...not the "Fun" kind, that's for certain! My employees certainly must serve as my captive audience as I gossip about the latest McMillan debacle (eldest daughter pregnant, middle daughter may soon be if they don't supervise her interactions with 21-yr old boyfriend! & youngest daughter running amuck - flunking out of HS, stealing vehicles & lying about EVERYTHING! Could I have done any better by her?)
I'm just relieved to have only one offspring to support/ride herd over as I speculate how many more years Z will expect full support: is he actually making more of a seamless transition to wannabe trust-fund baby? Time shall tell...
Trying to start this week off right...
Monday, April 25, 2011
Step 1 was getting on those scales this AM: 213.5
A pleasant surprise; I wouldn't have been surprised to see a slight gain after the Easter candy! (I have a fond memory, almost 10 yrs ago from a ride we hauled off to Wyoming to attend: one of my colleagues spoke out as we were standing in line for dinner...
"Do you know what's great about endurance riding?" (there was a pause in the crowd as in an old E F Hutton commercial)
"After you ride 50 mi, you can eat WHATEVER YOU WANT!!!")
So I guess riding 50 mi did SOMETHING for my metabolism!
But I don't understand all my SparkFriends who post pictures of these beautifully-prepared meals - I brought a bag of salad stuff to eat this week; my arugula is rapidly yellowing so I may only get 1 more salad out of that box. MY combination breakfast/lunch did not LOOK very appetizing since I threw it together so fast - as I said, the arugula was turning yellow, the avocado had dark spots, & a few of the spring greens had slimy edges - but w/a handful of slivered almonds & a splash of the sesame-ginger dressing I found, it tasted great!
(As usual, I charged out the door this AM w/out eating breakfast, but I give myself a thumbs-up for grabbing the salad fixin's.)
Another figurative pat-on-the-back for passing up the movie popcorn last night; we went to see the remake of "Arthur"... Of course that was probably canceled out by the Reese's PB eggs ;-) but oh well, I look forward to my next goal, getting BELOW 213!
(The new Arthur was amusing; Russell Brand tries hard but he ain't no Dudley Moore! I promised my boy we'll watch the original on Netflix.)
A pleasant surprise; I wouldn't have been surprised to see a slight gain after the Easter candy! (I have a fond memory, almost 10 yrs ago from a ride we hauled off to Wyoming to attend: one of my colleagues spoke out as we were standing in line for dinner...
"Do you know what's great about endurance riding?" (there was a pause in the crowd as in an old E F Hutton commercial)
"After you ride 50 mi, you can eat WHATEVER YOU WANT!!!")
So I guess riding 50 mi did SOMETHING for my metabolism!
But I don't understand all my SparkFriends who post pictures of these beautifully-prepared meals - I brought a bag of salad stuff to eat this week; my arugula is rapidly yellowing so I may only get 1 more salad out of that box. MY combination breakfast/lunch did not LOOK very appetizing since I threw it together so fast - as I said, the arugula was turning yellow, the avocado had dark spots, & a few of the spring greens had slimy edges - but w/a handful of slivered almonds & a splash of the sesame-ginger dressing I found, it tasted great!
(As usual, I charged out the door this AM w/out eating breakfast, but I give myself a thumbs-up for grabbing the salad fixin's.)
Another figurative pat-on-the-back for passing up the movie popcorn last night; we went to see the remake of "Arthur"... Of course that was probably canceled out by the Reese's PB eggs ;-) but oh well, I look forward to my next goal, getting BELOW 213!
(The new Arthur was amusing; Russell Brand tries hard but he ain't no Dudley Moore! I promised my boy we'll watch the original on Netflix.)
Unclear on the Concept
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
"... we all have the right and the need to eat, no matter how much we weigh."
I keep butting my head against this exceedingly simple concept; somehow in some mythological perfect world, some part of me seems to think that if all were good & right, I would be able to banish my hunger pains forevermore, subsisting on righteous salads, carrot sticks & the occasional piece of fruit...
www.fatnutritionist.com/
(Giving credit where due; this is one of my favorite blogs... But obviously I need to study harder!)
Today I got one more good salad out of the greens I took to work on Mon - roughly a $10 investment, so that works out to about half what it would have cost me to go order a salad in a restaurant. The problem being that when I go to a restaurant, I'm usually tired & want a TREAT... 30+ yrs after I commenced this war w/my body, I still have a hard time treating myself w/anything OTHER than food!?! Anyway, I could have posted a truly UNappetizing photo of my last avocado - it had gotten soft & looked completely rotten**, but when I went ahead & cut into it, the center portion was still edible.
(Another favorite blog "Free the Animal" freetheanimal.com/ posts pix of what Richard calls "food porn"; I could call mine "food Puritan"!)
**it really makes me feel a little sick & certainly quite WASTEFUL, all the fruits & vegetables which have rotted in my refrigerator over the years!
I've dragged myself reluctantly to the gym these past 2 days, putting in a perfunctory 20 min on the elliptical & 10 min or so on the machines, the bare minimum that hardly causes me to break a sweat. I think fondly of my marathon TM sessions when I soaked a T-shirt & staggered off leaving a trail of sweat droplets; it was hard but felt as though I'd really DONE something.
I miss running more than I ever thought possible. Still procrastinating seeking out a 2nd opinion on my poor flat, battered feet...
& last but not least, dreaming of a decent night's sleep tonight... Awakening at 2:40 AM & only dozing fitfully thereafter does NOT make for a happy & productive day! Since I had the gym to myself, I actually dragged a couple of mats into the corner over lunchtime to lie down for a short "power nap"... (If anyone had come in, I could have claimed a deep meditative state ;-)
I keep butting my head against this exceedingly simple concept; somehow in some mythological perfect world, some part of me seems to think that if all were good & right, I would be able to banish my hunger pains forevermore, subsisting on righteous salads, carrot sticks & the occasional piece of fruit...
www.fatnutritionist.com/
(Giving credit where due; this is one of my favorite blogs... But obviously I need to study harder!)
Today I got one more good salad out of the greens I took to work on Mon - roughly a $10 investment, so that works out to about half what it would have cost me to go order a salad in a restaurant. The problem being that when I go to a restaurant, I'm usually tired & want a TREAT... 30+ yrs after I commenced this war w/my body, I still have a hard time treating myself w/anything OTHER than food!?! Anyway, I could have posted a truly UNappetizing photo of my last avocado - it had gotten soft & looked completely rotten**, but when I went ahead & cut into it, the center portion was still edible.
(Another favorite blog "Free the Animal" freetheanimal.com/ posts pix of what Richard calls "food porn"; I could call mine "food Puritan"!)
**it really makes me feel a little sick & certainly quite WASTEFUL, all the fruits & vegetables which have rotted in my refrigerator over the years!
I've dragged myself reluctantly to the gym these past 2 days, putting in a perfunctory 20 min on the elliptical & 10 min or so on the machines, the bare minimum that hardly causes me to break a sweat. I think fondly of my marathon TM sessions when I soaked a T-shirt & staggered off leaving a trail of sweat droplets; it was hard but felt as though I'd really DONE something.
I miss running more than I ever thought possible. Still procrastinating seeking out a 2nd opinion on my poor flat, battered feet...
& last but not least, dreaming of a decent night's sleep tonight... Awakening at 2:40 AM & only dozing fitfully thereafter does NOT make for a happy & productive day! Since I had the gym to myself, I actually dragged a couple of mats into the corner over lunchtime to lie down for a short "power nap"... (If anyone had come in, I could have claimed a deep meditative state ;-)
One Small Step...
Saturday, April 30, 2011
...towards my rehab was hopefully taken today when I bought these shoes:
www.vibramfivefingers.co
m/products/Five-Fingers-Ko
modo-Sport-Womans.htm
It was hard to cram my crooked lil' toes on my L foot into 'em, but felt good once in place. I only wore 'em for a couple of hrs doing household chores this afternoon. They are supposed to stretch & condition the muscles of your feet - I could feel it, but I didn't want to make myself sore. Guess I've been shifting weight to L since I've been getting pains on the OUTSIDE of L foot at work this week - gimme a break!
I have also been to the gym for short sessions on elliptical for 4 d this week - real achievements each time since I've felt really blah & out of sorts - as I mentioned, I was so damn tired on Wed that I lay down for a short NAP!
Then I backslid last night, when I took a few of my employees to a sports bar: eating nachos, drinking beer, eating buffalo chicken sandwiches! I was bloated & miserable - came home & lay on my meditation mat for a full 45 min; it was truly wondrous how it "disappeared" my GI discomfort! but then I had to heave my stiff carcass off the floor & stagger off to bed.
Today I made myself some "detox tea" - a Japanese herbal concoction... Still feeling not too great but plan on making tomorrow a true Day of Rest. Hopefully that will put me back on track.
www.vibramfivefingers.co
m/products/Five-Fingers-Ko
modo-Sport-Womans.htm
It was hard to cram my crooked lil' toes on my L foot into 'em, but felt good once in place. I only wore 'em for a couple of hrs doing household chores this afternoon. They are supposed to stretch & condition the muscles of your feet - I could feel it, but I didn't want to make myself sore. Guess I've been shifting weight to L since I've been getting pains on the OUTSIDE of L foot at work this week - gimme a break!
I have also been to the gym for short sessions on elliptical for 4 d this week - real achievements each time since I've felt really blah & out of sorts - as I mentioned, I was so damn tired on Wed that I lay down for a short NAP!
Then I backslid last night, when I took a few of my employees to a sports bar: eating nachos, drinking beer, eating buffalo chicken sandwiches! I was bloated & miserable - came home & lay on my meditation mat for a full 45 min; it was truly wondrous how it "disappeared" my GI discomfort! but then I had to heave my stiff carcass off the floor & stagger off to bed.
Today I made myself some "detox tea" - a Japanese herbal concoction... Still feeling not too great but plan on making tomorrow a true Day of Rest. Hopefully that will put me back on track.
Wretched Inconsistency
Monday, May 02, 2011
...might as well be my middle name these days, as the scales tick upwards AGAIN in my never-ending seesaw at the edge of my plateau.
(I know it's mostly water: too much sodium imbibed along w/the junk food last weekend; insufficient water, insufficient exercise - even as I pat myself on the back for going to the gym AT ALL, as crappy as I've felt!)
I'm not stressing about the leveling-out process, but I AM at that fish-or-cut-bait stage of wondering if this IS "The New Normal". Over this past year, in many ways I have made tremendous progress insofar as keeping regular exercise as a part of my routine, trying to eat my veggies & get adequate SLEEP... & this is the range my weight has settled into: approximately 6 lbs of variation between 212 - 218. Of course I'm not terribly pleased w/this although it's better than my 100-kg + days.
So I continue to tweak my Primal diet (as I fork in the two leftover salmon patties from Sat-night dinner; I grilled 'em w/a honey-mustard glaze & stirred dried dill weed into the Greek yogurt that Z didn't like as a condiment), try not to stress about things too much, & postpone once again having a heart-to-heart w/DH... (another inconsistency is his SNORING: if it WERE consistent, it would be easier for me to pronounce the inevitability of separate bedrooms. But when he sleeps on his R side w/his neck angled "just so" on his special anti-snoring pillow, it's alright! So we will just overlook last night, hmmm?)
I did my elliptical workout yesterday in my Vibrams but left the house w/out 'em this AM; I'm DYING to try a short amble on the TM...
(I know it's mostly water: too much sodium imbibed along w/the junk food last weekend; insufficient water, insufficient exercise - even as I pat myself on the back for going to the gym AT ALL, as crappy as I've felt!)
I'm not stressing about the leveling-out process, but I AM at that fish-or-cut-bait stage of wondering if this IS "The New Normal". Over this past year, in many ways I have made tremendous progress insofar as keeping regular exercise as a part of my routine, trying to eat my veggies & get adequate SLEEP... & this is the range my weight has settled into: approximately 6 lbs of variation between 212 - 218. Of course I'm not terribly pleased w/this although it's better than my 100-kg + days.
So I continue to tweak my Primal diet (as I fork in the two leftover salmon patties from Sat-night dinner; I grilled 'em w/a honey-mustard glaze & stirred dried dill weed into the Greek yogurt that Z didn't like as a condiment), try not to stress about things too much, & postpone once again having a heart-to-heart w/DH... (another inconsistency is his SNORING: if it WERE consistent, it would be easier for me to pronounce the inevitability of separate bedrooms. But when he sleeps on his R side w/his neck angled "just so" on his special anti-snoring pillow, it's alright! So we will just overlook last night, hmmm?)
I did my elliptical workout yesterday in my Vibrams but left the house w/out 'em this AM; I'm DYING to try a short amble on the TM...
Lacking Inspiration...
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
...I post this report from a friend who successfully completed that Easter weekend ride I opted out of: (yes, that is my friend Lucy mentioned; her horse threw a shoe, went lame & therefore failed to complete)
Ozark Trail 100
April 2011
Paul Sidio is my friend. We have ridden several 50s together and one previous 100. When I heard that he had the idea of doing a point to point 100 in the extremely remote Ozarks in So Missouri I was immediately interested. When I learned that no one had made it more than 65 miles, in the last ride, I did have a bit of concern. So, when Paul asked if I could help clear part of the trail, I took the chance to help and preview the course at the same time. The trail was no worse than the Shawnee National Forrest and that is where we normally train and ride. I took some advice and invested in Vettec for additional hoof protection.
The week before the ride featured my 2007 ford developing a head leak. The truck could not be repaired in time and Sandy’s truck could not pull the live aboard. Our only option was a stock trailer and a tent. Sandy said, “great, I love a tent”. She was not being sarcastic and is such a trooper.
Sandy, the super crew!
We went to the ending spot, which was a horse campground called Brushy Creek near Black Mo. As we set up our tent outside the stock trailer, I had the thought that the Clampets had arrived. We slept in the tent through a night of raining and headed off to the Bass River resort for the start.
Barry and Linda Cole were the race directors. They took Paul Sidio’s vision and had the courage and daring to run with it. They are to be admired. I do!
Lions
Nine riders started the ride in the 100 and one in the 75. We were supposed to start at 5:45. It started to rain. The Forest Service predicted rain and more rain, which meant seriously swollen water crossings. The race start was pushed back. It was announced that the race plan was modified and that we would find out more later but that we would not be riding point to point. We would ride down the trail until the 20 mark and meet our crews. Sandy is as thrilled with Endurance as I am, but 100 miles is too far for her. Sandy is a wonderful crew and I looked forward to seeing her.
We all put on our rain gear and took to the trail. Lucy Estebook and her fine Arabian “Flyer” went to the lead. Kate and I went with her. We wound around the trail and had a blast together. We were the first though the “gate and go”, which was around 9 miles from the start. Lucy’s horse threw a shoe and she had no boot. I gave her what I had. At the first Vet check, at mile 20 we were 18 minutes up. Sandy put a little smaller boot on Flyer.
Lions and Tigers
The race director told me to ride until I got to Hazel Creek Campground. He said I would know it when I came to a sign that said “Hazel Creek Campground”. We were told to turn around when we got to the sign. Off we went and Flyer was flying. I stopped to take a nature break and found Lucy on up the trail, across a small wide spot in the trail, that had a couple of picnic tables. There was no sign of a “Hazel Creek” sign and so we kept going. We eventually came to a sign that said that “Hazel Creek” was was 4.5 miles behind us. It was not our best moment. We turned around. We headed into the vet check knowing we had ridden at least 9 miles too far on the trail. Flyer was done as a result of the shoe issue.
As Kate and I started to leave, the co-race director was on the mobile to the race director. She said, “don’t leave, the race may have to be canceled because of flooding.” Someone started to pull Kate’s saddle. Then the race director said, “the other riders are across a creek that can’t be crossed now and here is what we are going to do. You can go on but you have to turn around and come back. As long as you do 100 miles you can ride back and forth. Just do a 100 miles.” I agreed, took off, went to the creek, and then turned and came back. Did I say it was black as ink out by now?
When I came back for the next vet check, I was told that the race had changed again and that the other riders were now on the same side of the impassible creek. I was told to ride until the next vet check. I did that. On the way the rain increased and it actually started hailing. Kate paused and seemed to ask me what I had gotten her into. As we racked along, I noticed two orange beads glowing in the brush off the trail. I went back and looked again. It was a large rattle snake coiled on some dead fall. We left him alone. I continued to ask Kate to step into raging creeks in the dark. She never missed a step. She did step into a deep spot in one crossing that left me thinking we were going under.
Lions, Tigers, and Bears
We got to the vet check, and the race director said I had to ride some extra miles, to make up the section where the others had crossed the creek that I couldn’t cross, and I did that. At one point, I was told to ride down a trail following glow sticks for 5 miles. I did that and on the way back I noticed that a second set of glow sticks were on the trail. I was in a loop. 5 miles became 7 miles. I could not find my way back to the vet check. It started to rain again. It was 2:30 am and I had been sopping wet 17 hours. I called out loud for help. No answer came back. I was on the verge of panicking. The only thing I could think of was to get off of Kate and sit under a tree and wait for help. I realized it might take days to get that help. I was desperate. It was time to pray. I did just that and got the answer of which way to go. 15 minutes later and I found myself at the vet check where the other riders were waiting. We all did 4 miles of road riding and the race director told us to head down the trail for 10 miles to the finish.
Kate was in racking mode and off we went. A mile later, Kate and I came to a point where the trail went into a larger trail that made a sharp right turn. It had an OT sign on it but it did not look right. I went backwards on the trail, and found my friend Paul and the other riders and asked if there was a road ahead. I heard “what road” back from the dark. I turned Kate around and we went back to the sign and headed down the wider trail. I heard the others behind me. I turned and went back to where they were and they were gone. I could not believe it. I called for them. I called loudly. I heard nothing.
So, I went back to the vet check again and the vet crews were gone. I turned around again and went the mile back to the sharp turn. I knew something was wrong. I looked closely at the OT sign and saw there was a second OT sign behind it and a smaller trail. At 4:30 am, in the rain and with wet bifocals, I simply could not see the second sign. I was elated to have found the right way on trail again but realized I had once again given away the lead. Worse, I would now have to hustle to finish within the 24 hour time limit.
We were now well over 100 miles, not including the back and forth over the last few miles at the wide spot. We had 10 miles to go and Kate acted like she was starting the event. We racked on. I watched the GPS and the clock and I knew it would be close. The trail wound around so much it became maddening. Dawn broke and it stopped raining. By 7 am I had 35 minutes to finish and I knew that if I could stay on Kate, we would make it.
We racked into the final vet check to find my Sandy’s beaming face and what sounded to me like thundering applause. Everyone thought I was lost. Sandy knew we would make it somehow. I had a problem. I could not get off of Kate. I could not raise either leg. Sandy and another helper took my feet out of the stirrups and I hugged Kate and rolled to the ground. Once Kate completed I was standing talking to Sandy and all of a sudden a wave of emotion swept over me and I started crying. I felt like a complete goober but I really couldn’t help myself.
I had gone from elation to despair to elation and been wet and cold for 24 hours. Our finish time was 23:35. The other riders had done their 100 miles. Not including the riding back and forth at the wide spot, Kate had carried me 119 miles and finished 15 minutes behind the leaders. I love this horse.
Lions, Tigers and Bears, OH MY!
Kate ended up placing 6th and I was thrilled. Kate and I got a special “hard luck award” due to our having done all the extra miles.
It has been my pleasure to have completed over 80 triathlons, 2 Ironmans and 10 x 500 mile biking events. This race was the hardest thing I have ever done. The trail is not impossible as 6 of us completed the event. However, you need to have a really tough horse, a crew and a good attitude. I would also say that faith would be important. It sure was for me.
I will cherish my belt buckle the rest of my life. Thank you Barry, Linda and Paul!
Rack on my friends. ( Well. Many of you can “trot on”)
Keith and Kate
Got to go hug my horse, well, as soon as I wake up.
Ozark Trail 100
April 2011
Paul Sidio is my friend. We have ridden several 50s together and one previous 100. When I heard that he had the idea of doing a point to point 100 in the extremely remote Ozarks in So Missouri I was immediately interested. When I learned that no one had made it more than 65 miles, in the last ride, I did have a bit of concern. So, when Paul asked if I could help clear part of the trail, I took the chance to help and preview the course at the same time. The trail was no worse than the Shawnee National Forrest and that is where we normally train and ride. I took some advice and invested in Vettec for additional hoof protection.
The week before the ride featured my 2007 ford developing a head leak. The truck could not be repaired in time and Sandy’s truck could not pull the live aboard. Our only option was a stock trailer and a tent. Sandy said, “great, I love a tent”. She was not being sarcastic and is such a trooper.
Sandy, the super crew!
We went to the ending spot, which was a horse campground called Brushy Creek near Black Mo. As we set up our tent outside the stock trailer, I had the thought that the Clampets had arrived. We slept in the tent through a night of raining and headed off to the Bass River resort for the start.
Barry and Linda Cole were the race directors. They took Paul Sidio’s vision and had the courage and daring to run with it. They are to be admired. I do!
Lions
Nine riders started the ride in the 100 and one in the 75. We were supposed to start at 5:45. It started to rain. The Forest Service predicted rain and more rain, which meant seriously swollen water crossings. The race start was pushed back. It was announced that the race plan was modified and that we would find out more later but that we would not be riding point to point. We would ride down the trail until the 20 mark and meet our crews. Sandy is as thrilled with Endurance as I am, but 100 miles is too far for her. Sandy is a wonderful crew and I looked forward to seeing her.
We all put on our rain gear and took to the trail. Lucy Estebook and her fine Arabian “Flyer” went to the lead. Kate and I went with her. We wound around the trail and had a blast together. We were the first though the “gate and go”, which was around 9 miles from the start. Lucy’s horse threw a shoe and she had no boot. I gave her what I had. At the first Vet check, at mile 20 we were 18 minutes up. Sandy put a little smaller boot on Flyer.
Lions and Tigers
The race director told me to ride until I got to Hazel Creek Campground. He said I would know it when I came to a sign that said “Hazel Creek Campground”. We were told to turn around when we got to the sign. Off we went and Flyer was flying. I stopped to take a nature break and found Lucy on up the trail, across a small wide spot in the trail, that had a couple of picnic tables. There was no sign of a “Hazel Creek” sign and so we kept going. We eventually came to a sign that said that “Hazel Creek” was was 4.5 miles behind us. It was not our best moment. We turned around. We headed into the vet check knowing we had ridden at least 9 miles too far on the trail. Flyer was done as a result of the shoe issue.
As Kate and I started to leave, the co-race director was on the mobile to the race director. She said, “don’t leave, the race may have to be canceled because of flooding.” Someone started to pull Kate’s saddle. Then the race director said, “the other riders are across a creek that can’t be crossed now and here is what we are going to do. You can go on but you have to turn around and come back. As long as you do 100 miles you can ride back and forth. Just do a 100 miles.” I agreed, took off, went to the creek, and then turned and came back. Did I say it was black as ink out by now?
When I came back for the next vet check, I was told that the race had changed again and that the other riders were now on the same side of the impassible creek. I was told to ride until the next vet check. I did that. On the way the rain increased and it actually started hailing. Kate paused and seemed to ask me what I had gotten her into. As we racked along, I noticed two orange beads glowing in the brush off the trail. I went back and looked again. It was a large rattle snake coiled on some dead fall. We left him alone. I continued to ask Kate to step into raging creeks in the dark. She never missed a step. She did step into a deep spot in one crossing that left me thinking we were going under.
Lions, Tigers, and Bears
We got to the vet check, and the race director said I had to ride some extra miles, to make up the section where the others had crossed the creek that I couldn’t cross, and I did that. At one point, I was told to ride down a trail following glow sticks for 5 miles. I did that and on the way back I noticed that a second set of glow sticks were on the trail. I was in a loop. 5 miles became 7 miles. I could not find my way back to the vet check. It started to rain again. It was 2:30 am and I had been sopping wet 17 hours. I called out loud for help. No answer came back. I was on the verge of panicking. The only thing I could think of was to get off of Kate and sit under a tree and wait for help. I realized it might take days to get that help. I was desperate. It was time to pray. I did just that and got the answer of which way to go. 15 minutes later and I found myself at the vet check where the other riders were waiting. We all did 4 miles of road riding and the race director told us to head down the trail for 10 miles to the finish.
Kate was in racking mode and off we went. A mile later, Kate and I came to a point where the trail went into a larger trail that made a sharp right turn. It had an OT sign on it but it did not look right. I went backwards on the trail, and found my friend Paul and the other riders and asked if there was a road ahead. I heard “what road” back from the dark. I turned Kate around and we went back to the sign and headed down the wider trail. I heard the others behind me. I turned and went back to where they were and they were gone. I could not believe it. I called for them. I called loudly. I heard nothing.
So, I went back to the vet check again and the vet crews were gone. I turned around again and went the mile back to the sharp turn. I knew something was wrong. I looked closely at the OT sign and saw there was a second OT sign behind it and a smaller trail. At 4:30 am, in the rain and with wet bifocals, I simply could not see the second sign. I was elated to have found the right way on trail again but realized I had once again given away the lead. Worse, I would now have to hustle to finish within the 24 hour time limit.
We were now well over 100 miles, not including the back and forth over the last few miles at the wide spot. We had 10 miles to go and Kate acted like she was starting the event. We racked on. I watched the GPS and the clock and I knew it would be close. The trail wound around so much it became maddening. Dawn broke and it stopped raining. By 7 am I had 35 minutes to finish and I knew that if I could stay on Kate, we would make it.
We racked into the final vet check to find my Sandy’s beaming face and what sounded to me like thundering applause. Everyone thought I was lost. Sandy knew we would make it somehow. I had a problem. I could not get off of Kate. I could not raise either leg. Sandy and another helper took my feet out of the stirrups and I hugged Kate and rolled to the ground. Once Kate completed I was standing talking to Sandy and all of a sudden a wave of emotion swept over me and I started crying. I felt like a complete goober but I really couldn’t help myself.
I had gone from elation to despair to elation and been wet and cold for 24 hours. Our finish time was 23:35. The other riders had done their 100 miles. Not including the riding back and forth at the wide spot, Kate had carried me 119 miles and finished 15 minutes behind the leaders. I love this horse.
Lions, Tigers and Bears, OH MY!
Kate ended up placing 6th and I was thrilled. Kate and I got a special “hard luck award” due to our having done all the extra miles.
It has been my pleasure to have completed over 80 triathlons, 2 Ironmans and 10 x 500 mile biking events. This race was the hardest thing I have ever done. The trail is not impossible as 6 of us completed the event. However, you need to have a really tough horse, a crew and a good attitude. I would also say that faith would be important. It sure was for me.
I will cherish my belt buckle the rest of my life. Thank you Barry, Linda and Paul!
Rack on my friends. ( Well. Many of you can “trot on”)
Keith and Kate
Got to go hug my horse, well, as soon as I wake up.
Recalibration
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
A few tears stung the corners of my eyes when I folded her limbs gently into the freezer, and that at least was a hopeful sign! (However, at that time I had to GET TO WORK & had no further time to spare feeling sorry for myself)
I'd been up since 4 AM - unable to sleep, unable to accomplish much of anything productive on my sore feet, unable to allow myself to weep for a Very Nice Young Mama Dog who I hope enjoyed her month of "Happy Farm Life" (minus a few days' minor discomfort after hysterectomy & heartworm treatment) before meeting her untimely end...
My mother compiled a huge elaborate baby book when I was a child - I've been able to study the minutiae of my daily growth & development, every minor illness, first tooth, first lock of hair, etc - you get the picture! For some reason I always enjoyed my parents' reasoning in selecting my name; "Worthy" was one of the meanings.
I feel most UNworthy after causing poor Demeter's death due to my forgetfulness/carelessness/stu
pidity. I know in some small part how parents of accidentally-baked children must feel - of course not making light of their crushing burden of pain & guilt in any way, shape or form! But every summer when these deaths are reported, the hue & cry goes up: "How COULD they 'forget'?!?"
Something like this: Demeter would jump in any open car door & make herself comfortable, eager to "go places"... On Sunday night I had to move the horse trailer & she ensconced herself in the back seat. I knew she was there, but got busy & then distracted doing other things. When the combination of sore feet + evening fatigue started to wear me down, I closed the truck door & forgot all about her...
I never take a census of the big dogs in the morning since they're usually off to patrol their territory before dawn's early light, & on this occasion I claim fatal distraction since Orange-Fluff barn kitty did NOT show up for breakfast as usual...
So off I went on my normal school/work circuit, leaving poor Demeter to her unhappy fate. I only hope it was over quickly for her... She had stretched out calmly on the back floorboard; there were no signs of a struggle & she didn't even trash my truck. It wouldn't do any good to blow my stack at Hubs (who was home all day) - 1.) He just doesn't think that way & 2.) I'M the one who's supposed to be the big animal caretaker anyway! [pity 'em]
"...they experience one forgetful moment that will haunt them forever..."
There's the money quote. A few years ago, my aunt accidentally locked her bulldog in her Cadillac... We all offered soothing words & platitudes, but nothing but tincture of time will moderate this.
In hyperthermia cases, he believes, the parents are demonized for much the same reasons. "We are vulnerable, but we don't want to be reminded of that. We want to believe that the world is understandable and controllable and unthreatening, that if we follow the rules, we'll be okay. So, when this kind of thing happens to other people, we need to put them in a different category from us. We don't want to resemble them, and the fact that we might is too terrifying to deal with. So, they have to be monsters."
& that quote is from this heartbreaking article - have Kleenex handy if you click over.
www.washingtonpost.com/w
p-dyn/content/article/2009
/02/27/AR2009022701549.html
The damnable thing is, in a moment of reckless optimism last week, I re-submitted my Tevis application - I figured I'M not getting any younger but Baraq seems to be at the top of his game. I know I'm the weak link but I think I can gut it out. Part of me wants to call their office immediately & withdraw, another part demands that I "earn this". Not that it would matter one hill o' beans to Demeter; she just liked to sit on the couch & cuddle.
I'd been up since 4 AM - unable to sleep, unable to accomplish much of anything productive on my sore feet, unable to allow myself to weep for a Very Nice Young Mama Dog who I hope enjoyed her month of "Happy Farm Life" (minus a few days' minor discomfort after hysterectomy & heartworm treatment) before meeting her untimely end...
My mother compiled a huge elaborate baby book when I was a child - I've been able to study the minutiae of my daily growth & development, every minor illness, first tooth, first lock of hair, etc - you get the picture! For some reason I always enjoyed my parents' reasoning in selecting my name; "Worthy" was one of the meanings.
I feel most UNworthy after causing poor Demeter's death due to my forgetfulness/carelessness/stu
pidity. I know in some small part how parents of accidentally-baked children must feel - of course not making light of their crushing burden of pain & guilt in any way, shape or form! But every summer when these deaths are reported, the hue & cry goes up: "How COULD they 'forget'?!?"
Something like this: Demeter would jump in any open car door & make herself comfortable, eager to "go places"... On Sunday night I had to move the horse trailer & she ensconced herself in the back seat. I knew she was there, but got busy & then distracted doing other things. When the combination of sore feet + evening fatigue started to wear me down, I closed the truck door & forgot all about her...
I never take a census of the big dogs in the morning since they're usually off to patrol their territory before dawn's early light, & on this occasion I claim fatal distraction since Orange-Fluff barn kitty did NOT show up for breakfast as usual...
So off I went on my normal school/work circuit, leaving poor Demeter to her unhappy fate. I only hope it was over quickly for her... She had stretched out calmly on the back floorboard; there were no signs of a struggle & she didn't even trash my truck. It wouldn't do any good to blow my stack at Hubs (who was home all day) - 1.) He just doesn't think that way & 2.) I'M the one who's supposed to be the big animal caretaker anyway! [pity 'em]
"...they experience one forgetful moment that will haunt them forever..."
There's the money quote. A few years ago, my aunt accidentally locked her bulldog in her Cadillac... We all offered soothing words & platitudes, but nothing but tincture of time will moderate this.
In hyperthermia cases, he believes, the parents are demonized for much the same reasons. "We are vulnerable, but we don't want to be reminded of that. We want to believe that the world is understandable and controllable and unthreatening, that if we follow the rules, we'll be okay. So, when this kind of thing happens to other people, we need to put them in a different category from us. We don't want to resemble them, and the fact that we might is too terrifying to deal with. So, they have to be monsters."
& that quote is from this heartbreaking article - have Kleenex handy if you click over.
www.washingtonpost.com/w
p-dyn/content/article/2009
/02/27/AR2009022701549.html
The damnable thing is, in a moment of reckless optimism last week, I re-submitted my Tevis application - I figured I'M not getting any younger but Baraq seems to be at the top of his game. I know I'm the weak link but I think I can gut it out. Part of me wants to call their office immediately & withdraw, another part demands that I "earn this". Not that it would matter one hill o' beans to Demeter; she just liked to sit on the couch & cuddle.
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