Claims to Fame....

"I've always been famous.  Its just no one knew it yet."  -Lady Gaga 

       I know, I know - it's another Nike Marathon picture!  See, there is a reason my blog has "ad nauseam" in the title!  These running photos are terrible of me but it's hard to look stellar surrounded by 3 young/fit/gorgeous/speedy runners.
     This is my "claims to fame" photo because I'm flanked by VIPs!  The Hungry Runner Girl (far right) is famous with blog readers who religiously follow her daily chronicles of running and eating.  Not necessarily in that order.  And when you run as fast as hungryrunnergirl you can eat whatever you want.  We think the best part of her blog is her optimistic attitude about everything.  She is no different in person, she oozes positivity.
       Paige's fame is also situational.  She's getting to be hot stuff in the Nike Womens race crowd running in the midst of our heroes like Kara Goucher,  Shannon Flanagan, and Joan Benoit Samuelson.  Paige can hobnob with the big guns and then I can hobnob with Paige (and vicariously experience the thrill :)
       Then there is Mallory (far left) who is loved by everyone who knew her when she lived in the Bay Area!  It was so fun to have her return from Virginia and we should have held her hostage for a few extra days.  When Mallory registered for the race back in April, none of us knew about Graham Walton's heart condition.  So, the timing (for both Maria to see Mallory and vice versa) felt like a tender mercy.
     

Girl's Weekend for the Nike Women!

       "From start to finish, the Nike Women's Marathon is a celebration of the spirit of women, joining together for the common cause of beating cancer, while also achieving their personal goals."  - John Walter, CEO Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

         This is one race filled with serious estrogen!  From the sports bra exchange option at mile 6 to Ghiradelli chocolates to handsome firemen handing out Tiffany's necklaces at the Finish Line, the Nike Womens Half & Full Marathon is beloved by nearly 25,000 women.  
       Our group represented well.  I think we had a total of 18 "A Team" runners:  4 full marathoners (Becca, Jen, Lisa, & Charlene) and  14 of us running the half distance (Paige, Lauren, Mallory, Tia, Ali, Amanda, Amy M., Amy T., Marissa, Amanda, Juanita, Becca's sister, Jenae, & myself). 
       After taking on the full distance last year the half felt so much easier this time.  A delightful run!  And, there is no better way to take in San Francisco than running from Union Square through the Financial District, along the Embarcadero to Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf continuing along through Fort Mason, Cow Hollow, the Presidio, Sea Cliff and eventually out to the Great Highway and Golden Gate Park.
       I think all of the A Teamers had decent races and, as always, a great time together.  2012 was Nike's 9th year of the race and outside of missing the 2004 inaugural race I think the A Team has been on the course every year!  A great tradition, a gorgeous course and a wonderful group of friends.  A win-win-win!  

Tough (but Tender) Mothers!

       Last weekend was one of those where I really wanted to be 2 places at the same time!  When I realized that the Saratoga Stake Conference was the same weekend as the Tahoe Tough Mudder race, I knew I'd better not join the team Becca was putting together, although it sounded fun.  The race even fell on a Saturday but I don't think Brent would have appreciated me leaving him home alone to host the visiting authority coming for the conference.  
       So, I was grateful our running buddies texted a cute post race photo; I adore these girls!  They are much more tender than tough!  In fact, none of them look dirty enough.  Were they really sliding through underground mud tunnels?  I can look this filthy after running St. Josephs! 
       I do feel blessed to get to run with these great young moms.  "With" is probably not the right word because I can't really keep up with them these days but at least our running association brings us together and blesses my life in many ways.  
       They are all much wiser than I was at their age! And now, they've also proved they got the mental grit to tackle a hardcore obstacle course and still look darling at the finish line! So, as my girls would say: "What cuties!" 

BDO, For the Win!

BDO!  Team 81 is Number 1!
       According to Paige, the BDO Team won the Orange County Mud Run on Saturday.  But, really, how could you possibly lose with Korey sporting that striking headband? What a guy!
       Clearly this picture must have been taken before the race since they all look so clean (for mud runners that is).  And, I’m wondering about the teammate next to Korey wearing white shorts.  White shorts on a mud run?  I don’t think this is a guy who does his own laundry! 
       Actually Paige was in a Dirty Dash race in Provo just over a year ago and she wore a white Lululemon hoodie, so I should probably go easy on the BDO guy.  Paige made the same mistake and now she owns a tan Lululemon hoodie (since the mud never came completely out).
       And when Andie ran in a Wild Warrior race last year she accidentally left the muddy clothes in a plastic bag in my garage which we discovered a few weeks post race and I think we tossed the contents at that point!  Well, congratulations to the BDO Mud Runners on their victorious win!  

National Running Day!

       Apparently yesterday June 6th was National Running Day!  So I’m a day late but  I only learned about this momentous day because I’m now a Facebookie and saw comments about it on other runner’s Facebook walls. 
       Here I am smiling after one of our Nike Women’s races with 2 of my favorite runners: Andie and Paige.  I’m sporting Evan Barth’s Harker sweatshirt because it was a rainy day and he took pity on me after the run when my lips turned purple.
       Running has been a fun activity for our family.  Webb might not admit to being a runner but we all know he can sprint past me in any race, anytime.  He’s got the talent if he ever wants to pursue it.  In the meantime the girls have left me in the dust long ago and it’s all good.  I’m getting used to being the old slow runner and it isn’t so bad.  The only thing worse would be to let my speed (or lack thereof) cause me to bow-out.  And I’m not planning to do that anytime soon.     
       So, in honor of running and women too, I’ll post a quote from a New Zealand Running Coach, Arthur Lydiard, speaking of women who run:  
“They’re very tenacious.  They’re dedicated.  Once a woman decides she’s going to do something she’ll probably stick to it.  The only problem with women is if there’s anything wrong with them, they won’t tell you.  They’ll get out there and run on one leg.  They don’t moan and groan like a lot of men do."

Jeremy & Mallory’s Last Los Gatos Group Run...

     When new ward transplants arrive for graduate school you know at best they’re probably only around for a few years.  So, with Jeremy at Santa Clara law school we knew he and Mallory might move on in three years.  But, dang, it went too fast!
    These two are personal favorites; I’d happily adopt either one (preferably both!).  In lots of ways they’re wise beyond their years.  From Mallory’s culinary quests to Jeremy’s ultra trail runs to their sustainable living ideas, I’m always inspired and learn new things from both of them.  
     The photo is from our last group run together on Saturday.  Jeremy’s a trooper, he’ll join irregardless of being the token male runner.  Then, he can keep up with the fastest or hang back with the slowest and generally does a bit of both.  Jeremy's pretty mellow so you don’t realize how fast he really is (or that he is holding back just to be nice - in my situation).  Mallory gives me insight into random things like chia seeds and is always a great resource for organic food nutrients, et al.  She’s like a young version of Alice Waters.  
     Lots of us (especially the running crew) are really going to miss the Lake-Valentiner dynamic duo.  They provide lots of entertainment on the trails!  Mostly, I’ve just always been impressed with their graciousness.  They are the first to compliment me on this or that; things like a lesson or hanging in there on a run.  I’m delighted they were Los Gatos residents for a stint and hopeful they’ll return to visit often (and maybe even move back someday). 

Korey Karma

     Shaving several minutes off a half marathon PR (personal record) is no easy feat.  Paige had put in some rigorous training and had a crew of just one for cheering duties at the event.  Basically Paige's race support along the course was Korey Nelson and he deserves a shout out since he singlehandedly maneuvered around the OC with signs for both Andie and Paige.  
     Just like the racers, spectating full and half marathons is not for the faint of heart either.  I know this from experience since watching Brent run marathons thirty years ago is what converted me to running them too.  As an observer I could see I was missing out on something cool and mostly, I noticed that watching the race could be so stressful I might as well be running it!  
     Yes, I remember well the experience of being on the sidelines.  First, I had to arise incredibly early and drop off an anxious runner near the start line.  Then the logistics come in; navigating the course to maximize places to cheer.  And, locating runners can be tricky.  Even if I have a general idea of their anticipated minute per mile time, I’m never sure if they are running ahead or behind schedule.   If I miss them, at say, mile 5, I could play catch up the entire race.  
     So, for the Orange County race, Korey was the man!  He made signs, chauffeured, cheered and motivated both Andie and Paige.  And, it does appear that he had the magic touch or good karma since Paige had such an amazing time.  Kudos to Korey!  And look, in the post race photo Korey still has a smile on his face!
     
     Finally, Korey’s quarter-century birthday happens to be this very day.  It’s a good thing his race support duties happened before he got so old!  Happy 25th Birthday to Korey!

Running in the OC!

Equinox sponsored a great athlete for the Orange County half marathon Sunday morning.  Paige  represented the club well finishing in the top 10 women overall and 2nd in her age group!  This is out of almost 9000 people running the half! Go Pooge! 


Andie flew down Friday night planning to cheer on her sister but in a stroke of luck someone else on the Equinox team dropped out leaving Andie with a bib number too. 


One daughter in peak performance rocks the race and another daughter, in a last minute decision, pulls off a formidable performance (just winging it).  In my humble opinion, I’m doubly impressed! Bay Area women show the OC how it’s done!  


Racing on Sunday is something we are trying hard to avoid (living in Utah would make this effort so much easier) but it turns out that if you run fast enough you still have plenty of time to go home, shower and still make it to church on time!  Way to go Knudsen girls!  Awesome running!     

Karma for the “A” Team!

“Even chance meetings are the result of karma.  That even in the smallest events there is no such thing as coincidence.”  -Haruki Murakami 

It’s official.  We’re in.  Once again, the “A” Team has an impeccable record for entry into the Nike Women’s Marathon; in fact, our record is perfect.  We’ve never been denied admittance, yet, the lottery numbers rise every year.  

I’m not generally one who garners such good luck coming my way so our runners getting in (again!) feels particularly fortuitous.  

In an effort to be present and mindful, I’m taking notice of our good fortune and acknowledging that maybe it isn’t coincidental.  Maybe the NWM and The “A” Team are destined; meant to be.  Whatever the reason, we’ll take it!  Time for training to kick it! 

"Like gravity, karma is so basic we often don’t even notice it.” - Sakyong Mipham 

Paige & the Turkey Trotters....

The annual Silicon Valley Turkey Trot has become a fairly new family tradition. I think this was the fourth year we've had Knudsen runners traipsing through downtown San Jose. Last year we had 100% family participation but this year the guys football mash up trumped the run for the men folk.

But even without Brent, Webb, and Ernie the turkey trot still had 21,000 race participants. Out of which, Paige Knudsen took 5th place Woman Overall and 1st Place in her Age Group! Woo Hoo Paigey!

We are sure Paige has won something but we didn’t stick around for the awards ceremony so hopefully they’ll mail her the trophy/prize money, etc. We couldn’t lounge around at the grandstand waiting since our Thanksgiving feast preparation needed to get underway.

Paige was joined by a bunch of her fellow Lululemon employees (most ran the 5K though) and Andie and I ran a hybrid of a 10K/5K combo. It does feel good to get in a decent run before the feasting begins. For every five miles we can add another piece of pumpkin pie to our plates, right?

11th out of 16,444!

"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it’s all about.” -Patti Sue Plummer

We found out what Paige is made of at her half marathon performance at Nike. Speed!

Paige looks pretty happy running along the Nike course but she was even more delighted when the race results were posted! She ended up taking 2nd place in her age group; to be clear that is 2nd out of 3064 runners.

And, even more incredible, Paige was 11th overall! That’s 11th out of 16,444 runners racing the half marathon.

Paige’s PR (personal record) time for a half marathon is now 1:29.35. And, Nike is not an easy or flat course so she was hustling up those hills! But not so fast she couldn’t smile for the camera! Congrats to Paigey pants!

World’s Oldest Marathon Runner...

“You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.” -C.S. Lewis

The same day I was running 26 miles in San Francisco, Fauja Singh was running 26 miles in Canada at the Toronto Marathon. And Singh happens to be....well, 100 years old! Incredible!

He finished the course and the Wall Street Journal says he’ll now hold a spot in the Guinness Book of Records for being the world’s oldest marathon runner.

The Toronto race was his 8th full marathon and this guy didn’t even start running marathon distance until he was 89 years old. Think of anyone you know in their 80’s running a mile, let alone 26 and it give you some perspective how unbelievable this is!

In 2003 (let see, he was probably 92) he ran the Toronto marathon in 5 hours, 40 minutes. That’s an amazing time for a guy that old! Clearly first in his age group (likely the only one in his age group for most events). I’m very inspired!

“Once you're over the hill, you begin to pick up speed.” -Charles Schultz

Pain is Temporary, Quitting is Forever....

“To a runner, a side stitch is like a car alarm. It signifies something is wrong, but you ignore it until it goes away.” -Anonymous

My bothersome knee pain whenever I increase mileage got bad enough to enlist a doctor’s advice. Before I ran the full marathon I thought I’d better make sure I wasn’t going to do some permanent damage.

The orthopedist was pretty pragmatic (my type for sure) and diagnosed my knee pain as “patellofemoral knee syndrome” with a slight chance of a stress fracture. He thought I could run through it, unless of course, I couldn’t. If it got terrible we’d do an MRI and see if it was fractured.

After running 26 miles I think it’s safe to say that his conclusion of “runner’s knee” was accurate (sans stress fracture). I’m tough but I don’t think I could keep cruising along if it was fractured. Patellofemoral knee syndrome (also aptly known as runner’s knee) is basically just inflammation. Lots of icing and taking Aleve seems to help.

I was pretty exact on following the doctor’s orders (obedience all the way!) and I do think it made a big difference. I ran the first 8 miles of the marathon without any pain (which was a big improvement over recent runs).

In clever irony when the knee pain kicked in during the Nike course I must have overcompensated something in my stride and suddenly my right leg quad felt terrible. It felt like the classic if-it’s-not-one-thing, it’s-another frustration. I’m sure I looked ridiculous hobbling along in my slow but steady gait but looking back I am so glad I powered through. The “pain is temporary, quitting is forever” mantra inspired me not to stop. Hooray for motivating slogans!

Post race I’m now more motivated to use the foam roller, stretch, and strengthen my patella so I can increase mileage in the future and not be forced to run in pain. While it’s doable to do (run in pain, that is), it isn’t fun, so I’m going to try to tackle these darn knee issues for good this time!

The A Team...

Photo: the flyer we to pin to our t-shirt backs to race in.

It doesn’t do justice to our Nike race without acknowledging the inspiration behind the A Team: Ashley Barth & Aiden Bryan. As two shining examples of leukemia survivors, we are grateful for fundraisers like The Nike Women’s Marathon, which donates millions of dollars to aid leukemia research.

I had two emotional moments on Sunday that reminded me what the race is all about. First, just after mile 24, I saw Ashley and Evan Barth cheering me on. Seeing Ashley standing along the side of the course, healthy and happy, gave me a tremendous boost as well as a big lump in my throat.

Ashley’s recovery has been incredible. It’s easy to forget that just 5 years ago Ashley was on a full regimen of chemo, steroids, losing all her hair, and learning that she “can be scared and brave at the same time.” Ashley’s get-through-treatment slogan became a rally cry for the Knudsens. Whenever we encounter something fearful, the mantra that helped Ashley has continued to inspire us.

Then, after the race at our impromptu A Team potluck dinner, Aiden came busting into the Smith’s backyard with a burst of energy and all smiles. Watching Aiden at the potluck as he played with the younger kids and teased with the adults was my second sweet reminder.

So the Nike event consists of running, but in addition to the fun race, over 118 million dollars have been donated for leukemia research. Hopefully one day they’ll find a cure. And, one day we can cheer Aiden and Ashley on if they ever decide to run a marathon. In the meantime, they are both thriving, and ultimately, that’s far more important than any running event.

The Running Matriach...

“And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.” -Erica Jong

It’s a little risky to attempt to run with this young fit crowd. Obviously I can’t keep up with them. But what if I hadn’t tried? I’d have missed out meeting a darling bunch of cute runners, who are kind enough to let me tag-along!

The Nike Marathon yesterday was a challenge but also a blast. It’s not an easy course but the SF scenic route is spectacular. The “A Team” had seventeen runners in our group this year (not everyone was around when we took this group shot) which might be our biggest team ever (although we definitely missed Andie, Anita, and Amy Touchet this year).

It’s a bummer that the Nike race is on a Sunday and it’s a raucous event for the Sabbath, but there is a part of the marathon that is kind of spiritual for me. Sometimes I feel quite emotional along the course. There are inspiring people and touching signs and I feel a lot of inner emotion well up at random times along the way. In fact, maybe if I didn’t get so emotional I could run faster. There’s a thought!

Anyway, I think most of the “A Team” had races that they were happy with. Especially Paige, who might have finished in the top 25 (we’re still awaiting the official results). And I was happy that I ran the whole way and never walked (albeit slowly). I’m also happy to call these girls my friends. Their friendship is a blessing in my life!

“The Perfect Run: The wind at your back, the sun in front of you, and your friends at your side.” -Aaron Douglas Trimble

I Run to BE...

The Nike Women’s Marathon (& Half) is upon us again. I think the “A” Team has run this the last 6, maybe 7 years in a row.

The theme is pretty much the same as last year: "I Run to Be..."

It’s always fun to see all the reasons women run Nike (see below):

I Run to be Fierce.

I Run to be Powerful.

I Run to be Sexy.

I Run to be Strong.

I Run to be Fit.

I Run to be Me.

I Run to be Peaceful.

I run to be Healthy and Feel Good.

I Run to be an Inspired.

I Run to be with My Thoughts.

I Run to be Connected.

I Run to be Part of it All.

And off we go....

Running with heart...

In Alex Olsen’s weekly email from the MTC he shared a quote from one of his leaders who was a track coach. When this man was coaching his own daughter he told her: “We run first with our hearts, then our minds, then our feet.”

For Alex the running metaphor touched him as a missionary, reminding him to be confident in the work, encouraging him not to hold anything back (give it all his heart!).

For me the message resonated in my own running. When a run starts in the heart it’s much easier for the mind and feet to follow. If I’m running first with my feet, getting my mind and heart on board can often be a challenge.

So, for me personally, the quote rings true. Especially like Alex mentioned too, if I want to thrive at anything (missionary work, running, whatever), it’s best to give it my heart and soul. Simple but true!

The Tortoise & The Hare...

"Slow and steady always gets you where you want to go.” -from The Tortoise & The Hare

Our 20 mile training run yesterday started well for one and all. Nothing unraveled until after approximately 18 miles.

Actually Maria, who wisely opted to run the reservoir twice, finished strong which I didn’t actually see since I (perhaps unwisely) stayed with the B group, who opted out of the 2nd reservoir loop, preferring the flat LG Creek Trail.

Overall, we did okay (though none of us were fast) until around 18 miles. At that point we had a conglomeration of calf pain (not me), abdominal issues (not me), and screaming knee pain (me). So, we looked like a group of hobblers and the running felt like slow motion. Actually it probably didn’t only “feel” like slow motion, I’m afraid it was.

But, still, we finished. Our times garner no bragging rights other than the fact that we accomplished the distance. It was just one of those days where it felt like we won the race simply because we didn’t quit.

But, just like the narrator tells Alexander in Judith Viorst’s children’s classic, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day: “Some days are just like that...Even in Australia.”

“It’s very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.” -George Sheehan

Nineteen and still going strong?

“If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion.” -Robert Pirsig

In preparation for the marathon, Amy Meier’s training schedule said we should run a 19 miler this week. So yesterday was the day for the big distance.

We started at 6 am to avoid the heat which was a good plan. It might have behooved us to start even earlier with my plodding speed.

It’s been a while since I’ve cranked out 19 miles in one stretch and luckily my legs held up. There were five of us at the start, three planning to run 14 miles, which just left a 5 miler at the end for Amy and I.

We ran around Lexington Reservoir and down towards Vasona Park, which was still closed, so we headed back up towards the dam and made a few circuitous loops until we nailed the full nineteen miles. I’m slow but reasonably steady, which, as I recall, didn’t fare too poorly for the tortoise.

Slow & Steady......

"Actually, you can be bad at something . . . but if you love doing it, that will be enough." -August Boatwright in The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd

I'm not a particularly fast runner. Okay, I’m actually slow. But the older I get, the more I’m okay with that. Like the quote above, loving it is enough.

There is nothing like a track workout to confirm my lack of sprinting genes. The Lululemon running group had a track workout Wednesday night at the high school. Most of the runners I’m ahead of in distance runs can easily sprint past me on the track. Sheesh!

I also find it hard to switch up my pace. If one lap is supposed to be a full push and the next a recovery lap, my laps don’t have the variance they probably should.

The bottom line is simply that track workouts are humbling for distance runners. Especially old (and way past their peak) distance runners. Just the same, I still love to run!

"It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop." -Confucious