"Oh no!" Mr. Bill exclaimed this morning, "not rain." The Sac Bee reports rain on Sunday, Weather Channel 10 % chance of rain. I'm choosing to believe the Weather Channel. I've never walked a race in the rain and don't want to on Sunday. Thirteen miles is a long way in wet shoes and socks.
Training for the race is complete except for short walk tomorrow. Package pickup starts today. Carboloading tomorrow. Hydration continuing.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Shamrockin' 2012 4 Days to Go
I am recovering from my Tuesday night Katie Vona massage. I mentioned my left Achilles tendon felt a bit sore. 20 minutes later, she had finished popping my toe joints, finding areas between the bones to release, massaged both calves and popped a joint I'd never heard of in the arch of my foot and announced my feet ready to go. She finished off with my hip joints, lower back and hamstring. All the time we chat away, me just to keep my mind off the occasional burst of pain when she locates something that needs to be released.
Her massages are like long races, they feel so good when they are over.
So, my hips will be loose, leg muscles relaxed and feet able to bend properly.
Shamrockin' here I come.
Her massages are like long races, they feel so good when they are over.
So, my hips will be loose, leg muscles relaxed and feet able to bend properly.
Shamrockin' here I come.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Shamrockin 1/2 marathon 3-11-3012
Five days and counting until the 3-11-2012 Shamrockin' 1/2 marathon. Should be perfect weather, mid 60's with 8 mph wind.
I've had a successful winter training season. My 9 mile round trip walk to and from Wm Pond Park has give me a solid base to build on. Highest mileage is 15 miles, average Sat walk has been 11-12 miles. I'm ready.
This will be the first race for my minimalist Merrill shoes. So far, NO BLISTERS. After 4 years of suffering, this is amazing. All my toenails are intact except for the big toenail damaged last Oct that has just begun to grow out.
This will also be my first goo, gel, block, sport bean free race. I've been eating boiled eggs, Cutie oranges, nuts and dried fruit and bananas for nutrition.
I'm drinking lemon lime Cytomax for hydration and electrolytes.
For my fellow Shamrockers, hydration begins today.
I've had a successful winter training season. My 9 mile round trip walk to and from Wm Pond Park has give me a solid base to build on. Highest mileage is 15 miles, average Sat walk has been 11-12 miles. I'm ready.
This will be the first race for my minimalist Merrill shoes. So far, NO BLISTERS. After 4 years of suffering, this is amazing. All my toenails are intact except for the big toenail damaged last Oct that has just begun to grow out.
This will also be my first goo, gel, block, sport bean free race. I've been eating boiled eggs, Cutie oranges, nuts and dried fruit and bananas for nutrition.
I'm drinking lemon lime Cytomax for hydration and electrolytes.
For my fellow Shamrockers, hydration begins today.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
WHY DID TINA TURKEY CROSS THE ROAD?
Picts taken near Guy West Bridge on the American River Bike Trail. There were about a dozen turkeys on one side, 3 toms. On the other side, where the hens are heading, I counted at least 20 more heads popping up and down. When I passed by the same site about 20 minutes later, they were not to be found.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
True Love....Hiking on a Fire Road
We've hike hundreds if not thousands of miles on trails and backroads. One of the great adventures in life is to take the road unknown and just follow it. We drove into Fort Bragg on Sat morning and there were all kinds of blocked off fire and logging roads. Todd was just sure at the end of one of those roads was a good fishing stream. I was sure a walk through the redwood and ferns would satify my need to explore. Walking down one of these roads was on the day 2 agenda of our weekend.
All our hikes start pretty much the same, grabbing a bottle of water, camera in my pocket, leash on Sam The Dog, OK he's a city dog. Don't want him chasing off after some creature in the forest. Only other car in the pull off area had Montana license plates
Plan is just to walk until we find a stream, or to stop if no stream in a mile or 2.
We walk mostly about a mile or so and Todd stops to take a leak. I walk a bit farther with Sam The Dog still on the leash, then stop and wait. Todd shares with me words no hiking partner likes to hear,"Hey honey, while I was back taking a leak, I saw some tracks in the dirt, but they look old."
I think, "Too much information, no need to share." Then say, "Oh what did they look like?"
He says,"Oh,old animal tracks with claw marks."
She says "Oh." She is wishing at this point the information had not been shared. We walk in silence. Sam is in the lead as usual, marking the way so we don't get lost on our way back up the hill.
About a football length down the road, there is rustling of to the left, then a low growl, more rustling and a louder, longer, lower growl. He hears the growl, not the rustling, she hears the rustling, short growl, more closer rustling, then the longer, lower growl.
We stop and look at each other, look in the direction of the rustling and growling and decide the hike is over.
We see nothing, no movement in the buses. Sam is clueless, not a bark or growl from him.
We turn around walk slowly, look over our shoulder everyone once and a while.
Stop where the track is. Take a picture.
Look over our shoulder, walk uphill, see the gate, and breathe a sigh of relief.
We've seen too many episodes of Wild Kingdom and Nat Geo to not recognize the sound, the long low growl of a mountain lion protecting it's turf and prey. We thank whatever dead critter we surmise the lion was protecting.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, in this case, the growl was worth a a thousand thanks. No pict needed.
PS The tracks appear to have been dog tracks. Mountain lions don't normally have their claws extended.
All our hikes start pretty much the same, grabbing a bottle of water, camera in my pocket, leash on Sam The Dog, OK he's a city dog. Don't want him chasing off after some creature in the forest. Only other car in the pull off area had Montana license plates
Plan is just to walk until we find a stream, or to stop if no stream in a mile or 2.
We walk mostly about a mile or so and Todd stops to take a leak. I walk a bit farther with Sam The Dog still on the leash, then stop and wait. Todd shares with me words no hiking partner likes to hear,"Hey honey, while I was back taking a leak, I saw some tracks in the dirt, but they look old."
I think, "Too much information, no need to share." Then say, "Oh what did they look like?"
He says,"Oh,old animal tracks with claw marks."
She says "Oh." She is wishing at this point the information had not been shared. We walk in silence. Sam is in the lead as usual, marking the way so we don't get lost on our way back up the hill.
About a football length down the road, there is rustling of to the left, then a low growl, more rustling and a louder, longer, lower growl. He hears the growl, not the rustling, she hears the rustling, short growl, more closer rustling, then the longer, lower growl.
We stop and look at each other, look in the direction of the rustling and growling and decide the hike is over.
We see nothing, no movement in the buses. Sam is clueless, not a bark or growl from him.
We turn around walk slowly, look over our shoulder everyone once and a while.
Stop where the track is. Take a picture.
Look over our shoulder, walk uphill, see the gate, and breathe a sigh of relief.
We've seen too many episodes of Wild Kingdom and Nat Geo to not recognize the sound, the long low growl of a mountain lion protecting it's turf and prey. We thank whatever dead critter we surmise the lion was protecting.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, in this case, the growl was worth a a thousand thanks. No pict needed.
PS The tracks appear to have been dog tracks. Mountain lions don't normally have their claws extended.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Diamonds Diamonds Diamonds
Don't be jealous ladies. I have a new diamond. And I found it just laying in a stream bed.
No some one didn't lose it, I found it. It's mine.
Ok, Tiffany and Co doesn't have to worry. It's just a Clearlake Diamond.
Clearlake is located about 2 hrs from Sacramento and is the largest freshwater lake located entirely in California. We camped there a couple of weeks ago and went hunting for Clearlake Diamonds.
The diamonds, also known as Moon Drops, are found in gravel in streambeds at the southern end of the lake. They are unfacited clear quartz crystals that resemble broken glass.
We went hunting in a streambed that runs under Morgan Valley Road in Lower Lake. I found the location for diamond hunting on a U Tube video.
It hadn't rained for a while so the water was really low and it was really a cold hike. We found thick chunks of ice some one had broken out of the water. They were certainly much larger than the 3 crystals I found. I can say diamonds, diamonds, diamonds because I found 3. Two already washed down the drain because they were so small. Above is the largest next to my hangnail pinkie. It was the first one I found. My honey thinks it's just a piece of glass. I think he said that the last time he actually bought me a diamond.
So it's rained since our last visit and we are planning another trip to the area in February. Maybe a larger diamond for Valentine's Day. The price is right.
No some one didn't lose it, I found it. It's mine.
Clearlake is located about 2 hrs from Sacramento and is the largest freshwater lake located entirely in California. We camped there a couple of weeks ago and went hunting for Clearlake Diamonds.
The diamonds, also known as Moon Drops, are found in gravel in streambeds at the southern end of the lake. They are unfacited clear quartz crystals that resemble broken glass.
We went hunting in a streambed that runs under Morgan Valley Road in Lower Lake. I found the location for diamond hunting on a U Tube video.
It hadn't rained for a while so the water was really low and it was really a cold hike. We found thick chunks of ice some one had broken out of the water. They were certainly much larger than the 3 crystals I found. I can say diamonds, diamonds, diamonds because I found 3. Two already washed down the drain because they were so small. Above is the largest next to my hangnail pinkie. It was the first one I found. My honey thinks it's just a piece of glass. I think he said that the last time he actually bought me a diamond.
So it's rained since our last visit and we are planning another trip to the area in February. Maybe a larger diamond for Valentine's Day. The price is right.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Old School 49'er Football
Our family has fond memories of the great 49'er teams. Many a Sunday afternoon was spent at Grandma and Grandpa Van's watching Montana, Rice, the immaculate reception and Super Bowl Games. My mom will tell you her cousin Dave Wilcox played for the Niners in the 70's.
After the dry spell, it's so darn much fun to root for the team again.
We'd planned to go camping over the MLK three day weekend to Clear Lake. Lo and behold, the Niners are playing a playoff game. Couldn't miss the game. First thought, we'll find a bar. Oh wait, we hve a dog, can't have a dog in the bar and don't know how close the closet bar will be.
Plan B take the TV, cable hook up is available at the campsite. We'll sit in theDutchman and watch the game. No go. Can't get the station.
We're down to the AF/FM radio. So we built a fire, turned the radio as loud as we could, no problem since no one else was in the campground, sat by the fire and had a couple of beers, made some soup and listened to the game.
The announcers did not have to be neutral. They were screaming and laughing when Smith scored. It was infectious. We were laughing and screaming with them. We jumped up just like we would have in front of a big screen HDTV, we yelled just as loud. The 49'ers won. We were left to our imaginations and announcers descriptions as to how plays were diagrammed. We visualized the red zone just like it was painted in front of us. We had a great time. We survived.
We would still like to see more of the game than the bits and pieces on sports broadcasts. I suspect we can catch up when we watch the Sunday pre-game. You bet we will be in front of our big screen HDTV this week, drinking beer, sitting by a fire in the fireplace and something cooking in the kitchen.
After the dry spell, it's so darn much fun to root for the team again.
We'd planned to go camping over the MLK three day weekend to Clear Lake. Lo and behold, the Niners are playing a playoff game. Couldn't miss the game. First thought, we'll find a bar. Oh wait, we hve a dog, can't have a dog in the bar and don't know how close the closet bar will be.
Plan B take the TV, cable hook up is available at the campsite. We'll sit in theDutchman and watch the game. No go. Can't get the station.
We're down to the AF/FM radio. So we built a fire, turned the radio as loud as we could, no problem since no one else was in the campground, sat by the fire and had a couple of beers, made some soup and listened to the game.
The announcers did not have to be neutral. They were screaming and laughing when Smith scored. It was infectious. We were laughing and screaming with them. We jumped up just like we would have in front of a big screen HDTV, we yelled just as loud. The 49'ers won. We were left to our imaginations and announcers descriptions as to how plays were diagrammed. We visualized the red zone just like it was painted in front of us. We had a great time. We survived.
We would still like to see more of the game than the bits and pieces on sports broadcasts. I suspect we can catch up when we watch the Sunday pre-game. You bet we will be in front of our big screen HDTV this week, drinking beer, sitting by a fire in the fireplace and something cooking in the kitchen.
Go Niners!
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