Sunday, November 8, 2009
Saturday 11.7.09
The summit marker on top of Green Mountain
Me and JV hanging out at the peak of Green
I slept in until almost 8am! I met up with JV and Brandon at Chautauqua at 9am and did a nice mountain run. Started out a little rough from the visit to Avery last night! I think I was a bit dehydrated! It felt like Brandon took it out at a pretty good clip! Enough of the whining.
We ran up Gregory Canyon to Ranger Trail to the top of Green Mountain, then west to SuperFlag, down Flagstaff road to the Amphi road jct. and headed down the backside of Flag to the Red Lion Inn, on the bike path to Eben G Fine Park, then back up Flag to the jct. with the main trail and back down into Chautauqua.
For the third long mountain run in a row, my Garmin decided to bag it early and shut down. I'm going to try and contact them and see what I can do. I'm going to have to do ALL my runs with Brandon, as again, I'm poaching his data (and pic!)
Kat and I made it into Denver to the Falling Rock Tap House in the afternoon. 89 craft brews on tap!! I got to sample the Sierra Nevada Harvest Estate Wet Hop, the Port Brewing High Tide and the Bear Republic Racer X. Good times!
AM) RUN 13.83 miles, 4352 ft climbing, 2:26, GPS DATA
Friday 11.6.09
Thursday, November 5, 2009
11.5.09
Record high in Denver of 78F. Not too bad! I woke up early and threw the road bike on the trainer. It's been a while since I've done indoors... and it was actually a nice way to start the day.
I talked Kat out of the house to get some fresh air and meet me for lunch at Bones in downtown. She made it, we had a great lunch and then she went back home and slept the rest of the day.
In racing news, Paley got the green light from the RD today to do the Longmont Turkey Trot 10K next Saturday. She's gonna crush it!
Came home tonight and ran easy around Arapahoe Ridge in the dark with a handheld.
AM) BIKE trainer, easy tempo, 145 avg hr, :45
PM) RUN 5 miles, :39 minutes, GPS DATA
I talked Kat out of the house to get some fresh air and meet me for lunch at Bones in downtown. She made it, we had a great lunch and then she went back home and slept the rest of the day.
In racing news, Paley got the green light from the RD today to do the Longmont Turkey Trot 10K next Saturday. She's gonna crush it!
Came home tonight and ran easy around Arapahoe Ridge in the dark with a handheld.
AM) BIKE trainer, easy tempo, 145 avg hr, :45
PM) RUN 5 miles, :39 minutes, GPS DATA
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
11.4.09
Kat slept most of the day and is in bed early again. There really is no pattern to the side effects of the chemo treatments. Three weeks ago tonight after her 3rd round, she felt almost normal and we we're out celebrating her birthday. Hopefully tomorrow she'll turn the corner and be able to get outside. It's supposed to be mid 70F the next few days. I just tell her to take it easy and listen to her body. If her body wants to sleep most of the day... sleep most of the day. It's the best thing for her right now.
I emailed the question to the Longmont Turkey Trot 10K this afternoon asking if I could push Paley in the "Paley Jogger" next Saturday.
Out for a cruise through the Highlands neighborhood at lunch.
NOON) RUN 6 miles, 46 minutes, GPS DATA
I emailed the question to the Longmont Turkey Trot 10K this afternoon asking if I could push Paley in the "Paley Jogger" next Saturday.
Out for a cruise through the Highlands neighborhood at lunch.
NOON) RUN 6 miles, 46 minutes, GPS DATA
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
11.3.09
Kat finished round 4 of 6 of her chemo treatments yesterday! She fell asleep last night at 7 pm and slept through the night. Again today, not really sick, just really tired. Every time I called from work to check on her (which seemed like a lot), I woke her up. She's in bed early again tonight.
There's a blood marker for this type of cancer called CA-125. Normal levels for woman are below 35. When she was diagnosed, the marker was at 10. The only reason we knew the cancer was there was from biopsies and the PET scan. There they were on the PET scan. Two glowing spots on the film. One in the uterus, one in the colon. The surgery removed the tumors.
A month after surgery and the week before chemo started they did blood work and the marker was at 300! After chemo round 2, the marker was at 910!!! Her nurses, doctors and oncologist were concerned to say the least. These are the things that have been giving me the fucking nightmares! Well... yesterday before they started round 4, they did more blood work and as she's leaving after the treatment, a nurse comes out and gives the best news..... the marker is at 9.
No real explanation. Her oncologist thinks it could have been false positives from all the excess lymph fluid she carried for weeks following surgery. Whatever. We'll take it!
Done with chemo in two more rounds... six weeks!
Ran at lunch on a great day. Total Colorado! Monster snow storm six days ago and 70F and sunny today. No shirt in November! Hit the gym tonight after dinner.
NOON) RUN 7.75 miles, 58 minutes
GYM) strength & core :45 minutes
There's a blood marker for this type of cancer called CA-125. Normal levels for woman are below 35. When she was diagnosed, the marker was at 10. The only reason we knew the cancer was there was from biopsies and the PET scan. There they were on the PET scan. Two glowing spots on the film. One in the uterus, one in the colon. The surgery removed the tumors.
A month after surgery and the week before chemo started they did blood work and the marker was at 300! After chemo round 2, the marker was at 910!!! Her nurses, doctors and oncologist were concerned to say the least. These are the things that have been giving me the fucking nightmares! Well... yesterday before they started round 4, they did more blood work and as she's leaving after the treatment, a nurse comes out and gives the best news..... the marker is at 9.
No real explanation. Her oncologist thinks it could have been false positives from all the excess lymph fluid she carried for weeks following surgery. Whatever. We'll take it!
Done with chemo in two more rounds... six weeks!
Ran at lunch on a great day. Total Colorado! Monster snow storm six days ago and 70F and sunny today. No shirt in November! Hit the gym tonight after dinner.
NOON) RUN 7.75 miles, 58 minutes
GYM) strength & core :45 minutes
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Snowshoe Sunday 11.1.09
Kat and I went up to the Brainard Lake area for a gorgeous snowshoe hike this morning! 5 miles in 2 hours. A good way to stretch out the legs! Kat was super strong and in great spirits. Tommorow is Round 4 of 6 chemo treatments. She's done in six weeks!! Sends some positive thoughts.
We ran into a buddy on the trail!
We ran into a buddy on the trail!
Boulder Backroads Mountain Marathon 10.31.09
Well, Saturday dawned and the mountain didn't look nearly as bad as when I'd gone out Thursday afternoon.
We got the "flier" just before 9 am and chatted about the possibility of the proposed route. From what I'd seen on Thursday, the backside of the Flatirons wasn't passable. In past years, I've done this run with 100+ people bombing into Openspace at one time. The weather and some of the recon reports apparently scared most racers away this year. A small crew of 25 runners, including JV, GZ, Brandon and Justin, took off to see how far we could make it. It was pretty hard from the time we hit the Mesa Trail on. I joined in with Brandon and Justin at Chautauqua and we went really easy the rest of the day.
We topped out on Green Mountain and made the decision to bag the "short route" and add some time and mileage down a safer route back. I didn't mind at all. The weather was perfect and we got 19 miles in 4:31 with about 5200 ft climbing.
This pictures is from the Saddlerock-Greenman Junction on Thursday afternoon looking down on Chautauqua.
This pictures was taken from near the same spot as the above photo but on a beautiful Saturday morning. What a difference 1 1/2 days makes!!
Brandon, JV and me looking at the "race map flier."
Read it and weep!!
Brandon, Justin and Pete cruising up Ranger Trail on a fairly packed surface.
Justin and I watching our footing on some steep climb!
Brandon and Justin on the backside of Green.
Heading down our "bailout" route.
Busting through frozen ice running down will shred bare legs. Justin borrowing some gaiters. Nice look!!
Kat was joking with me that if I took longer than 5 hours she'd punch me in my sore hip flexors and sell my bikes. I checked my iPhone coming down the mountain and she'd texted me this picture with.... "Just a reminder." I apparently made it home in the nick of time and kept my bikes intact. Kat took me to the Avery Tap House to try the new Dugana Double IPA and then we went out for date night dinner at Colterra.
I poached Brandon's GPS DATA. For the second run in a row my Garmin shut down at the top. I have correct time and mileage but when you look at the route, it looks like I was dropped into the middle of the wild and had to make my way out. Both times, I noticed it was off at the top and restarted it. I thought the first time I pushed the off button accidentally in a fall. Any ideas anybody??!!
AM) RUN 19 miles, 4:31, GPS DATA
We got the "flier" just before 9 am and chatted about the possibility of the proposed route. From what I'd seen on Thursday, the backside of the Flatirons wasn't passable. In past years, I've done this run with 100+ people bombing into Openspace at one time. The weather and some of the recon reports apparently scared most racers away this year. A small crew of 25 runners, including JV, GZ, Brandon and Justin, took off to see how far we could make it. It was pretty hard from the time we hit the Mesa Trail on. I joined in with Brandon and Justin at Chautauqua and we went really easy the rest of the day.
We topped out on Green Mountain and made the decision to bag the "short route" and add some time and mileage down a safer route back. I didn't mind at all. The weather was perfect and we got 19 miles in 4:31 with about 5200 ft climbing.
This pictures is from the Saddlerock-Greenman Junction on Thursday afternoon looking down on Chautauqua.
This pictures was taken from near the same spot as the above photo but on a beautiful Saturday morning. What a difference 1 1/2 days makes!!
Brandon, JV and me looking at the "race map flier."
Read it and weep!!
Brandon, Justin and Pete cruising up Ranger Trail on a fairly packed surface.
Justin and I watching our footing on some steep climb!
Brandon and Justin on the backside of Green.
Heading down our "bailout" route.
Busting through frozen ice running down will shred bare legs. Justin borrowing some gaiters. Nice look!!
Kat was joking with me that if I took longer than 5 hours she'd punch me in my sore hip flexors and sell my bikes. I checked my iPhone coming down the mountain and she'd texted me this picture with.... "Just a reminder." I apparently made it home in the nick of time and kept my bikes intact. Kat took me to the Avery Tap House to try the new Dugana Double IPA and then we went out for date night dinner at Colterra.
I poached Brandon's GPS DATA. For the second run in a row my Garmin shut down at the top. I have correct time and mileage but when you look at the route, it looks like I was dropped into the middle of the wild and had to make my way out. Both times, I noticed it was off at the top and restarted it. I thought the first time I pushed the off button accidentally in a fall. Any ideas anybody??!!
AM) RUN 19 miles, 4:31, GPS DATA
Thursday, October 29, 2009
10.29.09... Epic Snow Day and Attempted "Run"
So I didn't get a lot of miles yesterday because of the snow. I had another "snow day" with Paley's school being closed and had planned to run in Boulder on the plowed bike trail when she went down for a nap.
We ran a few errands in the morning and I could see the Flatirons covered in snow. Rumor has it the annual Boulder Basic Backroads Marathon is this weekend (the first rule of the Basic is you don't talk about the Basic, so I can neither confirm, nor deny) and there has been chatter in the blogosphere that it's not possible because of the last two days of snow dump. This "race" is technically illegal because of the lack of permits, but... as rumor has it (and my trashed quads can attest), it's usually 18-26 miles and 6000-8000 ft climbing.
Paley went down early and Kat green lighted me to go on a reconnaissance run in the mountains where the "race" would/might happen.
It was 28F and snowing a light, wet snow when I left Chautauqua with the plan to climb Amphitheatre, Saddlerock and then, depending on time, summit Green or bail down the backside on Ranger Trail and come down Gregory Canyon.
Again... pictures not taken in black and white... just a black and white looking day out. This is the Ranger Station at Chautauqua looking up at the Flatirons. Green Mountain should be visible above but is totally covered in snow clouds.
I ran up the old Ski Jump Trail to the start of Amphitheatre Trail. This area was semi-packed from folks snowshoeing close in to Chautauqua. This was my last real "trail." In about another 1/4 mile, I was on my own.
Here is looking up at the 1st Flatiron from the north, just starting on the Amphitheatre Trail.
There are some big rock steps in the heart of Amphitheatre Trail that are super steep and usually tough. Horrifying with 2 1/2 feet of snow on them!
This is up on Saddlerock Trail looking back down on Chautauqua. I took my first really scary fall in this area. Went into a "hole" up to my armpits! I think I was off trail more than once in the Saddlerock Trail but would always come up on something that looked familiar.... and I just kept heading up!
So I ran around the bend up towards Green Mountain but stopped in the valley looking north towards Flagstaff Mountain. Because of time constraints, I decided to head back and go down Ranger Trail. I think I could have made the summit with an extra hour. In this pic, you can see that I tried (mine are the only tracks) but was hips deeps 50 yards in and had no idea where the trail was. Coming back to this junction, a 100 ft pine dumped it's entire stored snow supply like a sneak attack on me. When it hit me, for a second, I thought I'd been tackled by a mountain lion. It took probably 3-5 seconds to discharge all the snow on me. I curled into a ball and when it was over, stood up and then popped my head out! I was above my waist!
I took three self-pics coming down. I looked happiest in this one and I look like I want to kick my own ass! The others were REALLY surly. I was soaked and freezing.
We ran a few errands in the morning and I could see the Flatirons covered in snow. Rumor has it the annual Boulder Basic Backroads Marathon is this weekend (the first rule of the Basic is you don't talk about the Basic, so I can neither confirm, nor deny) and there has been chatter in the blogosphere that it's not possible because of the last two days of snow dump. This "race" is technically illegal because of the lack of permits, but... as rumor has it (and my trashed quads can attest), it's usually 18-26 miles and 6000-8000 ft climbing.
Paley went down early and Kat green lighted me to go on a reconnaissance run in the mountains where the "race" would/might happen.
It was 28F and snowing a light, wet snow when I left Chautauqua with the plan to climb Amphitheatre, Saddlerock and then, depending on time, summit Green or bail down the backside on Ranger Trail and come down Gregory Canyon.
Again... pictures not taken in black and white... just a black and white looking day out. This is the Ranger Station at Chautauqua looking up at the Flatirons. Green Mountain should be visible above but is totally covered in snow clouds.
I ran up the old Ski Jump Trail to the start of Amphitheatre Trail. This area was semi-packed from folks snowshoeing close in to Chautauqua. This was my last real "trail." In about another 1/4 mile, I was on my own.
Here is looking up at the 1st Flatiron from the north, just starting on the Amphitheatre Trail.
There are some big rock steps in the heart of Amphitheatre Trail that are super steep and usually tough. Horrifying with 2 1/2 feet of snow on them!
This is up on Saddlerock Trail looking back down on Chautauqua. I took my first really scary fall in this area. Went into a "hole" up to my armpits! I think I was off trail more than once in the Saddlerock Trail but would always come up on something that looked familiar.... and I just kept heading up!
So I ran around the bend up towards Green Mountain but stopped in the valley looking north towards Flagstaff Mountain. Because of time constraints, I decided to head back and go down Ranger Trail. I think I could have made the summit with an extra hour. In this pic, you can see that I tried (mine are the only tracks) but was hips deeps 50 yards in and had no idea where the trail was. Coming back to this junction, a 100 ft pine dumped it's entire stored snow supply like a sneak attack on me. When it hit me, for a second, I thought I'd been tackled by a mountain lion. It took probably 3-5 seconds to discharge all the snow on me. I curled into a ball and when it was over, stood up and then popped my head out! I was above my waist!
Since there was only one way down, the way I came, I sat and put on traction and followed my track back to Chautauqua.
I took three self-pics coming down. I looked happiest in this one and I look like I want to kick my own ass! The others were REALLY surly. I was soaked and freezing.
I took two really scary falls where I kinda braced for the worst. Somehow in one of the falls my Garmin shut off (or froze). I restarted it still going up but for some reason it had my time right but missed all the climb up. I had the auto pause off because I knew I'd be traveling slow enough at times the GPS would think I was stopped. The total time was 2 hours + but I was probably moving for 1:45. The GPS looks like I was helicoptered in and forced to hike out!
What did I learn from this? The "alleged" 21 miles planned for the Basic on Saturday is a pipe dream! It would take 10 hours! I definitely wish I'd taken my collapsible telemark poles today. I've heard that some of the "racers" are now gonna just bag Bear Peak on Saturday and I'm up for that!!
NOON) TRAIL RUN, GPS DATA
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
10.28.09... Early Snow Day!
BIG snow storm came in last night and is gonna run through tomorrow night. An early storm even for Colorado! Boulder Valley School's closed this morning, meaning no preschool for Paley and a snow day for Daddy!
In between work in the home office, I threw on the Montrail trail shoes and got out for a run when she went down for a nap after lunch and got blocked by snow on all my usual routes. It's dumped another 6-8 inches since the pic below. We're probably at 14-18 inches. They're saying another 8-10 inches by tomorrow afternoon.
This was on my run, standing on the running trail around Waneka Lake, almost to the knee. This is called "post-hole" running for all you warm climate folks!
Looking toward the boat house on Waneka Lake.
Daddy doing "core work" and Paley helping
It looks like I took this in black and white... but it really just looked this way!
Lajka, my miniature Australian Shepherd, checking it out. Boddah and Maggie are probably sprinting tracks around the house! Yeah, we have three herding dogs!
Snow Paley!
Tomorrows pictures of the storm, that is supposed to go all night, should be epic!
NOON) RUN 5.5 miles, 46 minutes
In between work in the home office, I threw on the Montrail trail shoes and got out for a run when she went down for a nap after lunch and got blocked by snow on all my usual routes. It's dumped another 6-8 inches since the pic below. We're probably at 14-18 inches. They're saying another 8-10 inches by tomorrow afternoon.
This was on my run, standing on the running trail around Waneka Lake, almost to the knee. This is called "post-hole" running for all you warm climate folks!
Looking toward the boat house on Waneka Lake.
Daddy doing "core work" and Paley helping
It looks like I took this in black and white... but it really just looked this way!
Lajka, my miniature Australian Shepherd, checking it out. Boddah and Maggie are probably sprinting tracks around the house! Yeah, we have three herding dogs!
Snow Paley!
I've been waiting for a day like today to crack this baby. Avery Mephistopheles' Stout, part of their Demon of Ale series! It's a 15.92 % ABV monster!! We may run tomorrow to the their Boulder Tap House to check out and take home some of the new Avery DuganA Double IPA that was released Friday! And now... some baseball!
Tomorrows pictures of the storm, that is supposed to go all night, should be epic!
NOON) RUN 5.5 miles, 46 minutes
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
10.27.09
Today feels back to normal. We'll string together so many great days and then get slapped back to reality by a day like yesterday. If Kat wasn't bald, there are times that I forget what she's going through and where we're at.
I'm not sure what yesterday was. Doing too much over the weekend. Tired. Feeling overwhelmed. Monday's may be a hard transition day for her because she's by herself all day after spending all weekend with us. We'll get through this fucking thing stronger.
Out at lunch for a run up South Platte River loop.
NOON) RUN 7.5 miles, 55 minutes, GPS DATA
I'm not sure what yesterday was. Doing too much over the weekend. Tired. Feeling overwhelmed. Monday's may be a hard transition day for her because she's by herself all day after spending all weekend with us. We'll get through this fucking thing stronger.
Out at lunch for a run up South Platte River loop.
NOON) RUN 7.5 miles, 55 minutes, GPS DATA
Monday, October 26, 2009
10.26.09
Today was one of those lows on the roller coaster days. I came home from work and Kat was totally out of it. OK one minute, crying the next, then off in space. She was asleep at 7 tonight. These are the days that are tough.
I did get out at lunch today for an easy cruise around Berkeley Lake. Breathe.
NOON) RUN 7.45 miles, 57 minutes, GPS DATA
I did get out at lunch today for an easy cruise around Berkeley Lake. Breathe.
NOON) RUN 7.45 miles, 57 minutes, GPS DATA
Sunday, October 25, 2009
10.25.09... Some days are better than others
Some days are better than others. Today was definitely one of those better days!
I woke up to a beautiful light snow coming down. I geared up and took off for a run not really knowing how long or where I was going to go. About a 1 1/2 miles in, I decided to head east on the Coal Creek Trail system and try and link into the new trails south of my place in Rock Creek East and then out to Stern Lake. I missed a connector in the snow and ended up on roads for a touch but finally made my way out to the new trails. The snow was really coming down for about a 45 minute period in the middle of the run and it was perfect! As I was heading home about a mile from home, the snow stopped and the sun peaked out. There are some new areas out south to explore for sure!
AM) RUN 14.5 miles, 1:50, GPS DATA
After a shower and a bite to eat, Kat and I headed out to Dry Dock Brewing Company in Aurora. They just won Best Small Brewery of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival and have been getting a ton of press. They have a beer called Seven Seas Double IPA that was Top 10 at the Alpha King Challenge... and it didn't disappoint!! They don't bottle so this was the first time I'd tasted their brews. Definitely worth the trip! We did taste almost all their taps and not just the IPA's.... even though I'm a total hophead!
We came home this afternoon to more light snow and decided to make a pot of soup. I tweaked an easy Tortilla Soup that I make pretty regularly and it was awesome. Washed it down with Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA.
Roasted Chicken and Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup with Tomatillo-Radish Salsa
After pureeing smooth, I added;
1 whole roasted chicken, skinless and shredded
For the salsa:
5 fresh tomatillos, washed and diced small
Corn tortillas cut into strips and toasted in the oven
I woke up to a beautiful light snow coming down. I geared up and took off for a run not really knowing how long or where I was going to go. About a 1 1/2 miles in, I decided to head east on the Coal Creek Trail system and try and link into the new trails south of my place in Rock Creek East and then out to Stern Lake. I missed a connector in the snow and ended up on roads for a touch but finally made my way out to the new trails. The snow was really coming down for about a 45 minute period in the middle of the run and it was perfect! As I was heading home about a mile from home, the snow stopped and the sun peaked out. There are some new areas out south to explore for sure!
AM) RUN 14.5 miles, 1:50, GPS DATA
After a shower and a bite to eat, Kat and I headed out to Dry Dock Brewing Company in Aurora. They just won Best Small Brewery of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival and have been getting a ton of press. They have a beer called Seven Seas Double IPA that was Top 10 at the Alpha King Challenge... and it didn't disappoint!! They don't bottle so this was the first time I'd tasted their brews. Definitely worth the trip! We did taste almost all their taps and not just the IPA's.... even though I'm a total hophead!
We came home this afternoon to more light snow and decided to make a pot of soup. I tweaked an easy Tortilla Soup that I make pretty regularly and it was awesome. Washed it down with Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA.
Roasted Chicken and Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup with Tomatillo-Radish Salsa
Roasted Chicken and Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup w/ Tomatillo-Radish Salsa;
For the base;
4 tablespoons olive oil
For the base;
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 20 oz can enchilada sauce (I like spicy)
1 28 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 32 oz can chicken stock
3 tablespoons Buffalo brand chipotle hot sauce (or any brand)
8 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
kosher salt
black pepper
To make the base, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add all the other ingredients and cook on low 15-20 minutes. The corn tortillas will add really, really great flavor and thicken the soup. Neat trick! I use a stick (immersion) blender and puree smooth. You can add in small batches to a regular blender, it just takes longer...and I love my stick blender. Season with salt and pepper. This is the base that you can use to add other ingredients to.
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 20 oz can enchilada sauce (I like spicy)
1 28 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 32 oz can chicken stock
3 tablespoons Buffalo brand chipotle hot sauce (or any brand)
8 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
kosher salt
black pepper
To make the base, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add all the other ingredients and cook on low 15-20 minutes. The corn tortillas will add really, really great flavor and thicken the soup. Neat trick! I use a stick (immersion) blender and puree smooth. You can add in small batches to a regular blender, it just takes longer...and I love my stick blender. Season with salt and pepper. This is the base that you can use to add other ingredients to.
After pureeing smooth, I added;
1 whole roasted chicken, skinless and shredded
1 sweet potato, diced (roasted in olive oil at 425F for 25 minutes)
1 30 oz can pinto beans
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 30 oz can pinto beans
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
For the salsa:
5 fresh tomatillos, washed and diced small
20 cherry tomatoes, quartered
10 radishes, sliced
1 jalapeno, minced
1/4 sweet onion, diced
handful of cilantro
juice of a lime
1 tablespoon honey
kosher salt
black pepper
Garnished with;
Garnished with;
Corn tortillas cut into strips and toasted in the oven
Sliced avocado
A guest post from Kat
So I have about 8 minutes until I leave for yoga. My first yoga class since middle of July before my surgery. A little over 3 months and no practice. I am starting out slow with a C1 class. The room in only heated to 85-90 degrees. Some might say that's not really starting it off easy but it's all I know. This will be the first time that my bald head will feel the air someplace other than my house. I am kind of freaking out - kind of panicky - kind of want to cry. I am going to get through it, I actually can't wait to feel it. It's gonna be hard and I am going to be sore and I can't wait. This is where the breathing comes in. No one ever died of scared, right? OK - here I go.
And sooo....I went. Rebecca and Courtney were really happy to see me (instructors). I was happy to see them and somewhat overwhelmed walking into the studio. I used to be a pretty kick ass yoga gal. It was very emotionally overwhelming walking in there - I was trying hard not to cry checking in for my class. (I am a crier for y'all who don't know) Everyone was very sweet. I showed up early so I could get my spot - and really so I could test out my baldness first with not too many people there. God, that is so fucking hard. I got ready and went into the studio - no hat - feeling totally exposed - then I got into child's pose and started my breathing and tried to be there, be inside myself. Just to see if I could I went into a headstand (thank god for muscle memory) and felt pretty good about that. I felt a little off center....maybe having a hysterectomy changes up your balance? Missing some parts and all. I did my stretching and felt pretty good - I guess. My old practice was at a temp of 105 - this series is at 85. Plenty hot for me right now but I miss the intensiveness of the hot class. I lost my balance a couple times. I think that is a side effect of the chemo. I did, however, totally forget about my baldness. That felt good - which is one of the reasons that I love my practice so much. I can really leave it all behind and focus on the breath, the moment, the pose, the struggle, the release.
Wow! What a difference time makes. I have totally lost pretty much all of my upper body strength - arms, upper and middle back, chest. Still hanging in there (miraculously) on lower core, back and stomach, legs. I am a beginner again. Not a bad place to be. Back to the basics, back to each pose, break it down, recommit. We always need to go back to the building blocks from time to time. Well, here I am.
Lots of home hard labor tomorrow. Garage and the county dump will see us. UGH! Maybe on Sunday I will be able to work it all out with another yoga class. I need to find a way to justify a monthly membership - that means five days a week. I think I can do it. I really want to - really.
K
And sooo....I went. Rebecca and Courtney were really happy to see me (instructors). I was happy to see them and somewhat overwhelmed walking into the studio. I used to be a pretty kick ass yoga gal. It was very emotionally overwhelming walking in there - I was trying hard not to cry checking in for my class. (I am a crier for y'all who don't know) Everyone was very sweet. I showed up early so I could get my spot - and really so I could test out my baldness first with not too many people there. God, that is so fucking hard. I got ready and went into the studio - no hat - feeling totally exposed - then I got into child's pose and started my breathing and tried to be there, be inside myself. Just to see if I could I went into a headstand (thank god for muscle memory) and felt pretty good about that. I felt a little off center....maybe having a hysterectomy changes up your balance? Missing some parts and all. I did my stretching and felt pretty good - I guess. My old practice was at a temp of 105 - this series is at 85. Plenty hot for me right now but I miss the intensiveness of the hot class. I lost my balance a couple times. I think that is a side effect of the chemo. I did, however, totally forget about my baldness. That felt good - which is one of the reasons that I love my practice so much. I can really leave it all behind and focus on the breath, the moment, the pose, the struggle, the release.
Wow! What a difference time makes. I have totally lost pretty much all of my upper body strength - arms, upper and middle back, chest. Still hanging in there (miraculously) on lower core, back and stomach, legs. I am a beginner again. Not a bad place to be. Back to the basics, back to each pose, break it down, recommit. We always need to go back to the building blocks from time to time. Well, here I am.
Lots of home hard labor tomorrow. Garage and the county dump will see us. UGH! Maybe on Sunday I will be able to work it all out with another yoga class. I need to find a way to justify a monthly membership - that means five days a week. I think I can do it. I really want to - really.
K
Saturday, October 24, 2009
10.24.09... Noodles & Company Crew Pumpkin Carvin' Party
Kat and I got up early, picked up a rental 16 ft. truck and, with Paley's help, finally cleaned out the backyard and garage. Yikes! It has piled up! We filled the 16 ft truck about halfway to the top. The rule of the day was, if you hadn't touched it or had forgotten about it in the last year... BYE BYE!! I certainly didn't hit a telephone pole getting the monster truck into the alley!! Wasn't me! Maybe could have had a garage sale and made a few dollars but at the end of the day, this was fast and painless... and kinda fun smashing and breaking stuff at the landfill!
We still have a small thrift stores worth of old clothes, mostly the munchkins, that we're taking to donate and seven huge boxes of books and cookbooks that Kat's going to take to a used book store for a few bucks all neatly stacked now on one side of the garage.
We're heading out to an annual Pumpkin Carvin' Party tonight consisting of mostly current and ex- Noodles & Company peeps. Kat and I met at Noodles & Company when the company had first started. She was heading up the Training Dept. and I was creating all the food and features. Fun group tonight!
Even though I was worked from all the loading and unloading today, I drove up to Mt. Sanitas in Boulder and did an easy loop this afternoon. The East Ridge was packed with people and going fast on the way down was near impossible. 21:06 up and 15:37 down the East Ridge and valley. Windy on the peak!
PM) RUN 2.9 miles, 36:43, GPS DATA
We still have a small thrift stores worth of old clothes, mostly the munchkins, that we're taking to donate and seven huge boxes of books and cookbooks that Kat's going to take to a used book store for a few bucks all neatly stacked now on one side of the garage.
We're heading out to an annual Pumpkin Carvin' Party tonight consisting of mostly current and ex- Noodles & Company peeps. Kat and I met at Noodles & Company when the company had first started. She was heading up the Training Dept. and I was creating all the food and features. Fun group tonight!
Even though I was worked from all the loading and unloading today, I drove up to Mt. Sanitas in Boulder and did an easy loop this afternoon. The East Ridge was packed with people and going fast on the way down was near impossible. 21:06 up and 15:37 down the East Ridge and valley. Windy on the peak!
PM) RUN 2.9 miles, 36:43, GPS DATA
Friday, October 23, 2009
10.23.09
Got out on the TT bike after work. Went pretty easy and just enjoyed the evening.
PM) BIKE 35 miles 1:45
PM) BIKE 35 miles 1:45
Thursday, October 22, 2009
10.22.09
Horrible run. Couldn't get my head clear. I'm feeling a little underwater and need to find a way to snap out of it. A lot of work and a lot of life.
PM) RUN 5 miles, 36 minutes
PM) RUN 5 miles, 36 minutes
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
10.21.09
Hectic day! Shot an episode of Unwrapped with the Food Network today. Margaritas with Kat at 3 Margaritas tonight.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
A guest post from Kat...
It's Monday again. Mondays are always a little tough because JP and I always have so much fun on the weekends no matter what we do. This weekend we had Paley on Saturday so we took her to see Where the Wild Things Are. It was awesome! A bit old for Paley but she loves going to the movies - mostly about hanging with the peeps and eating candy and popcorn. I remember how much I loved that book as a kid. The cinematography was great as well as the costume design and set design. I am thinking perhaps an Oscar nomination? The story adaptation was pretty good as well - to take a 20 page kids book and turn it into a 2 hour movie took some serious expansion of the story. Predictably, I cried. Not surprising since even commercials can make me cry. I am a sap, what can I say? I dried my tears and then we were off to find her a costume for Halloween. Fairy princess it is!
Sunday, we went out to eat at a new tap house that opened near us. We have been very eagerly awaiting their opening. AWFUL. Really, more than awful. Mediocre service, warm beer (c'mon, you're a tap house!) and inedible food. They comped our whole ticket and we moved on to our fav restaurant where JP got to have a really beautiful steak and fries (and yes, another beer). We ended up food satisfied and went home to watch football. Great weekend!
I had chemo 1 week ago last Monday. This time was remarkably different. I didn't get sick, no bone or joint pain. I really only experienced fatigue (a little nausea bit totally manageable). It really enabled me to enjoy my birthday on Wed and the rest of the week. I had an awesome birthday (thanks JP!) and went to a concert with my friend David on Friday night. Yahoo! Big week for chemo girl - almost like I have a normal life. With any luck, my last three treatments will be like the last one. For whatever reason, last night I decided to turn my sights to my next hurdle which is radiation for 5 weeks, 5 days a week. This will start about a month after my last chemo treatment. I don't know why I hadn't yet done my obsessive Internet research on radiation therapy until last night. I found out that some of the potential side effects are really scary. It makes sense, if you think about it, that they would be. I guess it just didn't occur to me since I was so focused and scared of the chemo. I think the best thing to do is to put the computer down and get a consult with my Dr. that will be in charge of my radiation therapy - who ever that is.
I have been really missing my hair lately - my eyelashes and eyebrows have just about had it. It has been a trip losing all my hair. From time to time I like to play a game with myself. It's not really a game, more of an exercise. Sometimes when I am walking on the mall or in a grocery store, I like to try to make eye contact with everyone I walk by and smile at them. I have found that people usually have one of three reactions:
1. Nothing - they walk with their heads down or keep their eyes straight ahead. They either have a lot on their minds and are in their own world or they make it a point NOT to look at anything around them.
2. They smile back, or
3. They look at me like "What? Why are you smiling at me, crazy lady?"
Now it's kind of a weird experiment because some people look at me like I have 2 heads, or can't seem to look at me at all. Most people have one of the three previously listed reactions but it feels obvious when someone is uncomfortable that I have no hair and in some moments it makes me feel like I don't want to make eye contact with people. Well, that's just silly. There is probably a bit of my own insecurity tied up in that but I am generally pretty confident and I am still standing, and still making eye contact and still smiling at the people who I see out in the world. I am working on finding a way to be less uncomfortable with other people's uncomfortableness. JP and I were looking at photos of a trip we took to Portland and came upon one of me. Long dark hair, way past my shoulders. He looked at me and said, "Weird. I am so used to you not having hair that it's weird to see you with hair." That made me laugh. I guess I am pretty used to it too - amazing how we can adapt. I could definitely get used to having hair again, pretty quick.
I have only one thing that I have to get done today. I need to finish packing up beer for James and get it to UPS. That will make JP and James very happy. Then it's off to meet Nic's new boyfriend. She invited all her girlfriends for the "New Boy Meet-n-Greet". Brave man. I hope we take it easy on him. ;)
5 hours later....we like the new boy! He passed the test, whatever that is. The beer is super-humanly wrapped. James, UPS will have to seriously try to break that beer - like tape it to a truck and use it as a bumper - that is the only way that contraband will bust in transit to you. It should get there on Thursday. My only really important mission for today is accomplished. I hope you and Beth enjoy it!! It will be a fun drink.
Monday, out.
Kat
Sunday, we went out to eat at a new tap house that opened near us. We have been very eagerly awaiting their opening. AWFUL. Really, more than awful. Mediocre service, warm beer (c'mon, you're a tap house!) and inedible food. They comped our whole ticket and we moved on to our fav restaurant where JP got to have a really beautiful steak and fries (and yes, another beer). We ended up food satisfied and went home to watch football. Great weekend!
I had chemo 1 week ago last Monday. This time was remarkably different. I didn't get sick, no bone or joint pain. I really only experienced fatigue (a little nausea bit totally manageable). It really enabled me to enjoy my birthday on Wed and the rest of the week. I had an awesome birthday (thanks JP!) and went to a concert with my friend David on Friday night. Yahoo! Big week for chemo girl - almost like I have a normal life. With any luck, my last three treatments will be like the last one. For whatever reason, last night I decided to turn my sights to my next hurdle which is radiation for 5 weeks, 5 days a week. This will start about a month after my last chemo treatment. I don't know why I hadn't yet done my obsessive Internet research on radiation therapy until last night. I found out that some of the potential side effects are really scary. It makes sense, if you think about it, that they would be. I guess it just didn't occur to me since I was so focused and scared of the chemo. I think the best thing to do is to put the computer down and get a consult with my Dr. that will be in charge of my radiation therapy - who ever that is.
I have been really missing my hair lately - my eyelashes and eyebrows have just about had it. It has been a trip losing all my hair. From time to time I like to play a game with myself. It's not really a game, more of an exercise. Sometimes when I am walking on the mall or in a grocery store, I like to try to make eye contact with everyone I walk by and smile at them. I have found that people usually have one of three reactions:
1. Nothing - they walk with their heads down or keep their eyes straight ahead. They either have a lot on their minds and are in their own world or they make it a point NOT to look at anything around them.
2. They smile back, or
3. They look at me like "What? Why are you smiling at me, crazy lady?"
Now it's kind of a weird experiment because some people look at me like I have 2 heads, or can't seem to look at me at all. Most people have one of the three previously listed reactions but it feels obvious when someone is uncomfortable that I have no hair and in some moments it makes me feel like I don't want to make eye contact with people. Well, that's just silly. There is probably a bit of my own insecurity tied up in that but I am generally pretty confident and I am still standing, and still making eye contact and still smiling at the people who I see out in the world. I am working on finding a way to be less uncomfortable with other people's uncomfortableness. JP and I were looking at photos of a trip we took to Portland and came upon one of me. Long dark hair, way past my shoulders. He looked at me and said, "Weird. I am so used to you not having hair that it's weird to see you with hair." That made me laugh. I guess I am pretty used to it too - amazing how we can adapt. I could definitely get used to having hair again, pretty quick.
I have only one thing that I have to get done today. I need to finish packing up beer for James and get it to UPS. That will make JP and James very happy. Then it's off to meet Nic's new boyfriend. She invited all her girlfriends for the "New Boy Meet-n-Greet". Brave man. I hope we take it easy on him. ;)
5 hours later....we like the new boy! He passed the test, whatever that is. The beer is super-humanly wrapped. James, UPS will have to seriously try to break that beer - like tape it to a truck and use it as a bumper - that is the only way that contraband will bust in transit to you. It should get there on Thursday. My only really important mission for today is accomplished. I hope you and Beth enjoy it!! It will be a fun drink.
Monday, out.
Kat
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