Show Me the Money!

Well, show MS sufferers the money, is more like it :)

So remember when I mentioned awhile back that I'll be participating in my first ever endurance bike ride?  Yes, I was serious, and yes, a serious case of the rides will come to fruition this June 29-30, 2013.

Geof and I will be joining the Wells Fargo Bike Team in riding 100 miles this June for the National MS Society all through the gorgeous Cache Valley region of northern Utah.  It's a fantastic challenge for both of us, in both the cycling and fundraising arenas.  Both of these things intimidate me.  Massively.

But, honestly, what could be more intimidating than hearing the words, "You have MS?"  Yea, exactly.  So I go forth and conquer on behalf of all of those who have had to hear those words!

First, I've never biked more than maybe 20 miles in one go.  Second, I'm a terrible fundraiser...I always feel funny about asking people for their money.  But, this year is about doing things that scare me, and saying 'yes' more; stepping outside of my comfort zone.

And using my dear blog as a platform for said money begging :)

It's not a race, it's a ride.  It's about assisting support programs, services, and research that makes a huge difference to the people who must fight MS every day of their lives.  For the people who don't have a choice.  The National Multiple Sclerosis ("NMSS") is dedicated to a vision of a world free of MS.  And you know what's really cool about the NMSS?  They not only provide support and services (free of charge, mind you) to those suffering from the disease, but also to the family members and caretakers of those with MS.  

How can you not love that?

I don't know about you, but MS has been all around me most of my life.  I don't have personal experience with it, but I've watched as others have personally experienced what the disease does to them and their families.  It's heartbreaking, and it's a sentence for many.  Through the efforts of the National MS Society (a non-profit organization), and donors like you :), we can one day see the light at the end of the MS tunnel.  

My fundraising goal is a measly $250 right now, mostly because I lack any real confidence in my ability to ask others for money.  But I'm really hoping to blow that goal out of the water.  If you think you'd like to help me meet my goal, please click on the below link to go directly to my personal fundraising page and make a quick n' easy donation.  Every little bit counts, and I appreciate anything you are willing to do.  

Paige's Bike MS Fundraising Page

In the meantime, I'm resting ye' old legs in the wake of a lot of running miles this week.  Cycling season is looking verrrrrry appealing right now :)

Thank you for reading, and thank you for your donation.

Paige, out.

Moab's Red Hot 55k: Smokin' Hot

I seem to recall that after the last time I ran this race, I would definitely not run it again.  Once was enough.  Done.  Next!  

Then September 2012 rolled around and registration for the 2013 race opened.  

I lied.

"Well it's pretty much a local race for us now, we may as well."  "It's Moab, how can you pass that up?"  "It's selling out fast, we should probably jump on it if we think we want to run."  And just like that, we were signed up.  

*Sigh*  

Wyn in Seattle even jumped on it, hoping to make it his first ultra (but turned out a feisty calf wasn't going to allow the adventure just yet).  And that's all the extra push Rob needed to sign up and run his first ultra.  

So much for not running it again.

December came and went, then the INSANELY BITTER COLD AND INVERTED month of January rolled around and we decided it was time to do some training for the February 16th race.  OH MY GOSH, IT WAS SO COLD AND NEVER SEEMED TO STOP SNOWING in January (e.g. three feet of snow in one 36-hour period, and that was just the first storm of the month).  But we got out and ran anyway.  Now I'm like, "Cold?  What cold?  Bring it 15 degrees, you ain't got nuthin' on 3 degrees with an inversion and snow!"

By the time race day rolled around, I felt pretty darn ready to hit the ground running in Moab.  At dinner the night before, at the Moab Brewery of course, I said I thought we could go under 6 hours.  Reasonable enough goal.  But I knew that no matter what we would be getting a course PR.  Last time we ran it in 6:48 and some change.  Cake.

This year's race upped the ante a touch and ended up re-opening registration a couple more times as the BLM allowed them to increase the field size.  Over 800 runners toed the line (55k runners and 33k runners) on one of the most beautiful days I've seen in a long time.  Sun was out, temps were promising mid-40s, zero clouds, and most of the snow/ice had melted off the slickrock.  Booya!

Rina dropped Rob, Geof and I off at the main parking area and we then walked the remaining 3/4 miles up the road to the trailhead/race start.  It was shaping up to be a perfect day.  Yes, perfect.  The race started exactly on time, and we were soon running up the initial incline passing by a whole lot of walkers and amblers.  That felt pretty good, especially because we walked that entire climb last time.  This was one of only a few spots still covered in snow.  Once we crested the mesa ridge, though, it was smooth sailing and snow free.  Awesome.

Matt Vukin snapped a quick shot for us before we walked up to the start area.  Sun, on our faces, so glorious!

Rob hung with us pretty much up to the halfway mark, at mile 17ish.  We stopped at the top of the mesa to get a quick picture/get oxygen :)  

Honestly, the run went so completely uneventfully that I have so little to report, other than that my competitive streak showed it's face a little :) ...it was downright fantastic.  

The views were stellar, the sun was so warm and inviting, and I loved not having to wear gloves!  I recalled two particular sections of the course that I was a touch nervous about...a big crevasse a la 127 hours, and an extremely steep rock face that you have to scramble up on all fours (and of course that was one of the only three spots with snow/ice on it this year).  Since we've been doing a ton of road running this year so far, I wasn't at all worried about the 17+ miles of slickrock running.  I was more worried about where to pee on the sparsely adorned red rock :)  The crevasse came up fast and I watched as others leapt across it with ease.  I got to the edge then froze.  Suddenly I was totally Aron Ralston, watching my life flash before me deep in a red rock slot.  There was a big boulder wedged into the slot just to the left and I opted to use that as a stepping stone instead of trying to leap.  Luckily, I didn't fall into the slot, wedging my arm between a rock...and a hard place.  

Sorry, couldn't resist.  

Despite the more than doubled field size from the last time we ran this race, the aid stations were awesome.  They never ran out of water (like last time) and they were stocked with all sorts of good stuff, and gels.  I stuck to drinking Coke and eating gels and Reese's cups.  Yum.  Geof and Rob took advantage of the buffets, though, and for a change, I was waiting on them ;-)  

Arriving at the top of Gold Bar Rim wasn't nearly as tough as I remembered it.  Actually, none of the race was.  So I took that as a good thing.  The slickrock definitely feels harder than pavement though.  When I could feel my teeth and eyeballs shaking with each step I decided this was fact.

I kept close watch on my watch and when the halfway point came and went I felt we were in fine form to finish up just under 6 hours.  Rob said he was going to pull back a little at that point, and we headed on up the trail.  He was doing great and in awesome spirits so we knew he was going to pull it off.  That was exciting!!

After what seemed like 47 years of running across a slickrock mesa, and running really well, we arrived at the mile 28 aid station.  When we looked at our watches we realized that 6 hours was not going to happen.  

Well eff.

Re-evaluate and adjust.

After leaving the 28 mile aid station.  The sky was crazy blue!

This is going to sound really silly and obnoxious, but I've sort of gotten used to meeting and exceeding my goals in running.  I always feel like I make very reasonable, and just a little bit out of reach, goals, so it's not like I sandbag myself.  And I felt this race was no different.  How on earth did we get so behind on time then?!  I felt a touch deflated.  BUT, we were still going to PR on the course.  Silver lining :)  I consciously picked up the pace and focused.  No more dilly dallying.  I had some beef with the course now.  I hadn't really focused at all until this point; I had been running very unfocused and just plain enjoying the day and what came.  Which is really great!  It felt like a good ol' training run rather than a race.  I haven't run a race in that mindset in quite awhile.  And once I focused, I realized what I could have done differently in order to reach my goal.  Lesson: learned.  

Anywho, all was not lost, not even close.  We were having a supremely good day, in a mind-blowingly beautiful place...and there were three women up ahead on a flat, technical section.  I decided we were going to pass them.  That sounds bad, so bad, but it was a good goal and I wanted to redeem myself somehow.  We hadn't seen any of these runners all race, so that meant we made up a good deal of ground.  Boom!  I checked with Geof to make sure he was cool with picking up the pace and passing in the final two miles.  Done.  It was 6:09 on my watch.  Time to do a little work.

One, two, three, passed, and a couple guys.  I mentally apologized for passing each one of them so close to the end, but they were each so nice as we ran past them.  Now came the very technical (read: extremely rocky and unsafe) downhill switchbacks.  The very same switchbacks which taught me how to run technical downhills just two years prior.  Geof was ahead pulling me along.  I was now officially running out of control.  I actually felt like I was out-of-body in the final 3/4 miles.  I can't believe I didn't fall!  It was almost as if my feet barely touched the ground.  I was breathing heavy not because of effort but out of fear!  I could feel my eyes darting side to side looking for the next place to put my foot.  I don't think I heard anything but my breathing and my heartbeat.  It was intense!  Even just recalling it, and typing this out, my heart rate has spiked!  

"Yeaaaa Chicagoooooo!"  Bryon P. was overhead, shouting down to us as we ran past.  As we rounded a corner I looked up to see who it was, "Don't look at me, look at the trail!" :)

Matt Vukin was at the final bend and snapped us running by, all smiles and totally stoked to be almost done!

Photo credit: Matt Vukin

We crossed the finish line in 6:25 and change, good for a 23 minute PR on the course.  Bam!  

So that felt good to finish, and in the sun, and with a positively booming finish line party.  The place was bumpin'!  Music, food, vendors, runners, spectators.  It was a spectacle!  Around 3:30pm Rob rolled in as we crowded the finish line for him.  He looked great and was all smiles as well.  

Congratulations on your first ultra finish, Rob!!!  

The day was warmer than expected, and Rob retrofitted his pants into shorts :)

Photo credit: Matt Vukin

We all hopped onto one of the shuttle buses back to the parking area and then headed back to the condos to clean up and begin the revelry.  Pizza, PBR, friends, my sweetie, and lots of great conversation and relaxation.  What more could a gal as for?!

And when in Moab, you go to Eklecticafe for a cubano and fuel in the morning.  This was my first experience at Eklecticafe, and certainly not my last!  Afterward, Geof and I, Rob, Rina, Lucy-girl, Wyn and Sarah headed to Arches for the requisite hike to Delicate Arch.  I LOVE THIS PLACE.

Photo credit: Rina Hooper

Who's sore?  Not us!  Who loves Moab?  We do!

Photo credit: Rob Corson

All in all, a fantastic trip down to Moab yet again.  It's a magical and wonderful place.  The race went completely without a hitch, our training was perfect for it, the weather could NOT have been better, the people were fantastic, the race organization exceeded my expectations, and I now know what to do next time in order to reach my goal: focus.  Yes, we will be going back for this one...I mean, c'mon, it's practically local for us now ;)  It's a great, tough, destination race for anyone looking for a short and sweet butt kicker, and in a great location.  Put it on your calendar.

Next up, Antelope Island 50 mile at the end of this month.  I don't yet have a specific time goal, mostly because I still haven't been to the island and I have no idea what to expect of the terrain, but I'll formulate something, most likely the night before the race :)

Paige, out.

Still Streaking...

We officially streaked the entire month of February, and I couldn't have more pep in my step!  I've actually been going solid since January 30 (and Geof since the 27th I think), and we're still going, so let's see how long before I decide to take a day off.  Before this my longest streak was 25 days.  So, what are we at now?  32?  Not bad.  I do indeed value rest and recovery, so that's why we haven't pushed hard a lot, but rather we have been running by feel.  And I felt like hot death the day after Moab's Red Hot 55k, but we ran nonetheless, cutting our run short on account of our bodies feeling really heavy and awkward.  I don't normally run the day after a race, especially a hard one, but the streak 'forced' us to :)  And since then, our runs have gotten faster, and more awesome.  Funny how running more makes you run better.  Imagine that.  Yesterday's run averaged a pace I haven't done since running the flats of Chicago.  So, we're getting there!  We'll be in butt-kicking shape soon enough.

We signed up to streak in March, too, but seeing as we are doing that whole 100 miles in three days thing next weekend, I'm not completely sure I won't take a day off that following Monday :)  We'll see. I still can't quite picture how we're going to fit in that many miles in three days, but it will be fun to make it happen.  I plan to run to and from work that Friday, so that'll be cool.  And hopefully it will inspire me to do that every Friday as the days warm up and lengthen.  

Holy EFF, it's March!!!  And it's sunny and in the 40s today!!  And a guy just ran past our house in shorts and short sleeves!  I love Utah :)

Oh, P.S., I do have a Red Hot 55k race report in the works...in my head...so I'm hoping to crank that out this weekend.  In short, the race was perfect, in pretty much every way.  Except not as fast as I had in mind.  But, I can't complain; everything went right, and we still PR'd on the course.

Oh, and P.P.S., I've been asked to guest blog for one of my favorite gear companies ever, so I'll be excited to share that with you once my first entry is posted.  It'll be a great collaboration and I'm looking forward to sharing it with you all :)

It's time to get my arse off the couch and move us towards the day's long run.  Onward!

Paige, out.

We're Streaking, Man!

It's February, so what does that mean?  It's time to streak.

Like really streak, non-stop, balls to the wall, no holds barred.  Streaking.

Yes, I really did just type 'balls to the wall'.  And again.  I also just learned the origin of "no holds barred"...it stems from a wrestling match in which all holds are legal.  And, interestingly, I just found out today that wrestling is being removed from the Olympics.  Say what?!  That's like the original sport of all sports.  Fighting.  Scantily clad gentlemen, scowls, pain, the whole nine yards.  That's what they DID back in the day, when the Olympics were first dreamed up.  What a funny world we live in now :)  Hopefully they keep track and field around for a bit longer...

Wow, so that was probably the strangest tangent I have gone off on here.

Where was I?  Oh, yes, streaking.

Geof and I accepted the challenge of running at least a mile every day in February as part of our satellite membership of our old running group back in Chicago, New Leaf Ultra Runs.  They do fun stuff like this every so often, and we decided to jump on the bandwagon.  Why not, we're running anyhow, may as well make it interesting :)  Plus, it will get us all geared up for the 100 Miles in Three Days challenge NLUR has lined up in early March.  Honestly, how did I get tangled up in this?  I'm happy to run 100 miles in less than a day, but somehow I'm having trouble visualizing doing it over the course of three days.  That weekend, life = on hold.

So we're running every day.  If it hadn't been for this challenge, I totally would have skipped running the entire weekend two weekends ago...when we stayed up for 24 hours and moved.  It was a tamer version of when we moved across the country last May, but still.  We woke up at 4 a.m., ran six, went to work, picked up a moving truck, chopped up the ice in the driveway, moved all of our stuff in three trips, cleaned up an epic flooding mess, showered, slept for a couple hours, got up, ran again, unpacked all day long, slept a little, got up, ran some more, settled into new house.  And it was just the two of us the entire time.  Lifting heavy stuff.  My levator scapulae and latissimi dorsi were screeeaaaaming.  Yep, I just went anatomical on you.  But we got 'er done.  And we still are.

It's fun.  But now I'm wondering how it's going to feel running the day after laying the smack down on the Red Hot 55k course down in Moab this weekend.  Should be interesting.  At least there will be pizza.  And beer.  I'm looking forward to our first race of the season, and hanging out with lots of my favorites in a really beautiful place :)

Oh, so neither Geof nor I made it into Wasatch this year.  What are the chances?  Apparently quite high.  So now we put our focus onto the dear, sweet Bear instead.  We're going sub-24.  No excuses.

Day 13 of the streak.  And, like, day 10 of not enough sleep.

Onward!

Paige, out.

Yaktrax Contest Winners!

It's a beautiful morning here in Salt Lake City and a great day to pick some winners!  I extended the giveaway one extra week in order to give more peeps a chance to enter.

The time has now arrived...

I first forced myself to complete some school work.  I then stared outside at the frozen yard, still covered in two feet of snow.  *Sigh*  Is it terrible that I'm already looking forward to spring and it's only the first week of February?  Oh well.

I digress!

From the magic hat I pulled three lucky names.  Please contact me at susanpaige1 at gmail dot com with your name, mailing address, Yaktrax preference (Pros, Runs or XTRs), and size (XS = W 2.5-6 / M 1-4.5; S = W 6.5-10 / M 5-8.5; M = W 10.5-12.5 / M 9-11; L = W 13-15 / M 11.5-13.5; XL = W 15.5+ / M 14+) by the end of this week.

Include in the subject of your email "YAKTRAX WINNER" so that it stands out just in case it goes to spam for some reason :)  I will forward your information to my contact and they will send you your prize directly.  Sound good?

Winners:

Mandy
Elizabeth
Anne W.

Congratulations, ladies!  It was a chick sweep!

Thank you to everyone who participated!  I hope to have more like this in the future...this was fun :)

Paige, out.

Gaining Traction: A Yaktrax Review and GIVEAWAY!

The trail is a treacherous mix of snow and ice several days old and trampled into a slick, rutted, ankle-busting mess.  But you, "have miles to go before you sleep..."  You've got to make it up this mountain.  It takes everything you have just to remain upright, and as the trail suddenly pitches steeply upward, you really wish you had a pair of spikes right about now.  Heart racing, sweat springing to your every pore as you negotiate the footing ahead.  Steep drop-off to your left, narrow trail, icey, and downright terrifying to the pagophobic...

But, alas, you remembered to pack your trusty Yaktrax XTR Xtreme Outdoor Traction spikes!  SWEET!  Fear no more, fear no more.  Ice, kiss it!  You've got a summit to bag!

So basically I have this intense fear of ice, and slippage on said ice, as a result of many a run along the Chicago Lakefront in winter...breeding grounds for some of the worst ice I have ever experienced.  Ever.  Gives me chills just thinking about it.  And, since we now live in a place that can be a bit of an ice fest half the year (up in the mountains), I decided to look into taking control of my fear and getting some traction so that I wouldn't have to miss out on precious mountain time during the winter.  On a whim, I checked out Yaktrax's website to see if they had anything new, and lo and behold: the Yaktrax Run and Yaktrax XTRs appeared before my eyes.  They've been busy making cool stuff!  I've owned the Yaktrax Pros for awhile now, and my brother even sent me a new pair for Christmas this year, so I'm well versed on the Pros.

I'm a big fan of the brand, and I'm a big fan of staying upright and being able to run no matter the weather.  I was crazy-stoked to try out the Runs and the XTRs (hehe, the "runs" :)).  I think everyone knows about the Yaktrax Pros, they are the original Yaktrax, with a velcro strap that goes over the top of your foot for added hold on the shoe.  They are what I picture when I think of traction.  And, they are perfect for hiking in a little bit of snow, not totally solid ice, and for general use (e.g. walking the dog, shoveling, walking to the bus, etc.).  They are the perfect daily use traction device, and sure beat turning all your shoes into screw shoes (which are fun to have, but not ideal).  I have run in my Yaktrax Pros on occasion and they do a fine job in a pinch, they just feel a bit bulky underfoot if there's not enough snow (your foot doesn't go flush with the ground, so it feels a bit...pillowy), and snow gets stuck in the tread and coils.  There's a happy medium in there somewhere, but likely not for the avid runner.

Here's a snazzy shot of the Yaktrax Pros from Yaktrax.com:

Now, the Yaktrax Run.  This was something new to me.  I was curious about how they would stand up to the snow, and I admit, I didn't have very high expectations for them.  I was really psyched about the XTRs, but wanted to give these a fair shake, too.  

They turned out to be pretty...okay!  They would be perfect back in the midwest, where there is not a whole lot of snow these days, but a lot of crummy icey/snowy/slushy stuff that freezes overnight and makes morning runs a little scary at times.  The carbide steel spikes on the Runs are fairly shallow and worked fantastically on the thin snice (snow-ice) I ran in along the Bonneville Shoreline Trail here in SLC.  The conditions were great for these, but their use remains optimal in low snow or thin ice, and much more reliable than the Pros for sure.  I felt like I had really good traction on the slippery stuff along the trail and I felt confident with each step.  The Yaktrax Runs are the best replacement for screw shoes, and you can put them on any pair of running shoes without putting holes in your soles.  

I just busted a rhyme without even 'try'n.

Okay, so, downsides?  Probably user error, but the front lip kept slipping off and sliding underfoot.  I had to readjust this a few times.  And they were fairly tough to get on my shoes initially.  Also of note, snow got stuck in the heel treads of my shoes and the rear coils of the Runs.  The forefoot remained snow-free, but not the rear of the device.  I kept having to knock the snow off my shoes to get better traction.  I think the snow was wetter than usual (it was beginning to melt) so perhaps that added to how much it was packing beneath my feet.  Nevertheless, I made it through fully upright and happy!

Fancy photo of the Yaktrax Runs from Yaktrax.com

Hard to tell in this photo, but the front lip of the Yaktrax Runs kept slipping off my shoe.

Another SLC winter wonderland kind of day :)

This post feels a bit like the tale of the three bears...

And I'm saving the best for last.  I can't help it; I'm completely partial, and for good reason!  The Yaktrax XTRs are a godsend for mountain trail runners.  Nothing short of that.

I LOVE MY YAKTRAX XTRs!  They are a steal of a deal at $50 at REI and they come with a handy storage bag that doesn't rip.  The other big brand of spikes sells theirs for $10 more than the XTRs and the bag is sold separately, for another $10.  That's a lot of dough.  Anywho, 'nuff of that.  Let's get to the goods!  

I stowed my XTRs, in the storage bag, in the back pocket of my Nathan vest on a recent summit of Mt. Wire here in SLC.  Geof and I weren't sure what the conditions would be like, but I had a feeling (and hope!) ice would be involved.  And I was right.  Geof slipped and slid all over the trail, giving me a heart attack on several occasions, not to mention scaring the bejeezus out of himself a few times as well.  The footing was terrible, and it got worse the steeper the trail got.  After a few near misses, I stopped, pulled out my XTRs, slid them on (so easy, so quick!!) and continued onward.  Geof was a little jealous.  I was a kid in a candy store!  Smiling, laughing; I couldn't believe how much better the running was with spikes!  I couldn't believe what a difference they made.  I had high hopes, and they were exceeded.  I haven't felt that sure of foot in...ever.  So, yea, the XTRs worked out pretty well for me.  

Once we began to descend, and the sun had had a chance to melt some of the snow and ice down lower, we were traipsing through a muddy, slushy mess, but I kept the spikes on just to see how they'd hold up and they did awesome!  It was a little like nails on a chalkboard when I'd step on rocks with the spikes on, but they held firm and sturdy.  Also of note, while the weight was apparent, that was the only thing giving away their presence on my feet.  Since the spikes dig into the terrain, there's no weird wobbly feeling (like in the Pros).  Your foot goes flush with the terrain with each step, just as it would in your shoes alone.  Awesome.  The toe and heel plates prevent snow from packing/sticking underfoot, and they actually work.  When I was done, I slipped them off, stuffed them back in their sack and stowed them back in my pack.  Easy peasy!  

I couldn't wait to use them again.  Dare I say I look forward to icey runs on the trails now?  I carried them in my jacket pocket this past weekend on a long run that included an ascent of Mt. Wire again; though I didn't need them I felt good knowing I had them just in case.

In fact, Geof was so impressed with my experience with the XTRs that he decided to pick up a pair for himself as well.  This is huge!  He was skeptical at first, as he usually is with my running knick-knacks, but the XTRs proved themselves more than worthy.  And now we match :)

Photo courtesy of Yaktrax.com.  They really need to put a running shoe in these and get rid of the boots...

 Yaktrax XTR field test #1...climbing up Mt. Wire

Yaktrax XTRs atop Mt. Wire after a gnarly, icey early-season climb

 Look, no snow stuck on the forefoot or heel!

In closing, yes, I have a serious crush on my XTR spikes.  They are a perfect fit for me and for the running I do, and for where I live.  But, the Yaktrax Pros and Yaktrax Runs also have their place in my running/hiking repertoire.  They will all get plenty of use in the miles to come.

Soooooo, now that you've made it through this long-winded post, I have a treat for you!  

I'm giving away three pairs of Yaktrax!  All you need to do is be a follower of my blog (it's easy, follow via Google Friend Connect in the right side-bar, or sign up to receive posts via e-mail, also in the right side-bar), then leave a comment below stating your name, how you would use a pair of Yaktrax, and which pair you think would suit you best (Pros, Runs, or XTRs).  I'll give it a week or so, then select three random winners.  Also, be sure to like Yaktrax on Facebook, and follow via Twitter (@yaktrax)!

Man, I'm so excited to get this posted; it's been a long time coming!

Let the fun begin!

Paige, out.

Welcome to My Life, Take A Seat, Get Comfy

I've spent the last couple of months resisting, pushing mightily against a fierce and worthy opponent; it is an opponent that, ultimately, would always win.  But I had to try, because that is what I do...I try.  I guess that's a good quality; being willing to risk it, to fall on my face, just to see what I could do.  I do not like to recoil in the face of adversity, though it does cross my mind (c'mon, I'm human).  Instead, I like to try my hand at it

It's trivial really, this opponent.  Truly.  You'll laugh when you see it.

Algebra.

Yep, see.  I told you so.  I have never, never, NEVER EVER been mathematically inclined.  It's always been a sort of achilles heel.  I have one of those weird photographic memories where I can file away an image or concept for short term use.  And, often, it sticks around long term; but not in the case of mathematics.  I memorized my way through every math course I've ever had.  I learned every acronym, short-cut, and catchy rhyme imaginable to make it through some gnarly math scenarios.  And it worked.

Now, you see, there's this class I have to take as a prerequisite for my program, but you can try to test out of it.  Booya.  Of course I was going to try to test out of a semester of anguish, frustration, short tempers, and, not to mention, the enormous financial cost of a 4-credit hour course.  Blech.  So I self-studied my brains out.  I tried...three times.  I briefly prevailed on the first try, only to find out the requirements had just recently changed, but were never published anywhere for me to see.  Talk about deflated ego.  Crushed in fact.  So I tried again, no dice.  A third time, still no freakin' dice.  I'm pretty sure the proctor could have caught and bottled the disappointment that oozed from me on that third try.  If she would have asked a question, or otherwise elicited any kind of response from me, I probably would have cried.  But instead she just looked at me blankly as she handed me my printed results and I turned and walked dejectedly towards the campus bookstore.

And that's the end of the rope for me.  As the saying goes, "when you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on."  So, I bought my insanely overpriced books for the class, tied a knot, and am now holding on for dear life.

I guess it's meant to be.  I'm supposed to take this extremely expensive (read: out-of-state tuition) math class.  Fine.  You win, grand plan, you win!  It's embarrassing; intermediate algebra, bringing me to my knees.  I laughed at myself on the way home after my third failed attempt.  Why do I resist it so?  Why has it always been such a battle?

So where am I going with this seemingly unrelated drivel about resisting?  That, while I do not yet know the outcome of the coming semester, I do know that I have full control over my thoughts and fears.  And so, seeing as one of my new years 'resolutions' this year is to get over irrational fears, I say 'when in Rome.'  I can handle this.  I'll do what it takes to emerge victorious.  I will be the algebra queen!

Speaking of resolutions, I guess I usually like to write about what I've resolved to do at the start of each new year.  I kind of like the tradition here on Serious Case of the Runs :)

In addition to getting over irrational fears, I've decided to say yes more and welcome more into my life. In fact, just yesterday I said yes to something I thought would never enter even an extreme outer orbit of my life.  Endurance cycling.  Yes, you read that right.  Geof asked if I would like to join his company's team for the MS150 ride in June.

*crickets*

*more crickets*

I had three reactions to this:  first, it was, "HA!  No F@*#ing way!  I'm not a cyclist, I'm a runner!"; next was, "I'd truly rather run 150 miles...can I do that instead?"; and, finally, "ah crap, yes...YES, I'll do it.  Why not?!"  This all ran through my head in the matter of probably 30 seconds, as I responded to his text as soon as I hit the next red light on the drive home.  Then reality began to sink in.  How on earth am I supposed to train for a 150 mile bike ride?  Oh, that's right, by riding.  Crap, crap, CRAP!  My butt is going to hurt so much!  But as I began to really think about it, we live in one of the most amazing places for endurance cycling.  The smooth and winding long canyon roads are a cyclist's mecca.  I guess it won't be too bad, and it'll sure be one hell of a cross-training effort for our trail running season.  Boom.  Silver lining = found.  Plus, this means I'll now have to get real clips and cycling kicks for Stiletto :)

So what else have I resolved to do this year?

No more hitting the 'snooze' button.  No excuses.  Our 4 a.m. wake-ups start to wear on me over the course of a week, and I've been known to hit the snooze button...a lot.  Like, really a lot.  And that really gets in the way of running.  So, snooze no more!  That means getting to bed a touch earlier than the average 82-year old, but whatevs.  It means more precious miles await us in the morning.  So far, so good.

My last 'resolution' is to run sub-24 at Wasatch (if I get in) or the Bear.  I can do it, especially considering what my training was like leading up to the 2012 Bear 100.  Now that we live in the lap of trail running heaven, a really great training season shouldn't be a problem :)

Ooooo!  I got a new pair of trail shoes!  The Brooks Pure Grit 2.  Mmmmm, yummy new shoe smell.  They are pretty...heinously ugly (I hope they come up with better colors, lol!), but I took them for a spin this morning and really, really enjoyed them.  It feels like there is a rock plate of sorts in them, which completely rocks (heh), and the tread/grip is incredible.  I mean, seriously incredible.  Who knows, perhaps I'll put these in the line-up for the Red Hot 55k next month in Moab.  I should take them for a spin on the southern Utah red rocks before I make that commitment, though ;)

So, the moral of this long, not-much-of-an-obvious-point post?  Live and let live.  Stop resisting that which you do not fully understand or appreciate.  Open those arms of yours and welcome a little bit of discomfort, a little daring, a little change, a little "why not!".  Sometimes that which we push hardest against turns out to be the best thing that's ever happened to us.  I have no illusions about algebra or cycling becoming the twinkle in my eye, but I do think that there is a place for these things in my life, and I'm now willing to allow them in.  I'm throwing up my white flag on these, and a host of other things I've resisted for a long time.  It is freeing, emancipating in a way.  It's incredibly tiring to push so hard against certain things, especially when it's for no apparent reason.  This is true in all aspects of life, training, racing, love.  Stop hating, resisting, and discounting the things that you've never even given a chance.  You never know, you may find the 'love' of your life, whatever that may be.

I now welcome you (i.e. that which I have resisted) to my life, take a seat, get comfortable.  I'm so very glad to have you, finally :)

Paige, out.