Catching up

Well, crud.  Somehow life and running and all kinds of stuff got in the way these past months, and I have not graced you all with my abundant ugly race pics.  So, since I last posted, my runs have also been quite cruddy - here's a synopsis:

Probably my worst HM finish at the SA Rock N Roll - definitely the worst leg cramps in my history, but here I am hamming it up

Later, around mile 11, other runners kept me from falling over with crippling leg cramps. But then, I ran the SABA Courthouse 4 miler - also pathetic.  And then, there was the Santa Antonio 5k - I rode the course twice by bike - and was hurting

But enjoyed a little 'recovery'

And then, this weekend was the Sticks and Stones 16.04K road or trail race (I picked stones/road, given my injurious history on this dang trail - I still have a scar on my left knee from earlier this year).  But, somewhere about mile 7, I got really grouchy - and at mile 9 in the humidity, the calf cramps hit again - right here-ish

But, again, I recovered with the help of some friends and libations

All that said and given my history of pretty cruddy performances at my races as of late, I was debating whether to run the SARR 5 mile or 10 mile run this weekend.  After posting a request for advice, I got pushes from two high school buddies - one of whom who has multiple autoimmune diseases - from the 'usual FM' to some really unique and untreatable disorders - and the other who recently underwent a liver transplant and is experiencing some complications.  So, my "I'm sleepy in the morning" and "my knee hurts" complaints pale VERY MUCH in comparison.

And, therefore, I have registered for the SARR 10 miler on Saturday - the first 5 miles will be for Anney and the second 5 miles for Jennifer.  Maybe a little positive run will do us all better in the overall spiritual realm?

Roar. or more of a rawrrrr, cavebear style

Thanks to Bo for this one... as you can see, that climb out of the cave was fairly slow, since I managed to negative split the second 2 mile run after riding hell hills.  I really can't say much about the bike, except that I made it - for some reason, I was planning on more of a 45 minute spin/cruiser ride.  NOT SO.

But, by far the most important - cool pic.  Which is the real reason I actually enter all events - to amuse everyone with my ugly race pics.

RRP is directing a half marathon that starts in the cave in February - I'm tempted.

Cave Bear - again

Here are the updated pics - yep, when you jump into a duathlon untrained solely for the purpose of getting good pics, you actually buy them :) Rowrrrr.

CAVE BEAR. Rowrrrrrrrrrr

Here are the pro pics from the Cave Bear Duathlon on November 20 - thanks to Redemption Racing Productions  Yep, I ordered a cave pic - since that was the whole reason I tried this crazy du!

rowrrrrrr - tough cave bear, trying not to slip and fall

ruhrrrr?  my seat is too low

ro----gasp-hills!  and grrrr - put put put into the finish

and purr.  If that's what cave bears do at the end of a duathlon they had no business running/cycling!

WOW this seemed like a good idea when I signed up

So, with the humid little Rock N Roll half marathon in the distant past (by 6 days), I decided for a little back-to-back fun this weekend, starting with the San Antonio Bar Association Run for Justice 5k.  Not bad, but very humid and quite hilly near the end.  But, that was the easy part.  No sweat. (well, a little sweat)

On Sunday, I tackled the Cave Bear Duathlon.  It sounded super cool - start in the belly of the Natural Bridge Caverns (big cave), run out and 2 miles, then bike 15.5 miles, then run another little 2 miles.  No sweat. No sweat, right? 

Well, first off, this was my first duathlon - I really don't know what transition is, or body marking?, or what to do, really.  Next, I haven't ridden more than 5 miles at a time in years.  Then, there's the fact that my bike is an old hybrid, hunk of steel with and inch of dust on it.  No sweat, for sure.

So, I arrived SUPER early, because I needed to get my mind around transition. body marking, and all the other strange stuff.  And then, it started hitting me that I had not prepared for this and it was, in all likelihood, going to take me over 2 hours to conquer the Cave Bear - on half a Tri3bar for nutrition.  Oops - prior planning FAIL.

But, I racked up my hunk of steel bike next to bikes worth more than my car (and maybe my house) and told myself "I am CAVE BEAR."  So, we got our pre-race briefing...

and headed down into the cavern (single file, by distance and by speed - my buddy, Tammy - on the left above - did the max distance of 5 mi/26 mi/2 mi for the T Rex, which started first) - I was in the wayback. 

No sweat, right?  Except that it was about 70 degrees - even in the cave - and 99% humidity.  And we climbed down and waited and waited.  The first runner started at 7, with each of 360+ runners starting individually about 5-8 seconds later - and, as I said, I was in the wayback.  So, I started around 8 - running, slipping, and climbing out of that crazy cave.  And I was sweating.  (cool cave race pic to follow)

And I emerged from the cave for the little 2 mile run on some rocky trails with some hills - already sweating.  As I ran the trails, I thought, I can't wait to get on my hunk of steel bike and just spin.  So, I flew through transition (easy to do when you have no real gear to change) and jumped on the bike.  And realized that my seat was too low - but it was 'only' 15.5 miles, so I could manage.  No sweat, right?

And, for the first six miles, it wasn't - nice rolling hills that I pedalpedalpedaled up and wheeeeee'd down.  Until we turned and the headwind started affecting me.  (Here's what the pros looked like riding it - yes, they are standing up pumping on their superbikes)

And I pedalpedalpedaled and pedalpedalpedaled and pedalpedalpedaled up the hills, and 15.5 miles seemed REALLY DAMN LONG.  And I was hungry.  And I was SWEATING. 

I won't lie, two hills got me - I ran out of gears (and maybe leg strength) and got whizzed by fast road bikes.  It took a lot of sweat to push that hunk of steel bike up those hills - and get back on it.   As I biked back to transition, I thought, I can't wait to get off my hunk of steel bike and just run.

And I flew through transition (easy to do when you just dump a hunk of steel bike and a helmet) - and started trying to run - in the ittiest bittiest steps ever.  But I kept moving my legs and felt pretty good/tired, until I saw a gal in front of me with "39" on her right calf. 

I was not competing in this race - I was just participating.  Until an age-grouper was right in front of me (our age was 'marked' on the right calf).  So I sped up my ittiest bittiest steps and passed her - victory. Until I saw the "34" ahead and couldn't remember if the age groups were in 10-year increments (they weren't, but I couldn't risk it).  I ittiest bittiest stepped as fast as I could turn my legs over until I got past her.  Ane then, I saw the "50" in front of me - and ran it in to the finish with her, nice and easy.  Looking like this -

Yeah, that was not NO SWEAT at all.  A little bike and multisport training would probably have helped quite a bit - and some realistic preparation.  But it was cool - who gets to run out of a cave?

Here we are - true CAVE BEARS.  (The sign, like the registration, was wrong - it was not a 12.5 mi bike - I could have totally rode that, no sweat, right?)



Thanks to Priscilla, Darlene, and Earl Roberts for the pics - hopefully some cave ones (the whole reason I did this crazy du) will follow!

WOW what a weekend

Okay - this weekend kind of tired me out. A lot. 

After work on Thursday, I started off with dinner with Marshall Ulrich.  Which, if you click on that link, you'll realize what a wimp I am complaining that this weekend tired me out.  In fact, this dinner was the first time I labeled myself as "only a marathoner."

I got to sit with him (and other wonderful running buddies) for dinner, and he's a truly amazing, but VERY down-to-earth guy.  I'm waiting on some more pics from the event - we were all super busy this weekend, so I'm still collecting pics - but here I am with my buddy Jerry at dinner....

The next morning, I awoke to temps in the 30s - for the Veterans Day 11k on 11-11-11 at 7:11 (except the race started late).  It was a nice run, though, in McAllister Park - and registration was only $11 for vets.

Then, I raced home to shower and head out to my buddy, Lorie's, wedding at 11:00 a.m (on time) on 11-11-11 - I didn't realize it would be televised (or I might have dressed more nicely - but at least I showered)!  http://univision41.univision.com/videos/video/2011-11-11/111111-soldada-se-caso-con

It was also on the English NBC station (WOAI), but I can't find the link.  Here are some of us from the running community - for the first time, all together - fully clothed AND not stinky. 

Then, I hit the Rock N Roll expo - which was crazy.  But not as crazy as when most of the wedding party arrived a little later to pick up their race packets - yep, even the bride was running the half marathon.

And then I crashed on the couch, with the help of my napping coach, Simba the cat.  Later, that coachcat 'helped' me pack my drop bag for the half marathon - I had to triple check that she did not end up IN the bag on race morning.

On Sunday, I woke up at o'dark'early and set my "get to the half marathon for free" plan in action (seriously, parking or being towed costs up to about $200).  But first, when I went to check the B Cycle availability online, I noticed the probable cause of my laptop's sluggishness (and furriness)

BAD coachcat.  Then,  I noticed that, unlike Friday morning, the temperature was already in the mid 60s, with near-100% humidity.  BAD Texas weather, dangit.

I headed to the San Antonio Art Museum, where I could park for free and check out a B Cycle (which I paid $20 or so for a year membership)

I jumped on one of these bad boys and pedaled down blocked-off roads for about 2 miles, checked the bike into another station, and ended up at the Rock N Roll HM start WAAAAAY too early - darn contingency planning. 

But, I had plenty of time to see buddies, check out the bike tour start, get ready, etc. 

And off we went...

There weren't a lot of race pics along the route, which was probably a good thing - because it REALLY got hot around mile 9. 

I'm on the house right/stage left in my 'torro' pose.  (There are 28k pictures in the 'lost and found' section for the photographer, so most weren't tagged, and I'm not going to go blind trying to find more ugly race pics - but only this time!)  Like I said, I'm tired - and next weekend is almost as crazy.

I felt pretty good during the run and didn't hit any trains (unlike last year) - but, with the heat, I slowed down and stopped for water/drink every chance I got.  And I finished - not my best, not my worst.

So, I earned some more bling (Apolo Ohno was not actually included in the bling)

Here's many of the Brak Pak folks at the finish

Then, I walked about a mile, jumped on another B cycle, pedaled 2 miles, jumped in my car, jumped in the shower, and jumped on the couch for an hour or so nap session with catcoach Simba.

Then, I headed to Lorie and Will's reception at the Friendly Spot after the roads opened.  It was a whirlwind, crazy running weekend for me - but an even happier, marrying, whirlwind, crazy running weekend for them!

Sadly, we found out after the race that a San Antonio runner died after crossing the HM finish line a bit in front of me, which makes me sad, makes me enjoy every moment that I am still able to run a race, no matter my finish time, and reminds me to ALWAYS listen to my body.

Thanks to Victor, Brightroom, Valerie, Scottydog, Dorine, Unavision, & B Cycle for the pics!

Tough times for feds and females

Without going on a political rant that ends with "you can agree with me or you can be wrong," I'll just tell you that it has been a really tough day.  Make that a tough week.  Make that a tough time since October.  For now, I get to call and see whether I'll be working (and getting paid) at 5 a.m. on Monday.  Excellent.  And Planned Parenthood?!  Really?  They were my primary care provider for many un-(or low-)insured years and save women's lives.  If they really want to cut off something, I suggest they redirect those funds to provide for castration of certain members of Congress.  Oops, political rant. 

Instead, I will think happy thoughts of First Friday cruising - with some pics from last Friday from my buddy, Jenna. *happy thoughts*

So, in these uncertain times, I will try to worry only about the things that I can control.  Which means next up is the Fiesta 10k tomorrow (if the Missions National Park is open, that is).

Fiesta First Friday Cruiser Ride

Well, Friday was First Friday, and that isn't an April Fool's joke.  And Fiesta is just around the corner for San Antonio, so we rode in style.  As you can see, this time, we had mascots (piñata and Jesse James Leija). 

This is our monthly cruiser ride from joint to joint along the King William and Southtown corridor.  We passed many tourists and the Run-a-Tab runners - and a homeless guy in a wheelchair who cheered and cheered.  Fun times, but it made for a tough 5k the next morning.

 Getting ready to launch with buddies Alexis & Herb (thanks to Alexis for the pic)

 First stop, listening to some tunes (they played "Mustang Sally" - grrrr)

 Our lucky mascot

 At the Alcapulco Drive In

 we outnumbered the motorcycles - but these are also bikes of a 'rival gang' that cruises out from Sam's Burger Joint for First Fridays

 On the road

refastening mascots