Running Away

Since I can't actually RUN away anywhere, I decided to get out of town for the weekend.  Solo.  What better way to re-charge than to hike out into the wilderness and set up camp for a few days?  Okay, a state park isn't exactly wilderness.  

It took me a few hours to find a Texas State Park that had available hike-in primitive sites.  I didn't want to stay with noisy RVs - I wanted to be away from it all.  Finally, I secured a spot on-line, crammed my gear into my backpack, loaded up the car and set out for an adventure.

When I showed my reservation at the office she asked, "Primitive?"   She asked how many adults and when I replied with one, she repeated, in disbelief, "By yourself?  You're camping primitive BY YOURSELF?"  Uh, yes and thanks for announcing it to all the potentially crazy people in the office.  I wanted to say, "Um, nope, my mistake, me, my big dog and my angry dad with several guns are all camping together."  Instead, I just smiled and nodded.  Yup.

Loaded up with everything I'd need for the weekend.

Tested out the water proofness of my boots by crossing the Paluxy River.  

They indeed are waterproof. Good thing because the water got deeper!

Oh mah guah.  This view.  I could stare all day - and did for hours.  

Until I watched in silence as the sun set.  

Pitch black by 7pm, I amused myself by reading (brought 3, yes 3 books with me) and writing letters.  Yep, old fashioned pen and paper letters.  Who doesn't love mail?  It didn't get as cold as I feared it might and I was comfortable all night - save for the roaming coyotes who sang their mournful song a good part of the night. I didn't see any other campers but I didn't worry.  My food was hung high in a tree and honestly, I didn't think the coyotes were all that interested in my Clif bars!  

Standing once again in the Paluxy River, I was treated to this spectacular view.  I just stood there, holding my breath.  This sight - this glory.  I don't see this every day, yet it is there. The beauty is all around us if we'll stop for a moment and look for it.  

And I'm so glad that I took the time to look, for I surely found it.

Restember

So my body is jacked up. 

I did very little between Chicago and my attempt at Austin.  And I did absolutely nothing last week.  Noth-ing.  At all.  Complete rest.  Eight days of a slovenly lifestyle.

But Sunday I was ready to move and so enjoyed our 30 mile bike ride.  Fortunately, it did not hurt.  I was sore by evening, sore in my hips like I had done much more.  I realize I have no power for climbing in my left leg right now and that’s okay. It was nice to be moving again.

November is going to be the month of rest.  Physical and mental rest.  Already I’ve taken four rest days (out of five, count ‘em) and I’ve got seven more planned.  Including today! That’s a total of 11 rest days for a girl who normally takes but one complete rest day a week.  And that’s not counting the days of active rest.  Yoga = active rest for me. Sure it’s using my muscles and sure I break a good sweat, but my body isn’t taking a pounding nor am I using a repetitive motion. 

Take note there is no running until Thanksgiving Day.  I love to run on Thanksgiving morning so I selected that day for my Big Comeback of three miles.  And if I need to go two or even just one, I will.  Easing back into the swing of things.

The strength training you see are merely the exercises my doctor prescribed for my hips.  Maybe 20 minutes total of movement. 

My swimming and cycling?  Notice there are no yards, no miles, no times.  Just do what feels right.  

I’m excited about a month to do only what I enjoy and not push myself.  I’m looking forward to riding slowly and stopping to enjoy the scenery.  And if I wake up and I’m hurty, I’ll take yet another rest day.

My body is screaming for a break and I’m listening.  I’ve got a big training season ahead of me.  But maybe even more than that, my mind needs a break.  I need to sleep later, take more naps, socialize some while I can and spent time to just…be. 

And no one is more shocked than I am to realize, I’m actually looking forward to this!

Have you ever taken a Restember? 

The Latest Rage:Spectathlon

I am a Spectathlete.

Sunday the DRC held their biggest race of the year, their annual half marathon.  Several of our super cool friends were racing so all of us broken people (i.e. not running) decided to spectate the crap out of this race.  

So we met super early and were rolling before the sun was up.  That's right, we rode to the lake and negotiated the course by bike.  But first we had to fuel. And what better way to fuel than with donuts?  Oh, I love cycling.  You can eat anything and still ride!  

Tough choices for Heidi and Brian at the donut shop.

After a week of NO activity at all (and three weeks of only yoga and swimming before that) it felt GREAT to be back on my bike!  We intended to take it easy, but we averaged 22 mph on the way to the lake.  Um, awesome.  I love that feeling!  It was so early, there were very few cars on what is normally a busy road.  Such sweet freedom to cruise the streets with your friends before the rest of the community is awake.  A smile plastered on my face, I pedaled hard.  We climbed a long seemingly never ending hill and stopped to consult my cue sheet.  I looked over, saw this and gasped.  Worth getting up early for - every single time.  

It wasn't long before we were on the course at our first designated cheering spot, at the top of a long hill around mile 4.5.  We arrived with plenty of time and set about the business of freezing.  We hadn't considered how cool it would be once we stopped moving.  Plus, we were wet with you know, sweat and all. Ew.  We kept our eyes on the sun, making a point to stand in its beams as soon as it started to shine!  

Curbs make great kickstands.  Truth.

There was an early start for runners anticipating a finish greater than 3:15. It was fun to see them huffing up the big hill only to be greeted buy a group of silly geese on wheels.  Spectathletes, this group.  We made sure to call out the names we could read from bibs when we could make them out.  We are nothing if not experienced at the sport of Spectathlon.  We got to see the lead runners. I held a sign that read, "I think you're winning!" and these two really were!

We spotted all of our runners at this spot - but MK made the best picture.  She looks so happy to be running!

We hit up Mile 6.5 as well, but only saw MK.  The others were too far ahead so then we zoomed to mile 10.5  Where we set up temporary camp.  Here you see Ninja greeting runners.

Say "hai!"

Tri-besties playing cyclist.  Such a gorgeous day to be on the bike!  The weather was perfect - cool and sunny.  Heidi and Brian ran MCM last weekend and Ninja just cycled 210 miles a few weeks ago.  We were all hurting a little bit but just so glad to be out for fun.  Heidi and I played the "I love" game where we took turns shouting out what we love.  "I love the sound the leaves make as they crunch under my wheels!"  So much fun.

We managed to see two of our runners at Mile 10.5 but wanting to see all of them finish, we quickly took off again and headed to the finish.  Here is what I know, spectating a half marathon you have to be quick.  Those kids run fast!  We managed to beat them all to the finish (shortcuts available only to bikes, yo) and set up, ready to holler our heads off.

Me and Ninja and The Cyclist.  Yep, that's his head on a stick.  We take our Spectatloning seriously.

  

The Cyclist sprinting towards a strong finish.

I don't know this runner but those pants...pure awesomeness.

We saw every one of our runners cross the finish - many new PRs were set.  It was a great day for racing!  We had so, so much fun negotiating the course and surprising our friends along the course.  It's incredible how even a stranger's face will light up at a humorous sign (I had several) or just hearing a kind word.    Spectating is more fun than racing - it is certainly less work!  (although our hands did get sore from clapping)  We yelled and whooped and cheered and even jumped up and down at times.  (turns out I can jump and run pretty quickly in my new cycling shoes, who knew?)  But this was just a dry run for next month - the Big Show, Dallas Marathon.  We've got plans for that race.  

If you have the chance to spectate - do it.  Bikes get you around the course with ease, places cars can't go, but even if you're on foot, it's totally worth it.  And if you're lucky, one of your runners will help you taste some of the offerings from Beer Jail!  

Resting, or Something

This isn't going to be a post where I whine. Yes, it hurts to sit, hurts to stand, hurts to walk, hurts to just be.  So clearly, I'm not doing anything physical.  I'm allowing myself an entire week of real rest.  No yoga, no swimming, no nothing.  

And I'm going crazy.

What do people do who don't exercise?  They have so much free time to fill!

Saturday and Sunday I was out of town so that was actually fun.  Monday?  I taught myself to play Silent Night on my uke.  I KNOW.  By Tuesday, Day 4 of complete rest, I was going out of my mind.

Slim pickins, but at $1, they worked just fine.

Sooooo, Violator came over and we did what we do best.  Have fun.  We picked up queso and pumpkins and set about the business of hacking away at those poor gourds.  

Violator is the MOST fun!  

On Halloween, Day 5, I did what many of y'all did,  admired the tiny, costumed people roaming my neighborhood, begging for candy.  If it hadn't been Halloween, I might have gone to the gym to sit in the sauna for an hour.  I'm dying to sweat!  

Let's see, oh, I also got a flu shot and now my arm feels like it's going to fall off.  Just what I needed, another thing to go wonky!  

So, in the interest of keeping myself (somewhat) busy, I'm looking for new challenges.  I see your instagram pics from @fatmumslim's photo a day challenge.  So this 11th month, I shall attempt to participate.  Let's see how long before I forget.  Keep in mind I have NO creative eye for photography. Running it through the Nashville filter is as exciting as I get.  Just keep your expectations low.

Today, Day 1, is "Something beginning with 'C'".  I could have gone with Cat since there are plenty of those skulking about the house. But instead I chose my favorite Cup.  Actually, I use it as a bowl, but indeed it is a cup and that, to the best of my knowledge, begins with a C.  I love the bright blue inside, the brown graphics amuse me and Cheerios (also with a C) taste fantastic in it.  

So Day One.  I'm photographing cups.  Help me.

Oh mah guah, what do YOU do when you are resting???  I need suggestions!