CAN I DO IT???

A few months ago I received a flyer in the mail inviting me to participate in the Ragnar Relay which is a 200 mile, 24 hour, 12 man and woman relay team race. We begin in Prescott and run to Mesa. Don't get too excited for me, I was only invited because I had signed up with several running websites for upcoming races.

I am leg #10 out of the 12 runners which means I will run 7 miles the first leg, 6.2 miles the second leg, and 3 miles the third time I run. That is a grand total of 16.2 miles over a 24 hour time period. Yeah, I know, it's a lot.


When I first read the information, I swear I had chills running up and down my spine. I knew
I was meant to run in this race. Well, the chills are gone, and all I feel like doing now is THROWING UP!! I have been training, sort of, at least I have been running most days for a couple of weeks. Ok, maybe that's not good enough. I do know the 5 - 7 miles runs have been hard. I'm thinking the first leg will be ok (mostly downhill), the second will be the hardest, and the third kind of easy because it's only three miles. My son Nick is the team leader (the team is his business, Durapulse Performance Company), and Shaila is on the team as well. No pressure or anything. My attitude at this point is to just do my best, and if I have to walk, then I'll walk. I still feel like throwing up!

Looking at Things a Little Differently

My Four Grandsons

As Nick and I walked around the corner to the Tortolita Middle School soccer field we saw the usual parent crowd gathered to watch their young sons and daughters play soccer. What we heard was also the normal cheering of parents directed toward their little children running up and down the field. There were two games being played, one by 6-7 year olds and the other 4-5 year olds. We were there to watch our 4 year old grandson play on the Blue Dolphins team.

Today something was different for me. I have watched a lot of soccer, football, basketball, and baseball games, as well as field and track events where my children have been the participants and fierce competitors. I have cheered them on to victory and wept with them when the outcome was not victorious. Today, I was acutely aware and almost sad listening to parents yelling at their young son or daughter to "get the ball," "the other way, the other way," "pay attention," etc., etc. which are all words I said a million times to my own children. Today I watched and listened with grandma eyes and ears. I kept thinking to myself that they are just little children. Is it good for a child to be involved in competitive sports at a young age? My answer is yes and perhaps no. Yes, because of the physical coordination it teaches, social interaction, and team unity. Perhaps no, because of the tendency towards aggression. I could almost see bullies in the making today.

Please don't feel I am against team sports or competition, but after today when I watch my little grandchildren play sports I will be encouraging them to just have fun! Competition may breed success, but it can also breed selfishness.

The Trail Races are Over!!!

Today was my last trail race in the "Blue Pants" Trail Race series. (Blue Pants is the name of the local racing company.) I ran 2.5 miles up the wash, hiked 3 miles up, up, up, then across, then down, and ran 1.5 miles to the end. And if you add it all together, that makes seven miles! Again I got choked up as I and the 18 other runners took off down the beaten path. It was a good run/hike. I paid attention to the trail, I didn't fall, and I made it to the end. Dead last, but came across the finish line running. I looked around for the cheering crowd, but found not one soul except for the race director. I figured everyone was ahead of me, but to have already left the parking lot? Oh well, I did what I came for and I got a really cool medal. It's the one that looks like a pair of blue pants!

My Racing Medals

Out of the eleven races I've competed in I have collected seven medals. It is so fun to have those hanging in my office right along with the race numbers and statistics of the races. You're right, I probably am bragging, but not in a bad way! And besides I am kept humble by a dragon that breathes down my neck, an addiction to food. Well, we all must eat, but how much easier it would be if we didn't have to. I suppose that is the purpose of life, learning how to master self. But that is a subject for another post. As for right now, I will enjoy the achievement of today, while I eat my butter pecan ice cream and chocolate chip cookies!