December 31, 2009

New Year’s Eve Run

Our last group run of the decade!!  It seems like such a huge deal when you say it like that, but in reality, today’s run was like every other run we take, except this one was on a Thursday and we had to beat it home so the guys could leave for work.  Thus, no stopping at Vic’s for coffee.

I have one word that brilliantly sums up today’s run on the Coal Creek Trail: COLD.  It was Cold.  Bun-numbing, finger-numbing, bone-chilling cold.  I was severely under-dressed for the 10 degree run (running tights, wicking shirt with fleece lining and an outer jacket that doesn’t have any warmth to it, as well as my new gloves with a wind guard mitten-thingie and SmartWool hat) and never broke a sweat.  My fingers stayed cold the entire time, as did my butt and legs.  For some reason my feet didn’t freeze even though we were running on snow.

We all had YakTrax on our feet, except for Marcia who has these nifty screw-shoes.  The YakTrax were great on the packed snow and gave us some added security, especially through the underpasses that have a nice layer of thick ice.

There wasn’t much talking on the run because of frozen face muscles.  The first two people to the turn-around kept moving, so our group was split a little more than normal.  I snapped a photo of Sarah at this point; she was standing directly in front of me, blocking the sun.  Note the glow around her head and the ice frosting!

I didn’t finish the run with the ladies because I took a short-cut that lead me directly home.  I didn’t want to finish with the group and then have another mile to go.  After five miles I had had it, and wished desperately for my cell phone.  If it was with me, I would have called Bill and had him come pick me up, just to get out of the cold. 

About 30 minutes after getting into the warmth of the house my legs were alternating between hot and cold pricks of fire.  I finallycouldn’t stand it anymore and  jumped into a hot bath to warm up my legs.  About an hour later I got super tired, so took a nap.  I know all this is a direct reaction to being so super-cold; my body was expending a ton of energy trying to keep warm, which is why once I was finally at a “normal” temperature, I had to shut down and recouperate the energy loss. 

Now, it’s 12:30 pm and I feel like I’ve wasted a full half-day.  I’m planning on taking the kids bowling this afternoon, then it’s home for a family dinner and probably some board games (Blokus anyone?) to celebrate the last day of the year.

Happy New Year, everyone, and I’ll see you all tomorrow!!

Filed Under: Seasons Tagged: , , , , ,
December 30, 2009

A Runner’s Story – My Own

I put out a call a week or so ago asking for Runner’s Stories.  I’m incredibly curious about why people run.  What’s their motivation?  There are so many stories (every one is different) and because I love stories, I want to collect these!  I’ve also been thinking of my own “story”, and while I was running on some serious snow-pack on Davidson Mesa this morning, I got serious clarity of WHY I RUN.

 I spend a lot of time inside my head.  I wiggle thoughts around, I play with words, I consider, weigh, investigate, summarize, and plan.  It’s a veritable party in there; well, a party of one.  After a day or two of such activity my body has turned into stone and I’m trapped inside the mountain. I feel drawn-down, like my body is made of lead.  There’s no room inside me for openness, no space that’s not consumed by spiraling, twirling, whirling colorful thoughts and emotions that have no beginning and no end.  I’m gasping for breath, light, openness, space, peace, and quiet from the never-ending barrage of humanness that threatens to bury me alive.

 So I run.  I lace up my shoes and head into the early Colorado morning.  I run before everyone is awake, before the demands of the day are upon me.  I run to shut my brain up, to create movement that reminds my soul there IS room for light, openness, beauty and breath. 

 I run fast sometimes, so fast I feel like I’m flying.  I can’t feel the individual parts of my body anymore and all I can feel is air whooshing into my lungs in rhythm to the pounding of my feet.  Thoughts start melting away and all of a sudden I have achieved what the Zen masters peddle; freedom from thought.  My mind is clear and I feel like I’ve entered a room that is pure light.  I inhale and the vastness of the vibrant Colorado sunshine fills my abdomen with a snow-blinding brilliance.

 I run trails with the ladies on Saturday mornings.  I live for these mornings.  I adore the uneven terrain and pine trees that stand on the sidelines and cheer me on.  I nimbly jump over rocks and my feet find secure placement on rocky ground.  Running trails keeps me in the absolute here and now; there’s no room for wandering minds lest an ankle rolls or the urge to play Superman hits.  Trail running is a metaphor for my inner thoughts; some places are easy on the feet and wide enough for friends to run two and three abreast, some of the climbs are so steep there’s only space for loud wheezing breath and focus on putting one foot in front of another, and some places have downhills that allow me to lean back and experience the pleasure of absolute fitness of my body.

I’ve often called running my “moving meditation”.  It’s the place I go to get away from the heaviness of being a person living in the craziness of this planet.  It’s my escape, but it’s also the place where I feel the essence of ME much more acutely than I do most any other place or time.  I run for myself, and often, by myself.  I push my boundaries and find the vast caverns of potential between the deteriorating chinked cracks in my armor.

 I run because when I do, I am so much more than I already am.  My soul takes flights and returns to my body, content to do battle one more day. 

***Please take some time to write down YOUR story and share it.   Why do you run?  What motivates you?  What have you discovered?  Email me LaraATsaturdaymorningzenDOTcom.

Filed Under: Seasons Tagged: , , , ,
December 28, 2009

Review of Chocolate

Remember that post about the cool chocolate Bill gave me when I started whining about not having any in the house?  Well, you can stop holding your breath; here’s my review on the various bars (you knew it wouldn’t take long, right?).

Fran’s Chocolates, Gray Salt Caramels in Dark Chocolate

This was the first thing I opened.  They’re small, and I devoured about three of them in 10 minutes.  The salt on the top is a little surprising, but actually was a nice texture and contrasting taste to the richness of the dark chocolate.  I ate the last three a day later, and while the chocolates were good, there was a creaminess that was missing.  They were good, but not my favorite “go-to” item.

Rating:  3/5

 Seth Ellis Chocolatier, Dark Chocolate Truffles

I’ve wanted to try Seth Ellis Chocolatier chocolates for a while now, ever since I found out they’re a local compahy.  I am excited that Boulder has not one, but TWO chocolate manufacturing companies here!  Because I got a lovely head-cold from my family right before Christmas, I haven’t been craving chocolate for something like THREE DAYS now, which might be a world record.

 I busted these open on Christmas Eve after lunch, and meant to try just one.  You know, the whole “make it last” thing.  Well, THAT didn’t work at all, and since I just ate all 5 of the truffles that were so prettily arranged in the little box, I have to say that they were divine.  The chocolate was dark, the truffles were creamy enough to do the little “melt in my mouth” thing that I adore, and there was no hard shell around them.  Excellent!!

Rating:  5/5

 Chocolove, Almonds & Sea Salt in Dark Chocolate

 This was the last one I tried.  I think I’ve mentioned before that I eat a lot of Chocolove bars; the Coffee Beans in Chocolate is my current fave, followed closely by Raspberry’s in Dark Chocolate.

I already knew I loved chocolate and almonds, and I use Sea Salt for cooking, so was prepared to like this one from the get-go.  But…. I have to say that Salt with Chocolate is not my favorite combination.  Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t gross me out completely, but salt… I don’t know, I think salt should be used in cooking, not in my favorite confection.  I ate the bar and didn’t shove it off on Bill like I did with Mo’s Bacon Bar, but I won’t be buying this when the urge for chocolate hits.

Rating: 3.5/5

Vosges Haut Chocolat, Mo’s Bacon Bar

This is the one that concerned me the most.  Bacon, with chocolate?  Are you kidding?  And what kind of bacon; pork or turkey?  I’m a turkey bacon person myself.  The label lists “uncured bacon: pork, sea salt, raw sugar, white pepper, dried juniper berries, celery juice, lactic acid, starter culture” as the bacon ingredient.  I was intrigued by the dried juniper berries and celery juice… not usual ingredients found with “bacon”.

 Intrigued or not, it took me a good four days of looking at the thing before I tried it.  And, I only tried it because Bill was eyeing it and about to eat the entire thing.  I’m sure my face had that doubtful, screwed up look kids get when they look at something green and wilted and their parents say with a perky smile “Try it, it’s great!”.

 Bill made lots of lip-smacking noises and he happily chewed his bite.  I took a square and smelled it, licked it, then finally tasted it.  Verdict:  it’s fine, I’m sure some people (like my wacky husband) will love this, but I don’t care for bacon with chocolate.  I didn’t throw up or anything, but this is a bar of chocolate I will not every buy for my friends unless it’s a gag gift.  Even then, I might think twice before spending $7.50.

Rating:  1/5 

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged: , , , ,
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