What doesn't kill you???

Less than two months left until 2014 has finally concluded.  I don’t think I have seen more downs and well, downs in one year.  But this has taught me how incredible strong my family is, and I am not just talking about blood. 

Due to my dad being in the hospital I did not attend Denver.  My dad wouldn’t stop apologizing for “making” me miss my race.  Once my dad finally got out of the hospital I figured I would go out on a limb and contact the race directors to see if there was any way I could get my bib and do sort of a virtual run for my dad.  Two weeks later I not only received my bib I also received my medal.  I have mapped out a 13.1 mile course that I will be running and my dad will have easy access to the “finish” and I will be able to give him the medal.  To make the whole situation even more magical I have an incredible group of people who have volunteered to cheer me on along the course!  I am not sure I will be able to finish with a dry eye!

The initial down of the year has, for the most part, been resolved.  There are certain aspects of it that haven’t and I am not sure it will.  But that is just a part of life.  Number two down I wish I could say is all better and things are peachy but I will not be able to say that; there is no happy solution.  Number three is clearly going to run into 2015 and probably further on for many years but hopefully we will have an understanding of the cause before the year is out. 

Besides the Denver bib, which I am still planning my “race day”, there haven’t been any other races this year.  My racing has seemed to have fallen by the wayside, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will be remedied next year.  I have a goal for 2015 and damn it I will succeed! 

Do not let what you can not do; interfere with what you can do.

–John Wooden

Trying To Return To Some Form of Normalcy

I am beyond ready for 2014 to be over and done with.  It has been nothing by rough seas since pretty much the beginning.  I have done everything I can to try to keep even keel, with not a whole heck of a lot of luck.  In order to return to semi normal, I will be enjoying the Denver Half marathon again.  It is not the most exciting race, but I really don’t care.  It is a comfortable race for me and right about now, that is what I need. 

Here is to Day 1 of training!

Monday – Rest (awesome way to start training!)
Tuesday – 3 mile run
Wednesday – Cross training or 2 mile run, or both! (probably will hit the pool)
Thursday – 3 miles again
Friday – Rest
Saturday – 30 minute cross
Sunday – 4 miles

Do not let what you can not do; interfere with what you can do.

–John Wooden

Hot Chocolate 5K

Hot Chocolate 5K

A few weeks ago I signed up for the Hot Chocolate 15 K in Denver.  The concept is YUMMY! You run the race and at the end you get hot chocolate and chocolate fondue with misc. goodies to go in.  These goodies included marshmallows, pretzels, rice crispy treats, banana and another thing or two. I signed up and then it occurred to me, I can’t have most of the goodies, so I sent in an email.  I was told all the snacks were separately wrapped and I shouldn’t have any issues.  Then the evil germ buckets got the better of me (I must add that I love the evil little germ buckets and I would trade in where I work for anything!).  For once in my life I actually listened to my body and downgraded to the 5K. Keeping in mind this was an inaugural race there are a lot of ups and downs (some things would be a down if it were not an inaugural)

Packet Pick-up

Packet pick-up was held on Friday and Saturday (no packet pick-up the morning of) – Thumbs down.  This race is not a massive race there is no reason not to permit same day packet pick-up.  In two days I drove almost 300 miles for this race.  I get Runner’s Roost would lose money if it were morning of packet pick-up, but I am not a fan of theirs by ANY stretch of the imagination, so them losing money is NO skin off my back.

Goodie bag

The bag included a sweatshirt and the bib and that was it! Yes, they had little pieces of chocolate at the “expo” (which was not an expo) – Thumbs downs(ish)

Pre-race

We got a little piece of paper recommending we get to the race at 5:45 (race start was 7:00).  We got there closer to 5.

Port-a-potties – two different areas and there were plenty – Thumbs up

Merchandise sales area – a little crowded, volunteers were not trained how to work the computers, got an awesome pair of jammie bottoms – Inaugural Thumbs up

Support area – they had the standard band aids, safety pins, etc.  Oh! And hair ties!!!!! – Thumbs up

Race Start

We were line up in corals, it was obvious there were a significant number of newbies out there which is awesome, but race etiquette needs to be explained CLEARLY to these people.  A lot of basic information was listed on their site. – Thumbs up

While lined up in the corals I saw at least two strollers – the rule against them NEEDS to be enforced! – Thumbs down. 

Race

The race went off without a hitch.  It was a flat course, one water stop with port-a-potties.  Mile marker 1 and 2 were pretty close to what my Garmin read (I get a smide off, not a big deal) mile marker 3 and the finish line were off! My Garmin read 3.35 (I would understand up to 3.25)  – Thumbs downs(ish)

According to my Garmin’s distance I am very happy with my time! I might have been slow, but that is ok I did it and I didn’t hack up a lung in the process! 

After Party

Once the race was over the masses went over to the chocolate tent.  The set up was well organized, it was a very streamlined process. – Thumbs up

The email response I received LIED!!!! The pretzels were not separately wrapped, BUT there were no issues when I asked for a bowl without pretzels  – Thumbs WAY up

There wasn’t as much chocolate as they made it seem, but the chocolate went over well.

A few things I would suggest…

#1 – Do not make packet pick-up mandatory the day/2 days before. 

#2 – ENFORCE the no stroller/no dogs on the course rule (my sister saw some dogs out there too)

#3 – Consider finding out about people’s allergies (gluten/dairy) and look into the possibility of having an allergy bowl. (I am not saying they need to do it, but it might not hurt to look into it)

All in all it was a good inaugural, they do have some glitches then need to work out but they have a good strong start.

Do not let what you can not do; interfere with what you can do.

–John Wooden

Evil Little Germ Buckets

Thanks to a combination of lupus and the meds to “treat” lupus I have no immune system.  Since I work part time around kiddos life can get interesting!  After less than two months of hanging out around these little (and some not so little) guys (and girls) I caught something! It started off with a sore throat which turned into a nasty headache and is now a pleasant little cough that keeps going deeper and deeper into my chest.  I went to the doc, got meds, found out I was not contagious, been sleeping like crazy oh! And I have a race tomorrow.  I was supposed to run the 15k, but THAT is not going to happen.  I will be attempting to muddle through the 5k, but hey there is chocolate afterwards so you had better believe as long as I can crawl I WILL be doing this race.  

On a different note, somehow we are rapidly approaching my birthday yet again, I still won’t really admit how old I am but I think I am willing to go up a year.  This past year has been full of ups and downs but I have learned so much about myself, I have done things that 10 years ago I couldn’t have even imagined. I still have so much more in life that I want to accomplish and this past year has proven to me that not only is it possible but I WILL accomplish it.  

Well, tomorrow is a VERY early morning so it is early to bed!

Do not let what you can not do; interfere with what you can do.

–John Wooden