Wildflower Women's 5K

I was going to run the 10K for this beautiful run through a wildflower farm, but I figured it was better to drink mimosas in the morning after 30 minutes of running, rather than 60 minutes.  So, I headed up to Fredricksburg for this pretty 5K run.

This place looks a little like my house

I wanted one of those balls - but they were pricey.

So, I ran like a crazy running chicken through the flower fields...

Then I chowed on a delicious brunch (scrambled eggs with tomato, spinach, and feta should be required at all races), washed down by mimosas and beer

And some wine

And then I bought way too many cacti, yard art(s), and herbs

 Thanks to RD, Billy G in his Hawaiian shirt

Packing the prickly plants in the podcar

And, I made it out without completely melting the credit card on this baby - $3k.  Since I'm turning 25 for the 16th time this year - someone should probably buy it for me!

All in all, a delightful run.  Next up: Beach to Bay Marathon Relay.

Thanks to Run in Texas, Michele, and Dulce for the pics!




















.........

Sally, M, 35-39

Yep, I apparently ran as a boy on Sunday at the Scallywompus Mission Possible 10k on Sunday.

First, let me backtrack - to my birth.  See, I am the eldest of three girls. My parents raised us to understand and believe that girls are just as strong, smart, and successful as boys.  I attended one of the top all-women's colleges in the nation, served on a CJSOTF (SOF task force) in Sarajevo as one of very few women in the task force, commanded Army predominately male troops, and went into the male-dominated profession of law.  I support women's rights from my local Girls on the Run association to not voting for jerkfaces in politics who are trying to turn the social rights clocks back a century or two.  Yes, I am woman, hear me roar.

But enough on my personal beliefs - except when they extend to my running beliefs.  That said,  Women's running has come a long way baby - and in recent history - since just the 1980s.  In 1967, running under the name K. Switzer, Katherine Switzer finished the Boston Marathon in 4:20, after race officials physically tried to rip her out of the race (for the record, I was not alive then, but she's a personal hero).  In 1980, the Road Runners of America began a campaign to raise awareness about women's distance running and, in that year, the San Antonio Road Runners hosted its first SARR Women's Run.  I was honored to direct the 33rd annual SARR Women's 5k this year (and plug - next year's race is July 20, 2013- save the date).  As part of the RRCA effort, in 1984, Joan Benoit won the first ever gold medal in the Women's marathon event (I was alive then and watched her wave her floppy hat as she entered the stadium on TV).  And, add to that, it's the 40th anniversary of Title XI, which made so much of women's athletics possible.

See, I know a little about women's rights and women's running.  Yet, after an iffish 19-mile training run on Saturday morning (blessedly, after a 'cold front' - WI readers - that means 80-90 degrees), I apparently ran the Scallywompus 10K the next day as a boy.  Ooops.  Yep - 21st M, 35-39.  But, since I would have only came in 20th in the F, 35-39 age group, I didn't change it - how's that for some gender equality?  Both guys and gals actually do run more slowly than me, and about 20 of them in this category faster?!

Alas, none take uglier pictures than me - so, here it goes - the post-race pic from my race as a boy (guess I would have had a better disguise, had I not run in a skirt?).

disclaimer:  Had I not run 19 miles on Saturday, jumped into a shower to find all the places I chafed, and taken a 1-hour nap before packet pickup, I might have noticed that my bib said Sally was a boy.  I guess I was just unintentionally reverse-Switzer-izing them?

Thanks to Ceci for the pic - incidentally, she's a female race director who is directing an awesome Loteria race this Sunday - you still have a last chance to register here before it sells out.  I will be running it as a female.  Female spider, that is - pics to follow.

And DONE!

Speaking of sleeping - it's what I did all day today - I woke up to eat and went back to sleep, then repeated that throughout the day.  Because yesterday was my race director debut at the Women's 5k.  But first....rewind to last weekend - the Alamo Beer Challenge 10k on the Salado Creek trails.

This race was held Friday the 13th in the evening.  I had my last physical therapy appointment earlier that day and then worked on Women's 5k stuff - so I was beat and in pain even before the starting gun.  But, I enjoyed a cold Alamo Beer after the race with buddies.

Like the bib #?  After that - this past week has been spent working like crazy on the Women's 5k.  By packet pickup on Friday, we were already up to 620 entries and 0 shirts.

Raceday started at about 4 a.m. - and it was CRAZY!  Many buddies came up to me to tell me I looked really tired (thanks, buds - but I WAS, as you can see from the pics).  This year was record-breaking - 740 ladies registered (that's almost 100 over the past record) - even with the heat and humidity.  And nobody fell out - which I was REALLY worried about.  All in all, it went pretty well.

(I was trying to be HIGHLY visible in bright colors)

Lead vehicle, courtesy of my buddy, Adrian.

 

 postrace interview with Beamer

 Local television anchor, Randy Beamer, presenting awards - this was 1st in the 80+ age group runner Julia Wilkerson - I created that division, since she turned 80 this Spring and shouldn't have a bunch of 70 year olds in her age group. (Man, I do look worn down and pudgy!)

At the end with Sally #1, after awards.

Post-race with the Brak Pak folks - who helped me a LOT!

The whole photo show is here 
Randy Beamer was our MC - his story should be on Beamer's World and the Monday WOAI channel 4 news.

And now, it's time for another nap - and planning for next year!
Thanks to Tom Lake, SARR, Ceci, Lisa, and IAAP for the pics!

Whew - July ALREADY?

I've been running a little ragged here lately - literally and figuratively.  So much so that I overslept on my birthday and missed the Freedom 4 miler!  Not that such a misstep stopped me from joining in the post-race festivities.

This Saturday was the inaugural Free-da's 5k at the University of the Incarnate Word (my friend and frequent fotog, Ceci, was the race director) - I managed to wake up (EARLY!) for this hot race!  Here I am photobombing Ceci's race pics

wait for it....

ahhhhhhhh!  Sallybombed.

half crazy running chicken, half zombie.  Afterward, I did a little crazy running chicken cool down while I promoted the Women's 5k (yep, it's July 21 - eek)

and after the sweat dried

Then, I ran 12 hot, humid miles this morning - and iced my knee while enjoying fruit from Las Nieves (two blocks away ~32 ounces of fresh fruit, including mango, coconut, and pineapple for $4).

Yum.  Next up, Alamo Beer Series race #1 on Friday night - then, I scramble like a Sallybadger to get ready for the Women's 5k.

Thanks to Ceci, Tom, IAAP, and SARR for the pics

No race weekend, but upping the mileage

This weekend, I ran the women's 5k course, passing out flyers, then ran 12 miles on Sunday.  Then, I crashed for a little while.  When I awoke, I heard the strangest sound - it was RAIN!  It lasted 5 minutes, but it was welcomed. 

Tonight, I ran a recovery run with the muertitos - here are some pics from Ceci (I'm sporting the women's run shirt - so register for Saturday's run and get your shirt).

thanks Ceci!

Crazy Chicken Unleashed - the Women's Run Edition

Now, see, last weekend, I started out normal enough



but then the hills unleashed the crazy chicken

Yep, that is a crazy chicken running on very little sleep and turf toe.

Adrian, JohnnyO, and Victor cutting off chips

Ruben just laughing - probably at my crazy chicken

Thanks to Hill Country Rambling for the ka-zillion pics. Should you wish to order an 8x10, check out their website at www.hillcountryrambling.com and I'll autograph a crazy chicken ugly race pic for ya!