - it's an ice skating rink on my street. I've watched cars and buses inch along....and several pedestrians slide along the sidewalk.
Today, I'll be working from Command Control - aka- the dining room table. I wish I had a furry friend to keep my feet warm.
Fortunately (or unfortunately) I've trekked to the office the last few days. Of course, it's been with the assistance of a co-worker picking me up in a 4WD Jeep. It's been adventurous. :-) Early, early mornings to make sure our properties are being de-iced, plowed and safe for tenants to come to work. By the look of the garage and parking lots - there were about 7 people working on our campus yesterday. In order to avoid gnarly freeways - yesterday afternoon ended a little early to take part in a group gathering at a warm spot with good drinks in Ballard. bitterroot - a small, quaint little restaurant with a back bar that's even smaller - but has tasty, creative beverages. That was way more festive than sitting in our office in Bellevue. Thank goodness for 4WD.
Here's the view from my deck this morning - it's an ice skating rink on my street. I've watched cars and buses inch along....and several pedestrians slide along the sidewalk.
Today, I'll be working from Command Control - aka- the dining room table. I wish I had a furry friend to keep my feet warm.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
We don't joke about the Yeti
Saturday's group run was at Tiger Mountain - read: trail run. Normally this would launch me into a PTSD moment (Cougar Mountain Trail Run ), but I'm trying to embrace trail running and agreed to give it a go. It was only a 6 mile loop, first three being a gentle decent then the last three being an angry climb. (or maybe it was just me that was going to be angry since it was up, up and more up).
It was a really peaceful morning, kind of cloudy, great temperature. We started on a road then veered onto a railroad grade trail (nice and wide). I had a good pace going, alternating running with a couple of people then pulling ahead by myself. I was feeling great, breathing was good, legs felt strong.... as we got more into the woods, I started thinking of what you're supposed to do if you see a cougar (get big and loud), or a bear (small, silent and hope for the best). This area is known for being a bit Wild Kingdom-esque. It was just about then that I heard some other people in our group getting closer. As Mark ran past, he grabbed me and said.....better be on the lookout for Sasquatch. GULP. Holy cow, I didn't event think about the possibilities of YETI!
Now...I know this sounds ridiculous, but one of my completely irrational fears (I have a few), is being in the woods and encountering a yeti. Stop laughing.....it's true. A few minutes later and in the deep woods alone, I started to hear things. I would stop, see if I could tell if it was higher or lower on the food chain than me....then keep going...picking up the pace each time. Up, up, up I went, trotting along at a good clip. Then I came upon a flat area that looked like this....
A perfect place for a yeti to hide.
Moral of the story is: Do not joke about the yeti. I don't ever want to have an up close encounter, thank you very much.
I've been having some iffy running days lately but this definitely put me back on the upswing.
It was a really peaceful morning, kind of cloudy, great temperature. We started on a road then veered onto a railroad grade trail (nice and wide). I had a good pace going, alternating running with a couple of people then pulling ahead by myself. I was feeling great, breathing was good, legs felt strong.... as we got more into the woods, I started thinking of what you're supposed to do if you see a cougar (get big and loud), or a bear (small, silent and hope for the best). This area is known for being a bit Wild Kingdom-esque. It was just about then that I heard some other people in our group getting closer. As Mark ran past, he grabbed me and said.....better be on the lookout for Sasquatch. GULP. Holy cow, I didn't event think about the possibilities of YETI!
Now...I know this sounds ridiculous, but one of my completely irrational fears (I have a few), is being in the woods and encountering a yeti. Stop laughing.....it's true. A few minutes later and in the deep woods alone, I started to hear things. I would stop, see if I could tell if it was higher or lower on the food chain than me....then keep going...picking up the pace each time. Up, up, up I went, trotting along at a good clip. Then I came upon a flat area that looked like this....
A perfect place for a yeti to hide.
Moral of the story is: Do not joke about the yeti. I don't ever want to have an up close encounter, thank you very much.
I've been having some iffy running days lately but this definitely put me back on the upswing.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Holiday Wrap Up
The holiday season flew by....starting with Tree Lighting and ending with the Resolution Run (or watch as the case was this time...5Ks just aren't my favorite):
A new ornament this year....a reminder to travel often.
Westlake Center's Tree Lighting -1st time in 6 years that I got to just show up and enjoy. :-)
Oh Christmas Tree! New tree this year....I loved it.
Volunteered at the Holiday Carousel benefiting Treehouse! A fun night volunteering with a wonderful group of ladies, and watching the cutest littles get so excited to ride on this
Seattle holiday tradition.
Dessert at the December CREW luncheon at the WAC - how cute was this?
I didn't want to ruin the cuteness but I had to take a little bite out of the snowman.
This bottle of wine was so worth staying out late after the
BOMA holiday party to socialize with some new peeps.
The Silver Bells carolers performing at the
holiday party we threw for the office tenants at one of my properties.
The best house at Olympic Manor during our Holiday Lights run....too bad I didn't get a pic of me running with the christmas lights wrapped all around me (and blinking).
A new ornament this year....a reminder to travel often.
Wrapped up a great December in Medford with the parents.
So thankful to get to spend quality time with them.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Into the groove
It's hard getting back into the swing of things.....all I want to do is lay down in a grassy field and look at this:
Back to reality.
Back to reality.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Welcome 2012!
Looking forward to an amazing year of fun and adventure! First adventure of the year will be the Nookachamps run in Mt. Vernon in a couple of weeks. Sounds chilly! The Austin half marathon is a little over a month away so I better get crackin' on speeding up this caboose.
2012 was ushered in with a glass of Veuve
and my bum firmly planted on the couch (wearing my NYE jammies).
Friday, December 30, 2011
2011 Recap
A quick recap before I turn off the computer for the weekend!
Places visited outside of Seattle:
Phoenix, AZ
Medford, OR
Prosser, WA
Lake Chelan, WA
Quincy/Ephrata/George, WA
Philadelphia, PA
Portland, OR
Corvallis, OR
San Francisco, CA
Vancouver, BC
San Juan Island, WA
Salt Lake City, UT
Park City, UT
Overall a pretty quiet travel year, concentrating on friends and family.
Races/Events:
Resolution Run - Seattle
Captain Jacks - Kirkland
Vancouver Half Marathon - Vancouver, BC
Cottage Lake Tri - Redmond
Ragnar NW Passage - Western Washington
Danskin - Seattle
Warrior Dash - Portland
Pumpkin Push - Seattle
Spent the year concentrating on running, getting used to my new bike and swimming in a wetsuit. Looking forward to 2012!
Happy New Year!!!
Places visited outside of Seattle:
Phoenix, AZ
Medford, OR
Prosser, WA
Lake Chelan, WA
Quincy/Ephrata/George, WA
Philadelphia, PA
Portland, OR
Corvallis, OR
San Francisco, CA
Vancouver, BC
San Juan Island, WA
Salt Lake City, UT
Park City, UT
Overall a pretty quiet travel year, concentrating on friends and family.
Races/Events:
Resolution Run - Seattle
Captain Jacks - Kirkland
Vancouver Half Marathon - Vancouver, BC
Cottage Lake Tri - Redmond
Ragnar NW Passage - Western Washington
Danskin - Seattle
Warrior Dash - Portland
Pumpkin Push - Seattle
Spent the year concentrating on running, getting used to my new bike and swimming in a wetsuit. Looking forward to 2012!
Happy New Year!!!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Valley of the Parentals
I'm flying south tomorrow to spend Christmas with the parentals. I'm excited to get to the Mothership, eat some good food, hang out with Papa Felix and Mama Mary. I'm ready for a break and to be mothered and fathered for a few days.
I'm sure the weekend will be filled with good wine, seeing good friends, chilly morning runs and a little tax free shopping.
Pics to follow from Holidays in Southern Oregon.
Merry Christmas!!!
I'm sure the weekend will be filled with good wine, seeing good friends, chilly morning runs and a little tax free shopping.
Pics to follow from Holidays in Southern Oregon.
Merry Christmas!!!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Little Demons
I run. I think too much when I run. It's amazing what goes through your mind when your pounding out mile after mile. Normally, I keep the little devils in check since I normally have a great running buddy....who is temporarily injured... but Saturday they got out and I had a tough run. On the agenda was 8 miles with the CL team....a great route from Greenlake over the U Bridge, up into Capitol Hill and a glorious decent into downtown and Pike Place Market....then back around Lake Union to car. :-)
After a week of gluttonous Christmas parties, Saturday morning was the telltale of my week....puffy eyes, puffy everything. This was going to be one of those days.
Around mile 2 they (my mind demons) started in on me.....feeling every extra ounce of weight gained during the week. They urged me to walk and I kept fighting them off. Around mile 3 I lost the battle....walked for a little while, regained my composure and flicked them off my shoulder. Stopped for water at the 3 mile checkpoint, didn't really talk to CL and just kept moving. I knew one way or another I could get the miles in....probably at a good run/walk pace.
At 3.5 I completely lost my marbles....almost hyperventilating because I let the little buggers get to me again and started crying. WHY?! Yeah, I have no clue. I really don't. I wasn't in pain, I was frustrated that I couldn't shrug them off. At one point I even shouted....PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER! I'm hoping no one else heard me. :-)
Just as I got myself together, Sjohn and Maddie dog came by....we had a great chat, she said some motivating words and I started to feel much better. That's when the blister started.
Mile 4 was the pick up point for some folks. As I ran up the hill I saw CL. She was standing waiting for me with water. I stopped, lamented about my burning tootsie, shed one last little tear of defeat for the day.....and got in the car. Saturday wasn't my day. Not every run is going to be a breeze....if it were, everyone would be doing Ironman and marathons.
Post note: I ran last night. I kicked ass. It was a great run around the Olympic Manor neighborhood....full of holiday lights and cheer! Take that little demons. I'm banishing you from my mind....and I'm donating the brand new shoes that have been causing this blister. 2 times wearing the shoes, 2 times getting a f'ing blister.
At least this was the view from the run.....
photo credit: A.Kerkof
After a week of gluttonous Christmas parties, Saturday morning was the telltale of my week....puffy eyes, puffy everything. This was going to be one of those days.
Around mile 2 they (my mind demons) started in on me.....feeling every extra ounce of weight gained during the week. They urged me to walk and I kept fighting them off. Around mile 3 I lost the battle....walked for a little while, regained my composure and flicked them off my shoulder. Stopped for water at the 3 mile checkpoint, didn't really talk to CL and just kept moving. I knew one way or another I could get the miles in....probably at a good run/walk pace.
At 3.5 I completely lost my marbles....almost hyperventilating because I let the little buggers get to me again and started crying. WHY?! Yeah, I have no clue. I really don't. I wasn't in pain, I was frustrated that I couldn't shrug them off. At one point I even shouted....PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER! I'm hoping no one else heard me. :-)
Just as I got myself together, Sjohn and Maddie dog came by....we had a great chat, she said some motivating words and I started to feel much better. That's when the blister started.
Mile 4 was the pick up point for some folks. As I ran up the hill I saw CL. She was standing waiting for me with water. I stopped, lamented about my burning tootsie, shed one last little tear of defeat for the day.....and got in the car. Saturday wasn't my day. Not every run is going to be a breeze....if it were, everyone would be doing Ironman and marathons.
Post note: I ran last night. I kicked ass. It was a great run around the Olympic Manor neighborhood....full of holiday lights and cheer! Take that little demons. I'm banishing you from my mind....and I'm donating the brand new shoes that have been causing this blister. 2 times wearing the shoes, 2 times getting a f'ing blister.
At least this was the view from the run.....
photo credit: A.KerkofLists
Started my list of athletic based goals for 2012....in preparation for the big 'un.....Vineman 2013. :-)
Nookachamps 10K - January
Austin Half Marathon - February
Vancouver Half Marathon - May
Trip to Napa to ride the Vineman course - June
Olympic Tri on the coast - July
Ragnar - July
Grand Columbian Olympic Tri - September
That's a good start to the list. :-)
Nookachamps 10K - January
Austin Half Marathon - February
Vancouver Half Marathon - May
Trip to Napa to ride the Vineman course - June
Olympic Tri on the coast - July
Ragnar - July
Grand Columbian Olympic Tri - September
That's a good start to the list. :-)
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Frolicking at the Farmers Market
Ran some last minute pre-trip Christmas errands in Ballard this afternoon...hitting up my usual spots, farmers market, Savour, other fun shops along old Ballard ave. On the list was ornaments, wild boar salami, some veggies, and a partridge in a pear tree (or 1 quail...preferably frozen...for papa Felix). As I was meandering down at toward the end of the market, there was dancing and general merriment going on.....it was a Norwegian dance troupe! I stopped to watch the older folks dancing around to their heritage music.....that's when I noticed that the dances and costumes were strangely familiar.....to the BASQUES! It was cute seeing the dedication this group of people has to their heritage. Do you see the similarities? :-)
Norwegians
Basques
Norwegians
Basques
Similar, non? :-)
Wasn't successful at my usual places....I think too many people have discovered the tastiness of the wild boar. I'll have to dig deep into my list of secret places to find the goods before I leave on Thursday.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Treehouse Tea
Ooof, it's definitely that time of year....going from one festivus to another, shopping and trying to experience all of the holiday cheer. Not everyone is as fortunate as I am, so I've chosen to support Treehouse, an organization that helps foster children and their foster families. Over the last few years, I've attended the annual Treehouse Tea at the Norcliffe Mansion. It's a hoot of an event....about a hundred women decked out in the perfect hat having high tea in a beautiful home in Seattle. The woman who hosts the event has an outrageous collection of hats and it's so interesting to see what everyone chooses for their chapeau.
More details on Treehouse on a different post.....but I thought these were a few fun pics to post.
More details on Treehouse on a different post.....but I thought these were a few fun pics to post.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Photo Card
Mod Merry Ornaments Christmas
Shop our unique collection of photo Christmas cards.
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Better late than never! Just ordered my Christmas cards!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Warning Sugary Goodness Treats
Check out the neat Christmas goodies I got from http://www.warningsugarygoodness.com/ !
The crackers are going to be a fun gift for my Girl Scouts and I'll use the place cards for the holiday gathering the girls are having at my house this week!
Check out http://www.warningsugarygoodness.com/ - there's so much fun stuff on the website....always great recommendations on yummy places to find goodies.
The crackers are going to be a fun gift for my Girl Scouts and I'll use the place cards for the holiday gathering the girls are having at my house this week!
Check out http://www.warningsugarygoodness.com/ - there's so much fun stuff on the website....always great recommendations on yummy places to find goodies.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Ephrata Fun
October was a big blur, but I did spend one fun weekend at the Becker Compound in Ephrata. We trekked over Friday afternoon then the rest of the group trickled in the next morning.
I generally have the same reaction, at about the same location each time I drive over to Eastern Washington. It's usually somewhere close to Ellensburg where I proclaim how dry it is over there. I can actually feel my skin tightening and frantically reach for the hand creme and chapstick.
I am also amazed by how many windmills have gone up in the last few years. There's something eerily fascinating about them. I could do a post on all the photos I've taken on the drives over....I'm mesmerized by them. Kooky, I know. I think that's part of my charm. :-)
It's always a great time in E.WA - we spend a lot of time hanging out. Going for walks through the yard, down the road or into the barn to feed Harley.
I love it when we all get together - it's the large family I never knew I wanted (says the only child). Usually there's at least 8 of us, plus kids. I cherish the time spent with my good girlfriends and their husbands and super cute kids. Maybe a MAS commune is a good idea after all. :-)
I generally have the same reaction, at about the same location each time I drive over to Eastern Washington. It's usually somewhere close to Ellensburg where I proclaim how dry it is over there. I can actually feel my skin tightening and frantically reach for the hand creme and chapstick.
I am also amazed by how many windmills have gone up in the last few years. There's something eerily fascinating about them. I could do a post on all the photos I've taken on the drives over....I'm mesmerized by them. Kooky, I know. I think that's part of my charm. :-)
It's always a great time in E.WA - we spend a lot of time hanging out. Going for walks through the yard, down the road or into the barn to feed Harley.
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