I have returned from the Last Frontier! It was a great 2 weeks, saw scenery that would make anyone's jaw drop and wildlife in abundance. I plan on doing a post this weekend, there is much to tell and show!
While I was gone I got a notice that my moment in the sun, the Aha Moment, had been posted on their website. And as promised, here it is http://www.ahamoment.com/pg/moments/view/6804 I haven't heard anything about being chosen for the commercial, but it doesn't matter much - it was nice to be asked to do it and I had a great time!
And remember the gal I met at the taping? Her Aha Moment is up as well http://www.ahamoment.com/pg/moments/view/6799
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Out the door...
and heading to my next adventure... ALASKA! I'm spending 2 weeks hiking, kayaking, biking and lots of other fun stuff! Can you tell from all my !!! that I'm excited!!
I'll post all about it when I get back - I'm sure I'll have lots of pics to bore you with.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Oprah would be so disappointed
I got an interesting email last week. In short, it was from Mutual of Omaha regarding their "Aha Moment Campaign." They had found my blog and thought I would be a good candidate to share an aha moment on video. I've got to admit, I was skeptical. It don't often get emails like this and my first thought was that this was one of those marketing schemes. You know the ones where they trick you into coming to a "meeting" and then start with "for only 5 payments of $299, you too can tap into the vast resources that will make you a millionaire" (what can i say, I'm a skeptic at heart). So I did what any resourceful gal would do and did a search on google. I was pleased to find that this was a legitimate request! (check out their website - http://www.ahamoment.com/) (in my googling I also found an interesting story on Oprah and how upset she was that Mutual of Omaha 'stole' the 'Aha Moment' from her - come on Oprah, don't you own enough of the world already?)
So today I found myself at the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center, filling out a consent form and trying to make myself look presentable. I had spent the entire morning practicing what I was going to say, basically a condensed version of what I have talked about on the blog, concentrating on my goal of doing an adventure race (for a quick overview, check out my first post.)
As I was waiting for my turn, I started to watch a live monitor of the person currently being taped. She seemed familiar to me, so I asked who it was. It was a pleasant surprise to find out it was a writer and blogger that I read often! On top of that, she also has done some orienteering with the same group I do. What a small, small world! It was a pleasure to meet her - check out her blog, which I highly recommend http://www.barbarasamuel.com/blog/
After saying goodbye to my new writer friend, it was my turn to share my moment. It went surprisingly well - they made me feel very comfortable, I really felt like I was sharing with a friend, not a camera. My big fear was that I would break down in tears, since every time I practiced I was inevitably weepy. I am happy to report that not one tear was shed!
My moment will be posted on their website in the next week. There is a possibility of it being chosen for one of their commercials. Even if I'm not chosen, it was great fun. And a good reminder of how far I have come and all that I have learned. Plus, I made a new friend - all and all, a successful day!
So today I found myself at the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center, filling out a consent form and trying to make myself look presentable. I had spent the entire morning practicing what I was going to say, basically a condensed version of what I have talked about on the blog, concentrating on my goal of doing an adventure race (for a quick overview, check out my first post.)
As I was waiting for my turn, I started to watch a live monitor of the person currently being taped. She seemed familiar to me, so I asked who it was. It was a pleasant surprise to find out it was a writer and blogger that I read often! On top of that, she also has done some orienteering with the same group I do. What a small, small world! It was a pleasure to meet her - check out her blog, which I highly recommend http://www.barbarasamuel.com/blog/
After saying goodbye to my new writer friend, it was my turn to share my moment. It went surprisingly well - they made me feel very comfortable, I really felt like I was sharing with a friend, not a camera. My big fear was that I would break down in tears, since every time I practiced I was inevitably weepy. I am happy to report that not one tear was shed!
My moment will be posted on their website in the next week. There is a possibility of it being chosen for one of their commercials. Even if I'm not chosen, it was great fun. And a good reminder of how far I have come and all that I have learned. Plus, I made a new friend - all and all, a successful day!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
The good, the bad, and the... well, you know
I've spent the last 2 weeks sleeping. That's it, just sleeping. Why? Well, I competed in a little adventure race and since I ran about 10 miles, biked 30 and kayaked 10, I was a little tired.
Seriously, I am surprised at how long it has taken me to recover. I was a zombie the week after, but surprisingly not too sore. Which is a change from last year, when I was sore all over; this year, when i had trained less and was a few pounds heavier... not bad. Can someone please explain that to me?
So, how did the actual race go? As you might have guessed from the title, it was a mix of different emotions.
The Good:
1. Seeing/Meeting adventure racing friends: what I love most about AR are the people. I have never met such an amazing group of warm and encouraging people in my life. The team from Utah who were running their first race; the organizers of the race (who I just adore!); my friends the Gypsy Chix, who rock as an all-girl team; the young and fast Ryan who beat everyone but did it with a big smile on his face. Just a cool group of people.
2. Kayaking: My 1st goal was to be much faster in the kayaking section (I was SLOWW last year and so last place it was embarrassing). This year, I rented an amazing sea kayak (the section was all on lake) and whizzed by everyone!
3. Overall time: My 2nd goal was to have a better time than last year. Despite some penalties (I'll explain more in the "bad" section) I was 2 hours faster than last year. Not bad.
The Bad:
1. Penalties: I missed a lot of the checkpoints during the Bike-O (basically orienteering on a bike). It wasn't because I didn't know where they were, it was more about how I suck on the bike. I missed 3 of them, which had :30 minute penalties for each one missed.
2. Sick: I, once again, had problems with feeling sick through the entire race. I run low on potassium normally, but get me out there racing and it really affects me. I took lots of electrolyte pills, which helped some, but I still struggled. I don't know how to resolve this one.
3. Weather: I didn't get to do the final leg, the Mountain biking section, due to weather. You would think I would be happy about that, right? I wasn't. It kind of sucked and I got 2 more penalties due to missing those 2 checkpoints. *&$%# weather.
The Ugly:
1. My mountain biking skills... enough said.
Despite meeting my two goals of a faster overall time and kayaking time, I still was disappointed. I had emailed a friend and told him about the race and his observation was interesting:
What I found missing from your experience below is that last year you wrote about the beauty around you, which I took to be presence in the moment. Perhaps this year you took less time to "smell the proverbial roses"? And it became more of a foot race?
He said it all with that one comment. I seemed to have lost my perspective and kept thinking about how slow I was, how I couldn't keep up, etc. It made it a not-so-fun experience.
Despite that, I still enjoyed the weekend. The big finale was dinner at an old friends house, a friend I haven't seen since college. It was great to get caught up and see how her life has turned out (very happily!)
So, what am I going to do next? I think I'm going to spend time on my running. I have been so caught up in getting better on my bike that I haven't been running and honestly, I love to run. It just clears my head like nothing else. I might even try to run a 1/2 marathon in November... we'll see.
Seriously, I am surprised at how long it has taken me to recover. I was a zombie the week after, but surprisingly not too sore. Which is a change from last year, when I was sore all over; this year, when i had trained less and was a few pounds heavier... not bad. Can someone please explain that to me?
So, how did the actual race go? As you might have guessed from the title, it was a mix of different emotions.
The Good:
1. Seeing/Meeting adventure racing friends: what I love most about AR are the people. I have never met such an amazing group of warm and encouraging people in my life. The team from Utah who were running their first race; the organizers of the race (who I just adore!); my friends the Gypsy Chix, who rock as an all-girl team; the young and fast Ryan who beat everyone but did it with a big smile on his face. Just a cool group of people.
2. Kayaking: My 1st goal was to be much faster in the kayaking section (I was SLOWW last year and so last place it was embarrassing). This year, I rented an amazing sea kayak (the section was all on lake) and whizzed by everyone!
3. Overall time: My 2nd goal was to have a better time than last year. Despite some penalties (I'll explain more in the "bad" section) I was 2 hours faster than last year. Not bad.
The Bad:
1. Penalties: I missed a lot of the checkpoints during the Bike-O (basically orienteering on a bike). It wasn't because I didn't know where they were, it was more about how I suck on the bike. I missed 3 of them, which had :30 minute penalties for each one missed.
2. Sick: I, once again, had problems with feeling sick through the entire race. I run low on potassium normally, but get me out there racing and it really affects me. I took lots of electrolyte pills, which helped some, but I still struggled. I don't know how to resolve this one.
3. Weather: I didn't get to do the final leg, the Mountain biking section, due to weather. You would think I would be happy about that, right? I wasn't. It kind of sucked and I got 2 more penalties due to missing those 2 checkpoints. *&$%# weather.
The Ugly:
1. My mountain biking skills... enough said.
Despite meeting my two goals of a faster overall time and kayaking time, I still was disappointed. I had emailed a friend and told him about the race and his observation was interesting:
What I found missing from your experience below is that last year you wrote about the beauty around you, which I took to be presence in the moment. Perhaps this year you took less time to "smell the proverbial roses"? And it became more of a foot race?
He said it all with that one comment. I seemed to have lost my perspective and kept thinking about how slow I was, how I couldn't keep up, etc. It made it a not-so-fun experience.
Despite that, I still enjoyed the weekend. The big finale was dinner at an old friends house, a friend I haven't seen since college. It was great to get caught up and see how her life has turned out (very happily!)
So, what am I going to do next? I think I'm going to spend time on my running. I have been so caught up in getting better on my bike that I haven't been running and honestly, I love to run. It just clears my head like nothing else. I might even try to run a 1/2 marathon in November... we'll see.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
A Quick Hello...
This weekend has crept up on me quite unexpectedly. I'm getting ready for my first adventure race of the year on Saturday (a 12 hour/50-60 mile race) and I feel slightly unprepared. Compared to last year when I was in the best shape ever, this year not so much. I'm just hoping I don't collapse in the middle of the course. How embarrassing would that be?
Surprisingly, I feel more prepared to push it than I was last year. Last year was just a test to see if I could actually race for 12 hours - I was SLOW! This year I have the disadvantage of being sick the past few months, however I feel more mentally prepared to push myself. I'm gonna have to tap into that, because my body is definitely not as tough!
I should have pictures next week, so be on the lookout for an update on my crazy day
Surprisingly, I feel more prepared to push it than I was last year. Last year was just a test to see if I could actually race for 12 hours - I was SLOW! This year I have the disadvantage of being sick the past few months, however I feel more mentally prepared to push myself. I'm gonna have to tap into that, because my body is definitely not as tough!
I should have pictures next week, so be on the lookout for an update on my crazy day
Thursday, July 16, 2009
camping/outdoor 'tips' and interesting tidbits...
Our local paper, the Gazette, totally rocks when it comes to any type of outdoor reporting. I just found this gem on their website - good info with a touch of 'the funny.' Below is a paragraph from the article - I am going to tell all my guy friends about this. Then I'm going to make sure my mom reads it - maybe she'll worry more about my brother than me :-)
THREAT NO. 1: THE Y CHROMOSOME
This tiny tangle of DNA that separates the men from the women is the most dangerous thing in the backcountry. It makes the hairier gender do really dumb things, such as climb mountains in thunderstorms, ski avalanche-prone slopes, and say things like, “Get a picture of me trying to ride this mountain goat.” Statistically, having the Y chromosome makes men three times more likely than women to be injured in the outdoors, and eight times more likely to be killed, according to a study by the Colorado Department of Public Health. Just to round things out, guys are also five times more likely to be killed biking, seven times more likely to be killed kayaking and 17 times more likely to be killed by an avalanche. The Y chromosome may also be a factor in Threat No. 2.
Best defense: Listen to your lady friend.
THREAT NO. 1: THE Y CHROMOSOME
This tiny tangle of DNA that separates the men from the women is the most dangerous thing in the backcountry. It makes the hairier gender do really dumb things, such as climb mountains in thunderstorms, ski avalanche-prone slopes, and say things like, “Get a picture of me trying to ride this mountain goat.” Statistically, having the Y chromosome makes men three times more likely than women to be injured in the outdoors, and eight times more likely to be killed, according to a study by the Colorado Department of Public Health. Just to round things out, guys are also five times more likely to be killed biking, seven times more likely to be killed kayaking and 17 times more likely to be killed by an avalanche. The Y chromosome may also be a factor in Threat No. 2.
Best defense: Listen to your lady friend.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
run forest run!
My sister-in-law likes to say this to me, all because of this story. In my quest for fitness and health, one of the biggest surprises has been the discovery that I love running. Really surprising, as in my-HS-gym-teacher-would-most-likely-suffer-a-heart-attack-if-she-knew kind of surprising.
I can't explain why i love it so much, especially since during most of my runs I can't breathe, my legs ache and I feel like quitting long before it's suppose to end. But then there are those other times, the ones where I feel that high that other runners always talk about. It hasn't happened often, but I remember them vividly. It's kind of like a bad relationship - you know it's bad 99% of the time, but you always come back to that 1% that was good and that convinces you to stay. The only difference... running is good for you.
I am happy to say that I have, once again, made up with running and we are now embarking on a new, albeit slightly different relationship. It's not easy and there have been many tears and lots of pain, but I'm feeling pretty good about our prognosis. I'll make sure and keep you up to date on our progress. Let's hope it's all good!
I can't explain why i love it so much, especially since during most of my runs I can't breathe, my legs ache and I feel like quitting long before it's suppose to end. But then there are those other times, the ones where I feel that high that other runners always talk about. It hasn't happened often, but I remember them vividly. It's kind of like a bad relationship - you know it's bad 99% of the time, but you always come back to that 1% that was good and that convinces you to stay. The only difference... running is good for you.
I am happy to say that I have, once again, made up with running and we are now embarking on a new, albeit slightly different relationship. It's not easy and there have been many tears and lots of pain, but I'm feeling pretty good about our prognosis. I'll make sure and keep you up to date on our progress. Let's hope it's all good!
Friday, June 19, 2009
A New Goal
I've heard about 24 hour mtb races - one of my friends from adventure race camp has run quite a few, winning most of them (what else can you expect from a bad ass like Jari - she beats all the guys too!). But the thought of actually doing one of these races? Last week = 0 probability. This week = absolutely possible!
The 24 Hour ERock MTB Race is what changed my mind. I found out that the race course is a trail I ride all the time, and one I can do REALLY WELL!!! And then I found out they allow teams to race and I thought "that means I will only have to ride every few hours!!" On top of that, the race isn't until next June - I have 11 months to train! My mind has been working overtime with the realization that I could actually do this, a 24 hour bike race. And you know what happens when I put my mind to something? I don't give up too easily.
I've already convinced two people to join my team (my brother and a friend, who, by the way, thinks I'm crazy but will never admit he likes that about me). Just need to find one more person and we are all set!
I am now obsessed with thoughts of a race that is almost a year away.
It could be a long year.
http://www.elephantrockride.com/24_index.html
Friday, June 12, 2009
Seriously??!!
I discovered something amazing today... that my bike has gears. Lots of them. And when I use those gears, hills become a whole lot easier. And when hills are easier, I am a much faster and happier rider.
I know it seems crazy that I'm saying this NOW, after having spent the past year racing and riding and, of course, falling. But from the first time I got on a bike last year, gears were the most frustrating and difficult skill to learn. I just couldn't figure it out and usually ended up walking my bike for much of the trail.
However, that all changed today - I FINALLY got it! I headed out to another one of my favorite trails, one that has climb after climb after climb. It exhausted me last year and I never once made it up all those hills without some walking. Not today, I zoomed up all the hills, no problem, changing gears all over the place! I just can't believe what a difference it made.
To think I could have been doing this all along... that thought slightly depresses me.
I know it seems crazy that I'm saying this NOW, after having spent the past year racing and riding and, of course, falling. But from the first time I got on a bike last year, gears were the most frustrating and difficult skill to learn. I just couldn't figure it out and usually ended up walking my bike for much of the trail.
However, that all changed today - I FINALLY got it! I headed out to another one of my favorite trails, one that has climb after climb after climb. It exhausted me last year and I never once made it up all those hills without some walking. Not today, I zoomed up all the hills, no problem, changing gears all over the place! I just can't believe what a difference it made.
To think I could have been doing this all along... that thought slightly depresses me.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
self diagnosing is never a good idea
It all started last month when I began experiencing odd stomach pains. Well, not so much odd as mind numbingly painful. This after having spent the previous months nursing every $#&^% type of injury imaginable. The stomach pains were an unwelcome guest, kind of like if one of my scary relatives decided to visit.
After some research of my own and talking to my Dr, 'we' (read: I) were pretty sure it was gallbladder. Took all the tests and guess what? They all came back negative. My very reasonable Dr. decided that another option would be an ulcer. Seems rational, right? I didn't see it that way. Me and my very respectable degree from webmd.com said it had to be gallbladder, why didn't everyone else see this??
The Dr. gave me free samples of some meds and I reluctantly started taking them, all along thinking that this will not work... of course it won't work... no way am I wrong.
A couple of weeks later and I felt like a new person. Anyone else would realize that was a good thing, right? Sure (Have I mentioned that I have a Welsh background? And that the Welsh, and in particular my family, are known for being stubborn?) That whole stubborn thing was in particularly good form and I decided that I didn't need to take the meds anymore - I just knew it was my gallbladder!
Fast forward to today. After spending the afternoon writhing in pain on the floor of my office, I am now ready to relinquish my oh so distinguished med degree and admit I was... ahem... wrong. I am back on the meds and nursing my pains... and ego.
So, that's been my week. How has yours been?
After some research of my own and talking to my Dr, 'we' (read: I) were pretty sure it was gallbladder. Took all the tests and guess what? They all came back negative. My very reasonable Dr. decided that another option would be an ulcer. Seems rational, right? I didn't see it that way. Me and my very respectable degree from webmd.com said it had to be gallbladder, why didn't everyone else see this??
The Dr. gave me free samples of some meds and I reluctantly started taking them, all along thinking that this will not work... of course it won't work... no way am I wrong.
A couple of weeks later and I felt like a new person. Anyone else would realize that was a good thing, right? Sure (Have I mentioned that I have a Welsh background? And that the Welsh, and in particular my family, are known for being stubborn?) That whole stubborn thing was in particularly good form and I decided that I didn't need to take the meds anymore - I just knew it was my gallbladder!
Fast forward to today. After spending the afternoon writhing in pain on the floor of my office, I am now ready to relinquish my oh so distinguished med degree and admit I was... ahem... wrong. I am back on the meds and nursing my pains... and ego.
So, that's been my week. How has yours been?
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