Hey March - See ya next year!!!

What a month it was. Sheesh! Even though it started off horrifically, a lot of good did come out of the month. I've tackled a lot of issues over the last few weeks. Mentally, I feel a lot stronger than I have in a long time. Four more days of treatment left. My head should be good and full of tools to help me move along a little better in the days/months/years ahead.

Boomer and I went to Garin on Monday afternoon with Christy for a four mile trail run. She had not been there since our Thanksgiving day hike so I think she enjoyed running out there for a change.

Do you like Christy's new hat decor? There was a lot of these little guys on the trails that day. We did our best to get them out of the MIDDLE of the trail. I was afraid someone would not see them and they would get stepped on. They are so cute!

I was planning on running with Lori tonight but she wasn't going to be available until 6:15. I knew the cold rain was going to come in so I told her I was going to go ahead and run at 4:30. Boomer and I ran along the Alameda Creek Trail and through Quarry Lakes on the return trip. We ran six miles, averaging 9:46/mile. When I was walking back to my car, the first rain drop hit my face. I got home at 6:00 and the rain was coming down pretty hard. It would have been nice to have some time with Lori but I was happy to be able to get a run in, regardless. She is off all next week so we will definitely get some time to run together.

Spring is definitely here!

"MED2010" Accountability:

03/29 - 4 mile run

03/30 - "24SET" class at the gym

03/31 - 6 mile run

How did March total up? Not impressive but not terrible, considering....

Walking: 37.5 miles

Hiking: 7 miles

Running: 41.5 miles

Biking: 29 miles

4 classes at the gym

Thanks for reading. Thanks for caring. Thanks for your continued support. ;)

Until later.............

One more week down

And ONE MORE WEEK to go! I "graduate" from my seven day, 40 hour/week intensive treatment program on Easter Sunday. In my opinion, that's a great day for an important transition in life to take place. Beginning April 5th I will begin a 12-week program that is three days a week for 1.5 hours a day. (singing)



I have been completely exhausted by the time I sit down in the evening after everything is done. I know, I must sound like a broken record when I say this but it's true. Luckily I have great friends and I set up dates for exercise after treatment during the week. If I didn't, I would probably come home and never get back out again.



Monday I ran with Christy. She ran a trail half marathon on Saturday so we just did a little 4-miler along the Alameda Creek Trail. We took it nice and slow and had GREAT conversation along the way. I had a headache when we started, actually considered canceling, but felt awesome when we were done!


On Tuesday I met Kristi for a bike ride. Her schedule called for a 45 minute easy ride. We met at the Isherwood staging area and pedaled out toward the bay. Oooooh, it was windy out there. Yes, it was nice having a tail wind on the return trip. Last time I rode with Kristi we rode down Niles Canyon and back so we were single file the entire ride. This ride was nice because we could actually ride side by side and chat the whole time. Someone on Facebook said I look like a pink power ranger in this picture so I decided to post it. ;)

Then on Thursday, sweet Theresa drove down to Garin and met Boomer and I for a very nice trail run. We climbed some good hills and I was able to show her some of my favorite single track trails.

Theresa got cow crap on her leg. The "rock" she thought she stepped on? It went SQUISH as she stepped on it. Oopsie! LOL If you enlarge this picture, you can see Boomer running up the hill behind her. Super cute!!

She was brave enough to climb in this tree for a photo.

I am feeling better each and every day I wake up. I am getting what I need from this program and it is a blessing I am able to attend it. I'm very grateful I have friends in my life that are so supportive and willing to listen to me and give me encouragement. My little family is being extremely patient while I am busy doing all the work I need to get better. Even after this next week is done and I transition to the next level of care, I will still have to continue the work. I'm just really happy to be alive today and I look at every day as a gift given to me by God!

"MED2010" Accountability:

03/22 - 4 mile run

03/23 - 14 mile bike ride, "24SET" class

03/24 - 1.5 mile walk

03/25 - 5 mile trail run, "24SET" class

03/26 - 3 mile walk

03/27 - 2 mile walk

03/28 - 1.5 mile walk

Until later.............

How many is too many?

PICTURES, THAT IS!!!

I just don't have the mental energy to "write" too much tonight but I really want to post photos and activities from the past (nearly) week. So, with few words but lots of pictures, here goes:

If you could, what caption would you put for Boomer here?

On the 17th, I finally got to meet Marci (Ramblings of a Running Addict) from Canada. We met at Pleasanton Ridge in Pleasanton. Here she is on her "first California trail run." It was great to meet her and talk to her but I wish we could have had all day. Unfortunately, we ran out of daylight and our hike/run was shorter than we had hoped. Next time Marci, next time! I took a ton of pictures for her but am posting some and sending all of them to her to do what she wants with them.

The next day, I ran with Christy at Don Edward's Regional Park. I've run at Coyote Hills plenty of times but this park is on the other side of Hwy 84. It was nice to see some new trails, hard to believe I've never ran over there. It was very hot that day (82 degrees) so we only ran 3 miles. It was a great run and provided the sweat I needed. Dogs have to be on leash so I actually left the boy at home that day. I can't tell you the last time I ran without him.

Today I was in a funk. The further I get into treatment (I go seven days a week), the more I find I am struggling with a lot of feelings. Some days are good and some are not so good. I can't hide (bury) my feelings and "get better" at the same time so I must make myself "feel" the feelings and deal with them in a healthy way. GAH! It's tough for me to do.

I finally decided I needed to get outside so Boomer and I picked up Bella and went for a 4.5 mile run at Garin this afternoon. I MADE myself run up hills I would normally hike up. I'm alive today for a reason and running up a hill isn't going to be what kills me! Seriously, it isn't. It was a beautiful day, the park was packed with people hiking and having picnics. I am definitely not used to seeing so many people there. On a good day, I may see eight people while I'm out there during the week or early mornings.

One final photo that makes me smile and hopefully will leave you laughing. For those that don't know, Bella is my daughter's dog and she is a German Shepherd/Lab mix.

Bella - Lab on the left and Shepherd on the right

"MED2010" Accountability:

03/16 - 1.5 mile walk, "24SET" class at the gym

03/17 - 5.5 mile trail run

03/18 - 3 mile run, 2 mile walk

03/19 - 2 mile walk

03/20 - 2 mile walk

03/21 - 4.5 mile trail run

Thanks for reading, thanks for caring. Your kind comments continue to give me strength. I appreciate all of you. ;)

Until later.............

How am I doing?

First things first: Thank you all SO MUCH for the nice comments and prayers you left on my last post. You need to know that you all are a large part of my recovery and I appreciate each and every one of you.

I have completed seven VERY FULL days of treatment and am feeling more and more like myself every day. I'm completely exhausted by the time I get home and actually, as I sit here at 10:00 p.m. - this is the latest I've been up in quite a few days. But, it is GREAT news that I'm repairing daily and my life is beginning to piece itself back together. Slowly but surely, day by day.



I'm still getting out every day to move. Some days are harder than others but I DO IT!!

Here are some highlights from the last few days:

Saturday I went on a 15 mile bike ride with Christy along the Alameda Creek Trail. It was a clear day but oh my gosh, it was really cold and very windy. We were planning 20 miles but decided to make a detour and stop at my Mom's house to pay her a little visit. She's been asking to see me and she finally got to meet Christy. It was a nice mellow bike ride and Christy and I did a lot of catching up. It's so awesome to have great friends, isn't it?

Yesterday I went with Sara and Sterling and our doggies to Garin for a hike. It was so incredibly muddy on the trail we took (different than our usual loop). Now, my daughter is not what you would call "an outside person." She is trying to be more active since she got her dog in December and I do commend her for that. But, in reality, she thinks I'm completely insane because I'm so active and am always doing something.

So, back to the hike. My little princess wasn't quite prepared for the mud that was on this trail. I could care less how much mud is on a trail - especially after the 10k race I did in January. Nothing could be worse than that. Anyway, watching Sara try to maneuver through the mud which was, in her words, "mixed with cow pee and cow crap and totally gross" had me doubled over laughing my ass off during the entire hike. To her credit, she DID NOT complain. Years ago she definitely would have plopped herself down, crossed her arms and told me she was going to go no further. I laughed so hard, so much, that my ab muscles were sore last night. Here's some pictures from that hike.

Am I a bad Mom because I think these pictures are absolutely HILARIOUS???!!!!! Luckily, she doesn't read my blog, eh?

The dogs are a lot like me - mud causes them no worries at all.

Early this evening, or late this afternoon, however you want to word it - Boomer and I met Christy and went for a nice little 4.5 mile run. It was 72 degrees when we started the run at 4:45. Pretty great if you ask me. Again, great to spend some quality time chatting with Christy.

So, there's my little update for you. Things are looking up. It's just a matter of time, but I'm not rushing it either.

"MED2010" Accountability:

03/10 - 1.5 mile run, 2 mile walk

03/11 - 1.5 mile run

03/12 - 2 mile run

03/13 - 15 mile bike ride

03/14 - 3 mile hike

03/15 - 4.5 mile run

Until later.............

Please, do tell.....

I have entered into a program to help me deal with my issues. It's all day, Monday through Friday and then Saturday and Sunday mornings. I will be in this program for AT LEAST two weeks and then it may turn into a Monday through Friday, two hours a day. We'll see how I progress. So, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON over here. I'm not making light of this at all, but I (for some reason) think I should let the few people that read this blog, know what's happening. I have taken a medical leave of absence from work. Thank GOD I am able to do this. Today was my first day in the program - it was exhausting. I hope tomorrow will be a little easier to not nod off.



I am still able to get out and do what I love, every day (walk, hike, run with Boomer).



Two days ago I met Sara, Sara's 10-month old boss (she's a nanny), and Sterling at, where of all places????

Sara carried that little boy for the entire 3.5 mile hike. It was great to be out there with the dogs and the kids. It's getting very pretty out at Garin right now. Not too muddy anymore.

"MED2010" Accountability:

03/01 - 3.5 mile walk

03/02 - 3 mile walk

03/03 - 2.5 mile walk

03/04 - 2 mile walk

03/05 - 2 mile walk

03/06 - 2.5 mile walk

03/07 - 3.5 mile walk

03/08 - 3.5 mile hike

03/09 - 1 mile walk

I will keep you posted on my progress. Thanks for caring enough to read. Maybe my strength will help someone else going through a really hard time right now. This too shall pass.

Until later.............