Monday, January 31, 2011

The Section Line Burn



See where I'm pointing? See the redness around the bum? That is where it hurts. My bum is an achy sack from the stroll up section line on Tiger Mt. yesterday. I guess it's been awhile since I've climbed up a big steep hill. But I was lucky enough to run into Eric Barnes, Steve Stoyles and Sara Malcom at the top so I caught my breath and chatted with them. Orcas 50k will be a challenge for me......I am really looking forward to it.

Who thinks this picture, below is real? Is it possible that it is real? It's so funny.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

A New Attitude

Ok, it's started. I'm so happy about it. I am usually not one to make New Year's Resolutions and really, a new attitude is not a New Year's Resolution, however, it is an intention that I've made and it happens to be January. Taking advise and ideas from people that I find inspirational has lead me to introducing such tactics and attitudes in my life, or maybe just making them a bigger presence in my life. Also, I've just spent several evenings watching Bud Greenspan's Olympic movies. The special on the Universal Sports channel titled "9 Nights of Glory" has been so interesting. Bud Greenspan made lots films about the Olympics and focused in on certain sports and athletes. I found it fascinating, inspiring, humbling, educational and motivating. There is just so much emotion in sports and not just coming from the athletes, but also the fans. To see someone cry on the medal stand or watch the medal stand feeling defeat is a real slice of life. Victory and defeat can cause intense emotion. These Olympic athlete's spend their whole lives preparing for high level competition and when it goes sour, it's devastating to watch, when it goes well, it's fantastic and surreal to watch the emotion of these athletes, it must be the biggest or at least one of the biggest moments in their life.
As the saying goes, victory is sweetest when you've known defeat. Bud Greenspan captured a lot of that in his films. There was the Dan Jansen story; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Jansen and the Zola Budd/Mary Decker story, and many other stories of real people who are outstanding sportsman and graceful in their victories and their defeats. Of course, I am just a recreational athlete. I am in awe of these Olympic athletes. I have never been that talented in that arena, nor will I ever be. But what I can strive for is the essence of these athletes in terms of courage and grace. The last Bud Greenspan film I watched had a piece on the Irish track and field runner Eamonn Coghlan, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eamonn_Coghlan. I wish I could produce the link to his interview on the film, but basically it said----show up. Showing up and giving it your all is the only thing you can do-it all aspects of life. Of course he worded it differently and much more eloquent, but his message hit me where it counts.
Anyway.....that's some food for thought.
Beside that. . . I have recently started doing some work for REI. It's been fun. They are starting to use videos on their website in addition to photos. They wanted to do an short video in running in minimalist shoes. For the past 6-9 months, I've been running in the Nike Free's for most all my road runs. I will say, that for a person who once relied on orthodics, the switch to not using orthodics and then to Nike Free's was interesting. I can really see where the leg length discrepancy effects my running gait. I started wearing the shoes and also started pilates and with these 2 additions, my running style has changed a bit. I feel more aware of my muscles, which ones I am using and over-using and then also, which muscles I am not using and should be. Anyway, the experience working for REI had been fun. I'm looking forward to seeing the final product.
Until then. . . .I keep my rhythm going.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Debbie Downer- No More!






No More Whinning!



It's official! After reading so many pleasant blogs, I've decided that mine is lame! It's lame because all I do is complain! So, no more Debbie Downer.....

It's all giggles and laughs from here.....

I'll start with the next post, coming soon.....

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Patience is a Virtue

Does anyone remember the old commercial for Nestle Quik? There was that cartoon rabbit and he loved Nestle Quik so much that he could NOT drink it slow, no matter how much he tried. There was the whole jingle about it and then he would say, "patience is a virtue". For some reason that has always stuck in my head. I wish it didn't; it's like having a stupid song stuck in your head all day but this is my whole life I'm talking about here....
Anyway, let me get to the point!
So, I'm so excited about running this year, more excited than I have been in a long time. I have a schedule picked out for the most part, assuming I get into those races, a new training plan, a new outlook even a new play list on my ipod. So Bridle Trails comes and I was so excited about it. I've never done it, it's a race in the dark, it's a fun run with lots of familiar faces, etc. My running is going great....yada yada yada. Just less than a week from the race, I slip and I tweak my adductor. I think....well, it'll be fine by Bridle Trails. I try to run on Monday, it hurts but I still get in a decent 70 minute run. Tuesday rolls by and I can't really run without pain so I make it a short run. Wednesday- it's worse, Thursday- I don't run, Friday- I can't run, it's baaaaaad. Saturday, I volunteer. Don't get me wrong, I like volunteering at races, it's always good to give back to a sport that gives me so much. Plus I wanted to support my friend Jeanine who was running in her first trail race and to support Owen and see my friends. So, it was not a bad experience, in fact, it was great. Just not the one I had been expecting. So, as I heal up and keep up some rhythm before Orcas, I am just left feeling like this is year is starting out like last year and it seems like there is always something preventing me from going for it and frankly, I'm a little frustrated where running is concerned. So, I keep thinking about the Quik rabbit and remind myself that patience IS a virtue and while I am working on that virtue, I might as well work on some of the others as well. It's only January 18, so I have time to heal and get strong and get back into it. I've promised myself I won't worry, but I secretly do, don't tell anyone.