Since I last updated my blog:
- I paced the 3:50 group at the Austin Marathon
- Spent 5 incredible days in Colorado with Paul and great friends
- Went to Napa to watch my girls run the Napa Marathon
- Got in a truly memorable run with Kelly, Leslie, and Karen (thank you!!)
- Enjoyed some fantastic wine
- Watched some tough runners in the rain
- Got to tour the French Laundry kitchen
- Came back on a red-eye
- Got in a 3hr run with Mike and Henry as final tune-up prep for C2M
- I paced the 3:50 group at the Austin Marathon
- Spent 5 incredible days in Colorado with Paul and great friends
- Went to Napa to watch my girls run the Napa Marathon
- Got in a truly memorable run with Kelly, Leslie, and Karen (thank you!!)
- Enjoyed some fantastic wine
- Watched some tough runners in the rain
- Got to tour the French Laundry kitchen
- Came back on a red-eye
- Got in a 3hr run with Mike and Henry as final tune-up prep for C2M
Here are some funny highlights:
- Pacing the marathon is the best way to run a marathon
- I do not take any sport "recreationally" That being said, it took my 4 days to recover from cross-country skiing. Heck they give you an all day pass. I thought that meant that you were supposed to stay out there for 4 hours at a time? Who knew that was crazy?? Probably the wine didn't help with recovery.
- I have never laughed so hard as when I was cross-country skiing with Luisa and Steph. Memories I will never forget. We literally laughed so hard our stomachs hurt. We had the best time ever together!
- Spending time with the husband was the best! I am so glad that we got to take time out of our busy schedules to enjoy one of his favorite places together. I know how much he loves to ski, and it was fun to see him enjoy it with our friends.
- I am a fan of Drive-Ins, Diners, and Dives. While this restaurant might not be on the show, it should be. Any place that serves chili cheese tator tots, grilled salmon, and a fried twinkie is a definite!
- Napa is an amazing place for a foodie or wine drinker. I am much more of a foodie than wine drinker, but it is easy to get totally sucked into the wine drinking. And for some odd reason, seriously, the wine is stronger in Napa? What's up with that?
- Thanks to a reach out email to my former Montrail teammate, Kelly. Well actually she is my current Drymax teammate (I love to follow her...although she kicks my butt at every race we run). I needed a run on Saturday while I was in Napa, and she was planning one with Karen and Leslie. They took me on the most amazing 5-hour tour: redwoods, crazy climbs, DEEP cold creek crossings, beautiful views, and Wild Boars! What a wonderful way to spend time together visiting and seeing sights I would have never gotten to see. The trail they took me on was just incredible.
- My little group...what can I say. The rain started at 6AM and the marathon started at 7. Not a one of them complained, and in fact relished in every moment of the day. PR's across the board. Biggest was 30 minutes!! How's that for some liquid sunshine amongst the vineyards. I am so very proud, and thrilled to have been out in the rain running with them, supporting them, and enjoying their day!
- French Laundry...WOW! Someday I might enjoy a meal there, but until then...the view in the kitchen and the tour was enough for my memory bank. I was not afraid to pull into the lot and knock on the copper back door. The gift was a guided tour by an amazing chef, Tim Hollingsworth, 6th place team winner in this year's culinary olympics Bucuse d'Or. I had mentioned an article I had read in Food and Wine, and asked him about the chefs in the article (there wasn't a picture of him). He quietly responded, "that was me." SERIOUSLY! I get it; I am a TOTAL geek. Anyway, to watch the mass of chefs create the 9 course tasting menu with such finesse was breath-taking. There were 6 pastry chefs behind one counter. Such an awesome, awesome way to celebrate food. Did I mention the flat screen TV where the French Laundry chefs can watch the kitchen of the sister restaurant in New York...it was so cool. (By the way, Beth who was along for the ride was awed by getting to experience this...which was really cool to see)
- I must mention that as a group we ate at Ad Hoc, the sister to French Laundry. The experience was equally memorable, in a different way. A 4 course menu that changes everyday, highlighting local and seasonal foods. What an awesome way to celebrate marathon accomplishments.
- OK, enough advertising for Chef Keller's restaurants...
- Arrived back with plenty of tasty wine and wonderful memories, and time for one last "real" run for C2M.
- Amen, for a wonderful friend! Mike - without you I wouldn't have rallied! 3 hours of night running with Mike and Henry. It was supposed to be a leisurely run for time (maybe distance too), but very leisurely. The pace wasn't hard, but we sure were moving from 11-2AM. Good laughs, solid running, and great energy especially when Mike finds a story funny enough to spark a second wind. I will have to remember that if we are running together late in a run?!? Thank you, thank you!
How blessed I am to have such a chance at such incredible memories...and this is just two weeks worth of life. Thank you, thank you to all of the people in my life that make these memories. It's not just the places...it is always the people!
mer
- Pacing the marathon is the best way to run a marathon
- I do not take any sport "recreationally" That being said, it took my 4 days to recover from cross-country skiing. Heck they give you an all day pass. I thought that meant that you were supposed to stay out there for 4 hours at a time? Who knew that was crazy?? Probably the wine didn't help with recovery.
- I have never laughed so hard as when I was cross-country skiing with Luisa and Steph. Memories I will never forget. We literally laughed so hard our stomachs hurt. We had the best time ever together!
- Spending time with the husband was the best! I am so glad that we got to take time out of our busy schedules to enjoy one of his favorite places together. I know how much he loves to ski, and it was fun to see him enjoy it with our friends.
- I am a fan of Drive-Ins, Diners, and Dives. While this restaurant might not be on the show, it should be. Any place that serves chili cheese tator tots, grilled salmon, and a fried twinkie is a definite!
- Napa is an amazing place for a foodie or wine drinker. I am much more of a foodie than wine drinker, but it is easy to get totally sucked into the wine drinking. And for some odd reason, seriously, the wine is stronger in Napa? What's up with that?
- Thanks to a reach out email to my former Montrail teammate, Kelly. Well actually she is my current Drymax teammate (I love to follow her...although she kicks my butt at every race we run). I needed a run on Saturday while I was in Napa, and she was planning one with Karen and Leslie. They took me on the most amazing 5-hour tour: redwoods, crazy climbs, DEEP cold creek crossings, beautiful views, and Wild Boars! What a wonderful way to spend time together visiting and seeing sights I would have never gotten to see. The trail they took me on was just incredible.
- My little group...what can I say. The rain started at 6AM and the marathon started at 7. Not a one of them complained, and in fact relished in every moment of the day. PR's across the board. Biggest was 30 minutes!! How's that for some liquid sunshine amongst the vineyards. I am so very proud, and thrilled to have been out in the rain running with them, supporting them, and enjoying their day!
- French Laundry...WOW! Someday I might enjoy a meal there, but until then...the view in the kitchen and the tour was enough for my memory bank. I was not afraid to pull into the lot and knock on the copper back door. The gift was a guided tour by an amazing chef, Tim Hollingsworth, 6th place team winner in this year's culinary olympics Bucuse d'Or. I had mentioned an article I had read in Food and Wine, and asked him about the chefs in the article (there wasn't a picture of him). He quietly responded, "that was me." SERIOUSLY! I get it; I am a TOTAL geek. Anyway, to watch the mass of chefs create the 9 course tasting menu with such finesse was breath-taking. There were 6 pastry chefs behind one counter. Such an awesome, awesome way to celebrate food. Did I mention the flat screen TV where the French Laundry chefs can watch the kitchen of the sister restaurant in New York...it was so cool. (By the way, Beth who was along for the ride was awed by getting to experience this...which was really cool to see)
- I must mention that as a group we ate at Ad Hoc, the sister to French Laundry. The experience was equally memorable, in a different way. A 4 course menu that changes everyday, highlighting local and seasonal foods. What an awesome way to celebrate marathon accomplishments.
- OK, enough advertising for Chef Keller's restaurants...
- Arrived back with plenty of tasty wine and wonderful memories, and time for one last "real" run for C2M.
- Amen, for a wonderful friend! Mike - without you I wouldn't have rallied! 3 hours of night running with Mike and Henry. It was supposed to be a leisurely run for time (maybe distance too), but very leisurely. The pace wasn't hard, but we sure were moving from 11-2AM. Good laughs, solid running, and great energy especially when Mike finds a story funny enough to spark a second wind. I will have to remember that if we are running together late in a run?!? Thank you, thank you!
How blessed I am to have such a chance at such incredible memories...and this is just two weeks worth of life. Thank you, thank you to all of the people in my life that make these memories. It's not just the places...it is always the people!
mer
7 comments:
Comedy is the best source for a second wind!!!
http://www.bootcity.com/images/products/RSLClarge_LCHBBKR4.jpg
didn't they turn out great?!
thanks for the invite. I'm in for all future night runs! (as long as the next day job, or lack thereof, permits!
Booze always helps with recovery. Had you not had the wine it would have taken you a full week to recover.
You hafta come up and eat at the King's Chef Diner in CSCO sometime!
Awesome, awesome bunch of memories!!! Real life, and it's fun!
I love x-c skiing. Used to ski all winter when I lived in Canada. Great blog meredith - loved it!
Thanks so much!
Mike - any and everytime! Thanks for being up for my running adventures!
JT - my new year's resolution was to drink more wine..aren't you proud! Will do. The place we were at was called Motherloaded in Breck.
Olga - Thanks! What great memories.
Kirsten - I bet you ski the exact same way I do...not leisurely :) I hope your training is going well!
Great post! I really, really miss xc skiiing. I did it multiple times a week for 6 months straight when I lived in NM. My skiis are standing up in the corner of my garage, just in case... All the best a C2M!
Great job at C2M!
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