Travels, trails and exploration

The Mike had an endurance ride in central Iowa the other weekend.  Part of the course was for them to ride their bikes through the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge .  Who even knew this existed just 25 miles south of I-80/Colfax friends of the center link here --seriously, there are NO signs along I-80 for this wonderful area!)

We toured part of the center first, complete with full size elk and bison models inside the education center (did you know the fluffy foreleg hair of the bison are called 'pantaloons'?).  They have a short video on how the prairie has changed since settlers arrived and how they are changing it back again. 

Goofing off with the bison head.

Elk in the  bison bison free range area.  We think there were a few deer in there too. However, I did not get to spy any bison bison.  The Mike, however, did while during the race.---> He thought this sign was fun. ."stay in your car and on the road". I said that staying on one's bike is the same thing as staying in one's car; however, one just isn't protected as well.  I doubt I'd ever see a bicyclist honking and hollering at a bison trying to get its attention, as we saw in South Dakota near a couple years ago.


Last weekend I went to my parents'.  While there I went on my long run for the week (13 miles) and took a "breather" in there with a shaded stretch with no wind blowing and I admit, I did consume a few berries.  I also managed to scare up a deer, which took off away from me down the former railroad trail--it ran for a good three-fourths of a mile, if not more.  Another time I rounded a curve and spied a deer up ahead crossing the slightly wooded area (read: this is why I refuse to run in the country in the dark. ..deer, opossums, badgers, and the ever favorable skunk).

When I got back home, dad had already prepared lunch for him and mom-- a fabulous sirloin steak with mushrooms and some pan fried potatoes.  That man does know how to take care of himself in the kitchen. [sorry, no photos, too hungry!] 

I got the privilege of cleaning up ;-)

Saturday evening, after church, we went to town to get some things at the grocery store.  Mom has an electric wheelchair now and she just GOES about the store. Thank goodness it was not busy at all (less for us to worry about).   When we got home, the pot roast dad had put in the crockpot was smelling so wonderful.  Redwine and some water, spices, veggies and hmmm, hmmm hmmm GREAT.  Plus, only one pan to clean. However, the leftovers became fixings for soup on Sunday, along with some peppers and tomatoes.  

Sunday morning I was to run, per the coach, "an easy three miles".   I had happened to be on the Omaha Running Club's page in fabulous Facebook-land Friday and heard about The Road To Omaha Run 5k with benefits going to help Omaha parks and schools.  What could be more fun than running along the river front area (part of which had been under water just last year from the horrendous flood) and then running the warmup track area at the TD Ameritrade Park?   I got up early and drove up to get registered and then run, agreeing to meet mom and dad at the 11Worth restaurant for breakfast afterwards, YUM!

The sculpture along the Missouri River (Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge in back).  The flood waters were up to the sculpture men's necks/raised arms. It's a sculpture to those who helped build/shape this great city. 

I got registered and was able to get a shirt too (SaWeet). Waiting around, I got ready --sunscreen!--did some stretching, yoga, and people watching (as well as watching the newscasters who were there, KETV link to race story here --I am in the video, just not my front side, so I won't be sharing where I was, what I was wearing!).   Then I lined up with about 500 of my closest friends on Sunday morning and we were off on the four foot wide trail/sidewalk.  One youngster almost bit the dust in front of me by tripping on her own feet (eek!) and then the powerful folks who didn't get lined up early.   It was really cool as we came into the stadium, even for this non-sports follower.  Running on the track, seeing the stands from a position few see, was great. . . We were suppose  to be able to see ourselves on the big screen, via a video camera feed set up on the ground as we were rounding third base. However about twenty of us missed that opportunity due to some young woman standing right.in.front. of the camera while setting up her cell phone camera to take a picture of herself on the big screen. I was disappointed in not being able to see myself up there, but I was more disappointed for the dad and his six or seven year old son in front of me who were trying to get in position to see themselves on the screen and the disappointing voice of the child who only got to see a pink shirted young woman on the big screen. (classy?  yeah, I said something.   I can see being oblivious in a 26.2 race, I can't see being oblivious in a 3.1 mile race!)

I was happy with my time considering a) it was hot, we didn't start until 9am; b) it was suppose to be an "easy" run; and c) there were a few small hills in there----I am considering it an eye opener for the Omaha Marathon I'm doing in September--glass medals, handed out by Marines in uniform!!! 

Trying to cool off afterwards was laughable.  I did finally stop glistening, got cleaned up and changed at the public restrooms there  and managed to pull into the restaurant parking lot at the same time as my parents--how is that for timing?

The sculpture along the Missouri River (Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge in back).  The flood waters were up to the sculpture men's necks/raised arms. It's a sculpture to those who helped build/shape this great city.

Ham and Cheese omelet with hash browns at 11Worth on, Leavenworth, on Omaha.   I couldn't eat all the omelet, though I was pretty close. Mom and dad shared the full size (four eggs) philly steak omelet, I got the junior size (which is two or three eggs).  

Afterward we got home and some things around the house, I packaged up some of the soup dad had made for eating along my route and got ready for my five hour car ride home.  Thankfully the drive was uneventful (something a cousin's hubby didn't have that morning. Thank goodness they are okay!).

Monday night we had left over GF pizza (chicken, tomatoes, mushrooms and black olives) which I picked up Sunday on my way back into town,  along with a "deconstructed" spinach salad: spinach, sliced apple, cherry tomatoes, carrots and some cheese curds (not a lot, since we had cheese on the pizza). 

Missing my running mojo. . . Running on Offutt

I've been trying to figure out where my running groove has gone. . . the calm and peacefullness I find when I'm out for a run.

See, it's been lost for a while. I was in my groove, did my DC Marathon and then it was like I had bonked and I went for runs and bike rides, but not because I wanted to or needed to,  but because I had to do keep going. Then enter a few weeks ago, I had little sleep each night,  little to no REM sleep and I didn't get any runs in, I barely got yoga in that week.  Okay, I only got one day of yoga in.  It was the same week as my conference, where I was getting organized for that, it was the same week of the Super Moon and full moons knock my sleep pattern off, so I'm sure having a super full moon did the same, only to the nth degree.  I emailed the coach midweek and said, 'this is not happening this week. I need to try to take care of my body as it is, how about we do the same workout next week" and he said, 'okay'.

Enter last week. I did the program but didn't feel all with it.  Friday I went out for a run and felt like I was back in the groove of things.   Drove to the parents' Friday after work, Saturday I didn't get my small run in, though I should have. I got up, dad said he was going to need help moving some farm machinery (i.e. he'd be driving the tractor, but would need someone to move the pickup), and we needed to tidy up the house for my sister and her family (a small child and another young one) so that they wouldn't get things they shouldn't.  Picked up mom from the nursing home and went to the city to pick up my "race packet" for Sunday's event.  [Mom had a heart attack, bypass surgery and then a stroke last year--life has definitely changed! Outings with mom require a lot more planning than before for us].  We met up with my sister in the big city, who flew in from the bigger city. I can't even tell you what we did on Saturday afternoon!  We missed out on an invite to  fire pit fun due to being sooo tired from the day though, so whatever we did it was fun and/or taxing. HA.

No map of the race course. . . which meant hubby wouldn't be able to ride his bike on the course. Turns out, he really wouldn't have anyway.  Only the first and last mile were on city /public property, the other five miles were on the Offutt Air Force Base, Bellvue, Nebraska --public, but not, property.  We had to fork over our ID #s for background checks and have our bib numbers visible at all times while on the base.  

Sunday  we got up just about pre-dawn to drive to the city.  Saw several deer, thankfully none in the immediate path of our vehicle.  Our first thought as we pulled into the parking lot. . . "where are all the cars?"   The parking lot could easily have accommodated about five times the cars parked in it.  Turns out there was LOW entry.  I don't know if I've been to a race with such a low entry in a large metro area. Highest bib number seen by my race friend:  119.  O__O  Say what?    We knew it was Mother's Day, but were still shocked. The race had a cap of 300 on it, but there wasn't even near that many people there, Plus, it was 7 miles and maybe it seemed too much for those who normally run 5Ks?  However, there was a race time limit of 2.5 hours.  [the race story in the link below has bib numbers up to 142 and the says almost 200 people registered].

We started out jogging, and being left in the dust by everyone, that was okay, we jogged the first mile, then walked up and around the hills and next mile or so, then ran/walked on the RUNWAY of a USA Air Force base. . . how cool?!?!?!  Then through /around the shops and the historic old brick homes.  military personnel everywhere, saluting us, getting to run past the huge RECON planes [RC-135] and NO, we were not allowed to get too close. Well, I suppose you could have tried, but the man with the weapon in his hands at the ready pretty much deterred us from getting away from the orange cones we were to follow.

Story link

Having never done a race quite like this, and having not seen my friend in a long time, we decided to just enjoy ourselves for a 'Sunday stroll' and we walked /jogged for a little bit and then about mile 4 we started jogging /slow running constantly. I think the dude in the pickup behind us was quite happy with that ;0)   Then we finished up on base, had our numbers checked off the list and we finished strong, just a few seconds behind the women in front of us who we'd had in our sights for most of the event.   Yup, we were last, but we had fun, we knew that we wouldn't have been last had there been more people there (yeah, I know, we could be full of it too).

At the finish my husband was waiting for us, and apparently so were all the previous finishers.  We're not sure if they were waiting to do the awards until everyone finished, or because the two ladies in front of us were winners in their age group bracket. Either way, we appreciated that things weren't all torn down when we finished, and that there were people waiting at the finish line for the last four finishers!

The rest of the family soon arrived and after cleaning up at the fine facilities available to us, we headed to the 11Worth Cafe on Leavenworth. Great diner, lots of parking, lots of waiting room inside --just not quite enough on Mother's Day, even at 10am!   Fabulous staff made it easy to get mom in her wheelchair to the table and with two little ones in tow.  We attempted to finish the day with a trip to the world famous zoo, but it was packed and we decided we had more fun things than spend it in a place packed.




My four egg All American omelet with hashbrowns--no bread of any sort.

We headed off for Custard/ice cream and then back to the parents' place.  A few minutes to relax and then a drive back to our house for us.  

From El Portal (fabulous local Mexican restaurant --small chain)   pineapple, shrimp, chicken, veggies.




I can say that today, Tuesday, my Running Mojo is back. I felt so fabulous out, even if I was a little sluggish.

source

Having your [left] foot run over by a metal piece on an electric wheelchair is bound to do that to a person ;-)

Need to find laughter where one can, otherwise anger just weighs down the body and spirit.