Zip Away!

One evening after a run we were discussing doing something crazy and out of the box.  Someone suggested parachuting.  Then bungee jumping.  Those are insane ideas....we just wanna do something crazy, not insane.  We finally settled on zip lining.  Someone said a zip line had just opened on Catalina Island, cool, local, yet not next door.   And this was going to be a "two fer", we would do something crazy and cure John of his fear of heights at the same time. 

A day or two after this discussion a "deal of the day" for round trip to Catalina Island was advertised....obviously a sign, we are meant to do this.  Several people purchased the deal (myself included) so now we just needed to decide what day we were going to get crazy and zip.  The Catalina Flyer tickets were good until November 30th, we bought them in April, plenty of time.

In mid October we started to organize the trip.  Just like everyone else who purchased the Catalina Flyer Deal of the Day and procrastinated till the last minute to take their trip.  We would have to go stand by, plenty of seats going to the island, zero returning.  We decided on Sunday November 13th.  We actually managed to get reservations for the return trip due to cancellations, obviously another sign that we really are meant to do this. 

We arrived early at the dock and checked in.  After about a half hour or so someone came out of the ticket office and started calling the names of those who were on standby and lucky enough to get on, he called a lot of names.  Once everyone who was waiting was told they made it on the boat, he announced we could begin boarding.  Crap, we should have been paying attention instead of watching the guy call the stand by names.  Now we have to walk to the back of the line.  Note to self, next time get in the line right away so we get to sit wherever we want. 

Since we were some of the last to board the boat we were stuck at a table at the rear (what is this starboard? aft? port?).  Not only are we on the second level, in the rear, Julie, Monica and I get to sit backwards.  I have been know to experience a little nausea riding the train backwards.....the water must have been choppy cause a lot of people were throwing up.  Luckily, since I was sitting backwards, I didn't witness any of it.  Until we were leaving the boat.  On the way down the stairs a woman and her small son stopped mid way down while she held a barf bag under his chin and he retched into it.  We just moved to the right and walked on by....holding our collective breath.

Thing number 23, stepped foot on Catalina Island.

Our zipline reservations were for 1:30pm, so we had plenty of time to kill.  We decided to have breakfast.

Thing number 24, drank a Bloody Mary, you can drink before noon when you are going zip lining and not be considered an alcoholic....it's like vacation.

After breakfast we still had time to kill so we decided to putt around the island in a rented 6 seater golf cart.  We were given a map (similar to the kind you get at Disneyland, kind of cartoony).  The lady drew arrows on the map highlighting places of interest.  She also told us not to take a particular road because it was closed due to falling rocks.

We elected Mason to drive the cart since he drives one at work.  Cara was the navigator.  Monica sat in the middle and Julie and I rode on the rear seat....facing backwards.  My first thought was it's like when you were a kid and you rode in the last seat of the station wagon...you know, the one with the wood panels on the sides.  I intimately remember several summer excursions to the beach riding like that.  Was fun on the way to the beach, not so much fun on the way home, hot, sweaty, sandy, salty, sunburned.

Julie and I buckled up for the ride of our lives....even buckled our purses in too.  Crap, I held onto the side of that golf cart the whole time my fingers practically had to be pried off that thing.  I'm sure it was much more exciting seeing where we had been than seeing where we were going, cause we were able to let our imaginations run wild.  Like when a Ford Explorer came up behind us (most of the vehicles on the island are of the golf cart variety due to space limitations), but of course one of the few full size vehicles on the island gets behind us, so we can imagine that his brakes will fail and he will plow into Julie and I, crushing our legs. 

Or when we began to see rocks on the road.....had Mason taken the closed road?

Or how it seemed like he was driving soooo fast, and we might tip over.  Julie said we would still have to run on Tuesday even if we were bandaged like mummies....with slits for eyes.  Gawd we were laughing so hard (it helps to squelch the fear).  Something I imagined but couldn't put into words (instead I just visualize it in my mind and hang on a little tighter), as we round a curve, Mason loses control of the cart, we begin to tumble down the hillside, everyone else jumps from the cart, but I'm strapped in with the lap belt, unable to locate the release button, legs flailing about, items spilling from my purse, tumbling farther down the hill, end over end, with me hanging from the rear seat attached by my belly the whole time.

Thing #25, rode backwards on Catalina Island on a 6 passenger golf cart.

We returned the cart having had an amazing ab workout from laughing so hard and headed up on foot to the zipline check in.  On the way we stopped to pee at the Casino Building, which interestingly is not and never was a place to gamble, rather a place of entertainment, built in 1929 it played host to big bands like Glenn Miller and Harry James in the 30's and 40's.  Next time I go I think I'll have to tour this building.

From the Casino Building we walked to Descanso Beach Club, where the zipline check in is.  We had to sign waivers, I didn't read it, but I'm sure it said something like I or my heirs would not hold the zip lining company liable in the event I plummet to my death.  Next we each had to step on a scale and be weighed.....I don't really understand why they had to do this, other than to humiliate those of us who could stand to lose a pound or two.  The website specifically said you must weigh between 80-245 pounds.

Someone said we would not be able to go to the bathroom for the next 2 hours once the tour started.  I decided I better go for a quick pee.  Ignoring Mason's look that said "What?  You just went 5 minutes ago." As soon as I hear that a bathroom is not available I have to go, not to mention I'm experiencing some serious anxiety and that gives me the urge to go too.  I ran to the bathroom and trickled a little more.

When I got back to the check in area I couldn't see any of my zip line buddies....where did they go?  Oh, there they are, all suited up with hard hats and harnesses.  Wow, I didn't think I was gone that long.  Cesar introduced himself, slapped a hard hat on my head, had me step into the harness, buckled me up and then hands me a large metal thingy.  What?  I have to carry this? the whole time?  Are you kidding me?  It's attached to my harness and has handles.  It probably weighs 10-15 pounds.  It's the trolley that I will be hooked up to the zipline with.  I feel like it is some kind of mechanical umbilical cord.  Unbelievable, what, have I gotten myself into?  I laugh, it's something I do when I'm scared.  The scareder I get, the more I laugh.

We then have to sit through an orientation/safety presentation by our tour guides, Cesar and Charles.  Cesar starts first.  He speaks very quickly and is using terms that I am unfamiliar with.  I laugh throughout his entire presentation.  He is using acronyms that I do not understand.  W.O.D.  what is that?  He's said it twice now, it must be important.  Julie looks at me with a confused look on her face, I think she is having as hard a time understanding what he is saying as I am.  He is saying when we climb the platform he will clip us in for safety.  Then he will attach the trolley to the zipline.  He will then open the gate, we are to climb down from the platform, but whatever you do, do not go until he tells you it is safe.  He must unclip you from the safety line, or you will experience W.O.D (wedgie of death), whew, well at least that mystery is solved.

I am dying, I cannot stop laughing, I can't believe I am really going to do this. 

Cesar goes on to explain that when he tells us it is time to go, we must jump from the platform being sure to clear it, or we will hit our asses on the wood and will probably suffer some serious splinters.  OMG, I am so glad I went pee that second time.  

Next up is Charles.  Charles is all business and very serious.  He begins his talk with safety being first and foremost.  We can die out there if we don't take this serious.  If we get out there and he determines we are too drunk to understand or follow his instructions he will end our tour.   Uh Oh, I think maybe he thinks I'm drunk.  I'm not drunk, yeah sure I had that Bloody Mary, but that was over an hour and a half ago, and we've walked like 20 minutes of it.  Dude, I am stone cold sober and scared outta my mind.  I occasionally express my emotions improperly,  I am not drunk, trust me.

Charles is easier to understand, and not nearly as funny as Cesar.  He is also using terms I'm unfamiliar with, but explains them right away.  When you begin your zip you are to "cannon ball",  lean back, and pull your knees up to your chest.  You can enjoy the first two thirds of your zip, but the final third you must pay attention to Charles who will be at the other side.  He will be watching, and listening to the sound of the zip.  He will then determine if you are traveling too slow or too fast.  If you are zipping too fast we will give you the star fish, lifting and spreading his arms above his head and spreading his legs.  If you see him do this you are to come out of the cannon ball position, pointing your legs down and spreading them (I don't remember if you are supposed to do something with you arms or not......how could you?  cause you are supposed hold onto your trolley at all times).

As you get closer to the end you MUST get back into the cannon ball position to avoid breaking your legs on the platform.  Charles will lift his knee to his chest very quickly to signal that you do not have your legs up enough, get them up when you see him do this! 

Do not worry, you will hear a loud noise as you connect with the brake (a piece of wood with a rope attached to it that Charles will pull to stop you).  What the hell am I doing here?  Who's idea was this anyway, and how the hell did John weasel out of it?

They also go over what will happen if you do not go out fast enough and you stop in the middle of the line.  They will throw a rope at you, you are to catch the rope, then pull it to your harness connection and hold it with the harness.  You must hold it like this, otherwise it will not work, Charles will then pull you in.  If you miss it the first time, he will throw it a second time.  If you miss it the second time, you are on your own and will have to shimmy in.  Cesar demonstrates "The Catalina Shimmy". 

Please God, don't make me do the Catalina Shimmy.

My mind is on overload, it is too much to remember.

We board the shuttle.  We travel up that same hill we rode up in that  "Mr. Toad's Wild  Golf Cart Ride"  On the way up Cesar asks if anyone is scared.  I laugh.  Julie and Monica point me out, and tell him Cindy is.

As we exit the shuttle the driver asks if it's anyone's first time.  She tells us we will have a good time.  She sounds like she has zipped before.  She appears to be much older than me.  Because of this I am hopeful that I may survive.

We descend the stairs to the platform.  Charles and Cesar give us some last minute instructions and reiterate all the important stuff, cannon ball, starfish, how to hold the rope assuming you are able to catch it, beware of W.O.D, don't hit your ass on the way out, don't break your legs at the other end. 

It is time to zip.  Cesar tells us the person that is the most scared needs to be the first one to go, cause the longer you wait the scarier it will be.  I do not make eye contact.  Charles prepares to zip across. Cesar looks at me, I look away.   He asks my name, I tell him, he says alright Cindy you go first.  Charles is all hooked up and ready to go, he looks at me and says something like "you are the most afraid, you have to go first".  I say, "well I don't want to be the first one, I want to go after someone".  He pushes himself off, and says, "you can go after me".  I try to think of an argument as I watch him zip to the other side....like I wanted to go after someone else in the group, just a regular person, not an expert. 

It is futile, I succumb to the fact that I have to be first.  I go up the 3 steps to the staging area.  Cesar hooks me to the safety line.  I step down as he opens the gate.  He does the 4 point check (I don't really remember what these were, I just remember that his job was to check these 4 things so I don't die).  I stand on the edge, holding the handlebars of my trolley.  Trying to get the nerve up to jump off.  My mind goes over all the things I've learned, cannon ball, starfish, splinters in my ass.  How the hell do I jump off this thing to avoid the splinters!

I take some deep breaths.  Have you unhooked me?  I don't want a W.O.D.   I try to get the nerve up.  I notice some people above us on the road looking down finding the whole scene below them very comical.  I try to get the nerve up.  Splinters in my ass.  Cannon Ball.  Starfish.  W.O.D.  More deep breathing.  Just do it.  You can do it.  Just let go.  Cannon Ball.  Splinters.  Starfish.  How do I hold the rope.  Catalina Shimmy.  Breath Deep. 

Go.

And I am sailing through the air.

Am I screaming?

I feel the wind.  I hear the cable.  I'm holding on for dear life.  I keep my eyes on Charles at the other side.  I'm trying to pull my knees as close to my chest as I can.

Feeling the air.

Charles appears to frantically make the knee to chest sign, my knees are as close to my chest as I can get them dammit!  Don't want to break legs.  Hear the wood hit the trolley.  See the brake rope.  Beginning to slow.  Keep Legs Up.

 I made it.

Charles unhooks me, tells me I did great.  I'm smiling like a fool.  I weakly walk down to the waiting area and watch the others zip across.  Besides the 5 of us, there were 2 couples although I can only remember one of their names.  Rhoda, she sounded like Cyndi Lauper, with a Boston accent.  And she was just as scared as I was....dammit, why did I get stuck going first, oh well at least the worst is over.

Thing #26, Zip Lined.

We have 4 more zips.  Each one is a little easier and more enjoyable.  Charles lightens up, and I think he realizes I am not a drunken adrenaline junkie.  At zip number 2 they tell us to scream as we zip across, because there is a whole new crew of people preparing to zip on line one and we want to scare them.  At line number 4 we are told we can get a little creative.  We can zip sideways, let go with one hand, and wave to the others as they wait to zip.  Line 5 is even more relaxed.  It's a little bouncy, watch out for the splinters, we can go side ways, move our feet like we are peddling a bike, act like a princess ballerina, do a little dance thing, and just have fun with it.  By line 5 we were relaxed enough to have a little fun. 

Dang, would be so cool if we could go back to the start and do it all over again.  Would totally be able to enjoy the whole thing now!  Oh well, will have to come back and do it another day.

Charles and Cesar tell us soon these lines will be operating at night.  They say we have to come back and check it out in the dark.  I'm not so sure it would be so much fun, but I definitely want to do it again.  I'm hooked.

The zip line ends right where it starts, back at Descanso Beach Club.  We have a little more than an hour till the boat departs.  All that is left to do is eat a Buffalo Burger.  Catalina is famous for it's Buffalo (or Bison as kill joy Charles refers to them).  They were brought over in 1924 for the filming of a silent western movie "The Vanishing American".  Fourteen were brought over originally and over the years the herd grew to as many as 600.  Such a large herd was detrimental to the island so the Catalina Island Conservatory now keeps the herd down to approximately 150. 

Thing number 27, ate a Buffalo Burger, tastes just like chicken....not really, tastes like beef.

I love rock and roll, so put another dime in the juke box baby....

Ran the L.A. Rock and Roll Half Marathon on Sunday October 30th.  Tipping the race mile tally past my goal of 50 miles this year for a total of .....56.66 miles, yeah baby.

Since I've been so neglectful in posting I'm just gonna make this a mini recap.

Met my race buddies earlier than the crack of dawn to carpool to LA.  One of our buddies didn't make it to the meet up location and had to drive solo due to an accident on the 60 freeway.  She said the freeway was shut down and she saw a helicopter medivac the injured away.  Of course my mind immediately thinks, "Dang, Denny didn't come home last night, and while I knew he wasn't coming home, I wish I knew where he was", cause of course I'm picturing his car crumpled on the 60 while he's splayed out on a stretcher getting his first helicopter ride. 

This was my first Rock and Roll race, and I'm very impressed with how organized they were.  Although....much of the race was "out and back", so while they promoted the race as something like "a band every mile", turns out you just run past the same bands a couple of times.

At about mile 10 I started having the calf cramping issues again.  So frustrating.  I was careful to make sure I was adequately hydrated hoping to avoid them, but ended up hobbling in the last couple of miles.  I think I'll try vitamin supplements in the future.

As we were walking to the car from the finish line we passed the final "featured" band, playing...."I love rock n roll".  It sounded so good (the other bands on the route were "local" and frankly were a little disappointing, and while I love "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Hey Jude" neither are not my idea of music to run by.   I didn't realize it until later in the day, but it was Brett Michaels singing I love Rock N Roll at the finish, shoot, no wonder it sounded good.  I'd have hung around and watched a bit if I wasn't so darn tired and if I had known who it was.

On the was back from LA Denny texted me, "Whew, at least I know he wasn't the one medivaced on the freeway this morning."

We all came back to town, and had lunch at a local mexican restaurant.  Celebrating with margaritas....what better way to end a race?

Thank You Mrs. Roosevelt

The LA Rock'N'Roll Half Marathon is this Sunday.  As is the case with most races you have to pick up your bib at the expo a day or two before the race.  The problem is this race is in LA.  And so is the Expo.....downtown LA to be specific, at the Convention Center. 

I've never been there before. 

I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out how, and when I was going to get there.  I have tickets for the matinee performance of "Riverdance" so my time is limited Saturday. 
Several of my running buddies planned on riding the Amtrak or MetroLink, or some other form of public transportation to the convention center on Saturday, but I'm afraid to do that due to my time constraints.

What I really wanted to do was go to the expo on Friday.  I had decided I was going to leave work early and drive on over there.  But as usual things don't always work out like we plan.  Turned out I needed to stay at the office until 5. 

The problem is I'm so afraid to drive to LA after work.....alone.  Afraid that I will be there in the dark.....alone.  Afraid that I will be driving around aimlessly trying to find the place.....alone....in the dark and dangerous big city.

I really can be a wuss.  And once I get something in my head it can kind of take over my ability to reason.  And I am a little bit of a control freak.  And this feels very much out of my control.

I had decided that I would just have to go Saturday morning because I was just too darn afraid to go Friday evening.  But that causes me stress too because it could conflict with my theater plans.  What to do, What to do.....

Finally, after much angst and inner battle I came to the decision that I needed to put my big girl panties on and go.  I mean come on, would they really keep the expo open until 7pm Friday night if it were that dangerous?  And really, I've printed maps, directions, I have gps on my iphone, and I have a Garmin in the car.....how lost could I possibly get?

So I did it.

And have lived to tell it.

It was fine.  I found the convention center very easily, right off the freeway, and parking was a breeze (although....as I was driving to the parking structure I did hear a rabid pit bull or rottweiler barking incessantly but I never did actual see it).

When I walked into the building I was sorry I didn't have more time to explore.  I would have liked to check out the architecture, was wishing it was still daylight outside so I could see the exterior.

I got my bib, technical tee shirt, and swag, felt so safe and comfy I even toured the expo.  Even bought some stuff!  A new water belt that feels so comfortable.

And:

I just had to have this....love it!

I stayed until they turned the lights down at 7 sharp.  Found my car right where I had left it in the structure right away.  Only missed one or two turns on my way to the freeway to go home (thank you Garmin).  Was a little freaked out because at one point I'm driving next to a train or metrolink and that was a little disorienting for me.....and there's this weird yellow light that flashes "train, train" in the left turn lane which seemed distracting to me......but I resisted the urge to turn left into the train.

I'm so glad I overcame my fear and went.  Driving to LA I thought of a quote by Eleanore Roosevelt "You must do the thing you think you cannot do".

The entire quote is:  “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

― Eleanor Roosevelt, You Learn by Living

I'm glad I bite the bullet and did this.

Thing #22, drove to LA Convention Center, alone, knowing it was going to be dark soon.

Playing in the Mud

The race that I have been dreading anticipating since 12:15am January 1, 2011, has been run.  How do I know the exact date and time?  This particular race, "The Camp Pendleton World Famous Mud Run", sells out less than 24 hours after registration opens.  Registration opens precisely at 12:01am Jan 1st.  I sat poised at my trusty laptop new year's eve and waited.  Signed myself, my great nephew Anthony, and my niece Kristine up.  Registration sold out by noon that same day. 

I really didn't need to do this race.  I had already ran it on 2 previous occasions.  The only reason I decided to do it was because Anthony wanted to run it with me.  While I definitely liked the idea of running it with Ant (great nephew Anthony) I still dreaded it.  It's a tough run, and then there's the mud....and obstacles.....A couple of months ago I told Anthony that I'd give up my bib if he had a friend who would like to run in my place.  Nope, he wanted to run it with me.  Maybe I should feel flattered.

Finally the day came.  You've got to hand it to the Marines, this is by far one of the most well organized races I've ever run.  Kristine was not able to run it as she is in Africa.  So my running buddy Alicia ran in her place.  We arrived in plenty of time to pick up our t-shirts, check our bags, take a picture in front of the map of the course with our water proof disposable camera, and hear the National Anthem sung by a 15 year old local girl. It never ceases to amaze me how the National Anthem can shut up a crowd.  Every single person stood in reverence, the only sound was the voice of the singer.  I think the fact that we were standing on a Marine base made it all the more solemn.

In true military fashion (hurry up and wait), we were directed to proceed to the start line....and wait.  While waiting, Alicia and I took a picture with 2 Marines who were standing in front of us.  They were running "Boots & Utility", which means regulation military boots and utility trousers, these guys took it a step further with painted faces and backpacks....the packs were weighing in at 35lbs and 75lbs.  Unbelievable.  You go boys!  If we have the pic I'll post it here later.  I'll also post the pic of the guy in funny underwear....if we have it.....

Finally the race began....or so we thought.  There really isn't enough room at the official start line for all the runners (approx 6K) so they stage us in an area that is large enough, and then we walk and try to run in mass to the start line.  At the start line there is a firetruck getting the race started right by spraying everyone with the fire hoses!  I was going to take a pic of the firetruck, but the water came our way, everyone screamed started running, I was afraid of being trampled, sun glasses got wet, couldn't see anything for about a minute (running blind).  Finally got my glasses cleaned, and realized I had lost Ant and Muddy Running Buddy Alicia.

I caught up to Alicia after a couple of minutes....but couldn't find Ant....is he in front or behind?  We ran and kept looking back over our shoulders, scanning the crowd ahead for Ant.  So much of this race is up hill....so hard to stay motivated and keep running.  What kept me going was the thought that Ant wanted to run this race with me, and I had lost him at the start line!  I kept glancing back to make sure he wasn't behind me, and kept running forward to try and catch up if he was ahead.  Alicia told me to go ahead and keep trying to catch him.  We figured he would be waiting at "The Wall" for us, since he was our designated lifter (supposed to give us a boost up over "The Wall").  I ran till my quads were screaming.  I'd take a walk break and then run some more. 

Finally at approx mile 4.5 I came to "The Wall"....and no Ant!  Where is he?  Surely he wouldn't scale the wall without lifting us over it first???  And now I'm stuck, I promised Alicia I would wait for her at "The Wall".  Finally she came sauntering around the corner (shouldn't have left her alone!)  Down into the mud we went.  Found a Handy Marine at the wall willing to give a hand.  I told Alicia to go first.  I had toyed with the idea of going around the wall (while I had been waiting for her, and looking for Ant because the course switches back after the lake crossing) I had noticed some runners going around the wall. Strong Handy Marine gave Alicia a lift up the wall....she straddled it, and hesitated...trying to figure out the best way to get down the other side.  At that point I decided I was going around, last think I wanted to do was contemplate how do get off that wall.  Denny tells me I have to go back and run the race again cause I didn't complete that obstacle....yeah,.... right.  Going around wasn't nearly as easy as I thought it would be.  It was a drop of about 3 feet from the side, and I fell in the mud.  Alicia helped me up, and I promptly fell again.  If you hesitate in the mud a second too long, your feet get stuck and you lose you balance.

Out of the mud and on to the river crossing.  At the shore there is another of those Handy Marines willing to help out, if you give him your camera he will take a picture of you in the water.  We hand him the camera and gingerly enter the water (it's hell to get old).  Three young ladies toss their camera to Handy Marine, and jump into the water ahead of us.  He takes their pic, tosses the camera......  Was that the right camera?  I shout to the girls, wait, is that yours or ours?  She looks at it and says, it's the right one.  Now from where I'm standing it looks exactly like ours...Kodak, waterproof disposable.  So we may end up with half a roll of pictures of complete strangers instead of the precious ones we took before that river crossing.  Will just have to wait and see what we get.

River Crossed, on to "Wall Number 2"....this particular mud pit had a "Wimp Wall"...since we are wimps.....well Alicia is a wimp and straddled the wimp wall...I'm a super wimp and went around this one too....but again didn't anticipate the 3 foot drop and ended up on my butt in the mud.  Fall 3 more times trying to exit mud pit (the fire hose on the left spraying me in the face didn't help any).  Slide down the mud hill on the way out (onaccounta I'm afraid of falling and breaking a hip) sliding down on my butt...hmmmm, no wonder I had all that mud in my shorts at the finish line. 

Down another mud hill (also on my behind, and mud in my shorts), and enter "The Tunnel".  Duck walk through tunnel...almost falling backwards mid-way through...whew...don't know how I would have managed to get out of that dang Tunnel if I ended up on my ass or back.....nothing to grab onto to hoist myself back up, and quarters too cramped to right myself....visions of rolly polly bugs.....  Tunnel Cleared!

On to the next obstacle "Slippery Hill", a huge, extremely steep hill with another fire hose at the top.....of course those Handy Marines are at the top trying to spray us off the hill.  Thanks guys.

Slippery Hill summited, shoes and shorts a little heavier...run to mile #6 water station (there is ample water on the course at precisely every mile HOORAH!)  Point 2 miles to go!  And then I see it.  The last obstacle.  I had forgotten all about it.  The - mud - pit.  We have to belly crawl.  Dang.  I thought I was done.  Handy Marine to the right of me yelling at me to GO!  GET IN!  FACE FIRST, GET IN!  Crawling through the mud, Marines yelling at us to STAY DOWN.  As we approach the final mud hill out of this muddy mess the final Marine is yelling "GET OUT OF MY WATER!"

There is a little fountain area where you can rinse your face off, we see Ed and Kathleen.  We all hug, congratulating each other on finishing (technically they finished 30 minutes before us, they ran as a team of 5, and teams start sometime after the individuals).  Faces rinsed, sprint to the finish line, and there is Ant.  Showered and waiting for us.  He finished 40 MINUTES AHEAD OF US.  That's the last time I run a race with him.  He's beat me twice now (last time was the 5K at Angels Stadium)....I don't think he wanted to "run the mud run with me"....I think he wanted to "kick my butt at the mud run".

As we stood in line waiting to take our cold, very public outdoor group shower, the mud baked in the sun on our skin.  Mud rinsed out of my shorts, off to the group changing tent.  Steamy inside tent, wall to wall bodies trying to change out of muddy clothes into clean clothes while standing on one foot, trying not to touch one another.

6.2 race miles completed.  Brings the total race miles to 24.26 with 25.74 to go

Tamara's 25th and Things 5 and 6

Last night we celebrated Tamara's 25th birthday.....Quarter of a Century Baby!  and I managed to complete things 5 and 6.  Thing 5 was attend a teppanyaki dinner show.  I know, I don't know how I managed to live this long and not do it before, but it's true.

I've said that my 51 things do not need to take me out of my comfort zone, but if they do, all the better.  This was mildly uncomfortable.  Sometimes it's hard to go to a place that you've never been, knowing that you are going to experience something so new to you (sounds a little lame when I type it out like that, but for me it is true).  I experienced a little angst in deciding what to eat.  Dang I've been to new restaurants before and it's been no big deal, but this really seemed like it was going to feel so foreign to me.  As usual the anxiety was all for naught.  Food was great, had miso soup for the first time....geeze, I really have lead a sheltered life!  So thing #5 is, saw a teppanyaki dinner show.

Ahhhh, but what about thing #6?  As you know I am vehemently opposed to double dipping.  Trying miso soup for the first time at a teppan restaurant would be double dipping......catching a little bit of rice in my mouth thrown by the chef would be double dipping....assuming I had actually caught the rice, but after 3 trys the guy gave up.  Now eating eel....well that's just so far out there for me I'm counting that as thing #6 despite being at a sushi joint!  I would have never ever in my wildest dreams think I'd eat eel.  The only reason I did was because my little niece Tami was sitting next to me and she was eating it!  When I asked what she had she asked if I'd like to try it.  "No, that's ok, thanks anyway" I told her.  Tamara and Kristal over heard me.....and said "Do it!, it would be thing number 6!", and proceeded to chant "six, six, six, six".  So I did it.  I'll do practically anything with enough encouragement.....well maybe not anything.....

Things # 5 and 6 done, 45 to go.

Happy Quarter Century to Tamara!

The Winged Goddess of Victory?

In October Nike hosts the "Nike Women's Half Marathon" in San Francisco.  It's a popular race, there are always more people who want to run than the course will allow.  So registration is done on a "lottery" basis.  Basically you sign up, but do not know if you have actually gotten in until several days after registration closes.  Personally I prefer the "first come, first serve" basis (FCFS), those who are truly dedicated can sit poised at their keyboards at precisely the moment registration opens and she who clicks first wins. 

One of the features of this particular race is that the medal you receive at the finish line is a special Tiffany necklace.......

Presented by:

 Hot Tuxedo Clad Firemen:

Yummy! Nomnomnom...



How can any respectable woman resist?  Rumor has it if you sign up as a team you increase your chance in the lottery because if one team member is chosen, you all are automatically in.  So someone became the Team Captain, hereto referred to as TC.  TC registered the team and received a "Team Number".  That didn't mean we were in.....yet.  Next step was during the open registration window April 11 thru April 22, all team members had to go online and register noting the team number during registration.  TC sent us all an email on 4/11 reminding us registration was now open.  Note that TC was vacationing in Hawaii at the time, but was so dedicated to the cause that she sent an email from the beach while drinking a mai tai....or pina colada...or some other exotic drink......work with me here.

Diligently we immediately started registering.  Besides the usual questions like name, age, credit card number, Nike also wanted to know occupation, number of children, marital status, etc, these questions were optional, and since I'm always on the prowl for marketing ploys, I chose not to answer them.....as opposed to what I do sometimes when asked these intrusive marketing questions.....give ridiculous answers, like I make a million dollars, I have 10 children, yes they all still live at home, I drive a smart car, yes even on the freeway, etc....just my way of  skewing the information so we don't all become the prey of fat cat corporate moguls.  You can thank me later. 

The most important part in the registration process was that we needed to enter the team number that TC had secured for us.  She said Nike suggests you copy and paste the number so as not to make a mistake.  I typed the number....and then I checked it,...again....and again, yep, it's right.....but if it's not right I may not get in, but the others will.....or worse.....everyone else doesn't get in and I do cause I put the wrong number.  OK ALREADY!  I'll copy and paste, there!  A total 37 of us registered.  And then the waiting began.....fingers crossed.

This morning I received an email from Nike Women's Marathon that started:  "The Winged Goddess of Victory has spoken".  My heart started to go pitter pat....VICTORY!  We're in!  Then it said something like of the 30,000+ entries we've drawn the names of the lucky women....WOOO HOOOO!!!!  LUCKY US! WE ARE IN!.....keep reading....."unfortunately"....huh?  Winged Goddess of Victory?  Unfortunately?  What?  I must have read it wrong...."Unfortunately, your name was not one of them".  WHAT?  WHY? would "The Winged Goddess of Victory" send me a rejection letter?

Picture this:  Last week, Nike headquarters (wherever that is, I'm too depressed to even google it...let's say down town New York), a glass enclosed conference room.  The room is filled with high powered Nike executives.  They are just firming up the details of the San Francisco run.  At the head of the table is a smartly dressed, designer clad, beautiful woman...hereto referred to as Ms. Biatch or MB.  MB is the mother of two young children who at this very moment are home being raised by their nanny au pair in upper east side Manhattan.  MB paid tens of thousands of dollars to surrogates so as not to risk contamination of her svelte figure. She spends about 15 minutes in the evening with her children.  Her husband is cheating on her.

MB says to send an email to all runners who made it in.....and let's say "The Winged Goddess of Victory" has spoken and they are in!  Someone asks what should we do with the runners who did not make it in?  MB says send them the same basic email but tweak it telling them unfortunately their name was not chosen. 

Penny (her real name is Penelope, but everyone calls her Penny despite her objections), a rather plain looking secretary who could benefit from a make over, and couldn't afford a designer hand bag much less the outfit MB is wearing,  is present to take notes.  Penny looks up....should she say something?  She asks quietly, "Do you think it's appropriate to send those who didn't get in an email saying "The Winged Goddess of Victory" has spoken?

A hush falls on the room.  You could cut the air with a knife, ....hell you'd need a machete.  MB turns to Penny and says "Just Do It (insert swoosh").

Gads....what if we didn't get in because I chose not to answer the survey questions??????