Bubble Run Race Report?

Clearly not the average race report, but running with kiddos is on par if not 'sur' par (yeah I took Latin, pun intended) to what feeds me on the trails. In preparation for the run my kids and I strategically placed our fake tattoo's, Madeline and I painted our nails in bubble colors, and Max had a wanderlust sense of imagining a jungle of bubbles to fight through. Soul food and soul fed.

I am lucky enough to be employed by a running store that not only is a family but is willing to work with the nuts-o schedule I present to them. Because of them I am able to participate in events like the Bubble Run. I have a hard time justifying spending $ I don't really have on a non-local large scale run--although they do support local charities in every city they set-up in--it's no Team Chances event, London's run, Maggie's Place, or Ryan's House.

The new trending pattern of novelty runs is a love/hate thing for me, I love that they incorporate so many people that otherwise might not be participating in a 5K, but from a running background...where did my 5K go? Other than the USATF and Mountain to Fountain there are few runs left where we just show up and run without tu-tu's and neon crap, I exaggerate a bit to make a point.

I'm torn, so I'll step off the soap box and share another fun race prep tradition.   The kids received youth large shirts for the event, I stuck one of Max's shirts in the pic for size comparison, and Max is still swimming in the navy tee, let's just say my kids are not brawny but rhymes with....

I altered the shirts so the kiddo's would not have to swim in them. Yay for flutter sleeves and cutie dresses on little girls! I used the extra length in Max's tee to add some length in the middle of Madeline's dress.

Kids stoked at 6:15 am!

get outta the....fine, stand in the puddle! The attraction to puddles is innate, resistance is futile

introduction of bubbles at the start, mom is hoping the excitement maintains for the 5K to come

YEAH!!!!! awesomeness basically--I'm going to tell this story with pictures

a rest at the 2.5K mark, I'm easing these little legs into my future running buddies 'muhahaha'

 a color bubble station at each K mark, below is evidence of a thorough saturation of each color

clean finish

bubble boots!

height plays and advantage to staying cleanish in this event

Kids were stoked, the pictures say it all. Thank you Bubble run for an event that was well organized and crazy fun for me and my chickens. 

On a race report note, I would recommend this event to anyone with littles, the cost is high, I think age 6 and under is free but $40 an entry can get pretty spendy. The terrain, technicality, and distance were...um..., the views of my kiddos laughing their butts off was beautiful, and it was serious good fun. Now I need to get these little running buddies back in the dirt.

Zane Grey 2013

After 3 and 1/2 years of not using this blog, I think the best way to re-start is with a recap of my Zane Grey 2013. 

Now this was a great day, I came into it respectfully undertrained but there was no way I was going to miss ZG! I ran the 2012 race so I knew the demands of what lay ahead of me, and how much I would regret if I didn't do it. Going into a race knowing it’s not going to be your best day is a bit of a relief. It’s a comfort to accept the run-enjoy it-and-just finish attitude. I knew I had the distance in me and that I finally had a sound body, it’s been back to back injuries since January and running finally came to a point where I just had to suck it up, sit still, and heal. My head and heart were ready to carry me though the day. 

Lucky me had Emmet on board crewing for me and solid ultra chick Michelle Patuto ready to pace the last 17 miles. We arrived at the race start 4:30 or so, checked in, and stayed warm in the car until 4:55. At the start line we found friends, said well wishes and then off to run. The first 8 miles of the race are during the sunrise hours, under pine cover and single track forest trail for the most part. The ascent during the first 8 is gradual and sneaky, there is a real potential to waste energy here as the morning air is cool, the trail is friendly, and spirits are high.

Aid station Camp Geronimo, 8 miles in, rolling through on happy legs, greeted by cowbells, and a little slip in the water crossing just before for all to see. I was the most out of it at this station, I had a groove going and didn’t want to stop, luckily Emmet was there to remind me to ditch my arm sleeves and trade my headlamp for sunglasses, I just wanted to get back and play in the dirt!

On to the next 9 miles until Washington park aid station 17 miles in. Tunnel vision happens during this race, the sights are breathtaking and the course is incredibly technical. It is hard to appreciate the beauty out there when your whole scope of vision is narrowed to the next 6 feet in front of you. During this portion runners begin to get a taste of the cruel red crumbly rock climbs. Coming into 17 legs are still fresh and this runner was still high and having so much fun. My crew was so ready for me I wanted to give them all sweaty salty hugs! At this point Pat Devine had joined our posse and I was a seriously pampered kid. Change of hydration pack, schemer of sunblock, a quick warning from Emmet to be careful of tripping, and back to the trail. About a ½ mile out I was served a nice slice of humble pie from the trail gods in the form a fast downhill trip.  This is where I know I’m nuts because it was a great fall! I have always wondered if I were to trip on a fast downhill if the instinct to tuck and roll would be there. Well it was and I was thrilled! My shoulder and hip took the blow, I stood up, shook the dirt off, gave myself an internal high-five and kept on going from what could have been a really ugly fall.

Now the climb to Hell and the climb after, in hindsight all I remember is miles of the heat exposed crumbly red rock climbs and miles of the overgrown slippery rock-hiding grass. Hell’s Gate aid station at mile 25 is always an oasis but the Fish Hatchery 33 mile aid station is the goal on this stretch. There were a few parts here where my head was the only thing moving me forward as my legs were both giving me the middle finger.

 

About mile 30 I was cruising down and startled a huge rattler, this Mr Bitey must have been at least 4 ft. As I passed the snake quickly coiled up and readied to strike, I could hear it hissing and rattling behind me as I kept on running. Having grown up seeing these guys all the time in the AZ Mtns I didn't think to much about it until 10 seconds later I heard a very loud “Oh SHIIIIIIIIII***”, mental note, the next time I see a snake I’ll shout “snake” to warn those behind me, sorry guy behind me!

It may just be me but when you near an aid station on ZG there is a rush of adrenaline like no other.  Michelle was about to run the last 17 with me AND it was only 17 more to go, yeah!!!!! I turn into a giddy kid out there. I wasn't going to mention the fall until after the race but of course the first thing Emmet said on seeing me was "your fall doesn't look to bad", can't sneak nothin past this guy. Emmet was spot on as usual with making sure Michelle and I were ready to go, and Pat was there to help too, it’s hard not to feel like a prima donna when you mention how a soda would be good and within seconds your friend has one for you. Thanks guys!!

11 miles to See Canyon station mile 44. Michelle was on board with my plan, we hike up any incline, no matter how small, and run the flats (there are none) and downhills. At this point my lack of training was evident, the legs were shot, and my stomach was churning. Without Michelle to chat with and give me feet to follow I am confident I would have finished an hour later than I did. The next 11 miles were exhausting and about 70% hiked, however the nice thing about slowing things down is you get to take in the views and really appreciate being out there, no matter how tired you are. The theme of my day was ‘you can’t DNF for being tired, but you can slow down’. 

Getting to the See Canyon station at mile 44 is the benchmark to me, you make it past here and you have no choice but to finish! Happy crap best describes how I felt, aside from the legs my stomach was borderline nauseous so my calorie intake was nowhere close to what it should have been. The rationale was that if I ate and actually got sick the day would be over, I couldn’t risk losing the water in my body to nausea so I maintained salt tabs and small bites of potatoes. Just looking at a gel or honey stinger caused an unsettling wave of blork. But it was only 6 miles to go and all I had to do was follow Michelle!

I’m pretty sure the last 6 miles took me longer in 2012 than this year, my pacer drove me home and a few other people behind us too! The one mile to go sign is almost as great as coming into an aid station but coming into the finish, that is something else. This was a year of appreciating the race, the accomplishment, friends, and Arizona beauty. I'll take my 13:39 finish time with pride, however, I’ll be back but not without putting in the miles to train right. I know I have a competitive race in me but right now I gotta be a momma and a student without being stretched to thin, so ZG 2015, I’ll see you then. Meanwhile, Michelle if you need a pacer for 2014 I’d be honored to return the favor.

Staying warm in the car in the wee morning hours

Just before start, Deron Ruse, Marc Thomson, Me, Pat Devine

music at the start

Delerium at Camp Geronimo

wheeee!

More wheeee

fully taking advantage of photo ops as a chance to rest

I heart this girl, without her I might still be out there

the one and only Emmet crew-master

I thought I wanted a delicious IPA but ended up just holding the bottle

This crew cannot be beat, can you all plan to come back in 2015??? Please?

For Gramma

Where did that boy go?

How did..What the...

This Saturday the group I train with is running 18 miles. Umm, that's a big number that came on real fast. It makes sense in the scheme of things, but still that's a big number for a gal with a head cold. Bring it, yeah! (tiger roar) (cough-cough)

Update
Finished the 18 miler, maintained a solid pace and am feeling good to boot! Great morning!

Baby Boom

It has been a layette madness on my sewing table recently. I realize that the Valley of the Sun is one of the baby capitals of the universe but I'm starting to think there really may be something in the water. I have used all my knocked-up pals as an excuse to contribute more cuteness to the world.
Sewing baby stuff is really fun for a few reasons, firstly, quick results when you are sewing on a small scale, as I have little time (or patience) for big projects these days. Secondly, stuff is just so cute when it's teeny and wee. Thirdly, I am done having kids with a capital D, but I will never tire of sewing baby stuff, so thanks to all you preggers out there for giving me a productive alternative to homework and housework.
Here is what I can show you so far,

Burp cloths
Hooter Hider, Knocker Blocker, Ta-Ta Tent, Boobie Blankie etc...
Spiffed up some plain onesies
The tooshies too
more onesies
with tooshies of course
Shirt and pants combo
My favorite
There is more but I don't want to spoil any one's gift!

Finally Running Again!

... not that I ever stopped, but Team chances training is back in full swing! I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT. This is my 3rd year running with Team Chances and my 3rd marathon as well. I love my team. This is why I am punch drunk giddy:

1-Team Chances supports an AWESOME local charity (Chances for Children). I actually get to 'work' directly with valley kids, so cool.

2-Inspiring coaches that push us to be better runners and better people, it's better than therapy!

3-Great people to train with, which by the way is a necessity for 15+ mile workouts.

I find it really hard to condense each of those points into 3 brief statements when really I could blabber on and on and on, though if you know me you have already heard me blabber on and on about how much I love this group and charity so I will spare you dear reader.

This picture is from Team Chances 1st year (2007-2008) at an elementary school we were able to become involved with. A bunch of us had just spent the afternoon running with the entire 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grades as well as fitting the kids with NEW Nike sneakers. A seriously great day for everyone. We continue to work with this school putting on family fitness nights and other events.
We have come a long way, this is just one of the elementary schools we were able to initiate a Fit-Kids program at. Last year through fund-raising and volunteers Team Chances was able to provide some seriously awesome resources for kids. Check out the impact that we made last year:

• 3983 race entries for kids
  
• 1810 kids running
  
• 1400 pairs of shoes purchased for kids
  
• More than 40,000 miles run
• 200 pedometers purchased for kids
  
• 200 fitness journals used by kids
  
• 313 Summer swim passes purchased for kids
  
• 911 two-week sessions of swimming lessons purchased for kids

This is me and my niece at a Fit-Kids one mile race put on by Chances for Children last yearThe full story of how great this day was is on my sisters blog here.

Sooooooo, fundraising is a huge part of helping Chances for Children provide fitness training, nutrition programs, and educational services for underprivileged kids. Just in case you didn't get my e-mail, I have a donation page set up at www.teamchances.org/Magi/donate
I am so proud to be part of this charity. Because it is a grassroots type charity, every penny you donate goes to helping kids. I know money is tight everywhere but seriously, if you can spare $10, it can help! (if you want to help but would rather send a check, make it out to Chances for Children and e-mail me for my mailing address) --If you are able to donate $100+ I will make you an original madebymagi plush monster creature!
I have been a runner my entire life, and I have trained for many races on my own. Personally I have never gotten as much satisfaction and enjoyment from running as I have with Team Chances. This program gives running a greater purpose.

The Awesome, Perfect, Wonderful, and Slightly Ouchy Vacation

Wow did we have a great time and do we ever have the photo's to prove it! You may say I need to get my act together and slideshow the numerous photographs I post. Well, I'd like you to know that I have narrowed this selection from 480+ pictures, consider yourself lucky.
We set out two Sunday's ago to Laguna Beach to join my fabulous parent's in-law and Uncle Adam with girlfriend Melissa at a beach condo. On the way we met up with the dino's that live alongside the I-10.
Hello dino
Much to my dismay I get more of a kick out of this crazy place than the rest of the family, so thanks for humoring me kids, Mom appreciates it!
We made it to our Laguna abode with a WHOLE WEEK ahead of us to fill with nothing but sand and surf. Max covered the sand part.

He was unstoppable, and he was wearing swim trunks before, this was after I changed him in to dry clothes in the hopes he would take a nap on the beach. He hung out in the stroller for maybe 10 minutes, I was a fool to think a nap on the beach would happen, perhaps I was projecting my personal wishes on to him.
Uncle Adam made Madeline's dream come true by dunking her in chocolate ice-cream.
This pic is just the beginning of the mess, she is still talking about that 'ice-ceem cone'.
Next we have our picturesque visit to Mission San Juan Capistrano, gorgeous place.

This pic (and about 40 others) were taken in the hour leading up to Mads tragic fall. Poor bunny face-face-planted her face on a rock. Her lip split in a very super bleedy way. At least we were in the OC, probably the only county in the world that has a pediatric plastic surgeon on rotation at the hospital. She was a superbrave kid, and watching her get stitches was nothing compared to seeing her sedated with ketamine. Heart breaking, I don't even want to get into it. Though Madeline (who has a natural knack of adding levity to any situation) told Mark as she was coming to "Daaaddy, you have...fourr eyes..and twooo noses". Bear in mind the red in the picture below is 90% popsicle, look at my poor sweet dopey girl, and my poor sweet and dopey at this point husband.
Don't worry, here she is 3 days later, kids have un-paralleled healing powers.
As parents who wanted nothing more than to spoil our bunny we continued our vacation as planned, next stop, Disneyland! Max hung back to chill with Nana and Papa so it was just the three of us, it took us about an hour to get to Aneheim and then another hour to park the car and enter the magical kingdom.
1st stop, carousel--and it's still her favorite ride from the whole park, this is not what I expected, or paid for.
There were a bunch of little girls running around in dress-up, Madeline asked for dress-up and as guilty feeling parents looking into her stitched up face we could not say no. HOLEY BALONEY do you know how much dress-up at Disney costs!!?? Crapola we had one expensive Tinkerbell emerge from the Bipitty Bopitty Boo Boutique. We looked at it this way, she doesn't have any dress-up at home as she has never seemed into it before, princesses are just not her bag. She doesn't even know who Tinkerbell is, she just loves sparkly green. We indulged.
And stinkin cute was she!
And though she may not give a dang about princesses, she does feel a deep connection with Minnie.
It was really hard to pry her away from Minnie's house. Behind us was a group of Harijuku styled girls, Mads fit right in.
We met Mickey,
Look at the anticipation as we began Pirates of the Caribbean
We rode a total of 18 rides and had a perfect 1st Disney vacation, she fell asleep on the tram back to the car.
But oh-no the fun kept on coming. The next day was a visit to Newport beach, the Ferris wheel was great! That's us pointing in the green cart.

We attempted to take nice pictures on the pier,

Holy cow I've got a lot of pictures here, phew.
We fancied up for a b-day dinner celebrating Nana,
More beach via wagon


Fun playground at beach

Pizza lunch

Cute pic with daddy
Home from a gorgeous long run on the PCH
Our view,
Our BBQ,
Adorable and quite rare dual kid play on the deck,

As I finally wrap this post up I would like to say thank you to California for your skilled plastic surgeons, beautiful beach cities, Disney fun, perfect weather, and great places to run. Thank you family for, well, being a great family, and thank you Kitty -Kat, for helping us get home safely.