CrossRoads Blog

Halloween is suppose to be ‘Spooky’ and ‘Kooky’ - and this year fit the bill. Only from a little different slant than is typical I guess. The kooky part was running down a dirt trail at 5:15 a.m. in the cold morning with a headlamp on your head to meet your wife in an hour so you both can do another 12 miles in addition to the 9 it will take to get to her. I think there are some that may say that’s a kooky way to start a Saturday Halloween morning?

By midday we were still scrambling around trying to find us a costume for an event we had later in the day. Seeing a 21 mile run in the morning was not enough, we had signed up for a 5K run at the new City North at City Center (a new local retail and urban living development) called “Freaky 5K“. While it was not a requirement to run in costume - how could you not? I was hoping to be a Sheik and Kimberly a Belly Dancer type that matched (kind of). Sadly there was nothing even close to a costume like that and we went to many place. Seeing nothing else was appealing we decided Kimberly would still go as a Belly Dancer (I know a stretch right? But she would have an awesome costume!) and I found one that while would not be as easy to run in as a Sheik gown, would be very funny to look at. It was essentially an ostrich that made it look like you were riding them when wearing. It even had a little motor to poof out the tail and rest of the bird. Very funny stuff - I therefore looking like I was cheating on the run as I was riding an ostrich.

Let’s just say it is not too easy running in a blow up bird. Though the looks I was getting from the 2-6 year olds was worth the price of admission. We both had a real good run and time too considering the costumes and the length of the morning run. But having already been a nonstop day we were well ready to do some chillin’ and hanging with friends and family at Kerry and Mike’s get together in Anthem.

Sis and Brother in law do like we always do for the spook night - they setup shop (food drinks, chairs, fire pit, the whole nine yards) out in the driveway and hang with the friends while the little trick or treaters swing by for the high fructose buzz in a wrapper stuff. It’s a great way to meet (or see) the neighbors and a perfect reason to partake of good food and drink. Speaking of which, Mike had some good chili made up and I brought some too. Along with some other way good food goodies from everyone, I think I ate and drank back the 24 miles worth of calorie burn :-).

It was also great to see Mike and Joleen and their furry one again. Heather was there and in great spirits (little credit for working the ’spirits’ into the blog?) - she looks amazing and is doing so good on the path toward her first Marathon!! We are thrilled for her. Louie was hanging looking good, the fire was cranking, the chili was spicy and my ‘Reese’s peanut butter cocktail drinks went over pretty good (though not exactly what I had hoped for from a taste perspective). All in all a great night, that finally ended about 20 hours after it started.

Oh yeah, the “Spooky” part of the day I alluded to….. I give you:

There is something inherently cool about this town. It’s low down and funky but with a laid back sophistication. Kind of a California old hippie vibe but with an Arizona desert town tough slant. It’s just hard to describe - but what is easy is to say how much we dig this place. I’ll say it again, if you have not been to Bisbee, go, simple as that.

I had even a little more excitement in anticipation of this year’s Bisbee 1000 Stair Climb. We had such a riot last year, the whole trip was perfect (Blogged about it HERE), with the exception of the race. The race is self was great, in fact it quickly became my favorite, but the rub was I was still feeling the effects of the ankle jack and was not real happy with the effort I was able to put forth. This year I was all heeled up and ready to hit a goal of a ‘first page finish’ (top 100, last year I was 122 or something like that).

We again stayed at the Gym Suites. A perfect place really for folks like us who enjoy cooking their own meals, okay.. and are a little picky about what they eat. The place had a great bedroom, a living room, dining, full kitchen, and a balcony overlooking town all for about half the cost of what we pay at a typical Marriott. The place is like an apartment really, must be close to 1200 sq ft. A perfect choice for someone who wants to spend a week in Bisbee.

The whole weekend was again exactly the perfect vibe you hope for - chilled, easy going, great people, great food, interesting characters, and one heck of a challenging 45 minutes or so. We did the typical town walkabout pretty much the whole time we were there and not sleeping. Unlike a lot of places the antique shops here really have antiques - or at least unique old crap sold at a decent price . In fact along those lines, after 10 years of looking Kimberly found an old ‘Lucy Table’ and chairs that fit perfectly in the Red Kitchen motif. The art and artists of this town are also enjoyable. Very talented folks that I think just love the area so they do their thing and sell it at reasonable prices. I love supporting local artists and when you can buy a cool piece of handmade clay for less than a case of soda you gotta’ love it. I also much appreciate that you can walk to a couple of small stores and have access to a nice selection of organic fruits and veggies. Here we are in the middle of nowhere pretty much in some old mining town and I had the best pear I have had in 20 years. Why? Because it came from some guys trees down the road. I know this because when I went back the next day to score some more they were gone and she told me because his tree was now empty…. Bisbee (see what I’m saying).

Race morning came and it was a perfect day. Perfect from a 70 degrees and sun perspective, not so perfect from a ‘you have to run 4.4 miles and do 1003 steep skinny stairs along the way’ perspective. In fact, it was the warmest day by 10 degrees in the history of the event. Both Kimberly and I had great runs and a most excellent time. Though having said that, it took only by the second group of (there are 8 total) stairs to be reminded that this is about the most challenging cardio race that I can imagine. A Marathon may last hours, but you never get close to the heart rate - lung death of this thing. Wow… even the most fit of the young people are looking like zombies well before half the race is over.

As for results I did and did not make my goal. While I finished 65th overall (of1340) and 5th in my age group at 40:56, it was not the ‘first page’. Dang race folks changed the print out from 100 to 50 per this year! Dang it, now I got the same goal next year I guess - I will have to move up 15 spots and hope they don’t change it to 25 per :-). Kimberly had an awesome time of 47:06 cutting a ton of time off her last year mark. She was 6th in her age group of 95 total and beat a ton of those young healthy 20 something men types!

Right after the race we were able to hook up with a ‘new friend’ Zuleika which was very cool. We walked around the little festival, and watched some of the Iron Man - yeah don’t ask, I skipped it, wussed out, gave in, etc. - next year for sure if we are there.

We celebrated the race just like last year as well with dinner at Cafe Roka. Everything was again outstanding. This chef could do well in Manhattan I think, he just decided he likes the Bisbee vibe and setup shop there. We also got a chance to take a peek into the huge mine which is something to see. We never had done so because it is on the other side of town but we needed some tie-downs for the table and chairs and drove past it this time. Some more walking town, packed up, and headed out. Another ‘annual’ Bisbee trip that met the high expectation. Some PICS HERE

My first experience with the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure was 10 years ago. Michael, my sister in law and I ran a Susan G Komen Race for the Cure when I was two years free from cancer. It was awesome and a very special run. We had a goal to finish but since none of us were runners it was more of a statement of support for us than a race. The organization puts on a great event as well as does an outstanding job of making survivors feel special. The whole experience was wonderful and very emotional. Reading the ‘in memory of’ bibs of those who were there walking and running in memory of their lost loved ones brought tears to my eyes and reminded me of how lucky I was.

2007 marked ten years of survival for me and Michael suggested that I should do the Race for the Cure in celebration. It was a marvelous idea so about three weeks prior to the race I started running. It felt really good. I ran the 2007 race and by estimation came in 7th in the Survivor Race. It felt great to have done well but it also felt like a challenge. I thought that if I could come in 7th with just three weeks of training that there was a possibility I could place (1st, 2nd or 3rd ) with more training. I set a goal to run again in 2008. Meanwhile I fell in love with running. It happened so slowly that I cannot say exactly when it happened. Instead of being a chore it was a pleasure that I looked forward to. When the 2008 race came along I was now running in celebration of eleven years free from cancer and also running for my mom in law who had recently had breast cancer. I felt ready and raced hard. Although I did better than my previous year it was not enough to place. I was a bit disappointed but because the race is so special the disappointment did not last and I set a new goal to place the following year.

As the 2009 Race for the Cure approached this year I was more nervous than the previous years but I was also more prepared. Michael and I had trained together for the race and he was going to pace me. We were running in celebration of 12 years of survival for me and also from my mom in laws survival-2 great reasons to celebrate. The morning of the race I felt great. It was a beautiful October Phoenix morning. We got to the race early and enjoyed the Survivor spoils (Pink Hat Café, Survivors’ goody bags…) then warmed up and got in place for the race.

The horn blew and we were off. Right away I was in the lead following the police motor cycle but how long would that last? I questioned if I had started out to fast (in 2007 I had been in 1st place for about 2/10th of a mile because I took off like a bat out of hell-rookie mistake!). The first song on my shuffle finished and I was still in first- I figured each song was worth about a half mile. Michael told me not to look back but to keep running so I did through the second and third song-still first then the fourth and fifth song still first and just after the sixth song started we rounded a corner and I could see the finish line. I sped up but Michael said to save it because I had this one. I slightly slowed but excitement kept me at a pretty fast pace. As the finish line got close my sweetheart went to the side (the race was for survivors so he did not want to cross the finish line out of respect) and let me cross in first place. I finished first.

Even as I write it now it amazes me that I really did it. It was a goal I had set and something that I worked hard to achieve. Something that I failed to achieve on the first try but that I was willing to try again and willing to train even harder to get. It made me feel strong and empowered. Twelve years ago I won my race against breast cancer. With early diagnosis, a supportive family, good doctors and luck I am still here and healthy. That is the real celebration but damn if it doesn’t feel pretty amazing to have come in first.

Some PICTURES HERE

I had been looking forward to this race since last year. My preference (or at least the old knees) is running in the dirt and the Cactus ChaCha is one of the very few ‘Trail Run’ races anywhere near Phoenix. I was really pumped up for it last year and of course about 3 weeks or so before hand I got that ugly ankle sprain running down Piestewa Peak. I still ran in the ChaCha last year but had to do just the 3 Mile Run (they have 2 courses, a 7 Mile and the 3 Mile), and had a huge wrap on my ankle.

The course is in the White Tank Mountains in Waddell Arizona. Really they are the Mountains visible from pretty much everywhere in Phoenix by just looking west. It takes about 45 minutes to get there from our house, so not too early of a wake-up call is required race day. We really like the White Tanks, it’s a great park and we have done several hikes in the hills there. It’s another favorite place to bring out of town friends and family for a hike and picnic. It’s particularly nice when the desert is in bloom with lots of Arizona vegetation and of course AZ critters too (seen a few of those during our visits!).

Anyway… back to the race: The day was very fun, made even more enjoyable as we ran into running buddies Richard and Danielle Castro. Both participate in the West Valley Runners group we join for our long runs many a Saturday morning. Seems more and more when we go to local races we are seeing folks we know. So Kimberly grabbed the camera and took a few pics of the three amigos. With the Komen Race for the Cure on tap for the next morning, Kimberly was sitting this race out as she wanted to be well rested for a strong run tomorrow. A little warm up, plug in the ipod shuffle, and off we were.

The course ended up being a little more of a challenge than I had expected. The 3 mile course starts in the same area and for the most part has only minor up and downs (a wash here and there). But the 7 Mile course was a different story. You start out with what seems a gradual accent for the first 2-3 miles with a down and up wash along the way. It’s pretty much single track after the first little bit and if you are passing or being passed it can be a little hairy in spots with the uneven rock. In fact, I saw a couple of nice wipe outs today and one didn’t look too nice. After the gradual accent you are hopeful (seeing it is an out and back course) that the elevation change is about over and you get to do the slow decent back – NOPE. All of a sudden a nice little group of switchbacks and 300ish foot hill pops out. It’s not quite as big as the one I do at T-Bird, but being a race it always adds a little extra challenge. I Did say this was fun right?

After the hill it’s more of just get the lungs back in order, don’t trip along the way and finish the second half. I crossed the line in 57:28 for 38th place overall of 282, and 2nd in my age group of 20, so not too bad. One of the cool things about the ChaCha is the after run food includes breakfast burritos, so you know I enjoyed that. We hung for a little bit, said goodbye the Rich and Danielle and were off – big, big day at the Race for the Cure tomorrow!