Thursday, July 18, 2013

I Saved a Life

For obvious reasons, I could not pass up this photo-op from yesterday’s ride.

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Julie and I even matched and this made Heidi sing for some reason.

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I will have you know that on today’s ride I saved a life. Well, a dog life.

I was riding on a busy two lane road and saw this tiny dog running alongside the road. He looked like a mini Chihuahua mix. I stopped and tried to get him to come to me, but he was so scared and kept running out into the road. Eventually I just stopped traffic both ways because I like to pretend I am a police officer (I am SORRY if you are going to be late to work, but we have a canine emergency here).  Mini dog  kept hiding under people’s stopped cars. Finally, I got him to come to me, but he kept snarling and trying to bite me. Someone gave me their work gloves and I was able to pick him up and put him into a car that promised to take him to the humane society. That was my good deed for the year. Now I can go back to being selfish.

It’s obviously another crazy week of cycling over here. Coach has me on the bike every single day for 1-3 hours to make up for the three days I will be gone for the EPIC Relay this weekend. I think she is punishing me. This means my legs should be nice and FRIED before I even start my first leg of the relay.

I haven’t had much time to dissect my legs for the race – but I know they are “moderate” “very hard” and “hard.” I like hard (TWSS). I am not sure I am crazy about very hard. This does promise to be a majorly scenic relay – we start in Canon City (southwest Colorado) and travel northwest for 190 miles up to Crested Butte, Colorado. I think my legs only total about 18 miles.

This is the same team I did a relay with last year, so they are very familiar with my tendency to fart and provide TMI. 

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Ken and volunteered to handle the food, so I hope people like junk. The good think about buying the food is you buy what YOU really want. In my case that was beef jerky, Tootsie Pops (I love lollipops on road trips), Starbucks Via and those Costco muffins that are the size of a human head. Oh, and WIPES. Lots of those.

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That bluish bag lying on the top contains 150 mini candy bars. That is approximately 13.63 per person (there are 11 of us).

See you next week for a fun relay wrap-up!

Have you ever done  24-hour running relay? This will be my third. I did Hood to Coast (2009) and the Wild West Relay (2012).

What’s your favorite road trip food?

What’s the last good deed you did?

SUAR

42 comments:

  1. Make sure to drink your recovery drinks after the long bikes and your legs should be a-okay!!3:1 ratio of carbs to protein and I feel as good as new (errr, maybe not new, but the 40 year old new that I now am) the next day. Don't know if you have a favorite, but Ultragen makes and espresso recovery powder that is to die for- and I'm not being hyperbolic either. The best is when you put it in a blender with some ice and milk essentially a kick ass frappuccino that restores the muscles.

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  2. Yay for saving that poochy! I can't imagine what I'd do if either of mine found themselves scared and unsure on the side of the road, but I do know that I'd want caring people to do what they could for them :) I already knew I loved you (in a totally non-creepy, one of my favorite bloggers type of way), but now you have solidified that again!

    Speaking of poochies...my last good deed was staying home sick today so my two dogs could get some quality bed time in. Never mind that I'm, you know, vomiting...they want to sleep in the big bed, so they're thankful.

    Good luck on the relay. I'm not sure I'd be into one, mainly because I can tolerate approximately two people at a time. I could get on board with the candy, though.

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  3. I'm thinking I might like to do a relay, they seem really cool!

    Do you really eat that much junk when you run? I'm always amazed at how much crap food they have after races. I'm over here trying to burn calories and be healthy and they are like here's some bagles and chips.

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    1. I don't usually eat that much junk. But for 11 of us stuck in the car for 24 hours we have a lot of stuff - but not just junk - Clif Bars, PB&J, bananas, etc. If I eat too much crap I will be doing a lot of crapping. Not fun.

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  4. YES! for saving the dog's life. I do it all the time. I once stopped traffic on a very very busy road for a baby bird. And many times to save turtles crossing the road.

    I felt stressed reading the pooch story- I'm glad it turned out. Poor baby. I am annoyed with people who don't take good care of their pets. Thanks for going the extra mile with that little guy.
    Kelly
    Heidi is SOOOOO beautiful.

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  5. Cascade Lakes Relay - Diamond Lake to Bend, OR. This will be my 2nd year on Super Heroes In Training, affectionately known as The SHITs :) CLR is my favorite race of the, even when our driver decides we need midnight Taco Bell just because it is open. ACK!

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  6. Go you for saving the dog! I did something similar with an old lady crossing the street a month or two ago. I was running on Monument Avenue in Richmond (a very wide street downtown) and this old woman (70+) in a housecoat, lipstick, and cigarette holder - no joke - decided she was tired of waiting and just started crossing the 4 lane street as the light turned red. I was terrified that the cars waiting at the light would not see her coming, so I went and stood out in front of them in the intersection to make sure they wouldn't plow her over.

    She shuffled by, daintily smoking her cigarette, without giving me a glance. It was kind of surreal.

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    1. I love that story so much. You saved an old lady!! I especially love it because I used to live right near Monument Ave in Richmond on Davis Avenue.

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    2. Haha that's why I felt the need to report it to you - since you lived here, I figured you'd be able to conjure up this lady in your head pretty well. You know - one of those Southern ladies who was a Mad Men era housewife wearing her robins egg blue housecoat, smoking a cigarette, and walking wherever she damn pleased like she was just the queen of the world.

      =)

      PS I also feel the need to express just how BOSS you are lately. It is seriously AMAZING.

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    3. YES I have seen so so many of those ladies in Richmond before. I'm surprised she didn't have a tiny flask with her as well.

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  7. Will be so curious to hear about your experiences with the relay ... I REALLY want to do one but haven't bit the bullet yet! And, congrats for saving the dog!

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    1. You should do one, it's always a blast if you can get beyond everyone's BO and staying up all night.

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  8. Have a great time running the Epic Relay. It has come to Crested Butte for a few years. Let me know if you need any suggestions for places to eat or things to do here if you are spending a little time. It might be fun to get together for a glass of wine too. :) Crested Butte is an awesome place!

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    1. Thanks!! Unfortunately we will only be there for a night then headed out the next morning. Someone told me about Stash pizza? I have no clue where we are staying...some condos somewhere.

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  9. I have done 2 relays: Blue Ridge Relay in NC and the Palmetto 200 in SC. They are SO much fun! I can't wait to do another.

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  10. I am doing the Epic Relay and running around like MAD today to get everything I need. Look for a bunch of dinosaur girls wearing tutus and you may see me!

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    1. I will look for you. We are boring, so no costumes. Just look for the girl squatting in the bushes.

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  11. I'd be so sick if I ate that kind of stuff after running (or anytime, for that matter). The relay sounds like fun, though! Good luck!

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  12. I've run the Ragnar Relay Tennessee, two different years. Loved it!
    I would love to do a Ragnar in another state.

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  13. I really want to do one of the 24 hour relays some time!!! Maybe next year you will need someone else on your team?!

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  14. I do good deeds every day at work...but I get paid for it.
    I don't need to talk about the good deeds I do without getting paid.

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  15. I stop traffic for rattle snakes.

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  16. Can't wait to hear about your relay!! I'm doing my first relay this October its called the Bourbon Chase, it goes from Louisville to Lexington. It goes from distillery to the next, hence the name Bourbon chase!!

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  17. You're running right through my tiny hometown (Cotopaxi) and where I almost died last week running uphill! Yay! Have fun...I would love to do this relay since it's total childhood calling.

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  18. Your cart is so pretty. It's hard to look away.....

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  19. Just did my first 24 hour relay and it was my top running experience so far!!!! So frickin' much fun!

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  20. Obviously not enough candy bars.

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  21. SO jealous! Every year I organize an EPIC relay team (Christmas in July) but since I'm on crutches and not allowed to put weight on my foot, I had to skip this year. Have fun!!

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  22. Farts yes, just no malicious fecal distribution please.

    Still laughing about that story...

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  23. My first-and-only (so far) 24 hour relay was Ragnar Adirondacks. Except for the 10 times we all wanted to kill each other, we had a blast! Funny how the stressful, annoying, frustrating parts are so quickly forgotten when the AWESOMEness of crossing that finish line hits.

    My current favorite road trip junk food are sour gummies. But my favorite practical/healthy food is raw green beans. No lie.

    Hmmm...well, I picked up someone else's ABC gum off the floor at the gym the other day. Apparently, s/he missed the garbage can. Ick. No one should have to step on THAT barefoot...

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  24. I am doing the Hood to Coast for a second time in August.

    I ate lots of peanut butter on the trip plus trail mix. When I got home, I think I ate a whole package of beef jerky and everything else in the house.


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  25. Good luck on the relay! That sounds like a tough one, but being fueled by lollipops will make it all better!

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  26. Good call on the wipes for the relay. Doing my first one across VA in the Sept! Can't wait!

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  27. That poor little dog must have been terrified. That was way awesome of you to stop and save his little life.
    And good luck on this relay- sounds really, really fun and scenic!

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  28. You get big points for the dog rescue. Sounds like the dog made it less than easy!

    Good luck at the relay!! I know you will have a blast.

    Also, you look smokin' hot in your kit!!

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  29. The cart is full of everything I love. Your reminding me I need to go to the store. Lollipops for sure.
    I have to say that I'm feeling kind of bad for you. Your coach sounds mean. Way to hard core for someone I would want. Does she know you have a husband and kids? Seems harsh to me.

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  30. Awesome job saving the pooch!! I did Ragnar FL Keys back in January, it was fun but Florida only has one temperature....HOT HOT HOT!! Here's hoping the Iron(wo)man will have a cold front for you! Most of my team is doing Ragnar North West Passage this weekend! Wishing I was there...which is not something I ever thought I would say after spending 2 days in a van with a bunch of stinky people! Lol! Good luck at your relay!

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    1. What runner were you and what team were you on? I was there too--runner 9 in Van 2 of Kindred Spirits, Awesome experience, hope you had fun as well in spite of the heat!

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  31. Was that you?
    http://www.koat.com/news/new-mexico/albuquerque/Runner-poops-in-Yard/-/9153728/21026628/-/y97xo7z/-/index.html

    :)

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