Deep Thoughts and Fancy Footwork

This past week I've been meaning to blog about our Lake Tahoe run.  So now that Jaide has got the ball rolling, I'll add to it.

Please allow me to share a few of my thoughts, in order of occurrence, during the trail run:

• "What?  We're STARTING with a major hill?"
• (Out of breath at the top of the hill) "That's okay, I got this!"
• "Oh my goodness, I've never seen anything so beautiful!"
• "Careful, Lauren, don't trip over these crazy rocks."
• "Wow, this is unbelievably beautiful!"
• (Thud...) "I guess I should expect to fall on my face at least once."
• "Now I know why they call it Emerald Bay....the water is SO green!"
• "When are we going to stop going up hill?"
• "I think I'd rather be giving birth right now, because at least I'd be laying down!!!!"
• "At this point I don't care how beautiful this place is.  Where is the finish line??"
• "There's the finish line!"
• "Ahhhh...nothing like an ice cold beer on the beach.  This really is a beautiful place."
• "Maybe I'll do it again next year?"

Some things better with age

Us girls!!

As a rehab nurse, I care for people who have experienced some terrible debilitating event, whether it be a car accident, brain injury, spinal cord injury, or stroke.  Most of these patients also have diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease.  Many can barely walk, unable to use the bathroom without supervision and take pills by the handfuls.  I monitor their bowel movements, make them drink thickened liquids, and poke them with needles.  Naturally most of them are quite up in age.  Before I depress you any further, here is my point: getting old stinks and I hope I never have to.

So when I see an elderly person without a cane, walker, or swallow precautions, I am so excited.  When I see a elderly person run, I celebrate.  When I see an elderly person beat me in a race, I just don't know what to say. 



My competition

Last weekend, at the Emerald Bay Trail Run, we ran 7.5 miles in altitude.  For this Sacramento runner, it was hard.  At some point,  I found myself behind two aged men.  I know when I see a real runner.  He has no gadgets, no special water bottles, no shirt. All I see is tan wrinkled skin, gray hair, and a slow shuffling gait.  I think "He is so old.  He is running slow, but he is still awesome."  Then, I realized that I have been behind this "slow" runner for awhile. This man has some 40 years on me!  I finally make my way past him, feeling somehow guilty, like I should make sure he can still breathe on these tahoe cliffs.  In the end, I made it, finishing the most beautiful run of my life, happy I was still alive and breathing myself.

Happily, as I have read before, runners can continue strong into older age.  I guess there are some things to look forward to besides wrinkles.

As to answer Jade, I really have no special pre-race rituals. I try to go to bed early, with clothes ready.  I am pretty regular in the am, so emergency bathroom runs midrace are usually not a problem.  If you need some pointers, the recent "Runner's World" addresses this delicate subject.  Coffee is a must (I am addicted).  I wear sunscreen because I am terrified of wrinkles.  Pre-race pics to post on instagram is also very important.  I think next time, though, I will try some vaseline on any areas with potential rubbing.

3 weeks to go, until the big day!! I need some more long runs!!

I run there for I hurt

So I have done the one thing I said I would never do. I have started running. It has been one week now and it has been the most painful week of my life. But I gave made a breakthrough. I ran 1.26 miles straight without stopping. It may not seem like a lot for the seasoned runners but it's huge for me. And it's left me craving more. So I guess it's true running is addictive.

Test Run

The last run event I entered was a 10K(6.2mile) on Aug 4th & I've been slackin' a bit since then so since I signed up for The Urban Cow (with a little prodding from Jaide.[pun intended]) I ran a tester-13.1 this morning just to get a feel for where I was at.... oy. It's so easy to forget how stinkin' long a half marathon is! I'm not where I want to be but I think I'll get there in time. However, I made the rookie mistake of eating right before I ran which made me verpy for about 4 miles. That didn't help! So that led me to wonder, what's everybody's plan for the morning of the run?

What's for breakfast? Will you be dawning new shoes? Do you stretch? Scream psych-up phrases at yourself in a mirror & ask someone to smack you?

The night before a run I always drink senna tea & I start the next morning by drinking about a 1/2 gal of water to clean me out & ensure no surprise potty breaks later (Is this t.m.i. for this blog?) I always eat a slice of toast with honey & peanut butter & a protein shake 30 minutes before the run & I do very little warm up.

How about you all?

Super Food

Here's a little piece of an article I read about fueling for endurance athletes.  I wanted to share this with all of you....

Quinoa

Despite the confusing name, this gluten-free and grainy superfood is known for its complex nutritional profile. It cooks in less than 15 minutes, and contains both high levels of protein and carbohydrates. Plus, Quinoa has all nine essential amino acids, which are critical to the functioning of the human body. 

Quinoa's benefits to endurance athletes have been known for centuries. In fact, the Incas used it to increase the stamina of their warriors, which helped them to run long distances at high altitudes. This superfood is also a source of manganese, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium and calcium. This complex grain can be integrated into just about any meal—from breakfast to dinner.

Feeling Bad For Mr. Cash...

Today, Lauren & I accomplished Personal Bests.... 10 miles (& in the hills to boot)!!! Woo-Hoo. Truly exhilarating. I didn't know how this would be possible but somehow we made it. That's the longest distance we've ever run & I now know anything is possible!

We ran up in Folsom along the American River Bike Trail canyons/ravines. (At least I think they're canyons/ravines - I'm from Florida! My hilly terrain geographical terminology may be off.) Whatever it's called, it's BEAUTIFUL! We are so privileged to have such breath-taking landscape to soak in during our outings. To my Sac-town running friends, if you haven't yet, trail runs in Auburn or Folsom are a MUST! It's so close & well worth a 30 minute drive.

As I ran past Folsom prison I couldn't help feel a little bad for Johnny Cash... "I hear the train a comin'.. It's rollin round the bend' ... And I ain't seen the sunshine, since I don't know when.
I know I had it comin', I know I can't be free, but those people keep a-movin', and that's what tortures me."
Should have listened to your Mama, Mr. Cash!

Now, off to ice my knees!

The Toddler Inside

We're all familiar with the phenomenon of being a 5:00AM genius right? The previous night you had your next morning planned & you arrived at the decision that, like it or not, you must wake up at 5:00AM in order to get everything done. But somehow, when the alarm goes off & you're half awake, a flood of seemingly solid reasons come to mind as to why you can snooze 5 times. That's the voice my brother calls "The toddler inside". That bratty little kid will say anything to get his way. "Just skip breakfast & you can keep sleeping." "You need the sleep for your health! I think you're sick." "No one expects you to get up right now" "I DON'T WANNA!!!!" His goal is to keep us in bed til it's too late to run. (Or get out in service. But this is a running blog :)) Are we gonna let that kid get his way?! Slap that little brat, throw those sheets off & get out there!


Keep it up everybody!

Back on Track

Back on the Track

 

What a difference a run makes! It's been over a month since I last ran, having slipped in my kitchen and hurting my left leg.  The leg's been ok for a couple weeks now, but it's sooo easy to be lazy! That initial push even just to walk to the park across the street from where I work took real determination and  I have to say how glad I am to have gotten back on the track... even if it was a pretty pathetic 15 minute jaunt.  Not my best, I'll admit.



 

The last time I ran was at the San Francisco Marathon on July 29th.  I know what you're thinking... how do you go from running a marathon to quitting a run after fifteen minutes?  I should probably explain that on the day of the Marathon I only ran from mile marker 22 to mile marker 23.  That's right.  I ran ONE mile of the 26.2 that my friend, Rachel, had signed up for.

 

I had a blast! A couple hours of scanning the crowd, trying to spot her in a sea of runners, high-fiving as many of them as I could and cheering 'til my voice was gone, then all of a sudden -- There's Rachel!  Her reaction when she realized I was there to cheer her on and run with her was priceless!  I got all the thrill of race day without the time commitment, shin splints or blisters. 

 

But now I'm ready to bring it on!

 

 

Happy trails everyone!

Good Mood

It's been so nice reading all the posts! Keep 'em coming. :)

I missed my run tonight due to not feeling well but was happy to jump on & get some encouragement.

- Jen

Meet Jade... the guy.

Hey all! I'm a brother who runs. Thanks for the invite Jaide! Yes, my name is Jade. (pronounced "Jaide" : P) I've just read all the posts! I love 'em! (But where my brothers at?!) My wife & I live in Red Bluff CA (on I-5 about 1 1/2 hrs. N of Sac.) but we attend the Redding Sign Language Congregation. (And I tend to overuse parenthetic statements.)  I grew up way overweight but when I was about 20 an elder in our hall invited me to start running. I'm 31 now so I've been distance running for a long time but y'know life happens so I've missed a season here, a year there. No brothers in our area run so it can be tough but to be honest I like running alone. I do alot of meditation & even talk prep during my runs.

Also, my wife is pregnant! (woopsie! What a blessing?) Actually we're through the roof about it now, though it took a while to get there. It's a girl & she's due DEC 31st! Here's a link to the video of us finding out it's a girl. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vcMxCH3ScQ&feature=youtu.be

 Sorry. That's not run-related. Am I blowin it?

Anyway, a funny C.O. once told me, "Everyone loves a short talk". So I'll wrap it up for now. but here are some pics.

NEXT RUN: Almond bowl 2012 half marathon. In Chico, CA NOV 4th

GOAL: beat last year's time

With two brothers after the Almond Bowl Nov 2011 in Chico CA. L to R: Andrew Dreisbach, Brian Ohlhausen, Me

With Templeton :) 

My "trophy"! it's tough to tell but my face was covered in salt! (Remember the wife of Lot! But I didn't look back! I promise!)

My beautiful wife Bonny. (We don't usually...er... ever hang out in bars. There's a story there.)

She's awesome. But please don't tell her I posted this :P

THANKS SO MUCH AGAIN FOR THE INVITE JAIDE! I'll try to support without boring : D