Celtic Solstice

I was supposed to run this race in Baltimore at Druid Hill Park on Saturday morning.

Instead, I stayed home and cleaned, cleaned, cleaned to get ready for showing our house to a couple from the DC area.  Initially Dave and I were both going to go to the race and have brunch afterwards at Gertrudes at the Baltimore Museum of Art (close to Druid Hill Park).

Love the BMA.  Love Gertrudes, named for Gertrude Stein, a former Baltimorean, or as I call us, Baltimorons. She is the one who penned the phrase, A rose is a rose is a rose.  She was an author, art collector, doctor (I think she finished med school...I know she attended, and this was back in the day where it was rare for women to be docs). She was an ex-pat in Europe and hob knobbed with the mukkety muck well know writers and artists there during the Impressionists era.

Hmmmm.....gotta get a run going.  Gotta start doing planks again.

15K with the Annapolis Striders

Got it done.

15K on Sunday morning at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, while a nice snow started falling.

Initially there were a few flakes as we were getting ready to run.  Then nothing.  Then as we were around the 3 mile mark, miniature snowballs started landing on us.  I wanted to look at them through a microscope, or at least a magnifying glass, thinking of Rachel Carson's quote, "Some of nature's most exquisite handiwork is on a miniature scale, as anyone knows who has applied a magnifying glass to a snowflake." Later, great big fat sloppy snow kisses landed on us.  It was awesome.

I'm still sore.  I haven't taken any naproxen.

And I'm still not out-running my fork.  I've put on winter weight.  Too many nachos, too many pizzas, too much ice cream and cheesecakes.  I put on a pair of pants this morning that usually have a bit of a sag in the butt and are almost too long, but now there is no sag as the material is stretched across my wide behiney and thighs, lifting the length from the floor as I flow outwards.

I joke to people as I get older - and our spines compress, causing us to get a bit shorter, that I am melting, melting into a pear with feet.

On another note, there was supposed to have been a Snowy Owl sighted at Quiet Waters the day before our run.  I was hoping to see it.  No such luck.  I went for a walk before the snow, before the race and here is what I saw:

Thanksgiving Forking & Next Challenges

So for Thanksgiving, I didn't really fork off that much.  I brought two desserts: Pumpkin Cheesecake that I'd made for the first time (it was awesome) and a pumpkin cream cheese roll that I've made for years and is also awesome.  I'd have made several other dishes but one, a five layer white chocolate, red velvet cheesecake that is on the front cover of the December 2013 Southern Living magazine, was a total disaster.  Not sure why.  I followed the recipe very closely.  I need to study this some more to see if it was my fault or a bad recipe (got it on-line).  Surely, the cover photo recipe is not a bad one.  So it was probably my fault.  I admit it.  But I still don't know where I went wrong, and on multiple fronts.

Anyway, I'd have made more dishes yet, but simply ran out of time.

My husband and I went for a nice walk about the day after Thanksgiving (what others call Black Friday, which was  a beautiful day to me).

For the future, I'm signed up to run a 15K this weekend in Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, and the Celtic Solstice in B-More the following Saturday.

Yes.

Dashing through the Show

I ran the 5K, Dashing through the Show (the holiday light show) at Sandy Point State Park.  The race (or stroll for some) was sponsored by the Annapolis Striders, benefiting Anne Arundel Medical Center. I got there early, waited for dark, when the race started at 6:15pm.  It was fun  Families were out running together.  There were young ones, as young as 3, I swear, running, walking, looking at the lights.  Groups of young kids around 6 to 8 were running in little gangs, with parents on the edges, making sure they were ok, but staying out of the conversation.

This whole thing reminded me that as children we love to run and play.  As adults, we should still run and play.  I love that I do that, that I know that. I wish I could share more of that with non-active friends and co-workers.

Too Much Forking

I took a few days off after the 50K, or as my daughter says, 31.0086 miles.

But the need for an adventure or some type of challenge is nipping at my heels again.

Don't laugh, but I went on-line and found the Sandy Point "Dashing Through The Show" 5K, which is just a trot through the holiday lights strung each year at my beloved Sandy Point State Park, on the shores of my Chesapeake Bay.  Yes, they're mine. I share them though. With lots of other people.

So I'm doing that run this Friday solo, probably.  Dave will be on his way back from a meeting in DC and I haven't tried to entice anyone else...OK, maybe I'll see if my daughter is up for it.   There is no advanced registration; just show up, pay $14 which helps the local hospital, and do the run. No premiums. Good. Like I need more running T-shirts.  Not.

My next adventure, at least one that I signed up for and put on the calendar, is another running event. I've always wanted to do the Celtic Solstice 5 mile run in Druid Hill park in Baltimore. I'm a Baltimore ex-pat, and I'm totally into B-more trivia, and this Celtic Solstice is a run that belongs to the locals.

So yes, I've always wanted to do it from the time I lived there, but something always got in the way, or, OK, so I forgot about it coming up sometimes. They do this run rain, shine, sleet or snow, though they don't go all postal about it - they laugh and put one foot in front of the other, slipping and sliding along. I hope, yes, I hope it snows.  Now that would be more adventurous for me.  I look forward to this run.  I've got cabin fever. I'm biting at the bit to get out hiking, biking, birding or kayaking, but we continue to be tied to the house for continued tweaks here and there on things that need to be fixed, cleaned up, touched up.

And I'm eating my home made ice cream.  I'm fighting off that daylight savings time change, and less light as the days shorten.  I'm forking more than running as I fight off curling up into a little butterball.

All housework, no adventures, makes me crazy.

Did it! 50K!

I did it! It took me 7 hours and change, but I did it!  

50K! 

31 miles! 

It was three laps around the perimeter trail at Rosaryville State Park, MD. 

My husband was one of the volunteers working the water station on the north side of the park.  I went through there three times.  

I ran the whole thing, unlike the marathons I've run, where I walked off and on the last 6 miles.  

I just put my head down like a horse and kept slogging forward, thinking that with each foot fall, I was closer and closer.  I let my mind wander, I was in my zen.  It was so much easier than the marathons. I think it was easier because it was in the woods, which I love, and the dirt was easier on  my body than the asphalt and cement of most roads and streets. I ran a lot of this course by myself, so I was able to just think, or not think - just be. 

I'm glad I was on the course a week or so ago to run it and take pics and look around.  I also studied the map after that and got it in my head what things would look like and how far it was from one point to another. That enabled me to know what was coming up and to not panic or get psyched out that it seemed to take so long between certain points, which is a bit of what happened a week or so ago when I ran the one lap.  This time I was prepared. The miles between the southern water station and the northern one included a lot of switch backs and when I ran it before, it psyched me out.  This time I was prepared mentally.  

Yes.  Did it! For a day, I entered the ranks of the ultra runners.  I finished in a respectable manner.  Finishing is respectable, actually.  Only 200 were allowed to sign up, and about 150 finished.  I think I was 139.  Maybe a dozen or so were over 50.  I had good company!  

People on the course were friendly.  The volunteers were all friendly.  This was a very good experience.  My friend, Doug, finished at about 6 and a half hours.  He had a tough time the last lap, he said. He is 31 years old and quite the runner so I think he expected more of himself.  I was very happy with myself, with how my body held up and especially with my mental state.  Totally determined, totally held it together. Yes.

Prep for 50K

Today I took the day off work and drove south to Rosaryville State Park, letting the Reverend Al Green sing me some tunes such as Pretty Woman and Unchained Melody.  I started trying to work out alternative lyrics to Pretty Woman that went along the lines of "Running Woman."  It was fun, and I certainly had time to work on it while doing the 9 mile and some Perimeter Trail.

For the 50K coming up next weekend, it is 3 laps around the Perimeter Trail.  A friend who I talked into signing up for it with me, tried out the Perimeter Trail a few weeks ago and thought it was an ass kicker.  He is in better shape than me, by a long shot, so this got my attention.

Almost had a MCM Bib

I thought I was going to be able to run the Marine Corps Marathon this last Sunday.

An email came through at work last week about available bibs from people who were injured.  It was too late to transfer names, but who cares, right?  I'd have paid $95 to run, even if it was in the name of an older Korean male doctor.  Really, that's who's bib I was going to buy.

But our commo plan fell through.  I provided my cell phone to a lady who was going to deliver it to Reagan National on Saturday morning, while I was picking up a friend who was flying in to run the marathon.

I didn't realize it, but I'd fat fingered a wrong digit on the number EVEN THOUGH I DOUBLE CHECKED IT!  I just didn't SEE it.  I should have insisted on getting a number from the lady, but didn't.  So, of course, it didn't work out.  I was in the agreed upon place 15 minutes early, and waited 15 minutes later, but she didn't show.  In the mean time, she was trying to call and text the number I'd given her. I must have just missed her when I went to terminal C to meet my friend.  After his flight arrived, we went back out to the spot where I was supposed to meet her, but nothing.  We went on to the Expo and I'd hoped she'd call.  Right.  That wasn't going to happen.

So maybe it was not meant to be.  I was exhausted from working to get our house on the market.

And as it was, my husband and I probably walked 10 miles to various points on the marathon route to see our friend come through.  We were both tired and sore from working on the house.  After the marathon, all three of us; the friend who actually ran it, and my husband and I, felt beat up.

But good times.  All is good.

Signed up for 50K

Got it done.  Also, ran 10 miles last Friday after work, then 3 miles Saturday and Sunday, and 15 miles on Monday.  Pooped on Tuesday.  No runs since.  I hope to do 15-20 this weekend.  Whoopeeeeeee!

50K

Tomorrow I have to sign up for the 50K in Rosaryville.  I told a friend to do it and he did it already.  Initially I was going to do it as a three person relay with my husband and a friend, but now I want to recruit a third runner to go with them and try for the 50K solo.

Not in shape for it, but I might be able to push through.

Weekend Dancing and Hiking

We went to a wedding Friday night and danced a lot which is our norm. We also hiked on the way to the wedding.  Who does that?  We do. We'd just packed our nice clothes and planned to change after some wandering around.

The wedding was at Ski Liberty Resort in Fairfield, PA. Enroute, we passed Cunningham Falls State Park so we popped off the road and hiked about 3 miles - going up hill and realizing how out of practice we'd become.  My calves are STILL sore.  WTH?? We'd also not planned to get all sweaty.  Oh well. We cleaned up quickly in the park bathroom faculties.

I made homemade ice cream Saturday morning.

We hiked yesterday at Patuxent River Park, Jub Bay, and Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary, then had dinner at a restaurant on the water in Deale, MD.  Healthy.  A salad.  Well, ok, we had wings to start, and a couple glasses of wine.

We stopped at Ego Alley in Annapolis and watched the power boats, from the Annapolis Power Boat Show, untangle themselves and head out into the Chesapeake Bay.  The security for the show includes old military friends who gave us access not available to the public.  We bought the entire crew ice cream from the Storm Brother's ice cream shop right on Ego Alley.  We didn't get any for ourselves.  Instead, we went up the street to Red, Red Wine where Dave had a glass of Park City, UT, rye and I had a flight of Spanish red wine.

Then we went home and ate the home made ice cream.  Oh well.

Hiking & Running in Iowa

I brought home made fudge to Iowa.  My Dad loves fudge and used to make it on the stove top with no recipes, no scales, no candy thermometer when he was young. I took a chocolate making class with my daughter and make really good fudge that I closely monitor with the candy thermometer, wiping the sides of the pan down with damp paper towels, weighing the good quality chocolate before adding it, and pouring the mixture out onto my granite counter top where I work it with a paint scraper (new and used only for fudge). I put Iowa black walnuts on the top of the fudge.  My Dad had mailed them to me a while back and I've had them in the freezer.

So that is what I kept tasting all weekend in Iowa.

It was a short trip for a wedding. Still, I got a couple of nice sightseeing workout events in.

I was up before dawn on Saturday, donned my running clothes that I had set aside the night before so I could sneak out quietly, not waking anyone. I was just about to leave the bedroom when a pillow hit me in the head. I turned to my husband and said, "Get your ass out of bed since you are awake and come with me. Let's go hiking." So he did and we did. Approximately a 3 mile hike.

We hiked into Lamson's Woods State Preserve, Fairfield, Iowa.  We continued on along the bike path and back into town through Chautauqua Park, then on the streets back to my folk's house.

Across the street from my folks' house.

Morning light as dawn was breaking.

Birding. It's migratory season and there was LOTS of activity.

Green Heron

Mr. Heron

Breakfast of champions.

Hi!

The morning fog at Lamson's Woods.

I got up early Sunday morning too.  Dave stayed to chat with my Mom and Aunt who were already up so I went for a run.  I brought my little Nikon but the battery soon died so I had to use my Droid which doesn't take good pics.  I had nice long looks at the heron at Lamson's Woods - ran part of the same route we'd hiked the day before. It had rained over night so it was nice and foggy on the ground. Beautiful. I heard wild turkeys just outside the border of Chautauqua Park and stayed for a while, hoping they'd show themselves but it wasn't to be. A good run. Maybe 3 miles.

I love running into the fog!

Pearls or rain-heavy web?

Chautauqua Park. So beautiful!

Three Mile Loop

The little cove along the Severn River.

I love the colors.  This looks so inviting.

Boats are so romantic.

When I run, I like to sight see. I often carry a little Nikon camera. I do lots of starts and stops if the scenery is awesome.  And I try to run where the scenery is awesome.  Many people have gym memberships.  I can't do that.  I have to exercise outdoors and get a good dose of Mother Nature along the way. Even when it's cold.  Even when it's raining.  One of my favorite runs was as it was starting to snow.  Beautiful.

My maintenance run is a simple three mile loop through a neighborhood along the Severn River in Annapolis.  It is scenic, it has hills, trees, birds, and lots of beautiful flowers all summer.

Epiphany on a Lifetime of Exercise

I've always been outdoorsy and athletic.  I grew up on a farm and rode horses, bicycles, and played hide and seek in the barns and shed, even the corn crib. In elementary school I took pride in being a good kickball player and running the mile in gym class. In junior high and high school I ran cross country and played basketball. In college I continued running on my own, and joined ROTC so I did orienteering, obstacle courses, sky diving, rappelling and conoeing in the Ozarks, and anything else that sounded fun.

I've always liked food though.  I always thought that the longer my workouts were, the longer my distances run, I could eat more.  That's true to a certain extent.

A couple months ago, as our family was hanging out in our kitchen (yes, the center of our universe), one of our adult sons who has been into body building and fitness in general, was talking about how people think you can get into shape in 2-3 months, like many people make plans after their New Year's Resolutions or want to get in shape for summer.  He said he used to think that too. Then he said it had taken him 4 years of serious work to get to the point where he is now.  It's more than a 2-3 month ramp up.  It's a lifestyle, he said.  And....he said he felt that it was more about nutrition than about the exercise.

"YOU CAN'T OUT-RUN YOUR FORK," he said.