Endangered

Nos. 62 - 68

No. 62 - Live and Let Pie by Ellie Alexander:

 No. 63 - On the Come Up by Angie Thomas:

This was a wonderful book. Read it!


No. 64 - Internment by Samira Ahmed:

No. 65 - Dark Water by Robert Bryndza:

No. 66 - Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth:

I almost didn't read this because I saw the movie. But this is much different from the film - and I highly recommend!

No. 67 - Last Breath by Robert Bryndza: 

No. 68 - Cold Blood by Robert Bryndza:

I'm a reading machine! :)

Annual CE2 pumpkin carving

A handful of my students humored me again this year by carving pumpkins in CE2!

(They didn't want to smile for the camera, but they had fun - I promise :) )

Leticia:

 Jen:

 Meli:

 

 Lilly:

 Shel's cat butt:

 

 Haley:

(With all our new CE2 WINDOWS, we have to go in the bathroom for darkness!!!!!)

Plus Ed-Anna and Daniela, not pictured :)



Happy November!

:)

Me.She.We. Half Marathon (6/1/19)

Again, I needed a training goal to get me out the door. It's a theme for my life. While things were crazy with Dad, Mom, and Eryn stuff, I needed the "forced" exercise to maintain my physical and mental health.

So I signed up for the Me.She.We Half Marathon in Wilsonville on June 1. The course was flat and looked pretty in a part of Wilsonville with which I'm not super familiar.

The elevation profile for half (second half was just the reverse)

This event aims to support women runners of all abilities and has no timing. It was a good feeling of women supporting each other!

I loved the idea of this race, but I hated the actual race.

The course was beautiful but also horrible. Streets weren't closed, so we had to run on the sidewalks. Much of it was in neighbors, which meant up and down curb cuts and driveways. Instead of running straight through intersections, we had to go around the corner to the official crosswalk and then back around the corner to the other sidewalk. It's hard to describe, but this extra running was incredibly frustrating. I would never run a race this way - or even a training run. Straight lines from Point A to Point B. Never weaving around like that. If I had been racing for time, I would have been pissed.

Also, about a mile was on crushed gravel in the Graham Oaks Nature Park. I wasn't prepared for that (maybe I missed it on the course description?!?!), and it was like running on sand. I was not happy about that.

After the turnaround, my energy just went away. It was during this time that I had an epiphany. This season of my life was the hardest I've ever had. I had the energy to train (perhaps it was just pure adrenaline getting me through) but my emotional and physical exhaustion was just too much to have a successful race. I didn't have adrenaline to get me through 13 miles. I had just enough energy for the "musts" of life and none left for the extras.

That self discovery was huge for me. Instead of feeling like a failure for all these races, I realized there was a real reason for my struggles. It was such a relief to have an explanation. DUH. I don't know why it took me over a year to get it, but it was a good moment.

The finish line came with a medal and pancakes :)

There was a woman I leapfrogged for much of the race. I learned it was her first half marathon, and we celebrated together at the finish. That part of the race was awesome.

According to my Garmin, I finished in 2:13:12. I had the course quite a bit short at 12.75 miles. Not sure how that happened with all the extra sidewalk running.

I would not recommend this race.

:)

Oregon Spring 5K (5/25/19)

When Pam suggested we do a 5K together, I jumped at the chance! I love racing with friends!

We chose the Oregon Spring 5K on May 25 in Champoeg State Park. The drive was easy, though Pam had a ways to go from Vancouver. Parking was in a field a short walk from the start line.

We decided to run together and had fun chatting the 3 miles away.

We ran faster than Pam had anticipated, and Pam took SECOND PLACE in her age/gender group!!!!!!!!

There was an amazing burrito bar at the end in which we fully indulged :)

It was a wonderful day reconnecting with Pam, and I'm so proud of her commitment to her running and fitness!

Let's do it again, Pam!!

My official time was 35:35, an 11:27 average :)

Vernonia Half Marathon (4/14/19)

Looking back at the past year or so, I realize I haven't run many small races. But I have run several half marathons. I didn't want to spend the time, energy, or money on small stuff - just bigger races that motivated training.

In April, I did the Vernonia Half Marathon, which starts in Stub Stewart State Park, speeds down the Banks-Vernonia Trail, crosses Banks, and ends with a lap on the Banks High School track.

It was a beautiful day at the top of the park:

Because it's a point-to-point course, most racers take a shuttle bus to the start. But Brad went with me to the Hilltop Day-Use area and stayed with me until race time. It was nice to stay in the warm car until it was time to warm up.

The course starts uphill but then it's miles and miles down the closed trail.

Knowing that banked speed in a distance race just doesn't work, I was unsure how to pace. I ran this course before, but it was part of marathon training, and I didn't race it at all.

I decided to hold back a bit on the steep down, but by the time the flat arrived, I was kinda done. I had a hard time pushing the last 5 miles, which are very flat, straight, and monotonous.    

Brad and Mom were waiting for me at the Manning trail head, one of the only spectator spots on the course.

The last miles were a struggle - mentally and physically. I knew I was done when I actually stopped on one of the bridges and stared at the creek for a second.

I finally hauled my butt through Banks to the high school. My fam was waiting at the track and watched me struggle through an entire lap before the finish line.

I had no kick left at all, but I gave it what I had.

I finished in 2:04:02 - a 9:28 average.

ORRC always puts on a good race, and this was no different. The after-party was inside the school with hot soup and baked potatoes.

There was also a big raffle, a I won a pie :)

Overall, a good race. Like I've mentioned before, I've not been in a good place since my dad's death. This race was a struggle, but I'm still proud to have tackled it and finished, even if my time wasn't anything record breaking :)