whew, what a weekend

On Friday, I stood in line for almost an hour for Cornyation tickets.  Luckily, I met Charles and Irv from http://www.beataids.com/, who kept me highly entertained during the wait.  Saturday was Bashura Bash, where volunteers clean the litter from San Antonio's waterways.  I joined up with Alamo Running Buddies for a mile-long stretch along Leon Creek - I swear that EVERY contractor dumps his/her debris down into the creek. 

Sunday morning, I ran the Get Your Rear in Gear 5k at Brackenridge Park.  The weather was great, but hours of picking up trash killed my back, so I was hurting.  So, I took a nap, then spent the afternoon battling gianormous dandelions and picking my first strawberries of the season.  (There was a lot of other boring stuff in there too, but it's definitely not worth reading about!)

Thanks to Jazzy and Tina O for the pics!

Next ups - drag queens, beasts, community service, and the butt race

I'm posting this on Thursday because my weekend begins tomorrow with a day off.  Of course, that means that I am trying to catch back up with the rest of my life tomorrow, and it will be crazy.  So, first on the list is getting tickets to Cornyation - a lovely, raunchy Fiesta show involving skits starring mostly folks in drag.  It's AWESOME.

People have been in line for tickets to Fiesta events since Thursday night, so we'll see how I do tomorrow. I foresee standing in lines - tickets go on sale at 10:00 a.m.  Then, I need to grab tickets for us for the Feast with the Beasts at the zoo (April is a very busy month 'round here).

No lines for that one - thank goodness for the internet - but I may go down to the zoo to get them, check out the black leopards, and go for a run.  Saturday is Basura Bash, where I perform community service and pick up trash along San Antonio's waterways.  Nope, I didn't plead out or do anything wrong, and you couldn't prove it anyway - I'm just helping to keep the places I run basura (trash)-free!

That's Basura Bob, the basura bashing fish, in the pic.

Then, I try to mop up muddy dog prints, slay dandelions, and perform other menial tasks.   And Sunday brings the Get Your Rear in Gear 5k for the Colon Cancer Coalition. 

I'm calling it the Butt Run.  I think they should too - I would make sure to run it just for a t-shirt that said "the Butt Run," but maybe that is why I am not in charge. 

Beaten by the dogs

You will know this is going to be a pathetic back-to-back race weekend report when I tell you upfront that I was beaten by two different chihuahuas in two races in two days.  SIGH.

I awoke at 0530 on Saturday to lightning, thunder, rain, and hail.  Excellent day for a race.  So, I moved to the couch, closed my eyes, and hoped that it would be sunny and bright in an hour.  After about an hour, I was awakened by a slobbering, shaking, Dingo dog (she doesn't like thunder and had escaped the dogroom).  The hail had abated, but not the rain, wind, and cold.  But I was preregistered, so I headed to the park for the Shamrock Shuffle 5k.  The race was actually delayed for 30 minutes for the weather to clear - it did, somewhat, and we ran through puddles in drizzle and rain.  Somewhere around mile 1, I was passed by a chihuahua wearing a pink 'dress' with a tutu.  BIG SIGH.  Afterward, we drank stout and pale ale (to ward off the chill).  At least the dog didn't get any beer - ha.

On Sunday, I awoke for the Run Wild for Brainpower 5k - still chilly, but no rain.  It was a nice race at the University of the Incarnate Word, but my legs were a little dead, and I finished over a minute slower than Saturday's race.  This time, I was AGAIN passed around mile 1.5 by a different chihuahua, garbbed in UIW red and black.  At least we matched?

After the race, I toweled off and headed downtown to the Southwest School of Art & Craft for the Empty Bowls Event benefitting the SAMM shelter.  I bought some nice handmade bowls and enjoyed gulf shrimp bisque, lobster bisque, and fresh bread (and brought home some buttermilk heirloom tomato bisque for tomorrow).  And then I rested - I need my rest in order to launch my comeback against those little mutts.

Thanks to IAAP for the pics!

Next ups

This is going to be a busy week and an even busier weekend, so I'm posting the next-ups early.  Yep, it's time for another back to back race weekend.  First, on Saturday, there is the St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Shuffle 5K in my beloved Brackenridge Park.  (I think I'm going to bike on my ton o' steel downtown for packet pick up on Friday evening, just to make it more interesting.)

Then, Sunday morning is the Run Wild for Brainpower 5K (no jokes please about my brain power or lack thereof) at the University of the Incarnate Word.

Yes, I realize that is last year's logo.  But I could not swipe a good one for this year yet.

Immediately after that, I will take a "French prostitute's (or whore's) bath" (thanks for that phrase, Mom) in my car.  Not to offend the French.  Or prostitutes.  Or whores. Or sweaty runners trying not to be stinky. It's basically a field bath - wet wipes, deodorant, powder, and perfume.  Because, I'll then head straight to the Empty Bowls event at the Southwest School of Art and Craft.  There, I will buy handmade bowls and receive a bowl or three of good soup, bread, and water from a bevy of wonderful local restaurants.  All proceeds benefit the SAMMShelter. 

And then (and then) I will probably need a nap - and definitely a shower.  For those of you keeping track, I think those are races #10 and #11 this year (run, not volunteered).

Long day at the park

Gwen, Dingo, and I volunteered yesterday at the Prickly Pear 10 mile/50k trail runs.  It was a long day, arriving at the park at 6 a.m. and returning home at 5 p.m.  Here we are enjoying our well-deserved rewards (the dogs ate fajitas).

Thanks to Cecilia Iniguez for the pics!

Next up

Prickly Pear 10 mile/50k trail run. 

Um, no, I am NOT running it.  Remember, I'm not a very talented trail runner?  So, for this run, I volunteer at the #1 aid station (and I mean #1 - we have decorations, snacks, mascots - yeah, my dogs - and happy folks giving out beverages and snacks ALL DAY LONG).  This always exhausts the dogs, which is a good thing, and me, too, but that's not really a change.  The 10 mile folks see us once on the trail - the 50k folks get to see us 3 times during that endurance run.  (yep, you guys rock).

It looks like the forecast will be clear for a nice race.  Before then, I need to clean out the Yaris hatchback, which is currently hauling big bags of donated dog food, my bike, and assorted boxes of stuff that need to hit donation stations.  You wouldn't think the pod could haul so much - and it's probably affecting my 35+ mpg gas mileage.  But, if I'm going to cram 2 baddogs, their stuff, a table, more snacks, and beer in there for the race on Saturday, I need to start cleaning.

American Sunrise 5k

I don't recommend my race preparation plan that I used for this race.  Last night, I biked the 5-hour First Friday Cruiser ride.  Lest you think I am hard core, the ride starts with lasgana and awesome salad at Guillermo's, then we leisurely cycle to the VFW for a beer on the river (didn't hit the VFW last night though), then cycle to the Alcapulco Drive In for another beer, then cycle to Southtown and enjoy beer and music at the German beer garden for the First Friday celebration.  Like I said, not the best race prep.

So, I was tired when I started this race at Our Lady of the Lake University on the West side.  Incidentally, the finish at the university is still the site of my 5k PR - 2:00 faster than today.  But, I ran a nice, steady, flat race.  In some of the neighborhoods, there were a LOT of wandering dogs, so I tried to keep up with the (human runner) pack to be on the safe side.  And, in the end, I got 2nd place in the age group.  I love small races with no pros!

Here are the frame by frame pics - should be just like you were there with me! 

The race benefitted American Sunrise, which aids development in the square mile where we ran. 

That's Henry Cisneros presenting and City Councilwoman Mary Alice Cisneros giving the medals.

Thanks to http://www.iaapweb.com/ for the pics

Next up: 10 mile run in the morning

Next up

The First Friday cruiser bike ride downtown tomorrow night, then a bit of sleep, then race #9 of the year, the American Sunrise 5k:

My dogs' favorite neighbor

I live in what's called "midtown."  I'm minutes away from downtown by car and can even run to downtown within 20 minutes - and we know I'm not very fast.  Yet, my neighbor has a cabrito.  Or, really, just a cabra (goat), but I highly suspect that he may become Easter cabrito.  Or maybe he IS just a pet.  Either way, my dogs think he's AWESOME!

(he's standing on a car)

There he is in the front yard (on the left) grazing on tree bark. (click on the pic to make it bigger)  I may see if he's available to 'mow' the front yard.

Back to Back races part II - the one in which I did NOT fall down

Reasons I am not a regular trail runner: 1) I drag my feet, especially when I get tired and 2) I cannot sustain concentration while running - I like to zone out. The past trail races have netted me turf toe (kicked the heck out a big rock), a separated shoulder (fell), and piriformis syndrome (fell on my hip on a rock). In my defense, some of those trail runs were in the dark.


Sunday was the Paesano's 8 mile trail challenge.  And this was a TECHNICAL "8" mile (more like 9) trail run. Wow, hard. What I saw with my eyes glued to the ground: the ground 3 feet in front of me, rocks, rocks, rocks, stumps, roots, and low hanging branches. What I heard: "nice save" (repeatedly when I barely avoided falling) and "duck" (low hanging branch). Yep, it was rough.  And, today, I am very sore.

Here are the pics of me trying to remain upright:

Thanks to Kevin G. Saunders and Adrian G for the pics!