Some Randoms from Hood to Coast

Even though weren't in the same van, I got lots of great time with my friend Billie Jo.  We met because our husbands were both saddle bronc riders and we both got married in 2005.  One of the sweetest girls I know.

Loved all the great costumes like these:

I found the Donner Party

 Loved all the energy and excitement at the start and the first exchange.

We were so far ahead of all the other teams I feel like we missed out on some of the craziness of it all which is both good and bad. We had great parking at nearly all of the exchanges and the traffic was never very bad.

Last year there was apparently some shrimp hid under the carpet of the van leading to a very smelly van at the end of the trip.  Everyone who was on this team last year was very paranoid about pranks and we were under stict orders not to leave  our van unattended.  One of our an keys was lost right at the start of the race..great.

After the race a couple of the team members were cleaning out the vans and found a baggy of weed, some rolling papers and a partially smoked joint.  After much speculations about how long had that been in our van and how could we not have noticed, it was discovered to have been a plant in the van and was really dried basil from Sarah's garden.  They had quite a time attempting to roll a  "joint".  After that the joke was about who had been smoking the basil.

When we got the second van exchange at the fair grounds we parked by a bunch of other vehicles, but apparently they were all walker vans because soon we were parked there all by ourself and when the other runner vans started to show up they were routed to another area so we were parked all by ourselves in a big grassy field, with our own row of Honey Buckets. Made it easy to find our van and we had clean Honey Buckets all to ourself.

Speaking of Honey Buckets, we had clean ones all the way.  The cleaning crew seemed to be at every stop we were.  Awesome.  We never ran out of toilet paper or had to hold our breath in one. That is great service.

Before we left Seaside we had removed all the magnets and stickers from the van so now we were just driving a big white van. We started to notice that people were really looking at us when they passed us. We remarked how it made us feel like the van still said Team Beef or something with the way people were still looking at the van. We all stopped at a rest area off the interstate to eat a picnic lunch and that was when we noticed the other van had been nice enough to put a "I love gay porn" magnet on the back of the van. Explained a lot really.

The other van was waiting for a runner to come in at night and were listening for our number 606.  Pretty soon they heard 909 being called out and saw Amory coming in.   Turns out he had put his number on upside down.  He did mention though when it was upside down it still looked like 606 when he looked at it.

I loved seeing the same teams at the exchanges and getting to visit with them a little bit, although the further we got into the relay the less teams we saw. :(

It felt like the walkers weren't very into it, or maybe to into it, or maybe they didn't want to be associated with the walkers.  Seemed like they weren't as friendly at the exchanges.

I loved how green it was.  It is so dry in eastern Montana, all shades of yellow and brown right now, so I was soaking up the green.

We ate at Baked Alaska in Astoria Saturday night and loved watching all the barge traffic.  Seems so incredibly different from what I am used to.  Also loved just walking along the beach at Seaside, so peaceful.  I can see what people have vacation homes along the coast.

I was the only one in my van that had never done Hood to Coast.  Everyone else had and they really helped keep us on track and where we needed to be.


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The Hood to Coast Post

I seem to be having a hard time getting a Hood to Coast post done.  The whole thing is just so BIG it has been hard for me to wrap my head around putting it into a single post, so I have decided to break it down into two posts.  This first one will be the race itself and the second will be random things that happened along the way, some of it pretty funny.

Our van

Our start time was 7 am so we had to get out of Portland pretty early and head up to the start.  It was easy to get up since we were all so excited to get started. I was out of bed by 3:45 and we were loaded and in the vans by 5 am.

We left our van2 at the first exchange and all piled in with van 1 up to the start to get pictures and pick up our race numbers.  It was easy to pick out my teammates from the crowd if I ever lost them because of the hats!

Back row L to R Scott Hughes, Sarah Nash, Alex Blake, Mike Rydell, Cory  Jassen, Krayton Kerns, Amory Blake
Front row Christy Gerdes, Billie Jo Holzer, Evie Halverson, Druann Kerns and Amber Nordal

After seeing our first runner off we went down to the first exchange to cheer them on and then went grocery shopping and wait for our turn.

It was starting to warm up in the afternoon so I knew my leg, leg 11, which has almost no shade would be a HOT one. It was. Here is the crazy thing which I did NOT expect about Hood to Coast, by the time the first runner out of van 2 took off there were only 12 or so teams in front of us. Our first van had exceeded their expected times and passed a lot of teams. Not sure how many teams they started in the 630 and 645 waves as well as our leg at 7 am but there was some major roadkill by van 1. Good for them. Not so fun for us!

Now who were we supposed to pass?!

By the time that I was handed the wristband there were four teams in front of me. FOUR and 1,044 behind us wanting to pass us. Of course we would never see the vast majority of them any way due to different starting times but it feels cool to say.

SO anyway back to my first leg. I got the wristband and was feeling GOOD, fresh, fast, hydrated and READY.

First mile was 6:56. I saw no other runners the whole mile.

During mile two I finally saw another runner and she appeared to be struggling as it seemed to take me no time at all to start catching up to her and just before I passed her I saw my van go through a cross walk. That helped motivate me as I was starting to feel the heat.

The last part of the leg was all about bargaining, okay two and a half miles, piece of cake, 2 miles, this is nothing, 1 mile and a half, that is only three 800s and so forth.

WIth half a mile to go a cyclist rode by and told me I had about two minutes to go and my team was waiting for me. YAY, I powered through to the end and we hustled back to the van to our last exchange for the first leg. Finished with 7:12 average, I think it would have been a lot faster if I didn't have to stop at so many traffic crossings, but still happy with my time.

Two legs to go! The second and third legs will be much cooler and I am very excited about that!

I ran leg 2 sometime after 11 pm. It was dark, really dark and I had never run in the dark before so I was a little nervous about it. There were not a lot of teams in front of or around us so I knew I would be out there running by myself for a lot of it.

Krayton came in and passed the baton off to me and I was off. I felt good, really good. I knew it was a mostly flat and downhill with some hills in mile 3 so I was hoping for right around 7 minute miles.

waiting in the dark for our runner to come in

I felt like I was going so fast and the world seemed to have shrunk down to just what I could see in my headlight beams. I liked it when I car would go by so I could see a little more around me. At the same time it was really peaceful. I just concentrated on following the white line.

I caught up with a runner in the second mile and passed three walkers along the way. Sometime during the third mile I started seeing what I thought was probably another runner up ahead so I started pushing to catch up with the flashing light.

It took me most of the rest of my leg to catch up, but I finally did around mile 4, by then we only had .2 miles left and she evidently hadn't been pushing as hard as I had because she really gave it the onion when she saw the finish line.

I nearly face planted right in front of the exchange when I was looking around trying to figure out where I was supposed to go and I stepped in a pothole. I recovered though and saw Amber. Whew! That would have sucked to face plant right there!

I loved running in the dark, I was wishing it would have been my longer leg, but that was my last one. I averaged 7:02 minute miles for this leg on 4.2 miles.

We hurried out of the exchange to go pick up our last runner so we could go and catch a couple zzzs before our last legs started.

I felt like I was able to catch a couple of hard hours of sleep and felt a lot better once I woke up. It started to get light about an hour or so before I figured I would start my last leg.

I still had to wear the reflector vest and lights

I was hoping to run 7:30 pace on my last run. 7.2 miles and rated hard. It was hard. After the first two miles I decided to try to keep it under 8 min/mile pace. I was feeling pretty tired.

The run was beautiful. The sun rose over the mountains and we had caught up with a lot of the walkers so at least there were lots of people to run by, it wasn't the same as passing another runner, but it did help. I never did see another runner on that leg.

I was pushing really hard, but my legs were feeling tired! So happy to see Amber and hand off the wristband for the final leg.

We all hopped into the van and raced into seaside to get to the finish line so we could run across with Amber.

Final time was 25 hours 27 minutes. About an hour faster than our projected finish time.

We finished 7th in our division mixed submasters and 86th overall. 86th out of 1070 teams. We were really pleased with our results and how everyone on the team did. and HUNGRY and TIRED!

We went into Seaside and found a breakfast buffet with seating available for our whole team. Score!

Kindergarten

The last couple of days have been crazy with my son starting kindergarten and getting packed for Hood to Coast. I have cried at least twice. I can't believe my son is old enough to go to school already.
There was an open house Monday night, so we went down and met his teacher, saw his classroom and dropped off all the kleenexes, sani wipes, and glue sticks. He found his name tag on a desk and picked out a Spiderman folder from all the ones his teacher had set out for the kids.
All the way home he kept talking about things he was nervous about and what to do in certain situations. He was riding the bus to school in the morning but since we forgot to bring his nap blanket and gym shoes, I agreed to meet him down at the school and make sure he was doing all right.
My husband hadn't been able to go to the open house due to a fire so he went with us in the morning and by the time we got to the school, Cade had been dropped off the bus and he was out playing on the playground with his cousin.
He left after the bell rang and was happily in his classroom. When he got off the bus int he afternoon, he was excited to go back and to it again the next day. I loved sitting and talking with him all about his day and looking over his papers.
His sister on the other hand was very emotional about her brother going to kindergarten, maybe she was watching me a little bit too much, SO we went to town and had a little retail therapy and got our hair trimmed.
This morning I got up and was feeling ANTSY! I got ready to go for a run and for some reason I decided to drink a glass of Emergen-C two seconds before walking out the door.. not smart. All the fizzy gave me heart burn and made me want to throw up. I ran for two miles then watered my flowers and rested for awhile then headed back out. Gah! My run was just not good. Lesson learned.
Now I am enroute to Portland. !!
Packing was hard, I thought I had everything I needed, but I kept thinking of things and I had a last minute packing panic in which I tried to throw everything in my bag, luckily I came to my senses and kept it pretty sensible. I hope.
My daughter let me take her pillow pet along to keep me company.

and this little guy is still doing good too

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Very Inspiring Blogger Award

Jen at Running with the Girls tagged me with the Very Inspiring Blogger Award.  Thanks Jen!

Here are the guidelines that go along with this award -
- display the award logo somewhere on your blog
- link back to the blog who nominated you
- state 7 things about yourself
- nominate 15 (or less) other bloggers for the award and provide links to their blogs
- notify those bloggers that they have been nominated and of the award's requirements

SO here are my 7 things in no particular order.

1. I have been driving the same car since December of 2000.  It's a '99 Oldsmobile Alero and my parents helped put a down payment on it as a graduation from college present.  I keep thinking of getting something newer, but it is hard to beat paid off and still runs pretty good.  Hopefully it will last another year or so.

2. When I was first pregnant I really wanted a little girl and I had a boy.  The second time I was pregnant I really wanted another boy and I had a girl.  Not that it mattered and now I wouldn't change it for the world of course.

3. Five years ago I would have told you I would never run a half marathon much less a full.  In fact I ws pretty sure my body wasn't made to run over 8 miles.  Bahahaha.  Now I am thinking of marathon number two and half marathon number 5.

If I would have quit at 8 miles, my quads wouldn't be cramping right now  and I never would have puked!

4. I like chocolate, but given the choice chewy fruity candy has me everytime.  Skittle, Starburst, Laffy Taffy.

5. I used to sleep on my belly.  Once I got pregnant that was obviously not going to work, so I became a side sleeper.  I have tried going back to belly sleeping and I just can't.  Sadly, it bothers my back now.  I hate sleeping on my back.  I don't sleep good and I have crazy vivid dreams.  I never remember my dreams when I sleep on my side.

6. Mountains are beautiful and I like to go visit them, but I don't like to stay very long.  They make me feel claustrophic.  I like wide open spaces. To much opportunity for bears and such to sneak up on you in the mountains with all those trees and things.

No bears sneaking up on me here!

7.  My ears are not pierced.  They were once, okay twice, but I get such bad scar tissue built up from wearing earrings it isn't worth it. So I save my husband a lot of money, he never has to buy me diamond earrings!

Okay here are my tags
1. Sandy at Boston Bound Brunette
2. Terzah at BQ by 40
3. Xaarlin at Pain is Nothing
4. Missy at Sugar Coated Athlete
5. Missy at Southern Girl Running
6. Kara at It's a Dog Lick Baby World
7. Sarah at Thinfluenced
8. Nancy at Living the Dream
9. Elle at Eat Run Sail
10. Ali at Running with Spatulas
11. Julia at Pain, Pride and Perseverance
12. Katherine at Neon Blonde Runner
13. Susan at Cow Lasers and Everything in Between
14. Kari at Running Ricig
15. Jen at Runner..Maybe

10 Ways to Modify the Basic Pushup

Last week Blonde Ponytail did a great vlog on 10 pushup variations and it got me thinking about all the different kinds of pushups I incorporate into my workouts.  I managed to come up with 10 more plus a bonus move to share with you today.

It is my first vlog so sorry if I seem all akward and don't know how to talk.  HA! Not only that, it took me a lot of takes to get one I liked well enough to post so my arms were starting to get tired.

1. Reptile Pushups
2. Legs Elevated Pushup
3. Sumo Pushup
4. Walking Pushup
5. Alernating Legs Crossed Pushup
6. Diamond Pushup
7. Narrow Tricep Pushps
8. Wide Arms Pushup
9. 1, 2 3, Pushup
10. Diagonal Knee Tuck Pushup
Bonus Move:  One Arm Press ups


As a total side note.  I did my longest run today since my marathon on July 8th.  13.2 miles.  YAY.  Felt pretty good.  I made sure to start out slow and keep my long run pace above 9 minute miles until the last three. 

Thanks for all the great relay packing advice on comments on my post about the wall yesterday!

What is your favorite upper body exercise?

I also really like dive bombers.

The Wall

The Wall.

You can't see it.

You can't touch it.

You might not even see or feel it coming.

When you hit it, it can feel like there is no way around it.

It is a humbling and frustrating experience.

I remember hitting it three years ago in my first half marathon.  6 miles in and I was swearing off half marathons forever.  I of course have gone on to do three more that with a smarter strategy and better temperatures revealed no walls.  Just easy sailing smooth running love.

When I did my first marathon on July 8th this year it was certainly a thought in my head that somewhere in the next 26.2 miles a wall could exist.  I also was feeling a little cocky.  I am a smarter runner now than  I was three years ago.  I am better at fueling, hydrating, and pacing myself.  The weather would be on the warm side, but not too hot and not anything I had not trained in for the last month.

I remember thinking at mile 18 how good I was feeling and maybe I wouldn't hit a wall... so when my guts gurgled at mile 19 and I sat down in the porta pottie at almost mile 20 I was shocked at how much my legs decided to shut down and my stomach revolt at the last Roctane I ate.  (i don't thin oragne vanilla and I will ever be friends again) Going through the cool sprinklers seemed to sent a chill through my body.

I went from 8:07 - 8:12 minute miles to suddenly a 14 minute mile and two 12 minute miles.  My legs were cramping, I was puking, I was hot.  I wanted to sit down on the curb and call it a day.  More than that I wanted to finish my first marathon.  The 3:40 I had been on track for was gone, but I knew if I just kept moving I could still get in under 4 hours. Time seemed to be dragging, standing still, yet my watch seemed to be on hyperspeed. The fastest mile I managed was a 9:30 after that. For me, really slow

I have to admit there were moments that I wasn't sure that was going to happen.  Running hurt.  At mile 25 I thought to myself.. "Wow I have never run this far before!"  I knew at that point I could do it.  I would do it.  I might feel like I was running into a wall over and over, but I was making progress.

I do want to do another marathon.  When? I am not sure yet.  I am still dealing with the aftermath of it all.  It has taken way longer to recover than I would have guessed.  Kind of makes me want to stick to half marathons and shorter races.  I have not entered three races now that I would really like to have done since the marathon, my body has not felt ready.

I have done a lot of thinking about the wall since the marathon.  Walls box you in.  Walls can trap you. Impede your progress.  You have to figure out a way to bust through, go around, find a door in the wall, etc.  Not always easy when you can't see it.

You have to convince your body there is a way past the wall when your body is wanting to quit.  I also believe each wall has a lesson to be learned and if you can figure out that lesson you come out a stronger runner.

I know it won't be the last wall I deal with in a race, but so far definetly the worst and I feel like I am still processing it. Still trying to learn what I need to from it.   I'll get there just the same as I will get to the start line of another marathon in time. 

I did find this great article on how to beat the wall

http://www.runningplanet.com/training/marathon-wall-how-to-beat-it.html

What is the worst wall you have encountered in a race?

 How do you deal with it?

Any great wall advice?

Relay Packing Advice Wanted

Since we are departing next Wednesday for Oregon and the great Hood to Coast relay, I am starting to pack.

Okay, all I did was get out the suitcase and buy some baby wipes at Target last week.  I plan on bringing travel size shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc to save space in my bag. 

What my point really here is...

What should I bring? 

What are your relay running must haves?

I know I have read posts about great things to pack for a relay, but that was then and I wasn't packing for a relay, now I am. If you have such a blog post I would love it if you would leave me a link to it so I can study it like it is my job. 

Also what did you bring that you really didn't need after all?

What did you wish you would have brought?



Motivation Monday

I have to admit I am both relieved and sad for the Olympics to be over.  Relieved so that I don't have to be annoyed when something is keeping me from sitting down in front of the TV and watching hours of motivational athletes perform and so I don't have to stay up so late watching!

Sad because I have been so loving watching all those incredible athletes perform.  My favorite moments

• Carrie Walsh and Misti May-Treanor winning gold again.  I think they were my favorite athletes of the games.  They really stepped up when the play got intense and kicked some butt.
• Michael Phelps.  Sure he had a rough start but he overcame and ended on a pretty awesome note. 
• Mo Farrah winning the 10k and the 5k.  Great strategy and crazy effort paid off twice, I am sure those crowds rooting for him really gave an extra push too.
• Galen Rupp winning silver in the 10k.
• Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher at the end of the womens marathon.  I didn't get up early enough to see the whole thing but I did see the last 20 minutes.
• Womens gymnastics team was pretty awesome.  Gabby is such a cutie and McKayla was such an impressive vaulter.  Even if she didn't win gold she knew it should have been hers, and would have been any other day.
• The womens swimming team also was very amazing. Missy Franklin was incredible to watch.
• The womens relay teams were crazy fast, I loved watching the 4x400 relay.  Those girls knocked it out of the stadium!

The Olympics to me are so motivational. All the years of training and hard work that comes down to those 17 days.  God medalists are remembered.  Think Joan Benoit Samuelson and Carl Lewis.  Mary Lou Retton. 

I have to say I am also sad they only come around every four years, but I guess that is what makes them such a big dream and so awesome to watch.

I did two runs today about an hour apart mostly for babysitter reasons.  I ran 5 miles before my husband left this morning and then took the kids to my sister's house and ran another 5 miles.  They both felt pretty good although run 2 seemed to feel a little better. 

What was your favorite Olympic moment?

Some of Sunday

Yesterday I did two runs, one in the morning and one later in the afternoon.  Good practice for HOod to Coast.  The second one was with my kids in the double stroller.  That is a lot more weight to be pushing so needless to say the four miles was pretty slow, but it didn't feel too bad.  Avery kept saying "Ah this is the life!"  

The sky was pretty overcast and we were having a cooler than normal day so it didn't feel too bad to run in the afternoon.  I think it was only in the low 80s.  I am so ready for some low fifties running. I think Cola was enjoying the cooler temps too.

This morning I got up and did a 3 mile bike ride, parked my bike in the ditch and ran 5 miles then biked home.  The 5 miles felt the best it has felt in a long time.  Not as good as I know it can, but better than it has. 


Then I got started on a box of cherries from the western part of the state.  I made four batches of jam and canned 5 quarts of cherries.   I have a lot of cherry jam now. I also watched 3 and a half episodes from season 3 of Greys Anatomy while I was busy dicing cherries.  Boring, but.. YUM

and Rocky's eyes started opening yesterday.  She is two weeks old today and really starting to grow! Check out her little half mustache across her nose.

A Whiny Runner and a Cute Kitten

I feel  a little frustrated right now.  My runs feel sucky.  The longest run I have done since July 8th is 10 miles and that was once.  No speed work.  No races.  Just a lot of elliptical and biking and sub par running.

Maybe I am expecting too much.  Having never run a marathon before I figured it would take a week or two and then I would be back to my happy running self.  Not so,  I have been dealing with foot pain although that is finally getting better and lateral hip pain that once I get warmed up I don't even notice while running.  I do notice when getting out of bed and out of chairs.

I am planning to see a physical therapist after my son starts school to see if I can get rid of the lateral hip pain, which I have been dealing with since March or April.  First it was the left side and now it is in the right also.  The left is feeling a lot better though and I can actually sleep on that side again.

I feel frustrated.  I am supposed to be doing a half marathon at the end of September and it seems so out of reach right now.  I could push my workouts harder, but I just don't think my body is ready.

Sure I have been doing a lot of cross training and HIIT workouts, and they feel good, but they aren't running.   Running is not being my friend right now, or maybe it is but not the way I want it to.  To top it off, it is nasty hot out there with no relief in sight.  I hate being hot.

Are you tired of my whining yet?  I am just frustrated.  I want running to feel easy and amazing the way it did the first 20 miles of my marathon.  I want to feel in love with running again.  Don't get me wrong, I am super excited to go and run Hood to Coast, but I just don't feel in top running shape.  Especially compared to where I was 1 month ago.

I did get up and run 6 miles this morning and the last mile was in the rain!  Yay for rain. 
and the cute kitten part..

Rocky is doing good.  The oil I put in his bottle has seemed to help, and the tummy rubs to help simulate peristalsis.  He is growing and any day now his eyes should open.  He still sleeps a lot which is good, although I am getting up once a night still to feed him.  and burp him, and help him try to poo and pee.

Motivation Monday: 17 days until Hood to Coast

 I realized yesterday that Hood to Coast is going to be here really soon!  My son starts school in two weeks on the 21st and then I leave the next day for HtC!  We were planning to leave Thursday, but yesterday we found out our start time is 7 am Friday morning and it is a very long drive to Portland from eastern Montana.  I think we are now tentatively planning to leave Wednesday and drive to Spokane.

My team's estimated finish time is 26:25, we are in the Mixed Submasters division.   I am running leg 11 and so am obviously in Van 2.   I think if I could have picked I would have been in van 1, but more than anything I am THRILLED to be on a team and able to take part in this. 

My first run is leg 11 is 4.84 miles and is rated easy.  It will also be in the afternoon I am guessing based on our start time, and has little to no shade so will be HOT. 

Second run is leg 23 is 4.18 miles and is rated easy.  I am guessing this one will be sometime during the night, so it will be dark.  I will get to sport the reflective vest and headlamp for this one.

Last run I will be doing for HTC is leg 35 is 7.2 miles and is rated hard.  If we finish around our expected finish time this leg will be around 8 in the morning, and sometime before 10 am I will be on the beach!   Having never been on the west coast I am very excited about this. I have been to Maui so it won't be the first time I have been to the Pacific Ocean. 

Having also read so many fun, awesome, crazy blog posts about Hood to Coast and Ragnar relays I am excited to get to find out all about the relay experience first hand instead of just living vicariously through everyone else.

I am really hoping to get to meet some of the awesome bloggers I have met in the last year since I started my blog.  I feel like I have been dreaming about doing this relay for so long, and in 17 days it will become a reality.  !!

So super thankful for the Montana Beef Council for being a major team sponsor and to the Western Ag Reporter for also being a super contributor.

Have you run Hood to Coast before or are running it this year?

 If so what legs have you done/ are doing?

  Do you know your start time?

The week of running free

This was apparently not the week for paying attention to how fast or precisely how far I was going.   I forgot my Garmin on two running days and went for a 16 mile bike ride this morning without it due to the batteries being dead.  I did use it once for a 5 mile run.  It is kind of nice to take a break from worrying about pace and distance and just go.  So most of my DailyMile mileage this week as just a rough estimate based on having done the routes before.

oh look, dead battery

I do have it charging right now and would like to use it tomorrow!  I have also taken a break from the iPod this week while running and biking.  Kind of nice to be alone with my thoughts and not be watching the pace also. Relaxing really!

Rocky is doing pretty good.  Growing.  Although I am concerned he is a little backed up.  I also learned yesterday that I should also be burping him.

 Burping a kitten, and helping him poop. Who knew a kitten would be so much work?!

  He once more has not pooped in two days.  His belly is getting HUGE.   I put a little oil in his formula.  Supposedly that is supposed to help after two or three feedings.  I am getting really tired of rubbing his butt with a warm wash cloth and hoping he poops. I am glad human babies are able to do that all on their own. 

I am trying to decide if I should enter a 10k this coming weekend, a 5 mile race next weekend or just do both.   :)   I did them both last year.  Of course last year I also did not have Hood to Coast the weekend after the 5 mile race. 

I am leaning towards the 10k and just using it as a gauge to see where I am at and how my body is feeling post marathon.  I don't expect to set a personal best or anything since I have done ZERO speed work since June and have only really done easy runs since the marathon on July 8th.  That marathon took a lot out of me. 

I feel like I am still processing a lot of feelings about my first marathon.  I got up this morning at 6 to watch the Olympic marathon only to discover it had started at 4 am here.  I did get to see the end of it anyway.  I have to admit I got all teary as I watched each person come across the finish line. Especailly Shalane and Kara. 


Having finally run a marathon, I felt like I could really empathize with them on how hard they had worked to get there.  Knowing that what you have done is so amazing and so great, but you still fell a little short of where you really envisioned you could be and what you could do if it all came together.

And finally, I have a big box of peaches I am going to can and make some peach jam out of hopefully tomorrow.  I was hoping to do it today, but I think they need to ripen a little more first.  Love peaches!

Did you watch the Olympic Marathon this morning?  If you did, did you get a little teary also?

Three Things Thursday

1. Newborns are a lot of work.  Newborns kittens are too. One of my wild outside cats left one with the placenta still attached in my driveway on Sunday.  I left him there for awhile hoping she would come back and get him.  I even enticed her with a can of tuna.  She ate the tuna and didn't even give the kitten more than a second glance. So now I have a bottle kitten.  We named him Rocky, since we found him on the rocks in our driveway.  Real creative I know.

The kids love sitting and snuggling with him.

I hae been getting up in the middle of the night to feed Rocky.  I had kind of thought I was done with that sort of thing.  I am such a softie though.  Did you know you have to help newborn kittens poo and pee? 

Fun.

2. Running...    I did a 10 mile run Monday and got foot pain half way through.  I think part of the problem was the very uneven road/trails I was running on.  I did a five mile run today pain free :) after doing 65 minutes on the elliptical.  My legs were feeling pretty tired, but that was sort of the goal since I am trying to not piss off my foot too much.  I think I will stick to flatter more even surfaces for a while too.   

Three weeks until I leave for Hood to Coast.  Three weeks!  I haven't really even thought of it that much since I was so busy with my first marathon and then trying to get recovered. 

3.  I took my son school shopping Monday for the first time.  The school list seemed kind of crazy like sani wipes, hand soap, and kleenexes.  Really?  The school doesn't proide hand soap?  I just hope they don't try to turn my kid into some crazy germ a phobe.  Sure you need to wash your hands, but you don't need to be a freak about it. 

Seems so crazy to have a a kid in school.  He was just a baby keeping me up all night.  The kids also had dentist appointments Monday and were cavity free!  YAY!