Saturday, March 22, 2014

The Kitter

The Kitter

Do you ever look back at old posts to see how many views they've received? I do and you'll never guess which post has gotten the most.  It's Kitter Time.  I'm perplexed to say the least. It wasn't even that good. Just had some cute kitty pictures and a few captions. Big deal. So what? Granted, the spam world, for some reason, fixated mostly on that one post. Well, hello! That says it all. Remember, I had to turn on word verification to try to control the deluge of spam comments. It was cray cray!

However, that seems to have worked. So now, I feel safe to do a Kitter update.

Periodically, I tell Whitney how many page views Kitter has gotten. With over 4600 hits, Whitney now considers Kitter to be an A-list Celebrity. In light of Kitter's newfound celebrity status, I told Whitney that I might have to interview her and she said, "Good luck. Kitter is unruly and uncooperative".

Well, if she won't do interviews, then I guess a new Kitter photo montage will have to do.....

Narrated by Whitney, of course.


This is what crazy looks like. She freaks out when she can't get to the human behind closed doors.
 

 Puss In Boots
 

I think we need to call a plumber. Kitter has taken "needy for attention" to a whole new level.
 
 
 
Someone is being cute in hopes of getting some food.
 
 
 
"Oh hi...are you working? I'll just sit here and stare at you because you
won't let me walk around on the desk."
 
 
She has a tough life.
 
 
 Oh sure...because where else would you lay?
 
 
 
Early Christmas present/shanty replacement for the fuzzy creature...and she hasn't even been good!
 
 
 
This is what sits above me (and stares at me) when I work from home. I feel frightened.
 
 
 So much for trying to pack...looks like my bag is already full.
 
 
 So much for folding up the chair so she wouldn't lay in it.
 
 
 The move was hard on her too....she's so tired, she can't even play with her favorite sticky green man anymore!!
 
 
 
Picked up a case of Cuties at the grocery store. 
 
 
 
Got some goodies from Panera .
 
 
Just love that Grand Kitter!
Love her mama more!
Hope the spammers find someone else's blog to fixate on!
Time will tell!
 
Oh wait, in case you were wondering:
Running 10 miles today.
Emily, Lidia and Sawyer are here.
Sawyer's isms have already cracked me up.
This blog was proofread and edited by Lidia.
 
Happy Spring Y'all,
Laurie

 
 
 

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Yoga

You want me to do what?
 
Photo: by Dawn White
 
Went to yoga last night and loved it. I've only done yoga at home from DVD's, but never knew if I was really doing the poses correctly. Our local running store, Black Dog Running, hosted a yoga class for runners last night and I jumped at the chance. Felt so good afterwards....I believe I'll sign up for more.
 
Note to self: Downward-Facing Dog can be dangerous. Need a yoga mat....the tropical beach towel just won't do, unless I want to do slip-n-slide.
 
Namaste,
Laurie

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Just Some Things You Need to Know....



Murrells Inlet, SC
Taken last year, but this is what it feels like today. I need some sun.


1.   Spammers are driving me crazy!
2.   Because of  number 1, I have had to turn on the word verification option. At least until the spammers stop. Sorry for the inconvenience.
3.   It is dreary here again today. I don't like cold and rain at the same time. I think the rain is gone, but please SUN come out and play.
4.   Whitney flew in Friday.
5.   Whitney and I went to her friend, Sarah's wedding on Saturday. Cliff rode almost 50 miles on the Palmetto trail on his mountain bike. Whitney and I picked him up on our way home from the wedding.
6.   Sunday was Emily's birthday. She had to work the whole weekend so we didn't get to see her, but we blew up her phone with Birthday wishes....all day long! HaHa! She and the kids are coming home this weekend. Yay!!
7.   Sunday I ran 9.1 miles....with Whitney for the first 3.5 miles and then the last half in the rain. Had to be done! I survived and I didn't melt.
8.   Lunch and a movie with Cliff and my baby child, Whitney.
9.   Dinner with Cliff and my baby child for her 28th  birthday. Confused yet about the birthdays? Emily was born on March 16th and 3 years later, Whitney was born on March 19th.  Emily couldn't come home for her birthday, but Whitney did. See, it's simple.
10. Oh wait, dinner was at Wicked Tuna. Yum!
11. Monday, the weather was dreary and rainy still. And it was dreary and rainy in my heart. Whitney had to go home. I always cry when she leaves. I try not to in front of her or anyone else, for that matter. I have an ugly cry. It's so embarassing. She had not even gotten inside the door at the airport yet and here came the tears. So I took a picture of myself and sent it to her. I'm good at trying to guilt her into moving home. So far, not even a crying mama has worked. Lord! I need some new tactics. Do y'all know any?
12. Tuesday, my doctor said, "Your vitamin D level is back to normal." Well, good. Then he wanted to talk about taking something for osteoporosis, which I don't even have. My last bone density did show some thinning, but not much. Well hello, I have made all sorts of lifestyle changes since then and I don't intend to take drugs that have serious side effects, such as femur fractures....and especially since I don't even have osteoporosis. Especially! But I will continue to take calcium and vitamin D supplements and I will continue to lift weights and run and I will continue to eat vegetarian going well into the vegan realm. He agreed and was willing to let me do these things and retest next year. I believe wholeheartedly that I'll never need to take meds. I believe that you get to the root of the problem instead of treating symptoms. And that's that!
13.  Today: Run, upper body workout with weights, yoga tonight at Black Dog. Can't wait.

Happy Spring!
Laurie


Saturday, March 15, 2014

Cliff's Chronicle, "Shipwrecked By The Hulk"



I have a treat in store for you today. If you're a longtime reader of this blog, then you know that Cliff has guest posted on here before. His tales are as hilarious as all get out. Last Sunday, he and two teammates competed in a triathlon that took place in part of the Waccamaw River and on the infamous Hulk biking/running trail. This triathlon is a little different...instead of a swimming leg, they kayaked. The following account of the race was written by Cliff and I just had to share it with you. It's a little long, but he had a lot to cover. Hope you enjoy.

                                                                        **********

The Incredible Tri
Shipwrecked by the Hulk
by: Cliff - His Ownself

It was a simple plan. Just paddle the flippin’ kayak (no pun intended) fast enough to launch my team to a win. I’m not a strong person but 1) I have a kayak more suited for going straight’n fast and 2) how much time can a body lose during a 10 minute kayak leg with a group not specifically trained to kayak? Chris, who IS a strong person, using my second kayak was going to do what he usually does, come out the water first but with his last minute change to an SUP, I’m sure to come out the water first just like last time. No doubt. No sweat. It’ll be a boring ride for David Hall and a boring run for Tom Keller neither seeing a single soul on their legs.

SUNRISE AT THE HULK / PADDLING TO THE START
SUNRISE AT THE HULK / PADDLING TO THE START
 

The mass start without the 50 yard dash made a more interesting start than the last time as each vessel left the beach at the same moment and there was bumping and banging and gnashing of teeth. The plan was to go hard, get out in front, ease off for the first lap, and go all out on the second. It didn’t work out that way. The shorter kayaks faded back heading up to the bridge but I could not, regardless of how hard I paddled, leave the SUP’s. What the heck!?!? At that moment I knew something was wrong. Maybe I’m dragging a rope or something because the boat was pulling to the right and I couldn’t hit top speed. It was doing other weird stuff too like rocking back & forth and it was very difficult to make the wide turn around the bridge pilings – the boat would not turn! It was then that I finally noticed the back compartment was flooding; I was clearly sinking. Had I stopped paddling, the boat would have sunk instantly so I paddled at 100% capacity across the river and made a very wide turn around the buoy to get on the grass line. I jumped out, pushed the boat into the tall grass for support, flipped it, and got most of the water out. That took a few minutes and shoving off for the second lap I was totally exhausted lifting the water-filled boat. At that point, everyone else was about to finish the second lap so I’m at least 5 minutes behind. In short, my kayak run was a train wreck. Or more befitting of this Hulk experience, a shipwreck. During my previous 3 excursions at the Hulk, I’ve been over the handlebars, wrecked out the corners, toe-stumped, hill-whipped, mud-slicked, toenailed, and basically pommeled, pounded, pummeled and punished in most every way. And now, in the spirit of the Hulk’s naughty reputation, shipwrecked.

A LITTLE SUNKIE IN THE TRUNKIE
A LITTLE SUNKIE IN THE TRUNKIE



Everyone is gone when I finally beach my waterlogged clunker but trying to minimize the damage, I scurry up Spiderman and into the Amazon. Arriving to transition, Team Shipwreck’s elite rider David Hall is all alone and revving blue smoke out his ears. "The Plan" would have had him riding off alone into the boredom of finishing without challenge but it was not to be. The relay is made and he’s charged with the daunting task of making up 7 minutes on, well, everyone! I can only imagine the urgency in his riding and really, the shipwreck probably added a huge amount of satisfaction for his ride that had him catching and passing all but 2 of the riders and 2 very "dangerous" riders at that; Brad and Enoel. What an incredible performance by David Hall!

TEAM SHIPWRECK'S ELITE RIDER DAVID HALL
TEAM SHIPWRECK'S ELITE RIDER DAVID HALL



I was not at the T2 relay but according to my eyewitness interviews, Tom Keller, Team Shipwreck’s running man, sprinted off about 2 minutes in arrears. Brad was way out in front and Dani, being setup very nicely by the awesome ride of Enoel, was a close second. Since "The Plan" had been tossed out the porthole early on, Tom had to formulate, on-the-spot, a new plan; creative and highly specialized. Tom's Plan B: Run like a speckled @$$ ape. And that he did.

DAVID MUSCLING UP A HILL
DAVID MUSCLING UP A HILL



I suspect, similar to the situation imposed on David, Tom’s run was made much more exciting by the fact that he was way behind and had to catch people whom few could catch without internal combustion. Also, the Hulk trail very nicely promotes intense underdog motivation with its openness and snaking trails so that you can see your target well up the trail. This combination of urgency and seeing his prey, Tom is on fire. But wait, there’s more!
Anxiously awaiting David’s arrival, Tom was multitasking. Get that? Tom was multitasking right there on the Hulk diligently devising Plan B while trying to keep count of the runners leaving out ahead of him. Under the intense pressure, he reverts to counting in a foreign language; "Een, twee, drie …" Say what? Ok, ‘Een’ don’t tell me nothing but ‘twee’ looks a little like ‘two’ but sounds more like ‘three’ but so does ‘drie’ so maybe ‘drie’ took the place of ‘two’ and ‘three’ was the result? Well, I’m not exactly sure what I just said but basically the dude counted wrong and thought three runners were ahead of him.

DANI RIPS OUT OF T2
DANI RIPS OUT OF T2



He can see Dani turning into the Amazon as he launches from T2 and after emerging from the Amazon, he sees Dani dropping off the road into the flats of "Knee Deep" and "Aladdin." Once on the flats, he can see Dani and Brad in the snaking trail still well ahead but unfortunate for them, he’s looking past them and chasing the number ‘drie’ person who was never there to start with! Holy geez you couldn't make this sh..tuff up!

He catches up to Dani and after a short "breather" in her draft, makes the pass. Side note/side question: Who among the multitudes could ever claim to be recovering in the draft of a petite assemblage of muscle and lung cruising the Hulk at 7 minutes per mile? Only Tom. A little further up the trail, still on after-burner, he catches and makes the pass on Brad. There again, and it’s a very serious question, who can catch Brad anywhere under any conditions? But after taking the lead, Tom is not trying to hold the lead; he’s still madly chasing someone that ain't there for goodness sakes!

THE LEAD PACK CLOSING IN WITH WADE IN THE BACKGROUND THREATENING
THE LEAD PACK CLOSING IN WITH WADE IN THE BACKGROUND THREATENING



It’s quiet at the finishing line – everyone waiting – and we start to see movement and then figures in the far distance. That’s neat about the finish line position; the long, straight run into the banner makes perfect viewing for the race fans. As the figures get closer, we can make out 3 runners. It began to be clear the blue shirt was in front - Tom was lined up on final approach and coming in hot. Dani was a close second with Brad right behind her in striking distance and closing the gap. Now, I don’t have much experience in the race world but of all the races I’ve seen, this one certainly, without a doubt, had the most exciting finish of all. Battling it out heel-to-heel were 3 extremely fast, highly trained, very competitive runners within shoelaces of one another at breakneck speeds, pumping, straining, and fighting for the lead all the way to the finish. Tom maintained the lead and passed through the banner at Mach 2 only 6 seconds in the advantage. At about 50 yards out, Brad had launched an all-out attack forcing Dani to respond with power-lunges and barely holding on to second place by 2 seconds. What a wild Hulking finish!!

TOM FINISHES FIRST
TOM FINISHES FIRST



46 seconds later, guess who; Wade Davis, of course, for second place solo. A few minutes later was Fritz Gildemeister to round out third overall solo. Then, another "race" appeared in the distance; 2 very different silhouettes with very different gaits; it’s Jay Hamas and James Fogarty, elbow-to-elbow, screamin’ down the rock road with no one finally taking the advantage to a photo finish! At the Hulk, there are no decimal places, hundredths, or thousandths - which could have certainly been employed - but regardless, Jay edged-out James by a nasal fraction.

JAY & JAMES SPRINT TOE-TO-TOE
JAY & JAMES SPRINT TOE-TO-TOE



So, in the end, notwithstanding the kayakalamity, Team Shipwreck took the gold with the phenomenal performances of David and Tom.

TEAM SHIPWRECK
TEAM SHIPWRECK



Could it have gone another way? What if Chris would have been in a ‘fast kayak?’ He’d have easily gained those 6 seconds. And what if Enoel had been imposed with the pressure of damage control to make up an initial lost time for his team? What if Dani would not have set a land speed record the day before in the BFF 10k? She only needed 6 seconds for the win. And what if Tom could count to two? Maybe his urgency would have been a little less - 6 seconds on 2.5 miles ain't much! Any one, or a combination thereof, would have produced a different result.

But for me, the real news story is no surprise. Two relay teams with great skill in mountain biking and running did take first and second place overall but remember that each leg for the relay teams were with fresh racers and they were still only able to put a few seconds on Brad and less than a minute on Wade. The race those 2 guys had, as always, was VERY impressive. THESE guys are the real story!!

SOLO #'s 1 & 2 - TOUGHEST DUDES IN TOWN!
SOLO #'s 1 & 2 - TOUGHEST DUDES IN TOWN!



Regardless, it was the most exciting race start to finish. Thanks to Pete for his unbelievable level of energy in keeping the community and activities organized – I don’t know how he can sustain this level year after year! Thanks also to the volunteers who did a very good job making it all come together.

DA MAN
DA MAN



Well, I'll be done talkin' now ... gotta go check when’s the next Hulk adventure.


**********

This adventure had to be told. To understand the awesome feat of these athletes, you just had to be there. I wouldn't have missed it for the world, especially the part after Cliff had finished on the kayak and he was trailering it back to the trail. Picture this....Cliff's in a hurry to get back to the trail to watch his teammates on their leg of the race. After loading the kayak onto the trailer, he didn't fully secure it. So...he came barreling up to the trail looking for a parking spot, hit the breaks and the kayak flipped up and off the trailer into the road. HaHa! I yelled, "OMG, the kayak fell in the road!" It was so funny, I couldn't stop laughing. And what truly made it so funny was the fact that he had been hamming it up with his friends, making bets on who would win and who was going to buy breakfast for the winners. He was being sorta cocky about it, actually. And this last fiasco with the kayak, after nearly sinking, was just the cherry on top.

Gotta go.....all sorts of things going on this weekend. Tell you about it next week.

Later,
Laurie

Monday, March 10, 2014

BFF 10K - Year Two

The BFF 10K finish line at Barefoot Landing and Resort

Howdy people. We had a great weekend full of exercise here in SC.  Saturday was the second year that I ran the BFF Pink Ribbon 10K. The purpose of the race was to create awareness and raise funds for breast cancer research and treatment. It was so awesome because we had ladies there who have survived breast cancer and then those that were honoring loved ones who had lost their battle with this awful disease. Just like last year, I ran this to celebrate my cousin, Terri (Sista Sista), who is a longstanding breast cancer survivor.

BFF 10K Finisher Medal

Me, Christie and our friend, Wendi

The race began in N. Myrtle Beach near Barefoot Landing and wound it's way through a lovely subdivision behind the resort. My friend Christie and I ran together this year. She told me that she had been sick all week so she might have to walk some and talk very little. I considered myself forewarned. I tend to talk.....a lot. She then told me that she could do a lot of listening, though. HaHa! She's so sweet that way!

It was a beautiful day for a race. The sun was shining. It was a little cool, but by the time we lined up to start, I had to peel off my jacket. And then......we were off. First order of running.....conquer a bridge! What? I don't remember the bridge being that steep last year. But looking back, I did refer to it as Mt. Kilimanjaro. Good thing it wasn't too long and good thing it was near the beginning of the race. Now, by this time the crowd was starting to thin out. Christie and I began plotting our "who are we going to pass" strategy. So, up ahead we saw this lady that I passed last year at around mile 5. I was jubilant back then about passing her.....seeing that she has to be at least six and half feet tall with legs as long as I am tall. 

(You can read about that race here. And yes, if you must know, I did wear the same running outfit as last year. So what?)

Anyway, we honed in on "tall lady"....our first victim. And guess what? It was a surprise attack. We overtook her in mere minutes and she didn't even see us coming.  

HeHe. I really am a good sport...really. Just ask Cliff. Although, cordial and kind to my fellow opponents, he'll tell you how I used to pout for days after losing a tennis match.  

The first 2 miles were tough. It seemed to take both of us that long to get our legs loosened up. Finally, getting totally warmed up and settling in for the next few miles, we started the hunt for our second victim. Miles 3 to 5 were okay. And then, around mile 5, it was clear. I set our goal to pass the lady who had been hovering near us practically the whole race. We would take her out. She was just ahead at this point and I told Christie that she was "the one". Christie was having some concerns and I reassured her that once we passed her we didn't have to stay passed. HaHa!  We both used that energy, I think, to accomplish our goal. Not only did we pass her, but we stayed out in front. Score!

As we came closer to the finish line, I told Christie that I like to sprint to the finish. By this time my legs were itching to kick into sprint mode. With her blessing, of course, I took off. Rounding the corner to the finish line, there is a slight downhill section. I looked down at my Garmin at that point and I was running an 8:53 pace. Felt like I was flying. Well, don't get all excited. That is certainly not my usual pace. You know I'm slow. I wanted to keep that pace soooo bad though, but as soon as I got to the end of the hill, it felt like I had just launched a parachute out the back. None-the-less, I crossed with a smile on my face, feeling sure I had beat last year's time. And I did, by one minute. Christie was not far behind. We had a great time and for sure, it was a great cause.

BFF 10K Finisher


Goals for this race:
Pass at least one person - check
Don't finish last - check
Beat last year's time - check

In Retrospect:
I felt like my workouts at the gym were successful. I felt stronger and faster. And even though the stupid Nerves showed up that morning, I felt more confident. I feel excited about future races. I began running with the goals of losing weight and getting healthy in mind. It certainly has been a learning experience. The right combination of nutrition and exercise is a juggling act, to say the least. I am constantly learning. It's a lifestyle change....and it doesn't happen overnight. Slow and steady is the name of the game.

Laurie

Friday, March 7, 2014

Swooney Covered Bridge

Campbell's Covered Bridge
Landrum, SC

Oooh, I'm so excited to share a treasure I found with you. I spent last weekend in the upstate with my sweet little Chiggers. Emily had to work the weekend shift at the hospital. So, I try to go up and help with the childcare situation as often as possible. I mean, hello, it's a win, win situation. 
 I get to see my babies and we get to play.

The upstate has a plethora of places to explore. And I love it! Since I was going to be there all weekend, we definitely had the time to get out and do some exploring. Surfing the net, I came across an attraction in the nearby town of Landrum, SC. It was an old covered bridge. OMG! "The Bridges of Madison County" immediately came to mind and I exclaimed with utter delight, "We have to go see that bridge"! So...Saturday morning, after packing a picnic lunch, the Chiggers and I went on a road trip. It was only a thirty minute or so drive, but to them it was a cross-country trip.......with no pit stops. Sawyer could so do one of those irritating commercials....."Are we there yet, Are we there yet?" Bless his heart. And he's so dramatic with it, too. He gets faint and feeble and wobbles over and flops around in the back seat. But then we get there and he's all a bundle of energy again. HaHa!

When we got to the bridge y'all, my jaws flopped open. Oh my gosh, that thing was gorgeous! And to Lidia and Sawyer's delight, there was running water and rocks to play on. Oh, and a lizard! Lidia is obsessed. She spent ten minutes trying to get him out of the nooks and cranny of the stone steps he was hiding in. She tried grabbing, coaxing and finally, sweet talking...it was a failure. She moseyed on.

First order of business, after the lizard fail that is, Lidia had to find a stick. Sawyer brought his own in the form of a Lego sword. He's obsessed, too. If we sold all the Lego stuff he owns, we would make a billion dollars. Finding a stick, though, was a piece of cake and once that task was accomplished they spent an hour running on the rocks and poking their sticks and swords in the creek.

A Duel
 Lego Sword vs The Stick
 
The Putting Down of Weapons to play Swishy, Swishy
 
 
For me, I just SWOONED over the bridge. Look at it. Wouldn't you?

 
Wonder how many sweethearts have hidden away under the cover of this beautiful bridge?

A little history...built in 1909. That makes this bridge 105 years old. Wow!
 
After the picnic lunch, we started back home. On the way, I saw all sorts of antique shops. I was nearly drooling. But, I knew my little Chiggers would not tolerate a pit stop to an antique store, so I called up Terri and we've made plans to go on a Sista Sista's day of antiquing sometime soon.
 
Lidia, Sawyer and I had a great weekend and I just LOVE making memories like this with them. I'm looking forward to our next adventure.
 
Still Swooning,
Laurie
 
In case you were wondering:
I have a 10k race this weekend. And, my sessions with the trainer at the gym is over.
Looking back, I miss my workouts with him. Why I feel this way, when all I felt like doing during the workouts was puking, is beyond me. But, I see a difference. Enough to make me continue on my own. By the end of the summer, I'm going to be ripped. HaHa! Yeah, we'll see.