Zoo Zoommmmm 2010

After my all night worry of having all forty one of us with Team Lucca possibly out there running in what was forecasted as blustry cold rain, what mother nature gifted us with instead, was from this runners perspective, the most perfect race weather.

I hope you all enjoyed the race as much as I did. I found myself still with camara in hand, taking pictures of the start when the gun went off and thankfully found Dan, who is recovering from injury to give my camara to so that I could jump in and run with the 5k group. I had to laugh when I came up behind a father and son, both rather stocky, both breathing heavily to hear the dad say, "Son, stick to wrestling okay?, this running stuff -not for us".

I had to laugh again when I found myself getting close to the finish running in a group of 6 little munchkins, kids who didn't even reach my waist, and so I thought this is what it has become for me, these here are my running peeps. I sprinted right along with them all, fast as we could go, all the way to the finish line.

We have some incredible runners in our group and here is what I have found result wise thus far.

Out of 620 Runners in the 10K-

Coming in at #35 Andrew Navarette, running a 6:57 mile the whole way and finishing in 43:06

Way to run Andrew!

#37 and right behind Andrew was Dale Giesen, running a 6:58 mile pace and finishing in 43:09

and at #46 place, Andy Schile with a 7:04 pace and finishing in 43:46.

Becky MacBride was first with the ladies at an 8:17 pace and finishing in 51:22 with Cassie and Emily both coming in at an under 9:00 mile pace.

It was sheer joy to welcome our new Team Lucca runner, the awesome, incredible 13 year old Ariel Young.

Ariel came in first in her division and out of the 1300 runners participating in the 5k, Ariel came in 23rd. Amazingly fast and sweet as can be, Ariel is such a wonderful runner and I am so happy to have her as part of our team.

So many of you came in under a 9:00 mile pace in the 5K and again it was a really strong showing of Team Lucca runners out there at Land Park yesterday morning. If I got any of the times wrong or missed anyone, please shoot me an email and let me know. Thank you Joanne, Kara, Jessie and Dan for being out there to cheer the team on.

Get ready for May as we have plenty of races coming up.

Thank you all for being part of this team. I am forever grateful to have such wonderful people to run with.

One

One of the best things about a long run is that often along with the external effort comes a gift, at least one moment of enlightenment.

There are times in life when we all go through challenges of the dreaded kind. And just like the last miles of those epic bike rides, long runs, grueling races, as all begins to overwhelm, I think of what I often do to survive, focus on the moment, just the moment, one at a time.

In order to get my arms around something it is best to break it down into just one - one day, or one week, or one month, like one mile, in time - an eternity of time.

Only one

Just this one

“We are all one” – Mom

One word, one page, one poem, one prayer - Nas

“One love, one life, one need in the night” – Bono

“One singular sensation every little step he takes” – A Chorus Line

One Saturday morning, one runner, one sun shining down on one path, one foot in front of the other, one mile, then one more

One drop of sweat, rolling down one nose, one day, one moment, one life.

Just time

Shamrock'n Results

What a great Team. Our very own Jessie R came in first in her division of ladies 19 and under. Dan sailed in first with Dale seconds behind at right around the 7 minute mile mark. Becky came in first with the ladies at right under 8 and a half minute miles and Dr. Tracy C. ran her first half in an awesome 2:11. All of you did just a great job. Way to go Team Lucca!

Shamrock’n Half Marathon and Relay is this Sunday

Remember the time changes the night before so set your clocks before you go to bed or you will be late

Parking can be a nightmare if you do not arrive before 7:00 am. At that time all surrounding streets start to close so I would advise you look at the parking map and plan where you will park, what time you have to be there to park and all access roads to your parking area

If you want to make it easy, please be at Lucca by 7:00 am. We will carpool and leave right at 7:00 so PLEASE do not be late. Also make sure you have my phone number and Emily’s phone number and contact us if there are any problems. Also please call me when you arrive at Raley Field so that I can talk you to our meeting place if you have trouble finding it

Also, if you are going directly to Raley Field, please look for our Team Lucca signs located close to the start, as soon as you get there so we can all meet before. Seriously I will worry like crazy about whether you made it or not, if I don’t see you

Please wear your Team Lucca jerseys, don’t forget your number and your chip. There will be a support team, Kara, Sharon, Eric and myself who will gladly hold your phones, keys, any jackets or anything you don't want to carry while running

When you finish, you will walk through the finish corral to get your medal and then head up stairs into the stands. We will try and meet to the left of those stairs. Look for the Team Lucca signs after you finish. There are thousands of people finishing and watching and last year we had the hardest time finding everyone

Team Lucca cards are now available so please join us at Roxy after the race for 50% of your breakfast

Got it all? Hope so. Don't hesitate to call me with any questions.

The first race of the year. Exciting times. You will all do quite well. I'm sure of it.

http://www.shamrocknhalf.com/

Le Mistral

I have only one time ever in my whole life played a video game. It was called “frogger” and consisted of something like frogs quickly jumping from one log to the next. I got so excited and in that excitement was such a huge motherly embarrassment to my then little boys, that I have never played another.

I can’t say that I have ever even seen a game boy toy or a Nintendo and know absolutely nothing about Wii, except that you do it in front of a TV. When someone asked a year or so ago if I knew what guitar hero was, I told them the Edge from U2 was mine.

I grew up in the days of pinball machines. This afternoon on the bike trail I felt like, nothing less than a character in a modern day video game or the little ball that gets wildly knocked around every which way, like a zillion decades ago, in the local bowling alley pin ball machine. The wind situation on the trail is at times a little intense. At one point I am sailing along so fast and effortlessly that I look down and check my chain to see if my bike is in the big gear I think it is. Then no sooner do I get the idea to take advantage of the easy speed and do some sprints when a powerball gust of wind knocks me head on forcing an immediate opposite response where climbing the littlest hills feels like I am riding the last 10 kilometers of Mount Ventoux, a difficult windy and steep stage of the Tour de France.

And so the afternoon ride home goes.

On our trail you never know. One mile you can be hurried along by a tail wind, the next find yourself with quads on fire fighting through a strong head wind and then after riding a couple more encounter those somewhat balance challenging crazy cross winds. Or so I think. I am not a wind expert, nor am I a great cyclists. But I do ride every chance I get and through many different elements. On days like today I image myself a little pawn in the great big universe, a little video game character getting tossed this way and that, doing my best, determined to make my way home.

I figure I am so lucky to be able to ride. The wind just a microcosim of the rest of my life’s daily challenges. What do they say of this month anyway - “in like a lion, out like a lamb” ?

One can be hopeful. Spring is right around the corner.

Who we are. What we do.

“It's who we are. It's what we do”

There are those exciting pre race moments when it feels just great to be a part of a big runner family. At any large scale race you choose to compete in, it is the day before the race that you pick up your number, your chip, t-shirt, usually in a bustling tent or runners festival, surrounded by those with like minds. There is a crackling anticipation walking around this kind of event, rubbing shoulders with strangers, yet knowing tomorrow they will be, for however long you are out there on that course, your universal runner family - your race peeps. While in Huntington Beach for the Surf City half, last month, I found myself wandering around from one booth to the next, noting the typical inspirational hats, t-shirts and running accessories for sale. The cool to be a fast lady ( for those that are), “you’ve been passed by a chic” shirt, the always favorite, “In my mind I am a Kenyan” shirt , the “Slow but Happy” hat and on and on. One shirt however just stopped in my tracks. I thought it was so inane, so comically trite, so presumptious. There in big blue letters across a dark grey shirt leapt the two sentences, “It's who we are. It's what we do”.

Yes I get it, I do, I really do. But I can’t stop laughing. It is meant to be inspirational, to make a runner feel that they are part of a singularly special group. And yet in my mind I immediately start envisioning the guys with the big bellies, the bags of chips, the recliner chairs sitting and watching Curling competitions, all wearing shirts emblazoned with “It’s who we are. It’s what we do”. The fine and fancy ladies enjoying a glass of chardonnay after an exhausting day at the mall with their sequined studded fitted tees, announcing to the world, “It’s who we are. It’s what we do”. My mind just won’t stop, creating instead every crazy silly scenario of who we are and what we do.

And yet again and even though for weeks I have made more fun of that saying, in my own thoughts, with a runner’s sense of pride, I get it.

This morning at 6 am it was pouring the kind of fierce pounding rain that made me immediately log onto our Team Lucca facebook site, with the intent of canceling this morning’s Team Lucca pre half marathon run. Before I could type the first sentence, the pounding sound started to diminish and I reminded myself to be patient, just be patient. Knowing it is still an hour and a half before we all are expected to meet, I wait and read and listen. At around seven o’clock, I decide for myself anyway, “come hell or high water”, I’m running. I phone Emily, she’s running. Happy that at least there will be two of us. Without a second thought about it and during another crazy downpour I arrive up at the Aquatic center and am elated to find waiting an amazing group of bring it on, kind of runners.

On this wet and wild Saturday morning in February, along the glistening glorious beauty of the American River bike and running trail that circles Lake Natoma, over paths leading 11 miles for some, 6 to 8 for others, fourteen people with Team Lucca, with little if any hesitation lined up in the rain and ran.

It was great seeing all of you out there. You are truly dedicated runners, rain soaked troopers, awesome athletes and a joy to have as part of this little running family.

For a few seconds while watching rain drops clingling to the ends of barely budding branches, all delightfully looking to me like diamonds or tiny Christmas lights, I think, who would have chosen to miss this had they known how incredible it would really be. How happy we all were to be out there. How happy every other runner we passed seemed as they waved or said hello.

I couldn’t help but think of the dedication it takes to running to extract oneself from the toasty confines of a comfortable home on a morning like this, to trust that you will be just fine out there in whatever mother nature has in store. It was a wonderful morning.

“It's who we are. It's what we do”

Springtime Running, What's Next?

Shamrock’n Half is only weeks away and, what’s next you ask?

For those of you who are just starting to run, still building mileage, can’t commit to too many running hours, are super speedy with the short distance or just want to stroll through one of the prettiest courses in Sacramento, plan now for the April 11th, Sacramento Zoo Zoom, a 5 or 10k race and one of my favorite racing events of the whole year.

http://www.sacramentozoozoom.com

If you discovered you are on a mileage streak from your recent training and want to keep up the mileage momentum, think about doing the River City Marathon or Half Marathon on April 18^th. The marathon is a Boston qualifier and starts at Negro Bar in Folsom then runs all the way down the trail to Discovery Park. Running territory we have traversed before

http://rivercitymarathon.com

And finally if you have great affection for our gorgeous, local gem of a trial and want to give back for the many hours you spend out there, consider the American River Parkway Half Marathon, with all proceeds for this race going to the American River Parkway Foundation. This race is on May 1^st and I just may run it in spirit and support of with my three little sisters who will all be running a half marathon in Fort Collins, Colorado on that same morning.

http://parkwayhalf.com

So here’s the deal – if you are just starting with Team Lucca as a new runner, plan on the Zoo Zoom. Whether running or walking I am sure you will have a blast. If you would like to do your first half or keep up on the work and miles you have put in recently go to http://www.runnersworld.com and in the middle of the home page is a square box called “Smart Coach”. This will prompt you along to define a very customized training running training program, which will help you achieve your race goal.

And then of course – there is always us. Come join us on Saturday mornings, 8:00 am, up on the levy, past the dog and skate park on 28^th street, past the red sign that says “heavy equipment loading” to the parking lot in the back where we meet every Saturday morning for a really great group run.

Do you have to be part of the team? No.

Do you have to be able to keep up with other runners? No, everyone eventually finds themselves going their own pace, knowing that there are runners ahead of you or behind you the whole time.

Do you have to run a certain distance? No. Everyone out there runs according to their own agenda or simply just according to how they feel on that day. Last week some ran 2 miles, some walked 1, others ran up to 12.

Is everyone out there training for a race? No. We have people every week that are there just because they love to run, love the trail, love being around others.

In conclusion, one of my goals in life is to be able to run for the rest of my life. I know my boys laugh when envisioning their mama with her cane and long grey hair, bent over little back, hobbled knees, toothless grin, 90 years old asking, “hey there honey can you take me to the trail? gotta get a run in you know”.

One of my favorite writers for Runners World is Amby Burfoot. He recently wrote an article called “The ten laws of injury prevention” . If you are determined as a runner to making running a part of your life for a long long time, injury prevention is something you have to have some knowledge of.

Great article. Recommend you all read it.

See you on Saturdays.

Group rides will start soon, I promise.

Mamasita and her bicyclette