Fueled by Vivác Training Guide

While I continue to whimper in the corner over my hamstring, plenty of you are hitting the road with fabulous races. Instead of sulking, I would like to offer my support with Fueled by Vivác training tips!
The following races were selected because...well because I Googled "top fall marathons" and this list came up. If I missed your favorite, feel free to contact me and I will tailor training to you.

Detroit Free Press/ Talmer Bank Marathon: They claim you cross the Canadian boarder twice and run a mile under water (in a tunnel silly). To prepare for this race, it is essential to drink Vivác Pinot Noir the night before your long runs and our Diavolo for recovery. The Pinot is because Canada produces some incredible Pinots, the Diavolo is because you will be in Detroit...which some refer to as hell.

Nike Women's Marathon: Located in San Fran, this race includes a chocolate stop and Tiffany necklace at the finish. This race will require drinking our dry Rosé of Dolcetto before and after ALL training runs. Why so much of the pink stuff? Because girls supposedly like pink and this is a very girlie race...but they do allow men...if the men like pink.

Marine Corp Marathon: This race is located in Wash. D.C. and while I am sure it is beautiful, what they promote about it is that it is the "race for the people" with no big prizes for top finishers which draws more recreational runners. I don't know why they call it "Marine Corps" (obviously I didn't do much research) but the name makes me think this is going to be hard...like boot camp. So in preparation you will need to drink A LOT of our Divino the night prior to each training run...because you will be praying for your life at this race, and plenty of our Syrah for recovery because it sorta sounds like "Simper fi".

ING New York City Marathon: This marathon is harder to get into than...something really hard to get into! Based on lottery, your admittance to this race really is...well...winning the lotto, until you realize you have to run 26.2 miles (some lotto you just won right?). This race will require our Nebbiolo both pre and post long runs. Why the Nebbiolo you ask? Because we often don't have the Nebbiolo grape due to late freeze so getting your hands on this wine will feel like you won the lotto...again.

Anthem Richmond Marathon: Called the friendliest marathon, this race sounds delightful and offers junk food on the course! You will need to train with copious amounts of our Dolcetto red wine. Dolcetto is an amazing pairing with many junk food combinations and while I don't know what will be offered on the course, Dolcetto will likely be the wine for it. In fact, I recommend that you fill your hydration belt with Dolcetto for the race.

Philadelphia Marathon: A combination of city sights and river paths, this race sounded lovely...until they suggested that at the finish line I should run up and down the steps of the Art Museum like "Rocky". After I run 26.2 miles I am trying to will my sausage legs to the booze tent NOT running up and down stairs. I found that suggestion insulting. So for training I recommend focusing on the historical nature of the city sights and recommend our Cabernet Sauvignon, a classic of wines, for training. Cab should be drank prior to ALL runs and preferably with reading glasses on...to look scholarly. For the "Rocky" fans you should drink our Fire Vineyard blend, it is bold and comes from hearty rootstock.

Some might balk at the amount of wine recommended in our Fueled by Vivác training, but remember that all of the professionals out there say the #1 thing to do is drink plenty of fluids!

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com

True Love

When you are really in love, even the mundane stuff is fun. That's how I knew Running and I had slipped into that comfortable spot in our relationship.

I eagerly stepped onto my home treadmill and happily started my run...while facing a wall. Ya, I was going to run on a treadmill facing a blank wall. This is what most people think of as Hell, but I actually didn't mind. I focused on my body and worked on my stride. I felt the muscles work and made adjustments to my body for better form. That's when I felt that prickle up my spine, that feeling that something was off. There was an obvious favoring of my right leg. I could feel my left leg compensating. Why, Running? Why are you acting like this?

Sometimes it is when you are the most comfortable that a relationship can turn on you. I'm not sure why Running wanted to hurt me, it seemed as if it came out of nowhere! I let my shock take over and as if on autopilot, I decided I'd ignore the elephant in the room. That never works by-the-way, it just makes things awkward, and now things were awkward with Running.

Even my favorite running path couldn't cover up the awkwardness in our relationship. Now it wasn't just a matter of looking the other way, hoping Running's bad mood would pass. Now it was turning into an issue. At this point it would have been a good idea to be upfront with Running, find out what was wrong. I did not go that route. I decided to give Running some time off, some alone time. As the days ticked by, I found myself thinking about Running all the time...was Running thinking about me too?

3 days later and no word from Running (what a jerk right?), I still had this unresolved issue that Running left me with, it was starting to take over everything I did, and Running couldn't care less! At this point I was getting mad, and I don't behave very well when I am hurt and mad. So the next time I passed by the treadmill...I flipped it off. Yep, I seriously know how to get under the skin of inanimate objects.

Then I felt bad. You know how you feel after being lame to your partner when you are fighting and then you give in and apologize even though it was clearly their fault in the 1st place? You know a 'guilt apology'. Well after flipping off the treadmill, I decided to grow up and take the initiative with Running.

I decided another treadmill-facing-a-blank-wall date was in order, an easy date that I could duck out of easily if Running was still mad at me. I started to unfold the treadmill and it pinched my finger badly! Evidently it had not appreciated my clever finger salute. While this was a clear sign I was venturing down a scary path, I ignored the signs and proceeded.

A short date later, it was clear...Running and I had some issues. I decided to come clean and be direct. Ask the questions that scared me the most. What I found out was revolutionary. Running wasn't mad at me, in fact we were in love more than before, but my baggage had come between us again.

We have decided to get a professional involved, couples therapy, someone who can help me stop self sabotaging with heavy heel strikes or upper body twisting. Some relationships are worth fighting for and for me, Running might be True Love.

*Today's blog is brought to you by Vivác's Cabernet Sauvignon, because as with great relationships, this wine always comes through for you.

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com

Suspicions

Yep, being in love is tricky.

Running and I had fallen into a comfortable routine when out of nowhere I started having suspicions. This is a tricky time in a relationship, you have determined that you are in love, but is it reciprocated? If you start thinking about it, you start questioning, if you start questioning you start having suspicions and suspicions are never good.

I was traveling to an area that was hot & humid, not my typical running climate, but like I said, my relationship with Running is different this time (see blogs "Back From a Break-up" & "Are You Jealous?"). So I saddled up and went on a date with Running as soon as I arrived.

Out on the open road amongst the lush green forests, I felt good, solid in our relationship and even giddy with how well it was going. Running and I really had started over with a clean slate. The rolling hills and blooming flowers only confirmed how wonderful our relationship was and my iPod shuffled to Sade.

The following day I couldn't make my date with Running and had to cancel, it hurt me to do so, but I had family responsibilities. While my family supports my relationship with Running, they can sometimes feel neglected due to the amount of time Running takes up.  The only problem is I had to cancel our date the day after that too.

Running always seems fine when you cancel, takes it in stride. But by the 3rd day, I knew I had pushed it. My date on that 3rd day after 2 days off made aches and pains I hadn't felt in a long time resurface. It wasn't bad, but it was a definite sign...Running was pissed at me. I tried to reason away the missed dates, but Running stays silent, waiting till you are vulnerable to kick you in the knee...or hip...or foot. Even the bunny rabbits that played so cutely on the side of the road, stopped and came toward me, poised as if to attack, little rabid bunnies who obviously took Running's side. I yelled "You don't know everything! Don't judge me you little bunny rabbits!", I could see my relationship with Running was reaching that tricky love stage. I started to have suspicions. I started to wonder if in a blink of an eye, we would be back to that place that drove us to break-up before. I could see I looked totally nuts yelling at animals.

Suspicions are what drive a wedge deep into a relationship, they require you to believe your thoughts rather than facts. Running showed me at that moment, the moment where I almost kicked a little bunny rabbit, that this suspicion was an old thought from the way we use to be. The fact was, this was a great run and the aches subsided. I realized my fear about our relationship and the ideas about how I thought it should, would or could go were going to cause damage to our new found love.

I felt a huge shift as I realized that letting go of the suspicions and allowing myself to enjoy what this is now is the only way to be in a relationship.

Now the problem is, I don't think Running likes my best friend Wine as much as I do.

*Today's blog is brought to you by our Rosé of Dolcetto, because you have to have a great chilled wine to suffer in great heat and humidity.

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.vivacwinery.com

Back From a Break-up

Returning to running after a long break, no matter what the reason, is like bumping into your ex unexpectedly. At first there is a flush of excitement, a bit of confusion in your body. You try to process all the information your body and brain are fighting to tell you. Your brain says 'hey we can handle this' while your body says 'oh hell no!'.

As you start your 1st run back on the track (or road, or sidewalk or treadmill) there is a surge of that old familiar feeling, a feeling your body recognizes without hesitation just like when you see an ex that you loved, you sense that familiarity. Your brain seizes the opportunity to tell you fast quipped lies 'Look a fresh start! We can be friends! Things are different!'. But the truth is, you can never really be friends with running...or an ex.

A few minutes into this new found "friendship", you are sucker punched with memories. Memories of why you had to break-up. Those old wounds suddenly feel fresh as your knee squeals and your hamstring sears red hot with a cramp. Ya, you know what I'm talking about, same with an ex that fills the awkward silence with backhanded compliments and inappropriate innuendo. You suddenly realize...running...running is a jerk.

It's ok though. Things ARE different, you are different, and you will be every single damn time you take a break and start over. This seems to surprise me every time. Why can't it be 'running with benefits', an easy going, no strings attached, just having fun kind of a relationship that can be picked up or forgotten about any time one wants?

I have to admit, I don't know who I will be in this new relationship with running. Will I cower to its demands as I have in the past, letting it bully me? Or will I be strong and take control? I am currently being seduced and you really can't tell anything about where a relationship will end up when you are in the thrills of seduction.

*This post is brought to you by our red wine blend Diavolo, because all break-ups feel like the devil.

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery family!
www.VivacWinery.com

Died and Gone to Heaven

"Fueled by Vivác" became a very literal term as we took 16 wine enthusiasts on a float trip down the Rio Chama. Combine Vivác Winery, Lambert's Taos and New Mexico River Adventures for a trip of a life time. To call this trip "incredible" is an understatement that you will only be able to fully comprehend after you experience it yourself.

This 3 day trip was the epitome of Gucci Camping. We had the expertise of the New Mexico River Adventures' guides waiting on us hand and foot. They shared history of the area, pointed out wild life and navigated the waters all while being charming entertainers. Chef Ky of Lambert's Taos fame made exquisite 3 course meals nightly featuring local greens, herbs and meats. Each dish paired breathtakingly well with all of our wines; the duck in a chipotle apricot glaze with the Divino red wine blend was a particular stand out. These intimate dinners set on the banks of the Rio Chama with stunning views featured wine maker talks, chef tidbits and more fun than you can imagine... cue the "Fueled by Vivác" reference. The white table cloths glowed in the candle light as magnificent course after course was served.

The Rio Chama is accessible by river only making it a jewel to behold, somehow still untouched by the outside world. Dramatic cliff walls dropped down to the water's edge and teamed with life. Unfortunately there were several snake encounters which rocked me to the depth of my core. Even considering the skin crawling experience of almost peeing on a snake, I'm hard pressed to come up with a negative for this trip.

New Mexico River Adventures asked us to join them on this brilliant gourmet raft trip a few years ago and it has since become a highly sought after experience, selling out and garnering a waiting list. People come from all over the country to this river in New Mexico to feed their love of the outdoors and their craving for exceptional food and wine. We are honored to be a part of this annual trip and to host the wine maker dinners each evening.

I have to say, I personally love doing wine maker dinners because it is one of the few times we pull the wine makers out of the winery and vineyard, dust them off and let them be adored. I love that people appreciate all the passion and hard work Jesse and Chris put into making each of their wines. I love seeing people truly understand the artistry in each glass as they listen to the wine makers describe a wine much the way they would describe a child, in loving detail. Our wine makers are a bit shy about all this attention however, which is why this trip offers the perfect setting. Wine enthusiasts get to spend 3 days rafting, camping, eating and laughing with the wine makers, it moves past the theoretical into honest friendship. Each evening, our new friends are treated to the secrets that are behind the beautiful wines Jesse and Chris make and the charming personalities of the men themselves. They truly are talented and I'm not just saying that because I'm married to one of them.

This annual trip with Vivác Winery is the Saturday/ Sunday/ Monday of the Memorial Day weekend. Please contact New Mexico River Adventures to make your reservations. www.newmexicoriveradventures.com/ 

oh and no...I didn't run at all while on this trip.

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.vivacwinery.com

Panic

The tingles race up and down my legs as the weight of them seems to drag me down.

Sweat springs to attention on my forehead and my head begins to pound. My heartbeat thumps loudly in my chest.

Beads of perspiration well up and cry down the center of my back.

There is nothing else in my mind. I am clear, focused on the pain and determined to get through it. This determination got me across the finish line of my Marathon when I couldn't manage another step...I know I can do this.

Then, my eyes start to tear. I bite my lip to stop the emotion welling up deep inside.

"Get a grip" I yell ferociously at myself. I shake my head, willing my body to push forward.

Suddenly, my husband, my coach, my best friend, seizes me out of the black hole I am sinking into. He lovingly, soothingly helps me.

Like a fountain in a desert, the relief and elation of liquid gold splashing into my empty wine glass fills me with great love, a oneness with the world, with humanity.

My wine maker husband saved the day yet again.

What, you haven't had the new vintage of Vivác Sauvignon Blanc? Believe me you will feel that way too when your glass is empty.


-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.vivacwinery.com

So This is The End

(...continued from "To Wine or not to...ya right" )

You never notice the towels in a hotel room until you are dripping wet and realize there are none. After finding our wa with recycling the plastic cups for our wine habit, I found myself stunned by the trickery of the maid and our towels. Some days we had none, others 3. I could see I needed to step up my game.

I digress. I last left you with my mother-in-law, Jane, heading out into the night to pick up her husband, Dick, from the airport in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Yes their names really are "Dick and Jane". After becoming lost and disoriented, she managed to find her way to my sister-in-law's house who saved the day and took care of them. Luckily there was no "see Dick and Jane run" experiences to attach to this event. We breathed a sigh of relief as we ended the informational call, knowing they were in good hands and we finished our wine. That was close, we almost had to set the wine down and do something!

The rest of our trip was uneventful as far as thrills and chills, but full of fun and adventure. We did tours of Day of the Dead museums, a soccer game and a night at the famous Feria (a huge fair that people come from all over Mexico to party at) where myself, my wine maker husband, Jesse, his wine making partner and brother, Chris, along with his wife, Liliana, learned that we could polish off 2 giant bottles of tequila like it was wine. 

We also, in true wine obsessed fashion, visited a local winery. A beautiful place that left visions of a new and improved winery of our own dancing in our heads. The winery itself was impressive, the wines were not. I have had wines that I was impressed by from Mexico on other occasions, but this tasted more like snake pee. Not that I have tasted snake pee, but I stole that description from my 6 year old son who decided the frozen yogurt in Mexico tasted that way.

We visited the neighboring town of Guanajuato. A town that is so magical, it makes you want to leave everything behind and move there; buy a little stone cottage on the hillside. Maybe plant some vines and make a little wine. Wait, we already have that here in Dixon, New Mexico...which most people think is part of Mexico.

Our trip drew to a close and we reluctantly headed back home. We all piled into the car and in utter darkness started the the long drive back to the USA. It is important to point out that while the media had us convinced that driving through Mexico was a death sentence, it isn't. Mexico is just like the USA with it's problem areas and issues, but not a reason to axe the entire country. In fact, it is while we were in Mexico that we received news about the Boston Marathon bombing.

The shock of the Boston bombing reverberated around the room as I read aloud the news feed from my phone. Being that we are marathon runners and Jesse and Chris want to run the elite Boston Marathon, this attack seemed to really hit home. The stories of loved ones at the finish line, horribly wounded or lost, was deeply painful. I thought of my own son's beaming face as I ran across the finish line of my 1st marathon. I ached as I thought of the countless races my family has supported us in and how devastating it would be if anything happened to them. The senselessness of this attack was bombarding our country and we were sitting in the sun drinking margaritas. It didn't seem right.

In tribute to those runners in Boston, we didn't run while in Mexico. OK that isn't true, I didn't run because I was busy drinking wine and tequila all day, but I did THINK about some kind of a tribute being a cool thing to do.

I think it is important that in a time of senselessness, that we do not clutch onto fear, but remember to live our lives to the fullest, not tomorrow, but starting today, starting this minute. Fear can cripple you, keep you from true freedom. It certainly added a lot of needless stress to our journey through Mexico. I had to ask myself, "who would I be if I didn't fear the fact that I may not get a towel from the maid today? Is there any way to know for a fact that I will NOT get a towel from the maid today?" The answer is no, I don't know...that is why I started hiding mine in my suitcase.


-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.vivacwinery.com

To Wine or Not to...ya right.

(...continued from "Home Free")

I last left all of you with us in a hotel room with plenty of wine, but no cups AT ALL (not even a water bottle) to drink it out of. Things got pretty scary, I considered shoes to sip out of, but we all had flip flops and sandles. I was wishing I hadn't decided to unpack my running shoes after all, hell at least they would finally have gotten some use. We started to panic, and to again curse the maid that didn't replace our trashed starter glasses. Then out of no where, like the angel that she is, my mother produced clean plastic cups for all of us! Cheers rang out and the vacation was able to continue.
"How did you find these glasses we asked?"
She shrugged innocently and sipped her wine. For a moment I wondered what she was not telling us, but then the relief of wine in my hand took over and I didn't care if she had mugged someone for them.

After the horror of that 1st day without cups, we figured out not to throw them away and we continued to have a happy vessel to drink from.

So what about this beautiful city we were visiting? Did we simply spend the entire time in Mexico worrying about our next glass of wine? Well, yes, but we did venture out of the hotel and away from our wine (with hands shaking) to sight see and experience Aguascalientes.

My sister-in-law Liliana's family are kind and generous people who excitedly invited us into their homes. We visited the city center and it's beautiful gardens with each fountain's spray wetting the cobblestone paths. The flowering trees arched down as if to sip on the flowing water and exquisite cathedrals loomed in the distance. It is nothing short of magical.

Now believe it or not, you can not live on wine alone, I know it is terrible, but true. Luckily there is great food on every street corner...literally. Just to clarify, growing up in New Mexico, we know some of the traditional Mexican food (but surprise to everyone in the world) we in Northern New Mexico, eat Northern New Mexican food. I know it is crazy. Anyway, the food in this part of Mexico, specifically Aguascalientes, is some of my favorite and Liliana's family is hands down the BEST cooks. I spend much of my time thinking about the meals we had seated at her sister's house looking over her lush gardens and fruit trees...sipping wine. What you didn't think we would leave the wine at the hotel ALL the time did you?

Things were going so easily, so comfortably that we decided to roll the dice and let my mother-in-law head out in the middle of the night to pick up her husband from the airport...alone. What happened next nearly made us put our glasses of wine down in alarm. Nearly.

(to be continued...)

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.vivacwinery.com

Home Free

(continued from "I Gotta Go)

Let's get back on track after that 'potty break'. Where were we?

As we drove from the state of Zacatecas into the state of Aguascalientes,  we were stopped by boarder control and interrogated. OK too strong of a word, we were questioned. Evidently Aguascalientes doesn't want anything to do with Zacatecas either. My favorite question from this officer, was one in a very confused tone "WHY were all of YOU traveling through Zacatecas?!" Because, officer, we are crazy white Americans...obviously.

That reminds me of an earlier story where we also encountered a guard stop in which the questioning officer got so far into my husband's personal space, I thought they might merge into one person right before my eyes. Here is where you insert the image (thanks to our media) of dead bodies piled on one side of the road and cars on the other.  But none of us were hauled off, children were not frightened and we continued on our wide eyed way. That was early on in our trip, at the time of the Aguascalientes stop, we were feeling like seasoned veterans. Officer schmoficer.

As we entered Aguascalientes,  we were ecstatic to see the welcomed sights of our destination looming up ahead. We noted that the state of Aguascalientes, like the city of Aguascalientes was clean and visibly affluent. Architecture was stunning and whispered of its Spanish history. Medians were ornately planted and people were dressed nicely as they walked along the side of the road.  This is a truly beautiful area. I might mention that we had been to Liliana's home town several times before, but always by plane and viewing it in this context and comparison was really incredible.

We found our modern hotel quickly and corks flew as we celebrated surviving the so-called 'terrorizing drive through Mexico'. We raised a cheers with plastic hotel cups, an up-grade from the water bottles of previous nights, and readied ourselves for the real start to our vacation to begin.

Little did we know, the hotel wasn't everything it seemed. The hotel had a nasty secret. The hotel didn't replace those plastic cups daily like hotels in the USA. No they let you throw them in the trash only to find yourself with an open bottle of wine the next day and NOTHING TO DRINK IT OUT OF! It was far worse than the dead bodies we had imagined on the side of the road. We were desperate and didn't even have water bottles to cut apart. We were stranded and it was scary as hell.

(to be continued...)

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!

I Gotta Go!

(continued from "On the Road Again")

This section of our road trip through Mexico is dedicated to public bathrooms. I know what you are thinking "yay, my favorite subject!" but it is one with which special attention should be paid. I believe you can tell a lot about a place from the condition of their bathroom. Being that I am a little bit of a germaphobe, this matters a great deal to me. Now I am not a wash-my-hands-7-times-before-I-can-leave-the-bathroom kind of gal, but it seriously gets to me to touch dirty things. So with THAT in mind, I have a report on the road side bathrooms in Mexico. They are freakin beautiful! Ya, stone floors with lots of ventilation and someone constantly cleaning. Most are free to use, but some require a bit of change to pay for toilet paper. I think this should be a rule in the USA, why not hire people to maintain bathrooms by charging a few cents entry? It was such a relief since I pictured squatting behind bushes or finding myself in hot port-a-potties.  On the other hand, there was a bathroom experience that was, shall we say memorable?

*ADVISORY please stop eating if you are doing so while reading this.

As we drove onward past the lunch hour, we all grew more and more hungry, looking for just about any place to stop and grab a bite to eat. The bags of chips and junk food had hit its limit and we all needed real food. We finally stopped at a small road side restaurant and ordered nourishment. In our eagerness to get 'actual food' into our growling tummies, we over looked the greasy hot sauce bottles, the flies buzzing in a multitude that made you fear an invasion and the sticky tables. We were out of the car and going to eat. Moments passed and it became evident that my 6 year old son, Denim, had had enough, melt down was impending. Realizing he needed a nap, badly, and had not gone pee ALL DAY, I begged him to visit the restroom with me. I knew if he fell asleep he would wet his pants and we would all have to drive in a car that smelled like pee. My son hadn't gone pee all day because he is very particular about bathrooms as well, must be genetic. I should have known something was up because Denim's  tugging at my arm as we inched closer to the door leading to the bathroom increased, he is like that kid in the "6th Sense" only instead of dead people, he sees bad bathrooms. I pulled him through the door and not into a bathroom but outside! The surprise to be outside and blinded by the light was possibly a plan by this restaurant to keep you from seeing the garbage lying outside the kitchen doors that you literally had to step over to continue. Bathroom stall #1 was what nightmares are made of and I can not even begin to describe it to you, we are simply lucky that I didn't have a physiological break down then and there. Stall #2 was better...if you can imagine poop covered tissues spilling out of the garbage onto the sticky wet floor with a toilet that looked like it had vomited its contents all over itself as better. By this point I could see Denim really did have to go NOW, but he was terrified to be there. I held him against me and he took aim from a few feet away. Poor baby, I think it traumatized him.

The meal took an hour to cook and believe it or not, we did eat there. I'm not sure if it was the cold, casadilla I had, the melt down, all out, screaming fit my son threw after visiting the bathroom or the end of a long day in the car, but I didn't feel so good after that. Thank goodness we had wine packed in the car. Wine soothes the nerves and the alcohol killed all the nasty things in my belly...at least that is what I told myself.

Luckily this was a one time experience on our trip, a trip that took us into many bathrooms in the classic I've-got-Mexico-tummy-issues way. However the state of Zacatecas had areas of road side that reminded me of that restaurant and there is no cure for the sights your eyes take in, no amount of wine to sooth them away, so we had to turn to tequila.

(to be continued...)

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.vivacwinery.com

On the Road Again

(continued from "Fuel up, we've got a road trip!" )

As we approached the Mexico boarder in the cool early morning air, the 2 cars containing all 13 members of our family, eased through the passage and quickly navigated the tiny streets to the by-pass around Juarez. The sun started to rise in the sky and the clean roads stretched out in front of us. Things were off to a fabulous start!

The media, over the last few years, has portrayed Mexico and specifically Juarez and Chihuahua city as the biggest nightmare on the planet. The horrific stories of abduction and tourist fatalities are enough to scare anyone into bombing the country let alone ever traveling there.  But what we found, was a pleasant country that is easily navigated if you are smart about it and plan to travel safely; do not travel at night and stay on the toll roads. Juarez  (which we drove directly through on the way back) has been depicted as a gang war that carries on all day and all night, an impassable place where they are stacking bodies on one side of the road and cars on the other, but what it really is, is a lot of people, a lot of Americans even, working. Ya, just people working. People walking around buying tacos from stands and chatting with each other. We didn't hear even one machine gun spray fire! Now that doesn't mean I think you should don your hot pink mini skirt and walk the streets at night, but the idea we have and fear we provoke in each other seems a little bit out of wack.

Our spirits lifted as we drove and we found ourselves relaxing ever so slightly. We pulled in to the immigration stop, which we found empty, no lines and no waiting! Thrilled we filled out our papers and the kids had a chance to run around. We registered our cars and felt like the smartest travelers ever. And then...trouble. Turns out there is an issue with people taking American cars to Mexico and selling them, so the person the car is registered to needs to be with the car. No problem since we were driving my mother-in-law's car and she was with us, she even had a certified letter from her husband (who would be flying to meet us after he completed his work that week). What we did not anticipate was that the 2nd car in our group, which had been selected due to it's 'blending in' ability, was also registered to my mother-in-law, Jane. She can't drive 2 cars into Mexico. So the Mexican officers insisted we show a birth certificate for my husband, Jesse, or his brother, Chris, to prove they were related to Jane. Now I don't know about you, but we don't travel with anything but our passports so this was a definite issue. After some time begging, they agreed to a faxed copy. Yay! Only now we had to contact someone back at home and get them into Chris' house to find his birth certifcate and fax it to...where? The office didn't have a fax!

2 hours later, some lovely trash art made by our boys, a bloody toe from a rusty bolt and one faxed birth certificate later, we managed to get approval. Don't ask where we finally found a fax, that is a blog of its own.

Back on the road, way behind schedule. We found ourselves a decent way into Chihuahua state, the next step in survival traveling. We stopped at clean, safe rest stops along the way and found ourselves more and more surprised by how clean and how safe it was...despite our preconceived notions. Chihuahua city was a surprise too; clean and lovely, no piles of bodies or gun fire anywhere. The only bummer was a speeding ticket and sleazy pay-the-cop-and-go experience. On the up side we got to see a side of my sister-in-law we've never seen, she wouldn't put up with harassment and bartered with the cop, she was a total badass.

We stayed the 1st night in a charming little hotel in Jimenez, south of Chihuahua city. It was 6pm and there were still plenty of hours of sunlight, but with the unknown looming ahead, and pale shaken voices of fear ringing out about driving in Zacatecas at night, we decided it best to give everyone some rest. As we settled ourselves, stretched our legs and enjoyed a glass of wine... out of cut plastic water bottles, the hotel quickly filled up. We came to find out that everyone gets off the road at dusk and there were no hotels, no towns, no gas for hours down the road. It was a smart decision to stop when we did and we patted ourselves on the back for it. Other Mexican travelers stopped to chat with us and kindly welcomed us to their country. The wine eased our stress and smiles returned to our faces. Tomorrow we would brave Zacatecas, but for now, we would enjoy the warm air and the sound of our children laughing.

*As a side note, when you forget wine glasses or are caught on the road in Mexico without them. A quick fix is to take an empty water bottle, cut it in half (or with a large bottle, cut about 4 inches up from the base) using your wine key's knife. If you do not have a knife on your wine key, you obviously have the wrong wine key and need to buy one from Vivác Winery. The possibility of cutting your lip on these glasses is a distinct possibility, but hey you have wine so no complaining.

(to be continued...)

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
ww.vivacwinery.com

Fuel up, we've got a road trip!

"Fueled by Vivác" hit the road and traveled to Mexico...by car, with our families. Yep we are crazy.

So why did we take on driving from the USA through some of what the media has proclaimed "the most dangerous areas in North America" into central Mexico?  My husband's brother Chris and his wife Liliana (who is originally from Aguascalientes, Mexico) had decided to drive back home to visit family; a result of not being able to afford plane flights for a family of 4. Well, as everything starts in our  Vivác world, over a table of great food and lots of wine,  we tried to talk them out of this insane trip,  and then the wine seemed to talk US into it!

It is important to understand that Aguascalientes is a beautiful city located in the state of Aguascalientes, a little confusing, but think of it like New York city which is in New York state. This is an area that shows a side of Mexico that many people never get to see and Liliana's family are some of the most generous, loving people you have ever met...who happen to be the best chefs ever. No really ever, I crave their homemade salsas, meat dishes and molé on a regular basis, oh man that molé is amazing (cue scene from the movie "Chocolate" where everyone is in ecstasy over the chocolate sauce poured over the chicken at the birthday party...this could only have been Liliana's family recipe). Anyway, a few bottles of wine later, we were all driving to Mexico!

The plan developed as such: we would pack the kids and the grandparents, 13 people total, into 2 cars and caravan down. We chose the cars that would blend in the most and agreed to only drive the expensive toll roads and only during the day. This also meant very limited stops, with 3 small children. How would we manage a 22 hour drive under these conditions? Well we aren't "Fueled by Vivác" for nothing! We also determined that it was mandatory to squeeze in 3 cases of wine. Who needs foot room anyway?

The days leading up to the trip, my husband and I spent working in southern NM, making sure the entire state of NM is fully "Fueled", the rest of the group met us in El Paso and we stayed a final night at the USA/ Mexico boarder. That was a sleepless night. All the stories of horrific crimes, torture and cruelty flooded our minds. What are we doing driving our small children and families into the depth of danger? The stress mounted and the fear was palpable as we hit the road early the next morning.

(to be continued...)

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.vivacwinery.com

Deep Thoughts

As I sit on my patio with the warm sun shining down on me and sip my chilled glass of Vivác Chardonnay, my mind turns to running. I think how this is a perfect, beautiful day to go for a run. I think how great I would feel after getting back on track. I wonder if I should look up races coming up and start training. My chardonnay tastes incredible.

I gaze at my bare feet resting on the chair opposite me. They look different. No bruised toenails, no blisters or strange bumps. Wow, it has been a long time since I ran. I wonder if I want to hurt the way it hurts when you push your body during training. I wonder if I should pour more wine.

As the soft ripple of wine pours into my glass a sudden thought occurs to me! I have only been running as a form of training, but never allowed myself to simply run for pleasure! Of course prior to this whole running thing, I thought you only ran if something was chasing you so I guess I have no point of reference when it comes to "running for pleasure".

That's it, I will run for fun! Except now I have had 2 glasses of wine so it will have to wait till tomorrow.

(Today's blog has been brought to you by Vivác Chardonnay)

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.vivacwinery.com

Every Step You Take

"Every step you take...every move you make...I'll be watching you..." you know when you get a song stuck in your head and you have no idea why? I don't think I have heard that 'Police' song in ages.

Ahhh...morning stretch in bed. I briefly consider going for a run. As my mind clears I realize I need coffee and my long day of work ahead needs me to focus. I swing my legs out of bed and onto the floor where I promptly trip over my running shoes stubbing my toe on the bed frame, now I really can't go for a run! Bastard things, what the hell are they doing there anyway?

A couple days later finds me with running shoes on, dressed to hit the road when my mother calls me. I stretch across the bed and chat with her, it is rude not to talk to your mom for at least an hour. As I hang up the phone, I feel the sun shinning in the window warming me. I think about how cold it is outside. I decide a short nap is in order. As I awaken, I see it wasn't such a short nap after all! I guess I'll run tomorrow. I stand up ready to head back to my pile of work and promptly trip over my damned running shoes causing me to fall into the wall and hit my head! Bastard things, what the hell are they doing there anyway! Hey weren't they ON my feet when I laid down?

Another day goes by and I find that every time I walk into my closet, the "running" drawer is more and more a pile of cascading clothes and it rather looks like a face with it's tongue sticking out. Hmmm, odd. It makes me feel too guilty to straighten the running clothes so I close the door to the closet instead. There, all better, out of sight out of mind. And then I trip over my running shoes. Seriously?! What the hell is going on? And when did I end up with so many pairs of running shoes? Isn't one pair enough? I have 4. My husband has 6.

"Every step you take...every move you make...I'll be...TRIPPING YOU" I laugh to myself.

It has now been a week that I haven't 'managed' to get out for a run. Man that really went fast. I decide that I need to at least jump on the dreaded treadmill. I head in to change and see I forgot to finish folding the laundry. Of course you can't just leave the laundry in a pile on the bed...the run will happen after that. Oh and I have to put the laundry in everyone's closets. Hmmm...nothing fits in my "running" drawer anymore.

Once done with my chores, it is dusk, the family is due home soon and I will need to prepare dinner. Ooh and I need a glass of wine. Wow, I seem so domesticated today. Funny I am not nearly this 'domestic' on days I haven't decided to run. As I decide to skip the run, yet again, I hear a crash in the closet taking me back into the bedroom. My "running" drawer has jumped from its hold and landed on the floor exploding clothes everywhere! In the wake of its avalanche, it has managed to take down several pairs of shoes from their near by perch. Guess which shoes? Yep, my running shoes! Now why did my high heels manage to escape the crash? As I stoop to unearth the drawer, a lone final running shoe jumps from its place on the shelf and hits me square on the back of the head.

I have to say, I was furious! "What is with all the passive aggressive attacks? Look running gear, if you have something to say, SAY IT! Oh sure you're quite now, waiting to trip me again? That's it, I'm never running again!"

I stormed out of my closet and slammed the door...completely aware that I am officially a crazy person. I realize this is ridiculous and that I am battling my own resistance to starting on a new training plan. I know this, and yet I swear I hear "Every step you take...every move you make..."echoing from the closet.
 

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com

Cry me a river

As with all new sports I try, I spend a great deal of the time scared of it.  My 1st raft trip was no different. Incredibly, after growing up in Northern New Mexico and having returned here as an adult, I never went white water rafting. I never saw the point. I can enjoy the beauty of the river from the bank without freezing cold water being splashed in my face or the white knuckle zeal of ramming into rocks totally out of control!

But alas, I married an out door, sports enthusiast. I decided to suck it up and see what all the fuss was about and joined New Mexico River Adventures for my 1st ride down the rapids. The company (who is guest blogging below), was professional, friendly and focused on a fun safe ride. Immediately I felt I was in capable hands and my neck slowly grew out of a lump of stress...which some people call shoulders. The guides moved the raft with skill and ease and were a wealth of information on the flora, fauna and history of the area. Even with a dip in the cool water, I found the thrill much more manageable, dare I say even intoxicating, than the horror I had pictured and found myself excitedly planning the next trip before I was even out of the boat! If you haven't been rafting before, it is a must.

Come Memorial Day weekend, we will have a 3 day float trip down the Chama. What makes this more amazing than any other kind of trip is that we will be accompanied by Chef Ky of "Lambert's Taos" fame. These extravagant wine dinners (uh did you think I would go somewhere without wine?!) are laid out on white linens and are complete with china and beautiful glassware. This is not the camping or rafting I grew up with!

Read on for a little write up from New Mexico River Adventures...the only raft company that wines and dines you.
-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.vivacwinery.com

Rivers and Wine

  Yes, it might seem like an unlikely pair until you've traveled to the beautiful Lower Rio Grande Gorge and enjoyed both.  We are lucky enough to live in a part of the country that offers world class options for both.  The wine making industry in this area, 1 hour north of Santa Fe and 20 min. south of Taos, is flourishing and the canyons containing the Rio Grande and Rio Chama are some of the most beautiful and exciting in the country.  There are a large variety of things to do during your trip to Northern New Mexico, but the combination of a whitewater river rafting trip rewarded with an afternoon of wine tasting at Vivac Winery should be at the top of the list.
  Just a short drive from Santa Fe or Taos takes you to the New Mexico River Adventures Headquarters where your river adventure begins.  The Rio Grande offers trips for all ages and levels of excitement.  The most popular trips on the Rio Grande are the Racecourse and the Taos Box.  The Racecourse section is the perfect trip for first timers or those whitewater enthusiasts who only have a limited amount of time available. It is class II-III(IV at high water) and a great choice for everyone.  The Racecourse trip is also run as a full day trip by adding a placid morning float through one of the most scenic parts of the canyon with great opportunities to see a variety of wildlife including mule deer, river otter, beaver and many different birds of prey.
  The famous Taos Box river trip is truly one of the greatest single day rafting trips in the country.  Nowhere else can you find the same quality whitewater in such a remote and pristine canyon with incredible wildlife viewing opportunities. The "Box" flows through the heart of the Rio Grande Gorge some 800 feet deep. After a superb riverside lunch prepared by the guides,  the rafts continue into one of the most remote portions of the canyon.  In the final five miles of this Taos box rafting trip, the gradient increases and the rapids become more intense and come in much quicker succession. Brace yourself in and paddle hard through these steep and visually stunning rapids! You are almost guaranteed to spot Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep leaping across boulders below the cliffs or enjoying a drink from the river as well as river otter and a large variety of birds of prey as you float through this spectacular canyon.  Whichever trip you choose, you're sure to be rewarded with a highlight of your trip to Northern New Mexico.  
www.NewMexicoRiverAdventures.com

Inspiration

The curious thing about inspiration is that you don't know where it will come from; a stream of consciousness post on Facebook or even a quick quip, a celebrity giving back in an extraordinary way or the kindness of a stranger. The pure poetry of nature...a gentle snow fall while sunlight strikes each snowflake magically turning the landscape to diamonds or the fleeting moment of a beautiful bird perched just outside the window can move you. For each of us, it is different, for each time of your life it will be different.

As I reach the mythical 7 year cycle, and my birthday that takes me to the year 35, I find that I am introspective. I am now officially not a kid, in fact I am approaching 40! Questions flood my head, 'what do I value?', 'am I the person I want to be?'. I thought for sure I would have run a second Marathon by now and instead I find running a daunting task. How is it that it is still so hard to motor my legs down the road? Why do my lungs burn and my mind scream in horror as I try to run a once easy trail? It isn't fair! I want it to be easy!

Then, completely out of the blue, my 6 year old son decided he wanted to run on our treadmill. I'm not sure if it was the countless races we have drug him to that sparked his curiosity or the countless stroller rides we subjected him to as we ran training runs, but I too remember a time when I thought the ghastly beast called a treadmill was friendly.

As his little body transitioned from the long, slightly awkward limbs into languid, graceful strides, it occurred to me that I was watching something extraordinary, something inspiring. The treadmill garnered more and more speed and he relished the idea of running faster and faster, unyielding to our pleas to take it easy. Finally at 3 1/2 miles, we coaxed him to stop. He beamed up at us and announced "I think I will do this a couple times a week...you know, to blow off steam.". Not bad for his 1st real run!

I realized that I too had once enjoyed running, as a child we all did. When did it become a chore? I replayed the images of his stride lengthening, stretching out, allowing him to feel free and uninhibited. Suddenly I was struck with the power of not taking it so seriously, using running to "blow off stream". Embracing running for the gift that it is, the time and space to have as your own and let your body move. As is the incredible gift of a child's clarity, my son's actions and enthusiasm spoke to me. Maybe, just maybe, this isn't hard. Maybe, just maybe, it is my thinking about it that is making running so hard.

Now, I'm not going to lie, climbing back on the beast after a long break is not easy, but the reward was the feeling of moving again. My knees moaned a bit and it took several minutes to easy into my stride, but I had silence finally from my constant over working mind. No more lists and reminders, no more bad self talk, just my body moving.

As I finished my run, my charming boy greeted me with the echo of my own words to him "I'm proud of you." and you know what? I am proud of me too.

Now where is that glass of wine I've earned?

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.vivacwinery.com

Too. Much. Fuel.

With New Year's Day only a breath behind us, I promptly boarded a plane to Vegas. And yes I did vow just as all of you did to drink less and exercise more, eat better and get more sleep, so doesn't it make sense that I should start the year off with a Ladies trip to Vegas? Of course!

The entire time I was in Vegas, my running shoes never escaped the binds of my suitcase, but hey points for packing them right? My eating habits turned to the most indulgent of pleasures and my drinking? Well...they give you free champagne all over the city! What is a girl to do? Needless to say, on the plane ride home, I sat... half drunk, half hungover (a terrible combination) and I realized just how terribly I did with my new resolutions, in fact it was as if I had stood before the mighty New Year's God and announced my resolutions, then went hysterically laughing, naked and crazy down the street in the other direction. Thank goodness that is not a metaphor for what actually did happen in Vegas...no naked running down the street.

Once back at home, I decided that I needed to be a little less "Fueled by Vivac" and started a cleanse. I dutifully did my research seeking a good cleanse...on Facebook, and determined my own "Vegas detox". Honestly I live in the middle of no where and since I was gone for 3 days, there was literally no groceries in the house so it limited my possibilities. Lemon and water became my tonic and I struggled to add veggies and fruit. I cut out caffeine, alcohol (cue gasps of horror), wheat (which I do anyway, but should still get credit for), refined sugar and dairy. By day 2 I needed to have a hard boiled egg in addition to this crazy diet. Day 3 I forgot I wasn't eating cheese and by that evening had the DT's and broke down to have a glass of wine. A glass of the most divine, luscious, nectar ...Vivac Tempranillo. So evidently I do a cleanse a bit like I handle my resolutions.

However, I haven't failed miserably at it all. I learned to scale my "laws of the new year" and  have decided total restriction isn't the answer, but portion control is. A good night sleep naturally means less caffeine needed the next day and while we have become a crazed running family over the last couple years, ANY exercise is better than none. And finally, but most importantly...if you start drinking at lunch, you can consume your necessary, daily 4 glasses of wine without ever feeling the ill effects!

So I leave you to ponder your New Year's Resolutions, ask if you can really keep up with the demands you have set for yourself. I recommend you do this over a glass of wine...we don't want to jump into anything too quickly, it is only mid January after all and resolutions don't truly start till February 1st...right?

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com