Whining

It was a dark and hot and humid morning....oh, heck, it was just another dang Summer morning in San Antonio.  But I made it out of bed to hit the Labor Day Whine 5 Mile Run.  Sunday, I ran 14 somewhat hilly miles and dropped 5 1/2 pounds of sweat - really, I weighed before/after.  So, I spent the rest of Sunday alternating water and juice and water and juice and....I actually was rehydrated for this morning's race.  But I was tired and my feet/knee were sore, so I took the 5 mile sunny, hot, humid, and HILLY run easy.

So - here we are after the 45-minute drive, waiting to start

And I started off slow, made it up the first hill, down the next, then got slower.  And basically just coasted - and took it really easy (e.g. I was slacking). 

Until, just after mile 4, when I was pounced by 2-time Olympic marathoner, Liza Hunter Galvan.  I had joked with her a couple of weeks ago that, after she won, she could give me a piggy back ride up the last hill (at about mile 4.7).  Anyway, she had already finished, was running some cooldown miles, turned around, and dragged me in to the finish line - but no piggy back ride. 

Here's the proof that I beat her (okay, yeah, she'd already finished a first and maybe a second time before this, and was practically running backward to 'maintain' my pace, and maybe went home to feed the chickens too, but still - photographic proof!).  What it really is is me repaying the favor by showing Liza how much easier it is to pose for crazy pics when you run a twee bit slower than a sub-6:00 pace!  Thanks, Liza.

After the race, I again "rehydrated" - with Sangria.  (The race is held at Dry Comal Creek Vineyard - and I always support our sponsors.)

Incidentally -  the "bib bag" (Am'o bag) I have there was made by Liza & her family - you can check them and other 'recycled material bags' out at http://www.geegeebags.com/GeeGee_Bags/Welcome.html

Thanks to Ceci, IAAP, Scottydog, Tom Lake, and SARR for the pics!

Everybody gets knocked down - how quick are you gonna get up?

One of my favorite songs to run to is The Hours's Ali in the Jungle 

It's, not, how you start, it's how you finish,
And it's, not, where you're from, it's where you're at,
Everybody gets knocked down,
Everybody gets knocked down,
How quick are you gonna' get up?
How quick are you gonna' get up?
Everybody gets knocked down,
Everybody gets knocked down,
How quick are you gonna' get up?
Just how are you gonna' get up?

I was pretty much humming those lyrics all weekend. 

It started with a normal run with the Brak Pak on Thursday evening.  Just a regular, mostly road, run.  Until I rolled on a rock and found my face accelerating toward the asphalt at an alarming speed.  Luckily (?), my right knee took the brunt of it.  After finishing the run and heading home - I realized how BAD the knee looked.  I would have taken pictures, but it made me queasy to even look at it - like a golfball was sitting on top of my kneecap under the skin.  SCARY - so I ignored it, took a boat-load of ibuprofen, and covered the knee with ice (my medical treatment for 90% of all ailments).

Luckily (again), by Friday morning, after ice, compression, and elevation, the golfball-kneecap receded, and I was left with a sore, bruised knee and an aching body.  So, I went for a test run/walk with a buddy who just finished the bar exam on Friday night and killed my pain with margaritas and ceviche (my medical treatment for 90% of all ailments).

On Saturday morning, I ran the Hispanic Women's Network of Texas 5k.  It hurt, but my knee (and aching body) made it. Without falling.

 AND came in 1st Female 35-39.  Partly because the fast chicas - like Roche on my right - ran the 10k.

  and then I went home and iced my knee (the right one) and munched on ibuprofen.

Sunday morning was the Paesano's 10k trail run.  I fall on trails, but have never fallen during this (pretty technical trails) race.  Until now.  It all started out well enough - nice weather, and nice and easy on a sore knee and achy body.

It was a nice run until almost mile 5, where the trail smoothed out some, with just occasional rocks.  Unfortunately, I found one and went flying - hitting my left knee and knocking the wind out of myself.  But I got up - and finished pretty bloody.

and looking like a crazy running chicken in pain

Here's what THAT injury looked like, even after it had been cleaned and bandaged by the EMT (that sucker would NOT stop bleeding - pretty gruesome).

So, all told, I hurt, but it could have been MUCH worse - both falls, that is.  And I got up - both times. Because you just gotta get up.

Thanks to Ceci, IAAP, SAPhotographers, and Kevin G. Saunders photography for the pics.  Thanks to the running gods for allowing me not to land on my head or break anything (hopefully).

Inaugural Santa Antonio 5k

Well, we did it - we (Brak Pak) helped the BISH foundation pull off this inaugural run. And, though the weather was cruddy (drizzling and we had to change the route, due to flooding concerns), it was so cool to see over 320 Santas running to raise money for cancer research/treatment.

and here is where I can take ugly race pics even when I run the course BEFORE the race (to 'plant' the course marshals)

the eleventy reindeers I made for finisher medals

Even my friends/co-workers, Suzy and Alexis, came out to race in the drizzle!

and most of the organizing committee and volunteers

Thanks to EVERYONE for the support - we're looking at December 9 for next year!

Thanks to Scottydog and Ceci/IAAP for the pics!

Another race for the recues pic

here are some of the Brak Pak Chiks (and Dingo) - from Studio Benton

and the actual (non-scanned) shot with Dingo smiling. 

I ran the Pajama Pancake 5k (actually 3.3 miles) on Saturday - and now it's one week until Chicago.  eek.

Women's Run 5k

I did NOT run this race.  Because I kind of (accidentally?) said I'd possibly consider directing the race, starting next year, maybe.  Translated - I was announced as the new race director for next year at this year's race.  I guess I'm in. 

I 'assisted' this year and - holy cow - it is a lot of work to put on this race!  This was the 32nd running of the race, and we had 613 runners/walkers and over 150 male volunteers.  Luckily, there were no casualties - and the top gal ran it the hilly, challenging course in 17:40ish - smoking fast.

Here's the news coverage and photo show
http://www.photoshow.com/watch/dJ5ec3sp

Beamer's coverage (including the Brak Pak finish line crew) and my almost-famousness is here
http://www.woai.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=2674465

and more coverage at 10 -- http://www.woai.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=2674654

Before the race with my super fotog, Ceci - click to enlarge this one - Jerome hogging the shot in back is hilarious

the Brak Pak guys handing out chips (they also handled the finish line)

pre-race yoga led by my friend, Kristal

starting line - that's my butt over there in the red/black skirt and pink sparkly hat by the lead truck (it was REALLY cool to ride in there and watch the lead gals battle it out along the course)

large and in charge?

this is the one labeled "future race director" in the slide show - eek

with the overall masters runner and walker - and Sally #1, the current race director (I'm #2)

handing out awards and door prizes with local anchor, Randy Beamer

So, this time next year should be even more interesting!

Thanks to Ceci, Tom, and Randy Beamer for the coverage.

Happy Holidays!

Here are some Brak Pak pics from our holiday BBQ (tamales)

and here's Gwen, with visions of sugar plums dancing in her head (she made her own bed - complete with 'pillow')

First Friday and Almost Ugly Famous

I didn't run any races this weekend, but I did head out for the First Friday cruiser ride.  We start off with dinner at Guillermo's

Then we headed down to music on Main Plaza

The crew

And then we hit the VFW on the River Walk North

That's Joe playing air accordian

Then, I attended the San Antonio Road Runners party at Roger Soler's ranch in Helotes (pics to follow).

This morning, I ran a hot, humid run with Fleet Feet and mowed the grass before showering and crashing.  When I woke up from napping to read the paper, I saw this:

Yikes.  Talk about your ugly pic.  This was taken several weeks ago.  After I ran a running tour, I tried to inconspicuously hit the famers market (sweaty, no makeup, tired) before heading home for a much-needed shower.  No such luck, apparently.  The paparazzi, they stalk me!  I'm going to hide from them in Mexico.