Deadman Walking

My running shoes came out of hiding!

No, I still didn't run. I am still working on my adrenals and while I am feeling MUCH better and starting to have better energy levels, I continue to feel very taxed. BUT I did put my running shoes on and go for a hike. Baby steps right?

On the flip side of the coin is my brother-in-law who is currently on his taper preparing for another  Marathon.  I think this is his millionth Marathon. OK maybe not his millionth, but I have lost count he has run so many. It is amazing to me how easy it looks for some people to run these distances. I know it isn't easy, my brother-in-law works hard at it, but man it sure looks effortless. I find training to run the 26.2 miles daunting and while I have completed one full Marathon, somehow when you are surrounded by Marathon runners, it seems weak to have only done one.

I know I am going to be able to get the hang of this. I want to be one of those runners that other people look at and say "why is it so easy for her?". I want to be able to go for a run and not complain.

Later today I meet with the race director for Deadman's Ultra (one of the races our winery sponsors). The same race that was my husband's 1st Ultra...and for those of you that aren't familiar with what an Ultra is, it is any distance ABOVE 26.2. Deadman is 53 miles. Off road. Brutal. When you talk to people that are Ultra Runners, your appreciation of running goes through the roof. Here I can hardly get my butt out the door for a short run and these people run for...well forever. The race director is currently training for a 100 miler. Yep, 100 MILES! She is amazing. She is also the race director for the Cedro Peak Ultras (which we also sponsor) which includes what she calls a "baby ultra" 45K (28 miles). She is not so subtly coercing me into running that race next spring.

OK so now you guys are saying 'what the hell? She isn't running at all, she opened this blog complaining about the Marathon distance and now the psycho is saying she is thinking about an Ultra?' I am aware that sounds crazy and no I'm not drunk, but I realize as I write this, that I seem to only get my act together when I am scared to death. And what better way to scare the you-know-what out of yourself than sign up for a brutal off road "baby ultra"?

Wow, just thinking about that makes me thirsty, who wants to go grab a drink and be scared with me?

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

For Sickness and Health

Wouldn't you know it, just as I was gearing up to finally hit the road again...I caught a horrible cold. Some say exercise actually helps you to avoid sickness, but I have never heard that from a Doctor so I can't really trust that. Some say 'two glasses of wine a day keeps the Doctor away' and while I am sure that has never been uttered by a medical professional, it is a proverb from Spain and should be taken seriously since it is ancient advice...something along the line of needing to trust your elders on this one. And so as the cold took root in my bones, I did NOT exercise, but I did drink wine. I did not get better. In fact, I got worse. However, I'm sure it was not the fault of the wine, wine is my friend.

Day 3 of this nasty beast living inside me and I am finally exorcising it out. I realize I should finally combat this cold with actual running...not the imaginary running I am doing in my head, you know planning your outfit and route but never acting on it? But instead I think I will have Rosé with my lunch today, after all, I don't want to be disrespectful to our elders.

To tell you the truth, I am scared. I am scared to start running again after taking so much time off. I am scared that my legs have atrophied, my lungs are going to stick together and my head will pound in the unrelenting chant 'you can't do this, you can't do this...' and I will be starting from square one. As you can imagine, this kind of thinking keeps my running shoes in the closet pretty easily. Yet I know that I CAN do it, that it doesn't matter if I am starting at square one because I know that I have it in me to accomplish a difficult goal and press on when things gets hard. I've done it before.

Here is the thing, running is the wringing out of your insecurities and pushing you when you think you have nothing left. Each and every one of us deserve to have that revelation. I obviously need that lesson again.

So raise a glass in cheers to our elders, for they knew that exercise and wine was good for you long long ago.

(This blog was brought to you by the ever so delicious Rosé of Dolcetto that Vivac Winery makes so well.)

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