XC Championships in San Diego!

So happy and so sad!  The XC Championships in San Diego were today and it marks the end of my XC season.  On the one hand,  I'm happy to be freeing up my mind for things that don't start with 5 and end with k or 4 and miler.  The short stuff, all 8 races practically every weekend, have been great for my "racing brain."  I tend to run short races like a fun run...high fiving, smiling, just out for a piece of candy.  Race candy.  As the last few races played out,  I found myself focusing more on the run.  The speed, the flow, the end.  And then I smiled.  Once I realized that the courses were never flat, never smooth and usually had about three hills and lots of turns, lumpy grass and today, some soggy mud, I relaxed and found my "happy place" with XC racing.

Seriously, bliss.

I think my favorite thing about this series has been running with my BSK Teammates.  So many fast ladies but also, so smart and so supportive.  Once you start traveling around every weekend together you also get to know the other masters ladies and it becomes one big family.  We cheer for one another, celebrate and give lots of hugs.  This is what a racing team is all about.  I love you, Girls!!

BIG THANK YOUS to the RUNNING SKIRT GIRLS here in town for sponsoring us and the OPEN Elites with such cute skirts!

  

Jessica won first woman OPEN!  Awesome, Jessica! Great job, Morgan, Joey and Melissa!

Tomorrow, my focus turns to my marathon training for the Carlsbad Marathon in January! My base is strong, my focus is good, I think I'm off to a good start.

Thanks BSK girls, Coach David, Nicole, and Steve for making today possible!  I love you all!

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

This is real life, guys...

Painting "The Box."
So far it is The Rainbow House.
It has twinkling lights and orange Halloween lights.
It's still a work in progress.

Pretend Napping Inside the Box 

I'm all about being real today.  Today. Last week,   I had a week of parent-teacher conferences that were enlightening, inspiring and also, sad and frustrating.  Be real.  Life isn't easy for some of us right now.  We have our home.  We have jobs.  We have healthy kids.  Not everyone does.  About 4 or 5 of my Pretzels out of 22 are in homes and families that are in some kind of crisis.  These little guys are shutting down at the ages of 4-6.  Their families are struggling financially and it trickles down on the eeny-meenies of our        
society. These EENY-MEENIES are innocent.  One child was afraid to go to the nurse because he thought his mom would have to pay.  The fears are deep, they've been planted and fed over the past two or three years.  These Pretzels have been raised in crisis. It's their "normal."  We need to remember this when we fuss about test scores, PUBLIC schools, and "those" kids.  They really are OUR kids.  They will always be a part of OUR WORLD, our community, our neighborhoods. Be mindful.  Be hopeful.  Reach out.

REALITY number TWO:  Be grateful.


We have so much.  All the way down to the running...what we LOVE to do.  What we "get" to do!

 I had my cross country race on Sunday,  Race NUMBER 4!  It was a hilly 8k which was down in San Diego, very close to the border of Tijuana and San Diego.  The terrain was all trail and dirt with some dry grass and a golf course for much of the course.  All of the courses have been hilly and it has been interesting to see how my body/fitness has changed with the racing every week.  I barely run during the week really.  I do one big track workout which consists of 4 downhill repeats, then 4 1 min. up hill sprints, and ends with 4 uphill repeats.  It is usually about 8 miles of work and a good warm up and small cool down.  The rest of the week consists of a rest day and two short run days at a slow pace.  Friday I gear up mentally with a two mile run and 6 strides at 5k pace.  I am seeing a lot of progress on race day, not just  with my times but with how strong I feel.

Here's where I get real with you...

Pace and time have always been HUGE for me.  I love the numbers.  Not for comparing with anyone else, just to compare how I've been and where I am.  It's almost a game for me.  It's fun.  Suddenly though,  I started to realize with racing every week,  it can't be about numbers.  You have HILLS in cross country.  You have rocks.  Bumpy, wet grass.  Mud.  Dogs. Runners.  Slippery slopes covered with leaves.

It's all about how you feel.  Am I feeling strong?

Now when I'm racing, my mind isn't wondering about the numbers.  This is what goes on and I can be pretty exact with this since I've done it for four Saturdays in a row.

My mind talking to me:

The start:
"How relaxed do I feel right now?  Relax!"

Mile 1:
"How relaxed am I right now?  How settled am I feeling?  What am I noticing around me?  How much fun am I having right now?"

Mile 2-3:
"Hills!  Use your arms.  Relax!  Smile, you love hills.  Ah, down hills.  No, this is what you love, down hills.  Keep it controlled.  Yes, it feels so good!"

Mile 4:
"Flat?  Yikes, this feels weird.  Where's my 64 year old friend who is usually here at this time?  There he is." At this point, he joins me or I join him and we have a friendly, unspoken game of can Meg slow down her breathing to match his.  He's won every time.  Today he spoke to me at mile 4.something,  "See that girl in the red?  Go get her."  Because I'm in a zone and listen to anything anyone tells me at this point, ,  I followed his instructions but never really caught up to her.  His words were like CRACK though, it shot me out of my comfort zone of RELAXATION and zen...and I made an honest attempt to catch up with her though the sandy final mile.

Each and every one of these races has had me crossing the finish line with a smile.  I'd shout and cart wheel if it didn't look SO "NFL" football player-bragger-like.  My smiles and shouts are for me.  I'm just grateful.  My body kept itself healthy and in one piece for another race.  Thank you for that, body.

Numbers can be good. Being strong can be even better, it carries you farther, lasts longer.

Have a great week!  Be grateful.  Reach out to a child who looks like they just need a smile. Work towards being STRONG, inside and out.

 Our Class Marble Jar Party...

Donuts on a string, hands behind backs.

Thanks to Clifford's Halloween for this idea!

meg

RECOVERY...

Lots and lots of recovery going on around here.  First off, from ORANGE DAY.  My last post explains the whole fiasco.  Moving on to purple tomorrow, I'm sure I'll be able to keep it off the floor, the faces and the clothing...NOT!

One of you requested a photograph of the whole ordeal.  Uh, no.  Can you imagine the parents watching me cackle as I took a picture of the poor innocents with paint dripping off their noses?  They'd have me shipped off to one of those "teacher" places where old teachers give themselves paint facials and sniff Elmer's.  I know.  I've seen it.  Anyhoo, I did get this picture for you on Friday. See?  Still caked into the rug.  Sorry Emmanuel.  This is YOUR spot.  Sit here.  Right on the orange paint your teacher threw at you.  


This week, after the abc's, the 123's, the please and thank you's,  we'll be decorating this refrigerator box which literally touches the ceiling in my classroom. 

 We DO refrigerators BIG here in California.  Vaulted ceilings, remember?  All the NEW houses have them, even mine.  However, I have a normal refrigerator...I'm only teacher but hey, I AM GRATEFUL for my job!!! That's what our principal says we should tell ourselves every morning and I DO!  I know I sound sarcastic right now but I AM thankful for my job.  Anyhoo...I have a vague idea of how we'll "use" this box in my classroom. ONe parent suggested I put the bad kids in the box.  NO WAY, I don't have any bad kids this year.  All angels.  Next idea?   Any creative ideas on your part?  I'm going to plan with the kids tomorrow and I'll keep you posted.  Any random ideas are welcome!

Now that I've tricked you into thinking I'm a balanced woman,  I'll hit you with the real reason I write this BLOG...running!

Yes, still an obsession interest of mine.

Besides my job, which by the way,  did I tell you I'm grateful for?

I am.

My third race in a row was yesterday, our fourth in a series for the Dirt Dog Cross County series.  It was a 10k, the longest in the series.  I was not planning on racing it all out as I am still recovering from the last three races...that's what you do when you're 46 and racing every weekend.   You recover.  That means that I am taking more days off, doing less mileage than I should and doing a speed workout with hills and a little tempo run once a week.  I wish I could do more but I truly feel like the racing week after week is enough.  We'll be going into late October with this kind of schedule so I'm conserving energy and muscle fibers as we speak.  

I won a pair of these awesome recovery socks yesterday, the orange ones!  They are so tight and really felt great on my feet, ankles and calves.  I think I'm going to buy the calf sleeves!  

I used to be a ZOOT girl, I still love their stuff, however, these CEP compression socks are even better!

Interestingly,  I'm going to start training for my January marathon in October...we'll see how that cuts into the recovery schedule AND the November Cross Country Championships in November.

It's all about recovery.


Finally, here's the recent video of my SUPER SANDY POCKETS playing football...
If you are still reading this,  you have a minute to see the cutest boy in the WORLD.
Humor me!!!

Have a great week!
meg