Is it corny and trite to say that I've always imagined that I would live in a community that reflected the WORLD?  Different types of people, different colors, personalities, unique qualities and talents?

That we could all live our lives but somehow contribute to the lives of others in meaningful, kind and constructive and helpful ways?  I guess that's why I blog...and why I shared that story about our daughter coming home...I haven't felt the blog community to be anything other than CARING AND HELPFUL.  HOPEFUL.  I'm grateful.  Thank you all so much!

Do I sound like MARY SUNSHINE?  Are you opposed to reading what else I have to say because this is just TOO PIE IN THE SKY, too ROSEY, too idealistic?

Idealistic, realistic, optimistic?

I am entirely optimistic for my daughter and Sparkle Pants.  I know it's not going to be easy for them but we've re calibrated, , set up some new house hold boundaries for all of us and now, moving forward.  Let me thank the author of this book for some insight!

I'm finding that just remaining in the present and staying mindful is helping me in EVERY are of my life.

 I also need to thank those people in my COMMUNITY/FAMILY/WORLD for their unending LOVE and confidence in all of us.  THANK YOU BLOGGERS for your supportive comments and know that it was important to share this information with people who are in my WORLD because this is life.  Hiding or putting on the "RUNNER BLOGGER MASK" just isn't my thing.  I'm many different things but a runner is only one of them...thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Our 7th and FINAL Cross Country Race!

I might have neglected  to mention that besides everything else going on in my life,  I am now training for the Carlsbad Marathon in January!  This week had no room for tapering for today's 6k but it's all good.  I managed 42 miles this week and definitely felt the fatigue in my legs during the last mile of the xc race.  Last Saturday was a 15 miler on hills with 4:30 spurts at marathon pace.  I felt sturdy and strong and felt totally recovered by track night on Tuesday.  That night I did 10 miles and didn't feel great by Thursday but did pull off the workout.  Yesterday, my recovery miles were slow and few but I did wake up HAPPY and ready to race.

Starting line!

There was a STACK OF fast masters women today, everyone is  gearing up for the XC Championships in San Diego in two weeks.  I managed to stick to my 6:45 pace goal for the first two miles and then slowed down to about 6:51 for the remainder of the race.

The terrain was mostly rolling, grassy hills and trails with some flat trails, lined with honking geese.  I have DEFINITELY learned to stick with a pace effort  over the terrain rather than aiming for a set finishing time at a XC race.  There are just too many variables with the terrain and other runners.   Again, I had the time of my life today and ended the race slightly sad because this was our last one of the season.  Our team has become so close and supportive of one another but we'll move on to the Championships at Mission Bay shortly! It's not quite the END!

Again, the marathon training is first so I'll also   keep on with the longer training.

THANK you, THANK you, THANK you once again for your thoughtful comments and support. I am grateful for each and every one of you.

Fondly,

meg

"While we try to teach our children about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about."
---unknown

Guess what I did?  I got complacent.  I started getting used to being an empty nester. Making dinner and eating when we felt like it.  Running at any hour of the day.  Cleaning the house ONLY when we knew it was absolutely necessary(like when spider webs were dangling from the corners of our living room), and finally,  putting out breakables, using fancier glasses, REALLY living life like adults.  You get the picture and I'm sure you know where I'm going.

BAM!  BAM!  BAM!    

It started raining confetti and it wasn't my birthday.  "Surprise!"  Someone shouted(and even though it was only in my brain,   I braced myself."

Sparkle Pants and His Mommy came home.  Moved home.  Grandparents,   meet living- with- daughter- in college/working/mommying and precious two year old plus a few months.

The surprise party died down and reality took over..

The kind of reality that wakes you up,  tests your unconditional love and everything you ever said about being there for your kids NO MATTER WHAT.  Because, yes,  we said that to both of our kids.  All the time.

So now, we're living it.  Trying anyway.  We're trying to NOT parent a 22 year old woman who is scared, working way too hard at school and has two jobs.  We are grand parenting a football-running-baseball-soccer-loving 2.5 year old who asks questions all day long and loves books, snuggling and tortilla chips and hummus.

And you wonder why I'm still blogging?  Still running?  Still looking for wisdom and inspiration with faith and hope?

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Moving forward as always; xc running, training for a January marathon, hugging my husband, digging in some dirt and playing with some rad five and six year olds because they call it "my job."

Suddenly,  my life sounds pretty good.  I am blessed and very non-complacent at this moment.

Thanks for reading this.   Can you believe how fast things can change?!
meg

XC Race # 6

6 races down, every weekend, only two more to go.  This was supposed to be the fastest course, the course with the least hills and the course that many gals PR'd on last year.  Alas, this wasn't to be my day for the sub 20 min. PR at the 5k.  I knew it the minute I woke up.  That's not to say that I woke up with a negative attitude.  Nope.  I love this fun stuff too much.  I just have been DEALING with real LIFE this week and it pretty much pooped me out.  On Saturday morning,  I wanted to wake up, put on the team jersey and run my heart out.  Actually, I was just hoping to survive this race.

Basically this is how it went down>>>

Our masters women team started off with the OPEN team in a "team box."  What?  Suddenly, at this race, we're mushed in with about 15 women and two other teams on either side of us.

"Expect elbowing."  was sort of mentioned at this point.  Women elbowing?  College girls or the old ladies like me?  Couldn't see myself using "the elbows" as running tools.  Of course, that changed as we started to the firing of a gun.  I felt myself listening to the words of a porta potty coach who told her girls NOT to run by feel.  Heck no, make up your mind in the first few strides whether you're going to go for it at mile 1, 2 or 3. Oh, by the way, she wasn't coaching the porta potty users, she was actually coaching her team girls while they waited in line for the potty.  

*free coaching*

.

Suffice to say,  my mental focus wasn't on for this race and I spent the 3 + miles waiting for my poop cramps to go away, grabbing my side, rolling my eyes at BS and taking the turns wide enough that if I "decided" to quit the race, I'd be in the right spot.

People told me they thought I would quit the race several times.  I must have looked radiant and thrilled.

But I didn't quit.  Close to the hill near the finish, I sucked it up.  Once I hit the track for the finish lap,  I realized the clock read 18 something and if I tried to run the track in one minute, I'd PR.

Ha, ha, ha.

I must have been delirious or on crack at that time.

I just kept running and crossed the finish at 21:01.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Well, I didn't quit.

I am new to xc racing this year so everything I've learned has come from MAKING STUPID mistakes right down to eavesdropping on a coach and her college students while we were in line at the porta potty.

I didn't race xc in high school.  Heck,  I just started racing 6 years ago.  SOMEONE should have told me the rules before I got started. There is strategy, there are rules, you just can't run and run and hang on.

But, it's worked for me so far.

AND, I'm loving it.

Great women ran today.  Some fast, some took their time, most gave it their all.  That's all that matters.

Did I tell you I'm just grateful to be a member of this awesome group of girls...I mean, women?

Happy Running,

meg

My Race Candy...

Our team raced again last Saturday and as we approach one of our final three races,  I'm left to reflect on how this XC season as gone.  Of course, it's no surprise,

I"VE LOVED IT!  


A friend from the team told me that these races are like CANDY.  She's right.  Once you get started, you can't stop.  It's almost addictive...no, it IS addictive.  This is being said by the woman who despised 5k's two months ago and is on a quest to finally break her 20 min. goal for the 5k.

TODO ES POSIBLE.


I would say that biggest challenge has been running these hilly and varied-terrain races as if they were a road race.  Thus, expecting that my time will be close to my road 5k time.  It just "isn't" so and it's almost a relief some days.  Going out to hang on and push for the team and for my personal goal is more fun knowing that the occasional soft and sandy spot will be there to test my forward movement.  Maybe it will be a muddy spot or a lumpy grassy hill, perhaps, even a KILLER hill.  Whatever.  It's fun to see what new adventures will be encountered during these races.

New flavors.  New textures.  Less calories, NO cavities.

I like this candy.  Too bad it's almost devoured but I've appreciated every minute!

TOO much, way TOO much, to be discussed on the home front and the school front.  One little tidbit is that BS has been out of running commission since the summer due to his Achilles and he's had an MRI, etc.  He's out until December.

I miss my favorite running partner.

*he's a good listener
*he has something GOOD and wonderful to say about EVERYONE(yes, really)
*he's funny
*he's inspiring
*he's the real deal

Love that man.

Happy Running!
meg