197 Miles of Pure Running Joy

Hood to Coast. Mount Hood to Seaside, OR equals 12 people sharing 197 miles for 24 hours. Each person runs 3 legs of the race, rain, shine and pitch black. You've read my relay posts before, you know the drill. Team name of choice: Road-Ents of Unusual Size. Classic.This race however, will be one to remember... Shannon decided on a pedicure the week before the race. This meant no more callouses on her feet and A LOT of blisters after running. She wins team rockstar for running with these things. I can't even imagine that kind of pain. Dan decided to dress up for the occasion, mullet, sweat band, belly shirt and all. Notice the road-ent hand drawn on his cut off wife beater. Dan wins best costume, for sure! Please note the mullet hair blowing in the wind.I was super stoked about my first leg. I typically don't talk about my race times, honestly it doesn't usually matter to me. But this first leg I averaged a 7.4 minute mile for the 6 miles I ran. That definitely has never happened before, something was just right that day! This is my tired celebration face.Jon is warming up for his first leg. I can't decide if this is a sumo stance or a monkey, but he wins best way to warm up for an 8 mile run.Mike was joking about giving him Pringles instead of water during his 2nd run. Dan followed through with the request. Mike takes home the prize for eating the most disgusting thing while running.I've learned from Chris Provost (via Wasatch Back Relay) that crazy dance moves are the best way to cheer on your fellow runner. I believe this is the running man in action, I can never be sure what moves I will bust out though. Shannon brought her didgeridoo all the way from Australia to cheer on the runners! She really is getting good at playing it too. I think it was just what we needed for that extra motivation. I really am serious when I say run through the night... this is Angela, Emily and I at about 10pm. Our van was finishing up our legs to pass the slap bracelet on to their van for a few hours. This would be about 3am. I always wanted a picture of me running at night and my wish was granted. I rolled my ankle on this run - ha maybe running at 3am on a forest road with potholes isn't the smartest idea?!After the 3am run, when I thought the running party was over and my legs were completed I did what any normal person would do. I began gorging myself with beef jerky and pretzles. The problem with this was as we went down to meet Dan (the last runner in our van) at the exchange point the next van of teammates were no where to be found. "Oh crap" we all thought standing on the side of the road, as visions of disqualification danced through our heads, we knew Dan would be there to meet the next runner any second. I looked around at all of our feet and realized I was the only idiot (for lack of a better word) with running shoes still on. I looked at Shannon as I started taking off my outer layer of sweats and said, "Well I guess I'm running again." When Dan got to the exchange which wasn't but 30 seconds later he looked at me very confused, but passed the prized slap bracelet onto me and off I went. I only had to run 3 of the 5 miles of the leg as my van hurried to find our team and the next runner. Turns out it was just a little timing miscommunication and I like to believe the 3 extra miles burned up all those calories I ate when I originally thought I was done. Here I am after the 4th leg. Just for clarification, I am flexing NOT attempting to punch my fist through the window. :) After we were really done with our legs we headed to Seaside for the FINISH! Here is our van of runners. And our whole team together. Until next time peeps!

That Running High

There are these days. Days when the it takes every ounce of willpower I can muster to get my running shoes on and out the door. Days when my mind and body can't seem to work together to find a rhythm and the thought of walking sounds like heaven. I skip through songs on my regular running playlists and only finding one or two on the entire ipod that give me any motivation. Usually on this day I feel a new pain in a knee or a foot that I hadn't noticed before or even a new blister forming. I notice every car, every person and every house but none can keep my attention long enough for me to forget that running hurts. I know I have things to think about, but my mind feels empty, my thoughts unfocused. I just want to be home. I look ahead at the hill in front of me and wonder if it got steeper, getting to the top seems impossible. My chest hurts, this has to be what a heart attack feels like, at least a similar pain. My feet pound the pavement so hard I feel every muscle fiber and fat cell in my body move. On this day I'm tired, my form is bad and my toe is breaking through yet another pair of expensive running socks. But I finish, I make it home, thank my body for pushing and hang up the running shoes knowing that eventually this day will be worth it.

Because soon enough, I will get today. Today my shoes go on and I can't get out the door fast enough. My steps feel light and my stride actually makes me think I am taller. My ipod is playing music and any song will do. Today I don't rely on the music for motivation, I don't need it. My mind and my muscles are working together. They're connecting and pushing each other, it feels powerful and effortless. I have already run 8 miles and barely noticed, it felt easy, good, inspired. Today I have power over my mind, I think through my day or listen to the lyrics of a song. I wonder what it means, I find answers. Today I look at the hill ahead and move faster, somehow the challenge is refreshing. I breathe in rhythm, my chest is relaxed. I'm on top of the world, anything is possible. This is the feeling, the runners high, they talk about. This is the reason they, I, you, push through the miles on days where putting one foot in front of the other seems impossible. Because for this moment, both the work and the pain are completely worth it.

An Australian Story

G'day! How you goin'? I reckon you stopped by to hear about my trip to the land down under. Well let's get to it, but I must warn you that this post may seem out of the ordinary. You see, in Australia they have a different way of speaking. Such a way, in fact, that made me stop many times and say, "what the heck are you talking about?!" No worries though mate, you'll catch on.

Australia is beautiful and Kelley, Hillary, Shannon and I were happy as Larry when we finally arrived after 36 hours of travelling. Unfortunately, the airline left Hilary's kit in New Zealand and she had to wear the same jumper and daks for 2 days. When it finally arrived we were ecstatic and ready to start our adventures!

Our trip started in Brisbane where Kelley has some rellies who welcomed us with open arms. Her granddad fed us brekky every morning with real crumpets and was so sweet to let us use his car. Don't worry we filled it with petrol before returning it. Since I can drive a stick shift, I was lucky enough to be the one who got to drive on the opposite side of the road. It took all of my concentration to give way to oncoming traffic and look both ways before crossing anything since Australia is FULL of roundabouts(my running nemesis).

We saw so many amazing animals up close. We fed kangaroos and elephants and held koala bears and baby crocadiles. We went way out into the woop woop and through the bush to go 4-wheeling on a secluded beach. We saw an Australian footy game and barracked for the Brisbane Broncos. We even went to Mackers for tea once and ordered chips with our hamburgers. And you better believe when we went to the milk bar I bought a ton of lollies and bikkies to bring back to the US as prezzies.

I treated myself to a few dinki-di's and brought home a didgeridoo and boomerang so I wouldn't forget the fun tip. I found the Aussies to be fair dinkum. Definitley a place I would holiday in again!

Alright... I feel like I just filled out a mad libs poem with random words that make no sense. I promise that's really how they speak. They have the funniest words for everyday things. I probably said "what?" more times on this trip then I did in Greece! If you made it this far, good on ya... you will now be treated with some pictures.

Summer Portland Style

This last weekend Bryce came to visit the wonderful world of Portland. He came just at the end of the CRAZY heat so we were able to be outside without melting to death!

I have decided that Multnomah Falls is now on my list of things for visiters to do. You need to have said list because everyone wants to be a good host when company comes! The falls were beautiful and I even told legend of the falls on the way out because Bryce's experience wouldn't have been complete without. I will not repeat the story now because I actually don't know if it is true - but I did read it in a book! This tree trunk is very ginormous. I absolutley could not let us walk by without getting a shot with it. We looked like little kids standing next to it!
Many people may not know this, but I took golf lessons one Summer. They really paid off too! When we went golfing I hit the ball and it went all of 4 feet... only about 170 feet short! Dangit. Bryce is a much better golfer... look at that ball in the air! Now this (standing and holding a golf ball), I am much better at... I know, I know, I am not following golf dress code. I am actually surprised they didn't stop me, they were quite strict about everything else on this course. A Oregon visit would not be complete, without an Oregon run. This is one of my favorite parks by my house. I love it because it is all jungle-y and hidden, but still a pretty hard trail run. And of course I brought my camera so we could get more pictures with trees!

Such a fun weekend. Thanks for coming to visit Bryce!

This Letter Goes Out To...

Dear Sprinklers,

Please stop hitting my new car. I am really nervous that the spots that you create will ruin my new paint and its stressing me out.

Respectively,
I really need a garage


Dear New Car,

I love you. I love you in indescribable and pathetic ways. I am so glad I bought you. Your navigation has really come in handy and your sunroof has made driving so enjoyable. Thank you for bringing love into my life!

XO,
Obsessed with my new car


Dear Ed,

If you did, in fact, cheat on Jillian then you are an idiot.

Signed,
Keeping my eye on you


Dear Kenneth Cole Sales Guy,

Thank you for introducing me to my new pair of shoes and telling me “I just had to have them”. Thank you for shrieking in inaudible tones, that only dogs can hear, when I tried on that skirt I wish I would have bought. Thank you for saying I am tiny and bringing me a dress two sizes too small to try on even though I KNEW it wasn’t going to fit. It was a valiant effort and you made me feel good.

Sincerely,
I’ll be back for more

Dear A/C,

I never knew you were in such few houses until I moved to Oregon, but I am very glad you are a part of my life. I feel bad for my friends who can’t sleep because it’s 110 degrees. I feel bad that the city is in a state of panic because of the heat and I am sitting in my office with a blanket and a space heater. Thank you A/C for keeping me cool and sane.

Respectfully,
My toes may have frostbite


Dear Australia,

I can’t wait to meet you! I really need a vacation and I am positive you will be the perfect fit! I hope when I come home I have incorporated words such as “mate”, “bloke” and “bikkie” into my vocabulary.

Signed,
Only 2 more days!


Dear Decisions,

You are my nemesis. Why are there so many of you that are good that I have to choose between? You make it very difficult when you present me with wonderful options and say I can only have one. That’s like asking me to choose a favorite ice cream flavor or a favorite movie. I never choose favorites, but can I give you my top 5?

Sincerely,
Still trying to decide


Dear Data Phone,

I think you may have taken over my life and it’s a bit overwhelming. Email, phone, text, IM, blogging, Facebook and a google search all just one click away has made me a little too connected – yet, I have no intention of letting you go.

Signed,
Wishing your battery lasted longer


Dear Bing.com,

I love you for your commercials (hilarious really), but your search engine is sub-par in my opinion. I don’t like the look and although you tell me I am getting more information, I feel like I am getting less. Sorry, I can’t jump on this train!

Respectfully,
Sticking to Google

(This idea came from Aimee who has such a great blog!)