31 is just a number.......

..... of miles I ran for my 31st birthday. Conrad was out of town, so I was on my own to make all the crazy plans I wanted. Before my stress fracture I had been planning on running the 50/50 race in Reno. I had been planning on the 50 mile version, but post injury I settled on the 50 kilometer version. The 50k runs up and over Peavine Mountain with 5800 feet of climbing.  The race is put on by the local running group, and the best part is that I can walk to the race start from my house.  The race started with a water crossing (they are flooding the dog park at Rancho again) and there was no way to keep my feet dry. I was stoked that quickly my new Avia Avi Stoltz felt dry. I was even more impressed that at the end of 50k with all that climbing and descending my feet felt great. I brought the camera along on the run, but didn't take as many pictures as I had at previous events. I'd been on nearly every trail on the east side of Peavine on both bike and foot over the past 6 years, and nothing exciting happened to capture on film. The mountain is in full spring bloom with wildflowers dotting the hillsides. I got slightly lost twice and probably ran an extra half mile total, but other than that the race went great. A lot of people started off hard, and I passed most of them on the climb up Peavine. It is 13 miles of climbing to get there, and then we went straight down the other side. As I was running down I was thinking about the long climb back up. Strangely my legs felt really good. I've only been back running for about a month, and I had a non existent taper week that included a 2 hour run and a 5 hour ride in the two days leading up to the event. I felt a little fatigued starting the day, but the longer I ran the better I felt...... until the last 2 or so miles. The last little bit is all down hill and by then the sun was baking down. I ended up finishing in a respectable 5:15 and 3rd female overall. Not bad for not really training. I did a post run ice back at the finish and headed home for some serious napping. Naps are the best. I don't know why I didn't enjoy napping as a kid because it sure is a treat now. 


The long climb back up Peavine. No one in my rear view mirror. :)

This is why I shouldn't take picture while running. 

Nothing may ever get done in our house again. On a cold and windy day Conrad took me for my first real ride on the pedal-less bike. My last ride was after work as the sun went down. 3ish hours and a couple of bruises later and we were back. So much fun and so demanding. Of course I had Conrad the mutant to follow as an example. It was kind of like trying to keep up with him while mountain biking, running, swimming, or well just about anything (except for snow sports). 

I remember our first mountain bike ride together down the MacKenzie River Trail. I was trying to keep up, or rather was just trying not to look too pathetic. I came across a real technical section with a big root and lava rocks and instead of getting off and walking (I didn't want to get left behind) I decided to ride it. Bad decision. I'm not sure of the specifics of the crash, but my knee went into the lava and didn't work so well for the rest of the ride (this was at the beginning of the day). A couple of turns later near a spectacular waterfall I found Conrad waiting for me. Damn, so much for looking cool.

 Anyhow, riding motorbikes with Conrad reminded me of that first mountain bike ride. I blindly follow without questioning if I really should be following. Anything involving 2 wheels comes easy to Conrad, and I should have known better. With my heart thumping in my chest I followed. 

The end of the ride.... wheew, I made it home in one piece. At the end I had a big smile and sore arms and legs.
This uphill thing is great. Just give it gas and it goes.
Scary steep downhill...  Conrad was nice enough to send everyone we know this picture with the caption "everyone has their limits". 

Xterra Vegas

I was really unsure how I'd feel going to the first Xterra of the season and not be participating. As we packed up in Reno, Conrad noticed that I packed up my road bike and left the mountain bike behind. Now there was no way I could be talked into racing. I've only done a handful of runs since the stress fracture and my heart just wasn't into this race. Friday I went on a road ride through Lake Mead area and was pleasantly surprised. Quiet freshly paved roads with a huge shoulder. I wish I had another day in the area to explore.

It's really a treat to see the desert this green. I've only been able to see a couple cactus in bloom.

Red sandstone cliffs surrounded sections of the road. 

It was rolling hills the entire way.

I almost started crying when I finally got to the store after running out of water 20 head wind filled miles earlier. 

Conrad on the bike

"I fell over there"

Conrad had some fond memories of his first borrowed bike.

Christine Jeffries leading the men out of the water.

It was a great race for spectating as both the bike and run were 2 loops. The crowd got to see Conrad and Josiah charge out for their second loop of the run stride for stride. In the end I never felt, even once, the urge to be out there racing. It was much more fun to talk to long lost friends and watch them duel it out in the hot Las Vegas sun.