Favorite Brew (and Friends!)

WOWZERS.

Sometimes I fail to realize that we are in our 40's.  How the heck did that happen??

Well friends ~ a little secret.  You too can have a fun, healthy life in your 40's!

Today I joined 9 other friends (including hubs) on a 44 mile run across Kansas.  Oh holy hell, yes you read that correctly... 44 miles!!  We each had a "leg" and the theme was Brew to Brew (we ran from Boulevard Brewery in Kansas City to Free State Brewery in Lawrence).  And yes, we did go to Lawrence... unfortunately.  Even we can bite our tongues for a few hours.

I couldn't be any more proud of my Eagle Creek friends and hubs!  We covered 44 miles in 8 hours, 8 minutes, averaging an 11.3 minute mile (with two rookies, hubs who trained for a month and some of us coming out of retirement!)  We rocked it!

It wouldn't have been possible for hubs without a HUGE shout out to his surgeon, Dr. Cicc.  298 post spinal fusion days he totally rocked a 5.3 mile leg of the course.  WAY TO GO, DAVIS!

We all met at our friend Costello's house at 5:30 am to start packing up the SAV (sweet ass van).  A 7 passenger mini-van that sat 10 for our glorious event.  Yes, it's possible... somehow.

Lucky for me, I drew the 9th leg of the day.  So breakfast (post coffee) consisted of some fantastic Boulevard Wheat!  Davis and I donned tees of our favorite hops, Miller Lite.

We all awaited our first runner anxiously, JP!  She was totally geared up and ready to lead us into the fun!  Up next was TD making his racing debut!

So proud of his effort!  We met him at his finish with a cold Miller Lite.  Yep, I'd say he earned it!

Up third was McNutt, our serious runner with many marathons under her belt.  She took our longest leg but I'm pretty certain her expertise might have been better suited on a few different legs :).  Up after her was the awesomely funny Costello.  With zero training, he busted out the FASTEST 2 mile run leg with an 8 minute first mile!  Wow!!

Drunk #1 was up next, setting some serious pace for the rest of us!  A seasoned runner, she crushed an almost 5 mile leg.  We almost missed her at the pickup!  Next up was A with his adult racing debut.  He cranked out an unbelievable 3.3 mile run with nothing but SEVERE hills!  He gets extra credit for that mess!

Moving right along, Drunk #2 picked up a great leg finishing as fast as her sister!  CC brought up the 8th leg and by now the temperature has soared to high 80's with a BEATING sun!

Leg 9 was me.. I don't know what I was thinking taking that leg.  Hills the size of the Mamba.  And not just one... as many as it took to get my 4.2 miles in.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to feel the after affects for awhile!  The last leg was run by our fearless Captain, Phillips.  Yep, he cranked through it so fast I barely made it back to meet him in time for his finish!  

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get Parks 10 pic... by the time I saw him I didn't have my phone to take his pic (plus I was a sweaty mess!)

After we completed our race, we all moved into Lincoln Hall for more beer and dinner.  By then, we were all pretty spent and ready to get back on the road to KC (plus I was afraid I would get some kU funk on me the longer we stayed!)

Davis and I had such a great time.  I feel so blessed to have a body that allows me to exercise and be physically fit.  Not to mention all the fun I always have with my friends!

Happy Sunday, friends!

Jen

Bean Buddies

My friend CC and I are running today ~ first run of 2012!  The 2012 Battle of the Bean - Coffee versus Cocoa.  How fun is that?  Race chotchkees includes a mug and the long sleeved shirts are SUPER cute!  Thank god, we're gonna need 'em.  We must have picked THE coldest damn day of the winter thus far to be out running!!

Last year at this time I started my marathon training.  I loved running in the cold.  Well, let me clarify a tad bit:  36 to 48 degrees seemed to be my perfect running weather.  I could handle down to about 28 as long as the sun was shining on my face.  Anything lower and it takes a bit of a toll on my joints.

My most memorable run last winter had to be in February.  The actual temp wasn't too bad if I recall - maybe around 22?  My friend Nutt and I had a 10 mile run that Saturday morning, which caused us to need to get an early start.  We met at 6:00 am at our corner to begin our trek.

What we didn't realize until we stepped out was that during the night, a nice slow rain occurred putting a beautifully glassed layer of thin ice on the pavement.  Hmmm.  This might cause a bit of a challenge.

We took out (as all good runners know, the weather does NOT preclude you from getting in your miles!) and quickly realized our run was going to turn into a bit of an acrobatic routine.  Each single, solitary step had to be taken with light grace and forward motion.  No push offs.  That just wasn't in the cards unless we wanted to face plant.

We made it all the way to one of our turnarounds, mile 4, and stopped to regroup.  This was impossible.  We were most certainly faced with a sprain or break if we kept on much longer.  Our inner thighs were burning (not to mention arches) from trying to augment our steps so we wouldn't fall.  It was the first (and only time) we made the decision to quit moving forward and turn and run home. 

As we rounded a pretty sharp corner on a narrow two lane road we watched a minivan coming towards us, spinning out of control.  Stupid soccer mom.  Don't you realize you have no WEIGHT in that thing!  We both jumped off the road and onto the shoulder for safety.  Although she was across the street from us, we didn't want to take the chance.

We head back home and arrived unscathed.  Our 10 mile run turned into an 8 but we were so thankful to be off the road we didn't care.  Oh the things you will do to get in your miles.

Today's run will be much shorter, just a little 5k, but I'm excited to get back out there.  I do love running and how it makes me feel.  Mostly I appreciate how strong I feel when I'm finished!

So we're off ~ wish us luck!  The temp is 16 with a windchill of 6.  We must be nuts.  Of course, the run is called Battle of the Bean, of which we are both coffee drinkers.  I see a GIANT latte in my near future!

BITE ME!

Grrrrind.  Ugh.  I awoke again this morning with the tightest jaw ever.  

I was diagnosed with TMJ when I was 14 years old.  My dad was with me at the doctor when they told us this news.  He knew it would be something like this evidenced by the fact our dentist had been telling him for years that I grind my teeth.  My molars are SUUUUPER smooth!  

It doesn't help that for whatever reason God deemed necessary, I was born without second molars or wisdom teeth.  So I'm down 8 teeth to some. The big ones.  The ones that take the brunt back there.

I tried everything back then.  My dad even sent me to an acupuncturist when I was 16 because of my severe migraines.  Ultrasound, heat, ice, nightguards... we tried it all.  Nothing helped.

It wasn't until I grabbed control of my stress level that it finally ceased.

I find myself here again.  It comes and goes in the oddest moments.  Sometimes I'll go for over a year without experiencing it and then BAM!  It's back.  Ouchie.

I even did Yoga last night trying to calm myself before sleep.  My friend in exercise hell (CC) will be happy to note that Tony Horton removed many of the Oooms that we experienced in P90x but I sat quietly afterwards and ooomed away until I felt totally calm.  I was instantly asleep when my head hit the pillow.  5:30 am - BAM.  Massive headache, tight jaw and serious pain.  Oh... and my teeth hurt.  Grind.

So I've got some things to work out.   Need to remove a bit of this pressure somehow.  I'm not living on migraine medicine (or Advil, for that matter).  I will be CALM!  (It doesn't help that my neck and shoulders are in AGONY from a zillion pull / chin ups this weekend!)