30 seconds of bliss

Back to the PCT

This past weekend we hit the trails again because that is what you do when you are training. I feel like I can not miss any training runs right now because the race is getting closer . The long runs are the really important ones to me. They help with my self confidence. These are races that for me I need to believe 100 percent I can do in order to be successful. So back to back long runs in my book just can't be missed. I drove back up to the PCT to meet my friends. 

I was the only girl and the only slow person to show up. That meant this guys because they are total gentlemen would be waiting every couple miles for me. I always feel bad when I hold people back. In my head I just pushed and looked at the bright side at least they cared enough to wait and you can only apologize so many times for being the turtle. So I embraced it and just kept plugging along.

Here we are again. My friend Robert and me. He was the lucky one who waited most of the time . My IT band hates the trails. It has been really bothering me. I really hope it clears up soon because I am going to run either way.

The guys ran 25 miles I ran 22. It felt like a long day but I was always feel so lucky to be out here. It was a fun not to hot kinda run day. I love that. I had to push myself because all I wanted was to take nap many times. I hope you had a good weekend full of movement too.

Simple Life

Hi.. I have been doing a-lot of this so far. Taking care of a toddler is a full time job my older kids are reletively easy . We are in the fantastic phase of climbing. Climbing chairs , sofas any hill that may cross our path. His little tykes house outside the list goes on.  My job right now is to keep this little guy safe. So when he naps I either nap because I am just tired or I clean. Does this sound familiar to anyone ? I have been finding it hard to get my runs in so I joined a gym and I will be doing my weekday days runs there. That way I can go once everyone has had dinner and I won't feel any guilt. I cannot remember the last time I ran on a treadmill. I am sure it will be fine. Boring but fine. I only have a little over 2 months to train for my big race so I do not want to take any chances and slack off.
I am loving taking care of this little guy. I am navigating through screaming and tantrums and really trying to just guide this little person and teaching him right from wrong but now that I am older  I understand how to do that better. He is a blast and I am over the moon in love with him. He dances and kisses me all the time. He holds my hand when he watches TV. I could not ask for anything more. Life is simple and I like it that way.

The PCT

This morning I was up at 4:30 and I made it early to my destination. The beautiful PCT. 

Picture credit to Becca Roan

I had a wonderful 20 mile run , Maybe not all 20 miles where wonderful but most of them felt really good. The weather was perfect too. It never got hot or cold… the only bad part is my knee hurt then and it hurts more now. So here is to taking good care of ourselves so we can keep doing what we love. Happy Trails.

Do you ever get that reminder of something you love but you forgot you loved it. One of my friends sent me this really cool reminder of that tonight.. It made me feel so good.

Some Sweet Tunes

Race Pictures

These are the pictures from The Old West 50k. I always look forward to getting the pictures back. I either look crazy or like I am dying or like I am having a great time. I look happy here and I was. I definitely want to go back next year. 

This is the finish line picture. Yeah I am done and thats the best thing that could happen after 6 hours….to finish !!!

Today

And just like that 4 days later I feel like myself again. I am being totally honest here. The day after this race I felt like I was out of it all day. I was tired and just grumpy. I still did all my mom duties but man it was hard. Then monday I just felt well sad . Tuesday was better but today I feel like myself again. Running 31 miles is a long way and that really leaves me feeling like oh shit ! I am running 100 miles soon. WTF  yeah thats what I am feeling. So today I am just taking advantage of the fact that I feel really happy and like painting. So tomorrow its back to running and for now Jack and I are home . That means I am cooking doing laundry , making beds and chasing Jack.

The Old West trail 50k ultra and 30k fun run.

Today I ran The Old West trails 50k ultra and 30k fun run. My dad went with me and I drove there at 4 am and he drove me home. I have never been to Shelter Valley before it was really pretty there. Specifically, in the morning before it got hot. When we got there it was 5:50am and I needed to pick up my bib by 6 am so I was feeling nervous about the getting there on time. I forgot how cool it is to get out of your car so early and see all the runners with flash lights or their phones making there way to the registration desk. I could smell breakfast at the recreation room and just made my way in there. They had serious breakfast situation going on in there. It was well lit and it was nice to see familiar faces and say hi and to hug old friends. I love the shirt it is so soft I am wearing it now. 

Here I am all excited and a little bit nervous . I saw lots of really good people I knew and that's always nice. I love the people that run these races because they are all so real. I was so conflicted as I always am about how much clothes to wear. I knew I would get warm with in 30 minutes but it was cold so I wore my long sleeve shirt. (someday I will suck it up for 30 minutes bc I waste so much time changing )

So off we go. The first 5 miles it was cold but it started warming up quickly. It was really pretty out there and the course was marked so well. It felt good to know I would not get lost today. I love knowing I won't get lost it takes a huge weight of my shoulders. I started near the back and I knew I had a long day ahead so I was fine.

This is what most of the course looked it. It was beautiful. I did stop to pee and take of one layer of clothes and I lost Mike's Garmin. :(  I put it down while I changed and when I looked down to get it it was gone. Everything looked the same so I think I must of taken a couple steps while doing that and then I just could not see it. I looked for 20 minutes and I just got more confused. Things looks so much alike in the dessert. So sad but its my fault. If I would of listened to myself and not wore the long sleeve I would of been fine. 

It took me 6:45 minutes to run 31 miles today. I came in 4th in my division. It was warm but my legs did not feel rested and I have felt so tired lately so I was happy with my time. To be completely honest, I am grateful I am healthy enough to complete a race of this distance. So if it took me 6:45 minutes then, hey, that's great. When taking on a challenge like this it is important to stay positive because I am happy. 

All in all it was a great day. The volunteers were awesome, kind and very helpful. They were excited to see you come in and cheered for you. They also cheered when you left. They had lots of good compliments too. This was a really well put on event/race. Everything seemed to go smoothly and they really cared. I also loved my leather medal.  

Another crazy run put on in the town of Julian, California. The heat did not affect me as much as I thought it would. I definitely made myself drink a ton of water (over and over and over). I almost forgot to tell you after I was done there was a full on buffet waiting for me.  

OH G

Things that I have to remind myself.
I am a lucky girl just because I am here.
I am lucky because I am healthy.
I really need to pat myself on the back and say good job G.
I have an awesome big sister that I love .
I need to remember to tell her more.
I need to stop. That's hard for for I am a little hyper.
I still need to stop and take it in and say I love you.
You can't say I love you enough.
Mt girl friend Kolleen posted this
Love is greater than pain.
Love always wins.
I am a lucky girl because I choose to love.
the end.
This is a little reminder to myself.
G

My Day in Pictures

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Hard Rock Timothy Olson

The San Diego Half Marathon

I really had a hard time getting out of the house this morning. It took everything I had to be in the car at 6am. I was excited but  when I don't sleep more than 4 hours I get anxious so my tummy felt bad and I was anxious just from being so tired. I honestly don't think I would have gone if my dad was not waiting for me and if I did not keep in mind that the 100 miler would be harder than having to get up and run so I chalked it up to training. I knew I would be slow but I also knew I would see a bunch of people I love so of I went. This is my 4th San Diego half and I ran a 2:18. My best time is 1:50 in 2012. I was so tired this Sunday I really didn't care how slow I ran but what I wanted was to know I tried and gave whatever I had left to give and I did. 

The race is amazing. I love running in Down town and along the water in San Diego. It is truly an amazing place to live. The weather is always so good. 

So here I am with my dad at mile 2. He beat me this year by 1 minute. Way to go dad..I saw so many friends and by mile 6 I was warmed up and having a great time. I even forgot I was tired. 

Here I am with my big Ass medal. My head looks huge in the picture. I love my smile because thats how I felt. Happy running juices where flowing… That concluded my running weekend madness ..I hope you had a fun weekend and just remember all you have to do is show up and give 100%. Then smile and just know your amazing.

Birthday Dinner ..Yes, please

One of my best friends invited Isabella and I to go to dinner and the Russian Ballet for her Birthday. I knew I would be tired after Saturdays run but How can you say no to a wonderful invitation like that. My daughter and her daughter have been friends since kindergarten . They both take ballet and it was Isabella's 12th Birthday. Dinner was so good and the ballet was incredible. The Ballet was in Long beach so I ended up getting home at 3am . That was late specially because it was daylight savings time and I had a half marathon at 7am. I just thought about how at the 100 miler I will be very tired so I should practice being tired and running so thats what I did.

Back to the Mountains I Go

This weekend was crazy busy. Crazy busy.. I want to start this post by saying that I have been just so tired lately and have thought to myself maybe this is way to much. Maybe I can't run this much and still have a life so what I decided was I am getting my miles in but on the weekdays I am going at whatever pace I go at. I am not worried about how fast I go. I am putting in the miles and some are at a great pace and some are slow. I have come to an understanding within myself and thank you running for teaching me this very important lesson. I am not running to win a race and the truth I can't run that fast. I am not going to lie and say I wouldn't love too run super fast because I would love to know what that feels like but I am an average pace runner and I love it. I am always enough when I run because I am giving 100% and that is enough. I love the humility I am taught by the distances I run. This is kinda funny or sad I don't know but so many times when I do the longer runs I do not want it to end. I feel like when you go out with your girlfriends and you know you all have to go home but its just getting good. That's the feeling I get. Just one more mile please….
My big race is really coming up. June 6th my first 100 miler. Holy Shit !!! I am training with an amazing group of runners. This weekend we had a 22 mile run on Saturday. It was a challenging run and its was mostly up hill. We ran the first half of the PCT 50 miler. It was beautiful to be back in the mountains. Have I mentioned I love the mountains. One day when my kids are grown I will move to the mountains. I just feel like I am supposed to be there. I loved everything that surrounded me on our run. Yes, I felt like I got my butt kicked but that's good. I am just going to keep on going to the mountains and running and eventually I will get it. I am not giving up and when I go out to run the ultras I have chosen to run this year I will be bringing with me all these hard training runs that kicked my butt and it will be because of them I can confidently show up. 

So here I am sitting and resting because we still had 7 miles to go. Becca took this picture of me. See I am a happy runner. A very happy tired runner. The best thing to be for me. 

March 4th

Here we are March is in full swing. Does anyone else feel like time is just flying by. I can't seem to find a slow day just slow moments. I chose the word adventure for this month because Isabella turned 12 today and her beautiful brave soul is so adventurous. I feel so lucky that I get to love this girl and be her mommy. I also chose Adventure because I have 2 races this month and all these races are adventures for me. They are my night out on the town and what I look forward too. I get to dress for the occasion and then run for hours. Hey what else can a girl ask for. 

So here we go March. I am excited once again to cook for my family. Excited to run and celebrate life ! I might even take a mini camping trip the idea seems fun. 

March

March is already here and I can't recall when I felt like time was going by so quickly before. I can not tell a lie I am really glad its a new month and a new week. I felt sad a-lot last month and my mojo was missing. I really do not know why either . I woke up this morning to rain and I do love the rain but when you have a little man that just wants to go outside it makes it more challenging to stay in doors. There was about a 3 hours break in the rain today and I got a quick 4 miles in while he napped and then Jack and I played in the puddles for about an hour or so. Sometimes I feel silly writing about running and my stuff with all the things that are going on in the world . I think this has become my escape happy place.  I took the time tonight to write out my  training schedule and I am looking forward to getting all my miles in. I also have 3 fun races this month. A half marathon and two 50k runs. There you go I will be running this month aside from all the mommy duties. My daughter and dad have Birthdays this month too. I hope this month got of to a good start for you and lets try and stay positive this month. I am going to find the bright side this month.