Hello all!
I want you guys to read the disclaimer/information for the race that we ended up doing on Saturday night. Yes, you heard that correctly. S-A-TUR-DAY-NIGHT! I know…what the heck was I thinking…
Los Chupacabras de DFW 10K Nighttime Trail Run
About This Event:
Start 9PM and Finish in the same spot on Oct 16 at Little Pete’s on Lake Grapevine. Runners will enjoy a well supported chip timed race through the woods and dirt trails of Murrel Park. There will be at least one water stop supplied with HEB Quench and Spring Water on trails marked with directional arrows and glowsticks. After finishing cool down at the finish area with cold beverages runners can mosey into Little Pete’s for burgers and beer. Salad and veggie option for those who desire it. This is a fun run so there will be no awards. If we are over 300 entrants, we will do a wave start with faster runners going out first.
The trail- this is not a run for beginners. The trails are dark with many rocks and opportunities for falling, twisted ankles, scrapes, and bruises. We will use glow sticks to mark the course but paying attention is critical. This is much different than running on the road at night much less during the day. You will need a good quality headlamp and/or flashlight(s). If you plan to run fast be alert. It is very easy to run through a well marked turn at night running slowly much less running a sub 7 min mile. YOU MUST PAY ATTENTION OR YOU WILL RUN OFF COURSE
The disclaimer you read is an actual disclaimer. We were insane enough to actually attempt this event on the 16th.
I have Brenda Lawson to thank for twisting our respective arms into doing this crazy event. The way that this was described was a night time trail run, on a single-track mountain biking trail…lit by glow sticks, chalk and some reflective tape (and that was a stretch…). Flashlights and headlamps were encouraged. They should have said REQUIRED.
We should have had an inkling of what we were in for when we were pulling into Murrell Park for this race. We had to drive along a very narrow two-lane road…even my high-beams didn’t do much to dispel the darkness. We almost missed the turn, and finally found where the race was being held. Did I mention that there were no street lights of any kind out here? Kind of reminded me of the place that we used to go camping when I lived in Florida. Just this deserted area. This particular park, however, was out on a finger of Lake Grapevine. Still…very black…anyway…we found a place to park, and proceeded to tell each other how crazy we are for even attempting this particular shenanigan. You had to see how some of these people were dressed. It was like they were going to do some extreme obstacle course or something…oh wait we were. They had glo-sticks worn as bracelets, necklaces and/or anklets, headlights strapped to foreheads and/or hat bills, flashing lights worn around the neck. One guy even added antennas to his headlamp as a fashion statement. Flashlights. Now fashion-forward. Too funny!
We got there in time for the pre-race announcements and the PA system kept cutting out on the organizer. He ended up having to speak loudly over the crowd. If the shaky PA system wasn’t bad enough, the generator also ended up going out, so the lighting they erected also went dark. Without a PA system, and a working mike, they needed someone to start everyone out to sing the Star Spangled Banner. I guess the people they hired wouldn’t do it without a proper sound system or something…in any case, he was looking for volunteers and all of a sudden, I started belting out…Oh, Say Can You See….and proceeded to lead the motley-looking mob in singing our National Anthem. Let’s put it this way…Mariah Carey I am not, but I also wasn’t Roseanne Barr. I was actually applauded for my efforts. LOL…it was pretty funny. Okay…with the finishing up of the anthem, the guide bikers led us to the trail head, and bid us good luck. Did I mention how DARK this was? So, we make it to the trail (which was maybe 18 inches wide at its widest…) and almost immediately we were passed by the insane runners and we proceed to bring up the rear. I honestly don’t know HOW the ones that decided to run did so without busting their butts on all the hazards on the trail. The first 10-15 minutes of our conversations with each other was pitted with interjections of “Hole!, Ditch on your left…Rock! Root! Step Down…Step Up…Don’t go near there…and my favorite…CLIFF!!!” No lie…I didn’t know HOW we were going to finish this thing. Sonya thought ahead and brought a sports watch that she set to go off at 19 minutes so we could gauge our progress. After about 30 minutes or so, I asked how we were doing, and she checked her watch and realized that it kept stopping. Needless to say, we did hit our first mile, but it was done in 22 minutes. We gave up any hopes of finishing in the allotted time, so we just trudged on and aimed to finish. Period.
The glow sticks and reflective trail tape were aplenty for the first mile or so, then it seemed like it was every runner…er…um…hiker…was for him or herself. We took a couple of wrong turns, but managed to stay on the course. I was convinced that someone played with the mile markers, because it took FOREVER to go from marker to marker. We welcomed the hydration stations (although not once did we see the stated first aid kits--not that we needed them!). We had no sense of direction, and after half way through the course, even if we wanted to turn around, we couldn’t because we had no earthly idea how to get back. Did I mention how DARK and scary the trail was??? We did see some neat things, like a little screech owl, and heard footsteps of some wild beasties off somewhere to our left. A chupacabra maybe? Who knew! Sometime between mile 2 and mile 3 we came to what seemed like a cliff that was fairly steep and three of us actually went down on our tushies to avoid falling or slipping. This was pretty much par for the course. Some of the time we used trees as support when going down a steep downslope. Roots, rocks, ditches, steep inclines, steep downslopes, wooden rickety bridges, and the occasional pitter-patter of some animal feet…Oy!!!
Well…one of our walking buddies suggested that next year we take Geritol and wear compression socks and massaging shorts (whatever those may be…). Not sure what that meant, but it was simply hysterical. That late at night (we didn’t finish until well after 11:30…), and as tired as we were? We laughed so hard at that one! We all ended up finishing dead last…so much so that by the time we got to the last hydration station, no one was there to man it! All the Gatorade and water you wanted. We ended up finishing this seemingly endless hike through the nighttime wilderness in a respectable 2 ½ hours. OMG!!! We were totally spent. We were SO last, that the burger and beer fest we paid for as part of our race ticket was relegated to two sorry burger patties swimming in some sort of liquid and I think 3 bone dry chicken breasts, one bun and some salad scraps.
Karen is already talking about doing this next year. I think she’s crazy. We actually drove by the course today. I wanted to show my husband how crazy we were to do this thing in the first place. It was even scary and desolate in the daytime.
This adventure, no matter how hard we thought it was, and how badly we all ached afterward, was probably just the thing I needed to get me out of my funk.
I actually came up with another way to recommit myself (and hubby and another good friend) to our respective journeys. I wrote up a pact, and printed it off on some official –looking stationery and it said basically this:
This agreement will certify that we:
Promise to recommit, with a newfound enthusiasm, to our goals of:
Losing weight
Exercising regularly
Tracking our food and beverage intake on a daily basis
We also commit to being there to support each other in our efforts, thus re-establishing our accountability to the plan and to each other.
We further agree to check in on each other to make sure that we are on track and are doing what we should be doing.
I signed it, my hubby signed it, and a really good friend of mine who is going through something similar also signed it. We each have a copy to remind us of what we need to do, and we will keep each other motivated.
As you all know, last week was pretty bad for me. Just a fact, pure and simple. Well, when my blog finally got auto-fed over to my Facebook page last week (I always post a link first, and the blog import lags somewhat behind), I was met by some very biting comments by someone I consider a friend. She proceeded to tell me to snap out of it, that I was so self-absorbed and that she never realized how weak I was. She went on to say that I needed constant validation and that I was not the person she knew back in the day. Let me say this about that. Facebook is one of the few outlets that I use as a form of release. I blog, put out a weekly newsletter and I keep a journal. These activities help me relieve stress and allow me to vent. If you can’t vent to your friends, or rely on them to lift you up when you are down, who can you rely on? I am not fishing for compliments, nor am I seeking validation for who I am or what I stand for. I am not self-absorbed, and I am DEFINITELY not weak. I had a bad week. That’s all it was. I am over it, and I have officially started that new chapter. I do thank those of you who did comment on my blog and were there for me during that speed bump along the journey. The kind words were very much appreciated and taken to heart. The harsh comments were read and contemplated as well. In the end, we live in a society of freedom of speech, so I guess I have to respect that. I may not agree with it, but you have to respect it. Moving on to other chapters…
Now…speaking of new chapters, Sunday was a doozie. My son decided to do a stage-dive of sorts off of the foot stool and proceeded to land and his forehead hit the corner of the coffee table. Blood everywhere. I tried to rush Steve to the ER, but got a bit flustered, forgot where my wallet was, couldn’t find my keys, and forgot how to start my car. I ended up sitting in the back holding a compress to Adam's head while Steve drove us to the hospital. I took the car back home and got Morgan taken care of for dinner. He called when they were done. Crash Bandicoot is shown below. No stitches required--just some adhesive and some steri-strips. He was totally fine. When we got ready to check out, he was flirting with the nurses, trying to get them to turn on Netflix from their computers so he could watch Caillou. It was too funny.
Below is a picture that Steve snapped in the ER, after Adam was put back together again. Gotta love those steri-strips. Adam refused to let us cut the hospital bracelet off his little wrist this morning. It was too funny.
I was talking to my dad about this whole ordeal, and told him that I didn’t have any of the occupational hazards of owning a boy in my mommy handbook. He told me that all boys need marks. They are like badges of honor, he told me. Adam is wearing his proudly--both the hospital bracelet and the gash! Apparently raising boys is a learn as you go type thing! Love my dad. Maybe we will start a new trend—Hospital Bandz…taking a clue from Silly Bandz…
And THAT was my weekend. If that wasn’t a big enough jolt to the nervous system, I don’t know what is! On to bigger (and DEFINITELY better) things! Oh…after all that? I actually lost .8 this week!!!! So, sometimes a shift of focus can help move you in a positive direction.
The meeting topic this week dealt with successes and how we deal with them. There is a great article on the Weight Watchers Website that deals with successes and how to celebrate. If you have e-tools, check it out. It's under 'meeting topic of the week' on the home page.
- Take a moment of silence to recognize your accomplishments
- Do a victory dance!
- Sing a little song…establish your theme song, if you will! This can also serve as an anchor!
- Give yourself a gold star – even we adults enjoy this simple pleasure. It can be very encouraging to see a flurry of gold stars up on your fridge!
- Keep a ‘good things’ list. Things that you are doing better now that you are achieving successes
- Share it with someone. Just like we need venting for bad news or stress, success venting is good too!
This is what our Weight Watchers Weekly had to say…
Friends can have a huge influence on our behavior and attitudes. If you nurture your relationships the right way, you’ll find they pay positive dividends by helping you make good choices, lose weight, and live more healthfully.
Where to turn for these valuable connections? Old friends who know you well. Co-workers who may have lost weight could be good role models. Neighbors with whom you can schedule a joint workout or morning walk. And last but not least: your meeting. If you welcome a new member and share tips and advice, you’ll be paying it forward and helping you both succeed.
Also, group support can be especially valuable when you are going through a challenging time. You can see how others overcame their obstacles and continued on their journey. Meetings provide an excellent support system. I love mine!
I leave you with an oldie, but a goodie…
“Success is a journey, not a destination”
~ Ben Sweetland
PRODUCT DU JOUR
This is soooo exciting! These guys just released an all-natural frozen breakfast sandwich that comes in at 2 POINTS® per sandwich. They are 150 calories, 2 grams of fat and 7 grams of fiber per sandwich. This is great for those times when you are on the run and need to grab something quick, yet nutritious. Right now they are running a promotion that gets you $5 off your next Vita purchase online when you buy a box of the sandwiches.
RECIPES
15-Minute Vegetarian Chili
Stock up on canned beans, corn and tomatoes for super-fast, one-pot meals.
Yield: 4 servings at POINTS® Value of 6 per serving
Prep Time: 7 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
1 tsp canola oil
1 medium garlic clove(s), minced
14 1/2 oz stewed tomatoes
15 oz canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
15 1/4 oz canned yellow corn, drained
15 oz canned tomato sauce
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup(s) dehydrated onion flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 Tbsp low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, sharp-variety
Instructions:
Heat oil in a large, nonstick, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, corn, tomato sauce, chili powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, onion and pepper; stir well.
Increase heat to high and bring chili to a boil; cook, stirring frequently, until chili is thick and flavors are concentrated, about 5 minutes. Spoon into serving bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Yields about 1 1/4 cups chili and 1 tablespoon cheese per serving.
Notes:Use a heavy pot or the chili can burn easily. If it starts to stick to the pan, reduce the heat and stir constantly.
