Before the end of the year, Mark, Sophia (my daughter) and I registered for the 2012 Rescue Run, the annual New Year’s Day run in Palmer Park that benefits the El Paso County Search and Rescue (EPCSAR).   This is a pretty challenging course for both the 5K and 10K with the first mile being a long uphill climb, after which the 5K runners turn around and the 10K runners continue through some rolling hills before heading back down.

I tried to talk my boys into running the 5K but they were both skeptical about a post New Year’s Eve run (even with the later start of 10 a.m.) – they opted to sleep in on the first day of the year.    Waking up after a late night ringing in 2012, I definitely appreciated the wisdom of my sons and was tempted to sleep in instead of heading over to the park on what was a pretty chilly morning (temps in the 20s, windchill around 10 degrees but plenty of sunshine).

I fought the desire to stay in my warm bed, fueled by Sophia’s enthusiasm and joined the 800+ runners for the 5K/10K.  I am very happy that my daughter  motivated me to run this first run of the new year – it was a beautiful course that I had never run before – it was great to be out there and bring in the new year right!  Sophia did a great job completing the 5K and Mark ended up having a great 10K race!

Sophia's 5K finish

good race for Mark!

I enjoyed the beautiful run.

New Tunes:

Chamber of Hellos by Wire Train (song from 1983, just heard it!)

Tongue Tied  - Grouplove

Hazel - Weekend

Goodbye Horses – Garvey

Love comes Close – Cold Cave

We’re back from our annual Seattle trip.  It was another great year – family fun, urban living, good eats, pacific beach, crescent lake… sea level running!  I decided not to run the Seattle Rock n’ Roll half marathon this year.  I ran the race in 2009 and 2010 but after spending the first part of this year plagued with injury, I decided to limit my races this summer.  I have to admit, I kind of regret it  -  running at sea-level was particularly awesome this year!  It must be the runs up to Barr Camp but I found myself cruising through the urban jungle at near-race paces and it felt pretty effortless.

view from Kerry Park. I ran by several times!

kids @ Crescent Lake

rainbow over Crescent Lake

kids @ Ruby Beach

flying kites @ Gas Works Park

fireworks @ Lake Union. from the couch.

It was an amazing trip – we really love the area!   It’s time to get back to work – Barr Camp Mountain Race is in a week and a half!

Mother’s Day in Boulder on a summer-like day…Title 9K (6.1 miles around the Boulder Reservoir) with my babies and a backyard picnic catered by Illegal Pete’s at a good friend’s home.   It was perfect.  I enjoyed running with my daughter and her friends.  My younger son also ran the 9.9K course – but he chose not to hang out with the girls.  My oldest son cheered us on along with my husband.   No pressure for me as I decided well in advanced that I would not turn in my bib, so no finish time to worry about!   It was refreshing to run without the normal race day stress out!

The girls did great.   We did have an unfortunate snake sighting at the Boulder Reservoir but we survived.

New tunes on my iPod!

Dear Miami by Roisin Murphy

Fidelity by Regina Spektor

In My Arms by Mylo

Love Like a Sunset Part II by Phoenix

Neighborhood #3 (power out) by Arcade Fire

spring break in San Diego

Mark and me, our kiddos took a relaxing, fun vacation in San Diego.  The weather could’ve been a little better but we took advantage of the sunny moments and hit the beach whenever we could.

some stormy evenings

beach time

We roamed La Jolla Cove, watched the seals swim to the beach for their naps, shopped, ate lots of yummy food (the vegan options in SoCal are unbelievable)..we took a day trip to LA and spent time with friends… it was quite perfect.

la jolla cove

chillin' with the wildlife

Having the ART doc’s blessing, I ran a couple of times including an easy 5 miler on the beach.   Leg’s holding up, shin pain during the San Diego runs was minimal.    Momentum was on my side and then I caught a cold.. that lingered for a week and ended up becoming a sinus infection.  So I found myself derailed again (albeit temporarily) this week after our vacay.

Needless to say, I was frustrated, had a mini, irrational meltdown. You know: “poor me, somethings gotta give type of thing.”   But anyway the extra days off maybe fortuitous because after laying around sick for a couple of days, I tried a quick treadmill run and while I felt like total crap, my leg didn’t hurt.. at all.   Same story today – an easy 4 miles.. no pain ..at ..all I haven’t been able to say that in a very long time.  Fingers crossed.  In the meantime my Nike tempos are laundered and ready to go.. it’s springtime after all

i need a few more pairs

End of summer and into fall have been crazy busy – as it usually is this time of year.  The kids are back in school, involved in a multitude of activities and I started a great new job at the Colorado Running Company’s new north location.   Life’s been full and good and just recently I realized that I think I might actually be back… or at least kind of back.

I guess I didn’t even realize I was gone – but since August (since the Ascent), I have felt out of sorts.  I don’t have an injury or anything I can pinpoint exactly but my running has just been… in a word: medium.   I’m logging my miles … running somewhat aimlessly but still running… but my performance has just been lackluster.  Long runs have been tedious more often than not, shorter runs seemed slower and more than that, I often found myself reluctant to lace up and get out there.

But over the last couple of weeks, I think I’ve turned the corner… it has been a subtle but I’ve started to look forward to running again and during the last couple of long runs, I have felt strong.    I don’t know what’s changed – I thought maybe the Ascent had broken me but perhaps I am not quite beaten yet.  Perhaps I just needed some time…

and on that note, some weekend motivation.  This first video, I have posted before and it’s also on the PikesPeakSports page right now.  The second is also great.  Should be enough to get us out there and moving this gorgeous weekend!

next up:  Denver Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon, October 17, 2010  (spectator style – cheering on Mark!)

Los Angeles Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon, October 24, 2010 (girls trip!)

Last day of summer and it is another beautiful, sunny day in Colorado.    We’ve really enjoyed a gorgeous summer this year (when we weren’t complaining about running in the heat) and it’s really hard to believe that a year ago, I was Incline-ing in the snow!

Looking back at this summer, I realized how busy it was running-wise.  Training runs, trips up the trail and mountain and 9 races:

• Discovery Canyon Campus ThunderStorm (5K)

result: 27:30 9/19/2010

• Pikes Peak Ascent, Manitou Springs/Pikes Peak, CO (13.32 miles)

result: 5:14:59   8/21/2010  TCR leg 3

• Barr Trail Mountain Race, Manitou Springs/Pikes Peak, CO (12.6 miles)

result: 3:02:33   7/18/2010

• Summer Roundup Trail Run 12K, COS, CO (12K)

result: 1:22:21 7/11/2010  TCR leg 2

• Seattle Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon (13.1 miles)

result: 1:53:49 date: 6/26/2010

• Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run,  COS, CO (10 miles)

result:  1:37:36 6/13/2010  TCR leg 1

• Bolder Boulder, Boulder, CO (10 km)

result:   54:08 date: 5/31/2010

• The Junior League Reach Your Peak (4 Mile)  Run/Walk, (COS)

result: 36:59 date 5/23/2010

• Colfax Half Marathon, Denver, CO (13.1 miles)

result: 1:55:51 date 5/16/2010

It was a full, fun summer 2010 but I am looking forward to slowing down this fall and winter.  In October, I am going to Los Angeles girl-trip style to run the inaugural Rock n’ roll half marathon.  I plan to run and have fun… no time goals or related stress.  I would just like to run strong and feel good when I am done!

DCC 5K race report

The 5^th Annual Discovery Canyon 5K race was once again a family affair sans Daniel who had play rehearsals for the high school production of 12^th Night.   It was a nice morning, sunny, warm but a little windy.   This year’s course basically took us around the school twice –  two loops that seemed more uphill than down even though the final elevation was a 50 ft loss.  I really preferred last year’s course but I understand that it was easier to keep the race on campus vs. running through the adjacent neighborhood.

The hills took their toll and I ended up running a 27:30 – not a great race and 2 minutes off of last year’s PR (different course).    Final result wasn’t too bad though – I was 4^th in my division, 9^th overall female.

Mod Results:

We are well into January and I have finally stopped dating things with ’09 and started using ’10 consistently.   I didn’t make any big resolutions for the New Year but I did decide to go vegan about a month ago and so far, so good.  The things that I thought were going to be hard haven’t really proven to be a problem at all – namely giving up cheese.  I don’t miss it.  Every once in a while I miss pizza but Amy’s makes a great vegan frozen pizza that hits the spot when I have the craving.  

The more difficult part of this journey has been the realization that so many of our foods have dairy, milk byproduct, egg or egg byproduct in them – even many of the vegetarian convenience foods that Morning Star and Boca offer in the frozen food aisle.  So I have become an obsessive nutrition label reader.  I have learned to look for the “vegan” label.  And I have really reduced my consumption of convenience foods.  More often than not, as a vegan, if I want something good, I have to make it myself.   

One big example: my favorite Mix 1 drinks contain whey, a milk byproduct from the cheese making process – this was a big blow initially but I did my research and discovered that hemp is a more perfect protein than whey and hemp powder is readily available locally. There aren’t any ready made hemp shakes that I can grab while running out the door, but I can make a delicious soy/hemp shake with just a little bit of planning.  Plus all the predictable hemp jokes are fun.   So going vegan hasn’t been difficult in terms of any feeling of deprivation… it’s just a more thought out diet, one that requires a bit more planning. 

 (hemp protein you drink it, not smoke it )

One byproduct of my vegan journey is that my kids have decided to be vegheads.  Not big meat eaters to begin with, they have decided to become vegetarian (not vegan).   I was rather disheartened the other day though when my high school son came home to tell me he skipped lunch because there were simply no vegetarian options available at school– the situation in our school cafeterias is unbelievable.   He normally packs a lunch – but the option to buy was a nice convenience … again, the veg diet is not always a convenient one. 

One more new thing for 2010 – in 2009, I ran in Asics Gel Kayano 15s…  I went thru 3 baby blue pairs… the last ones just hitting 400+ miles at the end of the year.  So last weekend, I went to the shoe store and the Gel Kayano 15s are marked down since the 16s are out now.  As I was getting ready to buy my fourth pair of these baby blue shoes, I eyed the Kayano 16s… the shoe guy was explaining all the new features to me.  I wasn’t really listening though – I was pretty much sold when I saw they are pink with a groovy disco pattern in the background.  After all it’s a new year, right?

I can’t believe that Thanksgiving has already come and gone.  The dishes are done; the house cleaned up… my sisters and their families gone back to their homes, their routines.   We had a great time this year.  My family is an active one – we pumped, we went to spin class, yoga and ran the 2009 Briargate YMCA Turkey Trot.  I didn’t run my best 5K by any stretch, finishing with a 26:38 time according to my Garmin but still managed to come in 7^th in my age group.  It is a pretty hilly course.

(Poor Daniel had to sit this on out..stress fracture)

Also, this year we celebrated our first completely vegetarian Thanksgiving.  In years past, we’ve had the traditional turkey for the hubbies and kiddos but we collectively decided to go veg this year.  I made a valiant effort to go all the way vegan but we did have some cheese on our vegetarian shepherds pie and our pumpkin pies were baked with what we hope are cruelty-free eggs from Nest Fresh.   Judging from the lack of leftovers, our feast was quite a success for adults and kids alike.

The Las Vegas Rock n’ Roll Marathon and Half Marathon is a week from today.  I don’t have a great expectation for a PR on this one.  Seattle was a great race for me this year and despite my speed workouts, I am sort of stuck at 8:30-9 min as my best pace right now.  It’s kind of discouraging but when I think back on my year of running, it is an improvement.  Early this year, breaking the 9 minute pace was monumental for me … anyway, we’ll see how Vegas goes… no matter what, it’s going to be a great time!

Last year was fun.  My family ran several 5K distance races maintaining a friendly level of competition.   We’d all finish within a few seconds of each other and keep up that rivalry – joking about beating one another the next time.  I encouraged my kids to keep running – all good times…. Those times are over, I no longer have any hopes of crossing the finish line before my two boys and I am sure in another year or two the same will be true for my daughter…. I love it! 

Here are some pictures from the 4th Annual ThunderStorm 5K & Fun Run at Discovery Canyon Campus.  We’ve participated in this race since the inaugural run and really enjoy the course, the camaraderie, and the post run pancakes.  This year, we ran without Daniel because he was participating in a high school cross country meet (but all Mods were running that morning :-)

 23:24 (2nd in age group)

24:51 (5th in age group)

25:30 (2nd in age group)

42:14

(3rd in age group)

Not pictured: Mod #1: Dan Modisette, 23 minute 5K at his cross country meet at Cottonwood Park.

 update: bit grainy, but a picture of Daniel finishing strong at his meet:

(thanks Uncle J)

My eldest son, Daniel, started high school today… high school!  He’s running Cross Country this year and the team practiced from 2:45 until 5:15.  This is the team’s daily routine.  He told me they learned to stretch, how to ice, they also ran and then discussed nutrition.  He was full of words of wisdom about fruits and veggies when he got home today….nice!  I love youth athletics – the fact that the kids are so aware, so young.  I am looking forward to this high school season – training, meets and pasta parties before meets. 

 My younger son also started Cross Country … running a 7 minute mile the first day… ahh youth!  My daughter started school at the School in the Woods.  Her new school/program includes daily hikes and runs – I am so glad that for them school is so well rounded.   Summer and swimming is over, school and running has started.  They are learning… getting a great education and learning about how to stay active and healthy.