So many books, so little time: friends

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Thursday, May 8, 2014

Race: Bloomsday 2014 - Serious ninja skillz

The first weekend in May has taken on a new connotation in our family: Bloomsday. Well, at least for me and Shane; the kids just think of it as the weekend we spend with our besties in Spokane.

We left last Thursday, feeling super cool because we were able to fly this year. Man, it's amazing that a one and a half hour flight can take the place of 12 hours in the car. Actually, I don't mind the drive - the part through Northern Montana and Idaho are so pretty, that it makes up for some of the drive. But at the same time: being able to spend more time with our friends and less time driving was great.

Most of the weekend was spent hanging out with our John and Mel. We ate a ton of yummy food. The kids ran around, making houses in the "forest" near their house, jumping on the trampoline, climbing trees, and playing with the dog. We had as much fun as possible.

Sunday was the race. The weather called for rain, so I wore lots of layers. Luckily, it didn't rain. The race was as beautiful as I remembered from last year. Some of my favorite moments:

Running past the Cathedral of our Lady of Lourdes. I anticipated the church this year, and I was excited to see the priests out on the street, waving at the crowd. (I even took a selfie with them in the background.) I have an extreme wish to one day tour the cathedral; all of the cathedrals in Italy gave me quite a love for old churches, and so I decided that whenever we travel, we will tour a church or cathedral in the area. We didn't make it this year, but maybe next.
Seeing the crowds of people cheering the runners.
The beautiful cemetery near the first water station. There are so many trees, and it just looks so peaceful.
Weaving in and out of so many runners. At Bloomsday, you are never, ever alone, unlike at Ragnar. I like knowing what it's like to run with 45,000 + runners.
Running down the hill near the river before Doomsday Hill.
Doomsday Hill. I never have met a hill I didn't like (well, at least once I'm on top of it.)
The vulture, who I suspect wasn't a real person, at the top of Doomsday Hill.
The bridge at the finish line. It is so pretty. With the river rushing beneath and downtown Spokane all around it - such a lively, energetic place to have the finish. Plus seeing it teeming with people as they finish the race isn't too bad, either.
The old man who finished the race, only to find his little wife with a cane standing next to the bridge, waiting for him. She hugged him fiercely, and then he started to cry. And then I started to cry. You could tell what an effort it had been for him, and how relieved he was. Sniff.
A tiny old lady, wearing running shorts and a tank top, running the race. She had to be in her late 70s. I want to be just like her when I am 70; still running, still out there, with a heathly body I can still trust to get me to the finish line.
Finishing with Shane, holding hands across the finish line.

So, I mentioned some awesome ninja skills that I displayed. At about mile 5.25, I was runing through a lovely downtown Spokane neighborhood. The trees were shading my way, and I was deciding that I was ready to get the show on the road and finish the race. I sped up a little. I'm not sure what happened, but I stepped off a curb (I think!) and found myself stumbling. I kept trying to pull out of it, but found I couldn't. So, I took the next option available: tucked my chin to my chest and dive rolled out of the fall. The jolt of the asphalt was lovely on my head and my butt. When I realized what had happened, I just sat there, in the middle of the road, runners streaming past me. I finally got up and started running. However, I really, really wanted to cry but was trying not to (I kept remembering the hardness of the street on my head; I hate that!) and so I promptly began to hyperventilate. I walked for a little bit until I could breathe again and then finished the race. My head was tender, my hand and knee scraped, but it could have been so much worse.

And personally, I was pretty proud of the dive roll.

It was a great race, and a great weekend. The weather held out (I didn't dare say any prayers hoping for no rain when racing on a Sunday, ha ha.) We had a great time with our friends, our kids had a great time with their friends. I can't wait to run it again next year.

Here are some pictures.

I really want to run on this path one day...It goes all the way to Couer D'Alene

Friends who sparkle together, stay together.

A girl is trying, and failing miserably, to photo bomb us in this picture. And I love the finger of the person taking it for us. I guess it's hard to find good photography in the Honey Bucket line.

See the starting line in the distance?

I just love this church!!

Selfie with the priests

People stream across this bridge for hours and hours. Amazing!

I love running with this guy.

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Letter to Sheila

Dear Sheila,

I never imagined writing this letter to you. Just two short weeks ago right now, I was sitting next to you on your patio bench. We were talking about your unwelcome houseguest. We were talking about kids and vacations and Ragnar and inappropriate acts of dominatrices in New York. We talked of your disease - complex regional pain syndrome - which had rendered your leg unreliable and filled with pain. You told me of the challenges you were facing, of your sadness that was turning into resolve, of your acceptance and desire to educate others. When I left, I hugged you tightly and told you I loved you. I had no regrets when I left, other than the wish that the night could have gone on longer.

When your brother told me of your sudden passing on Monday night, I was shocked. I didn't understand how you could be dead. It didn't make sense that such a lovely, kind, funny, loving person could suddenly not be here anymore. The sparkle that was Sheila was snuffed out? How could that be?

I cried for your little girls who were now motherless. I cried for your husband Dave, who loved you and cherished you and laughed with you for too short of a time. A flash of him piggy-backing you down the stairs to the backyard nine days earlier (exactly two weeks! It's not possible!) went through my mind. The way you climbed on and the way he swiftly descended the stairs was casual - it seemed he had been doing that for you forever, even though I could reach back just a year in my mind to when I watched you running Ragnar with Dave. It didn't matter to him: running with you or carrying you, he loved you either way.

This week, I thought of all the little texts we sent this spring. I cannot listen to Christina Perri's Jar of Hearts without thinking of driving to East Canyon Reservoir during 2011 Ragnar. We were all singing along while we raced to get to the exchange before Van 1 runner's finished. I texted that memory to you. I still have the text on my phone. How is it possible that your text is here but you are not?

Your sisters - S1, S2, S4 and S5 - were so lucky to have you as their S3. It was so perfectly clear how much you loved your family and how much they loved you.

I stalked your Facebook page all week. I loved the memories that people posted there. It somehow was comforting knowing that other people knew and loved and missed you.

I tried to keep it together today at your funeral. I hugged Dave and told him I loved him. Seeing all all the pictures of you so suddenly was hard. So much evidence of you and Dave doing what you loved - running, mountain biking, camping, tailgating - was heartbreaking. It just isn't fair.

The service was beautiful. So many kind words from Dave, your mom, stepfather, father-in-law, sister,, niece, nephew, coworkers and friends; everyone there shouldering one another to insist "I was Sheila's friend." "No, I was Sheila's friend." In fact, we were all your special friend. You made us all feel special.

I know you are in heaven, Sheila. I know that a spark like yours isn't snuffed out. It goes on, just somewhere else, for a time. I will look for you in pink shirts and songs on the radio and orange balloons and white tutus and legs 7 and 8 of Ragnar. I'm grateful that you let me think I was your special friend. I love you, Sheila. Thank you for sharing your light with the world.

Love, Becky

Friday, May 10, 2013

Race: Lilac Bloomsday 2013

We headed up to Spokane last weekend to spend time with our friends the Bells and to run a race, the Lilac Bloomsday race, a 12k run with 50,000 of the nicest runners I've ever ran with. It was a good time.

Most of the weekend was spent doing absolutely nothing. Hours and hours were spent watching the kids climb trees, play with Bandit the dog, jump on the trampoline, climb the swing set, and run crazy, all from the vantage of the backyard deck. We sipped drinks and chatted while lounging about. It was the best vacation ever.

The race was on Sunday - a first for me. I can't believe what an enormous community event this race is, or how well organized it is. Each runner is given a color group to start in. You cannot start the race ahead of your color group or else you won't be timed. A lot people want to get into the yellow group - those runners start just behind the elite and corporate runners, and have to show a qualifying time from a previous race to get seeded there. Three of the four of us were in the green group, but one of us was orange so we started with orange. The organization is amazing, and no one is pushy or vying for open spots while waiting for the race to start. I also didn't hear anyone talking about all the past races they had done and how fast they were. That kind of banter is constant on the buses to races normally - quite refreshing.

Our early start on the morning (leaving at 7:30, knowing that the race didn't start until 9 for some - it was after 9:30 that we ended up starting) afforded us a great parking spot downtown about 4 blocks from our starting place. We promptly started to see evidence of the race, and an old friend, the Honey Bucket. Who doesn't love the sound of a Honey Bucket lid slamming in the morning?

Also? This picture makes me sad. Maybe the Bloomsday race organizers never let backpacks at the starting line, but I couldn't help thinking it was due to the problems in Boston. What a sad world we live in.

After a few delays and side trips (Mel and I make an extra trip back to the car to leave our jackets) we lined up and waited for the race to start. The race photographers are walking around in the crowd on the street while everyone waits for the race to starts. A lady stopped me and Mel as we were walking to the car. It's totally tacky probably to take it from the website (the PROOF stamped across the front is lovely!) but it's still a cute picture. In case you wondered, Marathonfoto took the picture...

One tradition at Bloomsday is to discard your old sweatshirt on one of the branches of the trees lining the street. The crowd would ooh and ahhh and cheer as sweatshirts would go flying up into the air, tracking the progress of the shirt from street to branch. Everyone cheered when the shirt stuck. Good times all around.

At 9:00 am the race promptly started. The winners had already come barreling across the line before we reached said starting line, but it was all good. This is our vantage point - the sky bridge you can see in the distance is that far again to the starting line. And the view behind us was every bit as crowded. Crazy amounts of people!

It was hard at first to get anywhere - so many people all surging into the same crowd that had been leaving in waves for 35 minutes. Signs that indicated that runners run left and walkers walk right were completely ignored by most of the crowd. It was nice to get to the hills by the river - finally things cleared out a little that I could decide how fast I wanted.

I liked running past this church. The priests were outside cheering the runners on and the choir was singing. I heard afterwards that they had had a morning service there - I wish I'd gone - it would have been neat, I think.

There is a hill named "Doomsday Hill." It is crazy steep. I loved it and wished it went on a little longer. After the hill, the race goes through some neighborhoods. This was the longest part of the race - it was warm and I was ready to be done - my longest run previous to the race was still 2 miles short of the race's 7.46 miles. It was exciting to turn off of Broadway onto the road where the bridge that held the finish line. Yet again - crazy amount of people! Shane and I raced down the bridge toward the finish line together. It was fun fun fun.

Afterwards we watched thousands of people stream by us. It was strange to think that I wouldn't have a possibility of knowing any of them except for the three people I had come with. I guess this would be a regular site for many who live in a big city like New York or LA where there are lots of crowds to interact with every day. Not so much for a girl from Utah. Still a great experience though.

This will be a race I will go back for every year I'm able. The positive energy, the beautiful course, the wonderful friends - totally worth spending 24 hours in a car.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Ragnar! 2012

How sad that Ragnar has been over for almost a week. Although, much like Christmas, I am always anticipatorily sad that it will be over before hand and then a little grateful when it is over. It's a lot of work - but it so worth it!

Ragnar 2012 looked like this for me:

First leg. Trail run at Snowbasin. Time: 21:36. Started at 4:46 pm.

Finishing!! My least favorite leg of Ragnar ever.

I really enjoyed this year. Since I did the same leg as last year - 12 - it was nice to know what to expect from 2 out of 3 legs. I did not love my first run - a beautiful but way too short trail run in the mountains above Snowbasin Ski Resort. Ragnar seemed to be stretching a bit to come up with somewhere for person 12 to run. Had it just been longer I think I could have reached my stride better, but the first (uphill) mile taxed my lungs, and then the next (downhill) mile on the trail seemed to short to get into a rhythm. I did pass a few runners, which made me happy, but I still didn't feel that the running aspect of Ragnar really started for me until Saturday morning.

Second leg. Run from Rockport Reservoir to Oakley Fairgrounds. Time: 1:07:26. Started at 4:54 am.

I look silly. But I loved getting to rock my stripey tights again. Love the mismatched gloves?

The hand off from Amy to me.

Handing off to Sam after running my best Ragnar leg ever. Ever!!

My second run from Rockport to Oakley is my favorite Ragnar leg of all time. It was identical to last year and I enjoyed it every bit as much. It was already fairly light when I started so I was able to see some of the landscape that I ran past last year in the dark. It was cool - maybe 45 degrees - perfect running weather. I donned my striped tights and skull running shirt a la the Halloween Half Marathon and my sparkle skirt and ran nearly 7 blissful miles. I even made the perfect playlist just for the run while waiting for....Amy? Dave? to finish their night run. It was heaven. In fact, a little bit of heaven was trailing me; around mile 2, I felt my dad so strongly it nearly took my breath away. I took a moment to look around at where I was and think about what he might have loved about that particular stretch of highway. I passed 9 people - almost 10, but the girl I tried to pass right before the exchange didn't want me to pass her and we battled it out to the finish. Kind of fun, really.

Playlist:

It is heavy in the Xanadu soundtrack because it was pretty much running through my head non-stop the whole week before Ragnar due to buying it off of Amazon for $2.99 (I know! The whole album for only $2.99!) The other songs are there because:

Jar of Hearts to emind me of last year's Ragnar while driving to East Canyon Reservoir,
Breathe in Breathe Out by Matt Kearney because it is what got me through my very first leg of Ragnar in 2010,
Adele because I listened to her all through May and early June,
Prince to remind me of training for last year's Ragnar
Florence _+ the Machine because she always gets my blood going,
Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Janice Joplin to remind me of my rebellious teenage years.
Breakthrough because my kids love it and I wanted them to be along on my run with me.

Last leg. Run in foothills of Park City to Park City High School. Time: 1:22:05. Started at 3:54 pm.

The outfit. I wanted to rock my socks again, but it was toooooo hottttt. Hottest Ragnar leg ever.

Finishing with all of Team 319, Still Chafing Tail.

I sort of dreaded my last run. It was really warm on Saturday afternoon and I wasn't looking forward to the dusty trails near highway 40 that I would be running. I ran the whole thing, but I wasn't fast. I think that I did most of that run out of sheer spite due to 4 runners who passed me (running) only to start walking once they were ahead of me. Then when I would, you know, RUN up to them, they would hear me and start running again. I was cursing all of them in my head and I determined that I would eventually pass a few of them, which I did.

Songs I listened to:

Zoo Station - Nine Inch Nails
America - Neil Diamond
Listen Like Thieves - INXS (reminded me of using Amy's mp3 player last year for my final run)
Down In It - Nine Inch Nails

By the last mile, I was tired. My legs were done from the hilly trail. I tried to enjoy that last mile, to soak in all of the Ragnar goodness but all I wanted to do was turn the corner and be at Park City High School with my teammates waiting for me. Last year, I embarrassed myself by getting this surge of energy right at the end when we were finishing and I ended up finishing way ahead of everyone else. I was determined not to do that again so the minute I got to my team I turned off my iPod, gave a few high fives, and ran with them. One of the guys from Van 1 kept trying to get me to go ahead of everyone but I wouldn't. It was so fun to finish with my team. They gave me the medals and I handed them to all my teammates. Then we went off to get a team picture. Then: it was over. So sad.

But, Ragnar looked like this, too:

That mass off people? Waiting for a porta potty. Gotta love Ragnar. And Honey Buckets.

So excited for Melanie to run her first Ragnar leg!

Mel and Sheila exchanging the sweaty slap bracelet.

Run Shane run!

Shane is hot....in a lot of ways.

Dave and Amy swapping some sweat!

Melanie running and sparkling.

Dave was winning.

Van fun...

Amy and I ran up this road last year.

The van.

Dave asleep on a picnic table.

Mel can't wait to run in the dark. For realz.

Looks comfy. You take sleep whenever you can get it.

Dave is happy at 3 am...

Amy heading off to run her 5 miles in the dark.

Running aside, the other parts of Ragnar were awesome. Our van had a blast together. The chemistry was hopping, the swear words were flying, the tears were even flowing. I love Dave, Sheila, Amy, Melanie and Shane even more after spending 36 (more) hours with them. We had a blast together. My favorite moment was when we were at East Canyon Reservoir. The sun was just setting. The lake looked cool and calm. Amy and I almost peed our pants waiting for a Honey Bucket - not because we really needed to pee, but because we were laughing so hard. Later, all of the girls stood around in the brush above the lake, talking about babies and hopes and things that would never happen in this life. That moment the four of us were so close - it felt like we were all sisters. These are the things that I love about Ragnar - hours and hours of time to get to know each other in the real and important ways.

The sleeping sitution wasn't any better than it has been in the past. I drove all night, or at least sat in the drivers seat all night. I finished my "night" run at 6am only to drive for an hour in cow fields and around the wrong side of Jordanelle Reservoir until we got to our sleeping spot. I needed a moment on my own so I spent about 15 minutes in a bathroom stall, taking my time, changing every bit of my clothes, before I went and laid down on the wrestling mats the set up for us in the lunchroom. I took out my journal and wrote a few pages of memories while Amy and Melanie slept on either side of me. I fell asleep for 1.5 blessed hours and felt (almost) good as new. I even got to brush my teeth this year; miracles will never cease.

I signed up again on Monday - Team 36 for 2013. I love being the captain and putting my friends and family with me in my van. I learn something new every year both about myself and about how to be a better leader. I am already looking forward to June 21-22, 2013.

And now, for some pictures. Thanks for sticking with me this long!!