3 out of 5 isn't bad...unless it's a grade!

In an effort to be super hydrated on Saturday night I was drinking tonic water and a lime. In my mind there were many benefits.

1) Hydration
2) No added calories from beer
3) Judgment in 100% unimpaired
4) Healthy alternative to so many other options on a Saturday night out…
5) And don’t forget the fruit!

Turns out I was wrong on a few of these…problem number one is that I somehow confused tonic water and soda water. I figure soda water was the sugary caloric one…soda=pop=sugar…turns out I was wrong – so there goes point number 2. As for point number 4, it turns out in order to give tonic water that kick that we all know and love, quinine is added. According to Wikipedia this had something to do with malaria. The correlation is completely lost on me and this makes me wonder if Wikipedia is making things up…but despite that skepticism, I ran across this picture that illustrates what tonic water does under UV light – it’s crazy. Tonic water glows! Are you serious, was I really ingesting glowing water thinking I was drinking bubbly yummy good for me water! There are days when I wish Wikipedia didn’t exist and I was still happy drinking my tonic water – Ignorance really is bliss sometimes!

Tiny little tree...I hope you don't die!

I had a flashback to childhood today. I was walking down the hall at work and as you may or may not know it's earth day. So there was this table set up and they wanted to make you as aware as possible of the 500 ways you could save the earth. I was in a hurry so they handed me 5 different conservation wheels and a tree! I tried to give the tree back explaining that I had nowhere to plant it, but they were not budging. It went something like this...

Me: Um, thanks but I rent
Tree Pushers: So, plant it in your yard
Me: I don't think my landlord would be pleased
Tree Pushers: Plant it inside
Me: Um it's a tree?
Tree Pushers: It won't get very big...put it in the window.

Seriously, it's an evergreen, it won't get very big!!! Well, I lost the battle and took the tree. So now there is a tree sitting on my desk and my next goal is to find it a pot.

5 hour goal: plant the tree
5 month goal: don't let it die like all the other earth day trees that died a slow and painful death in my parent's backyard!
5 year goal: find the cute little tree a permanent home, it should be Christmas tree size by then! Ooh, how about my parent's back yard - that would truly complete the cycle!

10-10-10

What could possibly be more important on the fun date of 10/10/10 than to run the Chicago Marathon?!? Now I know you are all probably asking how in the world this happened since at the ripe age of 18 I retired from running after my double knee surgery...If I know my parents they are cringing right now!

Well, long story short...I caught the bug - the running bug! The obsession is back and I am right back where I left off, my cross country career has morphed into something very different!

I was planning to run a half marathon and during a moment of joy and distraction ran 15 miles in San Fran. This caused me to wonder, was I training for the wrong race? It sure sounds like it! A whole slew of thoughts went through my head, am I nuts - probably...can I do this - most likey, is it going to hurt - definitely! And I stopped with this one, you will always fail when you never try! So here I am for better or worse...and you can read a better version of why I am running at my MARATHON site - never thought I'd say that did you!

http://pages.teamintraining.org/il/chicago10/candress

So BEAUTIFUL!!!

After 3 days of non-stop meetings in San Fran I had a 3 hour break!!! I thought this was the perfect time to take a run to the Golden Gate Bridge, it couldn't really be that far, and if it was why not just take a cab back..........
The concierge said he thought it would probably be about 7.5 miles and warned me about the major hills that were in between me and what he noted as one of the most magnificent views in the bay area.

I tucked away my trusty AMEX card in case of emergency and off I went…the first mile was probably the worst. But after that I was going past Pier 39, followed by Fisherman’s Warf, Ghirardelli Square and on and on…Crissy Field was gorgeous, and the bridge was in sight! I somehow ended up at street level for the bridge, which btw required running up the most massive hill I have ever run! Looking at my watch, I saw that I have run 7.87 miles, so of course I had to continue to make it a round 8. Making it a round 8 was the best compulsion I’ve ever followed through with. I turned the corner past the bridge, and entered a winding dusty trail. I ran along the edge of a steep drop off into the ocean, below was the most beautiful view I’ve seen in nearly a decade of runs! It was one of those moments when you so clearly see God’s glory in his creation. There could have been nothing more perfect, peaceful or beautiful!

I stayed and enjoyed this wonderful peace for a bit – glancing at my watch I realized I’d been gone for nearly an hour…unfortunately it was time to leave this peace. I decided to run as far as necessary until I could find a cab – which turns out was all the way back to the hotel. I’ve never been so happy to see the corner of Stockton and California in my life – again at the top of a very large hill and 15 miles later. It was worth every step for that view, for that tiny glimpse into HIS majesty!

DISCLAIMER: These pictures do not do it justice, but I don't run with a camera!!!

$50 for a virtual diamond ring?!?

I was sitting in my conference today and a speaker said something that was both disturbing and caused me to think, probably far more than he expected...

People will pay $50 for a virtual diamond ring as a gift, and it doesn't even do anything. But do real diamonds really do anything? His statement continued to explain that the "virtual world" is an extension of the "real world"...

So why was I so disturbed by this...well it leads me to think about why I buy the things I buy and why anyone would spend $50 to send someone a diamond ring on FB - that's just insane, or is it? Our society is all about what we can buy or BE that makes us look better, more successful and more affluent - why wouldn't that be converting over to our virtual world?!? Why is our world so consumed with status that we would waste $50 on a virtual gift - insane!

An umbrella, cab, TRENCH?!?

I arrived in San Fran after a flight that should have taken 2 hours less than it did and it seemed like a run was in order. The fitness center was covered in mirrors so I was headed outside, I got a running map from the concierge and by the time I got outside it was getting dark and had started pouring rain! The bellman thought I was absolutley insane, offered me an umbrella, followed by a cab and then wished me a nice run. As I ran off I heard another guy with the bellman saying, "you should offer her a trench coat." I shortened my run to 3.5 pretty treacherous miles in driving rain and some of the roughest hills I have run in a long time. BUT I did get to run under the San Francisco bridge and along the bay - GORGEOUS! My take on San Francisco is this: This city is absolutley gorgeous, and the people don't see runners very often!

When I got back to my room I learned that San Fran is under a severe storm warning: Oops!

Come on CHICAGO - your weather SUCKS!

Chicago why is your weather so bi-polar? I understand that if the weather here was wonderful there would be far too many people here. We'd have an overpopulation issue and who knows what other problems, but come on! I'm not really sure I approve of glorious lovely days followed by cold days where chunky rainy snowy stuff falls from the sky!

Bring on the summer!

We made a scene...

So those of you who knew me a decade ago know that I was a pretty intense runner...I loved it, and ran all the time. If someone asked me my favorite thing to do it was RUN, RUN and again RUN! I didn't really have a whole lot else going on, except for my High School beau so of course I planned runs to run past the football team...ok I digress... In 1998 I had double knee surgery and that was the end of my carefree running as I knew it...but recently - after my foot surgery my doctor said - "Go ahead and beat the crap out of that foot - you're cleared to RUN!" It had been so long since I had heard those words that I got all giddy and freaked all wrapped into one - I can RUN!!!!

Sooo, I'M BACK! I'm going to avoid the obsessive running that drove my knees into the ground but I figure I already live with constant knee pain - I can't really make that a whole lot worse.

So yesterday I was at home for Easter - Praise God for his mercy, sacrifice and healing that we have Easter to celebrate!!!! And I decided to go for a run...I may have forgotten to mention that my family doesn't run. But we do like to spend time together. So my sister and dad jumped on their bikes. I ran and they biked. Here's how it went...

Lynds: Wow, you're going at a pretty good clip
Me: Yep...so what's new?
Lynds: (tells me the story of her day and life)
Me: Um, where's dad?
Lynds: He's back there...I have a mirror
Me: Ok
Lynds: Continues...

Somewhere around mile 1.5 I realize that Lyndsey is peddaling at a semi normal pace which doesn't make any sense and I can't figure out why I can't breathe...all I can answer is ugh, ok or a groan when she's talking to me. I take a glance down at my watch and realize I just ran my first mile in 7'12" - yep that's why I can't breathe...

Me: Dude, I need to slow down a clip
Lynds: (continues her story - which I greatly appreciate because I can't breathe and it's ditracting)
Me: I've ceased to communicate...

At this point my dad catches up, and I've slowed some...my sister is on my right my dad is on my left and we probably look like a freak show. We came up behind a family that is taking a walk 5 people wide, 1 by 1 they turned around to look at us...yep confirmed - we're making a scene!

By the time I got home, I thought I was either going to get sick or die...so the moral of the story is this...if you are a runner, get a running buddy...if you are a biker get a biking buddy. Bikers do not make good running pacers, but they do make it a whole lot more fun!

Dad once we returned: Thanks Cam it was an honor watching someone work so hard, I'm glad you're running again!

Me too dad, me too!

We may have looked pretty funny - but it sure was fun to go on a run/ride with my family! We missed you mom, thanks for making dinner!