Wednesday, July 30, 2008

The Rock Run


*Sigh* My sister and I were trying to put a team together for The Rock Run in Nantucket, MA this Saturday. 50 miles of relay craziness along the beach - what could be fun-ner? Anyway, after we started picking up extra relay legs for family members who had travel or other conflicts, it came down to she and I running about 20 miles each, with her husband helping out with one of the legs. I don't think we would have had legs left after those race le-e-e-gs.

So, I'm a little disappointed we won't be able to field a team. I'm sure we'll get some running on the beach in, but it's a lot more fun when you're 'racing' lifeguards and finishing with a bonfire, beer, and race stories!

Abort operation wine, I mean whine

So, I was all prepared to post tonight, complaining about running 5.5 miles (I'll call it 6) in 101+ degree weather. But my efforts were thwarted. First, I could not get online. I checked the plug. I checked the settings. I dug out the router information and rechecked the settings. Then, I restarted about 10 times and installed all those updates that I always put off installing who constantly remind me of my slacking from their pesky little icons in the lower righthand corner of the screen. Then, I had a glass of wine (in vino veritas?) and decided to check the LAN connections. Darn housecat saboteurs.

So, a couple of hours later and I am prepared to whine (and wine). Then I read this guy's blog. He's biking from Denver to Milwaukee. And he's raising money for the local Humane Society. And he's on day two. And I'm a wuss if I whine about almost6 miles in the heat after reading that.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Yummy post-run pic



This is what I was fantasizing about around mile 9 in the major heat and humidity this morning. Or something like this. As soon as the sun came out, I was getting weary, and after 12 miles, I hit the new juice bar/smoothie place. Unfortunately, they ask WAY too many questions after a training run like that - protein what, infusion huh? All I wanted was a berry freezy thingy. And it was good (except for the brain freeze).

No races this weekend - just long slow distance. Not much fun, but at least the pics are un-uglier.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

The non-ugly finish line race pic

Now here's how to take a non-ugly race pic - do it in the dark and hide behind #59!


Picture thanks to Tom Lake
The whole slide show is available here

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Chupacabrapaparazzi

Now I know how Brittney feels. You're going about your business in a skirt, whether it's driving with your kid in your lap or running a crazy night trail run, and the flashbulbs start popping. Apparently, there were some chupacabra-paparazzi at the Chupacabra 10k Friday night, lurking in the dark, trying to get ugly race pictures. And they did (#63)...

Luckily, unlike Ms. Spears, I remember to wear something under my skirt in these situations:
But I was glad I just got "tripped" and "pic'd" by the chupacabra-paparazzi. My friend, Pete, sustained this chupacabra BITE!

Actually, when scouting the course during the day, he caught a branch to the head, earning him 14 stitches. Yet he still ran the race Friday night. The call of Los Chupacabras is strong...

**thanks to Chris McAllister for the pics!


Monday, July 21, 2008

Lost chupacabra pic

Okay, there was one pic before we headed into the woods Friday night to find Los Chupacabras de la noche.

yeah, I'm the dork in yellow with the headlamp and water belt.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

SARR Women's 5k painful pic


Well, about 9 hours after finishing the Chupacabra 10k night trail run, and after about 4.5 hours of sleep, the race gun for the Women's 5k run sounded. And I was already hurting. It turned out that my fall during the Chupacabra netted me a bruised hip, knee, elbow, and hand. What hadn't hurt the night before was throbbing at the start line.

So, I ran the race, which started downhill, with the last mile uphill and an uphill finish (yuck). I was quite a bit slower than normal - by 2 minutes - but just kept thinking of getting home, taking a bunch of Motrin, and sleeping. Here I am thinking "2 more miles, 2 more miles." Next time I'll think twice before running 2 races in 12 hours.

The women's 5k is neat though - only women running with an all-male volunteer corps. Another nemesis, Liza Hunter-Galvan, also ran (and won) the race. *note* Liza is super nice, but is a nemesis due to her age (my age group) and her super speed. Anyway, Liza was running even though she'll be running the marathon for New Zealand at the Olympics in just a few weeks. Here's Liza with Sally#1 and Liza's daughter, Teigan. I may not have beat Liza, but I did beat little Teigan. Just not by much.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

The chupacabra that tripped me

I'd post a picture here, but the official photographer informed me that all shots (even though he blinded us in the woods with flashes) were basically dark with bright reflections from racing gear. So, just this once, you are spared. Not really. Injury pic follows.


So, I decided to run this 10k NIGHT TRAIL run. The distance wasn't beyond me, but running at night, in the middle of the woods, on a trail, is not my style and probably was not so prudent. But, what the hey, I have health insurance now, so I'm pretty sure they'll have to fix me.


It was fun - 9 pm start at McAllister Park - a lot of trail troll types who only come out for these crazy races. I felt a bit over-geared for me and under-geared compared with them in a water belt, race skirt, headlamp, and road shoes. Some of them were so geared out, I was having to double-check the distance of the run. I would have appreciated a better headlamp and some trail shoes, though.


This was a tough run - DARK and technical trails (meaning serious inclines/declines, roots, rocks, wildlife, and narrow ruts) - as you ran, there were calls back of "roots," "branch," and "piedras." Somewhere after two miles, I lost all depth perception and it was hard to tell the character of the upcoming surface. This is where trail shoes are nice - my feet and ankles are sore from navigating rocks, limbs, and other trail debris, but thankfully no twists or sprains.


I didn't bite it until around mile 3, when a chupacabra tripped me. Really, I was nimbly tiptoeing around rocks and other obstacles and, out of nowhere, I was going down. As I was falling, I put out my hands and flashed to a running buddy of mine who fell in June, braced himself with his hands, and received a blue cast on his broken wrist for the effort. So, I somehow wrapped my arms, tucked, and rolled into a PLF (parachute landing fall - guess that military training DOES come in handy) and crashed on my hip/butt. So, little scrapes, no big deal, and ran the rest with only almost-falls.


Here's the injury as of that night -





Actually, that's just the knee boo-boo - and that's not a tan line or hairy ankles on the right foot - that is the layer of dirt that was all over me after the run. So, not the fastest run, but in the disorienting dark, after a fall, with obstacles, on a trail, I finished the 6.2 miles in 1:19. Not great, but not bad.

After a coupla beers and a veggie burger around 11:30-midnight, I headed home to grab a 4 or so hours of sleep before the women's run, thinking I had done pretty well with the fall. Unfortunately, I woke up around 3ish in major pain with a veggie burger doing backflips in my stomach. I went back to sleep with frozen peas on my hip and you'll have to read the rest of the story after I take a nap and get the women's run pics from the next day.

dumb chupacabra!

Friday, July 18, 2008

Los Chupacabras de la Noche

In 4 hours, I embark on the first annual Chupacabras 10k trail run under a full moon. Or, as I like to call it, please don't let me get hurt. Afterward, we enjoy (veggie) burgers and beer, hit the sack, and try to wake up in time for the Women's 5k run at 7:30 a.m. Tomorrow, I sleep....

Thursday, July 17, 2008

How I train

Well, it's the first official week of marathon training - even though it's the same mileage as every other week. The first week of being back on a schedule is always a little strange, though. So, how will I train? By getting home after work, squeezing in a hothothot 3 miles, and hitting wine tasting at the Cove.

yeah, that's how we pros do it. But, really, I think it's heart healthy, and I have a craving for the fish tacos this place serves. I will call it an early night, though, since the Chupacabra 10k madness is tomorrow evening!

Monday, July 14, 2008

My bodyguard and future linebacker

I got home today and watched this on the news:


I'm not sure where exactly on Babcock the man attempted to kidnap the two women, but I do know that I ran up Babcock, past the Shell station, and back on Saturday for my ill-advised run to work. One of the women outran the man, which I hope that I too would be able to do.

So, today I wasn't taking any chances and ran with my bodyguard, Gwen the pitoodle. We set out for 3 miles but it was hot and, apparently, it's even hotter when you are dark grey and furry. I got the look which was previously posted below in the reenactment. So, we trotted about 2 miles and returned to the yard, where Gwen got her new toy - a football.



She really tore into it. Literally - it's pretty flat right now. I'm not sure whether it was her reaction to Brett Favre asking to be released by the Packers or whether she was practicing so that she could join her "cousins" in the 2025 Packers starting offensive line. Here are her future teammates.

Just don't discriminate against her 'cause she's a girl. She can really tuck the ball and run.

Uglier and uglier

Well, it certainly was ugly running to and from work on Saturday. My plan was to leave the house at 0530, thereby getting into work around 0630, working until 1030, and getting back on the road before the cruel, cruel sun was high above. Not a bad plan. Then, the snooze button attacked relentlessly on Saturday morning. I headed out around 0830 and was stuck under the cruel, cruel sun for the return trip at 1330 (1:30 pm - yeah, hot). Not a good plan. And Gretch, not a plan I'll likely repeat, especially on a Monday!

I made it, though, and saved myself a whopping 1/4 gallon of gas. Upon arriving home, I kicked Gwen out of the kiddie pool and cooled off. No pictures - it just would have been too ugly.

Speaking of bad ideas and ugly, at 9 pm this Friday, I will attempt Los Chupacabras de la noche 10k trail run. Here is the prerace report from buddy and sometimes dog-sitter, Jenna:

"Two Fridays ago, Bill (race director) and 4 other guys ran the course & one of them sprained his ankle. This Friday, 5 guys running the course & Pete whacked a branch with his head & got 14 stitches. This is a 20% injury rate, which means statistically that of 80 participants registered, there will be 16 (or more since it’ll be dark this time) people hurt themselves. I plan on only jog/walking this course. But it’ll be fun fun fun!"

Yeah, it's all fun and games until someone gets a stick in the eye. I'll definitely get a pic of that one!

Friday, July 11, 2008

Weekend running

Surprisingly, no weekend races for me. Of course, it's hotter than, well, you know what. Instead, I am going to challenge myself a little, shake things up, and save some gas by running to work tomorrow morning, putting in some overtime, and running home when it's blazing hot. Sounds like a blast (right). There shouldn't be any ugly pictures from that, unless I get splattered by a crazy driver. In that case, could whoever catches it on the news post the pic here?

Have a great weekend!
Sal

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Ugly race pic reenactment

I know. Not even a week, and I'm already reenacting an ugly race pic. Well, this one is of my sometimes running partner, who I am unable to get an ugly race pic of as I am dragged/dragging her along the zoo run route when it's about 100 degrees (you try that with 52 pounds of sheer muscle on a leash). Anyway, this is pretty much what the race pic would look like at 1.5 miles:



Gwen the Pitoodle: "SRSLY Y R WE RUNNIN WHEN THAR R NO KITTEHS 2 CHASE?" Translation: http://speaklolcat.com/


Okay, she's not so ugly. But she has gotten into a bad habit of licking frogs in the yard at night. If that makes her run faster, I may try it, too, but I'm pretty sure it won't work. http://www.eopoint.com/wiki/index.php/Froglicking

So far, it just makes her wipe her tongue with muddy paws and bury her head in the (kiddie) pool and blow bubbles - but then, I've been like that after many races (and some weekends).

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

New, improved

Okay, really that means it only took me 2 days to figure how to make that picture -->
smaller. Brilliant! I'll get the hang of this yet.


No races this weekend, since I'm running Friday and Saturday races next weekend (dumb dumb dumb). However, I did promise some news on my nemesises (nemeses?). These are really, really fast women whom I have no hope of ever catching, much less beating, but sometimes I pretend.

Nemesis #1 - Andrea. She's fast - really fast. She wins just about everything up to the half marathon. She has no body fat. And now, she has this (scary?!) tattoo. I think imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I don't want to totally copy her, just the idea. So she has muscle and steel - I'm going to have a bunch of fat and cellulite tattooed to my thigh. I think it'll make me run much faster.

Hold you breath for a post of THAT tattoo!!


Tonight: venerable zoo run (2 miles in the greenhouse-like weather)

Monday, July 7, 2008

Fast girl ugly race pic - 'check out my lean'

Apologies to Lil Shine. And now I have that song in my head - check out my lean....
Nope, not me - didn't you notice the "fast girl" part in the title? But you have to admire the heart in Ms. Hooker - San Antonio runner (the one on the left). This finish-line lean caused her to stumble into the Olympics by her fingernails and 1/100th of a second. Nice job - nice ugly race pic! I'll have to try that manuever at the next race - should be interesting!


Full story here:

Historical Post - Lawyers Have Heart 10k June 2008

This one you have to work for - because of copyrights and all that good stuff. This run was in Washington DC from the Georgetown Harbor. Scenic, but hot - just like running in San Antonio, but scenic-er! 5000 runners and lots of fun to take some ugly pictures. After a previous remark from my sister, yes I was sweating, but I HAD poured a cup of water over my head. (These ugly pics take work and composition, mind you.)

http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=37855&PWD=&BIB=1096

Freedom 4 miler - Happy birthday to me




Well, I'm going to start this out with my birthday run. Now, normally, I just re-turn 25 every year. But, this year, I'm in a new old lady age group (not really old ladies - the Olympian, Liza Hunter-Galvan, is now my 'nemesis' in this age group until scary-tattoo Andrea joins us next month as my old lady nemesis, but more about them later). It certainly did not help my running - but I think that can be attributed to people grilling in the park - I don't like to smell food when I'm running.


Anyway, 4 miles in the books and, of course, some ugly race pics to add to the collection. This time, as we ran, SAPD ticketed all the runners and Texas Towing (evil, oft sued by me entity) towed their cars. Luckily, I didn't pull one of my smart-arsed perpendicular parking jobs, so I was safe, but buddies were not - including one buddy who rode her bike there and put it on someone's bike rack during the race - and THAT car got towed, along with the bike!


After a nap with the dog, it was 4th of July Fish Fry at a buddy's mansion. Next up, Los Chupacabras de la noche 10k trail run (7/18, 9 pm) stupidly followed by the Women's 5k (7/19, 8 am). that's going to hurt this old broad!

Test 1-2-3 test?

Well, I'm trying this out, instead of the multiple (possibly unwanted) emails to friends and family. I guess we'll just see how it goes!