Shorey

Hammam

2010-01-06T21:03:00.003-06:00

On Monday I wanted to go to a Hammam. It's a public bath house with a specific ritual. I'd read up on it & got the name of one from one of the staff members at CCS. I was a little nervous, as this isn't really my thing, but I would have regretted not trying it.

From what I'd read, you take your standard toiletries, a towel, and if you so choose you can hire a tayeba who is a woman who will basically show you what to do & help you through the process. You can also buy the necessary products there - the kees (a black glove that is rough), saboon bildi (olive oil soap that is usually in packets that resemble soy sauce) and rhasoul (a lava paste to condition your hair).

Hammams typically have 3 rooms, each hotter and steamier than the next. There are faucets all along the walls and buckets to use for filling & rinsing. You strip down to only your undies (no bra) and allow your pores to open in the steam. Then you lather yourself in the olive oil soap and have the tayeba or another woman scrub you almost raw with the kees mitt. Then you rinse, put the rhasoul in your hair, rinse, then shampoo etc before you dry off & leave.

As I arrived at the hammam, I almost entered the men's side. Whoops! When I first entered the hammam, I really needed to use the restroom and wasn't quite prepared for the immediacy of seeing a bunch of naked women as soon as I stepped inside. Fully clothed, I walked to the bathrooms, but quickly realized it would not work as it's adjacent to the first steam room and everything is soaking wet, water on the floor, etc. But what I noticed is that these women were scrubbing each other and they weren't exactly being gentle. It was vigorous and rough and while certainly removing dead skin, I worried if I'd even have any left afterward. It's also strange to see a bunch of near-naked women squatting in their underwear.

I walked back to the front room to purchase my supplies but had great difficulty communicating. They didn't speak a lick of English, barely any French and I wasn't getting anywhere. I started charades, motioning to my hair for the conditioner, pointing to the women for assistance, brushing my hands on my arms for the soap, etc. No go. I was not getting anywhere. Finally, one woman pointed to a shelf at what appeared to be previously used supplies, such as a kees and a comb. No thanks. Not going to reuse something with someone else's skin on it. After about 10 minutes of standing fully clothed in a steam room, I was near-drenched & getting nowhere. So, I called an end to my hammam experience.

But all was not lost!

Back at the hotel, I asked at the front desk where I could purchase these supplies. After purchasing the necessary products at a candy store (!) around the corner, I indulged in a private hammam in my hotel shower. The soap was amazing, the conditioner a bit odd in texture, and I still had skin left when all was said & done. My skin was soft, my hair conditioned, and I felt renewed. Not the public hammam experience, but after all was said & done, I'm kinda glad. It would have been so awkward for me that I don't think I would have gotten out of it what I'd hoped I would.

Then I napped heavily for a few hours preparing for my 27 hour journey home the next morning.

Changing Locations

2010-01-06T16:48:00.003-06:00

Monday was my last full day in Morocco. Mohammed, the Country Manager for CCS, arranged a taxi to take me from the Home Base to Hotel Balima.

Mohammed - the Morocco Country Director for CCS

View from Hotel Balima room

I walked around & checked out the area which we had driven to many times to/from our volunteer assignment & to/from the Medina. I met up with the 3 remaining volunteers from my group for lunch. After that, we parted ways - Michelle to Casablanca for the day, and Monika & Lisa back to the hotel.

Next up: Hammam.

An Attempt At Surfing

2010-01-06T16:34:00.003-06:00

Sighting the waves the day before, one of the volunteers (Carrie) wanted to check out the surfing scene in Rabat on Sunday. She had actually arranged a week of surfing in Morocco before the volunteer week began, but her departing flight from PA was canceled due to snow, so she missed out. Four of us headed down to the beach to find the Surf Club and hang out. Turned out there were no boards she could rent, so we walked along the beach, went to the end of the pier (where I about had a panic attack at the drop offs), and headed through the Medina. This was a relaxing way to spend the day, and was quite enjoyable.

As soon as we got back, Carrie had to leave for her return flight. It was great to meet her and become friends. She and I worked at Ibny together and shared an amazing time with those kids. She is an accomplished world traveler and I look forward to hearing about her next adventures.

Casablanca

2010-01-06T16:12:00.008-06:00

Friday was spent in Fez, and Saturday was a day trip to Casablanca. I'd heard mixed reviews of the city: it was on the water (so is Rabat), it's pretty "westernized" with nightclubs and resorts, it has the 3rd largest mosque in the world, and it's an hour by train. The last two sold me, so off a small group of us went. We first stopped at an outdoor cafe to have some lunch. Very tasty and we got up close & personal with one of the stray cats. Moroccans are very kind to their stray animals. The Prophet Mohammed wanted people to be kind to animals, so they take it pretty seriously always leaving out food, even giving them names on occasion (Rex was the dog that would hang out on our property at night).

After lunch we headed over to the train station in hopes of making it by 2pm which is the last tour (non-muslims can go inside the Blue Mosque, as it is referred, during tours). After negotiating with a taxi driver in Casablanca, we headed over to see this spectacle. And oh my is it large. Pictures do not do it justice. This building is massive.

The Hassan II Mosque was built between 1986 and 1993 for the 60th birthday of former Moroccan king Hassan II. The Hassan II Mosque has space for 25,000 worshippers inside and another 80,000 outside. The 210-meter minaret is the tallest in the world and is visible day and night for miles around. Although Hassan II Mosque was designed by a French architect, it is Moroccan through and through. Expept for the white granite columns and the glass chandeliers, the materials used to construct the mosque were taken from the Morocco region.

6,000 traditional Moroccan artisans worked for five years to turn these raw materials into mosaics, stone and marble floors and columns, sculpted plaster moldings, and carved and painted wood ceilings. The mosque also includes a number of modern touches: it was built to withstand earthquakes and has a heated floor, electric doors, a sliding roof, and lasers which shine at night from the top of the minaret toward Mecca. The huge plaza welcomes visitors from around the world.

After taking some pictures there, we watched some surfers in the wild waves adjacent to the mosque. Then we took a quick drive around the city. You can't really get to the calmer beaches unless you are staying in a resort along the sand. Other than a lot of nightclubs, restaurants, and "Rick's" all you really see in Casablanca are construction cranes.

Fez - What I always thought I'd see/hear in Morocco

2010-01-06T15:51:00.002-06:00

Fez for my 40th on the First

2010-01-01T16:40:00.003-06:00

Got up early this morning to head to Fez (Fes) with 6 other girls from the volunteer group. We got to the train station just in time for the call to prayer at dawn. It was really stunning to hear the calls from Mosques all over Rabat in unison & in stereo. For 80DH we each got a ticket and waited in a coffee shop for our departure.

We were lucky to find a compartment to all sit in together for the ride out (and later the ride back). It is a 3 hour train ride, but we talked the whole time, all getting to know each other more personally.

We had hired a tour guide who was meeting us at 10:15am and headed to the Medina for a great time navigating narrow, cobblestone streets. There are 9400 streets in the Medina and 400,000 people live there. You might see a dark and narrow corridor where there are 4 doors, and that means there are 4 houses inside of varying size. Many families may live together and it is a real community - certainly not like my condominiums where we all dodge each other behind closing garage doors in order to not talk to each other. Ridiculous, I know.

We saw several mosques, even an Express Mosque where people go when they do not have much time to spare. We also went to the Tannery, where they give you fresh mint to smell because that area STINKS SO BAD. It is unlike anything I have ever smelled before and it was pretty nasty. I lasted long enough to take a photo and then headed back down to the gift shop. Then we stopped in a carpet store to get the standard sales pitch, but it was entertaining & there was tea. We waited there while our tour guide prayed at noon.

We were widing around and turned a corner, and suddenly we were in this cozy little restaurant. We had an amazing spread and the service was quick and efficient.

Then it was time to head back to the train station for the ride back. All in all this was a FABULOUS day. A great day with some great women, great food, great sights. I could not have asked for more. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Food, Music & Dance

2010-01-01T16:17:00.005-06:00

After our volunteer time on Thursday, we had cooking lessons back at the house. Aisha & Fatima are the two cooks and they make some great food. They speak primarily Arabic and French so the house manager, Kadija, led the lesson. We made Tagine Chicken with Lemon (plus a vegetarian version) & Olives and an eggplant dish. It was really fun! I got a whole list of recipes from Khadija & I am looking forward to making a big meal for my family when I get back home.

After that, while we are all just relaxing in the living room, we hear these drums and beats and this great Moroccan band comes into the house. It was great - drums, tamborines, a head chime, shakers. All the volunteers were dancing with the band, clapping, having a great time.

Later in the evening the other volunteers surprised me with a cake for my birthday. It was this delicious decadent chocolate ice cream cake. A great way to celebrate: music, new friends, dancing, and chocolate!

Last Day at Ibny

2009-12-31T15:36:00.007-06:00

I woke up this morning with a bit of a stomach issue. I mentioned it to the country program manager and the driver in case we needed to make a pit stop on the way to Ibny. Naturally, this was the morning that we also stopped at 2 banks, 2 other volunteer drop offs, and dropped off the country manager downtown for a meeting. WHY TODAY OF ALL DAYS?

Made it to Ibny and the bathrooms there are less than desirable, so I went to a coffee shop that is across the street. Imagine my reaction when I frantically stepped inside the stall to a Turkish toilet (basically a whole in the floor with two foot pads where you stand & squat). What a nightmare. Made it through the ordeal in one piece, but then had to pay an attendant just for the use of the bathroom. Wasn't expecting that.

Headed across the street to Ibny for another great day. For the 4 year olds, we repeated a lot of what we had done before, but for the craft project, Carrie had braided some yarn for bracelets that we gave to each child. Then Carrie, who is a great artist, made caricature drawings of each child and we wrote their names on each sheet. While the kids couldn't understand what we were saying, it was obvious they knew we were leaving for good. We took some pictures again, hugged a lot, and got kisses from them before we left for the next class.

For the older children today I had taken some simple images from "The Tiny Seed" - birds, flower, sun, fish - and made pictures for the kids to color. At the top of each page I wrote out the words for the pictures in "dots" so that the children could trace to write. I decided this was the best way to get them to write. Many of the children have barely learned to write Arabic, so they write their S's backwards, etc. We read the book to them, then handed out the coloring sheets, and then I walked around the room and showed them the pictures in the book so they could see they were coloring the same things. The kids get really amped up after coloring for some reason, so we had them all up to the front of the room and did the Hokey Pokey which they LOVED (almost as much as I did). It was fantastic. My favorite little boy, Smaeel, was the first to rush up and insisted on holding my hand until we left the class. We gave kisses and hugs, and blew kisses as we left, and my eyes welled up as we walked to our pickup location.

This, by far, has been the most rewarding experience I could have ever asked for and so much more fulfilling than I could have imagined. We were there to assist the teachers by offering enrichment programs and activities to the kids, and personalized attention they don't get otherwise. I feel so blessed to have met them, albeit briefly, but I will always remember this experience and think about these children and wonder about where they end up in life.

An interesting thing happened later tonight as I was in a taxi to Marjane (pronounced "marjohn" - a mall with the equivalent of a WalMart). We shared the taxi with a woman who is working at the S. African embassy. She asked what we had been doing and I explained the program and the kids. She said that our hearts should be full, and that she was a child who benefitted from volunteers like us many years ago. This brought a smile to my face because she is well-educated and successful. I hope for a similar ending for all of the kids I met on this trip.

Medina Part 2

2009-12-31T15:29:00.003-06:00

After dinner on Wednesday, 7 of us headed to the Medina for round 2 of shopping. This presented a bit of a challenge because public transportation here is horrible. I may have mentioned, but the bus system was recently taken over by a different company and it's a real mess. If the buses aren't breaking down, then there just aren't enough or they are too full and won't stop. Cabs here only take 3 passengers, so if you're lucky to get a taxi at all, you may have to share and stop along the way before you get to your destination.

Once we took the bus to the Medina, we were dropped off at the opposite entrance than we had wanted. This meant powerwalking through the crowds to get where we wanted to be. In about 45 minutes, we had hit about a dozen shops, bargained our little hearts out & got more gifts for folks back home (and stuff for ourselves, as well).

Getting a taxi was difficult, again because we had 7 people. It was 6:30pm, heavy traffic, dark out, and everyone screaming for any blue taxi with less than 3 passengers in it. Luckily we all made it back safely.

note: I went out today to buy another suitcase :-)

Islam

2009-12-30T14:53:00.002-06:00

Years ago I read an English translation of the Qur'an, but today we learned a bit about Islam and it was good to hear it again in light of everything going on in the world.

Just a few things:

Islam means "submission to God's will"
Arab refers to the culture, Muslim is the religion, and Islamist is political and a newer term, and it's basically referring to anyone who wants to implement Islam into daily life.
Of all Muslims, only 19% are Arabs
Egypt has the largest population of Muslim Arabs
The 5 pilars of Islam are: 1) Shahada (belief system including there is only one God and Mohammed was the last prophet); 2) Salat (ritual prayers 5x per day); 3) Zakat (charity that everyone should give 2.5% of their annual salary to others); 4) Sawm Ramadan (fasting); and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca where they circle the Kaaba 7 times)
Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Jesus and that he was a messiah, but that he was not born of God. They also don't believe that the crucifixion happened - that Christ died for 3 days. They don't believe in original sin.
They believe in all the miracles of Chirst, such as healing and walking on water.
They believe that your deeds take you to heaven or hell. Prophets won't save you, but they will help you.
Fatwa is essentially a statement of what is okay behavior as times change.
Harram is essentially clear cut wrongs, such as killing or stealing.
Big sins for Muslims include Killing, Dishonoring your parents, Gambling, Drinking Alcohol and not eating Halal.
Rules of war for Islam I found especially interesting - don't kill unless in self defense, don't pursue fleeing soldiers, don't kill women/children.
Wahabism is an extreme interpretation of Islam and is considered corrupt by Muslims
Muslims believe in angels, which have free will and come from light, and Man is born of clay with free will, and Jinn comes from fire with no free will.

Ibny Day 3 - The Hardest Part

2009-12-30T06:52:00.005-06:00

Today another volunteer, Michelle, joined me and Carrie at Ibny. Yesterday I went to the store and bought some blank copier paper & some pastel colored copier paper, as well as regular pencils with erasers and colored pencils. We had issues with these types of supplies on Tuesday, so we wanted to be prepared.

One of the other volunteers, who has been here for several weeks and spent time at Ibny before moving to teach English to adults at the East-West Center, said that the kids loved to have books read to them. Even if they don't understand the story they really like the pictures. Going with our theme this week of colors & shapes, we chose a book to take for the 4 yr olds that has vivid colors and simple images of birds, trees, and fish called "The Tiny Seed."

We started the first class by singing, then Carrie showed the shapes & Michelle showed the color cards. Then I asked all the children to join me in the back of the room "aji" for the book. The kids were so cute! All of them wanted to be closest to me, all of them wanted to sit on the pillows, all of them wanted to be the tallest up front. I read the story, focusing on the pictures, pointing out the colors and images. I would say "green leaves" and the kids would automatically repeat. It was perfect.

Then they went back to their round tables, and we handed out colored paper and shapes we had cut out - circles, triangles, etc. We had glue sticks & crayons. Then we showed the children how to glue the shapes to their papers and then use the crayons to embellish. For example, glue a yellow circle, then use red and orange crayons to make rays around it for the sun. Some of the kids caught on really quickly and would use squares and triangles to make a house with a roof. Others really struggled not understanding. It seems like such a simple task, but it's just where their development level is. At the end of class we took pictures and the kids really love that & will crowd around anyone with the camera.

I absolutely love this boy!

We were a bit early for the 2nd class of the 5 yr olds, so we stood out in the hall and could see that the kids were finishing up a lesson with a workbook. The teacher was going around the room picking up pencils and I noticed that as one teacher picked up a girl's pencil, the girl flinched as though she expected the teacher to hit her on the head with the pencil. I looked on in horror. Clearly, this girl is used to being hit and it was so sad to see this. I whispered to Michelle & Carrie what I had seen & then as I turned back to look in the classroom, I saw the same teacher pick up the workbook & slap the girl across the face with it. I was horrified not only by seeing that, but also by my reaction: I burst into tears. I wanted to walk down the hallway to where some sinks are to wash my face, but a cleaning woman was mopping the floor and there was water everywhere, so I had to get it together before going into the classroom. I had heard that the teachers slapped the children, and I had even commented to the program director at CCS that if I ever witnessed it, it would be upsetting to me. And of course, it was. Discipline here is different, and it was just a frightening experience to see it and not be in a position to do anything about it. This is the hardest part about being in a place where the customs are different and the children are so vulnerable.

Immediately it was time to walk in and start the class, and one of the other girls pointed to my face and made a gesture of tears running down her face because she could see I had been crying. When I told another volunteer about it later, she said that it was good that children see that we have compassion. That made me feel a bit better.

We sang a song to start the class and then Michelle read from cards with the alphabet and images of things that start with that letter, like "A is for Apple." Then we handed out our paper and pencils we had brought and Carrie would write a letter on the blackboard and we would help the kids to write them. A couple of the kids were great & could see that we were going to do the alphabet. Others just wanted to draw, and they kept erasing what they would write. At first, we couldn't understand, but then realized that the pencils the kids normallly use don't have erasers, so this was a novelty to them. We all walked around the room, sometimes doing hand-over-hand to write out the letters. I found that if I used dots to make a pattern for a letter, the kids would trace it.

We finished up by counting numbers and then singing songs. The kids also wanted to pose for pictures and just be near us. At one point we were trying to tell the kids to sit down, but instead we had accidentally asked them to come up front with us. Suddenly we were crowded by all of them, each wanting to the the one next to us holding our hands. They so crave the physical contact, it's often ovewhelming but also heart-warming. I really do love these kids, in only a short time. I am so in love with 2 boys from the 4 yr old class, and one boy, Smaeel, from the 5 yr old class. He wasn't there today & I really hope he is tomorrow.

Medina

2009-12-29T14:59:00.002-06:00

Before we left for the Medina, we had another amazing lunch and an early tea. Today tea was served with Baghrir crepes, which are like a flat sponge cake, served warm & topped with butter and honey.

Then we were off for some shopping. Crowded and full of interesting things, strange smells and even some sort of peaceful protest from some graduate students, the Medina was not lacking in sensory stimulation. I picked up a few gifts for others and for me. I'm very interested in the food and afternoon tea, so I picked up a tea kettle and a tagine. I also got a lantern and some other trinkets. I REALLY want to get one of the ornate Moroccan carved wood doors and fashion it into a headboard or something, but I can't for the life of me figure out how I'll get it home. There are a few more things I want to purchase, but I'll be here several more days and will also have a chance to go to the Medina in Fez on Friday, so there's time.

Bargaining is big here, and it's a tough balance between getting robbed and insulting the vendor. Of course, they like to negotiate, so if you don't even try they're insulted, as well. Rule of thumb is to always start lower (Rabat about 70% of the asking price, Fez is more like 40% of the pricd price because there are more tourists and prices are higher). There are exceptions on bargaining for things that have prices set by the government, like the tea kettles for example.

I have been told to say "La" or "no" to anyone on the street offering to do Henna. Street vendors put lots of chemicals in the Henna which is bad for your skin and general health. Khadija, the house manager here, can do it so I might ask her.

Of course, then we returned home in perfect timing for a fantastic dinner. Mmm....

Miscellaneous Morocco

2009-12-29T14:37:00.002-06:00

Learned a few interesting things about Morocco today:

"Nurses" that work at the volunteer locations for CCS, other than the one I'm at, such as the Children's Hospital & the Orphanage are not trained or educated in health care. They make approximately 1000 DH/month, which is the equivalent of $120 US.
Minimum wage is 1800 DH.
Beggars can get easily twice minimum wage & it's estimated that there are over 200,000 beggars in Morocco. This is why street children are so prevalent.
Nurses & minimum wagers can work in Rabat, but they can't live here because it's too expensive. Most will commute up to two hours, take at least two buses from either Sale or Temara, leaving their homes at 6am.
There are many transportation challenges in the Rabat area right now. Each town has a certain colored cab. For example, blue ones are for Rabat & take only 3 passengers. You do not tip these drivers.
If you want to take a white taxi, you can have more passengers, but there is not meter & you have to negotiate the fare. These are white Mercedes and are the only ones that can travel between towns.
There are 35 political parties in Morocco.
The current King Mohammed VI is in his mid-40s and has been in power since 1999. He married after becoming King (his wife is called a Princess, not Queen) and she is about 30 years old. She is known by the public, whereas the former King's wife was never seen - no photograph or portrait was ever made public. The King's family has been in power since 1600.
This King is modernizing a lot of policies & Family Law. For example, according to Islamic Law a man can have up to 4 wives & this was common practice Oct. 2003 when King Mohammed VI instituted new Family Law that you can have a 2nd wife ONLY if the 1st wife approves & then a judge reviews it and decides if it is allowed.
The King also upped the age when women can marry from 15 to 18.
There have been some changes to Freedom of Speech, but no one can say bad things about the monarchy. For example, the Prime Minister is elected to office, but the policies are set by the King. So, if the policies fail, it's the Prime Minister's fault. If the policies are successful, it's because of the King.
Berbers are considered the "Free People" or nomads. They are the first people who populated Morocco & there are three dialects: Tarifit, Tashelhit, and Tamazight.
Arabic is the official language of Morocco, but since it was was colonized by the French in 1912, that language is also prevalent.
The city of Essaouria has the most prevalent Jewish population, but every city in Morocco has a Synagogue. The one in Rabat is unmarked & has a guard that stands outside. Any tension between Jews and the Islamic doesn't have as much to do with religion than most Westerners think.

Ibny Day 2

2009-12-29T06:23:00.002-06:00

Today Carrie & I had planned to do some more advanced artwork/crafts & writing with the two classes. We've noticed that the school is really limited on supplies, so we can raid the CCS supply room for things such as stickers, crayons, pencil sharpeners, coloring books, etc. We repeated things like colors & shapes with the younger class & the alphabet with the 5 year olds. Naturally, there were a few things we forgot to take with us, namely blank paper.

We had wanted the 4 year olds to use glue sticks to glue shapes onto the blank paper, but since we forgot it they just colored from a coloring book. All of the kids are so proud of their work when they're done.Then we learned everyone's name by pointing to some artwork that had each child's name on it & asking the corresponding child to raise his or her hand. I was struck by how many children are no longer in the class (probably 5 or so). Sofia is the firecracker in the class. She is beautiful, sassy, and really wants extra stickers, more colors, more kisses, etc. She puts on a super sweet smile & really charms us to try and get her way.

In the 5 year old class we repeated the alphabet & had wanted the kids to write on blank paper letters we would write or point to on their ABC chart. We had copies of coloring book pages that we would use later in the class for coloring time and thought they could just use the blank side of that to write. No go. As soon as the kids saw the coloring side, that's all they wanted to do. I went around the room and individually told each child, "Smiti Shorey" which means, "My name is Shorey." Then point to the child to learn their names. Carrie did the same thing. We would write our names on their papers and they would say their name and then write theirs in Arabic. Some of the kids are named Hannan (F), Adan (M), Louda (F), Housa (F), Blatef (M), Mariam (F), Sofie (F), Salma (F), and probably my favorite little boy who sits right up front, Smaeel. He is possibly the cutest little thing I've ever seen.

We started & ended each class by singing songs. Here is the 5 year old class (I asked permission first & it was approved by the teacher).

Tour of Rabat

2009-12-28T14:00:00.005-06:00

After our volunteering this morning, and after another fantastic lunch, we split into two groups and headed out for a tour. The idea being that for each group, half of the tour would involve transportation via CCS shuttle and the other half city bus. I started off on the shuttle and immediately my camera battery died. Oh well, I'll have to leach off of others once they get their photos posted on FB or something.

We drove past the Chellah-Rabat or the Necropolis of the Chellah. The brief history lesson is that Carthage was conquered by Romans in 146 BC, and then the Romans moved westwards into the Berber kingdoms of Mauritania and Numidia (Algeria, Morocco now) which became part of the Roman Empire. Chellah was named as "Sala Colonna" by the Romans. The Berber Merinides then took control over the whole North Africa in 1296. The origin of the desert people, Berbers is still not known... Anyway, Merinides established burial grounds by the ruins of Roman Sala Colonna and surrounded it by walls in 1339.

Next we went to Hassan Tower, which is really a large plaza. The minaret that stands at the west end of the plaza is actually half of its intended size: 42 feet. The minaret was planned to be the largest at the time and the entire plaza (with pilars for the foundation) was supposed to be the mosque. Construction began in 1195, but when King Hassan died in 1199, construction ceased and the minaret never finished, the mosque never constructed. The minaret doesn't include stairs, so the call the prayer would be conducted by riding horseback up the circular ramps to the top.

The mausoleum, which stands opposite the minaret, was completed in 1971 and houses the tombs of Sultan Mohammed V and his two sons, King Hassan II and Prince Abdallah. Guards stand outside the four entrances as well as inside in the four corners. The intricate carvings and tile work took 7 years alone to complete since it was all done by hand.

Our next stop was the Kasbah of the Oudaya, which is the highest point in Rabat overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. There are residences, a nice garden, winding roads reminiscent of Mykonos, Greece, shops and a coffee shop/restaurant. From there, we walked across the street to the Medina where all the crafts and goods are sold. Everything from leather goods, teapots, glassware, jewelry, traditional clothing, to more modern Western-style clothes and food. The deeper we got, the more chaotic it became. Pickpocketing is the most prevalent crime (guns are not allowed in Morocco, FYI) and I can see how easily it can happen. I made a few mental notes of things I'd like to go back to purchase. I did pick up some spices and some of the local tea, and I'm pretty excited.

As we exited the Medina to find the bus stop, I saw a beggar with a small child sitting on her lap helping to bring in more money. It made me sad and sick because this is precisely the type of child that is eventually brought to Ibny for a better life.

Ibny School

2009-12-28T06:12:00.002-06:00

This morning was my first day of teaching at the Ibny School here in Rabat. Ibny is a community center located inside a school and it's for street children, found begging with their parents on the streets. Adults will often take their children to the streets to bring in more money, and some will even drug their children so they look even more needy. I have not seen many beggars so far since being here, but they can bring in significantly more money than minimum wage here, so it's apparently pretty prevalent. I imagine we'll see more later today when we visit the Medina. Ibny (which means "my son") provides food, clothing and education to these children so they can lead a better life.

The two classes I'm teaching with another volunteer, Carrie, are 4 year olds and 5 year olds, mixed boys and girls. And let me just say THEY ARE ADORABLE. It breaks my heart that these kids ever spent any time on the streets begging. There are older children at Ibny, and previous volunteers had reported discipline issues, so those kids are not part of the volunteer assignment. Carrie and I prepared a few things for today's lessons, not really knowing how long we would have with each class or what they would be interested in or what their learning levels are. We read previous volunteers' reports and had some ideas that we would focus on colors and shapes, sing some songs, and perhaps numbers and the ABCs.

We are at an extreme disadvantage language-wise. In school, children are first taught Arabic, and then as they progress to secondary school, the classes switch to being taught in French. By the time students are in high-school and university, they are almost exclusively taught in French. At Ibny, this means the teachers speak French and the children speak Arabic. And, well, Carrie and I speak English. We know a few phrases in Arabic and Carrie and I have both previously studied French, but we are both pretty rusty. I think for me, the biggest issue is when I'm in the moment and need a quick response French or Arabic is the last thing I'm thinking of. I have found myself responding and greeting people in Spanish, of all things.

Our first class was the 4 year olds and there were about 20 kids. They sat at circular tables, and each child wore an apron-like garment over their clothes. Boys' were blue and girls' were pink. We recited colors, pointing to various things in the room the same color we were saying and the children repeated. Then we moved to shapes. The kids all repeated quite well and enjoyed being praised, even if it was in English. Again, in the moment, I just couldn't quite remember to say, "mzyan" or "good job. We handed out construction paper and crayons and would hold up a flashcard with a shape on it and have the kids draw the shape. They would be so proud about their shapes they would run up to one of us and show us. Some needed (or wanted) more personal attention, and would want you to hold their hand and help them draw. When they had used up virtually every spec of space on their papers, we handed out stickers to them. We sang a few songs, such as, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and we even tried "Old McDonald" but this was new to them and was difficult to follow. We ended this class by doing the bunny hop around the room, which they seemed to enjoy.

The second class was the 5 year olds and there were 26 kids. They each had their own desks in neat little rows and would greet anyone who came to their classroom by standing up and saying, "Salaamu Alaykum." These kids had the ABC song up on the wall, so we started the class by singing that a couple of times. It's amazing how much difference a year can make. We also did the colors and shapes exercises, had them draw and handed out stickers. Some would turn their papers over and show us that they didn't have a sticker, just so they could get a second one. These kids moved through all the exercises quickly so then we improvised by counting 1-10 and holding up our fingers. A previous volunteer had indicated she hoped the kids would learn numbers beyond 10, so I lead a lesson of say-repeat for 11-15. We also would hold up a number on our fingers in random order and have the kids say the number. They clearly were confused by this, and it's obvious rote learning is the primary method of teaching, using memorization rather than actual concepts. We also sang the same songs, and the children in this class were more familiar with many American children's songs. They sang to us several songs, such as "Thumbkin" and "I Love You (The Barney Song)." They also sang, "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and they would get really loud on the "WASH the spider out" part. It was too cute!!

Overall it was extremely enjoyable and these kids are beautiful. Thinking of the life they had before coming to this school is terribly sad, but the opportunity they are being given is wonderful. I'm looking forward to planning tomorrow's lessons, which will be mostly the same (for repetition purposes) but we'll definitely need more supplies and some variance just to keep their interest and attention.

Getting Settled & Acclimated

2009-12-27T14:56:00.007-06:00

After arriving in Rabat after 20 hours of flying: AUS>ATL>CDG>RBA. Everything was on-time, no delays and my luggage made it and landed in Rabat at 2:35pm local time. Met up with other volunteers & we went to our home base in Hay Riad-Rabat, which is the neighborhood in Rabat. Apparently, it's fairly upscale as evidenced in the ornate gates lining the streets. Our home base has a beautiful yard, and is very spacious with 4 large bedrooms where everyone bunks. While it's certainly not 5-star, the modest decor serves offer more function than frills. (Plus, I think if the accommodations were more lavish, I might wonder about the motives of the non-profit running this place.)

We learned a bit about the daily schedules, room assignments, house logistics, etc. But luckily, since it was mostly a travel day for everyone, Saturday was really for rest. Getting settled, sleeping, eating, meeting everyone, etc.

Sunday morning we woke for breakfast which is at 7am every day. Today we had these delicious msemmen crepes with fruit & yogurt. At 9:30am we had our orientation, which consisted of learning more about our individual volunteer assignments (I'll be working with 4-5 yr olds. at the street children center) and got an idea of some of the cultural activities that are planned. Tomorrow afternoon, we'll take a city tour, have time to navigate the bus system, and hit the medina. Always served with pastries it seems to really hit the spot.

Lunch will always be at 1pm and tea time is usually at 4pm with the national beverage, hot mint tea, served with pastries. And it is delicious. Dinner will be at 7pm. The cooks here at the house are amazing. I've taken some pictures of the food simply because they are beautifully presented. Colorful vegetable salads, interesting meat/fruit combinations, and always carnivore/vegetarian options. Delightful. And I am giddy with excitement that I'll have a chance to learn how to make some of this fare on Thursday.

After lunch today, a few of us went to check out a nearby mosque, Lalla Sukaina. Some of the most intricate wood and stone carvings I have ever seen, mosaic tile, and while the non-Muslims are not allowed inside, there was still plenty to see and photograph.

There are 16 volunteers here at the house. Some arrived when I did, some have been here a couple of weeks, and one woman has been here 3 months. Two of the volunteers have done mulitiple volunteer trips in various countries with this Cross Cultural Solutions. So to me, that's a good indicator of consistency, professionalism, and making enough of a difference that people want to do it again & again.

Why Morocco?

2009-12-26T03:57:00.002-06:00

About 6 months ago I was reading Conde Nast Traveler and there was a feature article about volunteering while traveling abroad. Something about the article fascinated me - not sure if it was the service-based aspect, or the destinations, or all the amazing cultural offerings that come with this type of travel, or the first-hand accounts from people who had done it. But something struck a chord with me, and I thought, "Wouldn't it be cool to do this sometime?"

So I went online & checked out all the various companies that organize service-based, voluntourism/humanitourism trips. Some are more religious-based, some involve working within the community to build structures or clean land, and some offer working with people (hospitals, centers, orphanages, etc.), some working with animals. All offer some type of adventure or learning component (climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, white water rafting, cooking/language classes). All of these sounded very interesting to me, so the next part of my decision-making process was to find out costs, dates & specific destinations.

My 40th birthday (eek) is Jan. 1st, so I thought it might be a nice - albeit different - way to celebrate. That, and a baseline mammogram, but that's a different story...I digress...New Year's is such an overrated holiday with a lot of pressure: where should I go, where are all my friends going, will I have someone to kiss at midnight, will I be around people who won't judge me or look at me funny if I don't, will anyone remember my birthday, etc. All the ridiculous things to consider & inevitably worry about, and then on top of it I'LL BE TURNING FORTY. (shit)

As I looked at dates & destinations with these travel groups, I kept honing in on a three of them. One was a trip to Greece where for the first few days, you volunteer with local animal advocacy groups to teach the community about caring for stray dogs and cats. In Greece, apparently, they will feed strays broken glass so that they'll die. Heartbreaking, yes, but animal rescue and care is something I'm pretty passionate about. The last few days are spent whitewater rafting & camping. The only drawback to this trip is that I've already been to Greece. And would I be able to handle the heartbreak that is always associated with animal rescue?

The second one that got my attention was Costa Rica working in an orphanage. Never been, always wanted to go, and this might be a rewarding way to volunteer. The only drawback here is that I would really like to do this sort of thing with my sisters and that just wouldn't be possible right now for a variety of reasons.

The final destination that really sounded interesting was Morocco. A wide variety of volunteer options matched to your interests and background, and the next travel dates for their Insight Abroad program in Morocco: 12/25-1/1. Perfect timing for my birthday. I submitted my application and deposit, and there it was.

I had about 6 different vaccinations, and all said, I'm glad I didn't choose one that would have required a rabies vaccination. That sucker runs around $1000. But I am laced with H1N1, Hep A/B, Typoid, IPV, MMR, and TdaP. All of those together ran about $500. And yes, that is with insurance.

About a month ago I learned what my specific placement would be while there. Monday through Thursday I will work for 2 hours at a children's community center (Friday is a holiday). Kids are adolescent age, and are found as "street children" begging and living homeless on the streets of Rabat. The center brings in these kids, gives them meals, a warm place to stay, clean clothing, and an education. My role as a volunteer will be to assist the teachers and lead a few lessons, which can include physical activities, coloring, singing, or any other game I can think of. Because volunteers come in and out of this center all the time, I will have the benefit of seeing the lesson plans of previous volunteers from my group, and I can continue to build from their instruction, or I can create something new. I'm fairly certain I was assigned to this particular center because of my experience with Girls on the Run (which serves girls ages 8-10 yrs old). Other volunteers are assigned to work at a children's hospital (one of two in all of Morocco), an elderly community center, and an orphanage.

After the volunteer time in the mornings, we will then have options to take cooking or language classes, shop, tour the city, ride camels, etc. Not nearly as exciting as climbing a mountain or rafting, but I'm far more interested in the culture here. We will all stay in a large home, with home-cooked meals and a 24x7 staff. All our transportation is taken care of, and since language is going to be my biggest challenge (French - really rusty, and Arabic - trying to memorize a few key phrases), I'm glad I'll have some people around who will help with that.

Because Friday, Jan 1, is a holiday there won't be any volunteering, and from that point until Jan 5th I'll be on my own to travel to Marrakesh or other cities, try out a Hammam, whatever. It's definitely going to be an adventure, and I'm really excited about it. A little anxious, but it is going to be amazing. I just know it.

As of now, I've made it to Paris. One more 2-hr. flight into Rabat. There should be 6 or so other volunteers on this flight.

Girls on the Run Season Finish Fall 2009

2009-12-19T17:30:00.002-06:00

Been awhile since I've posted anything, but I've been busy, busy, busy! Capped off a busy (did I say busy?) season at the Jingle Bell 5K on Dec. 13th. It is amazing that in just 12 months, we grew from 1 school/6 girls to 8 schools/120 girls. We had 90 girls registered for the Jingle Bell 5K, the important and final component of the curriculum. All but a handful of these girls have never run a race before, so bright-eyed they gathered at the start line with their Running Buddies (each girl is paired with an adult volunteer to motivate, encourage & accompany the girl while she runs).

I stood at the finish line with special GOTR finisher medals to congratulate each girl as she completed the race. So wonderful to see the rosy cheeks and huge smiles as each giddy girl made her way to completing 3.1 miles.

Thanks to my fellow board members for making this journey possible. Thanks to the coaches who got the girls through the entire semester. Thanks to the countless volunteers who helped throughout the year, and special thanks to the Running Buddies who shared in such a great day. We hope you return!!

Photos can be found here.

And...Done

2009-09-12T13:09:00.002-05:00

1978 miles in the car
16 new places for Sugar to go/see/pee on
4.5 days of hikes & runs & walks
8500 ft elevation change
2 books read
4 really odd signs on the way home
80 billboards for the same store, but when I stopped it was lame
5 rainstorms, but the only one that was bad was yesterday when I got near Austin
1 hailstorm
1 snake
35 roadside crosses in New Mexico
4 National Forests
2 campgrounds
2 campfire cookouts
2 dog-friendly hotels

= 1 awesome vacation

Roadtrip Day 6

2009-09-11T21:13:00.006-05:00

Sugar & I started the day with another run. Mostly loaded up the car last night, so finished that up & then checked out & started the drive towards Texas. One bad thing is that I woke up to two ripped contact lenses. I brought extra and that helps, but I tore one earlier in the week, so now I only have one spare.

We drove into Durango on our way out, and a quick iPhone search indicated a few places. I called one of them & they said can give me a new lens, but I have to get my Rx faxed to them. Ugh. I called my place in Austin to get that from the Texas end, but they were in no hurry, and wouldn't you know: my Rx expired over a year ago (my insurance only covers an eye exam every 24 months). Next, I'm being told that to get a replacement lens I may have to have a new exam. What??!! To make matters worse, I can't find the friggin optometrist's office in Durango. But, as luck would have it, I pass another place and decide to just pull in & ask.

This place was AWESOME! High Country Optical gave me no issues - they went to the back & came out with a spare. Didn't even charge me for it! Now, I can see out of both eyes again, and all is well with the world. Next I found a great little coffee shop & had probably the best cinnamon roll I have EVER had. I'll be thinking about that one for a long time...mmm....

We took a different route back into New Mexico from Durango, but I am still amazed how basically the entire state, except any city with more than 10,000 residents, has no AT&T service. I acknowledge AT&T both pre- and post-divestiture - would not have been the primary service provider in NM, but COME ON!

We drove past Ghost Ranch, which is absolutely beautiful. It's a spiritual and educational retreat run by the Presbyterian Church - not sure I'd ever want to go there for "studies," but it was sure stunning. My photo does not do it justice - the colors were vibrant.

We also drove by Camel Rock, just outside of Santa Fe. The area is full of casinos, since there are several reservations nearby.

Sugar spent most of the car ride under her blanket, and even managed to doze off for a few.

This is RARE as she is usually all shaky & panting. We stopped in Clovis again, and stayed at the Comfort Inn. This website proved invaluable during the trip. There are others, but this was the first one I found, was easy to use and allowed to search by city or by chain.

Roadtrip Interruption - Remembering 9/11

2009-09-10T21:46:00.000-05:00

The initial numbers are indelible: 8:46 a.m. and 9:02 a.m.

Time the burning towers stood: 56 minutes and 102 minutes.

Time they took to fall: 12 seconds.

Total number killed in attacks (official figure as of 9/5/02): 2,819

Number of firefighters and paramedics killed: 343 (the remains of one paramedic from the hospital where I worked at the time was found a YEAR after the attacks)

Number of NYPD officers: 23

Number of Port Authority police officers: 37

Number of WTC companies that lost people: 60

Number of employees who died in Tower One: 1,402

Number of employees who died in Tower Two: 614

Number of employees lost at Cantor Fitzgerald: 658

Number of U.S. troops killed in Operation Enduring Freedom: 22

Number of nations whose citizens were killed in attacks: 115

Ratio of men to women who died: 3:1

Age of the greatest number who died: between 35 and 39

Bodies found "intact": 289

Body parts found: 19,858

Number of families who got no remains: 1,717

Estimated units of blood donated to the New York Blood Center: 36,000

Total units of donated blood actually used: 258

Number of people who lost a spouse or partner in the attacks: 1,609

Estimated number of children who lost a parent: 3,051

Percentage of Americans who knew someone hurt or killed in the attacks: 20

FDNY retirements, January–July 2001: 274

FDNY retirements, January–July 2002: 661

Number of firefighters on leave for respiratory problems by January 2002: 300

Number of funerals attended by Rudy Giuliani in 2001: 200

Number of FDNY vehicles destroyed: 98

Tons of debris removed from site: 1,506,124

Days fires continued to burn after the attack: 99 (I remember having my windows open regularly in my NYC apartment, but after the attacks the air just smelled "different" - and the soot was "different")

Jobs lost in New York owing to the attacks: 146,100

Days the New York Stock Exchange was closed: 6

Point drop in the Dow Jones industrial average when the NYSE reopened: 684.81

Days after 9/11 that the U.S. began bombing Afghanistan: 26

Total number of hate crimes reported to the Council on American-Islamic Relations nationwide since 9/11: 1,714

Economic loss to New York in month following the attacks: $105 billion

Estimated cost of cleanup: $600 million

Total FEMA money spent on the emergency: $970 million

Estimated amount donated to 9/11 charities: $1.4 billion

Estimated amount of insurance paid worldwide related to 9/11: $40.2 billion

Estimated amount of money needed to overhaul lower-Manhattan subways: $7.5 billion

Amount of money recently granted by U.S. government to overhaul lower-Manhattan subways: $4.55 billion

Estimated amount of money raised for funds dedicated to NYPD and FDNY families: $500 million

Percentage of total charity money raised going to FDNY and NYPD families: 25

Average benefit already received by each FDNY and NYPD widow: $1 million

Percentage increase in law-school applications from 2001 to 2002: 17.9

Percentage increase in Peace Corps applications from 2001 to 2002: 40

Percentage increase in CIA applications from 2001 to 2002: 50

Number of songs Clear Channel Radio considered "inappropriate" to play after 9/11: 150

Number of mentions of 9/11 at the Oscars: 26

Apartments in lower Manhattan eligible for asbestos cleanup: 30,000

Number of apartments whose residents have requested cleanup and testing: 4,110

Number of Americans who changed their 2001 holiday-travel plans from plane to train or car: 1.4 million

Estimated number of New Yorkers suffering from post-traumatic-stress disorder as a result of 9/11: 422,000

(statistics from New York Magazine)

Roadtrip Day 5

2009-09-09T17:59:00.003-05:00

Day started off getting up about an hour earlier than I thought. Didn't have my watch on, and tried to "guess" by the daylight. Mistake.

After a lovely cup of coffee and some breakfast, Sugar and I set out to Vallecito Lake. The lake wasn't exactly what I had expected. When we passed it on our way to the cabin earlier this week, I just thought it was the time of day that had the lake so quiet. Turns out, that's pretty much how the lake is. Primarily a fishing lake, there wasn't a lot of activity. Lake level is also pretty low - so low in fact that the marina & boat docks are not even near the water. The beach is pretty rocky, and given Sugar's love of all things rocks (she likes to make piles of them, chase them when I throw them, dig them up, etc.) she was in heaven. The lake is full of rainbow & brown trout, northern pike, and Kokanee salmon. Saw a couple of fishing boats, and met a couple of men from Durango who were in for a morning catch.

From SugarCam - she had her nose in the water

SugarCam - Lake with Whiskers

Then we jumped in the car & drove around the lake. Saw a couple of wandering horses, which didn't seem right, but then again, I'm not from around here. Drove by a lodge I had almost stayed at and I am SO GLAD THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT. It was really run down, and given the low lake level, the "right on the water" selling point would have been a true disappointment.

After some lunch, we set out for another hike from a different trailhead to the Weminuche Wilderness. Didn't get very far as the dark and ominous clouds rolled in with serious thunder, and when the posted signs say to stay away from ledges and peaks during thunderstorms. Ummmm...yeah.

Late this afternoon we hiked back to Vallecito Creek, and Sugar chased more thrown rocks, dug some up from the creek bed and sand, and splashed around in the water. I simply relished the soothing sounds and cool air.

Tomorrow we leave. Travels will take us through Durango, Santa Fe, Clovis, Lubbock, Sweetwater, Abilene, and Lampasas. Basically, the same way we came out here. It will be a bummer to leave, but given I want to spread the drive back over two days and would rather have most of Sunday to unload, unpack, and get my head around going back to work Monday (among other things) then it has to be tomorrow.

Roadtrip Day 4

2009-09-08T18:30:00.006-05:00

This morning a run was on the agenda, followed by a hike in Weminuche Wilderness, which includes the San Juan and Vallecito National Forests. After making some breakfast (reminiscent of my Grandpa's favorite - toast, bacon, gravy), Sugar and I headed out on a run. The plan was to run to the trailhead we'd been told about yesterday, which was supposedly about 2 miles away. There and back would be 4 miles; however, it turns out it was less than a mile. So, short run, but then we followed that with a walk near the stables to see the horses again, and then out for a 5 mile hike along Vallecito Creek.

The creek quickly disappears as the trail goes up, up, UP. Rocky, and narrow, it was a little scary at one point. We even saw a snake -eek! I had packed a lunch & some snacks for Sugar, so we stopped a bit to rest.

The sounds were wonderful, the air was fresh, the views were amazing. Sugar even took her camera along for the day (clips to her collar & goes off every few minutes).

All of Sugar's photos - from today's hike (starts at photo #51) as well as jaunts around the trails in Austin - can be found here.

It rained a couple of times, but it's forest, so while I could hear it, I didn't really feel it. It even hailed some, but I would have never known had I not seen it with my own eyes. Very lightweight and small.

Sugar promptly took a power nap when we got back to the cabin, and I'll admit that my legs are sore. It's just simply a different type of trail, which makes for a different kind of hike.

Tomorrow, we'll head over the Lake Vallecito, which is about 2 miles in the opposite direction as the trail we were on today.

Roadtrip Day 3

2009-09-08T18:12:00.004-05:00

Sugar and I somehow missed a highway sign and instead of staying on 84, we ended up on 64 on our last leg of the drive to Bayfield, CO (near Durango) to our cabin at Lake Vallecito. This took us smack dab through Taos, which wasn't so bad. There was an arts festival going on, and I would've stopped except for the fact that I'm not that crazy about Southwestern art.

We did find a farmers market, so stocked up on some fruit & stuff. This detour also took us through more national forests, and the sights were incredible. I was amazed at the number of cyclists out braving the mountains (probably about 20 separate cyclists) and a few tandems.

Carson National Forest

We arrived at our cabin right at 3pm, which was the check-in time. While I unloaded, Sugar supervised.

Then we took a walk around the park where we're staying. There is one section that is for RVs, one section with cabins and "permanent" RVs, an overlook, some stables and horses, and a playground. The park is much nicer than I imagined, and the cabin is perfect - one room, shower, gas stove, fridge, sink, TV, and bed. It's basically one-room, but it's nicely maintained.

We also stopped by the office to get the lowdown on hiking trails for tomorrow. Woohoo!

Roadtrip Day 2

2009-09-07T18:30:00.003-05:00

Sugar and I left Clovis, NM on Sunday with the intent on just going as far as Santa Fe. I wanted to find a place for us to camp, and had my sights set on Santa Fe National Forest. After a wrong turn and backtracking some to get to SFNF, we ended up on a HORRIBLY maintained road trying to find campgrounds.

Finally! We stopped at the very first campsite, which turned out to be perfect. Right next to a bubbling stream, no one else around, really primative. It was about 1:30pm when we arrived, and probably somewhere around 72 degrees.

I got all our stuff unloaded, and fixed a quick lunch of PB&J. We trekked around the campsite some to see what was around us. Lots of little nooks & crannies for Sugar to enjoy.

It takes awhile for me to just ... be. I find myself at first wondering, "what am I going to do now?" But I grabbed a beer, a book, and finally settled into the soft sound of the stream and nothing else. Awhile later I set up the Coleman grill & prepared some dinner. After that it was more reading, and then sleep.

Turns out that Sugar is a sleeping bag hog. She didn't want anything to do with her bed, but rather found her way into the bottom of my sleeping bag. It got down to 44 degrees, so I'm sure she was just looking for warmth, and truth be told, I didn't mind the foot warmer. It rained a bit during the night & I worried about stuff getting wet, but I hadn't really left anything noteworthy out (just a folding chair) so again, I think it's just my city-self resisting full relaxation.

I had forgotten how badly sleeping on the ground (well, I have a Thermarest mat) hurts my back! Ouchie!

We got up around 6am, packed up the site (well, Sugar didn't help much), ate, and headed back out of the forest. Day 3 destination: Lake Vallecito outside of Durango, and a cabin for 3 nights.

Roadtrip

2009-09-05T20:49:00.002-05:00

Sugar and I took off today for a weeklong adventure, roadtrip style. We left Austin at about 11:30am after a couple of last-minute errands, and made it to Clovis, NM (elevation 4500 ft). We stopped in a few places along the way so that she could leave her mark - Lampasas, Abilene, and Lubbock. I am *shocked* at the amount of windfarms between Abilene and Lubbock. WOW.

A handful of notables:

Saw a big, black, completely wet dog trotting up the off ramp I was taking in Abilene. Clearly wearing a collar with tags. I called 311, but apparently Abilene doesn't have that. I hope he made it.
Lubbock is, by far, one of (if not ) the most littered cities I have seen in the U.S. It's embarrassing.
It is EASY to be Ms. Leadfoot when the landscape is So. Flat. Gave in and used cruise control to avoid getting a ticket. I was surprised after all that flatness that suddenly elevation was at 4500 ft.
Sugar is nervous in the car. She's sqirmy and she pants. Thankfully, she doesn't climb all over me, but she also doesn't nap. She is SO TIRED right now - I can see it in her eyes - but I'm awake, and we're in a (weird to her) hotel, so until I climb into bed, she'll be awake.
We got the last room at the La Quinta in Clovis (or so they said). It's dog-friendly, and new, so I drove a bit out of the way to stay here. The room is GIGANTIC. There's like a football field of space in between the ends of the beds and the TV. I'm not sure what all this space would be suited for - a wrestling match? Soccer? Gymnastics? I may just do a cartwheel before bed.

We'll take our time getting rolling in the morning. Our final destination check-in isn't until Monday. Hopefully, we can find some good camping for tomorrow night.

Humbled

2009-08-14T11:47:00.002-05:00

I haven't been keeping this baby updated in awhile, but for good reason: I've been BUSY.

Last night was the innaugural "Runnin' Down a Dream" charity event for Girls on the Run of Austin. Since we are entering our 2nd school year of programs in Austin, and hoping to continue our expansion efforts, we knew we needed to get the word out about our non-profit. And what better way than to throw a party?!

What started as a little idea from The Nelson Project (have an event that benefits a non-profit) turned into something quite amazing. And the way the pieces came together and a few volunteers stepped up to the challenge could have never been predicted. I'm just astounded.

On paper, it doesn't really seem too daunting. We had the venue from day one. Gibson is not open to the public, but is rather a location where local artists and traveling musicians can hang out, collaborate, try out the latest guitars, borrow equipment for concerts, etc. Every once in awhile, they'll rent it out for charity. But we had a connection, and it was done. Gibson also secured the alcohol. So, two of the biggest items were solidified before we barely even had our first planning meeting.

The rest is all about being connected:

Rachael, head coach, works at The Nelson Project & submitted GOTR as the beneficiary
Maggie on our board knows the band.
My sister, Katie, owns a cupcake business.
Vira, a SoleMates fundraiser for GOTR and coach writes press releases & knows the owner at Elsi's Restaurant.
Shelly, my friend from high school knows and recommended Loriana Hernandez from Fox News.
Ann, my massage therapist (and GOTR sponsor) knows the owner of Garrido's (and it turns out, I do too, but had forgotten)
Personal friends own businesses who donated silent auction items.
GOTR sponsors were interested, even down to just hours before the doors opened, in donating items.
And the list goes on.

I spent most of the night manning the check-in table with KB, our board chair, but at one point I made it over to the front row to see the band, and I couldn't believe it. We had actually pulled this thing off, and had over 200 guests for an event that even a Gibson employee said was "the biggest event we've ever had here."

Wow.

Special thanks to my friends who, in spite of me sometimes sounding like a broken record about this GOTR thing, acknowledged its importance to me and the 8-10 year old girls we'll serve this school year. Every penny raised goes directly to them in the form of registration scholarships, healthy snacks, 5K race registrations, water bottles, t-shirts, etc.

Of our 7 locations this fall (possibly 8 if we can secure more coaches) only 4 can afford to pay for program registration. This means, at a minimum, that we can enroll 40 girls who would otherwise not be able to join. 40 girls who will learn about self-respect. They'll learn that it's the content of their character and not their appearance that matters, that they should be true to their word and personal promises, that they should be a friend to others and not gossip, that they should exercise to be healthy, that having healthy habits (hygiene, diet, emotional health) makes them strong both inside and out, that making good grades will help them be successful, that they can accomplish anything with personal commitments and support, that they can run/skip/walk 3.1 miles, and that they can do anything. It's 40 families who will see a change in their daughters, and also learn something about healthy lifestyles along the way.

And right here is one founding board member who is incredibly humbled.

New Dog Park & Other Stuff

2009-07-26T10:23:00.006-05:00

I found another dog park during my run yesterday & decided that because Sugar spent most of the day indoors yesterday, I'd take her this morning. SHE. LOVED. IT. Primarily, I think, because there weren't a lot of dogs, and she made a friend, Toulouse. Sugar and Toulouse had a blast chasing each other around the park. It's flat, open, and provides endless room for playing.

Toulouse's parent also had a handy water bottle that Sugar liked. She doesn't like to drink if I pour water in her travel bowl, or directly from a water bottle, but she drank readily from this:

We just got home, and I gave Sugar her frozen dog treat. She devoured it & is now napping.

Last week I took a few days of vacation and went to Manhattan, KS to visit family & attend my brother's wedding. The weather was perfect - got in my 12-mile run while I was there. I just had to take advantage of the cooler temps. Also went by the old house we lived in when I was a tot.

Got to spend some quality time with my niece, Victoria. She's 7 and a real firecraker! She took her role as the flower girl very seriously, but at rehearsal she just wanted to play the bride.

And I rode to the wedding with my Dad in his 1963 MG, which he has restored.

It was a great few days visiting family that I don't see that often, and it was a much needed break from the status quo.

My orthotics (orthoses), I think, are working. I have run up to 14 miles in them & while I feel a bit like I'm hobbling toward the end, my feet don't actually hurt as bad (or at least, not in the same "on-fire-I-can't-walk-at-all" sort of way). I'm sore in different places now, too, so I can tell the orthotics are at least doing something.

After all the bad luck I had last week (losing my car key while walking the dog, corrupting a driver on my work laptop, un-fixable iPhone update to 3.0 & having to get a new phone, losing all my iTunes because you can only download once, trying to meet friends for dinner but not being able to find them, no phone/computer meant no way to get in touch with them) I am ready for a week of good luck. I think all the bad luck is due to the fact that I accidentally ended up at home with some bananas that I didn't pay for (they were in the bottom of my cloth bag). But how do you go back to the grocery store and try to pay for bananas that you essentially "stole?"

The fact that I won a decent prize at the Jack & Adam's Tour de France watch party last night is probably a good sign I'm headed in the right direction. I also met a nice boy last week and volunteered at Barton Springs, so things are looking up!

Philly vs. Texadelphia Cheesesteak

2009-06-29T18:46:00.003-05:00

I'm almost embarrassed just writing the title of this post...

I've been in Philly since late last night & I leave at the butt-crack of dawn tomorrow to head back to ATX. BUT...I had to give an ACTUAL Philly cheesesteak a try since all we have to compare to in Austin is Texadelphia.

After some careful research here, I headed over via taxi to 9th & Passyunk in South Philly. Two famous cheesesteak places are literally right across the street from each other: Pat's King of Steaks and Geno's Steaks. There are some really strong opinions & followers for each, but when the cab pulled up & Geno's was crickets while Pat's had a line in the street, it was obvious I needed to head to Pat's. They have instructions on the board about how to order, and I was slightly nervous I'd do it wrong, but the guys were really nice. I ordered a provalone mushroom cheesesteak wit (which means "with onions"). I also got some of their fries & some sweet-hot cherry peppers on the side.

So, here's how it compares:

Bread
The bread at Pat's is WAAAAAY better. It's slightly crispy on the outside and not nearly as chewy as the Tex version.

Onions
Again, way better at Pat's. They're chopped in slightly bigger pieces & they're more browned.

Meat
Sliced thin, I made the mistake of seeing the cook pour oil all over the meat on the grill. However, the meat didn't taste like oil at all. I was thinking the meat might be hard to bite into (that's what she said) but it was thin & tender enough to not be an issue at all. The meat at Texadelphia is chopped into small pieces, and sometimes I know that I have eaten a cheesteak without even chewing (which leads to a horrible stomach ache later).

Sauces
I saw some ketchup, which I got for my fries, but I didn't see other sauces at Pat's. I like all the sauces at Texadelphia - Ranch, Mustard Blend, and Queso, to be exact - but I'm not sure I could really eat a Texadelphia sandwich without the sauces. I think it might gross me out. With no sauces at Pat's, I added the cherry peppers to the sandwich & that was really good.

Overall
The sandwich at Pat's was bigger, and less messy - partly because the hoagie roll was better & more sturdy, but also because it wasn't sogged down with sauces. I could have used a little bit of salt on Pat's sandwich. I will definitely eat at Pat's again if I have the opportunity.

Shaken

2009-06-24T20:04:00.002-05:00

At about 7pm tonight I decided Sugar needed a good long walk. At the last minute I decided to take her to the Bull Creek dog park. Something didn't seem quite right there - weird vibe - but I thought it was just because I was tired from my workout just before or that I was hungry. We walked down to the water & Sugar chased & placed rocks like she always likes to do. There were a few other dogs around, but not many. It was sort of a calm night. The water is low.

So then I see this guy with his dog coming from the Bull Creek trail on the other side of the water. He's carrying his big (100+ lbs.) dog around his neck like a scarf, and I made a comment like "wow" and then I noticed the dog's tongue was hanging out of his mouth about 8". Then I said, "Is he okay?" And the owner said, "no." So then I asked if he needed any help (e.g., getting to the car, calling someone, getting some water, etc.) and the man looked at me and then at the dog, and then back at me and said, "It's too late."

The dog had died of heat stroke. That much was obvious. I stood there stunned and sad then repulsed and sick. After a few minutes, Sugar and I walked up the hill to the cars, and ended up talking to some other people who had more information. The dog had died of heat stroke from being out on the hiking trails all day. What the hell was that man thinking?? Just makes me so, so sad...

Sugar's trainer told me a good way to keep dogs busy during the day, when it's too hot to go outside for a walk or exercise is to fill a Kong with wet dog food and freeze it. They get a small, cold snack, and they have to work for it. Sugar seems to like it. That, and ice cubes. But NEVER would I take her out for an extended period of time in this oppressive heat. Nothing between the hours of 10am-6pm that is more than just a short potty break.

Maybe I'm overly cautious, but my dog is also still breathing.

Because I Haven't Posted in Awhile

2009-06-21T17:23:00.002-05:00

What's been goin' on...(this post is for you, MikeW)

Finished obedience class with Sugar. She's a champ! Doing really well & has been enjoying offleash time on the Greenbelt, and longer & longer runs.
Booked a trip to Morocco for my birthday. This will be such a different kind of vacation for me, but hell, I haven't taken a vacation in a LONG LONG time.
Did my first trail race a few weeks ago & really enjoyed it. It kicked my A$$ but it was well worth it.
Ramping up my running mileage again, but trying to offset road time with trail time to avoid serious injury. Plus, it gives me time with the doggie.
Foot/plantars is slowly beginning to flare up again, so I bit the bullet and decided to get custom orthotics. Determined that rather than fighting to overcome my body's imbalances by spending my life savings on a variety of therapies, this might be the way to go. I'll still stretch, strength train, do core work, get massages & get some ART, but I won't be a slave to it anymore. Those things should complement my training, not be the only reason I'm able to train at all.
Went on a hike this morning with my step-dad. I think he had as much fun as I did.
Ate at the Salt Lick for lunch with friends. The sound you hear? The slow bloating of my body from - you guessed it - all the sodium. It was worth it though.
I'll be going to Philadelphia & New York for work in the next couple of weeks. I'm so over work travel.
Been working on a benefit/fundraiser for Girls on the Run. More details & tickets here. Reckless Kelly is playing ACL this year, so we're really excited they want to play for us.
My sister in Houston lost her term paper on her computer then had to rewrite it, then was promptly involved in a hit & run, and today was the victim of road rage. She is okay, she was just really shaken. She needs a dose of good luck.
My other sister has been at the Bridal Extravaganza all day marketing her cupcakes & taking wedding orders.

I guess that's all for now. Time to go back to virtually cheering on my friends racing IMCDA today.

CapTex Doggie Duathlon Race Report

2009-05-24T09:44:00.003-05:00

Sugar & I woke up promptly at 6am, and went out for a pee (well, Sugar, anyway). Came back in to fuel up - me: Kashi & coffee, Sugar: lamb & rice dog food.

We got our gear all loaded up & then had a poop break before heading down to Auditorium Shores. Met up with Vegas, Rhonda & others and got set up in transition. We made a mental note of where our top competitors were located as we got ready for our warm up.

Sugar brought her own life vest, which allowed her to stand out from the crowd. I think she liked that. I was a little worried that her pre-race jitters might mean another potty break, but we were good. After the pre-race meeting, we lined up in the starting chute and luckily (?) we were in the first wave.

Off we went in a clockwise loop - straight out, turn at the buoy, turn at the next buoy, and then head back in for shore. Sugar swam over me several times - guess I'm not fast enough - scratching me, as did a lot of the dogs. I tried to just put my head down & swim (she was tethered to me) but inevitably, she'd swim in a different direction. Right turns are not her friend, as she kept wanting to just swim to the other side of the lake. Once we turned back towards shore, she got a second wind & ended up dragging me in (since I had been doing every possible kind of stroke and was incredibly inefficient in the water just trying to get her to go in the right direction, I was exhausted).

We ran up the ramp & hit transition: life vest off, goggles off, shoes on, and Sugar sat patiently and watched like the good girl that she is.

Next was over the the SRV statue, then left up the sidewalk to Riverside. Right to Lee Barton, turn around back to S. 1st, then back to the finish line. I was ready with a poop bag, but Sugar was a trouper! No poop needed! She had quite a spring in her step until the turn around at S. 1st, but she made it. We finished in 23 minutes.

Yay for the little dogs!

Congrats also to Dory, Chula, Logan, Bama, and all the other dogs we met today.

Videos of the Pets

2009-04-09T13:22:00.004-05:00

Bird in a Box

2009-04-08T16:22:00.005-05:00

Imagine my surprise today when I went to put something in the outgoing mail slot at the mailboxes and was greeted with this:

Last summer, our mailboxes were vandalized & it became a battle between HOA and USPS as to who was responsible for repairs. At the end of the day, this was the only slot that was not repaired. Lucky for the birdie, I guess. As this photo was taken, I was promptly attacked.

ZOOMA

2009-04-06T08:42:00.002-05:00

I had signed up to run the ZOOMA half-marathon a few weeks ago because I thought we had a GOTR team. Turns out we did not. We were desperately trying to recruit volunteers for a water stop (which we did!) but no running team. Several of our board members were running, which was great & even greater than I ran into all of them.

I had no goals for this one, other than hoping my foot would hold up. I ran the 1st half with a friend who is pregnant with twins & another new friend who was running her very first half marathon. It was slow, but it was fun & that's just what I needed. At the turn around (near the field with the running horses - stunning to see that) I picked up the pace & ran the 2nd half about 20 minutes faster than the 1st. Overall time was 2:26 (my PR for a 1/2 is 2:01) so while I was far off from that, my foot held up and I had a good time. My favorite song of all time was also playing when I crossed the finish. I waited at the end to cheer on my friends I had run with earlier. Also ran into a long-time friend, had free cupcakes that my sister was handing out (Hill Country Cupcakes), and iced my foot all the way home.

Felt really great all afternoon, but the foot pain started in late day on Sunday. It hurts in a different place than it normally does, and website research is saying it's a stress fracture, which I refuse to believe. I'll ice it again today, take some anti-inflamatories & hope for the best.

Overall take on ZOOMA? I can see why having a race out at Lost Pines is a good idea - it's isolated, the crowds can take up virtually the entire property, it's beautiful, etc. But it's also HILLY. Parking was a mess. Shuttles from the airport, unclear directions on where volunteers can park or where they should go, lost shuttle drivers... In retrospect it wasn't as bad as it seemed when in the moment, but it was certainly an exercise in patience.

For Kenny

2009-04-05T19:03:00.006-05:00

So, Kenny was saying I needed to post something - at least something about Sugar. So here goes:

I continue to enjoy having a dog around. She's still not fond of the car, but she does like dog parks. She is tentative and always nearby when I take her off the leash. She wants to play, but can't quite figure out how. Yesterday, we went back to the dog park at Bull Creek. While other dogs were frolicking in the water, chasing each other, fetching balls, etc. Sugar decided she wanted to gather rocks (?). We were wading in the water & I would hand her a rock, she'd take it in her mouth over to the edge behind some brush & put it down. She even started picking the rocks up from under water (a classic Jack Russell move) where she'd hold her snout under the water for a few seconds while getting the rock in her mouth just right. After a few minutes she had made quite a nice pile of them. Not sure what it was she was building, but we'll go back so she can continue her masterpiece.

On Friday we went to Pedernales. The Falls were not really falling (we need more rain) but Sugar had a good time chasing lizards & posing.

We also had our first obedience lesson. I'm not sure how she felt about Moonpie, the 4 month old standard poodle puppy in our class. We are learning to respond to our names (Sugar is already pretty good at that & I certainly know mine), sit & lay down (again, Sugar is doing well and I tend to do this best after a long run), and we'll continue to work on that until the next class. There are 4 main things I want to get out of the class:

Prevent Sugar from winding up her leash all through my legs.
Build her confidence around other dogs so she isn't so afraid - she is the opposite of aggressive. Mainly it's big dogs that alarm her most.
How to build MY self-confidence to let her walk off leash.
Come when called - whenever she is off leash and is excited, she runs off inevitably right into the street.

I'll be posting about our progress. She just had a bath, which I find so amusing. I've never met a dog that didn't like racing around as soon as it was over.

Coupla Cool Stories...

2009-04-05T16:58:00.003-05:00

My sister works with a woman who was an emergency nurse at the Oklahoma City bombing disaster. She was telling a story about how there were so many rescue dogs onsite and how after awhile all the dogs would howl. She asked one of the dog handlers why they do that & he said that they cry out when they haven't been able to rescue anyone. Just like our pet dogs, these dogs want to please their people & when they can't, they get frustrated & cry. She said he also told her that after awhile, when the dogs are "off shift" from the rescue site, the handlers take them to a field & take turns burying themselves in the dirt so the dogs can rescue someone. It keeps them motivated, and eases their pain (yes, pain) from not having found any survivors. Wow.

The other story came in the form of one of those routed emails...and it just struck a chord. My parents - well, the family - lost our Abby last summer so it was especially meaningful:

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God,

Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.

Love,
Meredith

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office.

A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had. Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith , ' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away. Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.

By the way, I'm easy to find, I am wherever there is love.

Love,
God

In The Mail Today...

2009-03-11T19:56:00.002-05:00

Austin Police Department
Vehicular Homicide Unit

Ms. Russell:

In the course of the investigation, it was determined there is no witness who can positively identify the driver of the vehicle that caused your collision on January 1. Furthermore, the registered owner is not able to identify who he allowed to drive his vehicle, other than a first name. Without positive identification of the suspect vehicle driver I cannot proceed fruther with this case. The criminal case is therefore suspended pending development of additional leads for investigation.

The good news is that the registered owner is taking responsibility for his vehicle and provided me with his insurance information provided below:

XXXX
XXXX

Signed,
Detective XXX
Austin Police Department

-----------

Thank. God. This means I will get my deductible back. And since I owe so much in taxes this year that is, indeed, good news!

Sugar Update

2009-03-10T14:22:00.005-05:00

It took exactly a week, but Sugar is now on a schedule. I thought that would be a lot harder, but she's already crate trained & that helps a lot. She's getting more confident in that she doesn't have to have her head covered at nearly all times. She's even discovering that she likes the bed I got her.
She also has started playing with the cat toys. She didn't seem to really care about the ones I got her that first day.
She also has this adorable smile she gets on her face when she's super excited. It's really hard to get a photo of that, but I'll keep trying.

She does pretty well on the leash, but still likes to weave in & out of your legs on walks. She is selective in her fear of stairs - the ones indoors she's fine with, the ones outside? Not so much. Going up the stairs is more of the issue than down. Time to start thinking about our obedience classes. I have a coupon from APA for discounts to the PetsMart classes. Any other recommendations?

Sugar, Sugar

2009-03-02T07:56:00.005-06:00

I have been thinking for a LONG time about getting a dog. I recently got more involved with Austin Pets Alive, participating in a recent fundraiser, making some donations, submitting an application for a severely injured dog, etc. When the injured dog ended up in another home, it was bittersweet. I was glad she found a loving home and a family that will care for her long-term challenges, and I was sad it wasn't going to be me caring for her.

So, I secretly started going to view the dogs they have for adoption - first on the website, then in person. And yesterday was my lucky day!

This sweet girl was rescued by APA from Town Lake where she was on the list to be euthanized, as are just about all of their animals in their care. APA had named her "Lovey" & she's a smallish dog, about the size of a whippet, 35-40 lbs, and has a long body (probably dachshund, but her legs aren't that short) and her ears when she's excited are huge (probably chihuahua or rat terrier), and possibly some other breeds as well. She first caught my eye because she's blonde & freckled, and she made me laugh because she likes to burrow under blankets. She's crate & house trained, and is really shy. She doesn't bark as far as I can tell, and is probably about 2 years old.

I'll enroll us in an obedience class so that she walks more controlled on a leash (she's very puppy-like), and it should also help with her socialization and confidence (and my confidence, too!). She loves to be held and is very afraid of stairs - I have stairs both outside and inside, so I'm hoping I can help her be brave. She's very submissive which means I won't have any dominance issues with her, but it breaks my heart because I fear she was probably abused at some point. I do know that the last 2 months of her life must have been incredibly scary.

The kitties are cautiously aware she's here, and there's only been moderate hissing from Lucy (she's the alpha of my pet family).

I've decided to rename her Sugar since she's really a sweet, sweet dog. I feel very lucky to have her in my family, and I hope you all get to meet her.

Welcome home, Sugar!

Because No One Will Ask

2009-02-15T13:55:00.004-06:00

thinking it's a taboo topic or they won't know what to say or something: I didn't finish the Austin Marathon because of health concerns. I was on pace to run about a 4:30 until mile 9, and actually I was well in front of the 4:30 pace group for a few miles. I felt really good until that point, and it was like all of a sudden I either wanted to vomit, or sit down, or lay down or something. The rollers on Enfield must have shot up my heart rate and I remember reading that the only way to safely control this is to slow down. So I did. I saw my parents at the Exposition turnoff and told them something like, "I'm not feeling too well."

My body otherwise was holding up amazingly well - no IT band issues, no foot pain, none of the things I was fully anticipating. I was carrying my water to stay hydrated with sips here & there, taking my Gu/eGel on schedule. What WAS happening is that I couldn't breathe and was definitely anaerobic (concern #1). I also couldn't feel my fingers and had little to no dexterity when trying to get salt tabs, etc. from my shorts pocket (concern #2), and had pain in the left side of my jaw (BIG concern #3). My hands were also swollen (concern #4).

My sister was at the top of Westover & I stopped to ask her to check my heart rate (she's an RN). I was trying to talk to her but it was like I had marbles in my mouth. I asked her if I was slurring my speech & she nodded "yes" (concern #5). I just couldn't get words to form properly, it was the strangest feeling. I told her that I was pretty scared by how I was feeling, and I asked her if I should be worried. She just said to listen to my body. From then on, I saw my parents every mile and I would walk and they would ask me questions. I started feeling pretty good when I got to 45th and picked up the pace a little. I also never took another Thermolyte and seemed to start snapping back (I had taken 1 before the race and 1 at mile 8), but my jaw pain came back about 3 other times (concern #6).

The next few miles really gave me some perspective. Why was I running this marathon? For a study. Did I care about my time? Not really, especially since I didn't feel like I had properly recovered from Dallas. Did I want to continue running & finish? Hmmm... this was interesting because I didn't really have an answer. Pretty telling, in all honesty. I also thought a lot about Erin Lahr during these miles.

As I rounded the corner of Foster and Shoal Creek, my heart rate spiked again & it wasn't even a hill! (concern #7) The next time I saw my parents we talked about the possibility of me not finishing. I mean, how many things have to make me a little worried before I finally get the damn message?!?! My mom, also a nurse, asked me a few questions about how I was feeling, etc. and by mile 18 we decided that it would be a good idea to not try to finish. I was so relieved. I was supposed to get my blood drawn at the finish, and I wasn't 100% sure if they'd still take my blood if I didn't actually finish the race. I also had my stuff at the bag drop, wanted to meet up with my friends, etc. before heading home if I could just start feeling a little better. I sat & talked with my parents for a few minutes, and got level again.

I veered off course and made it to Dean Keaton & decided to try to run/walk my way in. Of course, I saw NO ONE from my training group at the finish, so I just went and gave my blood sample (but I nearly fainted while waiting), ran into Kerry & basically just said to her "it's done," got my bag of clothes, met up with my parents & got my car.

All told I ran a total of 20.5 miles, and that's nothing to shake a stick at. Sure, it wasn't the full race, and no, I didn't take a medal or a finisher's shirt. But this was a very eye-opening & scary experience for me. I don't at all regret my decision to not try to tough it out & finish, as I could have really hurt myself.

My parents took me to eat and at first I was really hungry and then suddenly I just felt sick. Then I made it home & took a nap. Something definitely happened to me out there that I never want to happen again. I don't feel bad about this decision as it was the best one for me at the time. I can't even begin to think of any alternative outcomes. I'm just glad I feel okay now, but I'll give myself a few days to get back to 100%.

I do want to thank all my friends out on the course cheering, and I am just so glad they all saw me before the shit hit the fan (although the last time I saw KP and Heather was just before Westover, so they were just on the cusp).

Updates & Such

2009-02-10T07:39:00.003-06:00

After spending a grueling 7 days in Boston (grueling because a) it was cold & b) it was full of all day work meetings - and by all day I mean 7a-7p followed by team dinners) I returned to Austin last Thursday night. Very nice to be home, in my own bed, drinking my own coffee, not having to worry about which clothes were clean or not.

While I was gone I had my car repaired. I figured it was probably the best time to do that, so I wouldn't be forced to rent a car locally from Enterprise (we all know how well that went last time...). I'm not really happy about it, but my insurance is continuing to work with the other victim's insurance to try to get this guy. But he's not returning phone calls, or acknowledging anyone: not even APD. As I've mentioned before, he has a record full of accidents. All filed under different insurance companies, and all where he was "mysteriously" not the driver. Dude needs to stop loaning out his car, I think. Whatever.

Also while I was gone my home phone died. Needed new batteries or just ran out of warranty. Problem was I had a work meeting first thing. And car was still in shop. Then my iPhone decided to act up (I must've hit some magic button that turned the audio completely off). So, then I'm thinking: how the hell am I gonna pull this off? A frantic call to my mom while testing the audio on the iPhone, and the next thing I know she's at my door. I explained to her what was going on, and she immediately went to Radio Shack to get batteries for my phone and a new phone in case that didn't work. Naturally, they weren't the right kind of batteries and the new phone takes an hour to charge (it was then 30 mins before my meeting), so off she went to Walgreen's. She came back with the right kind of batteries, but the damn phone still didn't work. Long story short, we found a solution, but I am so lucky to have a mom that, in the middle of her busy work morning, would drive to my house to help me like that. Thanks, Mom!

Next up: Austin Marathon. I don't know why on earth I am running this thing. Well, yes, I do. It's for the Biophysical 250. This test will be so good to have, and the only catch is that I have to complete the Austin Marathon. After running Dallas just 8 weeks ago, I personally have no business running this race. But I want these test results, that would normally cost about $4500. The screening will be for a whole list of things found HERE. I cross the finish line and immediately head over to get blood drawn. No stopping for water, no gatorade, no nothing. That ought to be interesting. If this thing takes me 6 hours to do, I will do it, just for this test.

But in all seriousness, while others are "running this as a hard training run" and others are "trying to break 4 hours", I am the opposite. I just want to finish. I am giving myself permission, ahead of time, to walk in 2 places - the short steep hill from LAB to Enfield, and the hill on Exposition before Westover. Now matter how often I run these, they give me such angst that I can't control my heart rate at all. I know some people say "tsk, tsk," but this race isn't about "some people." Giving myself this permission now is relieving a great deal of pressure. Of course, if my body falls apart like it did in Dallas, who knows how much of this course I will walk? Whatever the case, I won't be embarrassed at all. Then 3 more blood draws following Sunday and I'll be done and can see what sorts of things are going on in my body. Thyroid problems run in my family, so does cancer, high blood pressure, Crohn's, and celiac disease. And I want to know as much as possible.

Anyway, that's all I have.

10K PR in Boston - A Surprise Race Report

2009-02-01T14:48:00.003-06:00

On a whim, since I'm sorta stuck here in Boston for the weekend (between work meetings last week & next week) I found a 5k/10k race in South Boston. I found the race when I was actually Googling running stores so I could go get some warmer running clothes to wear since it is COLD here. Turns out the race was actually sold out, but the website said they were taking names for a Wait List. What the heck, right?

So, I showed up to the race site this morning and it was 25 degrees. I'm a wimp when it's in the 40s in Austin, so 25 is just freaking painful. I wore 2 pairs gloves, 2 pairs pants, 2 shirts & a jacket, and a fleece headband. After I waited around for 45 mins, I finally got the green light and my number. The line for the bag check was outrageous, and the wait for the bathrooms was even worse. I heard the announcer say that they were starting the race on time, regardless of who was in what line, so I made a beeline back to my car to put some stuff away. The jog (about a mile) to the parking garage was a nice warmup, so once there, I shed one pair of pants and one jacket. I also found a nice "secret" spot to let nature call, before heading back to the start line.

The race itself was uneventful. It was around the Seaport district, a view of the harbor and downtown. The double-loop course reminded me a little of the Dallas White Rock marathon course in the downtown area. A couple of icy areas, and I'm such a wimp, I sort of hobbled over those. I also realized that I don't know how to spit very well (anyone have tips?). The cold air had me coughing up a lung by the time it was over.

Finished with a 10K PR of 25 seconds. I'll take it!

Afterwards, I had really wanted to run another loop for a tad over 9 miles. But the warm tent with clam chowder from Legal Sea Foods and Hefeweizen from Harpoon Brewery started calling my name, and that extra loop went out the window.

Overall a good day in Boston. But 25 is just too cold! Of course, NOW it's in the high 30s.

25 Random Things

2009-02-01T14:42:00.002-06:00

Did this on Facebook, so I'll do it here, too:

I was born in Manhattan, KS - my parents were both students at K-State at the time. My parents divorced when I was 4, and then my mom & I moved to Austin to be near my uncle & nana - they both still live here, too.
I haven't spent a lot of time with my dad (in Kansas), but when we are together people say we have the same facial expressions & mannerisms. My mom has also told me that over the years.
My dad & step-mom have 3 kids: Robbie, Evan & Lizzy. I regret that I don't know them better than I do, and wish I had the same relationship they have with my dad.
When I was 10 years old I introduced my mom to a man that would become my step-dad 2 years later. They're still married, and have 2 kids: Jaye & Katie. I became Catholic as an adult to be spiritually closer to my step-dad.
My grandfather committed suicide when I was in high school. He was an alcoholic.
There are few things I despise more than folding laundry & unloading the dishwasher.
Two things that make me the happiest: giggling children and frolicking dogs.
I have broken both of my feet, exactly one year apart.
In high school, I placed in the top 5 for a solo dance I performed in a national competition. I wish that I had auditioned for the Kilgore Rangerettes just to see if I would have made the team. I had no desire to actually attend Kilgore because I really wanted to go to UT (which I did).
I don't color my hair, but have had greedy hairdressers tell me I should.
I love squirrels, and I think it's mostly because that was what my dad called me when I was a kid. He also called me "Shorence" because so many people would ask if "Shorey" was short for something (people still ask that & no, it's not). The story is that "Shorey" was a childhood crush/girlfriend of my dad's, but my mom didn't know it at the time.
I've never been married, but I was proposed to once. He was in jail when he asked me. He was an idiot.
I have an affinity for poppies, especially red ones. My GrandMaggie & Grandpa Les owned a gift store when I was a kid called Poppies. I loved to visit the store because I would always get toys. I spent hours watching GrandMaggie make floral arrangements & wrap gifts, both things I love to do today. The sight of poppies always makes me think of those grandparents, the store and all sorts of memories.
I am taking a painting class to learn how to paint. I love original paintings and figure either I'll find out that I have some talent, or it will just teach me to appreciate more fully all the paintings I already own. I'm loving it...my best painting so far is of, you guessed it, a squirrel.
When my sister, Jaye, was in college and was pledging the same sorority that I had been in, I surprised her at the pinning ceremony and gave her my pin.
I keep a dog leash, pet food, water bowl, and pet carrier in my car at all times in case I find an animal that needs to be rescued. These items have all come in handy many times.
My favorite song of all time is Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'"
My nose always runs when I eat - doesn't matter what I'm eating and it's not related to spicy foods. Etiquette indicates you're not supposed to touch your face or anywhere from the neck up when dining, but I can't have my nose drip in my plate!! I get this from Nana.
My eyes always water when it's cold and/or windy. People often ask me if I'm crying, but I'm not (unless I've also been punched in the face or something really painful). I get this from my mom.
I've traveled to Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Bali, Malta, New Zealand, Cape Town, Dublin, Glasgow, London, Germany, Turkey, Greece, New Zealand, Taiwan, Cayman Islands, Singapore, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Sweden, and Belgium, and all across the US. I used to keep postcards from every city I'd traveled to, but the box of them was getting out of hand. I've lived in Manhattan (Kansas), Austin, Malta, Dallas, St. Louis, NY (during 9/11), and now I'm back in Austin again.
I almost drowned while scuba diving in the Dominican Republic. I didn't have a dive buddy, so was relying on the dive master. Shortly after he swam off, I had equipment failures. It took every ounce of strength I had to not completely break down once I was rescued and got on the dive boat. Sometimes if I drum up that memory it haunts me for days and I can't sleep.
My first concert was the Bee Gees and I went with my Nana. My second concert was Duran Duran when I was 13 and I got shut out by two friends I was supposed to go with to the concert. At the last minute they changed plans because they had VIP passes to meet them at the Austin Hyatt, got autographed t-shirts, and front row tickets and didn't tell me - I found out when I saw them at the concert getting a shout-out by Simon LeBon. I was so hurt, and it still irks me to this day.
A poem was written for me about my name then published when I was a little girl, and I can still recite it.
I am incredibly sentimental, and am sometimes frustrated that others are not.
My great-grandmother, from the time I can first remember, was frail and full of cancer, and I miss her terribly. I wish I could still talk to her. If I think about her too much, it will make me cry. I often wonder what she would think of me today, if she would be proud that I am finally happy in my own skin.

Busy, but it seems not

2009-01-25T18:39:00.002-06:00

I suppose that's a good sign that my time was well-spent when it never really felt too busy.

Friday night I ended up working later than I anticipated (and it was supposed to be a day off since I accidentally worked on Monday - whoops!), but came home & painted some. Actually completed my 4th painting and I'm really enjoying that. It's so nice to just be still and creative. I also saw up close and in person a painting by a former-local artist that I really like, Tim Raines. Ummm...amazing. Nothing like what you see on his website. There is ONE left here in Austin, and since he moved to Florida, his paintings will more difficult (and more expensive) to find. The one left is $900, but he's selling them for $2400+ in Florida. Yeah, hard to justify that expense, but I have been doing the math...That wouldn't be the most expensive painting I've ever purchased, but..yeah.

On Saturday I got up early, in the cold, and headed over to be outside all day!! (note: slight sarcasm on the cold part). My friend KP had, for his birthday, asked his friends to join him for a day of Habitat for Humanity instead of the old standby: drink beer and act like goofs. I suppose we do enough of that, anyway. This was really a fun idea, and KP was right-on because so many of us out there had always wanted to do it, and volunteer with friends, but had just never bitten the bullet. It was really a blast!

KP and Heather worked on siding and the roof, I installed doors and worked on the front of the house, Panther demo'd and hammered (trying not to show butt-crack in the process), Tim sawed, Ostrich climbed up on scaffolding within 5 mins of being at the worksite and was right at home up there most of the day working on siding and such. Tony wore a hard hat all day, but besides making a fashion statement, he also worked on siding and sawing with some other friends. TimH and Rhonda showed up and brought lunch and birthday cake.

I'd say in the morning there were about 50 people onsite - Habitat employees, community service mandate folks, friends, others who just wanted to put their hands to use for a good cause, and other long-time construction workers who have been involved with Habitat for 15 years +. We were bummed that none of us got any photos of the house when we first arrived. It was mostly just frames, and by the time we left it was really looking more complete with siding & trim and doors. I left at about 3:20, but the site was still hustling & bustling as more progress was made with about 25-30 people around. I highly recommend this to anyone.

Picked up some groceries before heading home, and then could not make a fire fast enough in my fireplace. Took nearly all night to get warm again!

Saturday night my sister brought over her recovering kitty to stay with me for a few days while she's outta town. He's on lots of meds, and my cats constantly hiss at him, but he seems happy nonetheless. He tries so hard to make friends & play, but the girls will have none of that.

Sunday I opted to not run 3M half marathon with the masses (was going to be a training run anyway, too expensive for my tastes, and the website said shirts were on a first come first serve basis - my luck, I'd sign up and then not even get the shirt). So, I waited today until it got above 45 degrees, and then ran the exact 3M 13.1 mile course for FREE (take THAT!). Ran a 9:15 pace & carried my water. Stopped once at Phil's Icehouse for a burger...I mean, a water refill on the way, then got a ride back up to my car at Gateway. I'm officially sick of running on Duval.

Got a little bit of work done that was nagging at me, so now I can relax. Hope you're settled in for a nice night, too.

Have a good week everyone!

Comet Cleaner & Super Sleuth

2009-01-21T21:19:00.002-06:00

Today has been an interesting day. Work aside, that is. Well, work was interesting, too, but that's not very exciting to write about.

Anyway, my sister called to tell me her cat ingested Comet Cleaner today. You know, the abrasive, powdery, old school cleaner. She rushed him to the vet, and the stuff has burned his esophogus, the back of his mouth, and he's been wheezing. The vet took chest xrays, put him on a ventilator, and now he's at the 24 hour overnight clinic while his little 6lb. body tries to digest the stuff that is in his system. Too bad you can't force-feed cats grass, which is what they seem to eat when they need to puke a hairball... We are keeping our fingers crossed that he will make it through the night & get to come home tomorrow. This is the same kitten that I found a year ago at the Rogue Christmas party.

Then late this afternoon, while the cat stuff was all going down, I finally spoke LIVE to my insurance agent. So far, all we've been doing is exchanging voicemails and emails. I had found the hit & run culprit's phone number by calling information & my insurance agent called yesterday (so did I, but I only got an answering machine). He wasn't at home, but his mother answered the phone and apparently just had brain surgery (!). She was having a hard time communicating with the agent. Needless to say, the man never returned the call.

So, when I spoke to my agent today I simply stated, "why can't we just find out his insurance company?!" Suddenly, it was a fast-paced super sleuth endeavor. My agent looked up the VIN of the truck who hit me, and then he started looking through all the integrated systems that insurance companies have access to...and I'll tell ya, it's pretty scary how much information is out there on each of us for the ready. Seems the guy has been in numerous car accidents, but he's never reported being the driver - it's either the neighbor or a family member or a friend or it's been stolen. He's filed all of these accidents under different insurance companies. He must think the insurance companies won't ever find out...sucker!

I wondered aloud how old this guy is and I was told he's 49. I speculated that perhaps his mom was in the car & had a brain aneurysm or something. But then I'm thinking, this guy has a habit of either having horribly bad luck or lying profusely.

Then I asked, "I wonder if the other car owner who was hit has had any better luck finding anything out?" A quick look in another system indicated that the assigned agent for that driver was a former coworker of my agent. So, now they are comparing notes and tracking this dude down.

Overall, it was pretty fun strategizing with my insurance agent & hunting down these details. But it was also very eye-opening & alarming to know what is out there.

I would so love to be a spy...

Weekend

2009-01-18T20:05:00.002-06:00

This was a busy weekend, and I was really needing it. So often, during the winter months when I can't seem to get my core temperature up, I will hurry to do stuff in the mornings on the weekends & then just stay on my couch the rest of the day. Enough with that!

On Saturday I opted to start my long run a tad bit later than originally scheduled & do the same marathon course loop that the rest of Rogue was doing, but start near my house. I did this for a number of reasons:

a) I wanted to go somewhere afterwards and would be that much closer to my house to shower when done;
b) I have a lot of negative self-talk when running that starts around mile 16. I start strategizing of ways to alter the course & cut it short to get back to my car. I come up with all sorts of excuses as to why I don't REALLY need to get in the number of miles on the schedule. Sure, lots of people say "this is why you should run with people" but I need to work through that on my own. No one wants to be around me when all I can mumble are complaints about how tired I am, how much I hurt, etc.
c) I wanted to enjoy the weather and it turned to be more sunny than was predicted;
d) so I didn't have to get up so damn early.

I did run 22 miles and I did it alone, and officially I am not friends with the marathon course. But I did it, I did not call someone to pick me up (which did occur to me several times...). If I had ran earlier, I would have annoyed everyone I was with and I also would have spent the rest of the afternoon on the couch instead of outside. I never made it to my appointment, but luckily it wasn't life or death.

On Sunday, I went on the Woodpussies' Tour de Austin. Just a nice 17 mile loop around town hosted by the Woodpussies (TimH, Ostrich, Tony, KP, and Panther). Panther was running Houston, but the rest of us plus Gareth & Jane, Rhonda, HP, Kerry and a few other new friends rode & it was a blast! Road bikes, tri bikes, mountain bikes alike, we had a great time in the beautiful weather. After a good dose of sun-sourced Vitamin D we went over to the Flying Saucer.

And then to finish up the weekend I had my first painting lesson. It was a perfect way to cap off a perfect weekend.

Warm Bath

2009-01-15T09:33:00.002-06:00

Source of My Headaches

2009-01-14T22:03:00.003-06:00

It's not bad, necessarily, just a lot of unknowns at the moment. Time will tell if the headaches get worse, or subside, as this osteoma continues to harden. It's considered benign, and that's a damn good word to hear from your doctor.

The arrows are pointing to the bone behind the ears. On the right side, there is a nice round bone growth.

But overall, aren't my skull and sinuses sexy?

If I've Ever Wanted a Dog...

2009-01-06T09:07:00.002-06:00

It was yesterday after I watched the new story of the lab mix, Honey, who was severely injured after a chemical burn, more than likely intentional. I'm such a sucker for homeless animals, and I have an extra soft spot for special needs animals. Case(s) in point:

Small, black, elderly chihuahua I found on 2222 who had a skin condition & heartworms (she was returned home)
Black cat, Ellie, who had been hit by a car & suffered nerve damage in her leg (adopted)
White & orange kitten wandering the Rogue holiday party last year with respiratory defects (adopted)
Elderly dog with Addison's disease whose owner I found on Craigslist (returned home)

Dogs, and cats, are so resilient. All they need is a little TLC and people/organizations who care with resources to see treatments through all the way to recovery.

Read Honey's story here. You can also donate specifically for her treatments from the Austin Pets Alive website. I also like that Austin Pets Alive fosters all their animals, mainly because they don't have their own facility yet.

Happy New Year

2009-01-03T17:28:00.005-06:00

New Year's Day is my birthday, and while at first that sounds like it might be cool, it's really not for a variety of reasons. Namely, the day usually means hangovers, that it's a holiday, and this year it's that my car was hit during a hit & run.

But let's back up. I had a great time NYE at Cedar Street seeing the Spazmatics. They are awesome!!!

My birthday usually means a family meal - brunch or something. Sometimes my mom prepares something over at their house, and sometimes I want to eat at a restaurant, but it's hard to find places that are open on the 1st. Trust me. Try it sometime. This year I had chosen the original Kerbey Ln., but because so many restaurants are closed on New Year's, the wait was an hour & a half. No thanks. So, we ended up at Chez Zee, and it was pretty good.

Afterward, I headed over to Panther's for his annual Pot Luck NYD party. We were all hanging out on the back porch when we heard "Screeeeeeeech! BANG!!! Bang!" Panther immediately said that he thought one of us got hit, since we were all parked on the street. A quick run to the side of the deck & I saw a gray truck speeding away & some neighbors yelling, "Stop! They're leaving!" I ran through the house, with everyone else, grabbed my keys, and headed out into the front yard & down to my car. I was parked at the end, and sure enough, my car had been hit. It was relatively minor, though, compared to the Maxima that had taken the brunt of the truck's impact.

Apparently, the gray truck ran a stop sign & slammed into the Maxima, totalling it, then in an effort to flee the scene (losing it's license plate in the process), hit my car (primarily my hitch-mount bike rack). Police came, EMS came, AFD came, it was amazing. It took about an hour to get eyewitness statements (apparently, it was a woman driver who fled the scene), exchange insurance information, and get a police report case number.

My insurance ran the plate that was left at the accident & got a hit but wouldn't give me any details as to the owner of the gray 2004 Dodge Ram & said they would follow their standard procedures for contacting the owner, APD, etc. to close this out. However, I found a website & for the low, low price of $11.95 I got the name, address & all sorts of deets on the truck's owner. I Googled the address & saw the house (thanks to the street view) and it's really a nice house.

So today, because I'm apparently a stalker (hehehe) I drove up to Round Rock to see if the truck, by chance, was in front of the house. It was not. And the house looked much nicer in person than on Google, and I just have this bad, bad feeling that either the gray truck was stolen, the plates were stolen, it was recently sold to someone else, or some other horrible reason why I will end up being responsible for repairs to my car (at least the deductible).

So much for good luck from the black eyed peas, right? Oh well... Happy New Year, anyway!

Night Splint is Working

2008-12-28T22:10:00.003-06:00

After struggling with off & on again pain from plantars fasciitis since July, I decided last week that PT & aggressive treatments weren't working (for as much as all that has been costing me) & probably only adding to the inflamation. This led me to opt for something the podiatrist had mentioned to me last September: a night splint. I've been using it for 6 days and it works like a charm. No more pain when I get up, no more pain throughout the day, no more pain after running. And the nice little nugget in my heal appears to be gone.

Thank God!

Let's just hope it lasts...

I Can Barely Walk...aka Dallas White Rock Marathon

2008-12-15T09:06:00.007-06:00

I arrived in Dallas in time to meet up with my running group at the Expo, plus a friend I met at Cancun 70.3 who was also running. After making the rounds & buying some stuff, we headed off for a quick tour of the 1st 8 miles of the course since it was mostly uphill. From the car, it didn't look too bad, but we noticed the narrow streets. This would turn out to be interesting with the fulls and the halfers on the same course at the beginning. Then, we headed to the hotel & met up for dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in Dallas, Patrizio's.

Then we headed back to the hotel & prepped for the morning. In the anticipation of running my first marathon & replacing all my memories of my life in Dallas, I did not sleep a wink on Saturday. Not. A. Second. I got into bed, exhausted, and closed my eyes, but all the thoughts swirling in my head, periodic looks to the clock, etc. didn't allow me to even doze off even once. Definitely not good.

Got up early to go walk around outside & get a feel for the weather: warm & windy. Then back up to the room to get ready for the run, stretch my calves & IT bands, load up the car & check out of the hotel. I saw Gareth running around in the parking lot. Then my parents took me, Panther & Gareth over to Victory Park. After hitting the johns, we then met up with Fitty & David for some nervous banter. A few hugs, handshakes & well-wishes, then it was time to line up in our corrals and/or with pace groups.

I decided to start with the 4:15 pace group. I figured the few first miles at 9:44 for warmup would be great, then I could settle into my pace & finish it out. What I didn't anticipate was how crowded the start would be with the fulls & halfers all going out together in the wind tunnel of Victory Park. It was MUCH worse than I expected with the narrow streets. I also didn't realize how pace groups are: everyone jockeying for the best position next to the pace leader. Within a matter of seconds I couldn't find her & felt myself sort of panicking, running diagonally, weaving in & out trying to get near the group again. Then we hit McKinney Ave, with it's brick roads, reflector bumps, and railroad tracks, people started tripping & falling. Again, I was slightly anxious about all of this, still trying to stick with the 4:15 group, and I started getting a side stitch. This never happens to me. I always hear people talking about side stitches, but I never get them. I guess in my panic my diaphragm decided to seize. It was so painful & lasted until about mile 6. I also caught sight of my Garmin & the pace group, supposedly going a 9:44 pace, was at 9:30, 9:22, etc. which was faster than I wanted for a warmup pace. So, I just decided to forget it & focus on getting the stitch to stop, otherwise this was going to ruin the day. My friend Mark's words were in my head "run your own pace and don't be afraid to leave the pace group" and so that's what I did.

I had not wanted to walk the water stops, but they were a real cluster. But I managed to drink both Gatorade & water at every stop except one, but I had been handed 2 bottles of water by different people along the course. I took an eGel at miles 3, 8, 13, 18, and 22, and took Thermolytes throughout the course, as well. My plantars started really hurting at mile 10, but no amount of Tylenol or Advil was making it go away. I adjusted my stride to save my foot, but that caused other problems by mile 14 when the IT band on the opposite leg decided to punish me.

The headwinds, gusting horribly around 36mph around the lake, were tough. At top gusts, I also walked, since trying to run through those was futile, with one hand on the head keeping the hat from blowing off (which it did about 5 times). One of my contact lenses blew completely out of my eye and landed on my cheek. A nice fellow runner with some eye drops stopped & helped me by blocking the wind so I could clean my lens & put it back in my eye. The wind was making my eyes water and it was so full of salt that my lenses were all fogged up. It was also warm, near 72 degrees, so sweat almost immediately turned to salt on the skin. I walked part of mile 17 with my parents, and had to cry a little bit. I was really in pain, and emotional about a lot of things, and I am so thankful they were there. I saw them 5 times along the course, and they yelled words of encouragement.

From 18-23, as I ran through Lakewood, I imagined myself today meeting myself from 1995 & giving her a huge hug. Telling her that she is a wonderful person, strong & beautiful, loved & worthy of so much happiness. I wept openly through these miles, and rid myself of painful memories from my past. My pace had slowed so significantly, I probably could have simply walked faster, but I kept on shuffling through. I mean, at the end of the day, this race for me was not about time goals. And I made a point to high-five every child's hand raised in support of everyone running. I acknowledged every volunteer or spectator who called out my name or "way to go first-timer" along the course. It was simply amazing.

Then, with less than a mile to go, I saw Panther, David, Gareth, and my friend Rodrigo, and they all ran me in. I cried and laughed, and pulled out everything I had (which wasn't much) to push through to the end. I am so thankful they were there, cheering for me, allowing me to feel good about myself & encouraging me, recognizing my hobbling and unsteadiness in the finish corral and clearly seeing I endured a lot of pain on that course. And I'm not even sure how, but it seems I passed 156 runners in the last 10K. And all of my teammates did well with 4 PRs, and 2 BQs. Gareth even managed to PR/BQ after being hit by a truck on the course!

Today, I can barely walk. And I can feel in every muscle how lopsided I probably looked toward the end of the race. I think my triceps are probably the only muscles that do not hurt. But all that said, I absolutely loved this marathon experience, and will carry with me the memory and significance of this race with me forever.

Thanks to everyone who supported me in various ways over the last few months, and sending me well-wishes in my final days & even the morning of. Thanks to my coach for being my friend and leading such an amazing group of thoughtful athletes. I'm glad you encouraged me to not have a time goal for my first marathon & told me to just take in the whole experience. I can save time goals for any other run, and this one didn't need that to make it a memory of a lifetime. Thanks to my fellow athletes who waited FOREVER for me to finish & ran with me in the end. You are a great group and I'm so lucky to know each one of you. I feel a very cool bond with my fellow Dallas runners. Thanks to my parents, who after a night before of no sleep supporting one of my other sisters, still drove up to Dallas and gave me & my friends so much support. You guys are absolutely amazing.

And now I'm officially a member of the club.

Why Dallas?

2008-12-13T08:16:00.003-06:00

There are many reasons to run the Dallas White Rock marathon; however, for me there are some specific ones. I lived in Dallas from 1994-2000, and I lived about a block from part of the marathon course. During the time I lived there, I went through a particularly challenging time. My dad became ill, but my parents lived out of state, and I felt very disconnected from home and somewhat helpless during a difficult situation. At the same time I was dating someone, R, who really tested me in ways that no one should have to go through.

R owned a coffee shop where I went everyday before work. R was charming, handsome, Australian, charismatic, funny & somewhat mysterious. He was also rather vulnerable at times, sharing with me shortly after we began dating the grief he felt when his parents died. And I opened up to him about the despair I was feeling over my own dad's illness. I did see him have severe mood swings on occasion, which pushed me to finally ask him to leave my house (he wasn't really living with me, but all his things were there - I think now that he had probably been evicted from his apartment). Naturally, this sent him into a rage, and everything I thought I knew began to unravel. He was a chronic liar and manipulator. He was into criminal activity of which I was unaware at the time, including dealing drugs and stealing a car. He had stolen significant amounts of money, jewelry & valuables from friends then pawned them, and destroyed a boat (on purpose). He also had psychotic outbursts, which fortunately I didn't witness myself. And as I crouched hiding in my bedroom closet the night I asked him to leave, him grabbing me, his hands wrapped around my throat, I thought it was over.

Over the next few weeks I learned a lot about R:

His parents were alive, as I learned when they called me looking for him
He was not the owner of the coffee shop where we met, and had been stealing money from the actual owners
He regularly took acid, speed & coke
He was wanted by Interpol
He was being sought by the FBI
He had stolen and sold all belongings from a friend's home when she was out of town, and even ripped up the floorboards & destroyed the walls with a sledgehammer
And other things that, to this day, are completely unmentionable

I was called and questioned, while at work, by an FBI agent after he was finally arrested when he fled to Ft. Lauderdale. And so it seemed it was all over. And except for one intercepted collect phone call I took from jail (he proposed marriage to me) and many other unaccepted calls, I never heard from him again & have no idea where he is today.

But all of that did a number on my ability to cope and maintain friendships and trust anyone for a very long time. I realized how naive I was about so many things, and was embarrassed & ashamed. I lost one of my dearest friends shortly after that because I was in a horrible funk and, naturally, in complete denial about it. I was in therapy for almost a year afterwards, which helped, but when the therapist started having me repeat parts of the story more out of her own morbid curiosity than my well-being, I stopped going. And eventually, I emerged from the fog alright. But what I didn't know was that I had lost a bit of my self-esteem in that process, that somehow I wasn't really worthy of much if someone close to me had treated me so poorly with lies. Two years later I found myself in a one-sided relationship with someone else who now, I can clearly see disrespected me. And possibly it's because I had never really gotten back to knowing I deserved better after the whole R debacle.

Fast forward to today where I am less than 24 hours away from running my first marathon. I have emersed myself into a running group I so deeply enjoy, and an active lifestyle that makes me happy and feel good about myself. It's also provided me with a great opportunity to surround myself with funny, happy people who inspire me in various ways everyday. So while, for 99.99% of the time I never think about the "Dallas" part of my past, I have, over the past few weeks been laser focused on it (and emotional, naturally) but in a completely different way than when I was in the middle of it. I have needed to be around positive energy as much as possible in my last weeks of preparation, and that has been difficult at times. I already feel victorious about my marathon.

As I run miles 18-24, which will be the hardest physically, it's also area of Dallas where I lived & met R & then lost myself for a few years. As I conquer that part of the course, I will know I have triumphed over that part of my life, and I can leave it completely behind.

It was ages ago, and I am no longer that person in every sense.

Prep

2008-12-11T20:04:00.002-06:00

Today I signed up for a CLIF pace team. Not sure I'll run with them, but I'll keep them nearby. I've heard stories about some of them talking constantly, and while that sounds good, it may completely get on my nerves late in the run.

Weather forecasts are stressing me out:

46-72 degrees, winds S 23mph, 10% chance rain (weather.com)
53-74 degrees, winds S 24mph with gusts up to 39mph, 15% chance rain (accuweather.com)
60-73 degrees, winds S 20-25mph with gusts up to 30mph, 20% chance rain after 12noon (nws.noaa.gov)

Interesting how much they vary. In any case, the southbound jaunt around White Rock Lake is going to S.U.C.K. Temps mean I have to rethink my clothing choices. After my HORRENDOUS chafing from a few weeks ago, I'm sceeered (and I was wearing Body Glide, even...)

Phantom Pains & More Head Games

2008-12-08T22:05:00.002-06:00

Okay, so the plantars "marble" I have in my heel isn't really phantom. It's there. And today, Ann (my RMT) found it. Yowza. It's actually been there for months. This is how it plays out:

Run - no pain
Day off - serious pain, ice, elevate
Run - medium pain
Day off - serious pain, ice, elevate
Run - no pain
etc.

I just need to figure out what part of that pain cycle I will be in on Sunday... I was talking to my PT, and while he is not a fan of cortisone shots (and neither am I), he said I may need one more for the head games that the plantars is causing me. We'll see... although I do feel like I need crutches half the time. I'm also never really aware of the achilles aches & calf adhesions I have going on until I get a massage. Why can't I have physiology that doesn't involve all this??? I mean, come on!

I have my carbo plan for the week, and the hydration has begun. And I've got all sorts of mental lists of things to take to Dallas. It's actually a small list, but the anticipation has me thinking of this list CONSTANTLY.

Oh, and I found my keys. Yipee!

Hyper-Reflective

2008-12-05T09:44:00.002-06:00

As I am nearing my first-ever marathon, I am finding myself hyper-reflective and often emotional for no apparent reason. It's amazing what the mind does when all sorts of endorphins are stirred up, and how thoughts run through your head as your body runs 20+ miles during training. I never really wanted to run a marathon. I started thinking that my interest in triathlon was waning & what could I do to get the drive back? Should I do an Ironman before I'm 40? Well, if I even want to consider that, I should probably try a marathon. Then if that works, I should probably ride a Century ride or two. And so it was.

I have been reduced to a sobbing heap in my coach's arms at the end of runs, and I have never felt judged (thank God). And I am feeling gradually welcomed into this strange club of fellow runners who subject themselves (sometimes regularly) to marathons. And I feel connected to friends whom I've only known peripherally until now. My training group is incredibly supportive, and it never feels like we're competing. And that is such a welcome relief.

I am also toying with ideas of what to do with the rest of my life. Personally, professionally, socially, you name it. My job has not been terribly satisfying for the last 9 months for a variety of reasons. And a recent event has made me really question a lot of things on that front. I can think of a couple of things I would like to do just to change things up, but they would be completely unrelated to my professional background. It's scary to consider making a leap of faith, but the thoughts that swim through my head during long runs are also very exciting. I am amazed at how resilient some of my friends are, and I wonder if I encountered similar circumstances, would I be as well?

I recently read a book that has filled in the gaps of a powerful story I have been following on a blog for the last year. As I sit here now, blogging AND working (yes, I have been working) I am listening to a webcast of an interview with the author. The story she has told is sweet, yes, but the weeping I experienced while reading the book and during this interview, I think, is more marathon-induced.

And I can't find my keys. They've been MIA since Wednesday when I returned from a much-needed yoga class, so they have to be here somewhere. The more I try to find them and can't, the more I want to cry. But why? I have a spare car & house key. Is it the PetCo discount card that never actually saves me anything that I'm so stressed about? Or is it that they may have gone out with the trash? Who knows, it's just keys, but I'm so hyper-sensitive right now!

I swear I am not a basketcase, but I sure feel like one lately.

Hazmat Suits are Sexy

2008-11-24T17:53:00.005-06:00

Sometime a couple of weeks ago, a colleague sent me an email asking if I was available to travel to travel the week of Thanksgiving to a client location out of state. I mean it's the week of Thanksgiving! Family is coming to town! I gotta get my Turkey on! But, lo and behold I made my flight arrangements with a connection in Houston on the outbound (and Atlanta on the return).

At 3:30am I got up, got ready & headed to ABIA for my 5:45am departure. Once in Houston, I boarded a bus to the "small airline" terminal & boarded the regional jet to head off to my destination.

About 10 minutes into the flight, as I was reading my Runner's World mag, I smelled something funny. After a few seconds, I looked around & other passengers were beginning to look around at each other, starting to make faces, looking for an explanation for this putrid smell. I noticed the flight attendant picking up the coffee pot and smelling it, then smelling the trash. Then she came back to where several of us were sitting together & asked if we smelled smoke. We replied, "yes." She made a beeline to the cockpit & then began frantically putting her beverage tray/equipment away. By now, there's a slight fog throughout the plane.

Next thing: near nose-dive as we are clearly going to land. The flight attendant makes an announcement that we are going to return to Houston and deboard the plane. She came up to the exit row, just in front of me, and gave a quick review of how to operate the doors and was now using the term, "evacuate". A woman sitting in the exit row actually grabbed the handle during this briefing, and we all shouted "NO, don't open it NOW!" as we were still in the air. The flight attendant wasn't sure if we'd have to use the slides, but she was getting everyone ready just in case.

As soon as we landed, we came to a very abrupt stop, then a pause, then the pilot comes on & shouts, "EVACUATE! EVACUATE! EVACUATE!" Holy Crap! We were told to leave all our belongings behind. And we were greeted with two men wearing this:

Next, we stood on the runway for about 25 minutes while 4 large firetrucks surrounded the plane & the space dudes investigated. We were collectively asked about 5 times if anyone was injured. Our belongings were personally delivered to us. We filled out a survey & got some coupons. They got us on another flight, but since by now I was going to miss my meeting, I needed to find a conference room at the airport & just do my WebEx from there. I was personally escorted by a man named Robert to the customer service counter. I was given a flight back to Austin for later in the afternoon. Then, Robert called the airline travel center to reserve me a room. I wasn't sure if I was getting all this personal treatment just because they are good at emergency response & follow through, or if they are mitigating any litigation. At any rate, I had my meeting & then returned to Austin without further incidents.

It's interesting how in emergency situations I can keep my cool pretty well, and it's not until I realize how serious everyone else is & how their "no hesitation" response puts it into perspective. Seeing the hazmat guys was cool (and yes, kinda sexy in a mysterious sort of way), but it was also pretty freaky. Reminds me of the lump I found in my neck last year that hurt to the touch, and when I went to the ER, I was fine until they were calling specialists & rushing me in for MRIs, etc. - then, I was a complete wreck.

I did find it funny towards the end of this ordeal how one of the airport investigators was taking photos of the aircraft, the trucks, the passengers, and then suddenly he had the crew members posing like it was social hour. I wonder if those will end up on Facebook somewhere...

Here's the official news report:

HOUSTON -- A Continental Express plane made an emergency landing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Monday morning, KPRC Local 2 reported. Houston Fire Department officials said the regional jet carrying 33 passengers returned to the airport after smoke filled the aircraft's cockpit because of a problem with the engine. Passengers reported seeing white smoke billowing from the engine. Flight 5570, operated by Chautauqua Airlines, left for Louisville, Ky., at 7:25 a.m. and returned to Houston about 30 minutes later.

And now, for my silly friends who asked a few random questions:

No, there was nobody having random sex in the face of death, but there was one couple holding hands & the man next to me holding his 4 yr old son's hand.
Yes, the 2 people in the exit row were freaking out, asking each other if they knew what to do, & frantically reading the safety information card located in the seatback pocket.
No, we didn't have to use the emergency slides.

Thanks, Houston!

Why Luxottica Group Sucks A$$

2008-11-07T12:15:00.002-06:00

Can someone explain to me how this makes any sense at all?

I buy a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses for $155.
Less than a month later one of the nose pieces breaks off.
I look online at where I can take the glasses, and it shows a mailing address.
I send my glasses in with my original receipt and a letter explaining what happened.
I get a letter back from Luxottica asking me to call them.

And this is what they say:

I need to go to a retailer and select 4-5 models of sunglasses & write down the codes/numbers and call Luxottica back. Then, they will send me a new pair, and I have to pay $159.

HUH???

Why Is It...

2008-11-07T11:33:00.002-06:00

That when there are 3 maintenance-type trucks blocking my driveway do I really feel like I should go somewhere. It's less of a "well, crap, I really wanted to head out for lunch" and more of a "wonder if they'll move."

Handiwork

2008-10-30T19:58:00.002-05:00

About a week ago I spilled some milk on the counter next to my oven, and lo and behold, some of it managed to drip right down to the air vents on the oven door and IN BETWEEN the glass on the front. Sheesh! I was hoping since it was skim milk it would simply evaporate the next time I turned the oven on, but alas, it did not. Nice. White. Streak.

I called the Sears 800 number strategically placed on the inside panel of the oven door and they said they'd send a repairman out to take the door apart, let me clean it, and then reassemble it for about $80. Problem was the timeframe they gave me was one of those 8-12 deals. At least Sears said he'd call me to let me know about what time to expect him.

Well, at 11:10 I had not received a call. So, I called the 800 number again to check. "He's on his way" I was assured. At 12:05 still nothing. I called again, they said the same thing, and so I canceled the appointment. "How hard can this be?" I thought. (Right after I thought: do I know anyone who would do this for a 6-pack?)

Luckily, after half an hour I had the door removed and disassembled, the glass cleaned, and only a "slight" issue with getting the handle back on & the door to close properly. But with a little patience, I managed to get it right. Now, I no longer look like I'm living in filth. And I saved $80 in the process!

Sometimes I really despise handywork around the house that I'm often forced to do (since I live alone...wahhh). But today was a good day.

Sears can suck it.

Halloween Workout

2008-10-28T22:13:00.000-05:00

Tour De Fat Photos (finally!)

2008-10-27T18:02:00.004-05:00

Here is a video of the semi-finals of the slow bike contest:

And then the finals. Notice that they are required to hold/drink beer while they ride:

Bizarro Duathlon

2008-10-27T08:58:00.001-05:00

Seeing is Believing

2008-10-23T09:50:00.003-05:00

As many of my friends know, Girls on the Run is in it's inaugural year here in Austin. We have 8 girls currently in the program, and yesterday I had the opportunity to go out to the school and participate in the lesson. And it was a privilege to meet these amazing girls and see them in action.

The theme for the lesson was Collaboration: what it means, why it is important, where you can use it, etc. The lesson started with a brief discussion where each girl could express their ideas of what collaboration means, give examples, and then there was a group exercise where they could put collaboration into action. The girls then did their warmup exercise, which was a version of pictionary. One girl would run 50 yards to hear a clue given by a coach, then run back to their team and draw a picture. Seeing them work together and value each other's input was really inspiring.

The last part of the lesson was the actual workout: collaborate to run 6 laps as a team. Clearly, there are some girls who like to run, and others who find excuses to walk or stop & tie their shoes. But apparently, there was a breakthrough moment for one of the girls, and it was so special that I got to see it. The slowest girl happened to finish her 6th lap in FRONT of one of the fastest girls. But because the lesson was about collaboration & finishing together, she then ran alongside the last girl, making it her 7th lap, encouraging the other girl along the way. This amazing girl won the spirit award for the day and everyone sang her a song. And she LOVED it!

Each girl is so unique with their own adorable personality, and their own sweet nickname. They even gave ME a nickname, which they had decided on before I even got there, as their way of welcoming me into the group.

The evening was topped off with a Fundraiser/Happy Hour organized by my friend, fellow GOTR board member (and outstanding triathlete) Maggie Caldwell. Turnout was lower than anticipated, but we still raised over $300. And our door prizes were won mostly by my friends (yay). TimS's was valued at around $75, Panther's was valued at around $150, and Glenda's was valued at near $225!

I have never believed in this program more, and I am so lucky to be a part of it!

2008-10-20T16:17:00.000-05:00

IBM Uptown Classic

2008-10-20T10:47:00.002-05:00

So, since I've only been back running since last Tuesday, it was lofty to have even signed up for the IBM 10K. But, I wanted to be with my friends, and I needed to get about 10 miles in anyway in my super-quick-ramp-up-to-Dallas schedule. I have, no doubt, lost some fitness, so running a steady 6 miles I figured was going to be difficult with the urge to walk a water stop or two entirely too attractive...

I loved that there was no 4:30am wakeup for this race. No bike to worry about, no long list of things to double & triple check in my transition bag. I got to sleep in a bit, throw on some shoes & was basically out the door with no stress. Plus, I knew I didn't want to race - that just wasn't even possible after only 3 runs in the last 3 weeks, and in retrospect, I've never really "raced" a 10K. I'm not sure why this distance bothers me, but I suppose it's because it's too short not to run hard & too long to go out too fast at the start and still have anything left at the end. My 5K "tri" pace is somewhere between 8:15-8:30 on a good day (yeah, I know, not very fast), and my MGP is about 9:30. But I did want to at least try to run this as a progressive pace run so that I would have some sort of goal to make sure I didn't start out too fast & fizzle at mile 6.

After a 2.5 mile warmup & some time with the TP roller (a new ritual for me before/after every run) it was time to line up in the starting shute & wait for the start.

Maintaining pace for me is a tricky thing, even with my handy GPS, so I started at a comfortable speed that allowed me to weave around lots of folks at the start, and still keep my breathing in check. At about mile 2 I spotted Robin just a few feet ahead of me and wondered if she was going to maintain the pace or if she was saving some for the end. I decided that if I just kept her in my sights then I would be okay.

And at mile 4 I looked at my average pace & was really quite shocked. I was on course to PR, and I wasn't even pushing myself too hard. So, here's the breakdown:

Mile 1 - 8:50
Mile 2 - 8:48
Mile 3 - 8:47
Mile 4 - 9:15 (hill, oops)
Mile 5 - 8:45
Mile 6 - 8:35

Overall - 55:04
Avg Pace - 8:53
PR by 15 seconds

I'll take it. By no means am I disappointed. I need these small victories as I get my ass back in shape & prepare for Dallas. I am due for my first-ever 20 mile run the same weekend as San Antonio. I am debating just signing up for it so I can be on a supported course with my running buddies & all the fan-fare that comes with a big race. We'll see...

Being Type A

2008-10-17T18:20:00.002-05:00

People often say that multi-sport athletes are Type A. I would say that is true. Don't believe me? Volunteer at a race sometime, preferably a water stop or the 'bike out' & watch many adults have tantrums when things don't go right.

One thing, not tri-related, that completely gets under my skin: typos and grammatical errors. I. Hate. Them. For a little over a year, when I lived in St. Louis, I was an editor & my part of my job responsibilities included making typographical and grammatical corrections while also formatting all the references & citations. Boring, yes. But it also taught me a lot. Even at my job now, I am referred to as "Eagle Eye Shorey" because I notice even the tiniest details.

So, as I was reading the Runner Triathlete News magazine today, I saw a 2-page advertisement for The UltraCentric Experience & their series of races. I was disappointed to see that a race organizer who has been putting on races for 23 years doesn't know how to spell "duathlon." The advertisement got it wrong a total of 11 times. Are you kidding me? So, after skimming the magazine, I put it down. But then I kept thinking about it. Even as I worked this afternoon, I STILL thought about it. So, what do you think I did? You bet, I sent their marketing person an email. I mean, COME ON!

I'm Back, Baby

2008-10-16T08:18:00.002-05:00

After a short bout with tendonitis & a stress fracture in my tibia, I am back. Back with a vengeance. Well, not really, but I'm running again & feeling great (albeit a bit sore). I may not be able to ramp up in time for Dallas, but that's my goal for my first marathon. And I'll keep a positive attitude about it until Dec. 10th, and make my decision then. I have no real time goals for my first marathon, it's more of a "prove it to myself" sort of deal.

Wish me luck!

That Did NOT Just Happen

2008-10-07T22:26:00.002-05:00

I'll spare you all the details, but today I had my annual exam. Yeah, THAT one. Everything is good. But part of the exam was a bit, um, different, this time.

Dr: Don't be alarmed, but I'm going to put my ________ in your ___.
Me: What?
Dr: I'm going to put my ________ in your ___.
Me: You are WHAT?
Dr: (laughs) I only do this to check your ______ for problems.
Me: Oh. My. God. You ARE.
Dr: Almost done.
Me: You've never done that before. Why are you doing that?
Dr: Well, you've never been 38 before.
Me: Oh.

I remember way back when before my very first appointment I asked my mother what to expect. She told me about this, but the doctor never did it at the time. But I'm now in the club.

Next up? Mammogram.

Reunion & Other Updates

2008-10-06T09:31:00.004-05:00

The big news for me this weekend is that it was my 20th year high school reunion. We have had one every five years since graduation & I think I only missed one. In the past, I think the most we ever had actually show for a reunion was 70 or so. This year was definitely the exception. SO many people, so many bevvies & so much fun!

We had a weekend with 3 "official" events, at the low-low price of only $38.88 (a number concocted by one of our co-class presidents who wheeled & dealed to get the number low, and then chose 38 since most of us are 38 years old, and 88 since that's the year we graduated). In years past, I'm pretty sure our higher costs for the weekend were a big deterrent.

Friday night was Scholz's. I can't believe how many people were there! So fantastic to catch up with people, but I had neglected to practice my response to the "so, what have you been doing?" question. Naturally, that is the ONE question that everybody asks, so I stumbled at first trying to say things that were somewhat interesting. I am so impressed with the number of business owners, presidents/vice presidents, moms/dads, and successes we have achieved as a class. I felt proud although I have absolutely nothing to do with everyone's achievements. I guess you just always want people to succeed. Everyone looks great! I had gone into the weekend expecting some folks to be unrecognizable, but that was not the case at all. The women look fantastic! To my surprise, I was even nominated for 2 awards, "Christie Brinkley Award" & the "Most Eligible Bachelorette."

It was interesting to me that some gals who were wild in high school are now moms, very conservative and tame. Others are exactly the same as they were before. Some cliques still group themselves together, although that seemed to be most popular with those whose spouses weren't there. But for the most part, those things of the past had no meaning anymore. People were so willing to have conversations with everyone. Some people I recall knowing in high school but either not very well, or I have no recollection of exactly HOW we knew each other...did we have a class together? who dated whom? etc. I stayed out entirely too late on Friday night dancing with people who I never really knew well in high school, but again, none of the old days mattered too much.

Saturday afternoon, I opted not to go to Round Rock for the family fun. This was really geared towards the kids, I think. Plus, I didn't feel all that well from the night before...

Saturday night we had a private party at the Tap Room at Six. It was really a lot of fun. Got a little crazy toward the end of the night when the music got too loud, dancing got too robust (think getting whacked a few times by someone in the center of the room). It seemed, in general, to be a little more subdued than I had imagined it would be. But again, lots of folks really partied it up on Friday. And then it could have just been me since I was volunteering at Longhorn.

Being out at the race was really fun. I even ran a bit with a friend I had met in Cancun who was there racing. He did remarkably well considering he was barely recovered from Cancun.

So, that brings me to today. I believe the combination of lack of sleep for the past 3 days, all the dust I inhaled yesterday, and all the screaming/yelling I did for friends racing, my voice is a bit scratchy and my throat hurts. The fun I had, though, is worth feeling a bit under the weather. I wouldn't change any bit of this weekend.

Paula Deen is Trying to Kill Us

2008-09-30T18:47:00.006-05:00

Last year sometime, I posted that I was disappointed to learn that the beautiful yellow lab Paula Deen always has in her "home" on her cooking show left because he got another gig. This out of Paula's mouth directly. Dog was an actor with an agent & got another job. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised about the fake things Food Network tries to make us believe, what with all the fake homes, fake ovens, fake friends, fake dinner parties, etc. I remember watching some of the classic cooking shows on PBS as a kid (some of which are still on air) that skip all this hoopla in favor of simply fantastic recipes, but I digress...

Another time I was horrified by Paula was when I caught a glimpse of her sticking her tongue directly in a chocolate fountain. She was having some sort of chocolate party, and I have yet to understand why she thinks this is acceptable. She has also licked the corner of SOMEONE ELSE'S MOUTH on the show. Yet another time was when I watched horrified as she made holiday peanut butter fudge that included cheese whiz. My arteries hardened just at the sight. Then there's also her breakfast burger...

Yes, that's a Krispy Kreme...

Yet, her biggest claim to fame on the network is her devotion to butter. She will put butter in things simply because she can, or because she spotted it in the corner of her eye on the counter. Today, I watched her put butter in a Crisco-filled pan while frying chicken fried steak. Then, I watched her make macaroni & cheese by first melting a pound of cheddar in a frying pan with a stick of butter. She does this, really not adding any value to the dish, and then giggles about how bad she is. I'm almost more disgusted by her demeanor as I am by her actions. COME ON, PAULA!!!

So, you may be wondering why do I even watch this debacle? Sometimes it's by accident. Sometimes I'm just switching through channels and land on it & I want to see what sort of lard-ridden, butter dipped "delight" she's whipping up (one day it was bacon-wrapped hotdogs with buttery cheeze whiz and a dollop of seasoned lard - not kidding). Today, it was just cause I was horrified & sat mouth agape unable to move my fingers to switch channels to safety.

Then, because I was curious, I Googled this phrase, "paula deen disgusting obsession with butter" and was really quite surprised by the amount of Internet chatter about her awful ingredients. She has a huge following, a large fan base, and several successful shows. But also she very clearly has a TON of critics. What I don't understand is a) how can Food Network let her get away with being so gross by licking things & then giggle about it and b) why does Food Network encourage her to contribute to our obesity problem?

And with that, my rant is done.

Who Am I?

2008-09-28T10:30:00.003-05:00

1. What is your occupation right now?
Product Consultant (aka Sales Engineer)

2. What color are your socks right now?
I'm wearing flip flops

3. What are you listening to right now?
Food Network

4. What was the last thing that you ate?
Wheat toast with sugar free jam

5. Can you drive a stick shift?
Yes

6. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
Telemarketer, before I hung up on her

7. Do you like the person who inspired you to answer these questions?
Of course! Kelley is a beautiful and positive person

8. How old are you today?
38 (ouch)

9. What is your favorite sport to watch?
Triathlon, especially when I have friends racing

10. What is your favorite drink?
Non-alcohol: Water; Alcohol: Beer

11. Have you ever died your hair?
Nope

12. Favorite food?
Toss up between Italian & burgers

13. What is the last movie you watched?
No Reservations on HBO

14. Favorite day of the year?
The first day when the air is crisp

15. How do you vent anger?
Yelling in the privacy of my car, or running & sometimes I cry

16. What was your favorite toy as a child?
Easy bake oven

17. What is your favorite season?
Fall, although it lasts mere WEEKS in Texas

18. Cherries or Blueberries?
Blueberries

19. Living arrangements?
Condo with my rescue kitties

20. When was the last time you cried?
Yesterday, baring my soul to a good friend after a few too many beers

21. What is on the floor of your closet?
Shoe boxes, clothes basket & a wooden step stool that belonged to my grandmother

22. What did you do last night?
Ordered a pizza (a friend's email inspired me). I only do that maybe once every 12-18 months.

23. What inspires you?
People who are selfless

24. What are you most afraid of?
Missing an opportunity or taking an opportunity for granted

25. Favorite dog breed?
Any dog. I've always favored Border Collies, but have never had one.

26. Favorite day of the week?
Sunday

27. In how many states have you lived?
4

The Worst Possible Race Conditions - or - My Cancun 70.3 Race Report

2008-09-22T19:01:00.008-05:00

I should have thought long and hard about this race when the website warns that due to high winds, race wheels are not advised. Now, I don't have race wheels. I'm just your average age grouper wanting to get out there and have a good time at a destination race. So, sadly, I didn't think twice about it. Of course the red flag warnings along the beach outside the Fiesta Americana in Cancun (the event host hotel where we stayed and where I also stayed 14 years ago) should have been cause for at least some concern. Stacey and I had gone to a practice swim at Punta Nizuc the day before, and there were definitely some waves being whipped up by the wind, but it was manageable. Later on Saturday, we did a quick bike ride to make sure our assembled bikes fit properly and for a leisurely spin, we were FLYING. I was thinking this whole wind thing might be in our best interest when it came to the bike.

We dropped our bikes off the day before the race at the Wet N Wild parking lot, which served as transition. Getting there was quite a spectacle. When they say free shuttles for you to take you bikes, this does not mean there will be a bus with some bike racks on the front or back. It means you will gingerly climb on the bus WITH your bike, trying to maneuver between the aisle and the seats while not colliding with any of the other 20-25 people doing the same thing. While there, we also got body marked, and instead of your age you are assigned a group that represents your age. Stacey and I were marked with our race numbers and group "P" on our arms & legs.

So, after a day full of race prep, none of the whole "wind" thing really dawned on me until the room service arrived on race morning at 4am. We could hear the wind whistling outside our balcony. A quick peek through the curtains and oh my Lord, the waves were sure kicking in high gear. Oh shit. What have we gotten ourselves into? A bus ride to Wet N Wild, and we get transition set up and head through Wet N Wild, to the beach and down about 1/4 mile for a warmup swim. And then it was go-time!

SWIM: 43:25
I'm not a big fan of racing in salt water. No matter what you do, you will get the salt water in your mouth. The course was a two-loop, counter-clockwise rectangular course.
Other than getting kicked in the face by some guy, it wasn't bad. Sure, it was choppy with some nice swells here & there, but it was definitely doable. Just a few challenges: breathing to the right, the swimmer next to you splashes your face as you take your breath. Breathe to the left and a wave hits you in the face. After awhile, you (mostly) get the water rhythm down, and can tell if it's safe to breathe or sight, or if you should wait and take another stroke. My first 1.2 swim race was the SOMA half-iron as a relay in Tempe in 2006 and Longhorn Aquabike in 2007. I PR'd this distance swim by over 3 minutes.

T1: 3:20
This included the quarter mile jog along the beach back to Wet N Wild transition, plus one bathroom stop to pee before hopping on the bike. Actual T1 was probably shorter, I just didn't hit my watch.

BIKE: 3:28
The 56-mile bike course started with a 6 mile leg away from Wet N Wild near the airport, and then a 24 mile out & back that we would do twice.
That first 6 miles and then the first leg of the out & back was super fast. I averaged just over 20mph for that entire 18 miles, and it was awesome! I saw the pros whiz past me, but quickly noted they were in a nice little paceline. Then I saw a peleton of about 35 others, and then about a mile or two later another paceline of 22 people. WTF?? Of course, what I didn't take into account with the whole wind thing was HEADWIND. This would explain the pacelines. I absolutely refused to do it, and even though that could have saved my bike leg, and some of the energy I would need for the run, I just couldn't do it. Triathlon is an individual sport, and it's just not right. The prerace meeting had drilled into our heads the penalty box procedures, and after everything it had taken me to get to Cancun in the first place, I was not going to lose time for a stupid penalty. At the turnaround point, there was a bottle hand-off, and then WHAM. 12mph. An occasional 14mph spurt, but it was horrible. I pushed and pushed to try to get some speed, but it was not happening. At the start of the second loop, I got some respite with the tailwind, but my legs were really starting to hurt. Luckily, I had some Ibuprofen in my bento box, because I sure needed it. I was really struggling, and starting to feel nauseous. I had choked down my vegan cookie, salt tabs, 2 gels, 2 bottles of Nuun, 4 bottles of water, and all I wanted to do was puke. "Keep it together" was my mantra over the next 36 miles. I passed a competitor at mile 40, who I had seen earlier. He had one arm, and as I passed him stopped at the side of the road, I realized: he has to stop every time he needs a drink from his bottle or needs to take a gel. And with this, I immediately stopped my mental whining.

T2: 3:30
Stacey and I were racked right near the swim in/run out but naturally this meant we were on the complete opposite side from the bike in/out. Nothing special to report here. Grabbed 2 extra gels to stash in my race belt & off I went.

RUN: 2:31
This, by far, was the worst part of the entire race. Even though there had been a slight rainshower during the bike, it was now super sunny, steamy and HOT. 97 degrees hot. With 80% humidity. Oh, and not a single ounce of shade. Anywhere. The 13.1 mile run was a double out & back along the hotel zone.
Luckily, there were water stops every Km, which promised water, ice, Gatorade, PowerGels, bananas, oranges, Vaseline, Coke, sunscreen, and restrooms. I never saw the last 4 things in that list. The water was ingenious! It's in these 8oz. square-shaped, sealed plastic bags. And they were cold. I would grab two pouches of water, and break open one & suck it right up, then break open the other & pour it on my head/neck. The volunteers would all shout "Yellow" and I had no idea what they were saying. Their shirts were yellow, so I thought maybe they were announcing that they were volunteers or something. Then it dawned on me: they were saying "Heilo" (ice). Duh! So, the ice went straight in my jersey. In fact by mile 4, I had simply decided to lean over, open up my shirt & let the volunteer toss it right in. More people saw my boobs during that run than in my entire life. And I simply didn't care. I consumed over 80 oz. of water & Gatorade during that run & never had to pee once. I nibbled on bananas & sucked on oranges, only because the gel was making me gag. Again with the nausea. My right leg started really hurting, and I started wondering, "is this what a stress fracture feels like?" Every step with my right leg (not the left, which has given me problems over the last year) was painful. My hands were so swollen by mile 10 that I couldn't bend my fingers. I saw people being taken off the course, others willingly hopping on the back of officials' motorcycles. Some people would run 20 meters, then stand under a tree in the median, run again, then find shade. It was miserable. I saw Stacey a few times as we passed each other on first & second loops, she was about 3 miles ahead of me. She didn't think she was going to finish, and she is such a strong runner. I just wanted to finish & not puke. With the Km and the mile markers, it was really confusing. Plus, we both think the course was a bit long. I passed a challenged athlete on a prosthetic leg, and I told him he was such an inspiration. Of course, I immediately started to cry. Partly out of being inspired, partly from being embarrased by my own pain, and partly from just being exhausted. The finish was next to transition with bleachers full of people on either side of the finish line. Cheering, announcing, music, and I zeroed in on Stacey and pushed until the end. She hugged me, and we cried, so thankful we had somehow managed to finish.

I grabbed a piece of pizza and quickly gobbled it up then stood under the showers they had in the resting area. We grabbed our bikes, and then waited in line for the bus back to the hotel. We had originally thought we'd ride our bikes the 5 or so miles back to the hotel, but after that race, no way! As we were waiting in line for the bus, in the sun, I turned to Stacey and said, "Don't be surprised if I vomit on the bus." As luck would have it, as soon as we boarded the bus, it started to rain and cooled down quite a bit. I made it back to the hotel, and into the room before I barfed. I took a shower, and laid down wrapped in my towel. I kept thinking, "Meredith will want to know what I did for post-race recovery." So, I crawled over to my suitcase, grabbed some Late July organic cheese crackers I had packed, and laid down to nibble on them. After a few minutes, I mixed myself a Clif recovery drink and downed that. And within 15 minutes I was up and moving around, and starting to feel very hungry.

I iced my leg, but it feels worse today. It's actually bruised where it hurts and it's swollen. I'm limping around like a wounded bird, and before you suggest it, I have already made my appointment with the doc tomorrow. Hopefully, it's nothing serious. Stacey, despite her 50 spf sunscreen, has a sunburn outline on her arm where her race number was marked. My bottom lip is sunburned, blistered & swollen. Who needs collagen?

Overall, we had a good time. It was a nice hotel, and there were lots of nice people there from 38 countries. The race was mostly well-organized, and we were both prepared to do the distance. I am not disappointed in my performance, because I left it all out there. Sure, I can swim, bike & run faster, but given the conditions - which were unpredictable - I finished. I met my "B" goal, and after a few more days, the painful memories of this race will fade, and the joy will remain.

The biggest lesson learned during the past 5 days is to just be flexible. Flexible with plans, flexible with time, flexible with people, flexible with race conditions, flexible with race goals. If you set out determined to pull off a 6 hour 70.3 and refuse to be flexible when you're dealt a bad hand on race conditions, then you'll just be disappointed. Sure, it would be great if my times were more reflective of the effort I've put into my training over the last 6 months, and of the times I know I can deliver - and have delivered numerous times. Last year, the wind wasn't nearly as strong, and the temperatures were lower. And that nausea! Not once all summer have I experienced that sort of feeling on a bike ride or so severely during a run. Things change all the time that are simply out of our control. It just wasn't meant to be this time, and that's okay. I would recommend this race to anyone who trains during the heat of the day as preparation; however, the Cancun 70.3 is being replaced by the Cozumel Ironman in 2009. Or all you need to do is qualify for Kona. We were reading the race course description of Kona on the plane home and it sounds exactly like what we faced in Cancun, just half the distance.

I got a nice neck/shoulder and foot massage at the airport spa before we left Cancun. And I had so much fun with Stacey. She is such a cool person, and I'm so glad we've become friends.

The Most Expensive Triathlon in the World - or - The Prelude to My Cancun 70.3 Race Report

2008-09-22T17:39:00.003-05:00

Where do I begin? Oh yeah, the airport.

When passports expire, and your post office "mails in" your renewal, you feel pretty safe that everything gets entered into the computer, right? Of course, doing this does NOT mean anything actually happens. In fact, it may even mean they've changed your name. This is how my adventure to Cancun for the 70.3 with my friend, Stacey began last Thursday.

We had tickets on Viva Aerobus - an inexpensive, direct flight from Austin to Cancun is great. Except when your expired passport that you thought you had taken care of doesn't let you get on the plane. And when you try to find out what happened with your renewal they tell you that your name is "Sarah Jane". No way in hell was Viva Aerobus letting me on that plane. Worse even, no one there could give me any suggestions on how to find out what had happened to my renewal, or where to go, or what I would need if I could get to a passport office. Customs had no idea because apparently, the "man in charge" had been there less than a day and had just transferred from border patrol.

So, as Stacey boarded the plane alone from the South Terminal (did you even know we had a South Terminal??), I went into extreme action booking two different flights to Houston on Southwest and Continental. I called the passport office hotline to ask some questions about the Houston office (the only office in Texas that will issue same-day passports) only to find out it's closed until 9/24 due to Hurricane Ike. "Next nearest office?" I ask. "New Orleans" she replied.

Quick calls to Southwest to cancel my Houston flight & then Continental to check on switching to New Orleans. Another call to the passport office hotline to find out what sort of documents I need and their hours of operation, since no one at the airport can tell me, and I learn that a) you have to book an appointment using a massive phone tree menu, and b) they are only open from 8:00am to 12noon. After timing out of the call tree 3 separate times, from simply choosing invalid menu options or trying to jump ahead in the menus, I give up. I need a breather from this menu, because I'm becoming increasingly frustrated.

A cab from the ABIA South Terminal to the Main Terminal, I learn, is $30. That's how far out of the way it is. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!! Once I get over there, I make my way to the Continental counter to get the skinny on flight options that will get me into New Orleans by 8:00am the next day, and depart after 12noon to Cancun, to coincide with the hours of the passport office there. Once I get that organized, I head on over to the Customs office where two separate officials sit down with me to answer my 20 questions. When I get to New Orleans, what will I need? What forms do I have to fill out? Can you get me a form? Do I need my birth certificate? Do they take credit cards? etc., etc... I make one last stop at the Continental counter to purchase my ticket from Austin to New Orleans (via Houston) and then New Orleans to Cancun (via Houston).

On my first flight to Houston, I'm telling this story to the two ladies seated next to me, and one of them is some sort of new agey therapist or something. She kept talking about moving energy, releasing fear, yada yada. She was very nice, so I was listening to her, and then she pulled out a deck of cards and asked me if I wanted to choose one. I laughed and said that I didn't think I could handle a bad card reading where she tells me I'm going to die or something, and she insists I just pick a card from her deck at random. So I do, and it says: Archangel Michael Blesses Your Travel. Whew! I immediately tucked it inside my bra & she said that was exactly what I was supposed to do with a blessing card. Who knew?

Once I get to Houston, I try to get on an earlier flight to New Orleans so I can find a decent hotel as close to the passport office (365 Canal Street, by the way, in case you ever need it). The gal at the service counter tells me that it will cost $50 to take an earlier flight. So, reluctantly, I hand over my card & then simply in an effort to make small talk I tell her my sad, pitiful passport story, and then she slides my card back. Turns out, she didn't charge me, after all. And then when I board, I realize she has upgraded me to first class!!

When I arrive in New Orleans, I head down to the baggage claim area to the information desk. A woman there gives me a list of all the hotels in the city and I look for one somewhere on Canal Street. I find the Doubletree at 300 Canal Street, make my reservation, then ask about transportation. The woman hooks me up with a roundtrip shuttle, and then asks me where I want it to pick me up on the return trip back to the aiport. I have no idea. I don't know exactly how far away the passport office is from the hotel, and I don't know how long it's going to take to get everything squared away. So, after she asks me a few questions and I continually answer her with, "I don't know." She sort of snaps at me that she needs SOMETHING in order to book the shuttle return. And that's all it took - I just burst into tears. I have managed, after everything that has happened, to keep it together all the way until I arrive in New Orleans, and now I'm standing at the info desk weeping like a baby. As soon as I wipe the tears away, they immediately return to my cheeks. She offers me a Diet Coke, asks me if I need a hug, and then I managed to get it together long enough to get to the hotel.

After I get checked in at the Doubletree, I locate a FedEx-Kinko's to get some passport photos taken. I also realize that the passport office is directly across the street from the Doubletree. Halleluja! Then, with a bit of ease in my step for the first time since 6am, I call Wiley to find a good place to have dinner. With his quick iPhone magic, I'm off to enjoy some gumbo and crab cakes, and a flirty waiter to boot!

I had a terribly restless night thinking I would never get my passport. I was sure they'd have some problem with the name on my old passport being different than what was in the computer system (Sarah Jane) and there would be some lousy and unreasonable policy that I would have a 48-hour waiting period, ultimately causing me to miss the Cancun race. So, with much anxiety, I was at the passport office when the doors opened. Security guard greets me with some questions:

"Do you have a reservation?" Yes.
"Do you have your forms?" Yes.
"Do you have your documents?" Yes.
"Do you have your airline itinerary?" Yes.
"Great! You'll have your passport by 11:30 this morning."

I am not even kidding when I say that I did a dance right there. I even told him that I wanted to kiss him, and he politely replied, "Um, ma'am, that won't be necessary." He wouldn't let me take in my bottle of water, so as I sat there drinking it he asked me where I was from, and we chatted a bit. He was very nice, and when I said I was originally going to go to the passport office in Houston he told me that if that office had been open, they would have never given me my passport on the same day. He said that of all the regional offices, Houston is probably the worst. They enforce unwritten rules, the lines are long, and everyone makes things so difficult. But I have no complaints about the New Orleans office. The staff was expeditious. Everyone was polite, and they even rushed me through to the front of the line when they saw my flight itinerary. People were there from Virginia and Atlanta, all with similar circumstances as me, all trying to get on flights. AND...Good news, Texans! They will be opening a same-day passport office in Dallas sometime in 2009.

Two hours later, with passport in hand, I arrived at the New Orleans airport. When I checked in via kiosk, there was even an earlier flight to Cancun! So, approximately $1500 later, I finally arrived in Cancun. And Stacey and I headed down to the pool for some fruity cocktails and cervesa...

Hahaha!

2008-09-14T14:42:00.001-05:00

This skit is really funny if you didn't see it.

Also, I heard an interesting comparison the other day: Jesus was a community organizer. Pontius Pilate was a governor.

Gag Reflex

2008-09-14T11:40:00.003-05:00

And before all you dirty birds out there get all excited, NO I'm not talking about anything like that...

I don't know why but I have this uncontrollable gag reflex when it comes to sweat & spit (and again, get your minds out of the gutter). Whenever I'm at spin and some dude near me is sweating all over the floor, making a nice puddle of juice under his bike it completely grosses me out. Some of you have posted lately about this, and I have seen it in my own classes, but it's just so disgusting to me. As much as I try to stop it, the gag reflex takes over & I seriously have to focus on other things, look away, etc. There are a few guys who will put a towel on the floor under the bike, and this - to me - is okay. I keep a couple of towels handy to wipe my face & arms so that I don't drip on the floor. Why can't others do this, too? Perhaps the puddle-makers are simply gauging their effort/success by how much they are sweating on the floor? I'm not sure. But this guy yesterday was literally holding out his hands/arms and watching the sweat drip to the floor. Then he would shake his hands & sweat would fly everywhere. Aaack! Almost makes me gag just thinking about it. Someone (Fitty? Panther?) was sweating on me during a long run a couple of weeks ago & I almost started gagging then, too.

During the Nike run, some guy spit on me. He was hacking up a nice one & turned his head & wham! Right on my leg. I suggested to him that he watch where he spits & he was embarrassed, but I was really having a hard time not thinking about the nugget stuck to my leg. Aaack!

I remember in grade school that as the first bell rang & everyone shuttled off to class some kid had barfed on the floor up ahead. Of course, everyone was talking about it, and sure enough, I stepped in it & did a little slide. I remember EXACTLY what it looked like: creamed corn with chunks of ham. Needless to say, I gagged all the way to class & then vomited myself. This, as luck would have it, was a ticket to the nurse's office & a parent pick-up. I was out of school for a week because I couldn't get the image of that kid's vomit out of my head & kept throwing up. Sheesh!

So, what is this all about anyway? Perhaps some people just have a hypersensitive gag reflex for things like this. I have no idea. But it completey annoys me that I seem to have very little control over it.

GOTR Happy Hour = Fundraising Success!!

2008-09-10T08:18:00.003-05:00

Last night was our inaugural monthly happy hour fundraiser for Girls on the Run of Austin. We had it at Cork & Co. and invited everyone who ever made donations in the past, volunteers, sponsors, and anyone who had ever uttered the words, "Let me know if I can help." We had secured many raffle giveaways and just walked in hopeful and slightly anxious.

But it was a rousing success! We sold $426 in raffle tickets, received $147 in online donations, and received other general donations. Plus a percentage of the Cork & Co. sales will be given to GOTR. Considering the place was really crowded I can only imagine this will be a sizeable donation. Starting at 6:30pm we had the raffle drawings every 15 minutes, and we grouped several items together so that each gift package was worth at least $100. Prizes included things like:

Gift cards & schwag from Hill Country Running Co.
Restaurant gift certificates (Galaxy, Mandola's)
Mani/Pedi gift certificates (Embellish)
Massage gift certificates (Massage Envy, BodyDynamix)
And many other items

Everyone got to choose which package of prizes they could win, so no one went home with something they didn't want. Lots of people, complimentary cheese & fruit trays, lots of laughter, and lots of drinks! Overall, it was a huge success. I can't wait for next month!

What a Difference the Temperature Makes

2008-09-07T12:15:00.003-05:00

Someone asked me recently why Texans always complain about the heat. Yes, we know it's hot. Yes, many of us have been in Texas a long time, so it's no surprise that it gets pretty darn warm in these here parts. But, it does get old. Most of my friends are addicted to physical activity, we all talk/complain about it because we all understand. We all want to compare notes on how we're hydrating or what electrolytes we use. Sure, our bodies sweat as a means to cool off, but when it's 80%+ humidity, it just feels worse. Anyway, we become exhausted with the heat. And towards the end of the summer/early fall, our bodies - in many ways - just want a bit of a break. No doubt, our bodies NEED a break.

Well, halleluja, we got one this weekend! Both yesterday & today humidity was lower than usual, temperatures were in the high 60s in the mornings, and boy howdy it makes all the difference in the world. I had an absolutely awesome run yesterday morning at 5:30, and I was sure that it would suck since I had spent most of the day Friday on an airplane or running through airports in heels. But I hydrated quite a bit, carbo loaded on Thursday, and I just felt fantastic. I didn't experience the normal soreness/stiffness that invades my body post-run on Saturday afternoon at all. Then this morning, I completed a 30/4 brick and again, felt wonderful. I even got to ride with Glenda for a bit before I turned around, which was a nice surprise. And ran into Menard & Arturo before starting my run.

Even the way the sun is shining today, it just looks like fall. Ahhhh...bring it on!

Planes (Almost Trains) and Automobiles

2008-09-05T18:47:00.002-05:00

Why does it seem that business travel is such an inconvenience at every turn? Personal travel does occasionally have hiccups, but never quite to the extreme as when it's for work. This was an unusual travel week for me as I was in 4 cities in 4 days. I am definitely glad to get these meetings behind me, and at the end of the day I would much rather get them done in rapid succession than have them spread out over 4 weeks (or longer). I suppose the challenges are remembering which airline is for which connection & which city you're in when you wake up. Here's a little of what my trip looked like...

Tuesday -
Take American via Dallas to Boston. Rent a car & stay one night at the Westin in Waltham. Westin is our "preferred" hotel, so we tend to stay in a lot of Westins. I rented a car so I could hit a nearby gym and not have to worry about justifying the taxi fare on my expense report. Got in a decent spin and a great swim in the swanky BSC fitness center.

Wednesday - Business meeting shortly after lunch. Meeting went well, which is always a plus, especially considering with road construction & back to school (college) we got lost and stuck in traffic and were almost late. But it all worked out in the end. Then I headed to Logan to grab a JetBlue flight to Dulles. (note: at one point, this flight was booked on USAir, but was changed) From there, I took a shuttle to the Dulles Marriott, where the lobby smelled like farts or feet, or both. Didn't really get a good night's rest here, but watched a bit of Guiliani's speech (thought he was sort of a jerk) and also Palin (I was surprised that I kind of liked her spunk - but that's where it ends).

Thursday -
Met my colleague for breakfast & then grabbed a cab and headed out to our meeting. This one also went well, although again, we got lost due to a transposition of numbers when my colleague wrote down the address. Oh well, we made it in time and that's always a plus. Afterwards, waited for over 25 minutes for our cab & then headed to Dulles to grab a United flight to Pittsburgh. (Note: The colleague I was meeting in Pitt originally told me the meeting was in Philly, so in a last minute scramble I had to change my train to an airline reservation). Stayed in Pitt for one night at the Westin and for once had an amazing view from my giant window. The kind of window overlooking the city that makes you want to open the curtains and prance around naked...but I digress. I ran around downtown a bit, never quite making it to Schenley Park (sorry Brownie), found another gym and another spin class (which was AWESOME, complete with a disco ball) and worked some core & weights for good measure. My legs were jelly on the way back to the hotel, which was fantastic. I watched about 10 minutes of McCain's speech before falling into a beer-induced REM sleep (sadly, it only took one beer).

Friday -
After waking up and freaking out thinking that I was still at the Westin in Waltham instead of the Westin in Pittsburgh, I headed out early for my meeting with a different colleague and quickly realized once we were there that we really had no business being there. But we stuck it out, presenting for 2 hours, trying to remain upbeat. Sometimes it's tough to be column fodder when involved in vendor evaluation. Oh well. Afterwards, we had a car service pick us up & headed to the airport to catch my American flight (note: this return flight was originally booked on Southwest Airlines but was changed at the last minute). Fairly uneventful flights home, via Dallas, where I got to enjoy a good nap, sinus pressure (why must pilots change altitude 100s of times???) and the inevitable "Swelling of the Feet." Although, upon arrival in Dallas I discovered that the plane side luggage check resulted in the luggage guys dropping my bag so that the retractable pull handle completely broke off. Another suitcase bites the dust. I whacked my pinky finger really good at one point, so it's good & bruised.

So, in summary I either flew or had reservations at some point on:

American
JetBlue
United
USAir
Southwest
Amtrak

(It's no wonder I've lost my status on American since I seem to be all over the map with the airlines. Gone are the days of requesting a particular carrier...)

And navigated around the cities in:

Rental car
Taxi
Hotel Shuttle
Car Service

Casualties included:

1 suitcase
both my poor feet
1 pinky finger

Oh, it's good to be home. I am missing a fabulous Cupcake Throwdown, but I am so glad to be back and now must elevate these feet!!

What's Been Goin' On

2008-09-01T08:46:00.003-05:00

Not much really to write about, although I have felt pretty busy lately. Here's what's up:

Lots of workouts - bricks, runs, bikes, swims, core, the standard stuff that most of my friends talk about. I'm slightly sore, but I've just been pushing myself, so no complaints.
Did the Nike run last night. I much prefer to run in the morning. Nutrition is usually "off" for evening runs - I mean, what do you eat and when? So, it felt weird eating my normal pre-run cereal at 5pm. It was HOT. And I never would have thought that essentially a reverse Turkey Trot route would be so hilly. Ouch. Saw at least 3 people on the side of the roads getting IVs, and I wasn't at all surprised. The Nike shirts didn't breathe at all. Pretty sure we were all sweating more from those shirts than from the actual run. I've been struggling with maintaining my MGP (I want to go faster) so I wanted to use this as a test. Of course you know that means I left my Garmin at home. But, as luck would have it, I managed to run EXACTLY my MGP. Felt pretty slow, but then it was only a 10K run, so I would expect it to feel slow. And those HILLS!
Getting prepared for 4 days of travel this week for work - Boston, DC and Pittsburgh. I will be visiting a couple of gyms for spin and swim while I'm out of town, and it will be free! All it took was a phone call.
I'm on the downhill of my recent allergy fit. I've been taking Zinc, wheatgrass and spirulina to prevent it from becoming a sinus infection or chest congestion. Seems to be working. Molds be damned!
So now I have a full day to do whatever I want! So many choices...what do you recommend?

Pet Toy Warning

2008-08-27T11:30:00.004-05:00

I have recently been reading about severe injuries being sustained from dogs playing with a ball that the company Four Paws Inc, produces. The toy I'm referencing is the pimple ball with bell. (Item #20227-001, UPC Code 0 4566320227 9)

There is one small hole in this ball and when dogs chew on it, their tongue gets sucked inside because there is no 2nd air release hole. Dogs may try to swallow the ball as a reaction to having something in his mouth that he can't release. The ball must be cut in order to release the dog's tongue. Reports are saying that Four Paws is not recalling this toy, nor are they offering pet owners any consolation, rather simply refering them to their insurance company. Several dogs have died from the ball blocking the airway or by the dog choking.

Rant for the Day: Garmin Customer Support Hell

2008-08-25T09:46:00.003-05:00

Not exactly sure why, but occasionally when my wireless 405 downloads my activity, I notice that the profile is "j". This "j" is apparently a 150lb. male. Uhh, in other words, not me. I then discovered that my 60 mile bike ride from yesterday won't download. It says it's complete, but it's not there in my Training Center.

So, I try the owner's manual. Nothing really there. Then I try the website, which has several topics and suggestions for my issue, but the fixes are lacking in detail (e.g., precisely HOW to re-pair the device). Next step: call support. I waited 35 mins on hold for someone to answer. I then explained my situation, giving details as to how I have tried to fix it myself. And then he said he'd transfer me right over to Tier 2 support. Then I hear:

"Your wait time is approximately 40 minutes."

The even worse part of Garmin support is that their hours of operation are only during traditional business hours.

And the even worser part of this situation is that now that I have been on hold for a total of 59 minutes, I have a work conference call 7 minutes from now. How do you tell your colleagues that the Garmin situation feels a little more critical than something business-related??

Yep. It's gonna be a Monday...all. day. long.

Quote of the Games

2008-08-22T08:12:00.002-05:00

"The United States relay teams layed a giant goose egg at the Bird's Nest tonight."

- Bob Costas

Ants!

2008-08-21T19:52:00.003-05:00

I don't know what's going on, but I seem to have sugar ants & they won't go away! They come from nowhere & find the empty honey jar awaiting transport to the recycling bin. They descend on the used energy gel packet I set, momentarily, on the counter. They climb the bottle of Gatorade that I purchased during a long bike ride the other day, but (thankfully, or not?) neglected to finish. Then I seem to get rid of them, and low and behold: they're back. It's been a vicious cycle over the last few weeks. Damn, ants!

My Guide on How to Get Lost During a 10-Mile Run

2008-08-16T08:49:00.003-05:00

This morning I decided to tag onto a group run (not my regular group), but instead of doing the 2 loops they were doing, I only did one for 10 miles. Now, I realize when preparing trip tickets it's difficult to get every left & right captured correctly, but add a few other key steps and you, too, can get lost on your very own 10-miler! For the low price of simply reading this blog post, here's how you can join my wonderful group of lost runners:

Start good & early. Yes, it will be cooler outside, but it will also be dark. Very dark.
When you have your first turn, be sure that the nearest streetlight is burned out. This is very important.
Street names on your trip ticket shouldn't exactly match what the street signs actually say. In fact, be sure to choose streets with names that probably change several times. Be sure that your map has at least one of these, preferably 2.
Your map should also include at least 2 streets where there is actually no sign at all. It may also be useful to run at least 1 mile out of your way before you realize the problem.
Miss your first water stop, oh, at about mile 4. This will give you just enough time to really start sweating & begin feeling thirsty.
Be sure to get frustrated. This is an essential element of getting lost.
Turn left when you should turn right, or vice versa, or both! (see also #3 & #4)
Make sure you go too far in one direction & venture into an unfamiliar (and seemingly unsafe) part of town. This can be augmented with extra anxiety when you're running alone.
At this point, it is important to miss your 2nd water stop. And 3rd.
Your run will be even more on the path to hopelessness if you find a convenience store with a jerk cashier who won't let you have any water. It's important, here, that you don't have any money on you. If you feel especially saucy, you can attempt go to the bathroom and drink from the faucet, but this is not recommended.
Oh, and that gel you need at mile 7? Yeah, pretty much forget about that since you should, at this point, be dying of thirst.
Do not attempt to choke down a salt tab with nothing to wash it down. This will lead to a coughing fit & your tab will end up in someone's yard very near a fresh pile of dog poop, making retrieval of your tab a bad idea.
It's okay to feel like crying. In fact, this can lead to additional anxiety, which of course adds more to the desperation of being lost.
All the work you've done to get your hydration in order and your pace committed to muscle memory should be abolished. Basically, consider this venture one of your lesser accomplishments.

The end.

Drink for Whining

2008-08-10T19:38:00.003-05:00

I see this saying a lot on blogs and emails, and I think it's fitting for me. At least today.

Since this past spring, I sort of fell into a schedule where Monday is my day off from training. Sometimes a work meeting or travel on another weekday warrants a slight adjustment, but that's pretty easy to do. But recently, I thought I would try to move my day off to Friday; however, I just can't get the hang of it.

Seems that in the middle of a long swim this past Friday I remembered that it was supposed to be my day off. This means that I trained everyday from Aug. 2nd to today. And it probably explains why, during what was supposed to be my 60 mile bike ride this morning, I just pulled over & called it quits. AT. MILE. 8. My body just flat out said "no" - and so I've spent the rest of the day in a weird groggy on/off nap mixed with Olympic watching from the comfort of my couch. (Am I turning into Wiley?? No back injuries...yet.)

Maybe I'll get the swing of taking Fridays off starting this week?? I guess it all depends on whether I feel like a run/bike/swim/weights/core/yoga tomorrow. Work travel this coming Friday may also help "force" the switch.

What I Eat

2008-08-08T12:22:00.006-05:00

With all this talk lately about cupcakes from Polka Dots Cupcake Factory (and yes, you should most definitely try them), it may seem that I don't have healthy eating habits. I mean I have tried a total of 8 different cupcake flavors...

But, for the record, here are 3 foods I eat every day:

I eat them in different recipes, or sometimes just by themselves. This is one of my favorite combinations:

So, it's not a horrible diet I keep...

A New Record

2008-08-02T11:39:00.003-05:00

Today marks a new running record for me: 16 miles. I showed up for the long run with Rogue intending to run 11, but quickly gave into peer pressure and stayed with a group planning to do 16. I was a bit surprised that it wasn't that hard. Yes, I started getting a bit sore at mile 11, but nothing I haven't felt before after many hours on the bike. I am grateful to Missy, Gina and Danielle for pushing me along, chatting when I needed distraction and supporting me at the end when my head was telling me, "you can walk, you're close enough to the finish."

It also marks new nutrition/hydration plan success. I require 300-400mg of sodium/hour, and with a recommended change in pre-run hydration, different gels, plus taking 2 salt tabs per hour instead of 1, I really noticed a difference. Yes, I'm sure I still lost a significant amount of water weight, but I didn't bonk. I felt good the whole time.

Fastest mile was #15. Woohoo!!

Through the Fog

2008-07-25T07:56:00.009-05:00

Yesterday was one of the hardest days I've had in awhile. The family dog, Abby, died unexpectedly (yes, she was old, but that's not how she died). As our pets age, we try to prepare ourselves. We talk as a family about tough decisions we will inevitably have to make, and we think we will be strong. But it's never quite like that in the end.

After a rush to the ER vet in South Austin on Wed. night, we thought she might pull through. But yesterday morning we received word that she was not doing well. She could not be transported home, or even to her standard vet because she was struggling to breathe. Mom called & everyone rushed down there.

I know how panicked it can be to not be able to breathe. Sometimes I feel that way during a hard run or tough workout. Of course, I always know that if I slow down or rest it will get better. Poor Abby was struggling so hard. She was in a cubby at the ER vet, receiving Oxygen (at nearly 50%, which is as high as they can give) as well as a diuretic. And she was struggling so hard. The ER doc said that when they opened up her cubby to get her ready for transport, she turned purple within minutes. Definitely not a good sign. When we arrived, she recognized us and let us reach in and pet her, but the wiggle in her tail and excitement we always saw from her was absent. She stood up a couple of times and leaned against the glass to be near us, wanting comfort. Was this a sign she'd pull through? Of course, we tried hard to find any excuse to keep her with us. Selfish, I know. I choose to believe she was just trying to be a good girl, wanting more love and affection from us. Continuing to be loyal. After many tears, some arguing with the parents, and loving on Abby, the decision was made.

Everyone took the day off. Sister Katie called out from work. Dad stayed at home to build a box for Abby. Mom didn't work and instead made a small quilt for her. Katie rounded up photos and had copies made, found a small cross and angel for her. I rounded up some of her old dishes, leashes, food, treats (keeping her things that were most meaningful) to donate to TLAC. Even though I was "technically" working, I found it hard to concentrate on anything, crying periodically, feeling incredibly weighed down by emotion. At about noon I decided a run might help flush some of the feeling away, and about 2 minutes in I was openly sobbing. I tried to keep going, but had to sit down on the curb a couple of times and just weep. I'm sure the neighbors around thought I was a real nutcase, but I didn't care. I do believe there is something to be said about cultures that grieve histerically. We - my family at least - just doesn't do that.

At 5:30pm yesterday, Mom and Katie went back to the ER vet to pick her up. The vet had put her in a box/carrier, and had even made a footprint in clay.

We put Abby in the box Dad had made, along with the small quilt, the cross & angel, and a photo. I mention this not to be criticized, judged or teased, but because my whole life of having pets, this is what we do. It's part of our process, as a family, and gives us great comfort. Dad found a place near some jasmine that will eventually grow over her, close to a birdhouse (where there are new chicks), and a large tree.

Afterward, Katie & I sat on her bed (with one of the cats who always sneaks naps on her bed) and told stories.

I know Abby is in a warm place now, sitting in the sunshine, and wagging her tail. And she's not struggling at all.

I'll see you on the other side, Abs.

Goodbye Sweet Abby

2008-07-24T07:41:00.003-05:00

all the sisters

13th birthday cake

Girls Day Off

Virginia's Champion Abby

Dec. 24, 1994 - July 24, 2008

Mmmm

2008-07-21T08:55:00.001-05:00

I'll tell you this: he wouldn't have to ask me twice.

My Take on Shopping

2008-07-19T15:02:00.002-05:00

My friend, Erin, just posted about her adventures in shopping lately. My take on shopping is that no SINGLE store has everything on my list. Ever. Take for example earlier this week when I needed these things:

Organic fat-free milk
Kashi Heart to Heart cereal
Lever 2000 bath gel (original)
Clean & Clear contact lens solution

So, this is just a short & simple list, but you can't get all of these items at ONE place. Sure, lots of stores carry Kashi cereal these days, but not the Heart to Heart, so that means a trip to either Whole Foods, Sun Harvest (but only the one north) or Central Market. But at those places you can't find Lever or Clean & Clear. So, I went to Sun Harvest to get the milk and the cereal, then went to Walgreen's down the street to get Lever. Guess what? They don't have it either! They only carry the bars of soap. So, then I stop off at CVS down a couple of blocks and they only have the blue Lever. I mean, when does this madness end???

I won't even mention today's slightly longer list and the places I had to go. It was funny, a woman looking for her brand of something-or-other commented that she couldn't find it. So, we got to talking and then she said, "We can blame the oil companies. They are working with the stores to make things not available so we have to drive all over town and use a bunch of gas to get what we want." Now, of course she was kidding, but ... was she?

I know some of you super-commuters out there are asking, "Why didn't you just ride your bike to all these places?" And the short answer is that I don't currently have a good bike setup for lugging around groceries and toiletries, nor do I want to maneuver in traffic when I'm this frustrated.

Ok, I feel much better now.

Sunday Evening Cry Fest

2008-07-14T08:02:00.002-05:00

This weekend was full of two things: training workouts & movie rentals. I can go for months without seeing a movie, only catching whatever is on here & there. Other times I'll just buy a movie on demand for $3. And then there are weekends like this one where I just go crazy and rent 7 movies.

Most of the movies were thrillers (all very good movies that I would watch again):

Batman Begins
Perfect Stranger
Vantage Point
The Machinist

One that was just silly:

Wet Hot American Summer

And two that contributed to the Sunday Evening Cry Fest:

Definitely, Maybe
3:10 to Yuma

No, 3:10 didn't actually make me cry, but buried in the shoot 'em up bravado of this Western-themed movie was a heartwarming story of a father trying to set an example for his son so he would be proud to call him "Pa."

And yes, there was a Christian Bale-theme to my entire weekend, but I'm not (really) stalking him. I do think he's an amazing actor who has hidden behind small independent films and the stigma that came with "American Psycho" for far too long. Yet, he's emerged as an amazing actor that is intensely private and never really seen or photographed by the Paparazzi (which is actually quite cool).

So, back to my cry fest: After "Defnitely, Maybe" I watched "Home Makeover" and was simply floored by the young man featured on the show, Patrick Henry Hughes. Extremely well-spoken, the 19-year old man is in a wheelchair, completely blind, but a great musician and an inspiration. His outlook on life is amazing, and I can see him as a successful motivational speaker at some point, if not a recording artist. He's all over YouTube, and won the ESPN Spirit Award, so it wasn't just me. With a sufficient cry headache going on, I then watched "3:10."

Ohh, ohh, gotta go. Christian Bale is on the Today Show...

Howdy Du Race Report

2008-07-06T18:23:00.002-05:00

Sunday was the 2nd of 3 races in the Texas Du Series, the Howdy Du. I've only done one duathlon prior to this one, and it was a last-minute decision to race this one at all. But I decided that I would probably be doing a brick workout anyway, and I need the race-day jitters practice periodically. Plus I really like the name "Howdy Du" so why not?? I remember hearing Panther say last year that in general, duathletes are FAST. For the last 2 days I kept having a mental image of Panther swirling in my head repeating that over and over and over. So, my only goal was to not embarrass myself.

My pre-race brick on Saturday morning went very good. I decided I would do a quick 1mi run, 4mi bike, 1mi run. My run times were the fastest I've ever run, with a 7:51 and a 7:41 respectively. I have NEVER run that fast before. EVER. So, for all of you out there who regularly run that pace, imagine improving by about 1 minute in the last 6 months after coming off an injury. I hoped this was a sign for a good race.

I was the first to arrive in transition on race day at 5:45am and snagged prime real estate in the first rack at the bike in/out. I kept feeling like I was forgetting something, and then I realized it was my swim cap & goggles! Obviously, those aren't needed in a duathlon - I guess I'm so used to triathlons! I chatted with Tim & Carri as they volunteered, then buddied up with Glenda & Suellen for some positive energy. I ran into Tim H & Rhonda, and then saw Missy, as well. Glenda and I did one loop of the 1.5mi trail for a warmup at a decent clip. I asked Glenda about her du strategy & she commented that the biggest mistake you can do is go out too fast on the first run. So, with that in my back pocket, we were split into 2 waves. I was with the 39 & under group, which headed out first.

My first loop of the run course was, you guessed it: too fast. I didn't feel like it was too fast. I wasn't really passing anyone and more importantly, no one was really passing me. When I checked my split I was at a 7:50 pace! That would probably hurt later, so I slowed a bit for the 2nd loop. Then it was onto the bike (this is where Glenda passed me). I really tried to push it and stay aero, but there's always that voice that reminds you there's still another run to do. After two bike loops, I felt pretty good, and then it was back to transition to head out for the 2nd run. Not as fast as the first, but I kept thinking about my form. I found a good rhythm for my breathing, which was important because when I go anaerobic I start wheezing & inevitably panic. I wasn't as fast on this run, but I was still pleased.

Overall Stats:
3mi run - 24:09 (8:01 avg pace)
T1 - 1:02
17mi bike - 56:13 (18.1 mph pace)
T2 - :56
3mi run - 26:04 (8:41 avg pace)
Gender Overall Place - 14th
Age Group - 1st

At first it looked like I might have been the only person in my age group, but when I found out there were at least 3 of us I was relieved it wasn't a "default win." But either way, I earned it. I have been diligent in my training, and I pushed hard the entire race. When I have volunteered at races and have cheered my friends on in the past, I've always wondered why they don't always wave & yell back. And now I know. If you're pushing hard enough, you can't muster a single sound in response (sorry, Michelle!)

Thanks to everyone who was out there volunteering & cheering: Tim, Carri, Glenda, Suellen, Tim, Rhonda, Michelle, Panther & Dash, and countless others I don't know or just met. Thanks to my family, whom I know where there in spirit. Thanks to Austin Duathletes & New Belgium for the great beer. And thanks to Raul & Run-Far for putting on a great race in a lovely park!

Deer-Induced Jacknife & an Ornery Crawdad

2008-07-04T19:40:00.004-05:00

I went out to Berry Springs Park today in Georgetown to check out the bike/run course for the Howdy Du on Sunday. During my ride I did a nifty little jacknife on my bike after slamming on my brakes to avoid a deer leaping at full speed across the road. Turns out it was being chased by a dog in a large fenced-in yard, and had gained speed to clear the fence. Thank goodness for my brakes and wherewithall to actually stop in time, because the poor deer did not have enough speed to clear me as well.

Then, as I transitioned to check out the run course, I looked down at the sidewalk and wondered, "What IS that thing?" Upon closer inspection it was a crawdad. When I took his picture he got all ornery.
Then when I tried to turn him around so he was headed TOWARD the creek, he burried himself in the grass as he was having none of it. A passerby said they are all over the place out there - in the grass, on the path, everywhere. That should make for fast transitions!

Thoughts for the Day

2008-07-01T19:33:00.002-05:00

While there were many, I'll only post about two:

1. It's official: I cannot have cookies in my house. I clearly have a problem. I LOVE COOKIES. I have not had any sweets other than fruit in my house for the past 2 months, but I broke down today and bought the Back to Nature fudge stripe cookies. While the package says, "No artificial flavors or colors; No high fructose corn syrup; No hydrogenated oils," it also clearly states the serving size. Suffice it to say that half the box is gone. Sheesh.

2. When did people suddenly become so rude?? Today at the pool, as I was nearing the end of my workout, a couple of girls came in for their swim workout. One of them decided that my things on the edge of the pool were in the exact spot where she wanted to put her bag, so she picked up my stuff and tossed it out of her way. When I exited the pool and picked up my things, I thought she might say, "Oh sorry." Nope. Rude.

Girls on the Run - Update

2008-06-30T16:26:00.004-05:00

Today I was asked about the status of Girls on the Run of Austin. Well, here's an update:

We successfully raised the $6000 we needed to get started (yay! and thanks!)
We sent 2 people to North Carolina for official training
I am currently storyboarding our website, which Dionn has offered to help us build (thanks!)
I just wrote about 6 volunteer job descriptions (overviews are listed below)
We have filed for our 501(c)(3)
I am preparing the tax receipts now, so you will get them soon (I promise)
We are assembling lists of potential volunteers, hosting some meetings, and will begin a more formal push for recruitment soon
We are secured for Sanchez Elementary and have one more in the works...more on that later
We will be training all the assistant coaches probably in late August (5 hour mandatory training)

So, a lot of people have asked how they can help. Here's a list of the various committees we are assembling now:

Community Outreach/Public Relations - Responsibilities include identify locations for marketing and program promotion, distributing materials, speak at PTA meetings, solicit support/volunteers from training groups, identify and secure corporate sponsors. Also responsible for identifying community fundraising opportunities.

Grant Writing – Responsibilities include researching available grants, preparing and submitting proposals.

Head Coaching/Assistant Coaching – After completing a satisfactory background check and attending a mandatory 5 hours of training, coaches deliver the curriculum twice per week for the duration of the 12-week program. Training is held approximately one month before the start of the school semester. Must maintain a positive attitude and foster a supportive environment for the girls at all times. Must be CPR and First Aid certified. If the total number of available coaching staff is high, the weekly time commitment may be less. Coaches must be available on a regular basis from 3:00pm-5:30pm weekdays, as the sessions start at approximately 3:30pm. Men are welcome!

Running Buddies – Parents, family members, guardians or friends who complete the 5K race with a girl in our program. Must be available on race day.

Sole Mates – A running buddy who is under the age of 18. Must be available on race day.

Event Planning – Working with the Community Outreach/PR committee, event planners identify and/or organize a 5K race, negotiate and secure discounts, order t-shirts, identify potential race sponsors, and generate fundraising ideas.

If none of that sounds interesting, and you want to just keep doing what you normally do, you can still help!

Team Tiara – Run for the girls and for YOU! Team Tiara is the charity running “leg” of GOTR and uses the power of running to make a difference for our girls. Teams or individuals (men and women) pursue individual goals such as running a marathon or completing a triathlon while raising money to support participants in GOTR. Runners are asked to raise a minimum of $262. To sign up for Team Tiara in support of GOTR of Austin. Participants of Team Tiara pay a non-refundable registration fee of $26. This amount does not go toward the fundraising goal of $262. You can register at anytime by visiting http://girlsontherun.org/teamtiara.html. We'll have info on our own website, when it is up and running.

Moonlight Swim

2008-06-19T17:49:00.003-05:00

I'm really glad that my friend MikeL suggested the Moonlight Swim at Barton Springs. No doubt about it, this is the type of thing that could only happen in Austin. I wasn't sure what to expect. All I knew was it was a potluck, there would be a band, and probably some howling at the moon. I picked up some fresh fruit on the way to the Springs as my potluck contribution, and quickly ran into MikeL and some of his buddies (several I have met before) near the entrance. We snacked a little, watched the band a little, jumped in the water, and swam a little. But mostly, this is the perfect atmosphere to just people watch (or stare, in some cases). Check it out.

The water glows this magical green, and it feels heavenly in this heat. And it was far more crowded than I expected - but it was perfect. Everyone was in a good mood, so being smacked while in the water, splashed in the face, accidental bellyflops off the diving board, toes stubbed on the bottom were all no matter. It was heavenly, and I got a glimpse into why MikeL likes this place so much at night.

A couple of years ago, he wrote a really great post about night swimming at the Springs. Swimming is free from 9-10pm, and is definitely something I want to start doing regularly. Thanks, Austin!