Out and About

After running 15 miles on Saturday (my longest run yet-- yay!), we ventured out for some more fresh air on Sunday.  Here are some photos from our hike:



 

 

The weekend culminated with a Sounders game, which also seems as though it should count as physical activity-- as there is so much standing, cheering, jumping up and down, etc. involved.

  

It is now Monday, and I am dragging.  As usual, I feel like I need a weekend to recover from my weekend.  :)

Running the Ragnar Relay

Last weekend, I took part in the Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage race-- a 200-mile run that spanned from the Washington border with Canada all the way down to Whidbey Island.  I had trouble wrapping my mind around the logistical craziness of this event as we prepared for it to take place, but I had oodles of fun with my team (“The All Fun and Gamers”) as we ran and supported one another through this intense (yet enjoyable) journey.  Here is a bit of a photo montage documenting my experience:

“Ragnarians” are very spirited, and creativity is strongly encouraged.   The decorated vans were very amusing, and I was impressed with people’s originality. 

 

 

 

Materials ranged from Christmas lights to piñatas. 

 

As you can see, you can learn a lot about a Ragnar team by the outside of their van.  Do not worry-- we ran into this van many hours later in the race, and Sebo had pooped!  We heartily congratulated him.

 

People also had an assortment of themed costumes.

My first run was in the 90-degree heat of the late afternoon, and it was all uphill!  I was grateful that my team stopped to give me water at multiple points as I ran. 

 

Instead of using a baton, a slap-wrap bracelet was passed from one runner to the next at scheduled exchange locations. 

 

For obvious reasons, this bracelet was soon dripping with sweat.  There were 36 total exchanges.

 

Ragnar is very serious about safety.  Here, Luis models the proper nighttime safety gear.

 

This is what it looks like during the dark runs!  I started my second leg at 1:00AM.  It was incredibly surreal and peaceful at night, and my route led us over a bridge and along the waterfront.  This was also when I had my most “kills” (passes).  I passed 15 people on this run!  It was exhilarating to see the blinking red lights of other runners up ahead of me, then to run past them.

 

 

Mark, Rachel’s dad, was our last runner who brought us home.  We all crossed the finish line together.

 

 

Our team completed the course in 29 hours, 33 minutes.  We finished 166^th out of 373 teams.   We were very happy.

 

 

(Photo credit: Rachel)  After running my 17.7 miles and taking part in all of this nonstop excitement, I was exhausted.   I could not stay awake on the ride home.   I felt like I’d been gone for weeks and weeks!

 

I have now rested and recovered from my Ragnar 2013 experience, and I can’t wait to do it again next year.

Fresh Air

We journeyed to Mount Rainier National Park over the weekend for lots of outdoor exploration with friends.  This is my favorite type of exercise.

 

 

 

That last one is my favorite photo.  My friend's six-year-old daughter, Adelle, was sooooo happy to frolic in the majestic scenery that surrounded us.  She and I have a lot in common!!  ;)

This is How I Roll

My hamstring still hurts. Almost all the time. It’s like a constant aching—when I’m sitting, when I’m standing, when I’m moving, and when I’m sleeping. Just when I think it’s better, it finds some way to remind me that it is still not happy. Sometimes, I worry that it will never be the same.

I hope to finally pull it out of this state of constant rebellion. I’ve now discovered two new best friends that seem to be helping: the foam roller and the Tiger Tail. I stopped going to PT and other appointments because it started to get very expensive and time-intensive, but these tools help me to treat my hammy on my own. I’m also trying to be good about doing exercises and stretches that help it. Here are videos that help you understand the wonders of the foam roller and Tiger Tail:





Keep your fingers crossed that they will continue to help me make great strides in getting my hamstring back to its normal, content, productive self!

The Running/Living Balance

June provided for a flurry of activity.  We moved into a “fixer-upper” home; celebrated several birthdays (including my own); traveled to Pullman, WA (Moscow, ID) for my cousin’s wedding; headed to Long Beach, CA for the National Jump Rope Championship and a visit to Issac’s family; and kept a calendar full of events.  With so much going on and so much celebrating to do, it was difficult to rigidly adhere to my marathon training plan… But I tried my best!

I brought my running shoes with me wherever I went and found myself racking up mileage in unique settings—like on a hotel treadmill, down the Palouse Trail, and along the Long Beach waterfront.   However, I still managed to miss several of the runs that were scheduled on my calendar.   =(  I also slept-in on lots of “super-early run days,” as I was just too tired to drag myself out of bed when the alarm sounded.

Yet, July is a new month!   I have a newfound commitment to completing [almost] every mile on my plan from now on.  I know that life happens, and I’m not going to let marathon training entirely consume my life. But I feel refocused and reenergized as I continue onward and upward!  It should be a nice balance of fun/torture/personal improvement/personal fulfillment.