TOU Half

We were not able to get a complete group photo, so we did a few here and there. We never could find Sylvia though!  Today, I had 2 goals. To my friends amazement getting a half PR was not one of them!

At packet pick up, I heard someone say my name. I looked over, and this guy is saying, "Aren't you Lori? Don't you recognize me? Do you recognize the clothes?  I am wracking my brain, and NOTHING is popping up!!  I'm sure that I had the weirdest look on my face. Then he says, "Did you get your skirt in Portland?" And this triggered a bell! Kevin from Runner's Anonymous! A facebook group that I am a part of!  Was really awkward for a few moments. After I got my bag, I went to find him, Elise, and Kami. I didn't want to leave our first meeting as super awkward!  We visited and giggled about me being completely clueless and Kevin feeling like a dork.

This morning started off early. I mean, WAY early! My alarm went off at 4:15 a.m. The buses would start transporting people at 5:00 am.  When we left Providence it was a brrrrr 44 degrees. When we got up the  canyon, it was cold. I am glad I wore a hoodie and sweatpants. I noticed some people were getting back on a bus, so Mindy and I went over, and boarded the "clothing bus" to get warm.  I tried to eat my breakfast, (plain bagel and peanut butter), but I just wasn't hungry.  at 6:05 we decided we better go hit the honey buckets. We stood in line for over 35 minutes waiting for an open one. By the time we finished using the bathroom, people were throwing their clothes on the clothing bus and walking up to the start.  We were not able to get a group photo at the beginning. Bummer.

I headed to the start and heard the gun go off, and TOU Half was officially underway. As I crossed the starting timing pad, my GARMIN lost satellite!!  So I monkeyed with my watch for a couple of minutes as I started jogging down the canyon. I decided to wear my gloves and arm warmers. I would ditch my gloves on the course and tie my arm warmers around my waist.

As I am running down the canyon, I hear, "Are you Lori?" MMM, another face that I kind of recognized. It was Suzette, from Runner's Anyomous!  Ran with her for just a few minutes. She has fluorescent orange shoes also, so she has got to be super cool! 

Back to my goals....I mentioned that I had 2 of them. The first being that I really wanted to PR a 10k during this race. And I did.... 1.01!  My second goal was to run from Don's Autobody to the finish line. This part of the course is really tough for me. It's the last 2 miles, and it's mentally and physically tough for me.  I was walking just past Don's when my friend Jill came running by me. Catch Jill, I thought!  I ran with her the entire way to the finish. We were both struggling.  She started going a little faster before I did, and I think she ran out of steam at the end, as I caught up with her, again, and just squeaked passed her.  We both finished in 2.17.  This was Jill's first half! So proud of her! Just her presence really helped me during those last 2 miles.

So no PR half for me. I accomplished both of my goals. Wonderful to be amongst friends.

Julia is my idol. I hope to be like her when I am older. She is 82! Of course she takes 1st in her age group!

You're Going Down

This was sent to me by my friend Roz.  We both had just completed the last 8 mile stretch of the TOU Half route.  We each take turns being the Hare!  

 I laughed so hard when she sent this to me--

 "If I can just get her to make enough phone calls, stop and talk to enough people along the way and take pictures, I might just be able to catch her. "

LOL! Yes, today on Hollow Road I was making phone calls. I stopped to talk to another runner at Maverik. And I am always taking photo's when I run.  

Ummmm, perhaps I am a little to "social?"

Roz and I finished our long run.......together!

It's a good day

Tuesday nights run was FANTASTIC!!  
I met my NERC's in Smithfield tonight.  We had a newbie tonight, Lindsey! Wow, what a NUT!  I am excited to run with her. She will keep me on my toes! 

our NERC shirts

Wow, not sure what the difference was, but here are my stats:
mile 1:  9:55
mile 2:  9:37
mile 3:  9:41
mile 4: 10:07

This was my fastest, ever! I guess the stars, moon, planets and sun were lined up for me tonight.  I saw 4 deer, 3 raccoons, and 1 skunk!  Luckily I saw the skunk while I was IN my car. When I went back up to the top of the canyon road, to retrieve my car, I heard so many crickets! It was so nice.  For some reason, I do not hear as many by my home anymore.
Another note, Laced my shoes differently, and it worked. No tingling sensation!

Tonight my buddy was Roz! Thanks Roz! (in my brain, I just kept thinking, "stay with Roz, stay with Roz.")  After running with my friends tonight, I am feeling a little better, no, I am feeling more confident  about TOU Half  next week.


Found this in my email box today:   Relish the bad training runs. Without them it's difficult to recognize, much less appreciate, the good ones.

so true, so true. Saturday's was bad. Tuesday's was very much appreciated!

I hate it when I am Road Kill?

No one wants to be Road Kill.

10 miles with friends really sounded like a good idea......at the time.  During my past 2 runs, my left foot has started "going to sleep," getting all tingly. I do not have new shoes. I do not have new socks. Curious and Frustrating! Why is my foot swelling?!

Last night my family ate at Happy Sushi. Probably not the best pre-long run meal. This morning I ate about 1/2 of a PB and Honey Sandwich, took the "go go juice" and "go go pills." Started out ok, then right shoe lace came undone. Stopped to fix it. Then left foot got tingly....tried to ignore it. Finally stopped to fix it, but did not get laces loose enough, so stopped a second time to re-fix it!  Heard rocks falling, so stopped to see what was up. Watched a mommy dear and her fawn and another adult deer climb up the mountain.  At this point, my mind just wanted my body to be back in bed. Yet, I had another 9 miles to go!

Things that went well today:  Giggling with friends up the canyon! Roz passing me. Lisa and Stephanie finishing strong. Watching Tawnya run her consistent pace. Seeing the wildlife. Being in the canyon at sunrise. Playing leap frog with two cute young women runners. Oh, and a big toot toot hats off to Krista for running 6 miles today!!

Things that went wrong: Left shoe too tight. Use it or Loose it playing in my head. Getting passed by Don's son between 13 and 13.1 mile marker!!!  Really Buddy?  Road Killing me?  At least I wasn't the little raccoon who tried to get the mouse in the canyon, and they both biffed it!

And who in Millville ordered 300 North to be re-graveled? 


Roz gave me a ride back up the canyon to get my car. When I got in, the control panel said "check tire air pressure!"  Really?  Flat tire???  Got out to check, all 4 tires looked OK, so headed for home. Took a cool bath. Drank a recovery drink. Put Wintercrest on my calves and then wore my compression socks. Ate a scrambled egg.  Visited with Krista, (sorry I could not stop yawning), then when back to bed. 

I think my body just needed to crash!  Looking at my times from this morning, they are just about the exact same times that I did the TOU Half in last year!  Funny, that last year I was so excited with those times, and today I felt down in the dumps about them.

Next time!

I'm Back?

Somewhere in Nevada!

After two weeks on the road, I am back to my humble home.  I was so excited when I read on FB that my friends were organizing a group run on Tuesday!  I sooooo needed this. Both mentally and physically.  During the past two weeks, I have not been able to get in the miles like I wanted to.  My legs actually just ache! My hips feel weird. My ankles and calves are stiff.  I think alot of it is that I have been sitting in the drivers seat for so long.  driving, driving, driving.....

This is just WRONG!

 4 miles down Smithfield Canyon.  Jill was my speed work person tonight!  Oh my heck, she had me running at an 8:48 mile!!  Where the crap I pulled that one from, I have no idea.  I have to admit, I caved at 1.75, and let her and 2 others go on.  Mental Crap going on, and go go juice looking for an escape route!  I had to pee so bad!  I know, TMI. hee hee  
All in all, tonight's run was alot better than I thought it was going to be.
Mile 1 - 8:48
Mile 2 - 9:28
Mile 3 - 10:38
Mile 4 - 11:04
So 4.2 miles ---41.59 minutes, average 9:59 min mile.

Its great to be a RUNNER and even better when I have a partner or a group to run with. 

Running on the Swim Tour

WOW! 

 Days like today, I wish I had a second home in Oregon. It's 9:00 am, and the temperature is perfect for running. Sunny and cool.  The air smells so clean here in Gresham!  Vibrant greens and other colors are popping out all over the place!  After dropping Ashlee and Jacque off at the pool, I decided to take a spin around the Mt. Hood area. GORGEOUS! I don't even think that I was one mile away from the pool, yet I felt like I was in the forest!


Thursday, July 26th:  I headed to the track and made almost one loop around, then ....DETOUR!  I decided to take a little path that was just off the track.  Looked as if it was some type of trail.  I made it about 100 yards, and was surprised to find a chain link fence. Back to the track, and detour number 2.  This time I took an asphalt trail that took me around a couple of buildings out onto a main road.  Then I saw a little lake and figured out how to get to it. Started running around it, only to find ...yes, another fence!  I was laughing to myself. So I backtracked and found another train kind of in the middle of the campus.  It was so weird. I was in a parking lot and less than 3 minutes later I was in a forest!  Today I ran 3 miles and I enjoyed every single minute of it. I did not care about my pace. I did not care about my distance.  I felt like a kid in a candy store!  I just kept turning here or there, and loved discovering new paths and sights.  Yes, I was cautious, and I did see other people and dogs on the route I chose.

I have not had a run like this for a long, long time.   It's days like this that I am grateful that I can run.

Saturday, July 28th:  As I have been driving back and forth to the pool, and the grocery store, I noticed a steep hill. I couldn't even see the bottom of the hill from the main road.  That's my hill, I thought. WOW!  Can you say steep!  Loved running down it! At the bottom of the hill was a local fruit stand....I went back later for fresh raspberries.  3.10 today. Wish I was staying in this area a little longer, without an agenda!




A trip to Portland wouldn't be complete without a visit to Voodoo Donuts!



Ya, I ate this Voodoo Guy and loved every BITE!