Big busy weekend

Woke up at 5am Saturday to head off to the Marin Headlands to help out at the 50 mile ultra and marathon.....awesome day.
This is, apparently the food of champions:



M&Ms, pretzels, pb&j sandwiches, beef jerky, gummy bears and more. All served in luxury of course:

On a cold misty day.

As runners came in we filled water bottles and offered encouraging words. People were unfailingly kind and thanked us for being there! Around 10am I got asked to go to the finish line to help out, against the back drop of a rugged surfing beach:








This was where I served up chili and chicken noodle soup, more food of champions and gave out teeshirts. Also watched the first runner come in in an incredible 6 hrs 59s:



Also looking like he was out for a stroll. Trainee Dr by day mega athlete always!
First woman 9hrs 24s:




I'd been chatting to her husband throughout the afternoon (he is from Bulgaria and won his greencard in the lottery too) with no idea his "running wife" was among the elite athletes!
Then there was this:



Can you see?



What's that?



There!
Day ended for me at 7pm...12hrs...course time limit 15hrs; I am totally inspired!



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Unconditional.........

Yesterday we signed off the final contingency for the house (that would be financing!!!!) and.........well, it's a go!  House settles on Friday July 22nd, so maybe 6 weeks from when we started the process, which is kind of remarkable in this market.  Given the debarcle of the last few years getting finance is a little bit of a trial if you don't 100% stack up.  Stacking up isn't easy.......not only do you need a substantial deposit, but you have to be able to pay some pretty hefty processing fees AND (this is the kicker) demonstrate 12 months reserves i.e. cash/cash assets that is equal to one year of mortgage payments.  I have no idea how young families can buy a house these days!!!!!
Marathon training in full swing and work crazy busy......back soon!

Running The Sahara Movie Trailer

I watched this last night......wow, kind of amazing.....well not kind of, totally amazing. I've just finished the book Running on Empty, which is about a 57 year old endurance runner running across America. One of the characters in this movie (Charlie) also features in the book. They (or rather he) has cleverly edited the movie so that you only get to see shades of just how obnoxious some folk can become faced with these types of challenges (he's a total jerk in the other story, almost sabotaging the whole expedition). Some bad behaviour aside, both stories are a testament to guts, good planning and dreaming big!

Fort Funston

At the dog walking beach!





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Location:Skyline Blvd,San Francisco,United States

Scooter

Two nights ago Irene and I headed over the Bay Bridge to pick up her newly purchased scooter!



This made all the more "fun" as Irene had hired a U-Haul....



That didn't come with a ramp. Two 4/2s scavenged from a local yard and precariously placed side by side somehow resulted in a successful loading (note the boards to the right).



Even more startling (having had three of us loading in), Irene and I managed to heft 250lbs onto the same boards to successfully unload the scooter injury free!



Irene is now happily scooting around town.
House update - all on track....more soon.

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Mission to Sausalito

Gorgeous 14miler across the bridge. Up before the maddening crowds and arriving to a cute 'lil 4th of July parade.





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Location:Fishermans Wharf,San Francisco,United States

Short weeks and stuff

I am now in the second of three short weeks, yippee.  Today I have been out buying 4th of July decorations for a client event I have organized......well actually it's just a breakfast thing for the team....this is what life back in the land of comms looks like.  I will take pics of the decos though as I found the whole thing entertaining to say the least!
The weekend ended up being pretty quiet, for a bunch of reasons, although I enjoyed it.  Pride is a bit hit or miss for me I think and this year, well, a miss - or perhaps it all just feels too familiar; thousands of folk drinking/drugging, dancing in the streets in various stages of undress and general untidiness.  Just didn't hit a nerve for me this year.  Instead I enjoyed some quiet pleasant time, particularly on Sunday when Irene, Michelle and I took Lotte walking on the beach then went shopping for furniture for the new house and then into Chinatown for a late lunch.  Chinatown was particularly blissful as all the tourists etc were watching the parade three blocks away.  It's a rare moment to be able to traverse the streets with ease.  I think Pride was also a miss for me this year as I am more into running, house buying, work, small more intimate fun times with friends.....daily life that doesn't really map to big dance parties.  Although no judgement on those that do, so much as recognizing I am ambivalent.
House continues to progress.  Lots and lots and lots of paper work involved.  Yay to having an accountant, yay to getting a mortgage with the Bank you actually belong to and yay to being able to sign docs online. Oh and yay to being able to afford it in an environment that does make it tough to access credit. Nothing is done until it is done but we are marching rapidly towards settlement date.  In the interim neither Irene nor I can quite believe that we are, it would seem, about to buy a house in San Francisco.
Work is making some changes with the team being restructured.  All okay for me.....apart from that thing about being comms girl again.....still I might get some other responsibilities too.
Katy has done her Ironman and it was very fun to watch her progress online (they post various stats as racers cross certain points in the course) and also to be able to visualize where she might be on the course.  She has also been sharing "tales of the road" and it always has me ponder how tough I might prove (or not) to be when I hit similar pain points on the journey to and ultimately through the ultra-marathon.

The things other people find amusing

Michelle and Irene are delighted by this shot......I am ignoring them but dutifully posting it for everyones amusement.......

Pride week, visitors and houses!

Okay been a little slack updating this week. unPC arrived safe and sound on Saturday and, after coffee at home we headed over to the Golden Gate Bridge so she could get the iconic Facebook shot.  Afterwards down to the Embarcadero to enjoy a seafood platter and some bubbles.  Most lovely to be sitting their enjoying the food rather than running past it!  She then had her Costco and Whole Foods experience, both a little overwhelming after a 12  hour flight. Sunday we drove to the outlet malls where unPC spent 6hrs acquiring shoes and clothing.  The place is huge, but at some point does induce burnout.  We then came home via Santa Cruz where we ate on the wharf and went on the wooden roller coaster.  Funny how familiar it is to me and now I can even recommend places for people to eat and play.
Back to work for me Monday with unPC going to my fav sports shop and wondering around the Mission.  Was lovely to come home to a home cooked meal.  Wednesday we had the builders inspection for the house.  Very detailed and took two hours but I feel like I know the place inside out now.  Only the second time I have seen her and I am still very delighted about the whole thing.  No show stoppers so we continue the process, including all that tedious information gathering for the bank.  Our account guy is nice so not complaining of course.
Today is Friday and I have had the day off.  It's been nice to putz around and do not much.  Michelle flys in tomorrow from LA to come play with us for Pride, should be a busy few days!!!!

House buying.........

So been a little busy this week.........buying a house!  Irene and I spotted a house a couple of weeks back (two flat standalone) and have been working with our agent and mortgage broker to put an offer in.  All happened over Wednesday/Thursday.  Offer has been accepted contingent on a builders inspection - which may happen today or early next week.  WOW, can't quite believe it.  It's actually been a relatively quick, painless process.  Much helped by our having a pre.approved number to work to and awesome real estate agents.  Bless America where about everything can be done online too.  Currently we are in escrow, if all goes well we settle mid-July.  The place is sweetas, I will live in the downstairs flat and Irene and Lotte upstairs.  We naturally gravitated to each space.  The place is all newly rennovated, although not all the aesthetic is to our liking, these things are not big in the scheme of house buying.  So hope I'm not jinxing anything by sharing too soon but I'm so excited about it all.  Too funny, Irene is on the East Coast at the moment so literally bought a house on her i-phone!  I ended up doing all the direct conversation with the agent and then would quickly check in with her, agree next steps and hit send.  Really worked quite efficiently and I think the agents were a little startled at how quickly we were prepared to act (particularly as we tried to beat out someone else planning to put in an offer!).  In the scheme of stressful there were about two fraught hours after we counter offered and a couple of days of feeling a little anxious prior to that.  But certainly not the drama it could have been. I will post photos later if I can pull them off the real estate site.
Note for the record: I spent more time test driving the mini than checking out this house before buying it.......consummerism creates the oddest priorities don't you think?

CDL Rocks!

CDL is totally gorgeous and not unlike Queenstown.


After Spokane we drive the short 45mins to CDL. After work Katy put her bike back together (see last post) and we then briefly visited a bike shop before driving the bike course. This involved me holding to phones navigating the map and reading the course turns. Course is beautiful but involves some tricky hills and turns.


Afterwards we randomly chose some place to eat called "Raw Dead Fish", which was yum!
Saturday Katy headed out on her ride and I went to the gym.


Did a short treadmill in anticipation of Katy coming back and heading out on a six miler.
Afterwards I had booked us massages (this as a thank you to Katy as she used points for our flights and accommodation). The spa was gorgeous and we ended up hanging around for three hours.
Sunday morning up mega early for Katy to brave the frigid lake. She's out there somewhere.


Changing in the carpark we then headed out to run 13miles. The CDL ironman is 26.2, an out and back course so we ran one loop.


Incredibly beautiful with stunning views at every turn.


Finishing was a lovely relief and we visited the local moose.



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Location:E Lakeside Ave,Coeur d'Alene,United States

Why I don't do ironmans

Reason one: breaking down bikes to stow in boxes:



Reason two: that then have to be rebuilt:



Reason three: involving at least some swearing as you realize the TSA searched the box and you have to remember how the damn thing fits together, even if you are smiling through it all:



Followed by googling how the derailer Thingy works (my interpretation).
Cap, shirt, barter bullets and I'm ready to go....

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Location:N Beebe Blvd,Coeur d'Alene,United States

nzalien on the move

I am sitting in a hotel in Spokane in Washington state. As far as I can tell Spokane is a truck stop! Which may well be unfair as we got in around midnight last night and are staying near the airport. We are both working remotely and will drive the 45mins to Coeur d'Alene at midday....this will have me visiting Idaho for the first time! Random point of interest for Spokane - claims to be some kind of ice skating capital having hosted several world champs, or at least that's what the very large display cabinet at the airport said.


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Location:W Hwy 2,Spokane,United States

Trying something new

This is a little experiment. I found an i-phone app that lets me post to the blog from my phone. I'm checking to see if it works. Awesome if it does because it always kind of frustrates me when I can't share a photo or something immediately - now I can blog on the move.


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Nisene Marks Forest Santa Cruz Half Marathon

Got up mega early, as in 4:45a.m, to head down to Santa Cruz  for the Nisene Marks  Half Marathon.  The weather was t.e.r.r.i.b.l.e, bucketing down big time.  This was Marcia's first Half and the course was really gnarly (gutsy her to choose it for her first experience!  The course itself wound up 1100ft (335m) and was mostly single track, including little rivers cascading down the hill as the rain was relentless.  Puddles were inches deep and often required some very artful leaping or a total commitment to plunging in (seemed that was Marcia's preferred method.....I was a little more conservative.....wimpy you might say).  That said, it was also gorgeous with moss covered trees and the smell of damp forest.  At times it  was eerie as we ran through the mist and looked for the markers so we didn't stray onto the wrong trail.  We met up with Andreana, Joan and Lourdes afterwards and headed to the local bar for food and drink (good me though, not drinking, being good, enjoying my steak sandwich and soda with lemon!).  Shot on the left Marcia and I before we headed out and on the right as we headed to the finish.  Below, Roadrunner gets his first taste of a trail run in the rain!

Working from home

The client has had an offsite for the last two days so it's been blissful working from home!
Last night I went out for an 8miler and tried out my new toy - love her!  She tracks precisely and is easy to read on the run, all the info downloaded easily and, even better, the program creates an actual map of where I ran so I can save it and compare my times each time I run it....these are the things I care about.
Today this book arrived in the post, it's made me very happy and I am already about a quarter of the way through it.  Very informative and a great buy.
Picture on the right is what we woke up to last week - a giant Aids ribbon on Twin Peaks.  It's a an Aids memorial marking 30 years since Aids was first recognized.  It's very impressive and, given how far Twin Peaks is away it's also very large.

Just for giggles I've added a pic of Monica (one of the consultants I work with).  I'm sure she wouldn't be overly delighted that I've posted it but I can't resist.  She's wearing one of the St Patrick day hats one of the other vendors was handing out.  She spontaneously put it on so I couldn't resist the pic.  She's one of those people who initially come across as very quiet then her humour rolls out.  And I gotta say she's one of the smartest people I've ever met.....I figure she could do anything she puts her mind to.  We've made a great team as we have complimentary skills in alot of ways (she's like a rat up a drain pipe with detail!).  Between Katy and my chattering about training we've managed to lure her into running....although she's tiny, I'll have to encourage her to eat more or she might fall over!

Also included a cute pic of Lotte, this an example of the very sad little depressed girl when Irene leaves her at home.......well it's either this or lounging on my bed in the sun....this was particularly cute though as she wandered into the lounge leapt upon the couch and just propped her head on the couch to gaze out the window.
Back in the office tomorrow, Friday- bunch of meetings but also bagel day (Tuesdays are fruit day) when bagels and the various condiments spontaneously arrive in the office.
Saturday cruising down to Santa Cruz to run a half - given I ran 18 last Sunday I figure I'm good for it.  Although it's a trail run so different type of running so not being smart alec about it so much as know I can do it - gone are the days when a half terrified me, whole new terrors to be explored.
Oh and the run on Sunday was totally lovely, tough but lovely.  I got to Sausilito to discover that, despite my having traversed half the city and crossed the bridge the town center was 14miles, so I had to keep running the extra four or face telling Katy I didn't do what I said I would.  Being in integrity can be a total arse sometimes.  I caught the ferry back and had a lovely chat with a Canadian family, lots of laughs about accents etc and, would you believe, their adult daughter had spent 10 days in New Zealand!

Stepp'n it up

I've finally taken a deep breath and committed to changing out one of my beloved gadgets......I've upped my game and invested in a Garmin GPS running watch, leaving behind my NikePlus band.

From this to.....................................................this.

It even looks more serious!  But, as I get my head to the notion that I really am going to run an UltraMarathon (50m/80k), then I really have to get a little more technical and complicated about my whole training regime.  I loved the Nike band and still think it's a perfectly fine investment for anyone getting out there and giving running a go.  Did me fine for the marathons but the ultras require something a little different.  As well as GPS the Garmin has a heart rate monitor, will be more accurate overall and allows me to do all sorts of calculations around my pace etc etc etc.  Running with Katy really prompted it.  Given she does ironmans she has this "mini" computer strapped to her wrist, honestly it's the size of 2x match boxes stacked on top of one another, it's also waterproof - something I don't need to care about.  Anyway, after some research, ordered this gadget and will see how it turns out.
Karen and Brice here for the day Friday, lovely to see them and enjoy some quiet chat time as well as dinner with Irene along for the Gordon/Stewart experience.
Also went to the movies with Irene's family to watch The Cave of Forgotten Dreams in 3D.  This was amazing, this cave has drawings in it dating back 32000 years and was only recently discovered (early 80s).  It's hugely protected with very very limited access so watching the film is the only way 99% of the world will get to see it.  Not a film I might have chosen out of the pack but definitely worth seeing.
It's Memorial Day weekend, so with Friday off, I get a four day weekend.  I am just gearing up to head out on a run to Sausalito - includes running across the Bridge then around the Bay a little ways.  I'll take the Ferry back to SF and hope to make it about an 18 miler......she boldly says.

Summer Days

Topp Twins in SF for a showing of
their movie, including a Q&A.
 Can't resist the obvious "Irene gets Topped!".

Saturday, out with Lotte and Irene to march with the "protesters",
marching in protest at the cities plans to close down some of off leash dog walking parks

Post dog marching off to a local Vietnamese sandwich place - YUM

Irene checking out the goods

Lotte and I in Golden Gate park "sharing" my pork sandwich  

Fun easy weekend.

Confessions of a shopping incompetent and her trusty side kick!

Totally awesomely successful weekend in LA!!!!  Michelle a total star, had done the research and, I think, even exceeded her own expectations.  For those not in the know, I hate hate hate shopping for clothes for me ('lil more patient when hosting others, but seriously hate shopping for myself).  Really brings out the worst in me in terms of lack of patience, hating my body shape and and and.  At 44 I know these things and, lucky me, so does Michelle.

Arrived in LA 9ish Friday night.  Flew Virgin America so flying was a total delight.  We started Saturday leisurely (M has THE most comfortable inflatable bed I've ever met....seriously).  We both have i-pads and have become a little addicted (okay alot) to some of the very fun game apps. So needless to say, coffee in hand it was kind of easy to start the day slow as we both happily played away in our own little world.....although I did introduce M to a very fun and kinda difficult game that even had her stumped at times (this is not a easy thing as M is very good at those puzzles!).

Anyway, post that start we walked (yeah, that's amazing too in LA) around the corner and wandered into one shop that didn't quite fit the bill (well for me at least.....), then just around the corner......jackpot! M threw me into a changing room and kept the clothes coming (she was soooooo good the shop guy got it and just let us go for it.....and we did.  Walked out with the haul......shopping done (well mostly, those shoes came from some place else that included some GREAT street entertainment, this easy to come by in LA).

Shopping done we chilled and Saturday night went to the movies to see Thor - easy fun and way too much popcorn!  Sunday we headed out for a late brunch before I flew out.  Ended up at The Abbey which is a nice queer hangout - easy times.   Back to SF, most happy.

LA Bound

I'm off to spend the weekend with Michelle in LA......she is taking me shopping and has the route planned. Given my low tolerance for clothes shopping this is a VERY good thing.
Was chuckling yesterday at the irony of Michelle and I finding ourselves both in the US and living so near to one another.  20yrs or so ago we visited the US together for the first time, coming to see Karen and Brice in New York.  We spent a year saving, managing to save all of our student allowance in anticipation of the trip.  Michelle, as I recall, was flusher than I as she had been working on some research projects. I think I was a proof reader (yeah get that) at a community newspaper in Johnsonville!!!!!! It was a totally awesome trip as we trained from LA to NY (staying in Manhattan with K&B), visited Provincetown, Cape Code and Boston.  All things military fascinated me so we even went and visited West Point.  We trained down to New Orleans and I remember the French Quarter as being quite magical (unlike the last time I was there).  We then took the train to San Fran and had a couple of days in Hawaii.  It was a mega trip and the one where I decided I wanted to live and work in the US and here I be!
I'm working from home today because I have been to look at a possible two flat property to buy, literally two mins walk around the corner.  It has lots of possibilities.  Irene and I are off to the bank to chat about how much we can borrow.....might be some interesting times ahead.

Adventuring

The week proved to busy with work sucking up a huge part! That said I have some adventures planned. On Friday night I am off to LA to go on my annual shopping spree with Michelle - time for a new wardrobe. Staying through Sunday so a chance to spend some chill time too.
At the end of the month Karen and Brice are passing through on their way back from NZ so taking the Friday off to catch up with them. First weekend in June down to Santa Cruz for the half marathon and SC Gay Pride....me, Irene & Lotte and Marcia. Irene not running but Marcia and I are. Following weekend Katy and I are off to Idaho to Coeur d'Alene. Katy's ironman is at the end of June and she wants to check out the 112mile bike course (as in bike it!) and swim in the lake that is part of the course as well. She invited me along and, as you can see, CDL is gorgeous, reminds me a lot of Queenstown. We fly out Thursday night and back Sunday. Plan is she does her training thing and I'll go on a scenic trail run and sightsee. I think it's going to be fun and a new place to adventure. Following weekend unpclesbian arrives for the week leading into SF Gay Pride. All up some busy social times and work not showing signs of slowing down.
July/August I am going to do a four week three days a week Bootcamp. This involves an hour long class from 530am to 630am. This in the hope of getting stronger for the Berlin marathon. I'd love to run a 4hr marathon. It's flat so possible if I get more focused about training, build my core and do some speed work. Although Katy will have done her ironman by then I am hoping she's onto something new and hangs in there as my running buddy two days a week.....she's good at the speed work and keeps me honest!

Big Sur......done

Marathon is done and it was fantastic…….. which doesn’t mean it was easy so much as it was a really really beautiful course.  People were incredibly friendly and good natured and the bands along the way were great.  Including the dude with the grand piano at the top of one of the hills.  It was a rolling course and most everyone (well everyone as far as I could tell), walked some of it.  I was very glad to have trained on the SF hills.  Even as it got tough though gazing out on the views made it all worthwhile.  

I arrived in Monterey on the Friday, went to the expo and booked myself on the 5am bus for Sunday (which was the “late” bus, we had a 645 am start) then just wandered around Monterey and the wharf on Saturday.  Saturday night I slept remarkably well and was ready to run Sunday.  It was really cold waiting for the start at 5am………then I realized the Safeway (similar to Woolworths for the kiwis) was open and dozens of folks were huddled inside keeping warm.  It was hilarious as people sat in the aisles and on the deck chairs that were for sale.  I think at one point they tried to get us out………yeah good luck with that.  Finally they relented and even announced over the intercom when we should move to the start line. All up a really great day to run, fantastic crowd, excellent sideline support and entertainment and well deserving of its status as one of the top 3 marathons in North America.

Marcia somehow managed to be allowed to cycle the course and found me around mile 21 (when I was pretty tired) and even had a little sign.  It was a great boost and lovely to see a familiar face along the way.

On the right is an example of how the bands just randomly land somewhere and all had sound systems with generators so you could hear the music before you could see the band.

Also on one part of the course (around mile 20) they have strawberries. OMG nothing ever tasted so good as I found myself really hungry but was loathe to eat a banana as I don't usually have anything but GU and it's not a good idea to change these things out on a run. BUT the strawberry giveaway is legendary so I just indulged.  No ill effects (fortunately).  It was also a pretty hot day in the end.  By the end of the morning it was hitting 70 (21) degrees.  I found myself mixing water and gatorade together in the last 7 or so miles and making sure to drink the whole cup so that I didn't get dehydrated.  When you are tired and ready to be done it's difficult to focus on these things but all things I will have to get right if I'm to do an Ultra.

Pic on the left is the "food" give away at the end.....ideal is to eat not long after you finish and this was a fab little package to chow down on.  Katy had also given me her recovery drink (well a powder you mix with milk) to try, so I also downed that back at the hotel.  

Marcia and I went to Phils (fab seafood restaurant in Moss Landing that I've talked about before.  It was really nice to have someone to celebrate with too!

Coming back to San Fran I went out for Japanese with another pal (trying a new place in the Mission) and was finally done in around 8pm!  Monday stiff as, legs and shoulders mostly.......got to remember I am 44......but also got to remember that there were women out there running older than I am and they were kicking my butt!!!! Today, feeling somewhat sore but much much better.  Come Monday back into it with Katy - Berlin looms and I've decided to lose those extra few pounds and go for a faster time given the course is flat.....see now I've said it out loud.......