Qiuck update from Chicago

A couple pictures from our day yesterday..
Hope your warm because its cold in Chicago...

On my way to Chicago...

I am on my way to Chicago right now. I am sitting on the plane blogging. I think that's kinda cool. We are going on a little sight seeing get to know the town vacation. I am excited and my kids are too. We have lots of plans. I have never been to Chicago and according to many people there is lots to see. My dad is also here sleeping right next to me. Yesterday morning I went to Cross fit in Encinitas and my entire body hurts. I know lots of people don't like Cross fit but I have to say that I have never done any type of exercises that has such a great result in such a short amount of time. I really wanted to work out because last night we had a huge dinner at my brothers house and I wanted to make sure I tasted everything guilt free.

I have a couple really cool things to look forward too .
Next week I have an Art Retreat..
oooohhhhhh
Then I am doing this really cool running challenge for the month of December..I will tell you all about later..
Have a great day and I will be back to share Chicago with you later..

Making time..

Making time to be creative is really hard this time of year so I was happy when my girl friend asked me to help her get a project done for our Art Retreat next week.
Seaside Soiree.
I was also happy because guess what I had not started on my project either. So as it turns out last night I made time to create.
I really do wish I had more time at home and less driving that way I could just make stuff but then again I have a great job and I can pay my own bills so maybe what this is creating is a very grateful heart when I do get to just make stuff.

My Girlfriend made the prettiest mermaid and I made a mermaid momma.. I am not done with her yet but she is coming along perfectly..

Hope you day is going well..

and 

Happy Thanksgiving. 

Gratefulness

Thanksgiving is right around the corner..We are all reminded that this is a perfect time to be still and realize all the little things and big things we need to be grateful for .
I am grateful for early bed times for both my kids and myself.
I am grateful for the smell of coffee in the morning.
I am grateful for snail mail , candy bars and flips.
I am also grateful for never ending hugs , clean sheets and pink candles. I am grateful for funky dresses and yellow tights. I am also super duper grateful for my sister. Everyday she is here with me is a blessing. Grateful for life and pretty orange nail polish. Big smiles and kisses.

Post Event Blues

I am sitting here in my house and I am feeling so grateful for my experience last week. I am also feeling sad that it has passed:(
 Is this what they call post race blues or is it that I feel really lucky that I got to spend time with 11 cool ass people. I think it's both... You know how the older you get the harder it is to meet people, especially people who are genuine, real, kind and caring? Last week taught me a couple things about life outside of running.  Ironically the were lessons taught to me by this amazing sport.  The first lesson I learned is to be a better active listener.  The second is don't be shy.  I feel people just want to find good friends. Lastly, is to just be aware of how incredibly lucky I am. I had a great time running with my dad and I cultivated some really cool relationships.  
Last weekend was so great.  I ran in the middle of the night with this amazing skyline in front of me.  Off in the distance were the lights of Las Vegas.  I had cool peeps checking in on me to make sure I was OK.  I pretty much got to experience my favorite hobby ever
under amazing conditions..
Hello Universe and Thank You !!! 

 I wanted to share this video because this is how I felt when my dad was running..

So yes I am feeling a little sad that it has passed. My heart does feel really grateful for the experience.. I am happy that I was not shy about taking pictures.  When I can look back at them I smile. I want to share our group motto.
"No Loffer left behind."
 We are a normal bunch of people who run at all paces. OK not all paces we are not slow we run at the perfect pace. What is that pace?  It's whatever pace your are at .. They try hard to treat each other with respect. They show up for each other. Relationships are the most important part of life. The people we meet, the people we let in to our lives.  That's what life is all about shared, experiences. God knows we all have enough bad ones experiences so when you have a chance to be a part of something special don't think about it. Just do it ! You might just find a group of really nice people like I did. 

I was crazy happy to come home to my little munchkins. They make post race blues go away fast. I hope you are warm and thank you for stopping by and reading my blog all these pictures were taken on my I-phone.
Happy Running

Ragnar Race Report.

The Loffers
That is the name of this really funny group of runners. We made our way to Las Vegas Thursday morning. Our mission was to run the Ragnar Las Vegas. 12 people running 200 miles in 24 hours.

So on our way we go. The way it works is there are 12 people and two vans. 6 people per van. Van 1 gets the first 18 legs and then we hand of the bracelet to Van 2 they run the next 18 and so on. There is not much sleep going on because when you drop of your runner you need to support him or her. 

SKI RESORT START
This year’s Ragnar Relay Las Vegas course is even more scenic and runner friendly than ever.  Teams start at the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort on Mt. Charleston and run down from 8500 feet into the valley below, taking in the views and conquering the challenging terrain.

It was so so so cold. Here we are its 7 am and its like 30 degrees it's also super windy..My poor dad had the first leg and he was also really sick but its a team run so he ran anyway and we hoped he would be ok.

and there he goes of like The Flash. Its very cool watching your dad take part in such a challenging race with you. I cried when I saw him go because I love  being such a huge part of his life. We do things together and the result are great memories.

I want to tell you my dad killed it. He finished 8 minutes ahead of his scheduled time and he did not get sick until after he was done.

This is Gil our team captain. 

This is Natalie and Victoria and Christine. They were in my Van. Van 1 thats the one I was in was made up of 4 girls and two men. Gil and my dad. You can tell in there smiles how lucky we were feeling.

The whole team thing really came through in our Van. You cant tell but Natalie at this point had torn something in her foot but she was a trooper and finished her leg. This was the only leg she would run during this trip. She was injured really bad but she still stayed in the Van for 24 hours helping out and cheering us on. That says a-lot about a person. She is a great team member.

This is me. I think this picture says it all.

I am a happy girl right now.

This is the exchange ...Hanna was in the other Van she is the girl with the turquoise head band. She was the youngest runner with us. She was also an amazing runner. Her mom was with her in there van and they have a really sweet relationship. I hope one day I can run with one of my girls.

I love this picture its Victoria handing of to Hannah.

After we finished our first turn we go back to the van hang out and wait a couple hours .. We eat and talk then eat some more. I almost forget you take as many naps as possible.

 It was so cold.

The sky was beautiful. The night was cold but so clear. You could see all the stars. I really liked the fact that this was more like an adventure run.

This is Christine..Cold and happy.

This is me before my night run. I was so cold I had on 3 shirts and gloves and a north face hat and a north face jacket. I have not done much night running so yes I was super duper over dressed. I got to mile 2 and I had taken of my jacket and shirt and hat. My peeps had great van support they met me soon and took all the extra clothes.. Lesson learned when running one warms up really quickly.

Now its the next day and leg 3 is under way...

This is Gil.. I am telling you running makes you want to jump with joy.

Here I am again. My last leg was 10 miles and I was sad that this whole experience would soon be over..So I told myself to take it easy and just be present. 

Thats me in the blue. I had about a mile to go and I passed the girl in front of me and did not let the bald man on left pass me. I feeling a little competitive..It was fun.

The terrain was beautiful. Las Vegas is pretty nice.

This is the finish line and that Anita on our team crossing the finish line .

Here is my killer medal. Its a bottle opener too.
I really like doing this but you have to be a part of 12 people you like. You end up spending a lot of time with your group member in a really small space. You have to work well together and be willing to help out every chance you get so that its a good experience for everyone..This race is a-lot of work.. I ran 26 miles  and that as not as hard as not sleeping to much and having to be in a van for so many hours. Your body get tight. I am really lucky I was able to be with such a cool group of runners and that we all got along.  Running can take you many places and this time it took me to vegas...

My Secret Garden

Hello and good morning !!
yesterday on my way to work since I had an extra 30 minutes I decided to stop by the lagoon in Solana Beach. To my surprise I was the only one out there and the stillness filled me up with that quite serenity I need. The fog completely filled the sky and there was a slight chill in the air. 

 This is a great time a year to stop for a bit and just let your self be. 

On my little adventure to stop and go out of my way I found my little secret garden. I am not going to tell anyone else about this little place. I am going to keep it a secret. 

Openwork Beanie/ The Ragnar

I have a new book. Crochet Boutique by Rachael Oglesby
I am once again inspired to bring out the yarn and sit on the couch and crochet my little heart away. My first project was this cute beanie. The instructions were simple, easy to follow and the pictures make you want to crochet. 

I wont get a chance to do much this weekend since I will be going to Vegas to run the Ragnar Race.  The Ragnar is an overnight running relay race that makes testing your limits a team sport. A team is made up of 6-12 individuals; each individual runs 3 legs. The legs of the race vary in difficulty and distance, from 3-8 miles, allowing elite and novice runners to run together. Over 2 days and 1 night, teams run across 200 miles of the country’s most scenic terrain. Pair that with crazy costumes, inside jokes, a great finish line party and unforgettable stories. Some call it a slumber party without sleep, pillows or deodorant.

I will be running 3 legs totaling 26 miles.  My dad will be coming with me too. This should be an interesting weekend. I will make sure to take lots of pictures. I just want to say that I feel incredibly grateful for my health. I love that I can run and swim and that even though I drive a lot for work I am so happy I have a job. I am grateful that God blessed me with my wonderful children. I totally understand that the most important things in life can not be bought they have to be felt with our heart.

xoxo

G

26.4 Miles of an Organized Fun Run

Saturday morning was an early morning. We drove up to the mountains and we needed to be there by 6am. This means I needed to be up and showered by 5:30am ( I have to take a shower or I just have a hard time waking up) I have to have coffee and have all my stuff ready..Oh I also have to eat something. Luckily I was not driving so I just got to enjoy the drive..with my eyes closed. 

I feel like I am new to running on trails. I am really afraid of getting lost so I have stayed away from running in the mountains alone for this reason but organized trail runs or races are different because you get a very detailed map and they mark the whole trail for you. I still somehow manage to get off track just a bit but I always find my way back. I just feel way better about knowing I am not alone and on a trail run all I have to do if I feel lost is either wait for another runner or go back to the last marker. This getting lost thing has been a huge fear for me to get over. I ran the Mount Laguna Marathon fun run this Saturday and I feel I am still on my runners high. I am so tired but I am so happy. A couple things I really liked about this run is first  of all I liked how we all 60 runners got together in little  auditorium and they explained to us all about the run . How it came to be and all the safety requirements. I loved how they reminded everyone  not to litter and to take good care of the trail. It made me feel like we were all running together not against each other. This seems to be the biggest difference to me between road races and trail races. I don't feel that competitiveness that separates people. These races to me do not give that vibe. They seem to be more laid back and family like. I hope that makes sense. 

See the pink ribbon that was the marker that kept me from getting lost. The weather was perfect it looks hot in these picture but it was cool. It was great because I felt rested and therefor I knew I would be fine. The first 15 miles I ran with friends and met new ones too. I met this lady who was 63 years old running with her friend that was 70 and this was there training run . I asked for what and she told me how she always wanted to run the rim to rim.. Thats the Grand Canyon.. Crazy great hu.. She told me about how healthy and great she felt and how her friend who was 70 was in great shape and now was the time so they would spend this Thanksgiving running the Grand Canyon. I love stories like these. They inspire me to keep running and keep dreaming.

I am always trying to find the right clothes for these types of runs. I have found that for me the target champion sports bra are my favorite. I wore capris for the first time too and they were ok but I prefer shorts. I have to try all these combinations of clothes so I can get comfy. I wore my camelback over a tank top and I did not chafe either..Nice

I took this picture at mile 16 I think. I could not have felt happier on a run. I would just turn in a circle and look all around and I would smile. You know that feeling when someone is playing an acoustic guitar solo and it just feels good inside your soul and moves you because it sounds so good that's what I felt when looking at the view..Overwhelmed with all the beauty that surrounded me.

I ran at about a 13 minute mile pace. This pace allows you to take it all in..and this also seems to be the pace I can go at and not get tired.. I know I will have to practice running faster on trails soon but for now this pace is working just fine. I feel lucky that I did not hit the wall or feel bad at any point of this run. The biggest thing I have to work at is not looking down so much because my back really starts to hurt after a while. Not looking down will come with time. It means I will have to work at trusting my footing when running. Practice Practice Practice

There was a part of the trail where you are surrounded by trees and your stepping on leaves and its yellow and orange all around you. I was digging my surroundings. I was feeling so blessed and lucky.. so corny but I spend most of my days with my sister and she has never been able to walk or talk so when I get to enjoy stuff like this I just feel lucky and so grateful.

Even though it was a fun run it was still the length of a marathon so someone hand made these medals. I think this is one of my favorite medals and I know it is also my favorite trail runs. I do love running when it does not get hot..the heat is no bueno for me

Mount Laguna Trail marathon fun run was a huge success if you ask me. Oh I ran it in 6 hours and yes I was ready to be done but at the same time I could of just hung out there for a while... Experiences like these leave me wishing I had an RV or a cabin in the woods ..One day ..

Its the first of November

Paola asked me to take her this concert and I was busy but I really wish I would of made time to go. Here is a good happy song because music is a great way to escape and somehow it just can make you smile. Do you have plans for this month..I will share mine tonight.