Catching Up

I've been inpsired by the positive feedback I've received from my one post recently ... the first one since late May. So, my new goal is to blog at least once a week. Starting today!

I left off (abruptly) with the Santa Rosa marathon. It was very slow (hamstring has been injured all summer and my training was all slow) BUT ... for the first time EVER in a marathon, I didn't cramp. Amazing! I was very pleased about that. It was a two loop/figure 8 course. Quite flat, with several miles on gravel (which I didn't care for ... kept getting stones in my shoes, and my shoes, socks and legs were absolutely filthy), but overall it was a very good race ... one I'd recommend.

The next weekend brought a 50th birthday celebration for friends Sheri, Art and Yvonne ...

The weekend following Santa Rosa (labor day weekend) it was off to beautiful Santa Barbara for the Pier to Peak half marathon ... a grueling 4000 ft. climb during those 13.1 (or 13.42 or something on my GPS!).  Probably one of the hardest events I've ever participated in. It took several miles to get my breathing settled down and into a pace I could comfortably maintain. Except for .2 of a mile at mile 11, we climbed and climbed and climbed. It felt like running Viola Road (Rochester, MN) for 13 miles! Finally at about mile 9 I had to start walking. I was shot. But I'd do it again, and the scenery was spectacular.

The rest of the weekend was spent with friends, eating!, and wandering State Street.

Bad hair, baaaaaad hair (wind)
 

Thai food at Galanga on State St.

Santa Barbara is a beautiful town!! On the way back to the valley we stopped in the quaint Danish town of Solvang. Just for an hour or so, but I definitely want to get back.

My hamstring is finally healing after many weeks of getting back in the gym, stretching, icing and foam rolling. The valley floor where I live is flat as a pancake, so on weekends I like to get out to Rocky Hill and run two loops (8.6 mi/loop) plus. Weekdays are spent on the flat land. I don't get tired of running Rocky ... the scenery is beautiful and there are always many walkers, runners and cyclists out there.

 

 

 

I've started a Cooking Light (magazine) cooking group here in CA and we got together for the first time for a meal last week (minus one member). The meal was delicious (thank you to all the cooks!) and the chatter was constant, so I think we'd all consider it a success! Looking forward to next month already.

I've joined a book club and for October we are reading Corduroy Mansions, a light but enjoyable read. I read most of it on the flights to and from MN this weekend. But that will have to wait for the next post. I've been up since 1 AM Pacific, will be on the track at 4:30 AM running 8 x 800m, so it's time to call it a day.

Be well .....

Ramblin' Renee