The Wall

It is Monday and just getting out of bed feels like a marathon. Maybe I have hit "The Wall".

"The Wall" a term most people are familiar with even if they are NOT runners, is a term most runners fear. My fear around it comes with the complete melt down at my half marathon. The training was tough and haphazard due to injury, but I finished the race...then proceeded to be sicker than ever in my life. I decided that perhaps running is not good for my body. With time I began to train again, like a child, distraction had completely erased the details of the event (or my massive consumption of wine had killed those brain cells). This time as I approached the 12 miles and the cursed 13, my gall bladder gave out and I had to have surgery. Recovery took much longer than expected and once on my feet again, I found I was determined to train AGAIN. What can I say, my husband was/ is sneaking me crazy pills. As training picked up, I again faltered at 12 miles and the ugly 13 miler won. Jesse continued to train and ran another Marathon with Chris. It was obvious that "The Wall" for me was mile 13.

Friday, I ran 14 miles. As Jesse and I ran past mile 13, Jess said "look, there was no big brick wall there" and he is right, I ran past mile 13 without my legs disintegrating under me or my heart exploding in my chest.

I have tender feet and heavy exhausted legs. Monday morning means a new week and a looming 16 mile run. Today I somehow have to will myself onto the treadmill for a 7 miler. They say that "The Wall" is as much mental as it is physical, so what keeps you running when all you want to do is stop? What gets you out of bed on Monday morning when all you want to do is sleep?

I will ponder this while I put up my feet and have another cup of coffee...or...is it too early to have a glass of wine?

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!

www.VivacWinery.com

Cheater?

Jesse has started running with a new partner and she is all he talks about. He actually spent most of Christmas day setting up for their first run together.  After only a few runs with her, it is all Jesse wants to talk about, she is so smart, so interesting, she keeps him on pace or challenges him if he wants. She knows all kinds of information about where they are running and his body. It is a little ridiculous and his obsession may be a cause for alarm.

I finally ran with them for our 12 mile run last week. Sure she is interesting, but Jesse spent most of the run talking to her, not me. Then out of no where she told me to speed up! Not cool, not cool at all, even if you are only a watch.

Yes, yes, my husband's new love affair is with his new Garmin Forerunner running watch. It is more of a computer than a watch which is how she knows SO much. If you are in the market for a personal trainer, skip it and buy the watch. Jesse recommends the 310 rather than the 400 series, easier to use and lighter. However if you are thinking of it as a gift for your spouse, I would encourage you to think twice. Do you really want to be replaced?

*An up-date on Chris, due to lack of additional runs, he felt he was not in shape enough for the half marathon in Mexico on New Years Day. He wanted to knock it out of the park if he did a half and at this point, surrounded by family, sitting in the warm sun, drinking a cold beer seemed like a better choice. We couldn't agree more...except we would ask that it be replaced with a chilled glass of wine.

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!

www.VivacWinery.com

Hello Hell, I'm here!

Icey wind blows hard into my bare face making my lips too numb to speak. The head wind is so strong that when it eases up slightly, I almost fall. The incline of the road is steep enough to give drivers hesitation and my thighs burn in agreement. Another car whips past throwing road salt at my body, I cover my face with my arm. Menstrual cramps throb through to my back and hips while stomach cramps scream "why did you have 2 cups of coffee?". This is not Hell, but it feels like it. No this is my 11 mile run.

I finally earned the statement "she has some grit" from a beaming Jesse once back at the warm house stretching. It is amazing how happy my pain seems to have made him. Oddly enough, I feel a little better about running 26.2 miles in Napa after this run!

Needless to say, we didn't run on Christmas day. Something about waking up at 5:30am to screams of "Santa came!" followed my mimosas at 8:30am keeps you from strapping on the pavement pounders (that would be code for my running shoes, my feet hurt so much all the time these days).

This week Jesse has amazingly gotten up to run at 6am to repeat the "Hell Run" several times, perhaps inspired by his new running watch. This magic Christmas gift is a computer you strap to your arm and can do just about anything, except give you mouth to mouth if you have a heart attack! Jess has been so excited about it, he even forgot his ipod for one of the runs; this is love so strong, I might have to get jealous.

The increase in weekly mileage isn't missed, the fatigue and self doubt is strong. I have to remember why I am doing this. Wait...why AM I doing this?!

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!

www.VivacWinery.com

Jingle knees, jingle knees, jingle all the way!

 Ahh the gift of giving...seems this Holiday Season, Jesse gave HIS aching knees to me! Jesse has recovered beautifully from his injuries and is back on the road running. I however seem to be gaining knee issues with my increase of mileage. Anyone else battling the knees?

We hit a hard going, fast 4 miles on Sunday which seems to have inflamed my IT band, not fun. I admit, I drank a bit too much the night before (but our newly bottled Divino red wine blend was too much for me to stay out of) and the entire run hurt. The vigorous effort gave me runner's tummy too. I am so lucky this year with all these "gifts"!

Today I reluctantly climbed aboard my old clanking treadmill to run the necessary 6 miles. As I started, I thought how much I admired Jesse for getting up in the dark to run his 6 miles this morning, it must have been freezing! My knees burned and I took several walking minutes. I struggled out 55 mins, unable to make the 65 mins I needed. Feeling drained, extremely fatigued and soaking in sweat, I asked myself if I could actually continue training. Do I really have what it takes? What do I do about my knees? I limped to my running log and saw, low and behold I was only suppose to do 5 miles today and the 55mins was GREAT! Instantly my mood lightened and while my knees continue to tingle (not in a good way), I felt perhaps it wasn't the end of the world. I am also really sorry I told Jess he had to run 6...in the dark, freezing cold. Oops, sorry babe!

Chris got a run in the other day. He ran a grueling 40 mins up the arroyo. For those of you who are not familiar, an arroyo is a sandy riverbed that in best of conditions is, well, sandy. In the worst conditions it is REALLY sandy or muddy. I personally would rather hug a cactus then run up the arroyo.

Chris has a son Maddox and a baby daughter Chablis which makes sneaking in runs difficult to say the least. Luckily Chris has the "gift" of running on his side, he is one of those people that can hit the road after not running for months, and then run 10 or even 15 miles no problem! It is wild. He also has the gift of an understanding wife, Liliana, who balances everything while Chris repeatedly trains for races.

Chris will run the half marathon in Mexico on New Year's Day 2012, I don't think any of us envy the pain that will rack his head that day after a celebration the night before, but what a great way to kick off the New Year!

So as I ice my knees and open a chilled bottle of our Rosé of Dolcetto, I ask, what are you hoping to find under the tree this year? I hope to find my resolve...and the commitment to only drink on days I already ran, not the night before!

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!

www.VivacWinery.com

Holiday indulgence

With the holidays fast approaching, it seems even harder to hit the road running, but easier to over indulge! Any tips on keeping running ready through this time of the year?

Jesse and I (Michele) are preparing for a marathon in Napa Valley CA in March 2012, it will be my 1st. Jess has completed 2 with his brother Chris, the Valles Caldera in Los Alamos NM and the Duke City ABQ NM. Chris actually ran the Duke City twice now and ran the Grand Canyon Marathon only a couple of weeks later, making his total 4 marathons. He is looking forward to running his first half marathon in Aguascalientes Mexico when he, Lili and the kids are visiting her family this winter.

Jesse and I ran our 1st half marathon a couple years ago in Denver CO. Since then I have trained repeatedly for a marathon and not even made it to the start line. Sickness, injury and self doubt has plagued my running. I feel great now though and am excited about Napa! I love Napa.

I worry a little about Jesse. He broke a rib making wine, then ran hard at Duke City for a PR only to come out of it with shin splints. 3 weeks later he attempted running the Grand Canyon Marathon with Chris. At this time Jess also had a bad cold on top of his injuries. He made it 15 miles. Training now  has been slow for him due to the major amount of strain his body had to endure. Currently he is cross training and slowly building up mileage again. I have to admit I love having him ride his bike next to me as I run long runs, encouraging me, I feel like "Rocky" or that kid in Africa that runs crazy mileage.

Tonight Jesse and Chris treat the winery staff to a home made holiday meal (made by them and yes they are amazing cooks) where the guys spend the night waiting on all of us. The wines they pull from the private library are always spectacular. Last year we had a vertical line up of some of the first Cabernet Sauvignons they ever made, it was mind blowing that 10 years later, they were not just holding up, but gorgeous! The guys were kids when they made them!

After a night of dynamite food and wine pairing, we have to run 10 miles tomorrow. I am already dreading it. Where is the Advil and Vitamin Water?


-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family, now go for a run!

www.VivacWinery.com

New Wine/ Running Blog! "Fueled by Vivac"

It seems everyone out there has a blog about wine, but what sets us apart is that we are runners! Sure you will still hear about wine and our winery here, but the focus is shifting to talk about the training we undergo for running marathons. This is a trials and tribulations of our families and our journey to get PRs or simply get out the door for a short run when the kids are screaming. We hope you will give us feed back, recommendations or just share your stories!

So as blog 1, lets do a little introduction. We own, operate and started our boutique winery (Vivác Winery) in 1998 in Dixon New Mexico. "We" are Chris and wife Liliana along with Jesse and wife Michele (that's me). Chris and Lili have 2 kids (boy:Maddox 4yrs, girl:Chablis almost 1 yr). Jesse and I have 1 child (boy:Denim 5yrs). All 4 of us run the winery and we hope the kids will want to be a part of it some day too!

We have all enjoyed sports of various sorts growing up, but started running as adults a couple years ago. The balance between work, family and weather seem to be too much some days, but we continue to battle forward. Each night we open a bottle of wine (or 2!) and feel the strain subside. The next morning, a little hung over, we strap on the running shoes and hit the road in shirts that read "Fueled by Vivac".

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family, now go for a run!

www.VivacWinery.com

What is M.L. and why is it my wine?

M.L. is short for a process called Malolactic Fermentation and is not, in-fact, a fermentation at all. In this process malic acid is eaten by bacteria and converted to lactic acid. Lactic acid is the main acid found in dairy products and lends a creamier flavor and mouthfeel to the wine. Descriptors such as buttery and creamy are tell tale signs that a wine has undergone malolactic fermentation. Another byproduct of the the process is CO2, which is why people incorrectly called it a ‘fermentation,’ and the name just stuck. The process also makes a wine more complex. Before M.L.F. a wine has up to 8,000 chemical compounds that make up its bouquet, afterward it has about 10,000. -Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!