I love these nice cool mornings! It's amazing how refreshing it feels to run when it's nice and cool out. Today although still a little tired from Saturday's 10K was a great run.
I get a little sad when I start to think that I will have to leave at some point. I know everyone at the park, if not by name then by face and we all say hello as we pass, and those I know better we chat, talk about our last run, and share how things are going...great way to start a day. I hope I find people in Granbury who will talk to me.
Something else I've taken up, because of a friend of mine, is picking up the trash while I'm running. He walks early and always picks up trash as he walks. One day I saw him doing this and I thought "that is something I can do to help our environment". And so I do. I have to stop yes, but it's only for a moment and then I run a few extra steps to a trash can and whala the park is cleaner before anyone is even up and moving (other than those of us at the park).
It really doesn't take too much at all, try it some day and see :)
Monday, September 29, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
This Week of Running
Well another week of running has come and gone. This week was actually a bit of a down week with the culmination of the Balloon Fest 10K. I really hate doing races when I am doing them, but when they are over I love them. I am sure many feel the same way.
Today was a beautiful day, and it was great watching all of the balloons take off. WOW! They were so pretty. The temperature was good and the wind was calm and Rich and Patrizia did a wonderful job. Honestly I am amazed at what a great race this was.
There was one little glich, it seems my chip did not accurately record my time. I know, I know, you all are saying "yeah right", but it is true. I ran with my friend Amy for the entire race...no one between us. She came in at 54:16 and I was seconds behind her (yes she kicked by butt at the end), I had 54:20. There was no one between us it was really a race between the two of us except that she was too far out for me to catch. Terry came in over a minute behind me (one of his best times though, he did great). When we got the official results there was a woman in my age group between Amy's time and then it had mine at 55:20 ish or something. So in those results she was between me and Amy. And yet there was no one between me and Amy, and I remember passing this woman. And it also showed Terry coming in before me when he was a minute behind me, so who knows what happened.
At first it really bugged me and as you can tell I am posting my REAL time here, but in reality there are flaws in everything and it got me to thinking. This was chip timing and it still had flaws. The many times we have done races as a running club using Terry P's software or doing it by hand and we still have not had too many mess ups, one here and there, but still about the same as this chip system. I think we have done pretty well.
It amazing how much we are growing and indeed it is time to have chip timing for the bigger races...it must make it so much easier on the race directors and I know it does on the volunteers who usually get sucked into doing the timing! So if anyone knows of anyone who may be interested in donating some money for chip timing for the Thanksgiving Turkey Trott...let the club know!
To close - it was a good 10K, thanks to everyone who worked the race, as always you are appreciated by those of us who run.
Today was a beautiful day, and it was great watching all of the balloons take off. WOW! They were so pretty. The temperature was good and the wind was calm and Rich and Patrizia did a wonderful job. Honestly I am amazed at what a great race this was.
There was one little glich, it seems my chip did not accurately record my time. I know, I know, you all are saying "yeah right", but it is true. I ran with my friend Amy for the entire race...no one between us. She came in at 54:16 and I was seconds behind her (yes she kicked by butt at the end), I had 54:20. There was no one between us it was really a race between the two of us except that she was too far out for me to catch. Terry came in over a minute behind me (one of his best times though, he did great). When we got the official results there was a woman in my age group between Amy's time and then it had mine at 55:20 ish or something. So in those results she was between me and Amy. And yet there was no one between me and Amy, and I remember passing this woman. And it also showed Terry coming in before me when he was a minute behind me, so who knows what happened.
At first it really bugged me and as you can tell I am posting my REAL time here, but in reality there are flaws in everything and it got me to thinking. This was chip timing and it still had flaws. The many times we have done races as a running club using Terry P's software or doing it by hand and we still have not had too many mess ups, one here and there, but still about the same as this chip system. I think we have done pretty well.
It amazing how much we are growing and indeed it is time to have chip timing for the bigger races...it must make it so much easier on the race directors and I know it does on the volunteers who usually get sucked into doing the timing! So if anyone knows of anyone who may be interested in donating some money for chip timing for the Thanksgiving Turkey Trott...let the club know!
To close - it was a good 10K, thanks to everyone who worked the race, as always you are appreciated by those of us who run.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Sunrise at Redbud
Sunrise is my favorite time of day. I took this picture with my iPhone. I think it turned out pretty good, what about you?
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
God's Beauty
Finding time to blog is tough, I suppose you've noticed.
As you may have read, the mountains have a special draw for me and I've written about their beauty experienced while running in Colorado.
But last week we had a cool front here in Abilene.
6:00 am: I ran through the cool air letting it engulf me, moving through my hair and giving my spirit a lift. I felt liberated, although my legs were tired from my HORRIBLE run on Saturday.
In the dark the stars seemed so bright, was it the crispness of the morning? And then a falling star. Yes, I made my wish.
The sky began to turn from black to grey to a mix of grey and blue, in the west the moon is still up, in the east the sun is rising. The moon side is still dark as the sun side begins to show a light orange, then pink, and slowly the moon dissapears as the sun continues to peak over the horizon.
And another beautiful day emerges.
It occurs to me that it's not often in the mountains that you see two horizons one with moon and one with sun at the same time, the mountains get in the way. And so as flat as it is here in Abilene that horizontal horizon gives us a beautiful sunrise and moonset, one that plays in your mind creating images of a new day just waiting to be opened up like a new Christmas present.
And then it's Tuesday and another beautiful day is upon us. This time the moon is full, high and beautiful. The stars are bright, the air is crisp...today I finish as the sun is coming up. As I am stretching and looking up through the trees I see the leaves turn from green to gold, they shimmer as the breeze touches each leaf, the branches are bright with the suns kiss against the blue sky.
Each morning is a new creation, a new beginning, a chance to begin again, to put the past behind and look to the future.
I feel sorry for all of those people who sleep through the dawn, oh what they miss!
As you may have read, the mountains have a special draw for me and I've written about their beauty experienced while running in Colorado.
But last week we had a cool front here in Abilene.
6:00 am: I ran through the cool air letting it engulf me, moving through my hair and giving my spirit a lift. I felt liberated, although my legs were tired from my HORRIBLE run on Saturday.
In the dark the stars seemed so bright, was it the crispness of the morning? And then a falling star. Yes, I made my wish.
The sky began to turn from black to grey to a mix of grey and blue, in the west the moon is still up, in the east the sun is rising. The moon side is still dark as the sun side begins to show a light orange, then pink, and slowly the moon dissapears as the sun continues to peak over the horizon.
And another beautiful day emerges.
It occurs to me that it's not often in the mountains that you see two horizons one with moon and one with sun at the same time, the mountains get in the way. And so as flat as it is here in Abilene that horizontal horizon gives us a beautiful sunrise and moonset, one that plays in your mind creating images of a new day just waiting to be opened up like a new Christmas present.
And then it's Tuesday and another beautiful day is upon us. This time the moon is full, high and beautiful. The stars are bright, the air is crisp...today I finish as the sun is coming up. As I am stretching and looking up through the trees I see the leaves turn from green to gold, they shimmer as the breeze touches each leaf, the branches are bright with the suns kiss against the blue sky.
Each morning is a new creation, a new beginning, a chance to begin again, to put the past behind and look to the future.
I feel sorry for all of those people who sleep through the dawn, oh what they miss!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Saturday's Run
As mentioned in my previous blog, I love the mountains and feel the pull to go home to them. However when I go out on Saturday with those who have become my friends through the common bond of running I know that I am indeed a very lucky person.
God has given me so many friends. People who know how it feels to suffer through a run and also how it feels to revel in a run. Not to mention friends who keep you up on the latest technology. Like using duct tape to put over your blisters when running.
The "ultra guys" have been telling me about this for some time. Now I know that they KNOW what they are talking about but really? Duct tape? I just couldn't understand this. And then a couple of weeks ago I had to wear some "nice" shoes to work in Colorado. YUCK!!!! I love my running shoes and flip flops! Anyway a small blister appeared on the bottom of my foot.
Running, of course, made it worse. It would get better with a day off and then it would get worse when I ran. Last Thursday when I did mile repeats it was pretty bad and so at work I put a bandaid on it while wearing my "nice" shoes. I went to take the bandaid off and OWWWWW...it pulled the skin right off of the blister.
Now what to do? I had to run 14 on Saturday and this blister hurt like....well you know. So as it were, Saturday I show up with a bandaid that didn't even last 2 miles. Then I saw Andy and he had some duct tape in his car. Now I would find out if these folks are just plain crazy or if the rumor is true.
WOW, what can I say!!!! They do indeed know what they are talking about (not that I really ever doubted them). Duct tape is amazing and I really mean amazing! It worked so well for my blister, it didn't hurt at all and didn't blister over again. And the tape came off easily too.
Thank you my friends for such a wonderful suggestion. And really, I did know you KNEW what you were talking about. I just had to experience it for myself to get the full benefit of your knoweldge!
God has given me so many friends. People who know how it feels to suffer through a run and also how it feels to revel in a run. Not to mention friends who keep you up on the latest technology. Like using duct tape to put over your blisters when running.
The "ultra guys" have been telling me about this for some time. Now I know that they KNOW what they are talking about but really? Duct tape? I just couldn't understand this. And then a couple of weeks ago I had to wear some "nice" shoes to work in Colorado. YUCK!!!! I love my running shoes and flip flops! Anyway a small blister appeared on the bottom of my foot.
Running, of course, made it worse. It would get better with a day off and then it would get worse when I ran. Last Thursday when I did mile repeats it was pretty bad and so at work I put a bandaid on it while wearing my "nice" shoes. I went to take the bandaid off and OWWWWW...it pulled the skin right off of the blister.
Now what to do? I had to run 14 on Saturday and this blister hurt like....well you know. So as it were, Saturday I show up with a bandaid that didn't even last 2 miles. Then I saw Andy and he had some duct tape in his car. Now I would find out if these folks are just plain crazy or if the rumor is true.
WOW, what can I say!!!! They do indeed know what they are talking about (not that I really ever doubted them). Duct tape is amazing and I really mean amazing! It worked so well for my blister, it didn't hurt at all and didn't blister over again. And the tape came off easily too.
Thank you my friends for such a wonderful suggestion. And really, I did know you KNEW what you were talking about. I just had to experience it for myself to get the full benefit of your knoweldge!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
This week in Colorado Springs
There is nothing like a sunrise shining against a majestic mountain. As I run on the trail here in Colorado Springs, starting in the dark and watching the sky slowy change from black to a faint blue, then pink, I breathe in the cold dry air and think to myself, this is the land I love, the land I was born to live in, the land that holds my spirit.
And then it happens, the sun rises from the east and it's bold rays shine against Pike's Peak and it looks even more bold, rising above the clouds that drape the peak. It's orange and gold colors play against the white clouds and the now brighter blue sky.
Running here seems easy this week, the chilly weather is so refreshing. My body seems to respond and my runs are faster than at home and yet easier.
God is truly a wonderful artist, the way he paints our world, we really should pay more attention. No matter where we are the picture is in front of us, let us all open our eyes to the gifts God gives us. In nature, in family, in life...we musn't loose sight.
And then it happens, the sun rises from the east and it's bold rays shine against Pike's Peak and it looks even more bold, rising above the clouds that drape the peak. It's orange and gold colors play against the white clouds and the now brighter blue sky.
Running here seems easy this week, the chilly weather is so refreshing. My body seems to respond and my runs are faster than at home and yet easier.
God is truly a wonderful artist, the way he paints our world, we really should pay more attention. No matter where we are the picture is in front of us, let us all open our eyes to the gifts God gives us. In nature, in family, in life...we musn't loose sight.
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