Running Free: November 2010

Friday, November 26, 2010

Please don't drink and drive.....everybody hurts.

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you will know that I do not drink. Nothing. Nada. And for a good reason, too. As a child of an alcoholic, I know what drinking does and what driving drunk can do. Please take the time to reflect on this video and be smart and safe this Holiday season. Do it for your children, and friends, but mostly do it for yourself. Thank you and have a healthy and safe Holiday Season.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

things impossible

life is simple. travel often. some opportunities come only once. seize them. If you don't like something change it. do what you love and do it often. getting lost will help you find yourself. life is short.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Motion and Progress

Today I found myself reflecting on all the good things in my life. I am so thankful to be healthy and motivated. I am running a 50 miler in two weeks and though I don't feel ready for that distance, I will run with confidence and purpose. February is The Coastal Challenge, a six day stage race in Costa Rica. I can't wait! It will be an amazing adventure and so much fun. I've put my name in the lottery for Western States and will also try my luck for Miwok and Mont Blanc. Let's see what the lottery Gods has for me this year. If I don't get into these races, well, there is a lot more great races waiting to be run. No point sweating it. Last year when I didn't get into WS, I entered Big Horn and had a blast! Things happen for a reason.

The Holidays are quickly approaching and I like to go into winter feeling fit. Remember it is easier to stay fit all year than to begin all over again come January. Commit to a fitness regimen and keep off the extra winter weight. You will be so happy if you can do this. I had to include this picture of my daughter's dog, Bentley. He was so tired after trick or treating all evening that he fell asleep in in Halloween outfit. So cute!

"Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress." Alfred A. Montapert

Your action for today is to look at one of your long-term goals and see if you are making progress towards it.

Have an extraordinary day!
Make 2010 your best year EVER.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Boggs 50k!

On Saturday I ran the first ever Boggs 50k in Cobb California. It was a beautiful course with lots of pine needles that made for a soft cushion. The rain held out and we started out in dense foggy conditions. It was actually a perfect day for a race. I won the womens race in 5:10 and placed 4th overall. Leigh Schmitt won the men's race in 4:26! I was happy with my performance with minimal amount of training. The race directors did an excellent job! I highly recommend this race to anyone who is looking for a beautiful race with great footing. I wore my favorite Drymax socks and finished with NO blisters. Thanks Drymax for covering my feet!

This week we have had an unusual amount of warm weather. Last week it rained everyday! On Tuesday, Karen and I saw a huge rattlesnake on the trail sunning itself. It was shocking to see one this late in the year and a good reminder that they are still out!!

Registration for Western States 100 is almost here. The lottery will be held on December 4th. I will be running a 50 miler on that day and will miss being up at the lottery. It is so much fun to be part of the excitement in Auburn on that day. Good luck to everyone who is praying for a spot in 2011!

People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost. Dalai Lama

Not Even Lupus Can Slow Ridgway

NOT EVEN LUPUS CAN SLOW RIDGWAY Published on June 26, 2004 © 2004- The Press Democrat BYLINE: BRUCE MEADOWS Three years ago when she was diagnosed with lupus, Kelly Ridgway didn't take much time plotting her course. ``I figured I could lay on the couch and be a drug-seeker for pain or I could choose to be as healthy as I can be,'' said Ridgway, 46, an outpatient surgery nurse at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Ridgway, defying the odds, is entered in the Western States 100 Endurance Run, which starts at the base of Squaw Valley at 5 this morning and ends 100 miles away in Auburn. ``I see people at the hospital in horrible shape because of lupus, but I realized I had a choice how to deal with it,'' Ridgway said. Lupus is a chronic auto-immune disease affecting mainly women. The immune system attacks the body's own tissues as a foreign substance, producing antibodies to fight it. The cause of the disease is unknown although research has shown it occurs when a specific set of susceptible genes is exposed to a combination of environmental factors such as infectious agents, certain drugs, excessive ultraviolet light, physical trauma or emotional stress. Ridgway said she has been a ``serious runner'' for 14 years and has also competed in 50- and 100-mile events on horseback. She started running to get in shape after the last of her three children -- Caleb (18), Chelsea (16) and Courtney (14) -- were born. ``I've found I really love ultras,'' said Ridgway, a single mother who graduated from Montgomery High, then earned a nursing degree from Santa Rosa JC. Dr. Lisa Kremer, Ridgway's rheumatologist said, fatigue is the most universal symptom of lupus. ``For somebody to run 100 miles with an auto-immune disease is incredible.'' Ridgway first experienced flu-like symptoms, then fatigue. ``But when I started having problems with cognitive stuff, I knew there was something more to it.'' She was having trouble doing simple math or even finding her way around town. ``I thought of all sorts of things, including a brain tumor,'' said Ridgway. Ridgway has been training with Santa Rosan Karen Hanke, 42, and Suzanna Bon, 39 of Sonoma. This is the second Western States for Hanke, who finished last year in 29 hours, 47 minutes, running the last 70 miles on severely blistered feet. It is the first Western States for Ridgway and Bon. Because of the glut of applicants -- more than 1,000 annually apply for 400 spots -- runners must not only qualify with an acceptable 50-mile run time but also get lucky by having their name drawn by lot. Bon, whose goal is ``just to finish although I'd love to do it in under 24 hours,'' is impressed with Ridgway's effort. ``Kelly is strong and smart about training,'' said Bon. ``We'll run at our own pace this weekend, not together, but we want to do the best we can.'' Ridgway sees herself as a runner who happens to have lupus. ``My case is relatively minor and medication has really helped,'' said Ridgway, who logs 75 miles a week. ``But I don't know anybody with lupus who runs as much as I do.'' She has bouts of fatigue and deals with them. ``There are days I am really tired and need to come home and rest for a while,'' she said. But this weekend there will no place to rest. ``I'm not the type to quit,'' she said. ``I will persevere.'' Kremer said people with lupus react differently to the disease. ``Some have a real tough time with it and others take it as a challenge,'' said the doctor. ``In general, a disease like lupus provokes self-evaluation ... some patients look at it as a way to straighten out their lives, physically and socially.'' Kremer said most lupus patients with a positive outlook exercise to some degree. ``For them, making an effort is a personal victory.'' Ridgway, who left for Squaw Valley Thursday, has been on the Western States course before, having competed in the Tevis Cup horse race and also working the run the past two years as a medical helper. ``It's beautiful ... I fell in love with the trail,'' she said. ``I'm excited but not nervous.'' Ridgway will be tested following the race to determine how running 100 miles affects a lupus patient. ``I know I am capable of doing this.'' She likes to run, even 100 miles, because it makes her feel healthy and alive. ``Maybe in some ways this will speak to people who are trying to make choices,'' she said. ``You can push ahead and take charge of your life.''