Big Bend 25K and insanity

In recent years, I do not know why I've felt compelled to run a bunch of longer-distance runs in January.  It's not smart, training-wise.  I train for a marathon in October, goof off but make it through the RNR HM in November, then chow and short-run my way through December.  But, then, I pile it on in January.   Because I may be slightly insane.

I have self-diagnosed a bunch of impairments in the DSM - I'm pretty sure I have most of them.  But, I'm not sure that "not missing out on anything" is a diagnostic criterion for any of those illnesses.  Perhaps under personality disorders or some sort of mania?  I have been told I (and been accused of) compulsively running; but really, my racing is part of not wanting to be left out of anything fun.  I am really agitated when I missed out on something I could have experienced - and always will participate, even at the expense of sleep.  Like I said, not a precise symptom, but I'm pretty sure I can lobby for "Sally disorder," coded as 301.!! - don'twannamissoutonanything disorder in the new DSM.

So, now that we've diagnosed me with a pretend disorder, let me offer the proof of my symptoms (since this is what I do at work - OMG - intrusive thoughts about work = obsessive disorder!).  It's really hard to do my job when I am a wicked hypochondriac.

January's plan is 65 miles of racing, with not much training.  Yep.  If you can call what I do racing.  But, there was the Cobweb 5K, the Ragnar 197 mile relay (about 20 miles for me in Florida), rest/OT one weekend, and this past weekend - the Big Bend 25k trail run.  It's a dang long drive - but this is one beautiful race (except for me)...

 Yeah, rough but beautiful.  So, after a 7 hour drive home without cruise control, I eeked out a short walk and run this week.  And I plan to run a hilly HM on Saturday and another HM on Sunday. 

I'm pretty sure there is no pill for this disorder - and, if there were, I don't take pills - but I'm pretty sure you should c'mon and join me in my mania.  Until I nap, because that WILL be happening this weekend - and maybe for the next month.

side/non-running note - CONGRATULATIONS to Gerry & Jona - I was honored to attend the beautiful Terlingua wedding

I'm technically a doctor (well, JD) - but I can diagnose Jerry as pure crazy - not for marrying a wonderful gal, but for running the 50K the next day - true insanity!

Thanks to Rose for the extra pic!  Next up: Endurathon HM, Herothon HM, SLEEP

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).

Eisenhower 10k trail challenge

I'm a pretty terrible trail runner and pretty much always fall down.  So, when it poured all night before this race, I figured that I was toast.  But, lo and behold, I stayed upright and had a good run.  Especially nice was the section from mile 4-5, which was soft mulch, winding slowly down the hill.  Ahhhh - but, no fears, even that gentle part did not tame the crazy running chicken in me.

It all started out normally, albeit cold.

Then, I unleashed a little crazy on photographer Ceci - check out those chompers!

Then, I ran along fairly normally, until I said to buddy, Adrian "do you want to see how to run like a crazy chicken?" (not really)

LIKE THIS!

And then, he left me behind to run as a solo crazy chicken

and then it was done

Afterward, we enjoyed a bunch of chow, beer, tequila, and vodka (really).  And I schooled Gary (top masters runner) on how to run faster (not really).

In the end, I nabbed 3rd in the 30-39 age group (really) and 1st overall crazy running chicken (not really - though that ABSOLUTELY should be a category).

At least Vaca the cat was suitably impressed

Thanks to Bart for a great event - and SA Student Photographers and Ceci/IAAP for the pics!  Next up - Rodeo 4 miler and Cupid 5k next weekend.

Big Bend 25k secret canyon pics

As I mentioned, I chickened out from attempting to find Whitney's secret canyon during the Big Bend 25k.  Remember?  The possibilities of bears, snakes, mountain lions, SPIDERS, and my dead body never being found due to my absolute lack of a sense of direction?  Yep, that's it - that time.

Anyway, my buddy and runner extraordinaire, Kimberly, ran it with Whitney - buddy, crazy, and runner extraordinaire, the day before the race....and here are her pics I swiped of the secret canyon.  I'm TOTALLY running this next year!

Thanks, Kimberly for the pics that I swiped :)  Next year, we run it - Saturday!

Delayed race report - Big Bend 25k trail run

I'm behind.  It started at Thanksgiving, which is usually the weekend I prepare/send all my holiday cards, send out holiday gifts, and transfer my calendar into the following year (old school, Filofax style).  This year, I have been late on all of that, and only finally transferred my calendar this weekend -- realizing that I'm nearing the end of January 2012 - ALREADY.

But, things and races got in my way -- and here is the race report from my 3d race of the year - the Big Bend Ultra trail run (I just ran the 25k).  For those of you who don't know (like I didn't last year) -- Big Bend is here - very, very far away from most things (other than Mexico).  Zoom as you need to, but that is a 6.5-7 hour drive from San Antonio. (Note: click on any pic below to make it larger)

So, I headed out along the more scenic, albeit very lonely I90 route along the Rio Grande.  And saw my favorite sign

(I did NOT pick up any new inmate boyfriends).  In fact, you don't see ANYONE out here.  No cars, no cellphone coverage, cue banjos....and then, you are really glad to hit a border patrol stop for a little 'company.'

below picture is Mexico - across the Rio

and no cars in sight

Pecos river

still no cars and about 3 hours to drive

But, eventually, I made it to Big Bend National Park - and my cozy lodge room (you guys camping are suckers!), where this was my view of The Window

and as sunset approached in the Chisos Basin

On Saturday, I drove around the park (all told - 1,100 miles on my car for the weekend, which is over 1/7th of my annual mileage).  Most of this was on my own and, while wading across the Rio Grande at one point, I realized that nobody in the whole world knew EXACTLY where I was (no cell phone coverage, either) -- I'm glad I didn't get eaten by a bear.

proof of illegal immigrant ponies

who altruistically brought these semi-legal goods across the river, I'm sure

Here's the view across the Rio to Boquillos, Mexico (border crossing opening this Spring!)

Then, it was off to the hot springs (and it was hot)

In the hot springs (I thought it was going to be cold in January - air temp around 72 degrees, water around 101-102 degrees)

near the area I allegedly may have crossed over and touched Mexico, although only the donkeys saw me, if it happened - and nobody can prove it...

and this was the road my poor little podcar had to drive to get over/back there (the drop off is MUCH bigger than my car)

So, then there was the little race to run

Here's the cool shirt

and getting ready, set...

(It takes about 45-60 minutes to get to the staging area in the morning, and I almost hit a deer heading down the basin/mountain)  But, I made it to the windy, but decent-weather start (mid 40s with a breeze)

1st aid station (around 4.5-5 miles)

Here's where I started to sneak down into the secret canyon Whitney told me about, but then I remembered there were bears, mountain lions, spiders, and such out there, and I jumped back onto the race route (yep, I was chicken to try to run it alone).

had I run it, I would have emerged here (unless a bear got me)

but I kept on -- the next pic of me is the 3d aid station

(somewhere near here, you can see the finish across the desert for about 2-3 miles)....but it finally arrived

(on the other side, thank goodness!)
Here is my bling

and after eating the BEST veggie burger EVER (really) - relaxing at the campground w/ buddy Kim (she won first F masters for the 25k last year, and goofed off this year, running my 50meter pace!).

and then there was that cruddy Packers loss, a long solo ride home with sore feet, and a flat tire after I got home.  Which is my excuse for posting all of this beauty late. THIS weekend was a nice medium-distance run with buddies, followed by brunch.  Next weekend is the 3M half marathon in Austin -- if I get the new tires on!!