October 2006 Archives

Powered by chocolate and caffeine...and The Running Shop!

Kiera put together a team of women for the Thanksgiving Day cross-country race put on by the Southern Arizona Roadrunners. It's at the local park and includes hay bales and puddle jumps - what fun!!!

Kiera's husband, Mike, often runs for The Running Shop!, and Kiera's been known to drop of goodies at the shop from time to time (World's Best Baker: Kiera). So once we got the team together, we decided we needed shirts. The Running Shop offered to donate them, woo hoo!

Hopefully my knee will be better by then; I got a whopping four miles last week due to my cranky right ITB. I'm hoping that rest will help it heal. I don't like missing out on running! Kiera and I had a great run on Saturday, though, at Sabino Canyon, followed by wrestling a 4-yr old, almost 4-yr old and 1.5 yr old into and out of a car for a looooong trip to Buckalew Farm, a pumpkin patch waaaay outside of town. It was ultimately fun, but absolutely exhausting - at least for the moms! Dusy and hot, too. Also, I'm quite excited - I bought an antenna, so I got to watch FOOTBALL yesterday afternoon, woo hoo! :D

Pics are up!

It's official. I filed the paperwork yesterday. In 21 days, I file the application for default and in 61 days, I file the decree of dissolution and make a court date. My marriage of eleven years will be legally over in a few short months. We made the decision this summer...I moved out in September...we spent time working out the details sans lawyers...and now, the paperwork is filed.

It was fast - it took one hour from picking Johnny up to dropping him off. I didn't expect the court system to be that quick. The gentleman processing the paperwork moved with ruthless efficiency, stamping and punching and tossing the papers into stacks with almost violent precision. He carelessly tossed off his words - "You John? Okay, I just served you notice. Sign here." - and asked for an obscene amount of money (If wedding licenses and paperwork cost as much as divorce, I bet less people would get married - and thusly, get divorced). Each time he pounded a stamp or inserted paper into a punching machine, Johnny and I shuddered. Yes, this divorce is what we - I - wanted; yes, this is a step in a positive direction; yes, we still care about each other and are friends; yet the officialness, the loudness, the precision, the efficiency with which the beginning of the legal dissolution of our marriage was handled was shocking.

Back in the office, I found myself reaching for peanut M&Ms, cheese and crackers - comfort food. I ate too much. For dinner, I crammed too many chips in, then followed that with waffles and sausage - more comfort food. My stomach was too full, too anxious. I wanted to go for a run instead of stuffing my mouth with food, but I was still recovering from the previous day's 11 mile trail run (side note: run was up/around Agua Caliente hill...turned my ankle four miles in, my right ITB started getting really cranky about 7 miles in and got off the trail four times, yet it was the most glorious, fun, fantastic, playful run I've done in ages).

We've only fought maybe two times since we split this summer. Last night, we fought a third time - a mean, wicked fight. I was cranky, tired and ornery, and Johnny was feeling sensitive and rejected. We ended the night with "f* you," after which I felt even more sad. I didn't sleep well. I don't want to be mean to Johnny. I don't want to drive him away. I don't want him to be mean to me, or to drive me away. He is and always has been my best friend. I don't want that to go away. Johnny, I know you'll read this - and I want you to know I'm sorry.

An e-mail conversation I wanted to share:

Subject: Miles

How many?

B
___
Subject: Re: Miles

Not enough.
~Angie
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RE: Miles

I hope you did Cowhead. All of it.
You have 134 days left, Ms. Fuzzy.

B
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Subject: Re: Miles

I did none of it.

But I will be doing Agua Caliente on Sunday.

Not sure about training for OP50. I registered, but I’m a little overwhelmed with the divorce and work and just life in general, I guess. I know! Excuses, excuses. But I am sort of contemplating whether or not I want to do it.
~Angie
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Subject: RE: Miles

Just remember, no matter what your goal of the moment happens to be. Life will always get in the way. It will always be something. If it’s not the divorce than it’s the marriage, If your health is fine, than Ash will be sick,{ god forbid }. You get a raise and then your car dies. Or more likely your car dies and there is no raise in sight. Your running is good, then you sprain an ankle. In a little while your ex has a job and is working late and you have to take the little one to soccer practice.
I don’t mean to bum you out and I don’t think you are making excuses. Life happens and has happened to all of us.
Roll with the punches, turn the lemons into lemonade.
We can always use more help at the 40 mile aid station.

B
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This really touched me this morning. I needed to hear that. Life happens. I'm going to keep running and keep moving. And if I'm not in enough shape to safely complete OP50, then I'll help man the 40 mile aid station. I'm so blessed to be surrounded by such support.

I haven't posted in awhile...these posts are getting farther and farther apart...Life is hectic. Work is crazy busy. And I just haven't found the need to express my thoughts for the whole world to see lately.

Part of my busy life includes contemplating the training for OP50. Right now, I'm not so sure I want to train for it. With training comes pressure, and that sucks the joy right out of running. I want to run for pleasure, not because I need to pound out miles. Last year, I trained for ultras as a healthy way to focus on me - give me my time alone. But I don't need that this year. In the beginning stages of training for OP, I'm finding that I'm either playing with Ash, running, sleeping or working. I've been striving for a more balanaced approach to life - everything in moderation - and there's nothing balanced or moderate about 50 miles. I want time for me, time for my friends. Ash is my priority right now, and on the days when he's with his dad, I want to be able to choose to spend time with my friends - or a date - without worrying about how that will cut into my training (of course, if I can combine my friends - or a date - with training, all the better!).

And I definitely haven't had any time for blogging - no posts, no reading what others are up to. Not having a computer at home adds to the lack of time for blogging.

I did get out for a nice 5.5 miles this morning with a new friend. Out before sunrise, the cool breeze kept my temperature just right. I had fun talking all sorts of running talk, and the hot mocha afterwards warmed me right up.

I'll still be running - just not training for 50 miles. I'll still be writing - just not as frequently. And I'll still be around, reading others' posts - just not every day (or even every week). It's been a fun year with you guys, and now it's time to scale back and focus more closely on my life, needs, desires, direction.

"If everything in life were easy, you'd never see the great strength you posses." (my (very apt) horoscope for today)

Yesterday morning, I carpooled partway up Mt. Lemmon to run from Molino Basin over to Sycamore Dam with the trail running group. It was an easy 9.5 miles through golden grasses and oak trees. With the sun playing peek-a-boo with the clouds, the temperature never got too hot, and shade appeared just when you needed it. I ran with JD, whom I mentioned a few months ago on my blog - we finally connected! We had a blast talking nutrition, the difference between road running and trail running, and just about life in general. I had a hard time warming up; the first 30 minutes were miserable as I tried to get going. But once I warmed up, it felt great. I had to find the "go" button inside me - it's been so long since I've applied myself to running that I lost track of how to push myself and keep going when I needed to! The middle of the run was effortless, flying over the trail. By the end, I was tired, but I knew that 2 miles would pass quickly if I just kept going - which I did.

I'm satisfied with my effort, and glad to know that I really do need to get going on my training. I'm very sore today in my knees, left bunion and shoulders (youch!). I've figured out my training plan, which I'll detail in the next post or two.

Last night, as I was walking out of a nearby market, I ran into JD - turns out she lives only 2 blocks from me! We'll be running together tomorrow morning, which I'm looking forward to.

What a blast. The concert last night was awesome. Johnny ended up going with me, and we had so much fun!

Not much to report on the running front. I've gotten out once this week, and am planning on running tomorrow and Sunday morning.

It's time to put pen to paper and actually come up with my training plan for OP50. I am ready!

(But first, I'm so excited! Live is coming to town, and I'm going to see them, woo hoo! I have an extra ticket, if anyone is interested.)

(And second, I had a whole post written early this morning, and the computer ate it, argh!)

Yesterday's race was a blast. I ran the whole thing (last year I had to walk parts) and set a PR for the distance. We completed it in 55:30 (the results say I finished 8 seconds behind Paki, but we crossed together), an 11:10-minute-mile pace. The best part? I still had a great kick in me at the finish. We sprinted the last part together.

The bad parts? In addition to the cheering sections being, I don't know, less...cheerful...than last year, the first water station was out of water and the second was out of cups. Argh! After careful thought, I decided to leave my trusty water bottle at home that morning, even though I usually down 20 oz of water per hour while running. I did drink a serving of Accelerade before the race, though, and I think that's what got me to the finish in such great shape.

I spent the first two miles filling Paki in on the details of my life, the third getting an update from Paki, the fourth breathing hard and the fifth listening to Paki and a fellow runner chat while I slowly sped up. I knew I was getting close to the finish, and I was excited!

I got to meet fellow Arizona blogger Phil, who was as nice in person as he is on his blog. He's got a great recap and pictures on his blog.

After hanging around so Mike (who set a PR, woo hoo!) could get his award (placed first in his age group, woo hoo!), Kiera, Mike, the kids, Lucas (a really nice, really fast runner who regularly trains with MIke) and I went to brunch.

All in all, a great day, a great race and lots of fun.