I just checked out my last blog post and I haven't written a thing since April.  Wow.  I have hardly missed my blog.  So many things happening and so little time to even write a quick note.  I wrote in my last blog about my injured toe and the troubles it has caused me.  I have exhausted all the treatments and now I am left with a big toe that is getting stiffer and stiffer.  My friend, who just happens to be an Orthopedist, says that maybe my toe is started to fuse on it's own.  I can live with that as long as a fused toe doesn't hurt!  We will see.  This summer has been busy with lots of fun runs and hikes in the mountains.  My friends and I traversed Zion National Park in April and had a blast.  I ran Silver State 50 miler in May and managed to dehydrate myself right into the hospital.   I ran in Emigrant Wilderness at Kennedy Meadows twice and enjoyed doing Safety Patrol at Western States 100.  Last month I ran The Tahoe Rim Trail 100 and managed to slowly cross the finish line good for a Silver buckle.  Thanks to Marc Dube for helping me finish under 30 hours.  All in all, my toe is handling the stress I have put it under.  It is painful, but not unbearable anymore.  That makes my heart happy.  In September, I will run The Bear 100.  I am getting excited for that adventure.

I don't know about you, but I have found Facebook to be all consuming.  I think I am addicted.  Ouch! I hate to even admit it here on this social media.  Let's see, Facebook or my Blog?  Such hard decisions to make at this bedtime hour.  Happy dreams!

Happy Wednesday

Wow, yesterday was a whirlwind.  I started my day out with a nice 45 minute swim and enjoyed a long hot shower at the gym.  It was heavenly! lol.  I went to see a Doctor in Corte Madera who originally made my orthotics, and he made some adjustments to them and gave me hope for running in my future.  Apparently, he saw 3 patients just last week with some of the same issues I am having.  I was glad to hear  that I am not the only one.  I left his office and immediately went to a few stores and bought a nice Northface jacket and a running skirt and a pair of running shorts.  I think I feel better now!  Shopping always does that for me.  The problem is that I have nothing to wear except for running stuff!  I use to have a magnet on my refrigerator that says, "I feel like such a failure. I have been shopping for over 20 years and I still don't have anything to wear".  Hilarious, but true.

  Today, after work, I am going to try out my new refurbished orthotics and see how my toe does.  I am hopeful and hesitant at the same time.  Have a great Wednesday and make it a healthy one!

Falling apart

This was a beautiful weekend here in Sonoma County.  The sky was so blue and the air was warm.  It was the kind of weekend that made you dream of summer.  Spaghetti strap tops and shorts and flip-flops.  I even saw some people laying beside the pool when I was swimming this morning.

 Matt and I took Jada out for a long hike in the hills and she loved jumping in and out of the creek and chasing sticks as they rushed down the swirling streams.  A great weekend!

 Running has completely sucked for the last month.  One injury after another.  Frankly, it is really starting to get me down.  I just don't get it.  Right now I am dealing with a big toe problem.  It really came to a head two weeks ago after finishing a 27 mile training run.  It seems that I have arthritis in my toe and some bone spurs to boot!  I am unable to push off without tremendous pain.  I have tried having Rooster Comb injected into my toe and using strong anti-inflammatory meds. I have stopped running for 2 weeks and have gotten back into the pool.  I am trying to form a relationship with lap swimming so I feel like I am doing something to keep in some sort of shape.  Swimming just doesn't do  it, though.  It is so boring.  Yawn......I do keep checking my arms to see if I can see any definition because this swimming thing has got to be doing something!

 Yesterday was Lake Sonoma 50 mile, I was a DNS there.  (did not start).  That sucked.  Today, I went out for a 30 minute slow run, toe taped and fingers crossed, and I am feeling hopeful.  That is all I am going to say.  Tuesday, I see another Doctor for a 2nd opinion and a MRI on Thursday.  How much fun can a girl have in a week?

Next Friday, I am going to Zion to traverse the park with several of my running friends.  It will be about 50 miles of running fun.  I am going even if I have to crawl.  I have wanted to do this for a few years and I am not going to let this injury stop me.  I figure that I can go as slow as I need to go.  It is not a race so the pace will be comfortable.  I am really excited to do this.  So..... that is what has been happening in my world.  Happy Monday everyone.

Remember Me??

Hello readers.  Do I have any, anymore?  It's been forever since I have updated my blog. Something called life has taken me and kept me quite busy.  When I am not feeling creative, my blog goes dead.

 A lot has happened since I last blogged.  A few injuries here and there, a couple of races, and a whole lot of nothing. I have been battling a performis issue and a big toe problem.  Both of these injuries have kept me from running.  When I have run, it is labored and unsettling.  It seems when you have one injury, it creates another. This video has really helped me.  Check it out. With some serious stretching and a little chiropractic work, I can feel that I am doing better.  I have started a series of five shots of "Rooster Comb" injections into my big toe and I can see improvement there too.  I have a bunion that is filled with arthritis and it is so painful, especially when I run.  I hope these injections will help stave off surgery for awhile.  A long while.
  Yesterday, I bought two new pairs of running shoes.  When I was sponsored by Montrail, I wore their shoes religiously.  It has been a few years now since I have even tried a pair on.   I decided to try the Montrail Mountain Masochist for the first time. After reading about them  I decided to try them out  yesterday on my 12 miler and I liked them.  My foot seems to sit a little high in them, but they were comfortable.  The other shoe I bought was the Asics 2170.  I have loved the Asics trabucho but they seem to have changed their sizing and I have run out of patience trying to get the right fit.  I hate trying a new shoe out when the Asics Trabucho is so perfect for me but it is time. I am going to take them for a spin this morning.
  The weather has been amazing this year.  We have had only a few days of rain and lot's of sunshine.  Of course I love it, but it is so weird.  Usually, we would be having rain, rain, rain.  I'll take the good weather while it's here.

  Last Sunday I ran up on the Western States trail.  We ran from Michigan Bluff up to a little ways past Last Chance.  Almost no snow and beautiful weather.  Go figure.  I love that trail.  

The new water bottle holder for runners! Start 2012 right!

Don't look back on 2011- focus on thriving in 2012.

I enjoyed my early morning run today.  I reflected on the past year and decided that it wasn't the best year to date.  December 2011 started out with a 50 miler that I felt fairly good about.  Mid December my girls and I were in a car accident and left the 3 of us pretty banged up.  The day before I left for my 6 day stage race in Costa Rica in late January,  I fell while running down a scree covered trail and tore my shoulder and my triceps. Leading up to Costa Rica had me feeling really fatigued and my Doctor said that my labs were off.  My Lupus numbers were climbing.  I was hoping for a good race there, but God had other plans.  Then in February, one of my daughters started having health issues and the stress from that was all consuming.  In April, I had my shoulder surgery and my running came to a shrieking halt.  The rest of the summer had me hiking and enjoying sitting at the dog park with Jada and all my dog park friends.  My left arm was soft and weak.  In June my other daughter had surgery and was battling some health issues also. Life was not happening as I had planned.  All the races and vacations that Matt and I had planned had to be cancelled.  My 100 miler in France (UTMB), that was to happen in August didn't happen because of my shoulder.  It was a very stressful year and I am glad that we are beginning a New Year in 2012.

  I feel better and I am looking forward to a great year. I am happy to say that I have won 2 of the three 50k's I have run in the last two months.  I am planning some adventures and excited to do some different races this year.  I am starting to think of a resolution that I can keep that will propel me in a positive direction.  Life is starting to look up.  Merry Christmas to all of you out there and I hope your 2012 is filled with everything good.  I have to remember to not look back- I'm not going that way!

Merry Christmas from the family

I will miss you forever, Dad

 Today I celebrate the life of my Dad who was taken from me too young and too soon.  He was just 60 years old.  Twenty one years ago today,  my life was turned over.  I celebrate his life today but I morn also.  In some ways he lost his battle with life years before.  Vodka took that away long before God took him.  A beautiful man filled with a creative mind, a great sense of humor, and a wonderful love of his family.

  I wish he was here to see me now.  I've grown to be someone he would be proud of.  I know that he would be proud of me, but not surprised.  I know that he watches me from above and smiles at me.  He would be so proud of my kids and would talk to everyone who would listen about what amazing adults they have become.  He would see himself in me and I think he would wish that we could spend time together again.

Thank you Dad for coming to all my boring long swim meets.  Thanks for going with me to Girl Scout camp and for buying me a horse and a horse trailer so we could go to  horse shows and overnight trail rides together.  You sacrificed so much to make me happy.  Thank you for being so generous and loving.  You were a good athlete too, Dad.  I think I got that trait from you.  I am tall and slim too, and I look a lot like you from the neck down.  No boobs, great lungs, long legs.  I look like Mom from the neck up and I have to laugh every time I see myself in the mirror.  Yes, I look exactly like Mom.  I am proud of that also.  She is a beautiful woman and I love her so much.  I am so glad that you too found each other and that I was born to both of you.  How lucky is that?

  I guess you know that I took care of Don when Pat died.  It was something I needed to do for both him and me. It was special to spend time with him. You were lucky to have him as your brother.  We had a lot of fun together and I felt so sad when Cancer took him away a few years ago.

  You were my hero and you still are.  Shawn and Wally got your creative traits.  Both of them can fix or make anything.  I on the other hand have no creative ability, but running and being outside is my passion.
 
  Today I am running a 50K in memory of you.  I will not cry, because crying and running don't really work together.  I've tried that, and it really sucks.  I will smile and know that you are watching me.  Thanks Dad for everything good and bad that we shared together.  It has made me the person that I am.  I am strong and determined and will never forget you.  RIP Dad.  12-10-1990.

BEAUTIFUL

Wyman Meinzer's West Texas from Wyman Meinzer on Vimeo.

The bad news is that time flies. The good news is that you are the pilot.

The Canadian Death Race.....2012??

This race is on my radar for August 2012.  It looks very challenging and it has definitely caught my attention.

"The world is filled with interesting things to do. Don't lead a dull life in such a thrilling world."
American Writer and Lecturer, Dale Carnegie