Local Yokels...

The Houska Houska has run it's last race. After 22 years of holding this event, which became a big fundraiser for community cancer services, the founders have decided to move on with other pursuits.

So now I will have to find something else to do on future Memorial Days. I appreciate the dedication of the Houskas to the event, it takes a lot of commitment to keep something going singlehandedly for 22 years. The community owes them a huge thanks.

No I'm not going back to the Bolder Boulder. Been there enough, done that enough. I don't do crowds. Might have to invent a new adventure run.

Speaking of crowds, in other running-related news, sounds as if there is a tiff between the new entity in charge of the Colorado Marathon held in May each year down the Poudre Canyon, and Steve Cathcart, the founder of a proposed new race down Big Thompson Canyon, site of the massive flood in 2013 (and 1976). Steve has named the new race the Colorado Fall Classic Marathon and the people who took over the Colorado Marathon from Steve and others recently, objects to the name.

This is what I've heard through the running community, and I don't know the full details. But if the way it's explained is true, I don't understand the WATBs. Steve started organizing this months ago and they apparently didn't object to it back then. Is this about money and ego, or sport? I really don't see how anyone is going to be hurt in any way by having similar named races locally.

There is another half marathon, 5K and 10K in Fort Collins that has been around for years, called the Colorado Run, and it's on Labor Day. The Colorado Marathon also holds a half-marathon, 10K and 5K with it's marathon event in May. Do they have a problem with the Colorado Run? What is it about "Fall Classic" that is confusable with a spring marathon?

The Colorado marathon fills to capacity and this sport is big enough to sustain multiple events of the same length within short time spans of each other. No one is going to die because two marathons in the same county have Colorado in their name. Therefore I think it's a waste of time, money and energy. Do we really have to make attorneys any wealthier? They really are the only ones who benefit from these things.

I am not sure why two entities in the same sport cannot hold different events and have duplication of two words in their names. Anyone?

Doomsday Arrives...

The caption should say: "Runner grimaces anticipating tomorrow's colonoscopy prep."

Pre-Prep

This morning Dennis pointed out this picture of me in the paper from running the Houska Houska yesterday. It shows my Feed Your Crazy shirt really well, and I do look a little crazy in the picture.

You would too if you knew what awaits you in the 24 to 48 hours after you reach the finish line.

It's Tuesday, doomsday. First thing this morning I enjoyed my last cup of coffee, yes, that alone is a crisis for tomorrow morning.

Then I ate breakfast, tried to get some protein in before I went to clear liquids. I had some egg whites and turkey, two of the foods that were okay on the list for the day before breakfast.

Then I had a work appointment this morning. When that was done, I came home and did my run, a little over 12 miles.

Now I'm drinking clear, sugar free soda and Gatorade with sugar in it for a few calories. I'm planning on eating jello, chicken broth, gatorade, and nothing red, blue or purple all night. I was thinking about other possible things that might be on a clear liquid diet. What about gels? Like banana or vanilla? They are liquid and clear and if you wash them down with plenty of water, they would count. Give you a few calories, too.

Ultrarunners are well equipped for a colonoscopy. Most of us have baby wipes, Gatorade, butt grease, gels, and toilet paper anyway.

Knowing that you can't eat is worse than not eating. Plus I was brave enough to get on the scale the other day and my weight is still at 120 pounds. The lowest I got to was 118 before Cornbelt. I really haven't gained much as a result of not running but eating tons of food for several weeks. So it's not like I need to not eat.

I want to. Eat. Everything. Because I can't.

The instructions said to take 2 Dulcolax tablets at 4 pm the day before. The laxative kind, not the stool softener kind. Then at 6 pm the fun begins, drink one and a half bottles of magnesium citrate, which I've had chilling in the fridge. I've heard it tastes better cold, we used to give it to patients on ice. Or maybe it's just easier to choke down that way.

They warn you to be close to the toilet. It must work fast.

At 4 pm I took those pills, so I was officially prepping, and waiting for results...things shouldn't start really moving until I drink the mag citrate at 6 pm.

I have the baby wipes, A & D ointment, and plenty of toilet paper waiting for me next to the toilet. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to go commando, either! Skirts are great for that. I just hope I get most of the stuff out of me by a reasonable hour so I can sleep. I do have to make sure I wake up by 8 to drink the other half of the mag citrate 4 hours before the procedure.

The reason they have you do half the prep the day before and the other half the morning of the procedure is that the GI tract starts to get icky again if you finish the prep too many hours before the procedure. Your colon secretes mucus which makes it harder for them to see polyps, especially ones which have more tendency to be cancerous.

It's in your best interest to get the best prep possible so they can see everything they are looking for. Why go through all this if you're not going to get the full benefit of the procedure?

So they clean you out the night before and then clean you out again the morning of, and it works well that way.

It's always a little scary going through these screening things because you wonder if they're going to find something. Now that I've had probably a dozen mammograms in my life, I am used to the anticipation of waiting for the results. Not fun. Especially when you've had a family history of something. I've had no symptoms or anything to be worried about, so I am just being positive and hoping that everything turns out good, and if they find anything concerning, that it all works out for the best. That is all I can do. But I'd rather know than not know. To me, putting something off and not knowing is stressful.

The procedure is at 1 pm and my responsible adult friend Morgan is picking me up, waiting, and taking me home.

22 hours to food...

I'm wondering what it will be like by Friday, trying to run. I'm hoping I'll have all that nasty propofol out of my system and I feel okay. The key will be repletion of electrolytes before then. You lose a lot of potassium from your GI tract, not to mention all the fluids I'll be consuming, that will deplete my sodium and other minerals. I'm adding salt to the chicken broth, because I only had low sodium broth.

Probably not a bad idea to eat some yogurt after the procedure to add some probiotics back to the GI tract, too. That means I'll have to do some eating on Thursday to put everything back...too bad. Absolutely breaks my heart.

This week I have about 60 miles on the agenda, and then next week it's full-on training again. I'll be ready to recover and start hammering. After food.

But Wait...It Gets Better...

I took a short nap from about 5:30 to 6. I needed to wake up because it was time to drink the Mag Citrate. I opened the first bottle and poured a little into a glass. First sip.

Good thing Dennis was ready with the camera. At 6:08 pm I took the first sip.

This is THE nastiest crap. I swear, I don't know how the label on the bottle could say "In case of overdose..." Who in the hell would ever drink this stuff intentionally? I can think of much better things to drink to kill yourself.

7:09 pm: It took me a full hour to force 15 ounces down. I drank water and chased it with Gatorade with it because the taste was so nasty. Like paint. My advice- use clothespins for your nose, you wouldn't want to be able to smell this stuff. I don't think drinking it cold matters one bit. It tastes horrible.

Even the dogs looked worried.

I just hope this stuff works, fast and furious. Right now it is sitting in my stomach and not going anywhere, and I just hope it does it's job and goes in the right direction. Drinking this is the ultimate torture. It sure took care of the urge to eat anything. Barf me out of town!

Dennis got some pictures, and videos. Since you probably wouldn't want me to share what will be happening later on, enjoy these classics (below) of me drinking the prep...and leave the rest to your imagination, or not. I'm just imagining being done. What I can't imagine at this point, is how I'm going to gag the other 15 ounces of this crap down in the morning.

8:12 pm: Excuse me...things are starting to gurgle...gotta RUN!!!
Enjoy the videos...I'm expecting an Oscar for the drama.




Colonoscopy morning notes: As I sit here waiting for my responsible adult to pick me up and take me to the Roto-Rooter place, I did survive the overnight prep, but it wasn't fun. I spent much of the time in the bathroom until about 11 pm and then I went to sleep in the extra bedroom so I wouldn't wake Dennis up with my frequent trips to the bathroom. I woke up at midnight, and again at 2:40 am, and spent some time sitting there...there is no butt grease that is sufficient for this. Baby wipes and A & D ointment are a little more soothing than toilet paper, but by this morning, the most uncomfortable place on my body is the exact same portal to where they will place that endoscope. At least I'll be out of it when they do that.

I woke up at 6:47 am and started drinking the remaining prep, chasing it with clear soda. It was disgusting. I didn't breathe, just took multiple sips and then drank the soda, so I wouldn't taste or smell the nasty stuff. And then from about 8 to 9 am I hung out in the bathroom. Once things settled down, I took a nap with Iris. She gave me this look..."I guess this means we're not going for a walk this morning..."

They know something's up with mom. I'll look forward to coming home afterwards. I want a Buffalo hugs, a shower, food, and a nap. In that order.

I'll post about it after I recover from the propofol...hope I'm not too goofy and irresponsible to write a blogpost! I probably won't remember anything!

Almost a Chickin': Houska Houska 2014

Why did the chicken cross the road in front of the Truck?

Because the bike path was flooded.

The Houska Houska 5K, annual Memorial Day fundraiser 5K was held again this year. Always known for creative themes, this year creativity turned out to be necessity. Cooler than average temperatures this year along with recent flash flooding and storms have made the Poudre River hit flood stage just in time for this event.

Yesterday I ran along Spring Creek and I figured we wouldn't be running our usual riverside route along the Poudre today.

Quick thinking on the part of the race organizers resulted in an altered course, up above the river, along the frontage road paralleling the railroad tracks and overlooking the high water.

The course was short, but then the Houska Houska never is accurate, it's not a certified course, and even the normal route is somewhere just a hair short of 5K.

The other creative twist to the race was a spinoff on the rival Bolder Boulder race about 50 miles south of here: wave starts.

Yes, the Houska Houska had wave starts this year, because we were forced to start and finish on a narrow strip of sidewalk adjacent to Lemay Avenue, which is one of the busiest streets in town. The start and finish line were literally on the railroad tracks.

Dennis and I ran out for a warmup to preview the alternate course, and it looked like mostly rough asphalt with a few puddles, and the far end was dirt, with the potential for mud. We never ran past the asphalt so we didn't get a chance to see the dirt stretch. Two little hills each way, and an out and back. The exact distance was 2.44 miles, quite a bit short of a 5K, more like 4K.

I had to rethink my original chicking strategy, but I sharpened my elbows and decided to just get out there and run hard, and see what happened.

The plan was to walk everyone down Riverside Avenue the few blocks to the start. The waves would be based on the traffic lights, so as each group got across Lemay, they started while the next wave waited for the light to change. Brilliant, creative, and simple.

Dennis and I headed over to the start early, and so we found ourselves several rows back in the "elite" wave, behind a lot of kids and dogs and baby strollers. The first half block was the only tricky part, from the railroad tracks to the corner, and then it was all a wide street.

The gun went off and I tiptoed carefully over the railroad tracks and in between baby strollers, and once we made the turn, I could run. I looked around and couldn't see Dennis. I kept going. When we got up the hill to Nix Farm, we took a right and headed onto a dirt road that was soft but not muddy. We headed slightly downhill to a gate near Timberline Road. Then we turned around and headed back. My watch said 8:32 at the turnaround, and as I did my 180 I saw Dennis The Truck, barreling down on me, just a few yards behind. My only hope was that he'd tire out by the finish...

Heading back up the hill, he passed me, and gained a little distance on me. I thought maybe I'd recover a bit and eventually have the strength or speed to pass him. There was a little downhill grade past Nix Farm but my legs just wouldn't go any faster.

As we approached the finish line it would have taken more than I had in me. I didn't have the leg turnover. I knew he didn't have a watch so I looked at my watch as I saw him cross the finish line, 17:23. When I finished my watch said 17:38. Fifteen seconds. I looked around for him again. A woman was asking me to spell my name, as I'd finished second among women (in our wave). I had no idea they were keeping track, or why.

I saw Dennis leaning against a metal utility box by the tracks, recovering. He looked beat. I felt fine. I wished I had a little more distance to run, maybe it would have happened if we'd had another kilometer to go. Or maybe not. Regardless, 15 seconds in 4 kilometers is not far behind.

I almost chicked the Truck. Not quite. Maybe next year...or maybe at another race, if I can get him to do one.

I figured this is probably like doing a 22 1/2 minute 5K, which is okay right now.

Afterwards we hung out with friends, talked to a few people we never see except for at the Houska Houska, I talked business with a few people, and I had a root beer float this year, which I didn't allow myself to have last year.

Dennis celebrated his narrow victory with a hot dog and a Bloody Mary.

After we came home, I figured out the route distance and told Dennis the statistics. Then I started hinting at another 5K. He was already comfortable on the couch, about to doze off, as I left the house for my 7 mile cooldown.

Never give up...

A Year Later: Enjoying the Moment and A Chicking Strategy

I was looking back on what I wrote last year at this time, around Memorial Day, when Dennis and I ran the Houska Houska. I was feeling pretty run down and stressed. I was bordering on overweight, fighting a hamstring strain that was about to get a lot worse, and miserable in my job.

A year later I was working, but my day was a bit different...it started out in my office looking at the sunshine and blooming delphinium out the window, with my dogs at my feet.

This month I find myself spending the majority of my time working on marketing strategies, writing, creating ad copy and promotional materials, and preparing for speaking engagements, photo shoots, and interviews. I get to do creative and artistic work, I get to think, and best of all, I can eat, drink, pee, and take breaks whenever I want to!

After spending the morning in the office, I had an appointment with a client.

Part of our appointment involved going for a hike. So this is what I was doing while working. Not bad.

I'm so thankful to be where I am now. Things aren't perfect and there's a lot of work to be done. It takes patience and a steel gut to start a business, and you have to be able to put certain fears, especially about money, on the back burner while you grow the business at the beginning. But I am happy and enjoying it and I am so glad to be where I am today, with unlimited possibilities. No longer do I inhabit a box with it's walls defined by other people's ambitions.

We're running the Houska Houska again on Monday. This year could be the year I chick Dennis in the race. I'm not counting on it, but if he's slowed down from last year, it could happen. I know that would be the ultimate motivation for him to get back in shape, to get him to start running with me again. He wants to but he hasn't made it a priority. I'm sort of hoping to beat him, for that reason alone.

In order to do it, I'll have to make a plan.

Sneaking up quietly and sprinting past him at the end is not an option, he has too much strength in his legs and especially on that last quarter mile in the dirt along the railroad tracks. He's a cross-country runner with natural speed and I have almost no chance of beating him on a stretch like that.

The only realistic strategy that will work is to use an early to mid-race chicking technique, where I get out there and use my endurance to my advantage by passing him in the first mile and watching carefully to make sure he doesn't gain on me.

I'll let you know what happens...

Houska Houska 2013: How to Chick and Motivate an Old Man

This morning was the best annual Memorial Day running event in Colorado and fundraiser for the Bone Marrow Donor program and Poudre Valley Cancer Center, the Houska Houska 5K.

There are no starting waves or qualifying times for this one. No computer chips strapped to your ankle, or mats to step on. You are more likely to fit in to the crowd here if you are wearing a costume, running with a dog on a long leash, or pushing a baby stroller with at least two kids in it.

No one knows if the course is accurate, it's pretty close, but nobody cares. There is no timing, there are no bib numbers, age groups, awards or anything found at typical running events, except for a cotton t-shirt with an original, creative design for the year's theme.

The course starts off in the grass on an overgrown two-track parallel to the railroad tracks, then makes a couple of sharp turns at 1/4 mile in, to the Poudre Trail bike path, and runs a loop through a short hill on another overgrown dirt path and re-connects with the Poudre Trail in a partial out and back course with a twist.

You finish where you started, in the lumpy, tall grass and gravel next to the railroad tracks, across from Houska Automotive, under a billboard along Riverside Avenue.

Having slept in until 5:47 am, which is about an hour and a half later than I've slept the past two days of work, I got up in the daylight, made coffee, and let Dennis sleep. I really felt like crap. I don't race this race, it's not even what you can call a race, I just run it as hard as I can and get a good workout, because you usually spend half the time weaving in and out of people, strollers, dogs, and bikes.

I was hoping I would be able to run a respectable time despite my weeks of decadence, but it's not a race at all, it's an event. There is no comparison with road 5K times. Besides, the Casper Marathon is just 6 days away to challenge me.

Dennis has been running occasionally, just a few miles with the dogs on the weekends. His foot has improved with the plantar fascitis he's had since his fracture healed last summer. He's been hinting that he feels fat, which he's not. But he is not as fit as he was a year ago, and he often talks about getting motivated to run regularly, but hasn't managed to do it.

This was his first race since he broke his foot last June. And I decided a little motivation was in order.

Once Dennis woke up, he was moving slowly. I told him I was taking Iris for a run, and that I wanted to leave by 8 so there's time to warm up. He lifted his face up from staring at the paper and gave me that blank look. He wasn't awake yet.

I said, "You know, I have a feeling about this year."

"What's that?" He looked at me over his reading glasses.

"I think this is the year I'm gonna chick you."

"You think so?" He rolled his eyes.

"Not today, because I have a work hangover and feel like crap, but today in this race, I am going to get closer to you than I ever have before in a 5K. And sometime, over this coming year, I'll beat you in a 5K. You'll get chicked by your old lady."

"No way."

"Way. I'm gonna see the whites of your eyes when you look over your shoulder."

I took Iris out for a short run and when we got back, Dennis was ready. We drove down to Houska, parked, and signed up for the run.

At the start, I lined up on the starting line, in front, next to Dennis and our friend Forrest, who is not Forrest Gump but is a fast runner. Usually I get in behind a whole bunch of kids and strollers but this time I wanted to see what happened if I got up there.

I knew I couldn't beat Dennis, not today, the way I was feeling, but I was going to give myself a challenge by seeing how close I could stay to him.

When the gun went off, I took off and basically did what is an all-out sprint for me, for the first 0.2 miles down the overgrown two-track until you make a sharp left onto Lemay Avenue before the bike path. Running down the first little hill, I was right behind Dennnis. My lungs were burning! I was in anaerobic hell. Running down the first little asphalt hill under the bridge until the bike path levels out, I was already paying for it. I laughed to myself, thinking it would be interesting to see how this run turns out.

I ran pretty fast the first mile, but no one knows where the mile mark actually is, and I didn't have GPS. I could still see Dennis's back, he was less than 100 meters ahead of me, but I was having trouble keeping a fast pace. When we were close to the turnaround point, slightly more than halfway through, Dennis was not far ahead. I forget what I said to him to taunt him when we passed each other. He was far behind the lead runners. Forrest was way ahead of him.

It took me the first mile to recover from the sprint, and by this point, all I could do was hang on. I could feel my pace slipping, and I had no idea how fast I was going. I thought of looking at my watch when I rounded the last turn at Riverside and Lemay.

I decided against it because I had to hang in there for another 0.2 miles and I didn't want to be disappointed. I shut my watch off at the finish line. Ugly. 24:51. I saw Dennis walking around in the grass, down the road, but I was hurting too much to go tease him.

As it turned out, I was right. When we met each other in a spot in the shade, we compared notes. I was exactly 2 minutes and 4 seconds behind Dennis, the closest we've ever been in a 5K. By far. He ran 22:47. I think that's a personal worst for him. But I could tell he didn't feel defeated. He was smug, I had not beat him. Not even close.

The special thing about this morning was, it's the first day of training for me. I've been a slacker for the past 5 weeks since Cleveland, and last week I ran a grand total of 18 miles. I also consumed some rather decadent things. Like ice cream. Brownies. Chocolate chip cookies. Take out Chinese food. Beer.

And these Pellegrino Passion coolers. Actually those were pretty weird.

I've been trying not to worry about it but by the end of the week I felt HEAVY. And when I thought back to my pattern of consumption over the past week, it was pretty disgusting. I decided to scare myself and got on the scale this morning for the first time since my taper. 132!!!!??? It scared me. Nine pounds up since Cleveland? In 5 weeks? Really? It was definitely sodium and fluid-related, but still.

It amazes me how my weight can fluctuate. That's why it's not a good idea to weigh yourself frequently. But it is a good idea to weigh yourself when you need a reminder of why you can not indulge in those things on a regular basis. Especially when you're running 18 miles a week. Weighing myself before running this morning's event was a wake-up call.

The first order of business is, run my ass off, drop the extra weight, and get my butt in gear.

This morning I did not allow myself to indulge in the root beer floats they always serve at Houska Houska. Dennis had a couple of Bloody Marys. We walked around and talked, enjoying the sunshine and watching people. It was a nice morning, a little warm but not too bad.



This year's theme was the Roaring Twenties, so there were lots of flappers running around.

Of course the purpose of the run is to raise money for community cancer-related services, like Bone Marrow Donation.





And Houska Houska is big for the kids- there is always cotton candy, and this year, ziplining.





Dennis and I got a picture together, at a race. Something that rarely happens.

After hanging out and socializing, we didn't get our cool down run in so I suggested we go home and do our cooldown together. I only needed to do about 4 more miles. Dennis said he would do that with me if I'd take it easy on him. Uh-huh. It was warm outside, already 80 degrees. We took off for the Power Trail and after a mile he was whining.

Yes! Whining.

Dennis never whines. I started to tell him it was because of the Bloody Marys and not eating anything. WAAAAH.

I said we could make the first mile in under 11 minutes if he picked it up. He stopped and stretched and then we kept going. We got to our two mile turnaround and started heading back. At three miles he said he'd had enough and started walking. I ran home and he showed up a few minutes later. He said, "I'm dead."

So, maybe I didn't chick him in the race but I definitely kicked his butt on the cooldown. It's that endurance thing.

My plan worked. After 23 years, I know him well enough that I know he will need to avenge this.

Back in the old days when he was running for Reebok and I was running at my fastest, we used to run together and do pickups at the end of our runs, and I'd try to outsprint him at the end. I never could beat him for anything back then, he was running regular sub-15 minute 5Ks compared to my rare sub-19 minutes. As we've both gotten slower, we were always about 4 minutes apart in the 5K. Until now.

Looks like we'll be running some 5Ks this summer.

I can't wait.

The other news is that I planted a honeycrisp apple tree the other day. It was either that or I was going to have to buy stock in Whole Foods to earn dividends off my habit. I don't think we'll get fruit this year, but in two or three years it should pay for itself.

I also planted some tomatoes, peas, spaghetti squash, jalapeno and habanero peppers, cilantro, basil, thyme, yellow squash and zucchini, and beets. And then we have the oregano and parsley and chives that come up every year. I've never had any luck with beets here, the ground is too hard, but we're going to do one raised bed this year and see how that goes. Maybe we can finally grow beets. I love them.

The raspberries started to really take off last year. I miss our yard in Arizona. If I could get grapes to grow I'd want a trellis with grapevines on it. We had amazing grapes in Arizona, everyone in the neighborhood would walk by our house and marvel at the grapes. We had a bottlebrush tree, lemons, limes, grapefruit, oranges, and grew plenty of basil, tomatoes, cilantro, and tons of serrano peppers. We grew serrano peppers like they were on steroids. I think we might still have some dried serranos floating around somewhere in our kitchen cabinets that came from Arizona.

And the front yard flower garden is bursting out now. Every day there's something new.




This is it. I'm back to training again. Tomorrow the plan is hills at Horsetooth. Oh, it will hurt, but I need to do hills, I've become such a wimp on the flats. It will pay off.

Now I'm off to take a nap, sleep off this work hangover, and maybe later I'll soothe Dennis's ego...

Goats, Running, Drinking, Politics, & Religion...

This past weekend was the Houska Houska. It was a space theme this year. This event always brings out creative and eclectic.

Most of the costumes were Star Wars, My Favorite Martian, and other space-like stuff from the 60s-80s. I bet a lot of readers don't even remember My Favorite Martian except that they made a movie about it a few years back. Plus they had the petting zoo (hence goats) and face painting for the kids.

It was a record turnout, which is great for the Bone Marrow Donor Program and the Cancer Center. It was perfect weather, nice and cool, running conditions we haven't had lately. It wasn't too cool because I wasn't freezing. I wore one of my Walmart tank tops.

At the Houska Houska, you find all sorts of odd things. For example, the coneheads who were working the parking lot. A few years ago there was a Saturday Night Live theme, I think it was the Blues Brothers. I don't even try figuring out a costume. Walmart fashion is enough.

Princess Leia was helping with registration.

I ran hard but kept in mind that I wasn't going to run all out, because I was doing a tempo run Tuesday. I ran hard enough that it would have been difficult to hold a conversation, but I was never so uncomfortable that I couldn't pick it up. Finished in 23:20, which is about 7 1/2 minute pace. Who knows if the course is accurate. I think that's my fastest time there yet, but who cares?

I had my root beer float and Dennis had some bloody marys and we hung out and caught up with all the people we usually never see except for each year at the Houska Houska. All runners we used to hang out with more when we were all younger, now everyone is busy with their lives and their kids, and we meet up once a year. It's always a fun day.

After the run we went home, hung out with the girls in the yard, didn't do too much, just enjoyed the cool sunshine and drank some margaritas.

I did make a big salad for lunch. Iris was sitting there in front of me, drooling. I don't know why. There was no meat in the salad. Lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, avocado. That was it.

So that brings me to the things that have twisted my brain over the past 24 hours.

1. What's this thing I keep seeing about a Runner's World-initiated running streak? My question is, why would Runner's World want to encourage this? I suppose if someone was having a hard time getting motivated, this sort of thing might possibly help them break through a mental block. But if someone is just getting started, it's not such a great idea to have them run every day. I hope walking counts too?

First of all, I don't do things that everyone does. Usually, if everyone's doing it, that's a good enough reason for me to NOT do it. And even if it's only a mile a day, for 38 days, there are days when running a mile for the sake of running a mile can actually impair healing. For example, with the workouts and runs I do, especially those that cause swelling in my feet or other places, running or even walking a mile is not such a good idea on those days. Elevating my feet and sitting on my butt seems like a better streak during those times. (Add a good Fort Collins microbrew or a frozen margarita with salt and I'm happy!)

I realize there are lots of runners out there who have personal running streaks. That's their business. I don't think it's a good idea for most people. So, thanks, but no thanks. And I suppose RW might imagine otherwise, but I'm not a sheep. Baaaa.

2. I was in the grocery store today doing my rare but obligatory big box supermarket visit to get the things that I can only get at the big stores. No, it wasn't Walmart, either. I went to King Soopers (or King Stoopids, as they call it here). I was walking down the aisle with the paper towels and toilet paper, and noticed a little sticky note on a package of toilet paper. It was white, so it was hard to see, but I read it. Damn, I also took it with me but now I can't find it! I was going to post it here on the blog. It was a little square white sticky note that had one of those smart phone scanner codes in the corner, but in a font that looks like handwriting, it said "Groceries or Gas? Thanks Obama!"

Well, I had to find out the source, and I had left my cell phone at home. When I got home I googled on it and came up with a group calling itself the Longmont Tea Party. Funny, Longmont is just down the road. I looked on their website and found a couple of links that I clicked on, one link led to another sticky note that they were putting on gas pumps. That one said something about how gas cost $1.78 a gallon in 2008 before Obama was elected, and blaming Obama for high gas prices.

That's funny. I seem to remember paying well over $4 a gallon in the summer of 2008. I remember that because I ran Badwater that summer and gas prices were at record highs. But it seems like someone else was President at the time. How can that be, when it's all Obama's fault, he singlehandedly destroyed the economy. Oh, I know- Obama was secretly undermining the economy because he's related those A-Rabs, ya know, his middle name is Hussein. He's actually related to Osama bin Laden, and Saddam Hussein. Both! He wasn't born here, either. You know, if we elect Obama, we'll all be speaking Arabic. And he'll take away our guns.

3. I said religion in the post title, right? I guess I don't really have anything to say about that this time. I was worshipping the Black Hills topographic map series I received in the mail this weekend. I love maps. Dennis says I love maps like Imelda Marcos loves shoes. Maybe I should update that- isn't it that Kardashian chick who loves shoes? Imelda Marcos is so 80s.

That's about the closest thing to religion I got all weekend. I have a more secular explanation for my behavior. I'm a map nerd.

This morning I did my tempo run because Shannon had a schedule conflict for our usual evening run tonight. I got a good 8.3 miles at an average pace of 8:08. Not bad. After that I went to the sauna and was lucky- I had it to myself!!!

Training-wise right now, I am maintaining without adding additional fatigue to my legs. I haven't trained this spring to do multiple long days but I know that mentally I can do it. If I try doing anything long now it will take away more than I will gain, the five days off last week was perfect.

All I will do for now is keep my mileage in the mid-50s, continue with speedwork and strides, and spend time in the sauna. It's only another 2 1/2 weeks until the Double Mick!

Prepare to Houska!

I’ve been tired and hungry for a few days. It was hot yesterday, but today we got a break in the weather and it’s raining and 59 degrees. According to my body, that is freezing. Fortunately the house had a chance to warm up to 70 before the clouds rolled in. Otherwise I would have turned on the heat. As long as I stay indoors, I’ll be okay.

I started out the day with a staff meeting at work, and afterwards I went out to the nursery to get some starter plants for the garden, just a few peppers and tomatoes, and some delphinium, because I’ve been wanting to plant those in front of the woman cave. I also got some small basil plants and repotted those by the woman cave.

I also went to REI to look for some Black Hills maps but they didn’t have any. I ended up ordering them online. I should have them by next week.

My plan was to run 10 to 15 miles today and maybe do a bike ride, but after planting all the plants I got at the nursery, I was hungry. I started searching for food. I ate all of last night’s leftovers, and then another smoothie. I could eat everything in sight. Fortunately we don’t have a lot of food in the house.

I’m meeting two friends this evening at Tortilla Marissa’s, and I will be eating there, too. I hope I can pack enough calories in today and be done with it. Tomorrow I go back to work and I won’t have time to eat much.

My legs feel sore in a few spots and I decided to make this a day off. I’m going to stay home and eat. I might as well do it today, plus next week is looking to be a challenge. Shannon has already threatened to make me work hard in my next tempo run, after I told him my goal for this fall, which is to drop a minute per mile off the pace we’re running now for my 10 mile tempo runs. He’s already planning to make me work for it this coming week.

This weekend is Memorial Day, and I’m working, except for Monday.

Monday is the Houska Houska, an event that I try not to miss. It’s a 5K in town, low key and fun, Fort Collins’ answer to the crowds of the Bolder Boulder. People dress up, it’s a fun race with no frills, no numbers, no starting waves or prize money, but you do get an interesting t-shirt based on whatever theme the race has for the year. The most important thing about this run is, it’s a fundraiser for the Bone Marrow Donor program and the Poudre Valley Cancer Center.

It starts on Monday at 9 am at Houska Automotive on Riverside Avenue in Fort Collins and runs along the Poudre Trail and dirt footpaths off the bike path, finishing back at Houska Automotive. Afterwards they serve root beer floats, hot dogs, and Bloody Marys. I like the root beer floats. Right now, that sounds so good.

I’m not really a fair-weather runner. A few drops of rain from the sky won’t scare me. Fifty-nine degrees might cause me to put on tights, gloves and a jacket, but it won’t keep me indoors. So I guess my excuse is, I’m officially tapering and calorie-loading for the Houska Houska.

The Doctor is IN

Finally, on the last day of May, a warm day in Fort Collins! It was warm outside of the sauna.

I ran 32 miles up at Horsetooth Reservoir today on the hills after yesterday's off and on rain after the Houska Houska. Today was cool to start, I was freezing until noon, I had my long sleeved fleece turtleneck on until the last 6 miles! Everyone else was out in shorts and I was freezing.

The air was cool but the ground was warm, because I saw two HUGE bull snakes on the asphalt at the turnoff to Reservoir Ridge. I couldn't pull out my cell phone camera fast enough and they slithered back into the grass as cars went by. They were big!

After my run, I stopped by Runners Roost to exchange a pair of shoes. I cannot even wear 7 1/2s anymore. I put them on and the toes on my left foot go numb from being squeezed together. Just 5 months ago I was able to wear them. I ordered 7 more pairs of Brooks Addictions, mostly 8s, but a couple of 8 1/2s, to get me through Badwater. I will break each of them in before July.

Houska Houska was fun as always, it was a Saturday Night Live theme and there were Coneheads, Killer Bees, the Blues Brothers, Father Guido Sarducci, and so many other creative costumes. I got the honor of running with my friend Morgan, whom I never see anymore. We ran the entire run together.












After the Houska Houska I went to the sauna, lifted, did a few more miles with the girls, and took a long nap. Then I had to go to the store and buy supplies for this week's running. I'll have to get more at mid-week, for making sandwiches, because it won't last if I get it now.

Today I went back to the sauna, it's been unusually hot in there lately. I've only been able to tolerate about 35 minutes each day this week. Unfortunately today I resembled this one guy's therapist again. I said as little as possible and kept the towel over my eyes. This guy loves to try engaging people in conversation even if they are not looking at him. I watched him do it with 5 different people. If they were quiet or ignoring him, he would lie there and sigh loudly, over and over again.

Most people didn't want to talk, myself included. Call me a cold heartless b**** but I'm not being paid to be his therapist. I'm in there to relax, to think about Badwater planning, drink a lot of fluids, and concentrate on staying in the sauna. I don't go there to socialize.

I am sure the poor guy is lonely but I'm not able to help him. I have run into him twice now, only when I go to the sauna later in the day. Usually I'm there before noon and I don't tend to run into oddballs.

The other thing that always seems to happen this time of year is road construction, and always between my house and the sauna. This time it's at Horsetooth and Lemay. I guess it will lengthen my heat training sessions, if I roll up the windows and crank the heater as I sit there through multiple light changes in backed up traffic.

The next two weeks will be a challenge since I'll have to go to the sauna after my runs each day. But after I get back from Arizona, I will be tapering and can go any time I want. For now, I need to remember my sign, psychiatric help $150 an hour. If I got enough clients, I could pay for Badwater!

What's your next race?

People keep coming up to me and asking when is my next race. I guess they think I must race a lot. I really don't. But I do have one important race coming up before I go to Badwater, and that is one I wouldn't want to miss: the Houska Houska 5K. It's a fundraiser for the Poudre Valley Cancer Center and the Rocky Mountain Bone Marrow Donor Program.

You don't even have to wake up all that early to do it. You can give the sun a chance to come up before the race starts. And there's plenty of parking, no crowds, and fun for all ages.

It starts at 9 am at Houska Automotive on Riverside Ave. in Fort Collins. This year's theme is Saturday Night ALive. I might have to run with a pillow in my shorts. Or with a cone on my head, and tell everyone I'm from France.

The Houska Houska 5K is the best answer to the crowds and traffic of the Bolder Boulder, not to mention being a local fundraiser. It's my kind of race: low-key, fun, they don't even give out race numbers, but you do get a t-shirt, and they have root beer floats and bloody marys at the finish, among lots of other things.

If you haven't done the Houska Houska, don't put it off another year. You'll never go back to the madness in Boulder. You can go here to register. I'll see you there!

photo credit: Nathan Nitzky