Until we meet again

Do you bloggers ever get to the point where you feel like you're blogging for everyone else's benefit, and not really your own? Yeah, I'm there.

I've been at this blogging thing for a few years now. For the most part, I've had lots to say and lots of time to say it. Lately though, work's been nutz, my life in general has been nutz, and I've often clicked on my blog and thought of writing as more of a chore than a pleasure.

As a writer, that's when you know you need a break. Despite this post, I think I'm on that break. I mean, I have a lot going on ... Dauset Fest was last weekend, have the SORBA meeting coming up, Thanksgiving, holiday parties, birthdays, Xmas, the baby Jesus, you name it. It's that season. The most wonderful time of the year. Well, most of the time anyway.

So I'll check in and out periodically, and maybe you'll see some regular posts from me sometime in the future. I'll probably need an outlet once the wedding planning gets frantic. Until then, happy surfing, and have fun out there in the blogosphere.

:)

Yes ...

I've been neglecting you.
I KNOW!
:(

It's a good night

I've worked in a newsroom for 10 of the last 12 years. I've been spending Election Days at a newspaper since before I was old enough to vote. The excitement of it never gets old.

It really doesn't matter who wins (well, obviously it does, but that's not what I'm getting at here.) It's not excitement for a particular candidate, so much as the electricity in the air. It's a pivotal night for our country, and it's a incomparable night to be a journalist.

I could wax academic here about the Fourth Estate, gatekeeping and all the other tenets that come with holding a journalist's pen, but I honestly think most people don't understand all that. It's one of those things where you kinda have to be one to really get it. You have to face down the politicians, ask the mother who's house is burning down how she feels about it, and walk the line between privacy and the public's right to know to really understand how important tonight is for my kind. I've been to each of those scenarios in the last decade, and the thrill (and responsibility) of my job never gets old.

I feel the weight of it, for sure, almost daily. I dream about it. I stress about it. I take it as serious as a heart attack. And it's days like today when the responsibility of the job becomes worth all the hassle. The newsroom is abuzz with over-caffienated journalists, blaring TVs, the chatter of reporters on the phone, the harried looks on designer's faces, and the pacing back and forth of editors. It's alive with the spirit of being a part of history -- no matter who comes out on top.

Tonight, I may not get home until 3 or 4 in the morning. I may not eat anything but greasy pizza, donuts and coffee (the staple of newsroom's election night entrees). And I may stumble into work tomorrow grumpy about who wins, and hungover from the alcohol it will take to calm my energy enough to go to sleep.

But I'll go to bed happy, and wake up anxious to see the day's news, the nation's reaction. Content and elated to know that I helped make history. I participated in the process.

Weekend in the mountains

What a beautiful weekend to be in the woods!

Jake and I, and Budrock, escaped to Mulberry Gap for a weekend of good friends, good beer, and good trails (and wagging tails!)

We met about 20 or so folks, and about 12 other dogs, at Mulberry to spend the Halloween weekend riding and drinking. We got up there Friday night, with Beth and Mike in tow, and began what would prove to be an eat-fest weekend. I'd like to think my theme for the weekend was "and butter." As it seemed like everything I ate I put butter on. Oh well, I rode enough to earn some of it!

We spent Friday night around a camp fire, chatting and getting to know some new faces. Saturday morning bright and early (8:30) we all had breakfast and then headed out for a ride. The group I was with rose from Mulberry Gap up to Pinhoti 1, then over to Pinhoti 2 and down it, then back to the camp. After lunch, a few of us went back out and rode to the top of Pinhoti 2 and back down again. It's a screamin downhill, and once was just not enough for the day!

We pigged out on a Mexican fiesta for dinner -- complete with Tres Leches cake. Sunday morning brought another big breakfast, and of course, more riding! We headed over to Bear Creek and rode up to the overlook, then back down. That downhill is a blast as well. We decided to head back to camp instead of hitting P2 again. lol. I think we were all kinda hungy anyway. Plus, my legs were cooked from all the climbing.

I've come to realize that I'm quite a flatlander living here in the Maconga. I swear those mountains keep getting bigger every time I go up there!

Anyway, before we left we made plans with a few others to go back up for a couples weekend on Valentine's. It will be good and cold then! Maybe even snow??

I think Bud had some of the best fun this weekend. He's never been on a trip like this. We were a little worried he wouldn't get along with all the other dogs, as he can be quite a grump sometimes. Turns out he was one of the best behaved of the bunch. A few of the dogs needed some serious discipline lessons, but Bud was really good. He was worn out though, and slept most of the car ride home, which is totally unlike him.

Today he's acted sleepy all day, then again, so have I. I tell you what though, there's nothing like some fresh mountain air to get you feeling refreshed for returning to normal life!

Good thing I'm refreshed too, as tomorrow is Election Day, and baby -- it's gonna be a big one!

Escapism

I'm heading up to the mountains this weekend for a little Halloween fun and of course, lots of ride time! The ride time, as usual, will probably be rivaled by the beer time. Wanna place bets on which lasts longer?

Hope everyone has a spook-tacular weekend!
:)

Back on foot

Today is Tuesday, and it's the first day I've felt normal again after that 1/2 marathon. For the last two days I've been all limping and gimping around groaning about my quads hurting.

It was killing me to take two whole days off, and really I did manage a walk/run yesterday, so I guess it wasn't completely and off day. I hoped and hoped the down time would pay off.

I woke up this morning, and it seems like it has! Legs feel good. Still a little stiff, but good. Got on the treadmill tonight during my diner hour at work and hammered out a moderate 3 miles. Legs felt great the whole time. When I stopped running I felt a little stiff, but the run itself was good -- you know, if you ignore the fact that I was on the dreadmill.

Speaking of the dreadmill, winter is a-comin. It gets darker sooner, and pretty much stays cold all day long. That means my runs are getting pushed indoors very soon. I hope tonight's 30-minute chanel surfing boredom isn't an indication of what's to come. I can't even imagine being on that thing for an hour!

1/2: The Aftermath

Let me start by saying I've always wondered if my foot races were cursed. Seems like each time I have one, I either get REALLY sick right beforehand, or the weather is Nasty (with a capital N). And most of the time, I've plodded on and run anyway.

So when I had a bad sinus headache Thursday I began to get worried. Come Friday afternoon it was gone, and my spirits were up. Then we drove up to Atlanta ... and it misted most of the way there. After an exciting and filling dinner at Taco Mac with Jake, Mike and Maria, we crashed in our hotel room for the night -- and briefly contemplated going to Six Flags (just a walk away) the next day instead of running the Silver Comet 1/2 Marathon.

I was still contemplating the sheer joy of the Superman ride Saturday morning when I opened the door of the hotel to a dark and damp morning. Great, I thought. I'm doing ANOTHER half in the cold and wet. AGAIN. I swore I'd never do that in the cold and wet after March's frigid showing.

But hell, I was already there, prepared for the weather, and no one else was being a weenie. We met up with Debbie and Grant and Bmac at the start line, and after standing around trying to stay warm for half an hour, off we went!

I should add that Mike and Grant (and Henry) hung out to watch the race -- and probably saved themselves a lot of sore muscle groups by not participating!

All us ladies ran together most of the way -- Jake was up on ahead almost from the start. He did wait for me to catch up once, but I told him to go on ahead.

Just like running the 1/2 in March with Sarah, this foot race was filled with good conversation from beginning to end. It really makes a huge difference having people to gab with the whole time. At the 1/2 Iron I started talking to strangers a lot on the run. Looking back, I must have seemed like a real weirdo. But talking to people really takes your mind off the parts of your body that begin to ache. It's a good distraction.

I heeded Missy's advice and learned from my first 1/2: I stopped and walked for 20-30 seconds at each water station (which were each 2 miles apart). The little bit of walking refreshed my legs and my attitude, gave me time to actually drink the water -- as opposed to spilling it down my shirt -- and take a gu when needed.

And did I mention the weather cooperated after all? My the time we started it was daylight. There wasn't much sun for the clouds, but it had stopped drizzling. I chose right in the clothing department, and didn't get cold until after I finished.

In March I ran the ING in 2h 27m. In June I did the 1/2 Iron run in 2h 27m. I told myself I'd be happy with this one if I beat my previous times. Somewhere around mile 11 Beth pointed out to me that I could essentially walk the rest of the way and still beat that time! Wow! What a boost to carry me though. I couldn't stop then!

So I finished the 13.1 miles in 2h 9m. That's shaving more than a minute per mile off my previous pace. The first 1/2s had around an 11 mm pace. This one was more like 9:50! I was so shocked to see the time above the finish line that I checked my watch about 3 times to be sure!

During the run, my group would keep eachother in check on our speeds, knowing we all wanted to aim for somewhere between a 9:30 and 10 minute mile. What's funny is we'd catch ourselves speeding up and have to say, "OK let's slow down and pace ourselves." Around mile 10 we started to split apart. But in the end we all finished within a minute of eachother.

I guess that's a testament to our training. We've been doing most of our long runs together for months now. No matter what run background we came from, we all arrived at the same glorious finish line. I won't get into the personal details of my friends' running stories here, but I will say this. Regardless of what I accomplished, it's them I'm most proud of. It was a first for all of them, and for a few, a stepping stone to even greater distances. Distances I wouldn't dream of attempting.