Holy Sh*t. I Totally Did It.

(Please forgive the dirty language, but this is a very dirty story to tell…I hope you won’t think less of me for it.)

I have two incredibly epic adventures to tell you about: the completion of the Corrie Vest and my Warrior Dash run.

I am going to have to start with Warrior Dash because it is fresher in my mind and I have better photos to show you.

I have been planning and training for this since January when it became the closest thing I had to a New Year’s resolution. It was a challenge to myself. A challenge to stay focused on something for almost 10 months. A challenge to get myself physically and mentally ready for this race.

It is hard to describe in words just how proud I am to say I did it. Was I 100% focused all year on the race? No. There was so much in my world that happened over the past nine months that there was no way for it always to be in the forefront of my thoughts. But it was always lingering back there, sometimes filling me with fear, sometimes with doubt, and sometimes with a fierce determination.

By the time I got there, fear and doubt had dispersed, and all that remained was nervous excitement.

There were twelve different obstacles. The first one was about a mile in, and I was making great time at that point. I called it the over/under. You had to go over a 4 foot wall, then under an 18 inch gap under barbed wire. And you did this 4 or 5 times. It was probably my least favorite obstacle because it just went on and on.

Next was called the Rubber Ricochet, and you basically ran through a gauntlet of swinging tires. This was probably the easiest obstacle.

Third came the Road Rage, which involved running through a bunch of tires on the ground, then climbing over three junked (and crazy mud-slick) cars, then more tires. This one was where I was most worried about slipping and busting a knee.

The fourth obstacle was the Chaotic Crossover. Just a 20 foot stretch of rope net suspended 4 feet in the air, parallel to the ground. You had to scramble over it. This one took a lot of concentration and was very slow going.

The fifth challenge was the most unexpected challenge. It was supposed to be a waist deep dash through the river, climbing over floating logs. Well, thanks to the 10 inches of rain in the past 10 days, waist deep became six feet deep at the center. There was no touching bottom for most of us. I was not expecting a full on swim, but that’s what I had to do. This was the probably most challenging obstacle simply because I was so mentally and physically unprepared for it. I would not have made it over the last log if a very tall man hadn’t laid himself across it and forced it low enough in the water for me to get over it. I helped keep him and his buddy motivated later on through the race and stuck with them a long time from that point on since we had a matching pace.

Sixth up was the Teetering Traverse. This one was a little mentally scary since it was going up a maybe 6 inch wide plank to about 4 feet in the air, and going about 20 feet on a 6 inch wide board, then coming back down. I didn’t think too hard and I didn’t look down a whole lot. Zoom, on to the next one. I was getting really tired by this point.

Seventh (lucky number 7) was Deadman’s Drop. You clambered up a maybe 12 foot wall first. It had rungs on the front side until you reached the top with a solid 4 foot barrier to climb over. On the other side, there was a ledge at the base of that barrier, then you had to drop from there. I had no idea how to safely drop all that way so I chose the dumbest way. I let myself drop far enough to grasp that ledge at the base of the solid barrier, injuring my hand and damn near yanking my left shoulder out of socket, and then let myself slide down the last several feet. Other people were way smarter or braver than me.

You didn’t get a break between walls because next came the Great Warrior Wall. Another 12 foot barrier with ropes and 2×4 beams across the wall to use for footholds. I lost several minutes at this obstacle because I was waiting for the longest rope (I was feeling rather short at that point.). Unfortunately, a woman had used it and reached the top and froze. She couldn’t bring herself over and couldn’t work her way back down. Several people tried to help her and encourage her, but she was just frozen. I really felt for her, but I couldn’t do anything to help. I don’t know how it worked out but I know I finally gave up waiting for that rope and took a shorter one, and hauled myself up and over the wall.

The ninth “obstacle” was the Rio Run, which was just a long splash along the James River. There were sudden and unexpected “drops” to navigate, going as deep as shoulder deep on me at one point, and lots of hidden tree stumps. I probably tripped 5 or 6 times, generating much laughter and mirth behind me as I served as the “early warning system.” This was the most fun (and relatively comfortable) challenge. The water was much warmer than the air and it felt good to wash off a lot of the dirt and mud to that point.

At that point, we were coming back to the spectators and closing in on the finish line. My Mom was handling the camera and caught me as I was exiting the river and heading in towards the last three obstacles.

The tenth obstacle was called the Cargo Climb and it was at the finish. I will let the pictures my Mom got speak for themselves.

I could hear Duane, Mom, and Grace yelling “Go, Mommy, go!” from below but I could not stop to look for them. Note the concentration (I swear it is not fear) on my face.

After the last climb, my legs and arms were mushy rubber and I was beyond tired. I looked ahead and saw two lines of burning wood ahead for me to jump over. By the 11th obstacle, my brain was pretty much mush too. I thought that was the finish line, but also, the fires looked 3 feet high to my worn out body. I aimed for the edge which looked slightly lower and jumped as best as I could. It turned out they weren’t all THAT high. Mom got a great shot of me clearing the first line.

I thought it was over but I was wrong; my brain had forgotten about the muddy finish. I was directed to turn left and that was when I remembered the mud crawl. I plunged ahead to dive into the mud and under the barbed wire…and splashed straight down into 4 FEET of mud. I had NO idea it would be so deep. I made my way slowly forward, pretty much just swimming along until it got shallower near the end, cleared the last wire, and headed up to the finish line.

They handed me a cup of water and I declined the banana. I took my first sip of water, then the second, and after that, I looked down into my once clear cup of water and saw…

Only mud. It’s written all over my face. The thought going through my head in that photo runs like this: “Really?” then “Well, it’s only mud and I am still thirsty.” followed by “Holy crap, there must be a lot of mud on my face.”

And there was.

At some point, someone pushed a finisher’s medallion into my hand. I am guessing around the same time they handed me the water, but I don’t have a clear memory of it. I was gagging and dry heaving a bit between the mud I had swallowed and the gut-busting effort I had put out.

I am still wearing that finisher’s medal today, 48 hours later. Mud-stained and all.

Warrior Dash was insane amounts of fun. Not to say it wasn’t difficult. It was. But I just cannot deflate the sense of accomplishment I have come home with, especially when I look back on the second wall climb. I remember looking at that rope wall and thinking “I really don’t think I can do this.” When my feet touched down on the other side, my internal monologue apparently became external and I said aloud, “Holy shit, I did it.” One of the guys I had been pacing along with said “Hell yeah, baby, you totally did.”

Thinking back, that was probably the highest point of the whole race for me, even though I didn’t have time to give his comment much thought.

Holy shit. I totally did it.

I am already stalking their website looking for signups for next year. Anyone want to come with me next time?

Up She Goes

Too tired to form words today.

But there’s this:

I would describe the comedy of errors that have lead up to the point we are at with the vest (about 9 rows of ribbing so far) but that takes too much brainpower.

I left most of my brain on top in Libby Hill Park, on top of Church Hill. The haul up the hill from Poe’s Pub to the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors monument is only 70 feet. Ha. Only. Those are 70 gut busting feet. But the view was spectacular.

Next time, I will try and remember a camera.

Tomorrow, I want to do the long 3.5 mile run around Belle Isle. I am cycling right now between fast runs, hard runs, and long runs to get ready for Warrior Dash. Looking forward to the 60 degree weather that should help speed that run along tomorrow.

I do so love autumn once it gets started. I love the smell of the air, the falling leaves, the taste of winter squashes, and best of all seasonal beers.

That was my view from the deck at Legend Brewery last Friday evening. We couldn’t get sunlight to shine through my Smoked Chocolate Stout. A very tasty beverage.

All that beer explains all the gut busting I have to do before October 1st, of course.

A Care (Caer?) Package To Myself

This is all strictly SCA and Sapphire related. Feel free to bypass if you came looking for knitting.

I had a funny thought today. When I autocrat an event, I like to set myself up with a little “Autocrat’s Care Package.” It is nothing more than some goodies to get me through an event. For my first ever event, it consisted only of a Whatchamacallit candy bar and a 2 liter of Mountain Dew, but that was a one day event.

The last time I ran Sapphire, my care package consisted of a carton of cigarettes, a 24-pack of Mountain Dew, beef jerky, Oatmeal Cream Pie cookies, and several 32 ounce bottles of blue Gatorade. No, it was not healthy, but health wasn’t a huge concern back then in general, and even less so over a 4 day marathon of activity. It was intended not only to give me lots of energy (calories), but to feed my mood (no one wants to deal with a cranky autocrat), and to be stuff I can eat one handed while swinging a sledge hammer or driving the golf cart. That was not ALL I ate over the weekend; that is why I refer to it as my Care Package.

I was doing a run down in my mind of what I would pack in my Care Package this year, and it really dawned on me that I have to go back to the drawing board now. No soda. I haven’t smoked in almost 5 years (I quit six months after the last Sapphire I ran). Oatmeal Cream Pie cookies (or Fudge Rounds, for that matter) are a one way ticket to Dump Town, and beef jerky, while theoretically the perfect food, simply doesn’t digest well in the pouch.

Since this is the first event I have autocratted since my surgery, I really have to think: What works for me now?

I will keep the Gatorade, as long as it is the low-cal G2. I needs me my electrolytes.

I think I will get some of those Beef Nuggets, instead of ordinary jerky. They are a little softer and easier on the pouch, great for protein and easily can ride around with me all day without fear of spoilage, but higher in sodium and I have deep suspicions about the preservatives used in them.

I think a pack or two of the Starbucks DoubleShots has to come along since there is not a Starbucks within 20 miles of the site. I also really like the Starbucks DoubleShot Energy Drinks. Mocha and Coffee are my favorite flavors. And somehow, they seem less threatening than say a Red Bull.

I will probably pack several Chobani 0% Greek Yogurts in the cooler. They are the perfect breakfast or fast snack. Tons of protein, some sugar (without causing dumping syndrome), and travel very well.

Then I think I will round out my Care Package with some string cheese, and a can of deluxe mixed nuts (no peanuts), or that really yummy pistachio blend trail mix I found last year.

A bag of some kind of good, bite sized chocolate might still make its way into my package. I may be beyond candy bars and oatmeal cream pies, but some extra dark chocolate, perfectly portioned into small servings, will go a long way towards smoothing over ruffled feathers and peaky nerves, all without making me sick.

The last thing in my care package will not be food related. And it might not get touched all weekend. But if I happen to find myself up at 4:30 am, like I did last time, where all I did was get up from my 3 hours of sleep and sit in camp in silence, while chain smoking, I think this year I will get into my care package and pull out my running shorts, running tank, and trainers, and cover a mile or two around the site. Will I have either the time or energy? Chances are good that I won’t. But if I do, nothing, and I mean nothing, no chocolate, cigarettes, caffeine, or drugs, legal or otherwise, would do more wonders for my brain and stress levels than to run in the quiet early morning around the event. And while throwing those things in a bag and dragging them with me costs me nothing, even if they never get looked at, having the time and inclination to go for a run, and NOT having my gear, would put me in a serious funk.

What a difference 5 years makes, yes?

Most Anything But Knitting

I am not knitting. At all. I haven’t knit a stitch in a week or so. Right now, I am in autocrat survival mode and my world is pretty much nothing except schlepping through my 8-5 work day, then juggling parenting and event planning, before crashing into bed, where I then dream about the event until about 4am when tossing and turning begins until I stumble out of bed bleary-eyed at some point before dawn on many mornings.

My primary source of stress relief is working out, mostly running. My long runs are up to a 3.5 mile loop around Belle Isle a couple of times a week, and my short runs are over 2 miles these days. Tuesday nights are for yoga and pilates after the living room is vacant. Wednesday is my rest day from running; I lifted weights at the Y yesterday. Last Wednesday, I climbed the stairs of my building a couple of times, then took a long walk. On the weekends, I am trying to make sure I get some kind of activity in, even if it is just long (60 minutes or more) slow walks. One day a week, I like to hit a treadmill for a very fast run, and for a break from only running on sidewalks, pavement, and graveled trails.

Much of my time is spent reading about nutrition, resting, recovery, cross-training, and injury prevention, or studying Google Earth maps of the areas I frequent to map out runs.

Introducing yoga has been an attempt to prevent injury and ease muscle soreness. I have never loved yoga, but I am developing an appreciation for the benefits, if not quite a love for the activity yet. I have noticed in only 3 weeks practicing it, my flexibility is starting to increase, and I have noticed that my soreness decreases about a day after a yoga practice. I am considering adding a second practice to the week; maybe making one specifically pilates and the other one specifically yoga, instead of mixing up the two.

In June, I am going to send in my payment not only for the McDonald’s Half Marathon, but I am going to sign up for a formal, professionally-coached training team.

They meet on Saturdays at 8am, and I am going to flat out miss the first two weeks of training because I am going to be in Slippery Rock, PA, both weekends. There are at least two other Saturdays I am going to miss as well; probably the Saturday of Fall Coronation, and the weekend immediately after it when I am running the Warrior Dash race at Berkley Plantation. Not much I can do about that. I hate the idea of missing 4 weeks out of the 14 week training program, but that is life.

This really sums up my whole life right now. When not doing one of the things I mentioned above, I am playing ignorant online games that involve a monkey popping many thousands of balloons and imbibing more than I should. I believe both the Bloon-Popping Monkey obsession and the imbibing will come within more reasonable parameters by the end of the month.

Otherwise, I am going to end up posting some weird YouTube videos about “winning” and my Supermonkey Goddesses, and the next stop will be some kind of Booze/B’loon rehab center, looking like Amy Winehouse after a party, sharing drink recipes with Lindsey Lohan. If I had tiger blood coursing through my veins, this would be okay, but I don’t. So…moving on.

Chances are good you won’t hear much from me between now and June. Forget the Post A Week goal. Forget knitting. Forget writing and better blogging. I have an event to run and several hundred people who are counting on me to make sure they have an excellent Memorial Day weekend. See you there or most likely I won’t see you until June.

The River Runs Dry

Every year, it is the same. Warm, hazy days arrive and my river of words dries up. Partly it is just that this is always an incredibly busy time of year for me. Work always gets immensely busy with rate case filings, discovery, motions, and such. There has been a noted uptick in FOIA requests too. Busy times at the office.

Then the SCA gets really busy between April and May every year. Every weekend there is some event I could (or should) be going to. I like it; no, I love it. This is the perfect time of year for our outdoor events. It isn’t until June that our season slows down for the heat and for Pennsic preparations. Add in that this year, I am running Sapphire Joust, and I am eating, drinking, sleeping, breathing event coordination and planning almost 24/7.

As a result of the all of this, the knitting falls off. Happens every year. Being mostly a knitting blog, with no knitting, there is little to write about. Remember those lightning fast April socks? The ones that are so incredibly beautiful and fast? I haven’t knit a stitch on them in a week. And the truth is, it doesn’t bother me. There are only 3 or 4 inches left to knit on the second sock and I could have that done in one evening’s hard work, but I just haven’t felt like it. When I have been knitting (which hasn’t been very much), I have been working on the second Serpentine Mitt or adding some stripes to the Son of Not Noro Scarf (as though I need a scarf right now. . . or wool hand warmers for that matter). A few rounds at a time the Serpentine Mitt is coming along. I have less than 10 rows of the cable pattern left to go, then an inch or so of ribbing, then pick up and knit the thumb, and bind off. They will be done soon. Not tonight. Maybe not this week, but soon. And I am okay with that too.

Then there’s the gardening and the running. Every Spring, even before bypass surgery, I found the motivation to take more walks or lift more weights. So far, this Spring is no different. I am just running farther (3.5 miles yesterday) and faster (in 40 minutes!) than any previous Spring. The veggie garden is taking off, just like every Spring, thanks to mild temperatures and lots of rain. Every day there is some weeding, checking the tomatoes and making sure they are climbing their cages right, and every weekend, there is some lettuce harvesting.

I am still hoping/planning on running the Half Marathon in November. I won’t actually register until next month just to be sure this isn’t some passing “I want something to fantasize about aside from Sapphire” thing, since I cannot get my $65 back once I have registered. I am spending a lot of time learning about longer distance running and racing. It can be as easy, I suppose, as lacing up your trainers and hitting the pavement for more than 13 miles, but to prevent injury and to try and make my goal of 2 hours 30 minutes (2:30), I need to know a little more. How to eat for fuel. How to fuel on the run. How to care for my muscles (especially since ibuprofen is verboten for me, and Tylenol really doesn’t help muscle soreness). What does “lactate threshold” mean? Is fartlek a dirty word? (It isn’t). Why do I have so much trouble with intestinal distress and how can I ease it or prevent it? What does one think about while running for 2.5 hours (I can’t spend the whole time chanting “You’re not gonna die” to myself!)? But more than needing to “know” how to run 13 miles, I have to simply get out there and run. My mileage base is still very low. I am trying to run 4 days a week: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. I really need to get up to 5 days (I want to add Sundays), but probably until Sapphire is over, more than 4 days a week is simply not in the cards. My target for starting my half marathon training program is Sunday, June 5th. In the meantime, I am just running, adding mileage, and getting used to the practice of running more days than not each week.

I have been very fortunate to stumble across the blogs of two weight loss surgery patients who have transformed themselves into very real athletes. This lady is training for an Ironman competition. She had her surgery just two months before I did. And this lady had her surgery just about 2 years before me and is a regular racer, and in fact just did her 3rd half marathon last weekend, finishing in under 2:20. So inspiring!

These ladies give me hope, particularly on days like yesterday when a 3.5 mile run felt like forever, making 13.1 seem like a pipedream.

I want to tell you how much I appreciate that you come here and read what I have to say, especially at times like this when my blog becomes a desert. I hope that you can take away something from here that is useful, inspiring, or thought provoking. And I am going to try and keep to my post-per-week challenge, even at times like these when I have nothing to offer you other than just random thoughts strung together, or excuses for why there aren’t pictures of knitting to show you. Thanks for stopping by!

Believe

Something really cool happened to me this week.

My office often runs health challenges through the James Center YMCA. Last year it was a Biggest Loser challenge. It has been exercise challenges before. It always involves being a part of a team and working towards some healthy goal.

I have never been invited to a team before. Let’s just say I have never been the poster child for health and fitness around my office in the past.

Well, this week, that apparently changed. The YMCA is running a “Battle of the Bulge” 8 week challenge; teams of 4 have to log their exercise and food habits on a special calorie tracking website for 8 weeks; points are awarded for logging, for doing at least 3 30-minute workouts per week, and points are deducted for not logging or not exercising. Weight loss is not the goal here; consistently exercising, logging your food and water intake, and being accountable are the goals. Extra points are awarded for working out more than the minimum 3 times. Extra points are awarded for drinking water. There will be Bonus Point Challenges too.

And I was invited to a team; we had 8 people from the office who were split into two teams, and between our two teams, we have one endurance cyclist (he rides about 300 miles on a regular week), two marathon runners, and the rest of us are more “regular” runners. I am one of them.

I am one of them.

Let me repeat that one more time.

I am one of them.

These attorneys, as a group, believed I am responsible enough, fit enough, and motivated enough to be a contribution to a team for 8 weeks. This is powerful ju-ju for my Former Fat Chick’s brain. People believe in me.

That is pretty cool.

Mind Over Mileage

Few things in this world make me quite as giddy as when someone “hearts” or selects one of my projects on my Ravelry Project Page as a favorite. Those little hearts next to the picture of my project just make me smile. It is why I make sure I “heart” other people’s projects (not just the pattern itself). It feels really good to know that someone randomly came across your project and thought it was nice enough that they favorited it; they put it on a list that they can look back on for inspiration and enjoyment of the art of knitting.

Encouragement is one of the greatest gifts we can give to another individual. When someone favorites my work on Ravelry, leaves a kindhearted comment on my blog, or says something unexpectedly kind and encouraging on Facebook, my mood is instantly lifted and I am reminded that I owe that same kindness to others.

I have received a lot of encouragement this week. A lot. The fire that was lit when I crossed the finish line last weekend is burning away a lot of the fears and insecurities that I have harbored for so long. Conquering the 5k was a big thing, and something I will definitely do again (I have been signed up for the Warrior Dash in October for 3 months already). But now, inspired by the amount of time I have to train for it, the success I had with the 5k, and the very deep seated desire to challenge myself to accomplish something extraordinary, I am planning on registering for the McDonald’s Half Marathon, set for November 12, 2011.

A whole marathon is no joke and hardcore, and also, strangely of interest to me for the future, but just not yet. A half marathon is still serious business without necessarily being the life-consuming business that 26.2 miles can be.

My encouragement came first from my husband, who I had to run this by before anything else. He said of course, he would support me and thought I should do it, recognizing it would be a time commitment and probably an inconvenience. Later, after confiding to one running enthusiast co-worker my thoughts about it, he said “Yeah you should do it. You need to start now, but you can definitely do it.” I appreciated his honesty about needing to start now. He’s right, I do. Another co-worker who I didn’t even know was a runner saw my race number I have proudly posted on the wall of my cube from last week asked me about my race, and then told me he is a regular racer and has signed up for the Chicago Marathon. We talked about the Richmond Half, and he was very encouraging, to the point of offering to train with me, and said if he doesn’t run the 26.2, he will come run the 13.1 with me. Kitty has been thinking of lacing up her trainers again, and has been very encouraging too, and may also sign up to come do it too.

I have a lot of work to put in. Lots of miles ahead of me and below my feet. Lots of questions that need answers; being a unique little snowflake with a surgically “enhanced” gastrointestinal tract, I can’t just pound 120 ounces of water a day or slam back an energy gel every 5 or 6 miles without risking dumping syndrome. I don’t have room to eat 3000 calories or even 2000 calories a day. I have to have a real talk with my surgeon’s office about nutrition and training. She might even refer me to the nutritionist I saw before my surgery; and it might be worth the cost of doing so, given the specific challenges I face.

Beyond that, there is all the training. For every running coach and self-labeled expert, there is a training plan. There are 6 week plans, 6 month plans. More often, 10 week and 14 week plans. Plans for advanced, intermediate, beginning, and recreational (that’s me) runners. Knowing me, I will probably mash a couple of plans together to create something that works best with what I have available to me (I lack access to a treadmill but I have access to lots of hills, etc.) and the time I have to train in. I have access to successful runners in my office and among my friends, all of whom have experience and knowledge to share.

I am looking forward to the challenge. I am even looking forward to the hot sweaty summer runs, the early a.m. runs, the effort of finding ways to squeeze mileage in on weekends spent at SCA events. I would be lying if I said the thought of 13 miles didn’t make me a little nervous, but I will overcome that too.

I am going to do it. I am going to because the Fat Chick (Fat Chick is a state of mind, not a state of being; I know several twiggy thin Fat Chicks) I used to be always wanted to do this, but had one excuse after another, some valid, most were not, as to why I couldn’t do this. I am going to do this because if finishing a 5k inspired this in me, who knows what finishing a half marathon will inspire me to do.

But do you want to know really why I want to do it?

Because of her. Because she inspires me. Because I want to be the right kind of example to her. Because I don’t want her to have to go down the same “surgically enhanced gastrointestinal tract” road that I did. Because I want her to know that while there are a few very real limits in each of our lives, a lot of the limits we think we have exist only in our own minds.

Half Dreams

13.1

November is a long way away and I am feeling particularly inspired.

Thoughts? Is 5 months enough? Would I be asking too much of my family? Asking too much of a summer dedicated to Sapphire Joust and Pennsic camp?

Of myself?

I will let you know if I sign up. First, I need to check up on their refund policy.

Fundraising Update

I am deeply tired in spite of more rest last night than in the past few nights combined, but I think the combination of allergies and stress are getting to me. I really don’t want to go for my run at lunch. Legs feel leaden and I can just feel that it is going to be a very hard run since today is the long run (yesterday was the short, and supposedly fast run, but it wasn’t very fast). All I want is to find a warm, soft, dim place to curl up at lunch and let my eyes close for an hour.

The heel has been turned on the second Charade sock, and if I just sat down and knit like a real Knitter, they would be done in the next 48 hours, easy peasy. However, between my boredom with them, a very pressing and very large project at work, continued training for the Superhero Run, more time in a dentist’s chair scheduled, lots of Sapphire Joust projects up in the air, and simply being worn down, it is most likely they will carry over into April.

C’est la vie. I am not even upset by that like I thought I would be.

In positive news, the Worlds Finest team has almost reached our $200 goal. Thank you so much for your generosity. The Team Page does not, for some reason, show the donations made directly in Grace’s name. Combining the donations made directly in her name, plus the ones to our Team, we have raised $195 of my $200 goal. Just $5 more and we make it! Thank you so much!

This coming weekend, I am travelling with my family to Burlington, North Carolina for one of my favorite types of SCA events: Coronation. Our new Royalty will be installed and I always enjoy that process. We are sharing a hotel room with another friend, and I am hoping to find out if that hotel has a health center in it. It would be very nice for my training not to have to take a backseat to traveling for the weekend.

That’s where I stand right now. Busier than normal, happy in spite of it, and looking forward to something resembling a slow-down coming this summer.

Coming Up Short

***Please help us support abused children who need superheros in their lives by contributing to CASA and our Superhero 5k Charity Run: click https://www.raceit.com/fundraising/fundraise.aspx?event=2097&fundraiser=1627 to donate to the World’s Finest team. Thank you for your support!***

Who stuffs herself into the moral equivalent of a sausage casing, allows herself to be seen in her office and public in said casing, and goes for a 3 mile run to an island in the middle of the James River at lunch?

Me.

I came back from my run all excited because I thought I had run 3.25 or so miles in 32 minutes, but the wind was taken out of my sails when I mapped it and found it was a quarter of a mile shorter than I thought.

However, these 3 miles include a lot of hills, and I took only 3 walking breaks; 2 of them were on the ramps taking you 40 feet up to the Belle Isle footbridge. If I hadn’t plopped myself on a rock at the turn around point to look at the river for almost a full minute, I would have beaten last weekend’s fast time on the flat track. That same distance last summer took me more like 45 minutes.

I have this fantasy of not having to take a walking break at all during the Superhero 5k on April 9th. I am not worried about finishing (I will), and I am not worried about winning my age bracket (I won’t), but I have a personal goal of doing it in 30 minutes, and a secondary goal of doing it without a single walking break. Lots of work and sweat ahead. I would love any pointers any of you might have for your first race. I am trying not to overthink it, but I would like to be prepared.

I am currently stuck in a knitting rut. I have reached the point of loathing the Charade socks. I am almost to the heel now, not quite half way done with the second sock after 2 solid weeks. I am wondering if I should just grit my teeth, think of England and persevere, or cast on something more interesting for a bit, OR pull out April’s Sock Club socks on April 1, and cast them on whether Charade is done or not. Green and yellow color work socks sound so very lovely at this moment.

I have garb to sew this weekend too, and since they are calling for, get this, S N O W, on Sunday, it doesn’t sound like the kind of weekend where it will be hard to sit at the sewing machine because my heart is aching to be outdoors. I would really like to get at least one thing accomplished and off my list of to-dos right now.

Wouldn’t that be lovely?