Training for my First Marathon! 2013

I had been running for about a year and had run in a 15K (9.61 miles) and 3 half marathons (half marathon is 13.1 miles).  I have found that I actually like running in these events.  The people are amazing and the whole experience is different each time.  I am not a fast runner especially when it comes to actually running in an event.  For whatever reason I run a full minute, sometimes more, slower than when I am out running alone, solo.  The only thing I can think of is that I am so use to doing things alone that when I get around so many people, so much different energy, it must throw me off.  I am also a surfer and that is done alone, well there are people around you but your the one doing the surfing, just like running, you are the one running.

The first time I ran a half marathon I was nervous, very nervous!  While running it, all I could hear where so many different people talking about this and that.  I think I was distracted.  Since then I now run wearing my iPod,  I love my iPod.  The music is uplifting and energizing.   When I am hurting and want to stop, magically a great song will come on and lead my mind away from the pain.

Pain you ask....why run if it hurts?  Well it doesn't really hurt in the way you might think.  Sure your muscles hurt and your body feels tired and heavy but at the same time you feel good, proud of yourself.  

During a surf trip to Baja where my husband Glen and I spend 8 months out of the year, I decided I wanted to try a full marathon, 26.2 miles!  I had been thinking about it for awhile but gave it some serious thought on this trip.  I asked Glen what he thought and he was 100% for it!  He is always very supportive in anything that I want to try.  A marathon I thought...wow!  So when we came home, I signed up for my first full Marathon, The Carlsbad Marathon, held in January.  The month was August 2012, I had a little over 5 months to train!  While signing up I noticed that lots of people did fundraising for this and many other marathons.  So I decided to do the same.  I was gonna run anyway, why not raise some money for a great charity.  I choose to run for a wonderful charity called Fresh Start Surgical Gifts here in San Diego.  They help children who are born with deformities and their families can't afford to have them medically helped.  These kids, I learned, are very much like me!  Yes me!   I too was born with a deformity, club feet.  And for many years I never spoke of this and was very shy about how my feet look.  Growing up with this as a child was pretty awful, kids can be very cruel and say things that hurt.  Those hurt feeling stayed with me for many years but through this "marathon" I was been able to open up about this part of my life.  

After a few months here training and fundraising it was time to leave for Baja for 2 months for some surf and I would continue to train for the marathon there.  The area we go to during the fall is in the middle part of Baja, very isolated.  Perfect!  The waves are amazing and the dirt trails are endless.  I ran almost everyday and followed a great training plan.  I was feeling strong and my average daily run was now 10 miles.  No problem.   By the beginning of October my longest run was now 22 miles.   My training plan only gave the highest mileage at 22 miles but I wanted to go farther.  I wanted to pass 26.2 miles so that I could feel what my body would be faced with on marathon day!  So I began to plot a route that would take me 30 miles. The first 8 would be on the dirt, rocky trail out to the main highway in Baja.  I would then run another 7 miles to the nearest town and then turn around and come back to camp, another 7 on the pavement ending with the last 8 on the dirt and rocky trail.  Total mileage 30!  Glen was my support crew, along with our 2 doggies, Apollo and Taxi.  

I wanted to run on the perfect day, preferably cloudy and cool.  I waited almost 3 weeks for this day!  Then it looked like it would happen in a few days so I began to prepare for it.  Got all my tunes ready, clothes, gels for energy and water.  Glen would drive the first 8 miles and then wait for me and then while on the highway he would go ahead of me a mile at a time, stopping and giving me water and filming my great run!  He was amazing!  The run was amazing!  I didn't want to push myself to hard, I just wanted to run, feel it and see what happened.  I can truly say it was one of the best experiences of my life!  I felt so good and I was so happy.  Maybe longer distances were gonna be my thing.  I had clouds and cool temps most of the way until I started the last 8 miles through the desert back to camp.  It was now sunny and warm, I was sweating but feeling really good.  

I remember that last mile and seeing Glen up at camp waiting for me.  I felt so good and yes sore and tired but amazed at what I had done.  Those 30 miles took me 6 hours and 25 minutes!

  Glen is the best husband, he is always there to help me.  After that run, he helped me in to the ocean for a cold soak on my tired legs and body.  He then made me a little food, not much as my appetite had not returned, he massaged my legs and helped me to bed for a much needed rest.  Without him the experience would not have been the same. He is truly my best half.

I rested the next day from running but got up as usual, walked around, not too sore, good sign.  The surf had come up, perfect timing, so I spent the next 2 days surfing for hours.  My training program includes cross training; weight lifting, bike riding, and surfing.   All of these things help to keep you healthy no matter what you want to do in life.  Just get out and move.

By mid November it was time to head back to San Diego for our family Thanksgiving.  (I usually stay home after that until we leave again in mid March for Scorpion Bay for 4 months. Glen heads back to Baja after Christmas for another 6 weeks.  The surf is usually BIG, his favorite! But he planned to be home for my first marathon!)  Now that I was back at home, training continued and so did my fundraising.  The donations were coming in and my feet were pounding the pavement.  I received many emails from people who donated giving me so much encouragement, so many kind words were said to me.

On my fundraising page I told my story of my childhood and all the fears I had and tears that I cried. I had to tell my story.  I needed to let people know that I understood how these children feel and how important it is to help children feel loved, feel beautiful and good about them selves.  In early January 2013 I received an email from the folks at the Carlsbad Marathon that I had been nominated for "Hero of the Marathon"!!!  WOW!!!  What an incredible honor.  It was told to me that my story inspired people and this was why I was voted for this honor.  They also learned that I had been in a car accident in 1993 and broke my neck, once again facing an incredible challenge in life.  The whole experience was, to say the least, incredible and also abit over whelming.  Remember, I am the one who pretty much stays to herself so all this attention was new for me.  Also talking about myself to the public and media was scary.  Glen was great.  He kept encouraging me and was with me every step of the way.  When he heard that I had been nominated for this honor he left Baja earlier than planned and came home to be by my side.

Two days before the marathon there was a beautiful awards ceremony where I was honored and given an incredible award for my inspiration and dedication.  Amazing!  

Two days to go and I would be standing at the start line of my very first marathon!  I was not nervous, I was ready to run.  I was however still abit overwhelmed by all of the attention.  By marathon morning it was chilly out and drizzling.  My favorite running conditions.  As I stood there ready to go, I can not really explain the feelings I had, but one word comes to mind, Proud!  I was really proud of myself.  Proud of all the consistent training I did, Proud for all the funds I raised; $4500, Proud to be awarded as Hero of the Marathon, Proud to be able to run.  

The gun went off and so did all of us marathon runners!  Amazing!  I was smiling and giggling as I ran, listening to my music.  When I hit mile 9 I saw the staff from Fresh Start Surgical Gifts!  They set up a water station each year on the marathon course.  They had signs out with my name on them, they were cheering for me as I ran by!  So encouraging!  I was smiling from ear to ear!!

So many emotions were flooding thru me as I ran.  I thought about how I couldn't walk as a kid, how the other kids in the neighborhood would laugh at me when they saw my feet, how hard it was to pick myself up and learn to walk again after breaking my neck, how blessed I was to have met and married the man of my dreams, how blessed I am to have such an incredible family who love me no matter what....so many thoughts passed thru my mind along with tears of happiness.  Yes I was tired from time to time but not one time did I ever think of stopping, no way!

There were different bands along the course with so many volunteers along the way. A race would not even be able to be done without the help from these people who come out, volunteer for us, giving us water, energy gels, lots of smiles and encouraging words.  I thank them every time I run by.

By mile 20 or so the clouds were gone and the sun was out.  The temp was not bad, it was still cool with a breeze.  I was feeling great!  Mile 20 and I felt good!  I did have alittle stomach ache from some water I drank but not enough to stop me!  There were so many people along the course cheering and smiling and so many different fun signs to keep us going!   I saw friends too as I rounded that last final turn towards the finish line!  Then as I headed down the final stretch there was Glen!!!  Cheering and saying my name and filming too!  

Crossing the finish line of my very first marathon was an experience I will always remember.   Always cherish.  Running and fundraising was a marathon.  Everything that happened in that journey was a marathon. Learning to accept my body and put some of those sad memories to rest was a marathon.  But ya know what?  I am so happy I did it.  In fact, I plan to run The Carlsbad Marathon again and again...and maybe I will run other marathons too, who knows.  The future of running for me is endless....just like the waves I ride...endless.  

Building The Penthouse On "El Toro Rojo"  '2000'

Built with kiln dried redwood 2"x2".   Plywood for the deck and 2"x6" for the floor support, also with kiln dried redwood.  Insulated with 1 1/2" styrofoam, cut to fit then skinned with thin sheets of aluminum and paneled inside with 1/16" mahogany sheeting.

The Ravens - Oct. 2013

For years there have been ravens coming to our camp in Baja and entertaining us with their calls and cackles and harassing our dogs with their playful antics and robbing our dogs food bowls.  Over the past few years these ravens have gotten use to the taste of our dog biscuits.  This year I have made a point, whenever the ravens come by, of going to our car where the biscuits are stored.  I open the door and grab a few biscuits then walk back over to where the ravens are.  I then start breaking the biscuits apart and gently start tossing the pieces towards the ravens.  I toss the pieces underhand so that the ravens will understand that I am not throwing rocks at them but something to eat instead, hoping to build more trust in me.  

Now over the past few months they have become the bird pets of our camp. Not only are they getting to know and trust me but now when I get into our car and drive away they will fly from camp and follow the car through the desert.  If we go to town for supplies the ravens will wait in the desert for us to return, then when they see us coming they will fly over and around the car until we get within 200 yards of camp.  They will then fly on ahead of us to camp and wait for us to arrive.  When we get to camp they will start making their calls until I grab a few biscuits and start feeding them!

The ravens now watch every move I make in camp and follow me when I go for a walk or when I go to the beach to take a bath or get a bucket of water.  They have become quite the companions.  Every day they become more and more use to me to where I can walk within 10 feet of them and they won't fly away.  It will be interesting to see where my friendship with these ravens will go from here.

The Treehouse Palapa, 

 A Vision of Love

Written By:  Glen Horn 1996

Finally my hands will create my boy hood dream.  Expression of feelings for the love of building.  Working with the beauty of natural gifts and placing them in harmony with one another.  Pleasing to the eye and the soul.  Gifts from the sea blending with the gifts from the land.  A symphony from earth, ah, she has so much to give.  We need not alter her but simply flow with her soothing touch.  She needs nothing in return except respect.

Simplicity and respect combined with Love, that feeling in life which brings all the colors present, my dream lives.  Expressions through my hands, the feelings of my soul.  No harm just pure Love.

I bought the lot from Virginia in 1995.  She is the 1st lady of San Juanico and the building was her house and a restaurant.

This is what I started with.  Virginia leveled the house and restaurant.

  

 My friends and I lifting the main poles.

 

   A good feeling after 5 days of work.

  

A better feeling after 2 weeks of work.

1st stages of the bull and the 1st roof on the palapa.

When I bought the lot I was on the outside of town.  We never saw a car come by the whole day when we dug this waterline!  You couldn't do this now.

 Finally our 1st sign!

A look down one of the many pathways on our property.

 

We grew our own bamboo to build with.  This is our arbour.

Roberta having fun building the arbour.

 Roberta busy making a fence for the garden.

Roberta picks the 1st cabbage from our garden.

After 8 months of being gone we have a weed garden!

 Roberta looking beautiful with the flowers.

The main tree.  Built with concrete and steel. 

Starting to look like real stone and wood.

Finished tree with roots on counter and seat.

Starting the outside bano.

Framing the entry for the palapa treehouse.

The dump use to be so close I designed this rickshaw to go to the dump. A year later they moved the dump!

Collecting rocks for our pathways.

Roberta having fun with her strength!

I just had to have this one, caveman style!

 8 foot entry french doors that I made with stained glass and ships wheels inside and out for the door handles.

Roberta crafting on her garden boxes.

Looking at our garden yard from the inside of our palapa.

The Coyote & Apollo In The Headlight

I had gone to town today for some supplies and to make a much needed phone call to the states to my wife.  The sun was already an hour over the horizon and well into darkness as I drove down the winding dirt road back to my camp.  I’ve always enjoyed driving the dirt roads of Baja at night for the plants and cactus take on interesting forms in the headlights.

I’d been on the dirt road for about a ½ hour and Apollo was doing his usual 8 mile run to camp  from the highway.  Apollo was running in the light of the headlights about 150 feet in front of the Samurai.  He likes to lead the way whenever he is running.

We were going along at a good pace, about 12 mph when out of the right side window I spotted something running in the faint light from the headlights.  It was a coyote gaining speed on the Samurai  and then when it passed me it slid into the direct light of the headlights and started running about 20 feet behind Apollo.  Apollo had no idea the coyote was behind him, I guess because of the noise of the engine and plus coyotes make no noise when they run.  The coyote stayed running in the headlights for about 30 seconds just behind Apollo, I guess he must have thought Apollo was a coyote.

Then all of a sudden Apollo realized the coyote was behind him and spun around and then the chase was on.  Apollo went bazerk and took off after that coyote into the darkness.  I kept driving and then back came the coyote across the headlights with Apollo hot on its heels.  The coyote did a 360 around the Samurai and back across the headlights once again then disappeared one last time into the darkness.  I kept driving and soon Apollo was back in front again as if nothing unusual had taken place, while I sat thinking of how cool that show was.  We got back to camp and Apollo got a couple of extra biscuits for that one.

An Unusual Connection With A Bobcat

Roberta was out on a midday bike ride with Apollo.  They were about a mile and a half from camp.  It was a nice clear warm October day in Baja.  Apollo hadn’t seen any coyotes to chase so Roberta and Apollo were just cruising along enjoying the day.  All of a sudden Apollo took off like a bolt of lightening and it took a few seconds for Roberta to see what Apollo was chasing.  Much to her surprise it was a bobcat that Apollo was after!  Roberta watched for a few seconds thinking Apollo was just on a good chase with no chance of catching the bobcat but she soon realized Apollo was gaining on it real quick.  Then all of a sudden Apollo caught up with the bobcat and rolled it over under him with the bobcat upside down looking up at Apollo and Apollo was straddling the bobcat looking down at it.  The Roberta screamed at the top of her voice, NO APOLLO NO!!!  This was a very interesting moment between Apollo and the bobcat.  For neither of them made an aggressive move towards each other, they just stared at each other for a moment, then the bobcat slowly took it’s front paw and slowly pawed at Apollo, not aggressively but more as if to express a (Wow, that was a pretty darn good chase there pal, I’ve never been tackled before). Then slowly Apollo stepped off the bobcat.  

What was really interesting is Apollo made no aggressive move at the bobcat either, after he caught it and the bobcat could have easily disemboweled Apollo with it’s claws.  So Apollo slowly stepped back and the bobcat rolled up on it’s feet and Roberta called for Apollo and both the bobcat and Apollo went their separate ways.  To this day it sill intrigues me as to why the bobcat and Apollo took that passive connection while they were just starring at each other.

When I Run In The Wild

Apollo - 11 years "young"

When I run in the wild, almost anything can happen at any time.  Here is one of my experiences.

I was out for a morning run, my dog Apollo running along with me thru the dirt and rocky trails in Baja.  The air was cool, the clouds were thick and the breeze was refreshing.  Apollo was having a great time running up and down hills, in and out of the ocean, stopping to sniff this and that.  Nothing unusual about the run, just another beautiful morning in Baja.

As I was nearing a grade to run uphill, from out of nowhere a coyote suddenly appeared, running towards me.  I yelled “Apollo, Apollo!” and froze in my tracks.  I have seen many coyotes on my runs but have never had one run towards me.  There were many rocks around me to throw at it should the need arise but Apollo would have none of that because as I yelled his name he came running from over a hill.  His hackles were high and his teeth were showing and his bark was vicious.  He came straight towards that coyote and the chase was on, with the coyote running for his life!  But Apollo was hot on his heals.  Over the hill they flew with me running to watch my 11 year old dog, take control and protect me, his mama!

They ran and ran and all you could really see was the dirt flying as they sped away.  They ran over hills and into a valley and then suddenly Apollo had him!  I stopped and watched as they clashed their bodies together, up into the air, dirt and dust flying.  My heart was pounding out of my chest.  There was so much dust in the air from the fight that was taking place that I couldn’t see my Apollo anymore.  I prayed he was ok and then gathered my voice and called out his name.  A few seconds passed and there he was, running right to me!  His hackles were up, he was panting and breathing hard, but his tail was wagging.  He came to me and leaned into my legs looking at me and looking out into the desert making sure I was safe.  I kneeled down and held him in my arms, thanking him for protecting me.  He stood there so proud, then turned and looked at me and licked my face, something he rarely does. Tears came to my eyes as we shared a moment in time together that will remain in my heart forever.