Running Through the Mist: Oregon Coast 50k, Part 2

Streak Day:733
YTD Mileage: 8 / 2017
(2112 miles for 2016)

October 8th, 2016: Oregon Coast 50k race day arrived. We picked up our packets in a meeting room at the lodge, shortly after the 7 am packet pick-up start. Packet pick-up was well-organized, and the volunteers were very friendly. The race registration for the OC 50k does not include a shirt, but registrants can buy a shirt or a hoodie at the time they register for the race. The registration site has a warning that items purchased at the time of registration will not be shipped to race registrants who cannot run the race for some reason, so one does take a risk paying for a race garment he may not receive if he orders it when he registers, but then has to miss the race for some reason. I accepted the risk and ordered a race shirt for Phillip and a Rainshadow Running sweatshirt for myself when I registered the two of us for the race. I slightly worried that somehow we would have a problem with the purchases when we picked up our packets, but all went 100% smoothly. Continue reading “Running Through the Mist: Oregon Coast 50k, Part 2”

Running Through Mist: Oregon Coast 50k, Part 1

Streak Day:733
YTD Mileage: 8 / 2017
(2112 miles for 2016)

October 8, 2016, is a day I had eagerly anticipated for six months. img_4793Knowing that the Oregon Coast 50k sold out within the first couple of days of registration the previous two years, I waited up on April 26, 2016, to register for the 2016 event as soon as registration for the race opened. Oregon is two hours behind Texas in time zone, which meant that I had to wait up until about 2 am Texas time to register for the race. After I registered Phillip and myself for the race, I was able to sleep easily, knowing that I had secured two spots for the spectacular 50k. Now, the one thing I did not do, which anyone planning to run this 50k needs to do immediately upon registering, is to reserve a room The Adobe Resort, the official race hotel. Two days after I registered for the race, I remembered to call The Adobe Resort and reserved one of the last three rooms available race weekend, and the LAST room with an ocean view. Continue reading “Running Through Mist: Oregon Coast 50k, Part 1”

Clean Eating: Make Your Own Gluten-Free, Grain-Free Energy Snacks

With the totally awesome Oregon Coast 50k two weeks now past, I meant img_1386for my next blog post to be a race report of that experience (it was an AMAZING experience). Having just presented the second of two gluten-free, grain-free homemade energy snack demonstrations at the NW Military Natural Grocers in San Antonio, without yet having published the recipes I demonstrated for the sweet, well-informed people who attended the demonstrations, I decided to delay the race report in favor of finally getting the energy snack recipes online. Healthy, portable energy snacks are very simple and quick to make. They are fun to make, too. By making your own nutritious high carb or high protein snack, you can combine your favorite ingredients to develop your favorite flavors. You can also adjust the amount of sugar, protein, carbs, and nutrients according to your individual needs. Continue reading “Clean Eating: Make Your Own Gluten-Free, Grain-Free Energy Snacks”

Run Free Texas 80s 8k: 1st Austin Distance Challenge On the Books

Streak Day: 644
YTD Mileage: 1562/2016

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credit: all events.in

Sunday morning, October 2nd, arrived in a friendly manner: cool, clear, and dry.It was a perfect morning for the RFT 80s 8k! The race took place at John Gupton Stadium in Cedar Park. The race start was 7:30 am, my least favorite race start time after 7 am. The later race starts are so much nicer. One’s body has a chance to wake up and get used to the idea of running hard for a few (or more) miles. I was initially, as usual, dreading the 7:30 am start; however, the lack of traffic running from South to North on I-35 when we left home at 6:15 allowed us to reach the race site in Cedar Park in thirty minutes. RECORD TIME for getting to Cedar Park from just South of the river! Continue reading “Run Free Texas 80s 8k: 1st Austin Distance Challenge On the Books”

Run Free Texas 80s 8k: STRESS!!!!

Streak Day 638
YTD Mileage: 1532 / 2016

img_4544September arrived a few weeks ago, and finally the weather changed enough to offer a little hope that the coming months will bring real relief from the Hellish heat and humidity in which we’ve been running for the past few months. August was the absolute worse month, and the first weeks of September were nearly just as hot. Phillip and I actually took a little trip to Winter Park, CO, the first week of September just to get some relief from the heat. The weather up there was perfect, and the scenery amazing. We’re looking forward to our trip to Oregon, for the Oregon Coast 50k, next week. I’m looking forward to that race. Before I run that race on the 8th, however, I’m running the Run Free Texas 80s 8k in Cedar Park this coming Sunday (October 2nd). This race, short as it is, has me TERRIFIED. Continue reading “Run Free Texas 80s 8k: STRESS!!!!”