Art and Candy

Coldwater Rumble 50k. Arizona part dos.

Art and Candy — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:00:30 +0000

This race hurt, real bad. Especially the last 12 miles. I haven’t felt pain like that in a while, it was a bit of a rude awakening. The morning started around 4am, as I couldn’t lay still any more. Nervous energy was bursting in every direction from within me. We (Tony, Dave, Marcus, Clint and I) gathered in the kitchen each doing our own pre-race routine and joking around. I think we were all really excited and nervous, because there was a lot of laughing going on. It was a good group to be with that morning. The laughter and raunchy jokes continued all the way to the start of the race. We pulled into the parking lot of the Estrella Mountain Regional Park. It was still dark out, but we could see the faint outlines of mountains surrounding us in every direction. This was going to be fun. Before I knew it, all the runners were herded into the starting area and we were off and running. One of the most spectacular sunrises met us in those first few miles. It was absolutely gorgeous. I ran in complete awe and let the scenery soak in. My legs felt good and the terrain wasn’t hilly like it is here, but it was rocky as all get out. I think I pushed the pace a bit too much in the beginning, but it felt good to be running so I just went with it.

One of my favorite sections in the first loop was a huge field of low cacti (about hip height) settled between the mountains. It was one of the coolest environments I’ve ever run in. I made some remark about it to the two guys (not these two in the pic) I was running with and they laughed at my childlike excitement over cacti. One of the guys told me that he carries tweezers in case he steps on a cactus, as they tend to go right through the shoes. He’s also experienced in treating rattlesnake bites. I decided that it would be a good idea to stick with him for as much of the race as I could. The terrain would switch from that into dried up river beds filled with deep sand and big rocks. Then into a couple of straight stretches of a sandy jeep road. That’s when problems started. Where does a girl go to the bathroom in the desert? Everywhere I looked there was only cacti and low scrubby bushes to hide behind. Oh well, gastrointestinal problems wait for no one. I ditched out on my running buddies and wandered off the trail and into the desert in search of a natural hiding place. I’ve never had any GI problems in a race before or in training really, so this was a first for me. It would come back to haunt me every so often until about mile 24 in the race.

There were really no big climbs in this race. Except for one. Up a mountain. The view was incredible from the top and I was thankful for some climbing. With the exception of that mountain, this course had rolling hills and extremely rocky terrain. I mean sharp, pointy, loose rocky terrain. Every step was uncertain and after 20 miles I was in pain. My legs have never hurt like this before. I rolled through the second to last aid station at mile 19 feeling great. At mile 20 I bonked hard. At this point I was run/walking alone in the desert. I could see no one in front of me or behind me. It was all cacti and mountains as far as I could see. My left butt muscle was in pain and my left knee was, too. I’m pretty sure I was limping. My emotions started to get the best of me. I was angry, frustrated and on the verge of tears. I wasn’t feeling well. I felt like screaming some swear words, so I did. Who would hear me anyway? Oh, the lovely guys at the final aid station probably did, as I crested a tiny hill. They eyed me up nervously as I scanned for gummy worms and bananas and slammed some Gatorade. I think I hung out at that aid station for probably 5 minutes, seemed more like 10. Only 6 miles to go from here I thought. I can do this. I was moving slow though. It had taken me almost 1.5 hrs to go those previous 6 miles. Finally things started to turn around. I was feeling better and less upset. My mind played tricks on me. I thought I didn’t have to climb that mountain again, but I was wrong. I muttered some swear words as I crested the beast. It was all downhill from here and at this point I wasn’t concerned about time, I just wanted to be done.

I was met with high-fives at the finish line by all the guys and Andrea and Kyle. It was a sight for sore eyes and weary legs. I finished in 6:16, my fastest 50k time to date. I placed 29th overall and 5th out of the women. I was happy to be done. We tried to go for a recovery run the following day, but that didn’t really happen. We were laughing so hard at each other, as we hobbled along like geriatrics at a painful 12 minute pace. While everyone else finished the run, Dave and Marcus and I spent our time like little kids throwing rocks into a hole in a cactus.

Looking back there are a few things I’d do differently, but otherwise I’m happy to have just gutted out the race. I’m also very proud of my friends who gutted it out that day. And to cousin Dave for taking the coveted ceramic armadillo first place trophy. He even fell off a cliff during the race. You’re an animal, Nacho!

Divenire

Art and Candy — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:12:55 +0000

Here’s another song by Ludovico Einaudi that completely sinks into my skin. I just want to crank it up and absorb every last bit of it. Undeniably beautiful.

Timelapse Patagonia

Art and Candy — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:33:59 +0000

This will melt your heart. The music is Primavera by Ludovico Einaudi.

PATAGONIA – ARGENTINA – TIMELAPSES from Ignacio Leonardi on Vimeo.

Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Art and Candy — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:58:00 +0000

I had dinner with my mom and dad last night. They were in town for a bit and wanted to meet up with me to hear all about Arizona. As I was telling countless stories of the trip, they listened patiently, asked questions and laughed at some of the horror stories from the race. My mom said something at dinner last night that hit me right in the heart. She said that when she’s doing something difficult, like lugging a pack down a gnarly BWCA portage or otherwise, she thinks of me and says to herself, “If Deb can do this, so can I.” She called me her inspiration. It’s funny, because I’ve always thought the same about her when I’m doing something difficult. As a beginning competitive swimmer, my mom and I would race each other in the pool and she would taunt me to catch her. One day I did. She’s pushed me to do my best and has been my inspiration for many a year. As well as my dad, who’s been running for years and helped get me back into it a few years ago. They’re always there to root me on at local races and I bet they wish they could have been there in Arizona this past weekend. I always get a blast of energy seeing them at an aid station, both of them jumping up and down and yelling. My parents are two of the funniest and most amazing people I know. They never cease to amaze me with their sense of adventure, spirit and humor. Their level of activity and all of the adventures they get themselves into is astounding. Like riding vintage, single-speed beach cruisers through the Mexican jungle to go zip-lining. They’re top notch role models and a prime example of how I want to live my life.

Thanks, Mom and Dad! Love you both.

I read this today that helped inspire this post:
Plenty of us let the world dictate what we can and can’t do, as far as age is concerned. We work work work and let fun slip away and day by day we get a little more out of shape. One day, we can’t get in or out of our cars without grunting or pick up something heavy without complaining about back pain. But I know a handful of people who are blissfully unaware of what they “should be doing at their age.”

We’re here. Arizona part uno.

Art and Candy — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:41:05 +0000

As I wrote in my previous post, Arizona completely captivated me. It truly was and is an amazing place. I can see why people from northern climes head there during the winter months. It’s warm and dry, maybe a little too dry at first, but I imagine you’d get used to it. I definitely had preconceived notions of what AZ was like and I’m so glad that I was wrong. Sorry, Arizona! The morning after our arrival, we awoke to a cool, but sunny day. (I should clarify who “we” are: myself, Marcus and Kyle. Dave and Tony would join us later in the week). We were staying with our good friends Clint and Andrea, who had rented a house in Fountain Hills for the month of January. The view from their house was absolutely gorgeous. Burnt orange layers of craggy peaks scattered with cacti faded as far as my eyes could see.

We decided to take our legs for an little run at nearby Lost Dog Trail that afternoon, an easy 4-5 mile out and back. After that we stocked up on groceries and Kyle cooked up an excellent brunch for everyone (she’s an amazing cook!) The rest of the day we just sat around and relaxed. Wednesday morning, Marcus and I headed north a few hours to explore the Grand Canyon. As we traveled farther north towards Flagstaff, the terrain changed rapidly and suddenly we were surrounded by mountains, the air was cooler and there was snow! Who knew I had to travel to AZ to find snow in January?! I was mesmerized and immediately fell in love with northern Arizona. We reached the Grand Canyon in time to watch the sunset. My first steps to the edge of the canyon were met with shaking hands and vertigo. I can’t even describe it. The colors at sunset were ridiculous, it was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen.

The following day found us again at the Grand Canyon, this time driving along the South Rim and stopping every so often to take in the views. Per usual, I was blown away. I wondered how many pictures someone could actually take of the Grand Canyon. Every stop left me in awe and taking more and more pictures.

On the drive south after leaving the GC, we stopped to take in the sunset at a place called Bonito Park. This park has been visiting me in my dreams almost every night since. I can’t shake the image and the feeling of this place (and I don’t want to). It’s absolutely peaceful and perfect. On one side there is a volcano crater that glows red as the sun sets, the other side is filled with snow-capped mountains. In between the two sat a glowing, golden brushy field soaking in the sun. No wonder they named it Bonito Park.

We continued our drive south and eventually found our way to Sedona in the dark. I had looked up some stuff about Sedona the week before and read about vortexes. A vortex is an area of energy that swirls out of the surface of the earth. The energy is subtle at times and stronger at others and some people are more sensitive to the energy. I was intrigued and knew I had to check one out for sure. We drove to Bell Rock, just south of Sedona. One of more easily accessible vortexes in the area, it’s located just off the highway and a short hike will bring you to the base of the rock. I ventured out alone and wound my way around to the other side of Bell Rock. I had forgotten that this was a vortex as I found my way onto the rock and started scrambling towards the top. I felt a buzzing or fluttering sensation in the center of my chest not long after and I couldn’t stop myself from moving. I wanted to jump, run and climb, so I did. I was giddy like a child as I zig-zagged up and down the rock. When I decided to head back to the car and got away from the rock, the buzzing sensation in my chest went away. It was so strange, I’ve never felt anything like that before. I left still feeling intrigued as to what goes on at those vortexes.

Stay tuned for the race recap of the Coldwater Rumble 50k! It was a doozie.

Double Wowza!

Art and Candy — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:23:17 +0000

Arizona completely rocked my world, like you wouldn’t even believe. I’ve never seen anything quite like it before. My heart misses that beautiful and rugged state.

See ya!

Art and Candy — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:54:19 +0000

I’ll be flying south on Monday for balmy Arizona and returning on the 24th with a full recap of the events of the week and the race. Cheers!

image courtesy Adventure Journal

Moonrise Kingdom

Art and Candy — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:01:07 +0000

I’m a big fan of Wes Anderson films and his newest one looks like a real winner. I’m also a huge fan of Bill Murray; I love every movie that he’s in. This film comes out in May. I don’t know if I can wait that long!

Relax, I’m almost on vacation.

Art and Candy — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:00:01 +0000

This is a super mellow song that reminds me of summer. A good one for today’s nasty weather. Turn it up and tune out…

Defeated

Art and Candy — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:32:42 +0000

Well, yesterday’s last long run didn’t go as planned. I awoke to a cold, steady rain instead of the snow I was hoping for. I was really looking forward to running in the snow and spending my day off of work in the woods. Not to be deterred by the weather, I did my usual pre long run routine and wondered what clothing would suffice for today’s adventure. It was warm (38 degrees) and raining, but the weather guy on TV said that the temps would be dropping to below freezing in an hour or so. This would be a tricky one.

I always like to do my long runs on the SHT, so I normally head west. It’s easier mentally for me to complete an out and back, instead of numerous loops and trying to keep track of distance while running. I sat in the car at the base of Ely’s Peak for a few minutes (20 to be exact! I’m a really good procrastinator when I want to be). Finally, after debating with myself for some time, I pushed myself out of the warm car and into the rain. I started my watch and took off. Within seconds, I was all over the place. Everything had melted, refroze and with the rain, the SHT was now glare ice. I crossed Becks Road and headed down the flight of 100 or so stairs. My legs went out from beneath me and I flew down a few stairs and hugged a tree for dear life. When I finally made it to the bottom, I had a talk with myself and decided that it would be in my best interest to run elsewhere. I crawled back up the stairs, got back in the car and drove to Lester. I had run the ski trails the night before and they were in okay shape. I managed only one hour of running at Lester. By that time I was soaked to the bone, cold and my heart just wasn’t in it anymore. Feeling quite defeated, I went home and stood in the shower for way longer than one should. Afterwards, I walked a few blocks to have lunch at China Cafe, went shopping, and then sat around for the remainder of the day and ate some leftover Christmas cookies. I’m pretty sure this all falls into a proper 50k training plan, don’t you think?! Ah geez.