Running On and On...

I'm back into training and it feels SO good!  I have two 10ks planned for the month of June and July and then a half marathon.

I'm so excited...goals are good for me and it keeps me motivated to use my foam roller every night, stretch, do my PT exercises and work hard.  Ahhh, you know that feeling.  One of the 10ks is a trail race so BS and I can run and train on the trails together so if we need to escape the LURKING of the realtors on the weekends, we can do so together.  So exciting.

I am wondering aloud(or in writing)if my old 6:45 10k pace goal is still valid.  I ran this pace last July and it felt good but I do think I am more fit and capable of a faster race.  The question is,  am I?  Do I just start training for a slightly faster 10k pace, say, a 6:30 and hope it works out?  I am using my heart rate monitor during my tempo runs and track/speed workouts so I assume I'll see a change in fitness and KNOW that I'm aiming for the right pace.  ANY thoughts??  I've never really trained for a 10k, they just kind of fit into my marathon training schedules from time to time.  This will be a fun summer of running, we're still waiting to see what the fall will bring us as far as trail races or marathons.

Our house went on the market today!  Thanks for your wisdom and realtor/selling advice. Think GOOD thoughts for us...sell, sell, sell! I secretly hope our crazy neighbor doesn't decide to pull any "tricks" or do anything scary this week.  You really never know....

The San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon is this weekend!  I can't wait to see Bethany and Ryan who are now an official couple!  Good luck and fun running to all of you that are running the full or the half marathon.  We will be cheering at mile 10 of the half, listen for the cow bell!


Sandy Pockets is turning TWO on "June Three."  That's what he says.  Can you believe that little blessing from "all things good and pure" is already two years old?  I'm really feeling like it was just yesterday that he popped into our WORLD.  Just remember what I've always said,  you never know how things will turn out.  Embrace surprises.  Special thanks to Becky for making me feel like a million dollar grandma the other night.  We laughed and laughed, Becky.

Thanks for stopping by, it's been fun catching up with your blogs this weekend.
Have a great, short week of running and life!
meg

WOULD YOU BUY THIS HOUSE???

Our realtor sent us a list from a HGTV program which included all of the WISE things one should do BEFORE they welcome "the caravan" into their home and DECLARE the weekend, OPEN HOUSE!!!
Hmmm...I'm either sentimental, stupid or just plain NOT ready to sell this house because this list was like a glass of ice water, thrown in my face. Ouch.

1.  Depersonalize.  Remove all pictures, photographs and art pieces that draw attention to the fact that a family actually lives in the house.
Are you kidding?  Take down my "shrine" to Sandy Pockets and my favorite flower plate and drift wood heart that BS gave me for Christmas?

2.  Disconnect emotionally from your house.
Does this mean not smiling when you enter the house?  Shut down, cop a dispassionate attitude when I'm at home and not  call it my "nest" any more?


3.  Remove any clothing and shoes that you are not presently wearing in the course of a week.  Clean the closets and rid them of any unseasonal clothing.

Seriously?  I only have clothing for one season, basically.  Sun.  I just happen to have A LOT of things that I like to wear during that season.

Umm, is it okay to leave your bathing suit, underwear and bra in the sink?  Don't ask me WHO put these there.  It's been a long week.


4.  Paint your walls neutral colors.
Hmmm...orange is the new neutral, right?
Yellow?
Brown?
Green?
We're busted.

Those are ALL of the colors in our house.  


5.  Clean your cupboards. People will look in them.
Gosh, how rude.  I'm not inviting the FBI nor the police over for a sting.  Why would someone actually look in OUR cupboards?
O.K., so I'm NOT thrilled with this one.


What WILL sell our house?

It's light, it's bright, it has a ton of windows and it's cheerful.  It looks kind of large from the driveway.


What won't sell the house?

Creepy Angel Head that looks at you as you enter the house.  She'll come down today.

The LOVELY view of the brickyard next door.  Not only is it dusty ,  it's also pretty NOISY from 7 am - 4:30 pm.  Yes, every day.  We have some really strong double paned windows though.


We DO live less than half a mile from the beach.  We DO have a lot of places to ride bikes and run.  We do have an elementary school nearby and we do have a fun garden.

Many of you have asked WHY we are selling our house!

We are empty nesters and we are eager to do less cleaning, less yard work and more running, exploring and having more adventures on the weekends.

Where will we go?

We don't know!!

We will stay here in our little town of Leucadia or Encinitas, we can't

leave Sparkle Pants and his family nor my school, nor the coast.

Any ideas on how we can make our house sell quickly??

We still have some cleaning to do today,  some more PERSONAL items to pack up and some running to do!  I'll catch up on that RUNNING business this weekend on my blog AND check out your blogs as well.  It's been SO busy!!


I hope that those of you racing and running this weekend  have wonderful runs!
meg

Yesterday My Husband Beat My 5k PR Time!

Even though he was FAST, he didn't "fly" to the finish.  His running form looks more FUN than functional and no, he didn't stop to kiss me at this point in the race.  I would have LOVED to have slowed him down but today was HIS day!  I rode BS'  beach cruiser down the road to COWBELL(yes, it's now a verb)Boy Scout and Chris Korn, along with our other awesome running friends at the local Encinitas 5k.  I was supposed to run but a YOGA pose "got" me on Monday and I had to forgo the "KORN CHALLENGE."  Chris and I were to race this 5k but I'm POSITIVELY sure that Chris would have kicked  my booty because he DID do a 20: something race and looked strong the WHOLE time.  He's working on his form and I'd say he is looking pretty solid:

Notice Chris is doing some manly passing-of-the-chicks.  Not one to be chick'd,  Chris would have done this to me and left me in dust.

See Chris' race report here!

OK, so back to BS...

He took off and I played Where's Waldo? on about four parts of the course.  Cowbelling him and peppering him with POSITIVES was easy because he NEVER looked tired, fatigued nor ready to slow down.  He pulled off this race as if it were a little training run.

OK, so now the hard part for me...

He beat my 5k pr and GOAL for the race by over 18 seconds.  A group of friends saw him cross the finish line and they were the first to inform me.  I screamed, not with glee but of frustration.  How long did I think this running streak would last for me?  Not long, in reality, but I had been hoping.  So the more fit BS has become, the stronger he is running. I'm afraid we're  back to those college days when I would run along behind him, gasping for air and praying he was ready to cool down.

Ah, his game is on.  

Congrats Honey, you are one mighty fine MAN, HUSBAND, BEST FRIEND, RUNNER and grandpa.  Let's not forget that you are a grandpa. A might fine grandpa!

Hmm...when is our NEXT race and how hard will I have to work to keep you from beating my time???

Love you...

GOOD JOB, Chris.  See you in Scripp's Ranch in July!

Do you and your SIGNIFICANT compete like this at running or other activities?  Have you found it to be FUN or ???

Smile if you want to...and if you don't, that's okay with me!

I'm not smiling today.

Don't judge.

Sometimes, we just have one of those "days, months or years."

So I was supposed to run a local 5k this week...

but on Monday I took another HOT YOGA class which has really been helping my legs and feet.

But, when I did that little twist pose, the one where you sit up, bend you knee at your chest, the other leg bent around your leg on the floor and give yourself a

HUGE HUG...and a twist.

and I pivoted my sacrum, lodging it against  my pelvis, which was  facing front and it stayed there, the sacrum that is.

My hip flexors seized up to help the back and BAM!!

I suddenly became a crippled mess.

Not smiling.

Guess what? Next week is my birthday!

The kindergarten circus!

One of last year's birthday celebrations...

Oh, yeah. 

Today as I corralled the circus clowns(they are my "assigned act:),  I was forced to chase them  across the stage but unable to run, I had to drag my "dead leg" behind me.

I heard laughter from the open classroom doors...my "friends" were totally amused.

I guess I'm due some DOWN TIME.

It doesn't make me happy but I'm going to receive it like I would a 

high utility bill...

I'm going to suck it up.
But just remember, today I don't feel like smiling.

I may not be smiling but I do have to laugh at the things life brings.  I have read several HONEST blog posts lately from some very, very honest bloggers.  I enjoy these posts because life isn't always

rainbows, chocolate ice cream cones and Sandy Pocket's hugs.

It's all about coping and living.

I've gotten a little hooked on watching one of the worst shows on BRAVO...Housewives from Orange County.  

Fake tans

Fake boobs

Intense issues and problems

Dishonesty

Marital discord

and

some HUGE ISSUES that are so outrageous and ridiculous that they can't possibly be true.

Yet,  dispite my mind telling me that these shows aren't  real, can't possibly be true,  I hate to admit that watching them makes me feel

just a tiny, tiny bit better about my

crippled, funny life.

Oh, did I tell you we're also putting our house on the market this Monday?

Smiles all around.

Just being real...what are you being real about today????

Can We Just Talk About Ultra Marathoners??

They are a HAPPY breed.
They run with wider smiles than most.
You don't see the newest equipment, no sparkles, no dressing to impress!
You don't see the television cameras filming their training, nor their fantastic finishes.
You DO see a lot of dusty socks, you DO hear a lot of hooting and hollering as athletes leave the rest stops, off for more fun.
You DO see a joy and enthusiasm for being out there on the trails, facing some wicked wind and surviving a course that consisted mostly of hills!
Chapped lips, no makeup, bugs in their teeth(and nose and ears and....)yet, they make it look SO FUN!!

In the faces of the runners,   I saw extreme humbleness, a dedication and respect to their long, long training and perseverance on a course that was threatening, yet, beautiful.

Ultra runners are a tough group.  They don't get a milar blanket at the end of their 50 miler.  They don't get a goodie  bag full of bagels, a bottle of water, a banana nor a LONG line of volunteers shouting "Congratulations."  In this case,  the finish line was peppered with a few husbands and wives, friends or training partners,  just waiting(sometimes hours) for their runner to end their long trek.  Not a lot of fanfare,  Sometimes, not even a pat on the back nor a bottle of water.

No, the ULTRA runner is pretty much on her own.  She starts off with barely a murmur in the crowd,  no National Anthem and no spectators around to push her emotionally up the many hills that will threaten and impede her pace.  Sometimes,  walking will be the ONLY way to survive the rocky, menacing trails. The support comes from within.  From her training.  Her hours on a Saturday, dedicated to putting time on her feet. The mental game for the ultra runner is finishing, finishing strong.  Feeling strong.  The pressure of the pace is over ridden by the hills and valleys of the course,  running with flow is the goal. It's about meeting the CHALLENGES OF THE COURSE(and the mind),

Witnessing my  BS power out his first 50k and having the privilege of zigzagging all over the local roads of Palm Dale to just catch a glimpse of BS' and his  training partner,  Gazelle,  was a treat.  Both ran the 50k and it was equally exciting watching the 50 miler runners coming in at just over 7 hours.  They were all strong, they were all tough, they were all incredible long distance runners.

Interestingly,  the "winners" of the 50k and the 50 miler intermingled after the race.  Some were actually "elites" but you'd never know it.  They looked and acted like REGULAR FOLK.  Just as dirty, just as SPASTIC and HAPPY, just as humble.

I was so proud of BS this last weekend.  He has overcome some tough things these past few months. Personally and with his running.   He has overcome some ankle issues, a foot issue and still, he pressed on. Besides the obvious family blessings that we've shared,  I don't think I've ever seen him happier.  Gazelle pr'd by nearly 30 minutes on her 50k race and finished strong.  Again, I've known this girl for a while and I've never seen her so confident, so full of JOY after a run.
I respect you both tremendously,  watching you both and cruising the hills with G was even better than watching the Royal Wedding!

Happy Mother's Day Ladies,  you are all inspiring runners and mothers, I hope you had a perfect day!
Love you guys, can't wait for your next one!!!