Prince ~ CHBM Carnival #33

Ever since I first saw his Little Red Corvette video on Night Tracks when I was in junior high, I have been a faithful 'friend' to Prince (he doesn't like the word 'fan' and refers to those who enjoy his music as his friends).

I have had the opportunity to see him in concert 3 times...

• Lovesexy tour in 1988 (DH asked me to go steady 2 days later) with my mom (she drove me all the way to Tacoma on a school night!)
• Jam of the Year tour in 1997 with DH (Portland)
• Musicology tour in 2002 again with my mom (Portland)

He never ceases to impress the crowd and is a phenominal performer. Incredible Talent. Always Live. Always Energetic. Those that saw him perform during this years SuperBowl half-time show can confirm he gave one of the best half-time performances ever!

His song, Free, helped me through some very difficult times in junior high. The lyrics helped me to stay focused on the positive and not let others bring me down. Other songs, like Starfish & Coffee, have helped me to truly be my own person and not allow the expectations of others to change who I am. I owe a lot to his lyrics.

Thank you, Prince. :)

LSD on Saturday ~ Speed on Monday

We had a nice, relaxing Memorial Weekend. On Friday around noon, hubby (aka BuD) came home and we departed for the coast to see his family. The kiddos are great travelers and we were able to drive the entire 5 hours without stopping! :) We arrived just before 6 p.m. After a quick dinner (my father-in-law bought fried chicken & potato salad from Albertsons - not my top choice by any means, but BuD likes it), BuD and a friend went out to the marsh in Eastside to fly model airplanes. Shortly before he returned home, his brother and his family arrived from Yreka. Unfortunately, the 3 boys get together only a few times a year - this weekend was one of them. :)

On Saturday morning, we enjoyed a filling breakfast of ham and homestyle hashbrowns - my FIL is a great cook! An hour later, I went out for my long run. I'm supposed to do these at a slow, relaxed pace but lately, I can't help but push myself. I brought my training parter along with me and together we enjoyed the challenge of a hilly course. I ran along Virginia to Ash Street (where we used to live - it's fun to peak at our home and see how the new owners have or have not maintained it) and then on to Empire Lakes. I circled the lakes 3 times (twice around the big loop and once around the smaller, inner loop) before I headed back along Newmark. I've always estimated this route to be about 9 miles in length. The loops around the lake are difficult to map on the web as so much of the course is under tree cover. I ran up the neighbor's driveway (a steep 40 degree incline - my training partner shows that last bit a gain of 50 ft in just 2 tenths of a mile) bringing the days total to exactly 10.0 miles. Sweet!

Total Distance 10.00 miles
Total Time 1:35:03
Avg Pace 9:30
Avg Speed 6.3 mph
Max Speed 9.0 mph
Total Calories 1001
Total Ascent 1962 ft
Total Descent 1996 ft

Later that afternoon, I was a bit sore between the right calf/shin despite the fact that I had sat in an cold bath immediately afterwards. I know I should have stretched more. My right heel also hurt - just as it had done when I was aggravated with faciitis. I therefore took a few ibuprofen and elected to take Sunday off.

In the evening, everyone got together for dinner. My FIL made his traditional Prime Rib and mashed potatoes. Chris brought a cooler full of freshly caught Dungeness Crab which the boys and I eagerly cracked for everyone. Yummy! Nothing better than fresh Oregon crab. :)

We drove home on Sunday and stopped in Cottage Grove to have lunch with my dad and grandma. It was nice to see them even though the visit was short. I shared with them the slideshow I made of the scrapbook pages I've done of our family history. The text on the pages isn't legible on the television screen so I am now strongly thinking of having a book made for them of all the pages (via Shutterfly). Unfortunately, I don't have many pictures of my dad's two brothers and their families so the book would be kind of one-sided. As it would be bound, it would not be possible to add more pages later. I don't know. Many things to consider yet - and I still have several pages yet to finish.

On Monday, BuD was home from work & the pool was closed for the holiday (no swimming). So, that afternoon I went out for a run while he accompanied me on the bike with the kiddos in tow. I had intended to take it easy but as I got underway, things felt good and I figured since I didn't have to push the stroller today, I might as well take advantage and do my speed workout. I wouldn't likely get a stroller-free day later this week.

I did a 1 mile warmup and then I did a little speed-play or fartlek workout. 400m at 7.00-7.30 pace then a 400m recovery at 9.0. I did this for 2 miles and then a 1 mile cooldown. The temps were high (about 75 degrees) so I was breathing pretty hard. This was my first run with a heartrate monitor so it is cool to see the results.

Total Distance 4.01 miles
Total Time 34:55
Avg Pace 8:42
Avg Speed 6.9 mph
Max Speed 10.1 mph
Total Calories 393
Avg Heart Rate 163 bpm
Max Heart Rate 179 bpm
Total Ascent 457 ft
Total Descent 469 ft

These numbers still leave me perplexed. I'm not sure what total ascent and total descent means... was the total change in elevation for the entire course on Monday just 12 ft? That can't be correct because that would mean Saturday's total would have been just 34 ft and I know it was much greater than that. I wish I could export the little graphs that the Training Center shows. Obviously, I still have a lot to learn about my partner. :)

My New Training Partner

I've done 2 runs this week with my new training partner. He rests comfortably on my wrist - I was a little concerned that I would find him bulky and a bit of a nuisance - but my worries were in vain.

I haven't yet used the heartrate monitor - I wanted to get used to the functions on the 'watch' first.

Wed - 5 miles 8.52 pace / 494 calories
Thr - 6 miles 9.38 pace / 581 calories

Wed's run was right on my previous estimation (it was easy to estimate as I drove the route with my car). However, Thr's run was .2 under my estimation. This route is predominately trail and I wasn't able to get a good image using America's Running Routes as much of it is under tree cover.

By the time I got out the door for my run on Thr, the temperature was already above 73 degrees so I was glad I brought water along with me. I felt a little fatigued on the run. I think the heat played a big part. I'm also not certain I've rested from the PPP on Sat - I really pushed myself on Mon during Masters swimming and then two moderate running days Wed & Thr. I'll take today off and then do my long run on Saturday when we go home for the weekend. :)

Happiness

In response to Wes' post today, I thought I'd throw out my little secret to happiness in regards to running & racing. I love it when my husband makes little comments about how good I look. "You are so little now, I'm surprised the wind doesn't blow you away." I'm actually not that much smaller than I was when I started running seriously nearly 2 years ago... but he has noticed a change. That makes all my efforts worthwhile. I also love it when I see improvements myself (a PR for a particular distance, a stronger core, etc.). I feel healthier. I have more energy. I am happier when training than when not. :)

Finding the Stroke

At Masters yesterday, the workout was a mix of endurance & medley. I was able to get in a 750m warmup (150m w/ fins), before Coach started the official practice. His plan for the day was 4-6 300m sets with the odd sets a solid 300m free and the even sets 4x75m medley (1st - fly back breast [I have to sub free for fly], 2nd - back breast free). We did 4 300m sets in my lane. I led most of the time and really tried to maintain a strong, steady pace.

With just 30 sec rest between 300s and 15 sec between 75s, I was breathing pretty hard. I was quite tired when we started the last 300 medley and I am very slow on the breast so at that point, a few of the other swimmers went ahead of me. I didn't like that. I like being in the lead now. I obviously have some work to do.

However, I feel I have found the right 'zone' for the breast stroke. I am generally able to do 2 strokes before I take a breath which has really helped me get a better, more aerodynamic position. I can actually feel the smoother forward motion... more of a glide than a push through the water. It takes some work... some effort... but I am definately improving.

Total swim distance: 2000m (I threw in a 50m cooldown at the end)

Outpole Outpedal Outrun Outpaddle

What a fabulous weekend! We participated in the Pole Pedal Paddle for the second year and were in fact able to field two 5 person teams. Lacking for new inspiration, we kept the same name as last year, Sur5ers and added Sur5ers2. My mom, Bar and Kong all arrived on Friday and we enjoyed a leisurely evening at home, catching up and discussing transistion logistics. With two teams, we would need to organize 10 different individuals, guess the finishing time for their leg, and have the next participant ready to go.

Saturday morning, everyone met at our home around 9 a.m. so that I could distribute bibs and we could load the bikes, ski and other equipment. We had to check our bikes in before our 10:55 start and to avoid potential complications & traffic congestion, we left a little early. We took this photo shortly after we arrived at Mt.Bachelor for the first 3 legs of the race (alpine, nordic and bike).
While we awaited our start time, the guys did a warmup run while mom and I took the kiddos into the lodge for hot cocoa. Just before the start, I jogged up the hill to the start of the alpine leg to capture the 'exchange' on camera. It is here that I started my watch to get splits for each leg of the race (I estimated the Alpine leg once we learned the official finishing time) for my team.

The guys were neck and neck nearly the entire way. BuD had a slight lead as the skiers had to run 200 yards uphill in their boots to retrieve their poles and skies. As he manuevered to click on his skies, however, the ski flipped over and the binding needed to be reset, enabling D2 to move ahead and reach the exchange just a few seconds before him. D2 finished his leg in 5.32 and I estimate BuD finished in 5:35.
The nordic skiers, M & B were off to a great start. Just before she departed, B informed me that she would finish the 8K cross country course in about an hour, give or take 15 minutes. We had no idea when to expect M. However, I knew that he had participated in the PPP several times in years past as an "ELITE" individual... [his best time ~1.55] so I was assuming about 30 minutes. My mom and I went over to the bike start immediately after the guys loaded up their skies. It was fortunate we didn't delay, because M finished his leg in 24.04, just shortly after we found our bikes, with blood streaming down his face. The medic followed him from the trail's edge to the bike exchange and asked that he be 'checked out'. Fortunately, he required only a bandage. We were all impressed that he managed to finish (he even went back for his sunglasses!) let alone in under 25 minutes! I'm still aghast. B arrived about 30 minutes after M and I was then off on the first leg of my first 'duathlon'. My mom had a 30 minute head start on me, but unfortunately for her, she was plagued by a loose chain. Nearly every time she shifted gears, her chain would fall off. She said she had to stop about 5 times to fix her chain. I can't imagine how frustrating that must have been for her. Worst part of it though, is that she had had her bike 'tuned-up' the week before... which resulted in approx. $200. She definately has a bone to pick with them.

I tried to really push myself on the bike leg, but at the same time, I felt myself ease up occasionally because I didn't want to over do it. I knew I had the 10K run yet ahead of me and I really wanted to at least match last years performance which netted me a PR for the distance. I had no idea if it was even possible but I was certainly going to try. In the weeks that preceded this event, I had had the best of intentions to do a 30/30 brick (30 min bike ride/30 min run) to get a feel for what my body would do after a ride if I attempted to run. Unfortunately, my intention was never realized. M had warned me that it would take at least 10 minutes before I felt I had my stride.

When I stepped off my bike, I clicked the split button on my watch (55.27.23) and removed my jacket & helmet. As I proceeded forward, what M had been telling me suddenly hit me... I had only taken a couple of steps and I knew I was going to have some trouble. My legs felt like I was trying to walk through a pool of thick jello or molasses. It was so strange. I felt I was moving so very slowly. There were very few other runners around me the first couple of miles so I didn't have a good gauge on how fast I was going. There weren't any mile markers either so I was clueless. I just kept pushing myself. Steady. Find your stride. Find your stride.

About seventeen minutes into my run, I saw Kong heading back to the run/kayak exchange (there are several points along the run course with 2-way traffic). At that point, she was about 2 1/2 miles into the run leg. My first thought was ... catch her! I tried to lengthen my stride a little, move a little faster. My legs still didn't feel like they were responding much. My mouth was so dry! I didn't have a water bottle on my bike so I was parched when I started the run. Aide stations where are you?! At the turn around, I ate a gel pack and walked through the aide station to quench my thirst.

I started to notice the fatigue of the other runners at this point. I didn't know if they were solely doing the run leg or, like me, were doing back-to-back legs. I was passing people. I felt a little burst of adreneline as I passed someone. It was a huge ego-booster. At the 3 mile mark, I glanced at my watch... 22 minutes. Wow! I wanted to go all out and had to force myself to hold back. Steady effort. Wait until the bridge. As the trail went down along the river, I smiled. Home field. This is the trail I run every week. I'm home free. Wait. Steady. Even effort to the bridge. If you got it then, let it loose.

Well, I didn't have it. I have always had reserves when I've approached the finish. Not this time. It was all I could do to maintain the steady effort I had been giving. My mom was at the finish - nearly the same spot she was last year and again, taking pictures. :) As I approached her she asked, "Are you tired, yet?" It was all I could do to nod. I tagged Bar and hit the split button on my watch... 44.29.05 a PR by nearly a full minute!!! Once again, I am in shock. I love this race! I love running!

Bar & Kong, learning from last years mistakes, purchased new boats for the kayak leg. We knew they would be much faster than before... I had to get to the kayak/sprint exchange with the kiddos... but where were they?? I found mom right away but she hadn't seen them. I called DH on the phone and he had just found a place to park and was walking down to the exchange. I met them part way ... I unbuckled the little guy from the stroller and sent the two kiddos on ahead as I folded up the umbrella stroller with the kids' jackets and gave the bundle to DH.

We got to the exchange with just a couple minutes to spare before Kong pulled out of the water. She tagged our princess and they were off (look at her stride!). A few minutes later, Bar pulled out and it was my turn with my little guy. The kids were so cute during the sprint leg. Spectators cheered for them and remarked, "Oh, how sweet! Look at the little one!" As this was his first race, my little guy wanted to be carried briefly but our princess ran the entire quarter mile - just as we knew she would.

Each team finished without serious injury and we had a fabulous time. We are already looking forward to next year and will hopefully have more participants. :) Kong and I are strongly considering entering as a female pairs team. Regardless of what categories we may fit next year, one thing is for certain... we're going to get a new team name and wear costumes!! It is the only way we can actually be a contender for the coveted PPP mug. So... start thinking of names now. :)

Team A 3:05:11

Team B 3:00:17

Later that evening, we not only celebrated our success during the PPP but we also celebrated 3 May birthdays (Kong 5/30, Mom 5/18, and Me 5/19). As I was busy with last minute cleanup and making necessary food preparations, DH asked me for a drink of water. I remarked, "What!? I'm busy doing everything and you want me to get you a glass of water? You can't get it yourself?" My hunger (I still hadn't eaten since breakfast - the gel pack doesn't count) and my fatigue had obviously gotten the best of me by this point. Kong then replied to my outburst, "Oh... you should just get him some water."

So, I open the cupboard and sitting there next to the glasses is a GARMIN 305!!! "Happy Birthday! Love, BuD, Bef, Bar & Kong" Very cool. I can't wait to play with it. Let us hope, though, that all my usual training runs are actually longer than I previously thought rather than shorter. :)

The icing on the cake, the inscription on my mom's card to me read, "I've always cherished these couple of days we share from the beginning." Me, too, Mom. I love you.

Homestead Day 1

We are underway... the new peak visitor season has begun and we are once again living the life of an 1880s family in the high desert. However, due to some slight program changes... we no longer protray the Blair family. We are now the Anderssen family... and our entire 'story' is based upon my true ancestors. :)

I am looking forward to this season so much more than last... in part because we are 'veterans' and we shouldn't have too many surprises. My little guy is much more active this time around so that of course presents a few challenges, but all is good. I just love how cute the kids look in their costumes!

I'll try to post more pictures but this can be a challenging venture in itself of course, with my modern digital camera - I have to be sneaky and catch photo ops when the visitors are not present.

A Wedding Guest Book

I just finished creating this guest book for the daughter of some friends of ours. She is getting married in June and had failed to find a guest book that would enable her to showcase photos of the guests arriving alongside a little card (similiar in size to what might be delivered with a bouquet of flowers) with an enscription to the couple written by the guest. When her mother described what she wanted... I knew immediately that I could help. I nearly jumped at the chance to create this for her. Her colors are very similar to my own and now I'm actually jealous that this is for her and not me!! I may actually redo my own album. ;)

Coincidentally, DH's cousin is also getting married this year (Sept) and he just called to inquire about the possibility of me creating invitations and/or an album for their wedding. Additionally, our good friends Bar & Kong have asked that I create an album following their wedding reception next month. I'm so excited to be using my creative talents to help others showcase their photos. :)

Kenny Moore

Last night, DH and I went out for a nice dinner followed by an address/talk with Kenny Moore, the culminating event for a month long celebration of his recent book, Bowerman and the Men of Oregon.


The talk was the culminating event of the Deschutes Public Library Foundation's "Novel Idea...Read Together" program. The book describes the life of Bill Bowerman, the University of Oregon’s legendary coach and co-founder of Nike. Author Kenny Moore, a former senior writer for Sports Illustrated and a world-class runner under Bowerman's tutelage, delivers a fully realized portrait of this complicated man. The book celebrates the spirit of Oregon through the life of one man who represented all of the characteristics of the earliest Pioneers blended with sheer genius, humor, and grit.

This was the fourth annual program and I've participated in all but the first. However, this marks the first time I have been able to hear the author talk. After last night - I don't want to miss another one in the future. It was so interesting to hear the author read from his book ... to hear his voice, how he emphasized certain words or phrases. I enjoyed the book immensely ... not just because I am a runner, but because it was very well writtten, very descriptive and engaging. Hearing Moore speak in person brought it to life.

After the formal program, I got a chance to speak with him person to person as he signed my copy of his book. I mentioned that I too was a runner and had ran my first marathon in October. I asked what he considered to be his most memorable marathon, his first or the one in which he performed the best (be it best place or time). He said that he'll certainly remember the first, but for entirely different reasons (as a big smile spread across his face)... both will be remembered.

It was very cool to hear a runner of his caliber talk about running. I could hear the passion for his sport in his voice. I'm so glad that I was able to go. Even more pleased that my husband was there to share in the experience. Maybe he'll understand a little more. :)

This is Going to be Fun

A girlfriend and I took a test run of the Pole Pedal Paddle bike leg today. It was just as I expected in regards to difficulty. The 22-mile course is mostly downhill with just one significant hill.

We were both on mountain bikes... hers a Schwinn and mine a Diamondback, more suited to leisure rides around the neighborhood than a downhill road race. Nevertheless, we both felt more comfortable with our big, knobby tires and the cushy seats. :)

On our test run, we had one major setback that we didn't anticipate... she got a flat tire. We stopped another cyclist going uphill who happened to have a cellphone so we could call for a pickup (I finished the ride alone). He offered to fix her flat but as we were not riding typical road bikes, her tire wasn't easily 'popped' off. He therefore didn't have the right tools with him.

We talked with him for a short time - very nice guy - he's currently training in hopes to qualify for a spot on an American team heading to France (time trials in Wisconsin next week) for a 2000 mile race (?). His bike, a Leopard, was amazing! Just looking at it made me want to buy one... even the spokes are designed aerodynamically and the entire thing weighs under 15 pounds. He stated that on a downhill, he can average 45-50 mph. Wow!

I enjoyed the ride today. It took me just over an hour to come down the hill to the bike/run exchange point. Come Saturday, I will use the same bike equipped in the same way (maybe a windbreaker though - it was a bit chilly with the wind, but then we'll be starting 2 hours later). It will work just fine. I'm not looking to place or break any records... just doing it for fun. I expect I'll finish a little quicker than I did today... we enjoyed one another's company and conversed the enire way. There were times when I just coasted and didn't pedal. Come Saturday, I'll give it more effort. :)

Favorite Books of all Time ~ Thursday Thirteen

A simple list of my favorite books (in no particular order).

1. Bowerman and the Men of Oregon by Kenny Moore

2. His Dark Materials triology (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass) by Philip Pullman

3. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson

4. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

5. A Gathering of Finches by Jane Kirkpatrick

6. A Reason for Hope by Jane Goodall

7. Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

8. Night by Elie Wiesel

9. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

10. Eva by Peter Dickenson

11. Island fo the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

12. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

13. Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

Feeling a 'Little' Like PRE

I got 'just a taste' of what Prefontaine must have felt today.

I went to Masters swimming like usual and after a 500m warmup (mixed stroke), Coach made a few announcements, described our workout for the day, and set us loose. The plan: 3 rounds of 50m, 100m, 150m, and 200m with 15 seconds rest between each and 15 seconds between rounds.

During the first 50m, I chose to go 2nd behind Ann. Although I had waited for her to get into stride before I kicked off, I caught up with her before we reached the turn at the wall (25m). For the last length, I drafted behind her to the finish. As the 100m got underway, I gave her a bigger lead off but still caught her. At the wall, I had to pause and wait for her to finish her turn and get out ahead before I headed back myself (bear in mind, I can not do flip turns... I actually have to touch the wall with my right hand and then lean out to my left and push off with my feet... therefore, my turns are slow). As I waited, Kathy, who followed me, asked if I wouldn't mind if she went ahead (of course, I knew this would mean Lee would jump in ahead as well - Lee loves to draft behind her). I'm proud to say that I actually spoke up and said, "I've been slowing up for Ann! I've been waiting for her!" "Uh oh," was their combined response. I was becoming frustrated with always having to slow up for others.

When I started swimming a year ago, I was the slowest of the slow. On the longer sets, I was routinely lapped (that is, the leader and occasionally a few others would pass me on his/her final length while I would have at least 1-2 lengths yet to finish). This bothered me only slightly. My form was terrible. I didn't know how to breathe properly. I must have looked like a fish desperately trying to get air in poorly oxygenated water. I've made gradual improvement, however. I feel much more comfortable in the pool.

We did one more length in the order we had set out, but switched it around after 50m, with me leading. It felt good to lead. When we started the 150m, I gladly went out first. I kept a pretty steady pace (at least I think so) and completed 6 lengths feeling a little fatigued but after the rest, I was ready to go again (granted, I think I did 20 sec rest rather than 15). At the conclusion of the 200m, just after all the swimmers touched the lane and I was about to begin the 2nd set, Ann said, "I just discovered drafting! I'm never leading again." We all chuckled. But as I went out, I couldn't help but think of Steve Prefontaine.

Pre's favorite article of Kenny Moore's was a 1972 profile of Australia's Ron Clarke (who broke 17 world records between 1963 and 1970) for Sports Ilustrated. Pre liked the article because Moore had quoted Clarke on the ordeal of the leader:

"The follower has only to match the leader's pace. He enjoys a comparative calm in which he can relax and conserve his emotional energy for a final, unanswerable assault. Given these realities, few men running at the head of a pack can avoid the feeling of sacrifice. Steve Prefontaine, explaining the savagery of his bursts to break contact with his followers, said, "I hate to have people back there sucking on me." [excerpt from Bowerman and the Men of Oregon by Kenny Moore, pg 242-243]

For the first time in my life, I know exactly how he must have felt. I didn't like the idea that I was doing all the work and that those that followed were each drafting off my lead. As I was swimming, I kept playing in my mind the image of Pre running out in front of the pack, widening his lead. I tried to do the same... tried to get out far enough ahead of Kathy that she wouldn't be able to draft off of me.

As a result, I came within a meter or two of catching Mike, today's slower paced swimmer. Mike didn't do the 3rd set (he always leaves a little early to go back to work) and Ann left after the 3rd 100m. In the end, it was just Kathy, Lee and myself. "Great lead today. Good job!" they said to me. Even Coach gave me a little smile & nod. Very cool.
Total distance: 2000m

~ ~ ~

Yesterday, the kiddos and I went out for a casual run just before noon. I apparantly became so distracted by the beautiful weather that I failed to successfully navigate the space between a hedge and a mailbox. We hit the mailbox on the right side of the stroller and DD went flying forward (she generally doesn't buckle - and has always been great about staying back in her seat), landing on her knee. I felt awful! "I'm so sorry, Sweetie. Are you okay?" She got up slowly and lifted up her dress to look at the damage. Fortunately, there were only 2 areas that seemed scratched. I smothered each with magical mommy kisses. After a little water and a big hug, she said she was good to go... I gave them each a small package of Skittles. :)

I should have gone out earlier. I think summer is here. I had to stop a few times for water - not typical during this short loop. When we got back home, the temperature gauge read 81 degrees and I was dripping in sweat! I haven't ever perspired that much in the past... so I jumped into a cold shower to cool off. Total miles: ~4.8 (I cut it short just a tad as I was getting very hot/fatigued).

Thank You, Moms

Getting Started Again

After the great half marathon I ran a few weeks ago, I have actually relaxed my training substantially and not been so focused. I've wanted to take it easy. I don't want to over-train and thereby risk injury. So, this week and last have been rather lax. When I run... I run for fun (no time, distance or tempo goal). I even skipped my long run on Sunday. :)

I have a duathlon on the 19th (my birthday!) ... actually it is a 6-legged relay-race in which I am doing 2 legs (bike 22 miles and 10K run) ... but it is just for fun. I did the run last year and clocked a phenominal time of 45.21 (for me, that is!) - to this day, I still wonder what the true distance was (some written materials state 8K others 10K). I would love to equal that performance but I am not counting on it since I will have just finished the bike leg.

Beyond that, I don't have any major races until the Circle the Bay on August 4th. There are a few others that I may do depending upon what we are doing as a family. I haven't registered for anything.

I still haven't yet decided upon a fall/winter marathon. I'm still tossing them up in the air... some new contenders are Bizz Johnson Trail Marathon and Nike San Francisco. Bizz will likely have to wait until 2008 as we'll be returning from a family vacation to Disneyland just 2 days before. DH isn't likely to want to drive 5-6 hours the next day. San Francisco seems to be my best bet for Fall... Phoenix or Sacramento best if I want to wait until Winter. I don't really want to train through the winter, though. Too icy... too dangerous.

Another reason I haven't really gotten going again is because I haven't really decided upon a training plan. I know I'll continue to swim 2x week, running 3-4 days, and do CrossFit more consistenly. I just want to have it all planned out - something I can refer to each day. I'll likely develop some hybrid between RunnersWorld, Pfitz and FIRST. In the past, I have used FIRST successfully. I like it but I also want to push myself harder.

~~~
Yesterday's Swim:
650m warmup (mixed stroke)
300m freestyle (I led my lane!), 3x50m breaststroke
200m freestyle, 5x50m backstroke
100m freestyle, 7x50m breaststroke (once) and freestyle

My right knee started to really bother me during the 3x50 breast... Coach even asked if I had done a long run on Sunday because I was looking fatigued. Obviously, my form stinks! Coach and I are going to work on that tomorrow. :)
~~~
Today's Plan:
Easy, enjoyable 5 miles with the kiddos in the stroller.
CrossFit in the afternoon.

Yummy Goodness

A friend of mine is expecting her 3rd child anytime now... and thankfully, I got to be part of a small group of ladies (there were 3 of us) that planned her baby shower. I volunteered to make the cake and bring ingredients for Raspberry Mojitos.

A couple of years ago, I had purchased a Wilton Cake-Decorating Yearbook and within the pages, found the perfect cake for the shower... individual sized umbrellas with fondant icing. Cute! I had only attempted to use fondant icing once before...

For DDs first birthday, I came across the cutest little cakes in a Martha Stewart magazine (see photo). As I read the instructions, I thought to myself, "Hey. I think I could do that." Little did I know how much trouble I would have. The biggest problem was that the cake, once cut into little blocks, was crumbly! Before I could put on the fondant, the instructions said to use a buttercream frosting. Not knowing any different, I used pre-made frosting from the cake aisle at the supermarket. It was too thick... as I attempted to spread it out in a thin layer, it caused the cake to crumble even more... even though I had frozen the cake in advance. I was up late and becoming very stressed. In the morning, I called my mom (who had taken a few cake decorating classes when I was little).

Unfortunately, she had never used fondant either. Thankfully, she came down early and helped me to frost the cakes in the last few minutes before the guests arrived. The finished product didn't look anything like Martha's ... but then, DD won't even remember all the effort we put forth! It was fun though - we had a lot of laughs.

Now comes my second attempt. The instructions said to use a jellyroll or cookie sheet to bake the cake and then a large round cookie cutter to cut the cakes. I decided it would be easier to bake individual 4" rounds using my daughters bake set (I even bought 6 more pans so I could bake them all at once). This was one time saving step that I think was critical to how much easier it was this time around. The second thing I did differently was to use an apricot glaze rather than try to thinly frost each half-circle with buttercream.

When the glaze cooled, I then used pre-colored fondant (another huge time-saver) and rolled out a small circle for each cake. I also made the buttercream icing myself - rather than using a little tub from the store - much softer. However, just before I got started, I discovered that I was out of butter & shortening, so I called upon a neighbor who was able to bale me out of a pinch (DH had taken my car - with the car seats - to a friends, so I was w/o transportation & not enough time to physically run). I was also out of piping bags so I couldn't use my #67 tip ... a las, my daughter's baking set comes in handy again. I use her piping bag and tip, only the tip was much larger than mine so the lines are not as delicate as I would have liked.

When the cakes were done, I was very pleased with my work. I am definately more skilled with the fondant now and having the right tools/recipes, certainly makes a difference (just like home baked pizza). I look forward to doing more (but only for special occasions - I was asked at the shower if I had considered doing it as a business). Everyone raved about how cute they were. I love that. When people notice the little details... the extra step you took to make it special... that makes all the difference. (right, Kong?) :)

BTW - the Raspberry Mojitos were to die for... delicious, refreshing, yummy. Want the recipe?

Have You Ever Set a Goal...

...reached it and then wondered if you hadn't been so focused on that particular goal, perhaps you could've done better? In preparation for the Eugene 1/2, I printed out a slip of paper with my mile splits for every mile. I used an 8:40 pace for the first 6 miles, an 8:30 pace for the remaining miles.

When the race was underway, I enjoyed being there with Kong and took the first mile or two easy. My watch read ~10.40 somewhere before the 2 mile marker when I decided to go for my goal of finishing under two hours. According to my pace plan, if all went well, I would finish with 1:50:50 (previously my half PR was 2:07).

As the race progressed, I pushed the next few miles to get back on pace with the mile splits I had listed on the paper. At the 10K mark, I was right on. I continued to maintain pace, repeating in my head, SillieLillie's Boston mantra, "Even Effort" (Thank you, Lillie!).

At the 12 mile marker, I began to pick up the pace a little and at the 13, I sprinted to the finish. I was elated to see I had finished with 1:49:51. The next day, when I went to Masters Swim session (my normal routine on Monday), the coach asked how I was feeling. I felt great - just as though I had done a typical long run. I didn't have any soreness or fatigue. He then said something like, "So, strides and even pace through the middle miles. Good."

But I have to wonder now. Had I not been so focused on my mile splits, could I have done better. Should I have pushed more in the middle? How do you judge when you are pushing yourself to the limit without pushing so much that you end up not being able to finish? I suppose I fear NOT finishing. I go out easy. Stay as steady as I can. Push hard at the finish. Perhaps I need to push hard in the middle, too?

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I posted this on RWs Masters forum this morning and I have so enjoyed reading the responses. I wanted to save them. So, I took the liberty to transfer them here. At the end of each month, I archive my blog onto my hard-drive. I will soon burn a CD and save it within my scrapbooks.

Re-invigorated

After successfully meeting my personal goals in the Eugene Half-Marathon on Sunday, I have been feeling re-invigorated and more motivated than before.

At Masters swim practice yesterday, I did a 600m warm-up (200m freestyle, 200m breast, 200m back) followed by 4x50m kicking w/ fins. I felt really good so I decided to give a strong preformance rather than take it easy as I had originally planned.

The plan as written on the board:
400m - 400m
300m - 300m
200m - 200m
100m - 100m
First Moderate - Second Faster

Coach Bob further clarified his expectations for the workout and thankfully, modified the sets for my lane: 12 lengths twice, 9 lengths twice, 6 lengths twice, and finally 3 lengths twice (the 50m pool was set at 25m as it has been all winter - so one length was 25m - thus, our sets were 300m, 225, 150, and 75).

During the 300m sets, I went 2nd behind George. He is a strong swimmer - the fastest in my lane. I managed to keep up with him and complete all 12 lengths. When I touched the wall on the final length, the other 3 swimmers were already there. I was a bit confused and asked if I hadn't counted wrong - I hadn't - apparantly, they had all dropped the last 2 lengths. They did the same thing during the 225s. I didn't have a problem with this initially because I've had to do the same in past practices.

The problem arised when they decided to go ahead of me (as they normally always have - I've always been quite slow) during the 150s and 75s. I kept having to slow up to avoid bumping into Lee's feet. This was irritating. I was timing my rounds and trying to do the 2nd faster as Coach had requested - difficult for me with the longer rounds but I was certain I could with the shorter distances. During the 2nd 150m, I elected to move to the left slightly and pass the swimmer in front of me if I was able. I did! Coach said to give her a larger lead to avoid catching her, "You may be ready for lane 2." Wow! That was motivating! So, during the 75s, I gave her a larger lead and still manaaged to catch her! Yippee!

300m - 6.11 and 6.25
225m - 4.53 and 5.05
150m - 3.11 and 3.05
75m - 1.28 and 1.28 (2nd wasn't faster because I bonked into George as I was passing Lee and he was doing a cool-down lap - Sorry, George!)

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I printed a new training plan from Runners World, Smart Coach. I used the following criteria to build the plan:

Current race time is: 1:49 for a Half
Current training goal is: Marathon
Currently train: 26-30 miles/week
How hard I want to train: Very Hard
My long-run day: Sunday
Starting: Monday 4/30
Length of training schedule: 16 weeks

Before I ran a marathon, I had originally wanted to run the Circle the Bay run in Coos Bay (home town) .... one of many things I had listed as my "Things to Do Before I Die". This years run is on 8/4, the 15th week of this new 16 week training plan. It is a 30K (18 miles)... so it is totally do-able. Smart Coach doesn't have an training option for a 30K - so I selected Marathon... with the end goal being the 30k. If I can finish the 30K with an 8.20-8.25 pace - I'll know I am ready to attempt the same during a full marathon.

I haven't yet set my eyes on any one in particular. Portland is out (we'll be vacationing at Disneyland) so I'm thinking of Seattle in November, California International in December, or Rock'nRoll Phoenix in January. A lot will depend on my friend, 'Kong', as I'd love to train with her again. Neither of us have run these so we don't know much about them. I'd love to do Phoenix. One of our best friends, 'Kong's' brother-in-law lives there, so it would be fun to get a group friends together for the event and enjoy one-another's company thereafter. California is closer and the couse is mostly downhill. Lillie - is this the course on which you qualified for Boston? Fellow Runner/Bloggers - What are your thoughts?

Her 'First' Marathon

My little princess participated in the kids fun run in Eugene... her 2nd official race (the first being the Jingle Bell Run in December of '06). She has been training since January, running a mile here, another there. On Sunday, she ran the final mile of her first 'marathon'.

The participants were supposed to be 5 years old, but I had called and got the 'okay' to register her despite the fact that she is just 4 1/2.

We were given a course map when we picked up our race packets and it was evident that DH would not be able to keep his eye on her the entire time so we were fortunate that 'Bar' was there as well. DH stayed back with the little guy, videotaping as much of her race as he could while keeping the little guy from running off into the hinterlands (he loves to explore and is quick to escape when he gets the chance - all boy!). 'Bar' went with the princess for encouragement, but mostly for our peace 0f mind - her safety being more important than anything.

The majority of the participants were about 7-8 years of age (a guess). 'Jared' of Subway fame started the race shouting, "1, 2, 3, GO!" DD had lined up at the front (a future elite?) and was soon overcome by the bigger kids... but she didn't let that deter her. 'Bar' said that many of the older kids stopped and walked periodically... but my little marathoner in training (not really - we just do it for fun - no pressure) ran the entire one-mile course!

There was a little distraction near the finish line... a table of cupcakes, frosted doughnuts and juice! Many of the little runners, including our princess, thought this was the finish and made a brief stop. Oops! Poor race planning. Sorry... you need to keep going!

Upon finishing, the kids were given a ribbon and then allowed to partake in the treats just like the adults. Funny their snacks were not more healthy. The adults had bananas, oranges, bagels, Grandma's cookies, sport drink, water, and a 26.2' long Subway sandwich. Shouldn't the kids get the same? Hmmm I suppose it all depended upon the sponsors... anyway.

I was very excited for her. She enjoyed the race and was giddy with excitement. I told her I was sorry that I couldn't have been there to see her run. She said, "That's okay. You were running, too. And Daddy taped it for you to watch." What a sweetie. :)

** I'll post pictures as soon as I get them ('Bar' took a few and will be emailing them to me).