A small List of fun

This month seem to slip right under me . It was slow at times just like summer is supposed to be. At other times my emotions took me for a ride on Space Mountain. I am happy to be done with July. Lets see I gained about 10 pounds this month.  Thats what happens when I don't feel like running. I feel like eating. I could blame it on being over 40 but I think I will blame it on being lazy. Honestly I care but I know as soon as I decide to start working out I will be back down to my 120 normal weight. My oldest went away to summer camp and I cried like a baby. I have never felt that kind of sadness before . The one when your kids leave. I am not looking forward to having him or Isa go to college. Jack is turning 2 in August. I am in total Love with my crazy active toddler.

So there are couple things I am looking forward to in August. I thought I would list them here.
I love Sussanah Conway . I admire her view on life . I love her pictures and I really enjoy reading her blog. She mentioned her August Break and well you can read all about it here.
1. Sussanah Conway
Then there is Ali Edwards . I am a huge fan. I have been reading her blog for years and years. She is simply inspiring and always pushes us in the direction of documenting our stories. In August she has her week in the life coming up. I bought my kit . ( I love it ) I am so looking forward to doing my best to document our story.
2. Ali Edwards 
 I have a race coming up. The Julian Station Full Moon Run. Its a 12 or 24 hour run .  You do 1 mile loops. Sounds crazy but I hear there lots of fun. I am doing the 12 hour run and hoping to get 50 miles in. That might be wish full thinking but aim high right ?
3. The Julian Full Moon Run 
 Here is a blog I am so enjoying reading. Her name is Beth and she just moved to London with her family . 4 kids and her husband. She is documenting her adventure. Beth takes great pictures and she is a really good writer. I love blogs that take me a;one for a ride.
4. A box of Chocolates
I met this girl about 7 years ago. She was teaching a Scrapbooking Class at The Pink Pineapple. She is so talented and organized. Her blog is rocking and she shares everything from cleaning your bathroom to layouts and so many DIY.
5.  Just JP
My go to running inspiration and get me in the mood to run is Competitor website. Its full of great stories.
6. Competitor 

Those are some fun things I have been crushing on. Sometimes its fun to relax and look at what someone else is reading. Have a great day.

Noble Canyon training run

 Yesterdays training run was at Noble Canyon. That's about an hour and a half from my house. The lovely part was that we started at 8am. That's almost like cheating. It did get hot really fast and I was not feeling great but I showed up and did what I could. That was a run walk for 14 miles. I hope I get my mojo back I do miss happy running. The canyon is beautiful and it had a great stream. I love running with water around. 

 First you go down the canyon then you go up...

You have to love finding shade. Everything is cooler and somehow the shade seems so good. Happy trails friends. 

A couple ways to beat the I feel like crap after running that long way.

I got up super early this morning only to find myself slowly emerging from a low place. It can't always be wonderful everybody knows that right ? but when your in the low place it feels like your the only one. When your in it it totally sucks. I usually experience what I call the marathon blues. I would train for a marathon and then after the event I would feel sad for a while. It did not always happen but it happened. I spent  so many months training for my first 100 mile run and its over and it was crazy amazing and super hard for me. I loved and hated it. I actually thought about this before the race. Will I get sad after this race ?  I really hoped I wouldn't. I did. I am kinda. I have been feeling a tired sad , but this morning I started felling better. 

So I wanted to share a couple of things that I did to help me out of the dark cloud. The first thing is I had to stop lying to myself and say ," Its OK to be sad G" ,  fallowed by," G your sad". OK so accept what your feeling and you have to feel it. 

Second you have to make yourself practice some discipline. This happens when your tired of being sad or when your ready to start trying something. You shower first in the morning make your bed and put on your makeup and dress up. You can't forget the mascara there is something about wearing mascara that pulls it all together. If your a man shower shave and put on something nice. All this before you leave your room. It really helps. 

Third. I am a stay at home mom so for me It means get out of the house G.  I go to out with my kids and we do stuff. Even if that's only for 3 hours. Get out of your house . Do something out of the norm. Go have coffee at a coffee shop. Go window shopping or even better go hang out with a friend. Get out of your bubble looking cute. 

Fourth. OK I have not really wanted to run to much but EXERCISE is key. Just go outside walk, run, jog, ride your bike . The movement helps you feel better so much faster. 

Fifth. Plan another race hurry up. Plan an outing with your friends . Give yourself something to look forward too. It funny how I feel I can share the glitter in my life. Life is not like that so here you go. I hope this helps a little.

 Oh I almost forgot do something nice for someone. Send happy mail or pay it forward at Starbucks or TacoBell. That always makes me feel better and this post was about how to feel better after running a long long way. 

A Sunday run with my dad

Not so fun Saturday

This weekend did not go as planned. I had so much to do and I ended up getting a migraine . It was so bad I just cried. There was no way I could run today and I hope tomorrow if my head feels better I can go for a short run.  I also think I have been fighting something because this last week really kicked my butt. My fatigue level has been crazy. I have taken a long nap every day, everyday . Maybe thats why I got this crazy headache. All I can do is hope it goes away now. Then life will go back to normal. Me chasing this little guy around. Cooking for my older kids and me hitting the street with my Hokas. I hope your having a great weekend. 

Letting go

It is that half way through the week kind of day. Jack has been trying to paint with me. I figure since the poor kid sat in the stroller for a good while this morning I would somehow just control what I could and find a way to let him paint. This was a good lesson in letting go and letting my 20 month old just go. I put paper down and gave him a couple paint brushes and he insisted on what colors he wanted and I just went with it. I did take lots of deep breathes and I did have to clean paint of the table and desk but we made it. After about 20 minutes he was done and I like his work of art. It was worth it. I just let him paint mess and all.

 I have been feeling really tired and so I am still running but the last two days I am just letting go and walking when I am to tired to run. I am fighting a cold so that  could be it. 

This week is going to be my its ok to relax and let go kinda of week with no guilt attached for walking. We can't control everything right ?   Deep breath  G and just let it go.

“In the process of letting go you will lose many things from the past, but you will find yourself.”– Deepak Chopra

Paintings and a couple of good runs

What did you do this weekend ? I got crafty and Athletic. That sounds a little funny but I did. First I really wanted to finish my painting for Jacks nursery . A small part of me is doing the happy dance because I really love it. I love the colors and I feel like Jack has brought so much Joy and love into our lives that lots of color is so my little man to me. This canvas started out at a Hot air Balloon and I think its so perfect when you start and have all these layers of stuff going on and then boom all of a sudden you see a picture and it takes your painting to a completely different place. 

This is the picture that inspired my painting. He was so little its hard to believe he will be 2 soon.  I have loved every minute of being a mom.  I also love the fact that I had a 28 mile weekend. I got both my runs in and even though I didn't go to the mountains to run I ran. So this week I start training again. No more excuses or missed runs I have a schedule and I am sticking to it. I even have new Hokas…Miss G is happy now all I need is a new pack and I will be good to go. Happy Monday peeps.

Today my favorite color is green

Finding Inspiration

Sometimes when I really want to create but I just keep putting it of I find the best way to get myself going is to play a game. I call it my Jump Start challenge. This is how it goes. This time I started with a canvas I lost interest in a while ago. It had a lot of colors going on. I set up a couple colors and give myself 1 hour and I take a picture before and put it on Instagram. It helps me get excited when I post it. Then 30 minutes later I take another picture and then 1 hour later I see what I did. This does not mean I am finished just farther than I would of been if I would not have done it. I get inspired and because I am on a time crunch I can't over think it. I usually do not finish but I get close. One more hour on this picture and I will be done. I am going to put it in Jacks nursery.
I hate to change the subject but I am…

Look at this Rad picture from Western States.This is Jeff he ran Western States and finished it this year and I paced him for 38 miles. After the big meeting in Auburn we saw Sally Mcrae and she took a picture with us. She inspires me to work harder. I am a fan of the yellow runner. One of the things I really liked about her was how friendly she was and she makes eye contact when you talk to her. She has a very sweet personality and she is a bad ass runner and she is a mom. I love it. So I had to share. Can you see my huge smile ? I was kinda excited. Have you ever taken a picture with someone you totally look up too ? Here is mine..

Yes, Please

Saturday Story

Today I went for a 10 mile run. I need to start getting myself in the right rhythm . The first 3 miles hurt but once I got warmed up I seem to be fine. My favorite miles 7 to 10. I felt warmed up and happy. I was running this morning and it was hot  and I was in that good place and for some reason today I was thinking about the men who have passed away in my life. I like to remember things they did or the way they looked. I like to remember there voice and I can hear them in my head. Well as I was thinking about them I thought to myself I really wanted a candy and I pictured myself younger wanting a candy. I know kinda strange but oh well. Then I stop look in my water bottle holder and there was a now and later candy. I don't know how it got there but I would like to think they had something to do with it. It was very cool it put a huge smile on my face. Love on the trails.

Joy in Running

Its funny I don't remember where I took this picture. I am sitting in my living room and I can't sleep because I was so tired today that after my 2 hour nap in the middle of the day I had a cup of coffee and here I am. I have been thinking a-lot about the amount of hours I have spent  running , hiking the last two months. I feel like a glass that is completely full when I run. I also get that recovering from being full takes time and sleep. It has been such a Joy to have all those memories. My favorite one is when I stood up on a rock at the SD100 and just held my arms out because I felt so alive. I hope I can keep running until I am really old. There is just something magical about being outside and being able to move for miles and miles. Its almost like you have some king of super power. The being completely present power. Maybe that's it . So many people talk about being in the now. I feel that when I am with my almost 2 year old because he is so real and raw. I also get that when I am running and tired and hot and things hurt a little bit. You know you feel your body its asking you for something and you know it. Maybe that's why the longer distance can be so rewarding because there is no escaping the you in your own pain and I will take that any day. I want that time with myself. When your raw like that its so good. For me anyway I like breaking down and away from all the crap and just knowing everything will be just fine because here I am and I am just fine. I hope I don't forget that ever. I hope I always find the Joy in the me that runs.

What a weekend #WS100

Here he is starting on the first mile of 100. I was really honored to be able to share in such an epic time of this families life. There was so much going on. There are so many things that have to be in place to have a successful race of this magnitude. His wife  

(my best friend) took great care in making sure all his nutrition was taken care of during the next 30 hours. He made sure she knew where to go and what was going on by making a great book for her all the important stuff was highlighted. His mom and daughter where so supportive . It was just awesome to see them all work so well as a team that had one goal in mind that goal was to make sure they did everything in there power to make his race easier. Of course Jef had to run the entire thing but I am sure he felt the love and support of his team. They all 100 percent wanted him to have the best 100 mile race. That was awesome to see. So where do fit in I got to pace him. It was a great experience. 

There is nothing easy about running Western States.  The course looks brutal and the first 50 miles will kick your ass. When we saw Jeff at Robinsons Flat I thought oh man he he does not look good.  His wife said to me "this is only mile 29" . She took care of him and then we he left we held hands and prayed that all would be ok. Then by mile 38 when he saw his mom he seem to be doing way better.  It was just crazy to see all these people looking so bad. It was super hot and muggy. At this time of the day no one looked happy. It was even hard getting to see your runner at the air station at this time of day. 

I met him at Forrest Hill mile 62. It was 10 pm and I took a 2 hour nap in the day so I felt ready. I was super nervous just because hello its Western States and I wanted to do a good job. I wanted to be the pacer he needed me to be. I just kept praying for that. I wanted to be strong and after my experience at San Diego I figured staying up late was not my thing. I was fine and I was myself and we didn't talk to much but we kept some communication going. I was so impressed because Jeff never complained not once. He ran 80 percent of the time because we had to make up some time. I was trying to keep up with him. I was not going to tell him that but his hike was my jog. It was so cool watching the sun come up and watching Jeff start to move with a spring in his step because now we knew he was going to make it and he did just that. He finished his first Western States 100 mile run. In 29 hours and 29 minutes.. It was a beautiful thing to watch. 

Running is the greatest metaphor for life because you get out of it what you put into it.  Oprah 

It was an amazing weekend . I love my friend C more because I got to see her shine taking great care of her man. I will forever be inspired by Jeff's performance. I feel so grateful for the opportunity to pace such a good friend. It was worth the 20 hour drive. So friends there is no dream to small you just have to start. Congratulations to #teamhooker .