Zero:Dark-Thirty

Zero:Dark-Thirty. The time of day everyone should be sleeping.  I got up this morning to go running with Michele. We are going again tomorrow morning. We are getting in between a mile and a mile and a half in 15-20 minutes.  If we keep it up, eventually we will get up to 2 miles in that time frame. That would make me very happy.
Cheers to tomorrow morning.

Ragnar Relay Cape Cod 2014

I am officially signed up for Ragnar Relay Cape Cod 2014 with some of the wonderful New England Spahtens.  The team is myself and 11 other ladies.

Each runner has three legs and the first runner starts in Hull, MA and 200 miles later we are ending in Provincetown, MA. I am currently runner 11 and will get to run along the canal.

Currently I am running at a 14:20 pace.  Our team average needs to be 11:00 or less.  I have a lot of work cut out for me to get my distance and speed up to where I want it to be.

Starting Monday, I will be running with Michele in the mornings.  My goal is to run 5 days a week with Michele.  I haven't worked out a plan of attack for increasing my distance and mileage but figure getting out and running is a better start than not at all.

Yoga and wine.

Tonight was yoga! It's been two weeks and I missed it. There is something about moving, stretching, and guiding the body with purposeful breath and conscious thought that is extremely rewarding. Followed by a glass of wine. Perfect evening!

What have I gotten myself into!

Its official. I am crazy! I have joined my fellow Spahtens in a chicked edition relay team for Ragnar Relay on Cape Cod. 200 miles with a team if 12! 

More details to follow once I truley absorb what this means.

Panic in the Dark 2013 - Race Recap

photo Panic in the Dark

This past Saturday, Stacey and I made our way to Lowell, MA for a 5k race unlike any other.  This race, Panic in the Dark, was a 5k obstacle race that had its own twist with zombies and scares.

photo courtesy of Vince Rhee & NE Spahtens

Running with the New England Spahtens meant we had the largest team and is always a great time!  Fred Smith of Smithfest Events sure knows how to put on an event.  As largest team, we had personalized shirts with the event logo on the front and our team logo on the back!  I am so excited to wear my t-shirt.  Major kudos.

Stacey and I knew we were going to be battle buddies and also signed on to run with Sandy and Amy who don't do well with the scares and had Kandice, James, and Jasmine running as protectors with us.  James was key for getting over a few of the walls. Thanks James!

The event started off with our wave being led out a hallway, provided with a headlamp if we didn't bring one, and led into a room for quick overview of the rules.  The film was interrupted with an emergency broadcast telling us that the zombie apocalypse was upon us.  Thumping on the doors was getting louder and zombies jumped out immediately after an guard member came out urging us to move out to the bus.  Through the hallways we went with more zombies before emerging outside and loading a bus that would hopefully take us to a safe zone.  I wasn't sure Sandy and Amy would make it out successfully and continue but they did! 

As we pulled into the safe zone, we were met by a swat team member who managed to maintain character even with our crazy group.  We were being dumped into the middle of a hoard and would need to be quick to escape with our lives.  Off the bus we went and we were racing down the road with gunfire and zombies abound.  

There was a great use of natural landscaping, some great scares with zombies and chainsaws.  While some zombies jumped out a bit too soon, many were able to get a scare from Sandy and Amy.  Our journey took us through a school bus with a zombie reaching down from the roof, a school with mouse traps and a zombie who knew Sandy's name.  She wasn't too happy about that and took off pulling Amy along with her death grip.  The spiked shoulder guy managed to sneak up on us after we passed him and sent Sandy and Amy running.  There was a bouncy house complete with zombie clowns. I think they were the most terrifying!  A super fun pumpkin carry, walls, Roller Derby zombies, and it was over.  I ran faster than I usually do and was definitely out of breath by the end.

I had a blast running with friends, enjoying the scares of friends, and being able to protect those who weren't sure they would even make it to the start line.  You ladies are amazing!

Matt Davis of Obstacle Racing Media

My trip would not have been possible without Matt Davis of Obstacle Racing Media and Paul Jones of New England Spahtens! A caption contest on the New England Spahtens Facebook page that was sponsored by Matt of ORM with the prize being an entry into Panic in the Dark.  I won. I was psyched and made sure to hunt Matt down before making the long trek home to thank him.  

Marco.... Polo....

That's how I am feeling with my motivation. I am Marco, my motivation is Polo.  It is there, just dancing out of reach.
I know I promised a race recap of Panic in the Dark. I will get to it. I am feeling completely drained.
Michele and I started running last week in the mornings.  It is time to get back to it but I'm not ready yet; hopefully soon.
Not a very inspiring post. Hopefully the inspiring me will be back tomorrow.
Kris at Healthy Livings a Bitch has a great post today about food and exercise and the love hate relationship and how it affects our daily lives.

I am glad all weekends aren't like this!

This weekend didn't stop.  It had some really great high points and some really low low points. 
A quick touch on the positive!
Jeremy worked Saturday morning and I got to sleep in.  There was a quick work lunch followed by some afternoon disc golf.  Met up with Stacey to head to Lowell, MA for Panic in the Dark.  Review to come tomorrow.
Sunday brought about a round at The Quarries Disc Golf Course in Barre, VT. Challenging course with several lost discs, a found disc, and the highest score I have had in a long time.  The rest of the day was spent relaxing on the couch. 
Eats were sporadic with the roast chicken for Sunday night dinner the highlight.  Can't wait to make a chicken stew with the left overs for dinner tomorrow night.
Hopefully I will get to NaNoWriMo tomorrow and get some words on the official count.

Challenge day 3! Kris at Healthy Livings a Bitch is also posting every day in November.

Review: Camelbak Quick Grip w/ Podium Bottle

There are times I go out for runs or hikes or even walks but I don't want to carry my backpack with bladder. I also don't want to have to deal with carrying a water bottle. While you do carry this water bottle, it has a nifty grip that allows you to strap it to your hand so that you are holding it but not.
Confusing? Take a look:

The Camelbak Quick Grip allows you to slide your hand in between it and the water bottle. You tighten the strap and you can let the water bottle hang.  I love not having to hold onto the bottle, therefor my hand doesn't cramp up.  It even has this nifty little pocket for stashing my keys and ID. 
For short trips I wish the bottle was a bit smaller but overall I love having it to use when I don't want a backpack but want to bring water with me.

Day 1: Challenge Accepted

Today is the First of November. I have set a challenge for myself to post daily for the entire month.  I also challenged Kris over at Healthy Livings a Bitch to post daily as well. Here we go!

I never have been a daily food photographer and I don't plan to start now. If I make or eat something that looks utterly fantastic and work photographing I will. 

I woke up to go running this morning and had a text waiting that due to the rain my buddy was canceling.  I wasn't feeling super hot and not looking forward to crawling out of bed so I was okay with the decision.  Let's just say that 5am and I haven't become friends yet.
The only to not getting up and going by myself is that I don't have the time today in my schedule to get the run later.  I am okay with that as well.  I will get in some activity tomorrow and then I am getting scared at Panic in the Dark.  As someone who used to be afraid of the dark, it will be quite the occasion! I could handle ORTC Shale Hill's Halloween Run, I can handle this.  Looking forward to it actually.  (I'll post a link to my race recap from Shale Hill once I have it finished.)

Today also starts NaNoWriMo and I am participating again this year.  My story is a zombie tale:
What happens when you sign up for a Zombie Run obstacle course race and it turns out they let loose real zombies? What happens when you find out that the government was behind the outbreak? For this team of survivors, the answers are never what they seem. 
As I write, no matter how the story is going, I plan to post.  Don't say I didn't warn you!