Climbs and Crossings

Valparaiso, Indiana somewhere around 1996 or 97...could be 98: I'm in the car with Laur, maybe Trish, and Josh and his friend Valerie. We are probably on our way to Night Owl because our friends have a Ska band. Valerie is in the back, and I'm turned around to look at her while she starts talking about how she's been to California and all she wants to do is go back because it's the best place she's ever been. This is the first time I've ever heard of Santa Cruz, the first time I've heard someone talk about having been to California, and I'm trying to imagine everything she's describing while at the same time secretly wishing that someday I'll get to see the Pacific Ocean, too.  Clockwise from the top left in Indiana: Trish, me, Valerie, and Laur. In Indiana. INDIANA. I think about that moment in the car all those years ago and a bunch others like it when I'm experiencing something beautiful and amazing that I could never have ever im...

Chapter 1 - RACE REPORT My 4:30am last Saturday and every Saturday.     8 hours of work later, I was shoving Gu and tape into my gear bag in a frenzy so that we could blow town and head for the ocean. Allison came with us because she's NEVER BEEN TO PACIFICA. I know, right? There was a slight detour to REI in San Francisco before we made our way down the coast to Rockaway Beach. I just started watching Lost and I'm on season 5 so I pretty much have a whole different perspective when looking out at the ocean. Shenanigans ensued during the evening. I've discovered Vine and took way too many videos, but I was in bed by ten...thirty...ish to be up in the morning for the 8am start of Coastal's Montara Mountain half marathon. The lot at the park filled early, so everyone coming in was directed to park along the streets- the neighborhood streets, like sleepy Sunday morning neighborhood streets. Streets with houses full of people that in no way expected to wa...

A light mist was falling as I wound my way up King's Mountain Road to Huddart Park last Saturday morning. Running again in Woodside, the race company was different, but the course was exactly the same with an out and back added to make it a half marathon. My plan was to run steady and conservative on the first half of uphill and then cruise on the downhill. The start is downhill across a wide open field to the start of the trail. Within a hundred yards there is a sharp turn around a fence that brings the pack to a dead stop as we funnel out down the single track. I knew I was running the first mile fast, but I like to think of it as taking advantage of the early downhills...plus it was fun. I flew, and then I began the long 5ish mile climb. About a third of the way up my legs decided they were done. Like DONE. I felt like I was crawling. The week before I had plowed uphill steadily feeling strong, but now, my legs felt like cement blocks. Finally reaching the top after a final ...

The Half Marathon formerly known as the Stockton Half Marathon. Kind of. It's the same course. A month earlier than last year. Organized by different people. And called something different. Confused? Me too.  I hadn't run a Half road race since this one...or this other one in Stockton around this time last year. Since the course was the same, my only goal was to beat my time from last year. I figured with all the trail time I've put in, it should have been a breeze. I'll cut to the chase. It didn't happen. And it didn't happen by about 6 minutes.  At the start. I'm the head in the middle, smiling like a dork.  How many of you have race photos that include orange plastic fencing AND a big rig?  I do enjoy being able to ignore posted signs. Road closed? I don't think so.  The point is not to put Stockton on blast for not being the most scenic place to run. Or complain and theorize about why  it wasn't my day or even to dwell on and feel dis...

June was my last race. I needed a pick me up, a motivational boost, a challenge, a test, something to kick my own ass. This was that.  Looking at the elevation profile I tried to convince myself it looked easier than my previous 21k at  Tilden Park  where I used such descriptive terms as "surviving death", "treacherous", "dying for salt", etc. Eventually, I stopped kidding myself and accepted my doom.  Saturday morning, still dark, we were on the road toward Martinez. Obviously there was a Starbucks stop along the way before arriving at beautiful Briones Regional Park for my first run with Brazen Racing. I picked up my bib, timing chip, t shirt, and goody bag... Taken by a volunteer, this is me probably waiting in line, definitely contemplating  my life's purpose.  went to the bathroom about 800 times, laced up, geared up, vaselined up, and I was ready to go.  My prayer to the running gods was clearly working.  Here's some for...

There was to be a Half Marathon completed the day before the Marathon, and then all three golden medals would be ours. THE GOOFY CHALLENGE 2011.  39.3 Miles We spent the week prior to Marathon weekend in Orlando doing Disney, swimming, laying in the sun, and avoiding alligators and large snakes. On Thursday we visited ESPN Wide World of Sports to hit up the race expo.  Angie texting, live from the Wide World of Sports overstimulation. Friday we stayed off our feet and loaded up on the carbs. I took one more dip in the pool and then layed out our supplies to ration for the weekend.  gu, gu, and more gu. And then here we are at Saturday morning. 2:45 am, actually, because the cab is coming about 3, and traffic is supposed to be backed up and horrible, and if you're not in your corral by 5 YOU CAN'T RUN. We got there. We got a cup of coffee and tried to loosen up despite the chilly early morning. At about 4:30 they opened the gate and 27,000 of us marched a quar...