This morning began peaceful and serene. We see dolphins in the river just about every single day if we look for them. This morning as I returned from the pool, I saw several playing along the shoreline near some fisherman's boat. They must really like people, ever curious and playful around the boats. I wish I could have held on to this peace for the entire day, but no suck luck when I was behind before I even got back to the house at 7:15. I felt like I was running on a hamster wheel the whole day...trying to make progress, but wondering if I was getting anywhere at all?
The day began with a track workout at 4:30am. We ended up with about 7 miles of quality after the 3 miles warm up and some 800s descending. It felt so good to do some speed again. I love track workouts and I miss having some consistency with standing dates to run circles with. If I can say one negative thing about this group, they tend to be haphazard in the way they train, finicky about workouts and whereabouts. The track crowd has been lacking and I hate running circles in the dark by myself. So, I was happy this morning to meet up with a few loonies, as we climbed the fence to the track (I am still in disbelief that we have to do this) and meandered over in the dark at the start.
So, the whole workout, I vacillated between feeling like I hate this small town, and loving the people who comprise it. I despise so much about living in Nowhereville, but I love the people I now call friends. George is the local orthopedic surgeon and he works with Jim, the neurosurgeon. Tom showed up at the track this morning and told us some stories about how when he and Jim went to do White Lake Half Ironman in North Carolina, he had dehydration issues race day. I love how he talked about being pulled off the course because he was blacking out and swaying back and forth in the run. Once the officials had Tom in the tiny hospital there, they called Jim, Tom's training partner and emergency contact, and asked, "Are you this man's doctor?" Tom did Jim's southern drawl perfectly, "Well, I guess I am now. What the hell happened to him out there?" Jim had to rescue Tom from the hospital, where they wanted to keep him overnight.
Tom went on to tell another story about how about a few years ago after the hurricanes, he had another unfortunate incident. He was running on a rainy morning with the group over the bridges, and somehow did not notice the barriers and sandbags along the road from after the storm. He tripped and fell and broke his hip and collarbone once he hit the slick pavement. George had been with them that morning, but had apparently already gone his separate way before this accident. Doc turned early because he had to get home and on to the hospital into surgery. Tom, hollering in pain on the road, told the others to call Doc George, who in turn, rearranged his day and met Tom at the hospital. George had Tom in for surgery that morning to fix up his busted bones. What a friend.
These people are like family to each other, and I think that is what a small town brings. Everyone is linked to everyone else. There is less than six degrees of separation here...I think it is more like two degrees? Anyway, Tom's stories were uplifting and comical, light and airy before I headed into the dark and dreary of the pool. Actually, the pool was not bad, and after talking to all those guys about triathlon, I felt mildly excited to slip into the water and turn my arms over. My legs were dead from the track, so I pulled quite a bit. The air was warm and the pool even warmer. The usuals were at the pool, which was nice and we chatted between sets, something I made up as I went along. I may have swam 1500, which was fine for me to call it a day.
The rest of the day is a blur.....in a word, frantic. Running in the car everywhere with the kids, literally, every hour accounted for. School, park, errands, gymnastics, errands, play dates, meeting with Team in Training for the triathlon team, errands, and on and on. I am dead to the world and ready to fall into bed. I must admit that I am feeling a little smug that we are part of the "A Crowd" for the park play date. I have come to learn that not everyone receives an invite to the exclusive club that meets at the park every early release Wednesday. I kind of dig that we made the cut and that my kids meet the credentials to be part of the clique. I realize how utterly ridiculous and arrogant this sounds, but the more time I spend with some of these women, the more I am realizing just how difficult it is to break into the Mom Crowd in Nowhereville. I felt readily accepted by the runner crowd; for some reason it is the group that has the least to prove (though some very competitive), and they were the most willing to befriend me right off the bat. Maybe in skimpy running shorts and naked tops, there is no place to hide? We are who we are in our running shoes and we cannot mask anything with makeup and jewelry at 4:30 am? It really is hard to be glamorous and put-together when we are sweating like no one's business here in the Africa heat.
The whole mom thing is another story, however. It seems that here, there are so many more stay at home moms than where we are from, so I guess when the kids are the center of one's existence, there is more to prove in the parenting and with one's identity. Many of these moms don't have too many outside hobbies apart from their kids, so they command the whole mom scene (soccer, tennis, swim team, cheer leading, PTA, playgroup, latest SUV)and they are going to let you know it. I feel fortunate that most of the moms I have met thus far have taken me in to show me the ropes in such a small place. Of course, there are plenty of snooty women on the island, but there are some who tool around in their golf carts and wear jeans that are (gasp!)non-designer from somewhere that is not a local boutique. These women are really actually fun to be with, and they bring humor in light of me bemoaning the red ants at the park when we sit in the grass and get eaten alive.
I finally made my way back home around 5 pm tonight, dizzy from exhaustion, but elevated to see more dolphins in the water as we came back over to the island. For the most part, this place is pretty vanilla, apart from the beautiful beaches and palms that grow in the sand. I miss the mountains and hills and rolling anything, but the dolphins tend to add a little something most days.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Jacksonville
The weekend was a complete success. Marc did awesome in his marathon, though still a little weak and not at full throttle. He ran a 2:55 wihtout even trying, which put him 16th overall and 3rd in his age group. Another plaque has joined the wall in the ever-expanding shrine in our bathroom. What a guy to pull it off...and he only ate seven Gus the whole run. Yuck! Can you imagine choking that many nasty Gus down? How do people eat cake batter while running a marathon? Whatever works. Anyway, he more than qualified for Boston, which we knew he would even not at his best, so hopefully that will come to light this spring. We are debating possibly training for something longer, like a 50 miler, but there are so many runners here who are going to Boston, it is wooing us more and more.
There was a group of Sunrunners in Jacksonville also running the marathon or half. A bunch of us went out to a pre-race dinner Saturday night, which happened to be my birthday. They were all so sweet to come with gifts and dessert offerings, which was just so much fun. I honestly really love the people I have come to know in this circle of runners. They are all so real and concerned and forth-coming with jokes, information, and affection. It is such a refreshing change to be encouraged and pushed to seek more races and workouts, rather than be criticized and yelled at for doing too much by some former running partners I cannot mention here. Crazy George was out there at Jacksonville this weekend. This was his third marathon since Thanksgiving, which is exactly what I love about these people...there are no limits, no boundaries, no stopping them in travel and training. They are all on the crazy train and they revel in having company. I love being a passenger on that train with nut cases along side me.
Marc noted that George already knows me well enough to know how painful it was to sit in the sidelines and just watch the marathon this time. Because I was on little people detail, I was not a participant this time, and George had said, "This is killing you, isn't it?" The truth is, Marc had signed up for this one long before we left San Diego and we did not know just how popular it was among the people here. I was happy to support him and be a spectator this time around, knowing that Disney is closing in fast. I ran 21 miles the weekend before this one and 15 this past weekend. One more long run and then the taper, which sounds great, actually. George and Kimmie ended up running the marathon together, Craig did well in his half, as did Lori, Gary, Frank, and Abbe.
We had to jump into the car immediately after the race to get home. Last night was Marc's company party at the big boss's house down the street from us. They have a beautiful home on the water with a huge pool they heated for the occasion. The air has finally cooled down here, but I am told not to become accustomed to it for too long. This little cold snap will be gone as quickly as it came, so I am trying to enjoy every minute. The party was painless, save for the fact that I felt like an impostor. I couldn't help but think what a fake I am for being there, since I really would never choose to be friends with any of these people or spend time at a Christmas party with them. I felt mildly annoyed that we were mingling and schmoozing with any of them, knowing I am just counting down the days until we can get home to be with family and "true" friends in Cali. Maybe I was just tired and cranky from the long drive home from Jacksonville. Either way, back in Zero Beach and the countdown resumes to get the hell out of dodge. I love the miracles this season brings.
There was a group of Sunrunners in Jacksonville also running the marathon or half. A bunch of us went out to a pre-race dinner Saturday night, which happened to be my birthday. They were all so sweet to come with gifts and dessert offerings, which was just so much fun. I honestly really love the people I have come to know in this circle of runners. They are all so real and concerned and forth-coming with jokes, information, and affection. It is such a refreshing change to be encouraged and pushed to seek more races and workouts, rather than be criticized and yelled at for doing too much by some former running partners I cannot mention here. Crazy George was out there at Jacksonville this weekend. This was his third marathon since Thanksgiving, which is exactly what I love about these people...there are no limits, no boundaries, no stopping them in travel and training. They are all on the crazy train and they revel in having company. I love being a passenger on that train with nut cases along side me.
Marc noted that George already knows me well enough to know how painful it was to sit in the sidelines and just watch the marathon this time. Because I was on little people detail, I was not a participant this time, and George had said, "This is killing you, isn't it?" The truth is, Marc had signed up for this one long before we left San Diego and we did not know just how popular it was among the people here. I was happy to support him and be a spectator this time around, knowing that Disney is closing in fast. I ran 21 miles the weekend before this one and 15 this past weekend. One more long run and then the taper, which sounds great, actually. George and Kimmie ended up running the marathon together, Craig did well in his half, as did Lori, Gary, Frank, and Abbe.
We had to jump into the car immediately after the race to get home. Last night was Marc's company party at the big boss's house down the street from us. They have a beautiful home on the water with a huge pool they heated for the occasion. The air has finally cooled down here, but I am told not to become accustomed to it for too long. This little cold snap will be gone as quickly as it came, so I am trying to enjoy every minute. The party was painless, save for the fact that I felt like an impostor. I couldn't help but think what a fake I am for being there, since I really would never choose to be friends with any of these people or spend time at a Christmas party with them. I felt mildly annoyed that we were mingling and schmoozing with any of them, knowing I am just counting down the days until we can get home to be with family and "true" friends in Cali. Maybe I was just tired and cranky from the long drive home from Jacksonville. Either way, back in Zero Beach and the countdown resumes to get the hell out of dodge. I love the miracles this season brings.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Ho, Ho, Hum
How is it almost Christmas? I still can't get over the fact that I feel like we were just arriving at Halloween, but here we are somehow in December???????? I am not ready..........
Marc has been sick for two days, which is such terrible timing before his marathon this Sunday. I took the kids out last night with friends Lori and her crazy *crazy* husband, Michael, their daughter, Olivia, and another couple to whom they introduced us, plus their 3 daughters. We all went out to dinner and on to a place called Tara Plantation. Tara Plantation is a huge law office complex here in town where a self-proclaimed "Christmas Junkie" begins over Labor Day weekend decorating the offices with lights, trees, wreaths, and holiday paraphernalia. It was a sight to behold and the kids were in awe of the attention to detail. Each room a different theme of trees, lights, music, several trains, and larger than life Nut Crackers and St. Nicks. I think they ate their weight in cookies, too.
The weeks have been busy with the usual commitments. Last weekend was the annual Sunrunner's party and drunk fest, held at the neuron surgeon, Jim's house out west. He and his wife have an amazing estate with so much property, they own their own lakes. It was totally fun to be in a completely different setting with my usually sweaty running friends. I have not had a sip of alcohol in more than 10 years, but Lori's crazy Michael dragged me into the part of the house they call "The Red Room" with all the "Big Boys" and insisted we knock back some Petron. The man is an obnoxious extrovert and loves to drink (and drink and drink). He does not know the word "no". I think he is like 14 years Lori's senior and she loves to say how glad she is she met him when he was 50 and not 20. "Can you imagine what he was like then??" she always says. Marc continuously commented that night about how many "lushes" were at this sprawling estate. It's true, for the way they all like to drink, it is impressive they can abuse their bodies like that and then abuse it more with excessive exercise. Marc did not escape the Red Room either, telling me that by that time, Michael was so drunk, he was doing the lime and salt in the wrong order on his hand with the shots. Those two stumbled out together so proud of themselves that they had remembered the salt was in the rooster shaker.
I am getting nervous about our trip home now, mostly because I know once we are there, I am not going to want to turn around and come back here. We continue to meet really nice people who are constantly inviting us to this gathering or that dinner. For the relationships we have made, I will never regret living here for a time. The question remains, however, how long will this time be? Today I felt extremely excited and full of hope to think about shipping out this coming summer. Why waste another day being somewhere that feels isolated and miserable? Then I felt guilty about wanting to leave when I thought about how my daughter was on fire on the tennis court yesterday, ripping the ball over the net with her fierce backhand. Her coach kept looking over his shoulder at me and telling me it was his "brilliant coaching", but I know better. That girl just turned it up a notch and decided to check in to keep up with the more advanced kids. These are the things that make living here worthwhile, but I still want to go home.
Marc has been sick for two days, which is such terrible timing before his marathon this Sunday. I took the kids out last night with friends Lori and her crazy *crazy* husband, Michael, their daughter, Olivia, and another couple to whom they introduced us, plus their 3 daughters. We all went out to dinner and on to a place called Tara Plantation. Tara Plantation is a huge law office complex here in town where a self-proclaimed "Christmas Junkie" begins over Labor Day weekend decorating the offices with lights, trees, wreaths, and holiday paraphernalia. It was a sight to behold and the kids were in awe of the attention to detail. Each room a different theme of trees, lights, music, several trains, and larger than life Nut Crackers and St. Nicks. I think they ate their weight in cookies, too.
The weeks have been busy with the usual commitments. Last weekend was the annual Sunrunner's party and drunk fest, held at the neuron surgeon, Jim's house out west. He and his wife have an amazing estate with so much property, they own their own lakes. It was totally fun to be in a completely different setting with my usually sweaty running friends. I have not had a sip of alcohol in more than 10 years, but Lori's crazy Michael dragged me into the part of the house they call "The Red Room" with all the "Big Boys" and insisted we knock back some Petron. The man is an obnoxious extrovert and loves to drink (and drink and drink). He does not know the word "no". I think he is like 14 years Lori's senior and she loves to say how glad she is she met him when he was 50 and not 20. "Can you imagine what he was like then??" she always says. Marc continuously commented that night about how many "lushes" were at this sprawling estate. It's true, for the way they all like to drink, it is impressive they can abuse their bodies like that and then abuse it more with excessive exercise. Marc did not escape the Red Room either, telling me that by that time, Michael was so drunk, he was doing the lime and salt in the wrong order on his hand with the shots. Those two stumbled out together so proud of themselves that they had remembered the salt was in the rooster shaker.
I am getting nervous about our trip home now, mostly because I know once we are there, I am not going to want to turn around and come back here. We continue to meet really nice people who are constantly inviting us to this gathering or that dinner. For the relationships we have made, I will never regret living here for a time. The question remains, however, how long will this time be? Today I felt extremely excited and full of hope to think about shipping out this coming summer. Why waste another day being somewhere that feels isolated and miserable? Then I felt guilty about wanting to leave when I thought about how my daughter was on fire on the tennis court yesterday, ripping the ball over the net with her fierce backhand. Her coach kept looking over his shoulder at me and telling me it was his "brilliant coaching", but I know better. That girl just turned it up a notch and decided to check in to keep up with the more advanced kids. These are the things that make living here worthwhile, but I still want to go home.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Feast or Famine
When it rains here, it pours. It comes down in droves. Thankfully, we have not had any rain since Saturday (on our long run, to be precise). Today was actually nice, for a change, weather wise....no rain, no heat, no humidity. We soaked up the sun at the park in the morning, drank in the ocean air from our front drive mid-day, and then enjoyed a cool early evening on the tennis courts riverfront. The kids are actually getting pretty good on the clay, and I am loving watching them with the coaching staff. Truly, I am impressed. I never thought I cared one way or another about tennis, but I am a believer now. It is a great sport and the opportunity for it is perfect in these parts.
Other than that, I am disappointed to have missed the West Palm Marathon last Sunday on account of bronchitis (again), but I guess it is all meant to be. Disney Marathon is only about 5 weeks away, and closing in quickly. We leave for Jacksonville next weekend so Marc can run his Boston qualifier. That sweet man, who cannot keep a secret, gave me my anniversary present early from my most favorite place in the whole world. In a word, Tiffany. There is nothing more romantic than that little blue box and white ribbon, except when it arrives at this time of year in the blue box with a red ribbon. The ring is *beautiful* and I know how much he wants me to be happy. With several holiday parties, birthday parties, and school engagements, how do I have time to be anything but crazy? Mostly, when I feel homesick, I want to die, but when I am happy, I am on top of the world. This past weekend in Palm Beach did a lot for my sanity, to be in a big city again and around civilization. I love the Christmas season and everything that comes with it. I love that we got married this time of year, because it only heightens the magic that surrounds.
I start coaching the Team in Training tri group in a few more weeks and I am eager to meet the participants. Not sure if I have taken on more than I can handle when I feel like my little people are so needy, but hoping it will all come together. I can't wait to get back to Cali soil and run some hills....I am thinking Torrey Pines everyday to get my fill. I miss the Pacific so much it hurts sometimes. But, my running friends here are so amazing and full of life....it is nice to have new blood to run with...sometimes I just miss the old.
Other than that, I am disappointed to have missed the West Palm Marathon last Sunday on account of bronchitis (again), but I guess it is all meant to be. Disney Marathon is only about 5 weeks away, and closing in quickly. We leave for Jacksonville next weekend so Marc can run his Boston qualifier. That sweet man, who cannot keep a secret, gave me my anniversary present early from my most favorite place in the whole world. In a word, Tiffany. There is nothing more romantic than that little blue box and white ribbon, except when it arrives at this time of year in the blue box with a red ribbon. The ring is *beautiful* and I know how much he wants me to be happy. With several holiday parties, birthday parties, and school engagements, how do I have time to be anything but crazy? Mostly, when I feel homesick, I want to die, but when I am happy, I am on top of the world. This past weekend in Palm Beach did a lot for my sanity, to be in a big city again and around civilization. I love the Christmas season and everything that comes with it. I love that we got married this time of year, because it only heightens the magic that surrounds.
I start coaching the Team in Training tri group in a few more weeks and I am eager to meet the participants. Not sure if I have taken on more than I can handle when I feel like my little people are so needy, but hoping it will all come together. I can't wait to get back to Cali soil and run some hills....I am thinking Torrey Pines everyday to get my fill. I miss the Pacific so much it hurts sometimes. But, my running friends here are so amazing and full of life....it is nice to have new blood to run with...sometimes I just miss the old.
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