When Work and Play Collide

Have any of you been following my blog long enough to remember this?:

Just before Christmas in 2012, we went winter camping, intentionally parking ourselves in one inland valley that turns into a snow globe when all conditions align properly. It was amazing. Twenty two inches of snow in 30 hours.

Here are my posts from that trip:

Winter Camping, Granite Peak Snowshoe, and (this is the one with the best pictures) Safety in Winter Camping.

Well, following our trip, Matt set out to further understand what makes this happen and more importantly for us, how to know ahead of time so we can end up there at the right time all over again. He was selected to present his study at a conference in Oklahoma City.

Tucked between dozens and dozens of tornado studies was his snowy study, complete with a picture of our car buried in two feet of the white stuff. Here’s the cutest presenter at the conference (although I heard Jim Cantore was there and he’s kind of a meteorology dreamboat, too….).

I’m so proud of this guy! :)

Last Week in Training: October 18-25

Everything about last week's running revolved around the half marathon on Sunday. Since I had my marathon pace run out of the way and wanted to recover a little bit, I kept everything else easy. One notable difference, that a reader pointed out in my race report, is that Matt wasn't around. He was and still is on a work trip, first to Oklahoma City and now Kansas City. I'll post more on that later because one of our adventures inspired the research project he presented in OKC. I'm pretty lonely without him here, especially when it comes to motivating myself for long easy runs.

Rachel adopted me for the week and we did several runs together, which helped a lot, but I'm looking forward to being reunited with my honey this weekend. Sorry Rachel, you're not as good at snuggling as he is.

Sunday, Run 16 miles including Humboldt Redwoods Half Marathon (1:41:56).

I ran this race at marathon pace and was surprised by how easy it was. There's definitely a noticeable difference between running that far in a race and plodding it out on the pavement by yourself. Can I hold it for another 13.1 miles? We'll see. I'm planning to at least start at that pace and see how CIM  plays out from there.

Monday: Rest!
Rest day has become my project day. My most glamorous project was removing hair from all the bathroom drains. Zoey took it upon herself to supervise from an adjacent drawer. I find her in the strangest places sometimes.

Then I finally bit the bullet and finished a project I started in July but stopped because I was too afraid to ruin it, so it sat around incomplete for a few months. I still can't believe I pulled it off as the last thing I'd call myself is an artist.

Tuesday: Run 8 miles easy, 1:11:57, 8:59/mi. 14 kitties.
Afternoon run with Rachel. I've never had a training partner mesh as well with my own running personality as she does and the miles fly by. She's also getting really good at spotting kitties on our runs.

Strength: Core (yawwwwnn).

Yoga: 45 minutes.
Yoga was interesting. I like to practice in the dark with just a candle or two to light the room. It’s easier to clear my mind when there are no distractions for me to look at….. until I smelled something burning and I realized the cat’s tail must have grazed the flame. She dashed off and immediately started licking her tail and back leg. She’s fine, but was a little freaked out.

Positive note: That might keep her from snoozing on my coffee table for awhile.
Wednesday: Run 9 miles easy, 1:21:36, 9:04/mi. 12 kitties.
Another easy run with Rachel. Her neighborhood is loaded with kitties and I'm trying to figure out a way to incorporate it into each of my daily runs so I can pad my kitty count and make up for all those trail miles this summer where I saw none.

Yoga: 1 hour. 
It's come to the point in my training where little aches and tight spots creep in. This is my first road season incorporating yoga and at this point I'm not sure if it's helping or hurting, but I'm at least giving it a try. Zoey didn't singe any fur this time, so we'll call it a success. Lately, I've been enjoying online videos, particularly this one (full class #1) recommended by a fellow blogger. I love the sound of the instructor's voice and how it flows with the movements and his music choices. I've tried a couple others but I like this one the best.

Thursday: Run 5 miles, 40:22, 8:04/mi.

I love progression runs. I can start as slow as I want and pick it up until it's comfortably tough. Sometimes, it's a 7:20 pace, sometimes it's 7:40, but either way it's fun to play around with it no matter how I'm feeling. The wind irritated my throat quite a bit and when I finished the run, I immediately fell into a coughing fit. More rain please.

Strength: Core, legs, shoulders.
 It's always easiest to do my strength routine after a fast run. All the endorphins beg me to keep going. The exercises are pretty basic, but I can tell they make a difference, particularly when I get lazy and stop doing them for a couple of weeks.

Friday: 7 miles easy, not timed. 12 kitties.
By this point in my week, it was apparent that my easy runs so far had not been easy enough for proper recovery. I skipped the watch, slowed myself down whenever the effort increased and had a fun day. As mileage builds higher, I usually find my easy pace slow. By the time I taper, it's probably closer to the 9:40/mi range, but I'm not sure since I usually dump my watch to keep me honest.

Saturday: 20 miles, 2:53:09, 8:39/mi. 24 kitties.
I was not looking forward to this run at all. It was the first 20 mile run before CIM and somehow all my running buddies were out of town, so I went solo. This was my first solo long run since Patriots Day 2012 when I ran 16 miles before spectating Matt’s first Boston Marathon. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Since I rarely run with music, it felt like a special treat to jam along to cheesy pop songs for three hours.

After bonking on the 19 miler a couple of weeks ago, I took two salt tabs with me. I don’t know why I’m always surprised when these things make such a HUGE difference, but they definitely do for me.

Fast finish long run.

Then all three of us were super adorable and emailed a little bit about our solo long runs so it felt like we were still training together.

Matt's was on the lakefront path in Chicago,

Rachel's was spent running around a pretty lake in Petaluma.

Totals:
Running: 65
Kitties: 66

Notes: Not a bad week. After several runs solo, I've found myself wondering how I ever ran alone before. Then I realized that I met Matt after just six months as a runner, so I never really have run a lot alone. It's amazing the difference having a training partner makes and this week reminded me of what a truly special relationship we have, both on the roads and off.  

 

Humboldt Redwoods Half Marathon

When I think back on all my previous races, only one or two details stand out. The rest blurs together in a haze of aid stations, pockets stuffed with gels, and early morning wake up calls. Rarely the details are the same. Sometimes I remember my time, like my first BQ marathon or the first time I went sub-30 in the 5K. Others, it's the weather, blizzards, heatwaves, and downpours. Or maybe it's the friends I make during longer races that I remember most. But then there are times when something completely unexpected happens that you can't help but laugh at yourself. This race just happens to be a mixture of all of those things.

Not quite sure when they close the road to my secret parking spot, I arrive just as the sky is beginning to fill with light. Leaving the highway and entering the canopy of the redwood forest, the world darkens again. As others pull in and join me (okay, it's not so secret after all, but the bathrooms never have a line), I'm just finishing up my breakfast. I pick up my packet, pin my bib on, and then hop back in the car to cozy up with the heater.

As I sit there shivering, I think about my race goals. Despite the worst pre-race sleep I've ever had, I'm oddly calm and confident. My goal: marathon race pace, which is 7:49/mi. That translates roughly to a 1:42-1:43 and would break my course PR (1:43:07).  Add in all my favorite trees, how could today be anything less than awesome?

After a few warm up miles with Rachel, Rachele, and Brandon, we duck into the crowd. Brandon sneaks off to join the fast people while Rachel and I stick together. My club rival, Kristal, lines up next to me and says hello. She asks my goal, knowing that if she beats me today, she'll win our age group circuit division. She points at her wrist and the 1:39 pace band, then I tell her my goal. She mumbles something about me probably catching up to her anyway but I dismiss it. It's not about racing her today, I think to myself, but since she's known for blowing up in longer races, if I catch up to her near the end, IT'S ON.

Y. Kim, SRRC photo credit.

Soon we're on our way. Rachel decides to abandon her race plan for the day and run with me. I'm thankful for the company. We spend the first few miles chatting and it hardly feels like a race at all. The air is warm and humid and a light drizzle begins to fall. Thanks to the rain on Saturday, my lungs are the happiest they've been in weeks. I notice I'm soaked through my outfit before the first mile marker and make a note to double up on the aid stations since these weather conditions often dehydrate me more than I realize.

Mile 1: 7:56
Mile 2: 7:33

For a brief moment, I consider picking it up and actually racing, but I'm having so much fun people-watching with Rachel that I restrain myself. I also notice the faint urge to pee but don't want to lose my buddy, so I skip it, knowing she won't wait around for me. Besides, it's usually just nerves anyway.

Mile 3: 7:48
Mile 4: 7:48
Mile 5: 7:51

My legs are still sore from training, but this pace isn't anything new for them and eventually they fall into a rhythm. I take manual splits at each mile and adjust as necessary.

Mile 6: 7:51

We tuck in behind a few men who are running the marathon. They're discussing whether the first half is downhill or uphill. Rachel and I giggle a little as we listen in and then talk about our first time running this course. I'm amused by how our stories are the same: we thought it was downhill on the way out and freaked out a little bit. I've run this course almost a dozen times in several different forms and know if I pace myself well, it feels downhill both ways. That's impossible, but there's some sort of optical illusion with the trees that it truly does appear downhill both ways. Of course, if you're struggling, it's definitely uphill instead. I love hearing outsiders gush about this course. It’s a truly special place and I hope all of you get to see these trees once in your life.

As we approach the turnaround, faster runners are already making their return trip. We cheer for everyone we know and the excitement gives us a little boost.

Mile 7: 7:40
Mile 8: 7:47
Mile 9: 7:48

I grab two cups at the aid station at mile 9, drink quickly as I walk, then pick up the pace to make up some time. Once I'm back near those that didn't stop for water, my body relaxes back into the pace and I feel a little pee sneak into my shorts. Rachel and I aren't chatting anymore but we're passing a lot of people. Who knew that even pacing would make me feel so confident!

Mile 10: 7:36
Mile 11: 7:45

Rachel drops back at the aid station at mile 11 and I'm left alone. I'm still focused on steady pacing until I round a corner and see a familiar purple shirt about a minute ahead: Kristal. Can I really catch her? I shift from training mode to racing and attempt to reel her in.

Tiny hill that always feels like a mountain, return trip is from top to bottom of photo.

I pick up the pace, catch up to Jadon, my home schooled running group buddy, and urge him to come with me. He pulled me to such a fantastic PR at Dow's Prairie, it would be great if we could do the same together today. He mentions something about blisters, matches my pace for a few minutes, and before long fades again on our last uphill of the race, a bridge over the freeway.

Mile 12: 7:47

My whole body tightens up as I coax my legs up the hill. A photographer snaps a picture just as I crest the hill. I smile and feel a wave of relief wash over me as my body relaxes. Apparently, my body relaxed too much because there's a sudden rush of warmth in my shorts.Okay, I guess I'm peeing my pants now, I think to myself, oddly calm about the situation. I look over my shoulder to see if anyone is directly behind me, but the gods are merciful and nobody is there to witness my as shorts become a rain cloud. My shoes squish with every footstep and I lose focus as I begin laughing at myself. Welp, that happened. 

More concerned about wiping that mortified look off my face before I reach Yoon and his camera, I pretty much forget that I'm trying to catch up to Kristal. I wonder if anyone notices but soon realize that today's humid day has worked in my favor. All of that could just as easily been sweat.

Mile 13: 7:46

Y. Kim, SRRC photo credit.

I smile as Yoon snaps a photo of me in all my soggy bottom glory, and it is doubtful I will ever remember this race as anything other than the day I wet my pants.

Mile 13-finish: 0:48 (7:04/mi.)

K. Pocasangre photo credit.

Picking up the pace for one final bridge, my kick begins. I wasn't able to catch my rival, but I could get used to having a kick as strong as this one!

I love this shot! Thanks Kenny! KP photo credit.

1:41:56
7:47/mi.

I finish with a course PR by 81 seconds and right at the pace I had planned for the day. Rachel came in a minute behind me and I told her my story. She said she might have peed herself a little too. Then we talked to Lanore and the first thing she said to us, "Do you mean you've never peed your pants in a race before? Not even an ultra?" Apparently it's something all the cool kids do. I had no idea. I'd prefer if I never get to be cool ever again.

Rachel and I run a couple cooldown miles together and then I dash off to get cleaned up and head back to work. For the rest of the day, I man the food table, trying to coax too many overheated marathoners that they should have a banana and some Gatorade.

What made me a little sad was how excited those at the back of the pack were to see there was any food for them. Too many of them told me that there's often not enough food for them or the food table is already packed up when they finish a five or six hour marathon. Those runners are the ones who will be hungriest, so we made sure to stick around until after the cutoff and had plenty of food. I loaded them up with to-go bags and handfuls of everything we had. "You might not want it now, but since we're about 30 minutes from anywhere, you're going to want it when your stomach settles."

The shirt was really cute this year, too.

I've struggled lately with motivating myself to train hard for CIM, but this weekend was a major help! Good thing too, I'm just heading into my toughest training weeks.

Eagle Creek Run

Trail running can be grueling, it can crazy hilly, it can be exhausting, but some days, like the run along Eagle Creek, are just plain nice. The trail leading from our campground is paved, soon turning to gravel, then to rock. Most every step is easy to run and soon I found myself in that blissful peace that has been eluding my yoga practice. Running has always been where I've most consistently found that peace and I wonder why I spend my time searching for it in other places at all.

The trail climbs at a gentle grade and will continue that way as we make our way upstream. Matt and I take extra time to visit each waterfall along the trail. Some are spectacular, some are small and sometimes the trail exists mostly as access to a swimming hole. As we return to the main trail, we find ourselves passing the same people over and over again.

The canyon narrows as we move upstream. Rain begins to fall, but I don't mind as it only serves to saturate the already vibrant green landscape. Every shade of green intensifies and the technicolor palate of nature almost appears fake.

Before long, we reach the wilderness border. From here, the trail grows rockier, carved out of the steep hillside. We encounter fewer people. Our day's destination has a round trip mileage of fifteen, and I'm sure that deters all but the hardiest of hikers, especially on this rainy Thursday morning.

Just as we think we have the place to ourselves, we come across several larger groups of people, clustered around a viewpoint. I can hear the rush of a great waterfall up ahead but have yet to see it myself. I round a small bend and it comes into view: Tunnel Falls.

Click for a larger view.

As the name suggests, it's a tunnel behind a waterfall. The cool water splashes on me and is a refreshing change from the warm rain that has completely soaked through my outfit.

We huddle against the half-tunnel that is the trail and pull out our lunches. Several other hikers take shelter beneath this earthy overhang too and admire the waterfall.

 

We ask one couple to take our photo. Another asks if we have a bandaid. Matt pulls the first aid kit from his pack and he asks the man what size bandage he'd like. Surprised that we not only have bandages but have them in several sizes, he looks confused for a moment, then mentions he would like the largest one we have. He thanks us and says that we've saved the hike. We watch as he helps his hiking partner remove her shoe and then apply it to her foot. Watching carefully, we wonder what exactly they could be carrying in their large day packs if not a first aid kit.

After our snack, we continue on to the next waterfall, snap a few photos and begin retracing our steps. On gentle climbs like this one, it's never until I turn around that I realize how much we've actually climbed. The return trip passes quickly, each landmark arriving sooner than I expect. By the time we reach the paved trail again, I hear my stomach rumble. As much as I wish it were so, Oreos aren't always the most filling lunch.

Under the shelter of our Subaru's tailgate, we waste no time changing clothes. By the time we're done cleaning up, the rain has stopped. Then it's time for food. We repeat the same meal as the previous night, enjoying a different hard cider, bratwursts, and s'mores. Day turns to night as we snuggle together by the fire, the same peace I found during the run still lingers. Can we become full-time vacationers?

15 miles, ~1,800 ft. gain.

Been too long since my previous post and need a reminder? Check it out: HERE.

Last Week in Training: Oct. 11-17

When I made this training plan several months ago, I wasn't sure what to do about this week. Do I taper and forgo the two weeks of training surrounding the Humboldt Redwoods Half and go for a fast time or do I train straight through it and use it as a long run/marathon pace run combo? Since my previous few weeks have included a lot of activity and few actual speed workouts, I decided on the latter. This mileage is missing a long run since the race was on Sunday, Oct. 18, but here's how my week shook out:

Sunday: 9 miles, 1:20:30, 8:56/mi. 7 kitties.
Easy run the day after my bonked 19 miler. Since I spent much of Saturday on rehydrating myself, screaming through my ice bath, and running on a much drier and cooler day, it went very well. What a difference a day makes.

Monday: Rest!

Did some much needed housework, including removing a clog from the bathroom sink. I hear the water pour out into the drain basin under the pipes and then a little jingle. In my house, help is never far away. Thanks Zoey!

Then I finished my sweater. I still can't believe how well the fit turned out. I tried on pieces of it as I made them and that made a huge difference.

Tuesday: Run 7 miles, 6 @ 7:48/mi. 1 kitty: Miss Zoey.

3.5 mi into the wind felt great, return trip was too warm. Stopped at mile 5 for a drink of water and the break helped produce a really strong finish mile, but I’m probably going to bring my own water in the future so I don’t have to stop at all. Other than that, the run felt strong. My breathing was a little bit louder than I would have liked, but using my inhaler beforehand really helped.

45 minutes of yoga at home, then decided to head into town for the 75 minute class.
This yoga class was hard. While going into peacock pose (basically an upside down forearm stand), the teacher comes up to me and says my elbows are too far apart. She corrects me and I try again, automatically it hurts. Like “the elbow section of my left ulna is screaming” kind of hurt. This isn’t my first class with her (she uses this pose with every group) and I’ve explained my disability before but do so again, assuming she probably forgot. I come out of the pose and readjust to where it feels comfortable, again with my elbows out. This is the only way it doesn’t hurt, lady, I think to myself.
She corrects me again before I’m halfway up. “No, I can’t do this, it hurts too much,” I tell her.

I can’t. 

Those words send me into an emotional tailspin the moment they leave my lips. I pride myself on adapting and finding a way and to realize I truly can’t do what she’s asking crushes me. Frustration is painted all over my face as I choke back tears. I tell her that I’ll sit this one out. I’m left to watch the rest of the class, with their perfectly normal and healthy arms, stretching their feet to the sky.

I think I'm going to continue my yoga practice at home and use the remainder of those gym passes on the swimming pool. I can't seem to find the right class/instructor combination and right now, I need a break from trying.

Wednesday: Run 8.25 miles, 1:10:15, 8:35/mi. 10 kitties.
Matt, Rachel, and I started our outing off with the youth XC meet. Over two hundred kids, kindergarten through eighth grade, raced their little hearts out. It was the perfect mix of adorable and raw emotion to set the tone for a run of our own. I'm so proud to be part of the organization that makes almost a dozen of these meets happen each fall. Then, we ran as the sun set over Humboldt Bay and it was such a wonderful way to end my Wednesday.

Thursday: Run 6.5 miles, 50:53, including 3x1 mile and 2x110yd repeats.

Even though this is slower than the 6:50 I usually run them, I made it in the goal range so it was a success. I added on two 110yd repeats to remind myself of how to run with good form. Not every workout has to be done overachiever style.

(Note to self: Curry for lunch two hours before track workout is not enough time to fully digest. Bonus note: Track workout day should never be the same as upper body massage torture with Heather.)

Friday: Run 6 miles, 54:58, 9:09/mi.14 kitties.
Easy run with Matt. This was a very solid kitty day, a mix of the usual sightings and several new ones. I love that this has become part of our training regimen and that Boat Kitty, Double Wide, Alley Cat, Bum Kitty, Sexy Time Kitties, and their friends join us for these runs. In a way, they help us train because we keep our pace conservative enough to do a thorough search of all the hiding spots along our route.

Saturday: Run 3 miles, 23:54, 7:57/mi. 6 kitties.

Warm up, cool down, and one mile at race pace. Lungs were a bit tight. Can allergy season be over soon?

Totals: 
Miles: 39.75
Kitties: 38

Notes: This is the first week I've followed my training plan exactly as written. My allergies have been flared up a bit since we returned home a few weeks ago, so it's pretty exciting that this one came together like it did. We got a little rain over the weekend so hopefully that will help. More rain please!

Timberline Trail and Lodge

"Bunk beds?" I ask and Matt turns back at me with a puzzled look on his face. I pivot on the bed, facing the laptop screen at him. "Timberline Lodge is cheaper than the Best Western," I explain, "the only catch is that we sleep in bunk beds". Matt realizes that I'm talking about the historic lodge, the one we instantly recognize as the hotel from The Shining. "For $80, we can do bunk beds," Matt agrees.

We arrive after our hike up to McNeil Point just before dark and head for the front desk. The clerk pulls up our Hotels.com reservation and stands there silently, a confused look on her face. She summons her manager, they both whisper in hushed tones before the manager finally says something we can make out, "Well, it's prepaid so we can't change it now." Turns out, we've gotten our rate as a result of some sort of error and it's the lowest one she's ever seen. Sweet.

The rest of the evening is spent cozy in the hot tub, gazing at the stars overhead. For as much as I like camping, I can definitely see the appeal of this place too. I'm sure any return visits will cost two or three times as much as our accidental too cheap bunk bed chalet room.

The next morning, we have some granola in our room and head out for a run. Determined to squeeze some miles in between our late start and checkout, we head out on the trail leading right from the hotel doors. When planning this trip, our first plan was to backpack the Timberline Trail, the one circling around the base of Mt. Hood. When we discovered that part of the trail was officially closed, we switched to the road trip we ultimately settled upon. Now was our chance to see a little bit more of the beauty we missed out on seeing on the backpacking trip.

The air is dusty, dry, and with much less oxygen than our previous run. It's slow and I throw myself up against the red line when tackling the tiniest incline. I curse my thirty-first year, joking to Matt that this must be the year my body gives up. It's been sluggish and sore since my birthday, I argue. But maybe it's the daily bashing it has taken instead. Oh and Karen, you're not even halfway through your week's planned mileage.

We stop often for photos, taking our time and truly savoring our surroundings rather than concerning ourselves with distance and time. We'll go out as far as we can time-wise and then turn around.

Weaving through a forest of trees whose leaves are just beginning to change make me giddy. I miss having a true fall season on the coast. Fortunately enough for me, this trip provided no shortage of fall colors.

Mt. Hood and the alpine landscape provide the perfect backdrop for our photos. I take several shots before moving on again. I can already tell that these will be on my list of all time favorites.

We reach the massive gravel ditch of Zigzag Canyon and are offered unobstructed views of the mountain's summit. A small creek travels through the canyon today, but I'm sure springtime activity is much more exciting.

We pull out what has become one of my favorite pieces of camera gear over the years: the Gorilla Pod. Flexible and small, its legs wrap around trees, balance on rocks, and is not much bigger than the camera itself. Time for a self-portrait in some really pretty natural lighting.

From here, we turn around and retrace our steps. We nosh on the gummy worms Matt finds in his pocket and then begin discussing lunch. Keeping up with this boy turns me into an eating machine!

Back at the hotel, we shower and check out quickly as lunchtime approaches. Before we leave, I talk Matt into exploring a bit. I love wandering around these historic lodges.

Grandiose and timeless, it doesn't take much to imagine what it was like when this place first opened. I especially loved the multi-level stone fireplace.

I snap some photos while Matt scopes out the lunch options. He eyes up the buffet and the restaurant, and once he's smelled the food, I know there's no changing his mind: we're staying for lunch.

Reasoning that a $16 burger or a $20 all you can eat buffet are pretty much the same thing, we head for the buffet. I was sold based on the fact that it came with a dessert table. We sample everything and all of it is delicious.

After I completely clear the plate photographed above, I head to the dessert bar, noticing a chipmunk picking the walnuts off the brownies. Oh well, nature happens. No brownies for me, thanks. I pick up one of each of the offerings sans nuts and split the plate with Matt.

Now with full bellies, we hit the road. Matt takes over as chauffeur and I recline the passenger seat and doze off. Our drive today is relatively short and I enjoy my brief catnap, arriving at our night's destination refreshed and ready to search for the campsite, which now that I've grown spoiled by such decadent luxury, must include a set of hammock trees. Found one!

We crack open a bottle of cider, roast brats over the campfire and then call it a night. Not even tomorrow's forecast of rain is enough to dampen my enthusiasm for tomorrow's long run.

(In case you missed them, here are parts one, two, and three of our trip.)

Settling Down and Settling In

October marks the end of my fifth year as a Californian in California .  By comparison, the previous five years included five different homes in four different states and one other country as I studied abroad and moved a few times for Matt's job. This is the longest I've lived anywhere since the cozy little twin bed in my Upper Michigan hometown.

And I'm not sure what to make of it.

Do I want to settle down? Do I want to continue this semi-nomadic lifestyle? At times, I find myself restless, reluctant to put down roots and call this my forever home. Part of me enjoys the exotic adventure aspect of moving around, taking a bit of time to explore the local area and then moving onto the next place, one so drastically different than the last (the bible belt, the frozen north, and then granola hippie land) that there's never opportunity to get bored.

My first night in California. Oct. 19, 2010.

I sense the excitement of a new place finally wearing off as everyday life here settles to normal. I'm still enamored by the minutia of the redwood forest and take far too many photos of banana slugs, but my everyday life is beginning to lose that sparkle.

First mountain run was, what else?, Grasshopper Peak. February 2011.

On the other hand, I don't think I've ever had such a loving group of friends. All of the people who exist in my social circle are there because we mesh well together, not because they just happen to be my husband's coworker's wife and I'm lonely and not in a position to be choosy with friends. If I hadn't found "my people" here, I'm certain we would have moved on by now.

Skyline to the Sea Trail, July 2013.

My role in the running club continues to grow (still directing my race and now I'm club secretary) and I finally feel like I'm finding my own place in this world, even though it's not traditional enough to draw a regular paycheck.  I'm making a difference in small ways and every volunteer moment spent has been returned tenfold.

Dash of Color 5K, messiest volunteer job to date. April 2014.

Grasshopper Peak Redwoods Run inaugural start (*fingers crossed* Here goes nothing.) June 2014.

So now what? These unsettled thoughts continue to stir in my head, sometimes more frequently and persistent than others, but I'm enjoying the place I'm in right now. I'm learning to accept the fact that I may always be undecided. It still not might be the ideal location (sniffle, cough, sneeze, sneeze), but I'm making the most of my relationships and this breathtaking locale in which I live while it's my home.

Happy Anniversary, California! Overall, you've been good to me!

Tell me you didn't see this one coming. ;)

(I haven't forgotten about the Oregon trip posts, they're coming up next.)

Last Week in Training: October 4-10

Remember when I used to tell you about my training? Where it wasn't a ton of silence punctuated only by race reports? For the past few months, I've been struggling with finding a balance between sharing enough to keep this blog interesting all the while still having private moments where I decide to be present in the moment for the sake of experiencing it, not necessarily thinking about how I will present it on the blog. Sometimes it's important to sit and let life sink in before moving on to the next adventure. This has required a bit of experimenting, thanks for being patient.

For me, road training is centered much more on numbers and I find these weekly recaps helpful when I begin doubting myself during the taper. By sharing this in full on this blog, maybe you'll learn a little through my successes and failures. Maybe the kitty count is the only thing you'll find interesting, that's cool with me. PS- During the weekly recap hiatus, I have been counting kitties. I haven't counted all that I've had for the year, I'm keeping that a surprise for December 31. Will I make it to one kitty purr mile average? We shall see. :)

Sunday: 17 miles, 2:26:40, 8:38/mi. 10 kitties.

The Brooks Launch Long Run group (isn’t it adorable that the three of us wear the same less popular model of shoe?) has been reunited!!!

Rachel’s back from her injury and Matt and I were rested enough to have fun on this one even though it was well faster than most of my runs have been. All three of us are training for CIM so this is just the first of many fun training runs together.

Outtake of this shot back home after our run:
“Can we take another picture? I look high.” - Karen
“Umm, Karen. You are high.” - Matt

Monday: Rest! 

Tuesday: Granite Peak, 8,091 ft.  
(in place of marathon pace run)
Details to reach her summit: 10 miles, 4,600 ft. of gain, and a trio of native Michiganders.

It looks like this. Ouch, my quads!

 I’ve tried to reach the summit of this mountain twice already this year and was thwarted once by not enough daylight and the second time treacherous snowy conditions 200 ft short of the top. This time, when we found out Matt was called to jury duty, we didn’t know if we’d make it at all. But when he called me up at 9:30 and asked if I could leave for the mountains in 30 minutes, I said yes. So did Brad.

I love how their eyes got wide taking in the mountain views and at the moment the post-summit pizza arrived at our table.

Wednesday: Run 7 miles, 1:02:55, 8:59/mi. 20 kitties
Easy day that was anything but easy. Ouch. Poor Quads, I'm so sorry. Add in thirty minutes of "ouch, ouch, ouch" that loosely passed as yoga and you have my day in a nutshell.

Thursday: Run 8 miles,  1:07:50, 8:28/mi. 14 kitties
As it would turn out, Matt and I both had to skip our second speed effort for the week because our legs were so trashed. Would I do it again? Oh hell yes. Mountain girl forever. Turned this run into a progression run to compromise between a week of easy and mile repeats. Then I spent another 45 minutes hanging with my yoga mat and trying to unglue my quad muscles from each other.

Friday: Rest 
Our fall delivery of meat chicks arrived on Wednesday and we spent every bit of our free time preparing for all their cuteness. 
 

Clove supervises construction.

This day off was more to complete the egg hens' new place so we could move the chicks into the bigger house and out of our garage. 

After I shot this video, I played it back on the computer and Zoey ran in to check it out. So cute.

I say this every year, but it's a good thing they don't stay this cute or I'd have trouble eating them.

Oh, and we returned from Oregon to find Zoey scratching fleas off her back. So much vacuuming and scrubbing. Everything, every day for a week, then we wait to see if any more hatch. I'm thankful that we don't have carpet and locked her out of the bedrooms while we were gone, the cleanup process has been a lot easier without as many good hiding places. 

Zoey got a bath and some flea treatment, a daily combings and I can tell she's much less stressed now. One of the most important things I've learned: I have far too many throw pillows.

Saturday: 19 miles, 2:48:42, 8:53/mi. 23 kitties.
Subtitled: How to Bonk Your Long Run.

No wind, 65 degrees, 100% humidity, and I overheated so fast. Nothing evaporated at all. My sports bra is still soaked a full day later. So much sweat, salt, and not enough replacement. Guzzled some Nuun at mile 13 and things started to turn around. Mile 15 hill about killed me (that big down-up spike in the profile is very real). Then the wind picked up somewhere near the end and the fantasies of napping in someone’s yard sort of went away. It’s always good to get these bad long runs out of the way before race day, right? ;)

Totals:
Miles: 61
Kitties: 67

Notes: This week ended up having two long runs in it. We swapped the planned Sunday 9 miler for the Saturday 17 miler so we could coordinate with Rachel. Next week doesn't have any mountains in it, so hopefully I can get more formal speed workouts in. Then it's a half marathon on Oct. 18th that counts for next week's long run.