5 Years Post Gastric Bypass: Where Am I At?

As usual, Life has interfered with regular blogging! Oh, well. I was thinking today that it has been nearly 5 years since my laparascopic gastric bypass, and wondering at the significance of such a life change. This was my mindset during my years of obesity and compulsive overeating:

5 years ago I was morbidly obese, with a BMI of 52 and a bodyfat percentage of 56%. I had moderate hypertension, foot pain, joint pain, pre-diabetes and sleep apnea. My self esteem was in the crapper, and I had absolutely no faith that I would ever lose weight and be able to keep it off.

The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass was the tool I needed to be able to make friends with my body, and to see it as my partner and companion rather than an enemy I was pitted against in bloodthirsty battle. As the weight came off, my pain began to diminish. By the time I had lost 100 pounds, most of my health issues were resolving, and my self-image was beginning to heal as well.

The final piece of the puzzle was striving for fitness. I lost 130 pounds and maintained it for 9 months before even considering learning to run. I fell into it because I was out of work and needed a daily goal to keep me going and to boost my self-esteem, which was taking a serious hit from all the rejection out there in the job market. 2008-2009 was awful for a lot of people, and it was a struggle to keep me and the kids afloat, but it did give me the gift of learning to run.

Runningplanet.com had a simple 8 week walk/run plan which I printed out. It was very satisfying to check off every day's workout, though I will admit that I used a lot of ibuprofen to get through the muscle soreness! My body was thinner, but still out of shape, and telling my muscles to get to work aroused a humongous bodywide protest march! Still, I kept at it, and by the end of 8 weeks was able to run for 2 whole miles without stopping. I was hooked!

The last 30 pounds just seemed to fall away as I continued to slowly add mileage. I LOVE tracking my miles, people! In 2009, I ran about 500 miles. In 2010, it was 2,320. In 2011, I ran 2,803.11 miles.

Here I am right before the Foot Traffic Flat Marathon on July 4, 2011:

And here I am, just before the finish line of the same race:

Today, my BMI is 25. My bodyfat percentage is 16%. Last year my triglycerides were so low that the lab had to triple-check it! Sure, I have leftover skin from the massive weight loss (do you SEE the skin of my arm, thigh and midsection flapping in the breeze in the above photo??), BUT I also have the defined legs, arms and abs that running has given me.

Sometimes I find myself spiraling out of control with my eating. When that happens, I start to keep my food journal again. It helps me gain perspective on my intake. I weigh myself every week and adjust my intake according to the scale. I was a size 26, and now I'm a size 4. I am a healthy, physically fit woman. I am so grateful for the changes I have made in my life. I love that I am going to live longer and be with my kids because my heart doesn't have to work so hard. I love running. And I love *me.*

Peace-out, friends.

Portland Marathon Race Report

I ran the 39^th Annual Portland Marathon on Sunday October 10^th and it was an experience I will never forget. Karen M. has already posted a really detailed course report, so I’m just going to give my personal story rather than a strict mile-by-mile description.Sorry it's so long! Also, the auto-dating on my camera is incorrect, it's all from 10/10/10.

This was my first marathon, and I ran it in honor of my mom, Jo, who died of cancer in 2007. She had also run a marathon when she was just a little older than me, in 1980, and this was my way of feeling connected to her and her experience. I loved her so much, and she was so into health and fitness, that I have always felt badly that she never saw me after I lost weight—she never saw that I became slim, healthy, and a RUNNER. That’s always made me sad, guys. I started running in July, 2009, and completing this marathon was the epitome of my training. Here's me with my racing bib:

I was hoping for crisp, clear October weather, but this year it decided to rain cats and dogs for almost the entire race. Sadly, my shoes were literally soaked before we even got started. It was dreadful, but I pre-lubed with tons of Vaseline before putting on my shoes. I had had to park about a mile and a half away due to traffic and donned my windbreaker over my little backpack that contained a camera, my phone, and a change of clothes for after the race. I walked, then jogged to the start to warm up a bit. Here's a pic of my bag and fuel belt:

Despite the rain, everyone had a smile on their face. The atmosphere was one of bonhomie and general good will, though the lines were very long to check my bag and then to use the port-a-pottie. I was very lucky to get done RIGHT as the gun went off—my nerves had been getting the best of me and I had to GO! One big fear I had was having to stop a bunch of times to go along the course, but miraculously I managed to make it to the end of the race without a single stop. I consider THAT to be Divine intervention!

It did take several minutes to cross the start line once the gun went off and the corrals slowly emptied, but I was glad for the slow start because it gave me a chance to warm up again after the long wait in line. The amazing Taiko drummers that were stationed close to the start gave us all an enormous BOOST of energy—it was incredible to see the coordinated, costumed Japanese musicians beating those huge drums in unison, doing their best to inspire us!

I had studied the race course obsessively, so imagine my surprise to find that it had been altered on Race Day! It threw me off a bit, mentally, to have to readjust the course map in my head. I am such a ridiculous control freak that it really bothered me, but I decided to shake it off and act like a woman and not a whiner! As we slowly climbed uphill on Barbur, I gratefully grasped (what I thought was) a water cup and proceeded to snort about 3 ounces of Gatorade up my nose. GAH!! Clearing my airways of the resultant slime and debris undoubtedly provided some entertainment to bystanders.

Naito Parkway was a long straight shot, with lots of crowd support so it was very pleasant despite the unvarying scenery. Just prior to the turnaround point, at around mile 8, my right foot became suddenly, horribly painful--never felt anything like it. I stopped, hobbled to the side of the road to avoid being trampled and tightened my shoelaces, which helped a bit. I focused on finding the most even bit of ground to run on and put pressure as I ran on the lateral aspect of the arch, which was the least painful part. I still don't know how I kept going--it was like someone jabbing a knife into my foot, yet I felt compelled to continue. I know it was stupid—I could seriously have injured myself, but I felt pulled along by the race and was ready to pit myself against this further obstacle—pain—for whatever reason.

Having birthed 4 babies without the aid of pain killers, I used every single one of my labor-coping skills to get me through the next 18.2 miles. I found a focal point, I breathed, I used visualization, meditation and mantras. I felt like I actually transcended myself for a while there on the course—it was beyond anything I can really describe, almost like fulfilling a vision quest. But it was still very, very stupid to run with this kind of pain and I will never, never, never do that again.

I managed to stay with the 4:00 pacing group for the majority of the race, but after the essentially flat bits were behind us I knew the tough part was yet to come:

Mile 18 was the first Hill of Doom, then about 1.5 miles later, after crossing the St. John’s Bridge, a second Hill of Doom. Joy. The pain continued to be dully present and worsened suddenly at mile 20. Up till that point, I'd never walked through a water station, but I sure did then! It got a little better as I went, but it was difficult to get back into the mental space that allowed me to run and run even with pain earlier on. Here's the St. John's Bridge:

Then as we struggled up the Interstate hill at mile 23, the runner in front of me began to pass out—and took a nose dive, nearly HITTING me going down! Yikes! I had slowed down quite a bit but my foot was steadily getting worse. The 4:00 pace group had left me far behind, but I was giving it my all and couldn’t mourn the loss of my goal. I just wanted to finish.

I crossed the Broadway Bridge on numbed legs and wounded feet but the coup de grace was yet to come--me and about 15 or 20 other runners were stopped by a TRAIN at around mile 24. I am NOT kidding you. A freaking AMTRAK train rolled right in front of us, barring the way. OHMYGOD it was hard to get going again after that pause! My legs were Jell-O, and my mind was nothing but one single desire—to STOP AND REST. I saw some of the walkers ambling along (I didn’t realize they were the HALF marathon walkers rather than the FULL) and became determined again to keep going. Beaten by walkers?!? NEVER!!

At mile 25, the crowd surged and I knew the end was near. How I wish my mom could’ve been there to see me, and the rest of my family. But I didn’t want to force my boys to hang around for more than 4 hours in the rain, so there was no one out there shouting for me. Still, I took out my earphones because I wanted to hear the crowd roaring. My heart soared to be so near the finish, but my body had one last trick to throw my way: calf cramp! My right calf cramped up like a mo-fo and I actually had to stop and massage it. (I forgot to drink the stupid pickle juice before the race, dammit! Sorry, Tracy!)

I was so close but that rotten cramp stayed with me for the final 1.2 miles. The look on my face must have told the whole story because I suddenly saw all those spectators lining the street with special clarity. Old, young, kids and grown-ups--I heard them screaming and yelling and telling me that I could DO it and that I was SO CLOSE! Don’t give up! I spotted the finish line at last and began to hyperventilate. (THAT was weird). I saw the gun time and I literally SOBBED UNCONTROLLABLY when I crossed the finish line and for several minutes thereafter. I felt like I had been through an obstacle course worse than anything I'd ever known, and come out the other side with pride and a respect for everything I’d worked so hard for. My heart was so full that it burst with joy and even now, a day later, as I write this I can’t help but get tears in my eyes at the memory. I love you, Mom. I love you, Portland.

Here we are, the walking wounded in our space blankets after the race:

**I had X-rays done and they were negative, and the podiatrist says it's a ligament sprain. My recovery strategy is rest, ice twice a day, anti-inflammatories, cross-training, and elevating my foot as much as possible.

My finish time, including the infamous TRAIN INCIDENT, was 04:07:30. Considering my injury, I am very happy with that time. I won’t be so stupid in the future, and won’t run hurt ever again.**

Races

Foot Traffic Flat Half Marathon (7/4/2010)--02:03:59

39th Annual Portland Marathon (10/10/2010)--04:07:30

Wishlist:

Portland Shamrock Run 15K (3/13/2011)--

Eugene Marathon (5/1/2011)--

Foot Traffic Flat Marathon (7/4/2011)--

Pass the weak. Hurdle the dead. --some random shirt I saw on CafePress

You're my best friend. But if zombies chase us, I'm tripping you. --CafePress again

Embracing the Ancient Art of Felting

Hi, folks! I have been training like a madwoman these last few months and time that would normally be taken up by handicrafts like knitting, crocheting, sewing and painting clogs has been sucked up by running.

Not that I resent the time, especially since I enjoy running so much and it gives me time to get in touch with myself and listen to my tunes (especially the Cherry Poppin' Daddies!) Here's a link to the music portion of their website: http://daddies.com/index.cfm#Player

And here is a picture of them (I have a slow, simmering passion for the lead singer--HOT HOT HOT Steve Perry!):

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Aaanyway, I've been hankering for a hands-on project, especially with the cooler weather setting in. So, I recently read Ken Follet's "Pillars of the Earth," which describes the process of felting or "fulling" wool fabric to shrink it and make it thicker and more durable, in detail. Then I looked up a felted knit beret pattern in a book by Bev Galeskas. It looked pretty cool, so I decided to give it a try.

However, when I went to my local yarn shop, Northwest Wools, I discovered that they offer a very wide selection of wool roving--cleaned, combed wool in all the colors of the rainbow! So I decided to try my hand at making a felt beret the REALLY old-fashioned way: by agitating the wool fibers with soap, hot water and friction.

I found this awesome Threadbanger video outlining the process, and also visited THIS amazing, comprehensive website: Felting Lessons.

So, here is a visual record of my felting journey!

I used: 4 ounces of teal wool roving
6 cups of hot water and 1/4 cup of liquid soap
A corrugated cardboard circle 8" in diameter
A smaller cardboard circle about 5-6" across
1 yard of fine net tulle
Scissors
A rolling pin
A hammer

Here are the materials:







And here is the cardboard resist, covered with thin, criss-crossing layers of wool roving (both sides):

The next step was to sprinkle the tulle-covered resist with hot, soapy water and gently massage:

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More massaging:

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Then I used the rolling pin to mat the fibers together even more. The hammer, pounded on both sides of the resist in concentric circles, REALLY did the trick! Finally, after cutting out the hole for the head, and removing the sodden cardboard circle, I rubbed and scrubbed the bejeezus out of the beret in the sink:
2" alt="FeltingProcess006.jpg picture by waterwench" style="width: 600px; height: 400px;">




That puppy sure did shrink!! It started out measuring 16", but after fulling it, was 11 1/2 inches across.

After rinsing in warm, then cold water, and soaking in a solution of 2 tablespoons of vinegar to 2 quarts of water, I wrung it out, shaped it, and let it dry.

And here it is:

Ta-DAH!!

Do a happy dance! So now I have a terrific, water-resistant, warm hat that will last for many, many years for a total cost of $13.50 ($12 for the roving and $1.50 for the tulle). HUZZAH!!

Okay, back to marathon training. :D

The Thrill of the Uphill

I can't believe how long it's been since I updated last. I feel ashamed--I always planned to update once a week. Well, the best laid plans of mice and men et al. I can only do what I can do, and this blog is supposed to be fun!

So, on to the fun stuff! First, my body. I have noticed a definite odd coloration change that has occurred in my skin. It has become...brown. Now, for a typically pasty redhead, this is noteworthy! I have slowly but surely tanned due to sun exposure IN SPITE OF USING SUNSCREEN (it sweats off)--but what I have can best be classified as a "runner's tan." The gist of this is that my arms, neck, back, face, midriff, and legs are all tan. See?

My feet from the ankles downward, however, are what is known as "fish-belly white." (Actually, my mom taught me that phrase and habitually used it to describe my normal complexion). She was a sun-worshipper's sun-worshipper and absolutely loved to lay out. I, on the other hand, preferred the soft shadows of whatever clump of vegetation I could hide behind. Now that I am running, especially on the track, I am getting some definite UV. For those of you who are worried about skin cancer, rest assured that I know the ABC's of suspicious lesions and keep a very close eye out. Plus, with autumn's approach I will soon be fading back to my typical pallor (with a scattering of freckles).

Here is a picture of some really SCARY runner's tans (courtesy of  http://jrtrunr.blogspot.com):

 YIKES!


In other news, I'm still flat. But that is very good for my running! My arm and shoulder definition has increased and with the addition of ankle-weights and knee-strengthening exercises, I have noticed development in my VSO muscle (it's part of the quadricep and helps to hold the knee in place during running).

Right now I am pulling down about 60 or more miles per week. I've been at that mileage for about a month now. Before that, it was 55, and 50, 45, etc., so I have been slowly increasing my mileage in order to give my body time to adapt. It's a really amazing instrument. Learning to live in balance with it is an education in itself!

This week's trail runs have been amazing. On Tuesday my planned Long Run was going to be 22 miles. I felt very confident in completing the distance--I've done more than that, before. I actually even completed over 20 miles on the treadmill once, which was the single most BORING thing I have ever done in my life! This is what I looked like afterward:

BLECCH! Someone get that guy a towel, please.

Anyway, so my Tuesday run was at Forest Park (spanning almost 5,000 acres and 70 miles of trails!) on Leif Erikson Drive, one of the main trails that goes for about 11 or 12 miles into the depths of this incredible natural resource. I had my water, my Gu gels, my Garmin and my Nike+ sportband. It was a little hard to find parking because people were taking advantage of this gorgeous morning in the middle of the week to come out for some hiking and running! So I don't blame them for the painfully pathetic attempt I made to parallel park my little Volvo halfway up a hillside. Luckily I didn't hit any other cars!

The first stop on the trail was the outhouse, about 1/3rd of a mile up. Did I say "Up"? Because the concept of "up" is very important when discussing the Leif Erikson trail. It is uphill for 6 miles. It kind of sucks if you have never done the trail before because you are not at all interested in the natural beauties surrounding you as you heave and gasp for air. But, to seasoned veterans such as the fellow I happened to meet by narrowly missing his car whilst attempting to parallel park (see the above description), Forest Park is a vision of green loveliness in summer and frosty, crystal glory in the winter. Here's a picture of the green loveliness:

We ran together at a 10 min/mile pace for the first 8 miles and it was really nice to have someone to talk to for a change. Since I run alone, I usually have to rely on my tunes to break up the boredom (during track and treadmill running) and increase my enjoyment (during trail runs). Tuesday my playlist was dubbed "Reggae Cherry," and was a combination of Michael Franti & Spearhead ("All Rebel Rockers") and the Cherry Poppin' Daddies (various songs from all their albums). The very interesting and fit dude with whom I conversed turned back at mile 8, and I continued on.

A little bit down the trail I was chased for a full 1/4 mile by a psychopathic horsefly. Those bastards are persistent! He buzzed and buzzed me like the Red Baron on a strafing run. I was terrified. Then he zoomed up and took a bite! I managed to clip him but he ultimately escaped. Darn!

I was feeling really good and looking forward to the 2 mile stretch that would take me to the halfway point when my right foot caught on a nice pointy rock hidden by pine needles and debris. I went flying--and so did my water! It popped open and spilled quite a bit onto the trail, much to my annoyance. Not to mention the fact that I landed on my right knee and got a few colorful bruises and swelling and a delightful vertical cut which bled down my leg. Ick. And this is coming from a nurse, people!

I had to rest a minute before I could attempt to stand. Boy, was I covered in mud! Well, I guess it's mud if trail dirt mixes with sweat--Dirt + Water = Mud, right? My knee was throbbing like crazy. For a split second I looked down the trail at the mythical halfway point--alas, no more a possibility. I'm all for valor, but not stupidity. The thing to do was head back, making my long run an 18-miler instead of the 22 I planned. But I'm no fool--I knew I needed to get the thing iced and elevated and medicated, pronto. So, slowly I started back.

After about a 1/2 mile I began to feel better and my knee to feel stronger. About two miles from my car, with no water and a tender knee, I thought I saw an interestingly-shaped water fountain. I was so relieved! WATER!! I ran up to it and saw that it was an injured trail runner with his left foot resting on his right knee, massaging his calf. Oh, hell. No water. We fell to talking and it turns out that Art was a chiropractor and he and his wife are spending their retirement driving around the country chasing MARATHONS! Is that amazing or what?!? Art's goal is to do the 50 states. During the course of conversation, I revealed that I thought he was a water fountain from far away. "Water? Water, you say? Why, I have plenty of water in my Camel-Back." Huh?

He didn't mean this:

He meant THIS:

AHHH!! So, thanks to a good fairy disguised as a retired chiropractor named Art, I got some much-needed hydration and the WILL to Carry ON!!

Here I am, back at home in my ice bath (before I dumped the cubes in):

Yes, I am taking a bath with my socks on. And those ARE adhesive fish, in case you're wondering. (I prefer them to ducks). You can't really see the biggest, most colorful bruise from this angle, but you get the picture!

Sooo--it was quite a day! Despite the undeniable fact that that rock had it in for me, I really enjoy the trails here in Portland. The natural beauty and solitude are compelling and even magical. I really am quite lucky to live so close to such wonders.

Well, adios till next time, folks! Take care and enjoy the summer!

Foot Traffic Flat Half Marathon

Foot Traffic Flat Half Marathon

Today I ran the Foot Traffic Flat Half Marathon on Sauvie Island in Portland, Oregon. This was my first ever race--and getting race experience in prep for the Portland is going to serve me well!

My friend Anastasia came to pick me up at about 5:15am and we drove the 17 miles from my house to  Sauvie Island, where we parked in the Pumpkin Patch. What a terrific and organized race this was! There were volunteers galore who were on hand to give whatever information or help that was needed. And most importantly, there were plenty of Porta-Potties! The lines went pretty quickly for that particular convenience—since this was my first race, I was very nervous and felt like I had to go every 5 minutes.

They had to delay the start of the race due to the number of late runners, so that was sort of a bummer to those of us who showed up on time. However, since there is only one bridge to the island, and one main road, no one who is not a native to the area could have anticipated the sheer amount of traffic and the time it would take to inch forward that last mile or two. Happily, Anastasia was a race veteran and explained these things to me. 

Here is a picture of the single bridge leading to the island:

Once the starter went off, it was slow going due to the thousands of participants. Anastasia and I kept pace with each other for the first mile, going 10:14, until things thinned a bit. I wanted to open up and let go, so with her blessing I took off and started weaving and passing at a comfortable pace. The sun was shining, it was about 60 degrees, and I felt really good. The course was, as advertised, almost completely flat—a glorious wonder to a southwest Portlander to whom hills are a constant companion!

The turnaround was at mile 4 and I had to make a pit stop, but I don’t think it hurt my time too much. I tried to run the race without a bathroom break at all, but I just couldn’t. Oh, well! The great thing about this race was the number of aid stations with water, Gatorade and gummi bears. Mmm—swanky!

My playlist for the run included music from One Eskimo, Damian Marley, Amos Lee, Band of Horses, Lauryn Hill, David Gray, Fatboy Slim, and a huge selection of the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies! The beat really helped keep me on pace. I also had interspersed my triumph song in strategic places. Do you remember this one? “I get KNOCKED DOWN, but I get up again—ya never gonna keep me down! I get KNOCKED DOWN, but I get up again—ya never gonna keep me down!” Yep, that’s my triumph song--Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping"!

There were spectators all along the route and they were uniformly cheerful and upbeat! There was live music at one spot, and at another, a large speaker was set up to belt out rockin’ music! It was awesome, and really gave people an uplift. At mile 8 I felt I had really broken the back of the race and like it was going to be all down-hill from there. Sadly, that feeling faded after mile 10 and I felt that there had never been such a long, drawn-out 3.1 miles in the entire span of the Universe. I was striving and striving with all my might, but seeming to go so slowly. I had to put away those thoughts and go back to my mental tricks—repeating “One, two, one, two” in order to keep on pace, and telling myself how good it felt to be out there and how awesome it was that I could run! It helped get me through.

My finish time was 02:03:59, #695 out of 2,300 half-marathon participants. I maintained a 09:35 pace for most of the race, with surges to 08:13 at miles 2, 5, 10 and finally, at 12.99. Once I saw the finish line I took off like a shot—I was just so motivated to be DONE!! After I got my finisher’s medal,I took a bathroom break, and then headed back onto the course to run and meet Anastasia about a mile down the line. We finished the last mile together, and she was awesome—finishing strong!! Here is a picture of us after the race (the date-stamp is wrong for some reason--this was July 4th, 2010):

There were free dishes of strawberry shortcake made with native berries grown right on the island, and free hotdogs for the finishers. Boy, was I hungry! So that strawberry shortcake tasted like ambrosia straight from heaven, folks. It was a terrific race and I am so happy with my time. Here is a picture of some of the berries:

Marquam Trail to Council Crest

Back Again For More Fun & Games

Hi to all! I haven't updated in more than a month--I was hit by a car on May 4th, but that's all I'll say about the experience now. I am doing mostly treadmill and trail running now and am following my SmartCoach marathon training program--so I am back on course for the 2010 Portland Marathon!

Running the Marquam Trail

Today's run was terrific! I headed out to the Marquam Trail on Terwilliger Blvd., here in Portland, Oregon, at about 9am. Here I am, about to head out the front door, wearing my Nike+ Sportband. The weather was RAINY, 54 degrees, with a slight breeze.

The Marquam Trail to Council Crest run is 3.9 miles each way, absolutely crammed with natural beauties throughout. Here's a picture of the trailhead:

 
Within a few feet of entering the forest canopy is the first of several streams and a small plank bridge. The bridge can be very slippery in wet weather, so proceed carefully. Here is a little stream:

Some places in the trail are reinforced with logs, and a few protruding tree roots provide a foothold on some of the steeper parts.

The abundant plant growth is a testament to both the rich soil and the regular rainfall for which the Pacific Northwest is famous! Additionally, this means that you WILL get smacked in the face by trailing wet vines and overgrowth. I love you, Oregon.

 

The Marquam Trail to Council Crest run is made up of gentle ups & downs combined with some pretty steep switchbacks to build the maximum distance and opportunities for scenery appreciation into a fairly small area. Keen observers will be able to spot owls in the roof of the forest, while lots of other woodland folk scamper about the ravine floors and across the few natural log bridges. FYI, scampering across the natural log bridge is forbidden to all humans who do not wish to slip, fall, and impale themselves on sudden hedgehogs.

WARNING: Banana Slugs live here. And thrive. I encountered 4 crossing my path on the trail. Sadly, only 3 survived. Can you say it with me? "EEEEWWWWW!!!!!"

You do have to cross several regular streets as you advance along the trail, but don't let that worry you. The trails are well-marked and you won't get lost. Plus, traffic is minimal on the high roads. Still, look both ways before crossing!

I was working pretty hard by the time I was 2.94 miles in, which is when I took a short break to get my wind back. Even though the trail is heavily shaded and fairly short for the hardcore runner, I always recommend taking water with you.

And here it is, the extraordinary and wonderful sign at the top of Council Crest. The park is very nice, and there is a great view of the four volcanoes from the look-out point. I didn't get any pictures of that, though. :(

And here's me, Heather, deliriously happy to have reached the halfway point! (The water tower is in the background, behind the poplars). I rested for about 2 minutes before proceeding back down the way I came.

What an amazing ride! I practically FLEW with wings on my feet! Guess what? Gravity works! It was an incredible rush to be so free. I relaxed into the downhill run and sung along to my playlist at the top of my lungs. Probably should have made sure there wasn't anyone else coming up the trail from the opposite way, though--it startled the two trail maintenance dudes nearly out of their SKINS to see a freaky wild-eyed redhead pelting down the hillside shouting the lyrics to "Pump It" by the Black-Eyed Peas! Ah, lessons learned.

Okay, whose brilliant idea was it to leave a fallen log right in the middle of the trail? Watch out for this on your way up and back. Some light-footed folks have been known to leap over this thing with gazelle-like grace, but it extends more than two feet above the ground, and was wet and slippery, so I basically slid over it uncomfortably (I'm 5'2"). One of the few down-notes to this otherwise excellent trail run!

 

Here I am, breathing so hard at mile 6 that there's a VISIBLE cloud of vapor around my mouth and nose. Attractive, n'est pas? :)

Thought I'd have a little fun toward the end of the trail and just snap random photos while I was running. Mostly they were just blurry, but there's a couple okay ones:

Well, maybe this one was REALLY blurry:

Here's the view of Terwilliger Blvd. as you exit the trail.

 

Funny how the sun ONLY started to shine as I was heading up the street to my car:

RE-CAP:

               The Marquam Trail to Council Crest run was a lot of muddy, endorphin-raising fun! I will definitely be doing it again--and I'd recommend it as a great way to stay fit and soak up a few of Nature's wonders, too!

Exciting News!

Oregon Stories
            As some of you may know, I am an enthusiastic adopted-Oregonian. Though I was born in San Pedro, California, I have mostly lived in Oregon since I was 16. Well, a while back, Ooligan Press was accepting submissions for their compilation book, "Oregon Stories," and I submitted a few hundred words on MY Oregon story, entitled "Destination: Home." I guess it's not a huge deal, but they accepted it and it is on page 34 of the recently-published book! Yay! So, if anybody is out there reading this and wants to read my blurb, you can check out the book. Here's a picture of the cover:

My Two New Loves
              Ah, don't get TOO excited! I'm talking about a love of HALTER TOPS and KIMONO ROBES. That's right. I am currently, madly in love with both sewn and crocheted halter tops and deliciously silky satin kimono robes. I am one sick lady! BUT let me explain:
              Since losing all my weight, I am pretty sparse on top. I used to be Buxom, Curvy, Beautifully Rounded with a decolletage worth bragging about. NOW I am laughingly described as an "A minus" cup size. Now, this is not entirely a negative thing. For one thing, running is a LOT easier. For another, I can now wear HALTER TOPS to stay cool in the summer without worrying about my business popping out accidentally and scaring dogs and small children. Thank you, Goddess!
              SOOOO...I found a halter top pattern from the 1970's on EBay and I am really excited to sew a few for those hot summer days we have coming up! And I found THIS top at JCPenney's and I had a flashback to my sister Tanya's bathing suit from 1977:

Kazowee! I am such a hippie chick! 

Another Fabulous Halter

                Michael's was having a sale on Lily Sugar'n Cream 100% cotton  worsted weight yarn for $1 a skein. I made a halter top using a generic bikini cup crochet pattern I found on the Internet and embellished it with a 3-double crochet stitch pattern I made up as I went along. This top cost a Grand Total of $2 to make using an F size crochet hook and 2 skeins of Lily Sugar'n Cream cotton yarn in the Country Stripes colorway. Bear in mind, I didn't have to change any colors while crocheting at all--this is all built into the yarn by the way it's dyed:

I'm really happy with the way it came out! It's fairly lightweight and very comfortable! I plan to make more with some wacky colors--like orange and fuschia, and maybe play around a bit with a lacy apron-front made of Berka Shells or something like that! Nifty!

Satin Kimono Robes
                My old fluffy housecoat just wasn't cutting it anymore. For one thing, it's warming up out there--and being smothered in layer after layer of hot pink polyester fake fur just isn't as appealing in April as it is in November! For another, Mother's Day is coming up and I wanted to feel *pretty*. So I found this robe on Amazon.com from Old Shanghai and I got it in Peacock, a lovely teal shade with golden embroidered bamboo leaves. Here's the link:
Old Shanghai Brocade Kimono Robe
                It comes in 6 different colors, and the hemline is exactly the right length! At 5'2", I usually have to hem most clothing by 3 or more inches. (I have a pathetically short inseam). But this robe is marvelous and fits perfectly! It feels substantial, keeping me warm without the bulk of my winter fluffy robe. And it has unleashed my Inner Geisha. All I need now is a twirly parasol and a pair of geta sandals and I am set! Here I am, wearing my new robe and looking sort of zombie-like because I am zoning out while crocheting:

                 As you can see, my gigantic 18-ounce pastel green cup of coffee has yet to be consumed. It is resting near a half-used skein of Sensations "Beautiful" yarn that I was thinking about making into a fluffy bikini top just for kicks--but they've discontinued that particular line and one skein won't be enough, I'm afraid. Oh, well. And I refuse to contemplate a fluffy pink G-string, so don't even ask.
 Nate's Doing Better!!
                 We got the news today that Nate can start putting weight on his foot again! His pain is almost completely resolved and he is responding well to ibuprofen, and he is supposed to wear the walking cast for another week before switching to a regular shoe. He has lost about 2 centimeters' worth of muscle in the right leg, from not using it, but the doctor said this is well within norms and a few weeks of using the leg again and doing the special exercises should restore his leg to it's former glory. Nate was really perked up to be able to go to school and actually put weight on the foot, and his teachers were also very happy--it was such a pain to use either the crutches or the wheelchair, and now those days are mercifully OVER! Here he is eating cereal and dreaming of putting weight on his foot again:

This Week's Epic Long Run
                To baby my right Achilles tendon, I've been doing a lot of treadmill running, flat running, stretching exercises and cross-training. I realized that running my long run on the treadmill was going to be horrible, boring and excruciatingly awful (GREAT attitude, Heather!), but my training schedule called for 14 miles this week, and I didn't want to chance any hills with that kind of distance. SOOO...I went into it ready for a long, hard slog.

 I had two of these all filled up with fresh, filtered water: 

 

I had my trusty Zune all filled up with zippy music:

Mmm--SMUDGY!!
AND I had an array of mental imaging techniques, affirmations, mantras, and various methods to keep my brain entertained while my body did this incredibly difficult and monotonous THING.

How did I fare? Well...I did just fine for the first 3.5 miles when it occurred to me that I REALLY should have stopped by the ladies' room BEFORE hitting the treadmill. The Thud, Thud, Thud of my body hitting the rollers was impossible to ignore--I was hard-pressed to distract myself from the fact that I needed to pee REALLY REALLY BAD!! I hopped off the Dreadmill of Doom and ran to the ladies', returning minutes later Refreshed and Ready to continue on my Run! It was much nicer after I took care of that little problem, folks!

Still, I had to keep psyching myself up for the remaining 9.5 miles every few minutes, telling myself how great I was doing, how good it felt, and how I wanted to keep going--that I was really, actually DOING IT! I was accomplishing this thing and if it took counting my steps in sets of 12 (about the number it took to go 1/100th of a mile), constantly reworking my pacing, thinking about Nathan Fillion in the buff (yes, you read that right!)--well, heck--I was going to keep on until I met my goal! By the way, here is a picture of Nathan Fillion artfully posed, but, as previously mentioned, in the buff:

(I am a totally pathetic and sad Firefly Browncoat Fan-girl. But it got me through the run. That's all I care about!)

I made it going a pretty good pace--an average of 9 min. 16.7 seconds per mile, though when I plugged in my Nike + sensor I could see that I maintained an 8 minute mile pace for the first 10 and then flagged for the last 4. Gotta work on that consistency! I'll do better next week. TTYL, all!