Finally, an update post

It's been a while since my last post. Since last post I did a 1/2 marathon in 1 hr. 50 min. I also did the Mt. Wilson trail race. I came in #1 in my division and #4 women OVERALL. I tried so hard to pass #3 women. Had her in my reach but couldn't pull it off. Next year! That was a way hard one but OH SO FUN! My time was 1 hr. 27. Boy, did that beer taste good afterwards!! Is there a place on this site to log results? I'm still not seemommyrun.com computer savvy.
I have been dealing with some craziness. The fire in my kitchen has set me back emotionally but I refuse to give in physically. Running and working out are about the only things I can control right now. We are living in a hotel while demolition and re-construction begin. I'm now 5 minutes from the mountain base where we run. I LOVE THAT!! This allows me to sleep in till 5:30 a.m. now on run days. Yesterday, we did a great 10 miler in and out of deep mountain terrain. Though I love it, I still fear curving a bend and surprising a mother bear. I turn up my head phones louder to try to block out my story I have playing out in my head. I'm so dramatic.
Andrea emailed regarding how we log our racing information for the year. I have a question for anyone else who is in the same situation and I'm sure many are. My team does not compete in the same 3 style of races. We have done one 1/2 marathone, one mountain trail, and we have another 1/2 coming up. Honestly, I get bored running 3 of the same kind of races. How do we input, and see growth and most improved over the course of the year, with the various kinds of running we do?

Until next time...
Rach

Just because...

Hey, girls-just wanted to thank ya for pushing me to get up this a.m. I hate the early cold mornings but WOW-did it ever feel good to be done by 9:00, have time for chit chat, a yummy protein drink, and home before 10:00 without anyone wondering where I was. I came home to hubby and kids still in P.J's. I LOVE THAT! What a way to start the day. It's so great to have running partners! Good run gals-Sarah your downhill is amazing! Teach me Yoda....I think I'm ready. I made it down today with no side stich so now, let's work on speed and me getting down without wetting my pants...hee hee..(sorta)hee hee!!!

Fears.

After reading Rachel's Blog ( Lions , Tigers and Bears Oh My ! ), well, well, tomorow Sunday morning its time for Happy Chaos to run, I feel so scared about any kind of animals that may appear, I think I'm going to try to run with Rach so close that I'm going to be her best attachment.
Today it's time to talk about fears. The things that scare me the most is not to achieve my professionals goals, to get rid of this feeling I run to proof myself that I'm able to set and achieve at least my immediate goals which is to run in the moutain. When I'm running there I feel with so much energy that I can enjoy it for a little bit the present and stop thinking about the future.
To run has a lot of benefits, helps to keep people in a mental, emotional and physical health, obtaining this benefits anybody can build up their own shield and face any fears in this world and live happy appreciating the good things that life has to offer.
Lorena.

lions...tigers... and bears...oh my!

Ok...had to take this opportunity to confess my fears. I wonder if there are others out there that ever feel like this. Don't get me wrong-I love the sunny California weather. BUT, there are a few things that are ALWAYS in the back of my mind while I'm running. I laugh to my friends and family stating that if I were ever attacked by a bear or lion on my trail runs...well then... that must be the way my cards were laid out for me in life. I continue to run but the thoughts do haunt me. In December, a bear was reported to be seen in a tree. Authorities came and tranquilized him while up in a tree in order to place him safely in his own territory. Aren't they suppose to be hibernating by now?! The theory was that it had come down due to all the fires and need for food. Well... it came down into the very neighborhood we run in. Infact, 1 block from the trail head that we start at. Funny thing was that the week before, I had spotted a HUGE pile of bear poop on the trail. Not ever seeing bear poop before, I only half seriously asked my running partners "was that bear poop on the trail back there?". Our responses "no, they're hibernating and wouldn't come down this far". One week later... we saw our little friend with the big p---p on the news. Cute as this 400 lb. bear was-I felt like I had been a little too close to meeting him.

Last month, my friends and I did a local run that is not in the mountain but rather along the base. Being that it is down low, and in fact, around the Rose Bowl where hundreds of people walk and run everyday-we always felt safer here. Again, in the news, the very day we ran-a mountain lion was spotted and a picture taken. It was frightening to know and recognize the very spot we ran and the picture taken on the VERY SAME DAY we ran. Too close for comfort!

Now, things are a bit more calm, with no new animal sightings but I can't help but feel a bit afraid to run. I have been doing more street running but it just isn't the same. Will I let these fears stop me?... no, perhaps it is good practice for my next race!

running in the rain

Every Sunday I run with my Happy Chaos group Sara, Rachel and me, very early in the morning around 7:30 in Pasadena, California. Even though, last Sunday at that time was raining so hard, I was with a lot of energy to run; my friend Sara she was on vacation, Rachel just came fron her vacation, she called me and she said: "I can't run, my oldest son is sick", at that moment I realized that me was gonna run with me, wich is OK , but nothing better that running with your buddies. Finally I pushed myself and went to run in the Rose Bowl betewen South Pasadena and Pasadena. I did a long run, while I was running I had to my side the Arroyo/stream, which in general is dry and do you know how they call it? Arroyo Seco, but this time it looked like a river, the water was flowing so hard, the sound of the water moving gave me so much energy to run , I felt so happy to be there smelling a rainy day and feelling grateful for being able to do it.
Lorena.

craving a run

I went on a ski trip and managed to get 2 days of skiing in even with 4 kids with us. Bad weather came and we left. I'm excited to be home and get into my normal groove. I haven't run for 1 1/2 weeks. I start to feel depressed. Now it is rainy so not sure if I can get my Sunday trail run in. Looks like I'll have to hit the gym for some cardio and weights just for the mental fix. FYI: I have no idea what I am doing with this blog thing. This is all new to me!