In a short while I was going to complete number five if all went well. I needed to set myself another goal; my little college clique will laugh - they know I need to be overbooked to feel useful. So I thought to myself, "Why not aim for completing ten marathons before I turn 50?" So I looked up various races and found one that was on my birthday. That discovery was really exciting - on my birthday, on a school long weekend, not too far from home - wow! I almost never spend a birthday the way I like to anymore. I waited until I caught hubby in a really good mood and checked in, "There is a marathon on my birthday; it is a long weekend for us. Should I book? We can all go; it is Carlsbad so the kids can spend a day in Legoland or go to the beach." Hubby was fine with it other than grumbling about taking off for too long on Friday.He also suggested that we fly back on Monday but I decided against it. I would not have had the kids go through a routine disruption otherwise and was not going to do it for myself, particularly knowing how V suffers from a break in his routine.
The next step was booking the marathon and the hotel. From a past experience around a marathon in San Diego I knew that I needed to book the hotel even before I booked the race. The race organizers had two hotels endorsed and I picked the Sheraton due to its private entrance to Legoland. The flights were booked later as well as the rental car but that didn't matter.
The training for this one was really different from my previous marathons with a great deal of training on the treadmill towards the latter part. I had forgotten how dark and cold it could be early mornings; if I left later for a run I would be gone for most of the morning which I couldn't afford to do given that my now ten year old would be up by 7:00 and he still can get my heart rate beating way too fast even though he is doing really well now. So, I would go to the gym by 4:00 even on a weekend morning to accomplish my long run goals. I did miss training as often as I did on the dish or other hills in the area. At times I really worried about how I would make it.
The other factor that was different this time round was that I went through a period when my left leg really hurt, particularly a month or two before the race. It was really bad for a period of time though I tried not to let it bother me. A known runner but stranger simultaneously came to my rescue on this matter. I was on my way back from a run during the winter break, stopping at Peet's for a glass of water when I ran into this person whom I have met several times either at the dish or the neighborhood and who I knew had been suffering from an injury. He struck up a conversation by mentioning how good it was that I was still running. I thanked him and remarked that I had this pain on my leg. He saw the spots I pointed to and showed me a stretch that would help. That was like a miracle worker. All I had to do was incorporate that particular stretch (in addition to my regular surya namaskars or sun invocations) and it worked wonders.
Three days before the race I got my first cold in more than six months. It was a nasty cold. Fortunately, it was a short school week, but on Thursday, I barely made it to work, warned all the kids and other adults whom I encountered to stay away from me. My aide who is darling was so worried about me wondering how I would manage. I had to insist that I was fine and that she knew me better than that, I had planned this for so long, nothing would stop me. In the meantime, the weather had actually turned for the better with the rain magically vanishing.
On Friday, when the four of us boarded the flight I was still fighting my cold and praying. This couldn't be true. To our luck, there were no flight delays, nor too much traffic to encounter from San Diego to Carlsbad. The weather was as good as it had been where we left off. The hotel was good, we got to relax. V wanted to run the kids' marathon mile the next morning. He was so excited that he was up at 6:00 a.m. Things have been doing so much better with him that this hour or so lack of sleep does not mess him up like it used to for the most part. The mile race was a great deal of fun and very inspiring for these little ones.
Fast forward to Saturday night where I was in bed by 8:30 and so were hubby and kids. I must have awaken a few times so that I could be sure to be awake on time. Woke up a little before 4:00 (those of you who know this about me know that I don't need an alarm, nor is it a problem to wake up at really early hours), showered, went down to grab a coffee and a bagel (I really dislike coffee but dislike even more the way tea is made in the coffee shops, so normally settle for the lesser of the two evils). While waiting in the lounge for the shuttle (to take me to the starting line), I met two women from Phoenix, one of whom was running a marathon for the first time and the other who was running her fourth marathon. It felt to meet regular women like me who weren't skinny and ran at normal pace. They were as upset as I was with the way the hotel had organized race logistics. After boarding the shuttle, met one person who was from Orinda, not far from us, and running I don't know which # marathon. He was much younger for sure. Then there was this woman who runs about 19 marathons a year! She was amazing - she had run a marathon in Charleston in 19 degrees F. the previous weekend, has run the NY marathon 5 times, has run practically every marathon you can think of, was running the Carlsbad marathon that day, taking the red eye to NY that night and flying on a business trip to Lisbon the day after! Wow, wow, wow! It makes me wonder whether I have accomplished anything at all.
At 5:20 a.m. when I got off the bus, it did not seem like there was any race taking place at 6:00 a.m. There was practically nobody around save for the start line banner across the street. Everyone headed out in some direction and I just followed. Using one of the portable toilets is almost a must before a race. Thereafter headed towards the tent where everybody seemed to be. This was my first ever winter marathon and I had no clue how it worked. Upon entering the tent, I saw almost every inch occupied by a runner, stretching or just sitting. I decided to turn in my sweats, having worn arm warmers for the first time (and gloves of course); came back to find a spot in the tent and waited around until one of the organizers hollered, "It is 5:45 folks. You need to go". So everybody trudged to the starting line. Met someone who was running her first marathon and landed up being the first person to wish me in person on my birthday. Another race, another city, another set of runners ....
The sudden silence when "The Star Spangled Banner" was sung beautifully in the dark and cold. Then the cheering and off we all went. I was, as always, in the middle of the pack. I decided to start off close to the 4:45 pacer, thinking that I would aim for less than 5:00 hours. I was feeling really good and really thought I might be able to do well time wise even though my training had not been focussed with a time goal in mind. Seeing the dawn breaking followed by the sunrise was inspiring. Despite the early morning chill and darkness there were several people cheering. I have often wondered if I am foolish to run long distances but then looking around there were so many people who had come by themselves like me, not with friends or family and it really helped. Listening to conversations is always inspiring as is reading people's slogans on their T-shirts. Two that stand out were - "I have donated a kidney and a liver" and this person was running a marathon thereafter(not sure how many after his organ donations); the other one was "Pain is only temporary; finishing is permanent". How true! The thoughts of my family and my sister's wishes as well as a dear cousin's(more like a brother) normally keep me going; thoughts of how various people struggle through life on a daily basis.
Running along the Pacific Ocean before the sun came all out was one of my favorite parts of this race. There was a group of men playing volleyball on the sand, a few early morning walkers and runners other than which the coast was almost empty. It made me wonder, what if one day I decided to start running from home, run south along the coast and keep going along the Pacific, letting myself do as much or as little as possible each day, wouldn't that be bliss? Watching the waves as one runs along each day and seeing the ocean in its myriad of colors and patterns?
By 7:15 the sun was blazing and I wondered why I was so thrilled at seeing the sunrise. It didn't bother me a whole lot though since it was still relatively cool, I felt really good. Between miles 8 and 9, it was a steady uphill - not very steep but surely only an ascent with the sun staring into your face. Someone who had done this race before remarked that this was the toughest mile. It wasn't really that hard, it was just a little harder than the rest. By the time I reached the top of that hill, I knew the 4:45 pacer had gone ahead and I might not be able to catch up. However, that didn't bother me because I would not have enjoyed my run half as much if I had.
The upside to the uphill was that the sun was truly behind me thereafter. The race organizers had done a really good job with each of the mile markers (it is always uplifting to see the next benchmark so to say), the water, the gu, they even had vaseline, which I should have used then instead of suffering later. This running stretch took me past the road that crossed our hotel. So I thought it would be great to call hubby and have them come there so that I could hand them my arm warmers and gloves which were rendered pretty much useless by the time. However, Ram did not pick up and I decided not to retry. I was a tad disappointed at not seeing them during but we should have planned that out better. Plus I know how much my twelve year old likes to sleep in. She had really given up her time this weekend.
Besides the above-mentioned, the race organizers had done a great job with the cheering squads. Also, I was impressed at how many locals wore blankets and came out to cheer random people. By mile 15, I knew something was wacko - when I realized that it was my feet, it was a complete will power exercise thereafter. My feet were hurting which hadn't happened before during a marathon like they were really tired. I think all that walking in Legoland the previous day may have played a role. I completely had to block the pain out thereafter. After having thought about it for a couple of minutes, I was able to successfully block out the pain and continued on my journey. I don't enjoy flat running much so I was kind of disappointed when the downhill was over.
After having lost the 4:45 pacing group, I had managed to keep in sight and stay a little ahead of the 5:00 pacing group. By mile 19, I realized, they were a little ahead and by mile 20 they were even further out. There was one group of men, wheeling one of their friends in his wheelchair the entire way. I crossed them several times and was really inspired by their spirit, their enthusiasm, their drive and just the motivation for them as well as this friend to do this for 26.2 miles. They kept up their humor as well which obviously helped while I had started to feel tired.
For this race, until mile 20 I thought it came fairly easily. Thereafter, I was kind of really out of it until mile 23 after which I had to tell myself that it was only 3.2 miles. Somewhere near mile 19 the half marathoners who had started after us, joined us and that made it almost a party. They not only had a great deal of energy, there were so many of them that it was actually good to have company at the time. Between miles 20 and 21 when I felt like I really needed some pep, I saw one of the most beautiful sights - a lagoon with hundreds of brown pelicans - it was breathtaking. Right at the time, a solitary brown pelican swooped down into the water from the skies that seemed to completely be worthwhile the run.
At about mile 21 or 22, I must have looked a sight. There was this little girl cheering - she was probably no more than 9 or 10 years old and adorable. She made it a point to cheer everybody. When she saw me, she went on - come on, you can do it, etc. and then give me a high five, come on, you really can - it was her tone and spirit that was so very touching. It was straight from her heart and it was another of those - aah, this is so worth it.
By mile 24 I knew that hubby and kids were near the finish line which was great. This part of the race was again along the coast by which time several people were out walking or running, the pubs on the other side of the road were full of people partying and I could see several of the half marathoners having finished. As I saw the 26 mile marker when each time I get renewed energy, I saw my family too. I called out to my ten year old who has joined me on the last stretch more than a couple of times. However, this time, it was my twelve year old who said, "Come on, Mama, lets go". Was I thrilled - she has not only never joined me at the finish stretch but also makes it very clear that this is not her thing. So, with me trudging the last two miles, pretending that I was sprinting and with her telling me that I was way too slow, I crossed the finish line for another 26.2. Time: 5:36 - but that did not matter at all. I was feeling elated at having spent my birthday morning the way I really wanted to.. Here's till the next one!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Sunday, September 19, 2010
The Hawk
Today could have been just another run at the dish. I mean, met a friend, started out at 6:30; now when I say a friend, this friend goes back a long way like so many of my college friends now in the area 10,000 miles away from where we all studied or pretended to in a remote campus. This is a friend who did not want to run even as close as January of this year; she has now run her first half marathon and is signed up for her first full marathon. Often, on weekends, it is thanks to her commitment that I will shake away my lazy blues.
This morning, we decided that we would go the route in the opposite direction. My friend did not really want to do the trail extension so I decided to do the first round with her and do the next by myself. The morning was really cloudy; as we went up the first hill our eyes soaked up the sight of the cloudy skies, lighting up in various hues of red. We continued taking in the beauty around when suddenly on our next downhill we saw the hawk. Now we have seen the hawk multiple times before but it was always away from the trail - on the fence, on a tree, eyeing its surroundings as always. Today we saw the hawk sitting on the trail - this was just simply amazing. I didn't want to stop my descent while enjoying the hawk; then decided to go back up the hill, to observe it more closely; by the time, my friend had stopped en route descending the hill and was taking photos. I decided to whip up my measly phone and take whatever photo I could best capture with it (that is the picture attached to this note). Anyway, this hawk was a real cool dude. He turned around, looked at us, turned back and continued its gaze in the other direction; in the meantime, my friend's phone voice sounded out a message; the hawk continued on as though this was the most natural thing in the world and ignored us like we didn't exist. Now we were wondering - is the dude just enjoying the beauty of the sky, is he just so fearless of humans now or is the mighty bird of prey injured? Who knew but by then I thought lets go on and we can keep wondering the rest of the way.
In fact, just that one sight of the hawk made my day. It could have been anything but it was like an impossibility - seeing a hawk at such close quarters in the middle of civilization. We completed the rest of the round rather uneventfully; I then decided to do the next round in the other direction; half way through, met one of my regular Dish friends, we said our customary hi's and then I asked him if he had seen the hawk; he said yes, it was pretty and we continued down our different paths. Well, the hawk wasn't there on my second round but this person had seen it; so he flew away. That ruled out the possibility of him being injured. Now, that only meant that he was truly a cool dude and knew how to get at people if he really wanted to or he is just a new breed of hawks who has decided that we can start adopting these ferocious birds. Whatever be the reason, it added to the natural beauty around us and as I was talking to another regular at the end of my second round, she said that that's what made it amazing to come here regularly - one never knew what it held in store.
This morning, we decided that we would go the route in the opposite direction. My friend did not really want to do the trail extension so I decided to do the first round with her and do the next by myself. The morning was really cloudy; as we went up the first hill our eyes soaked up the sight of the cloudy skies, lighting up in various hues of red. We continued taking in the beauty around when suddenly on our next downhill we saw the hawk. Now we have seen the hawk multiple times before but it was always away from the trail - on the fence, on a tree, eyeing its surroundings as always. Today we saw the hawk sitting on the trail - this was just simply amazing. I didn't want to stop my descent while enjoying the hawk; then decided to go back up the hill, to observe it more closely; by the time, my friend had stopped en route descending the hill and was taking photos. I decided to whip up my measly phone and take whatever photo I could best capture with it (that is the picture attached to this note). Anyway, this hawk was a real cool dude. He turned around, looked at us, turned back and continued its gaze in the other direction; in the meantime, my friend's phone voice sounded out a message; the hawk continued on as though this was the most natural thing in the world and ignored us like we didn't exist. Now we were wondering - is the dude just enjoying the beauty of the sky, is he just so fearless of humans now or is the mighty bird of prey injured? Who knew but by then I thought lets go on and we can keep wondering the rest of the way.
In fact, just that one sight of the hawk made my day. It could have been anything but it was like an impossibility - seeing a hawk at such close quarters in the middle of civilization. We completed the rest of the round rather uneventfully; I then decided to do the next round in the other direction; half way through, met one of my regular Dish friends, we said our customary hi's and then I asked him if he had seen the hawk; he said yes, it was pretty and we continued down our different paths. Well, the hawk wasn't there on my second round but this person had seen it; so he flew away. That ruled out the possibility of him being injured. Now, that only meant that he was truly a cool dude and knew how to get at people if he really wanted to or he is just a new breed of hawks who has decided that we can start adopting these ferocious birds. Whatever be the reason, it added to the natural beauty around us and as I was talking to another regular at the end of my second round, she said that that's what made it amazing to come here regularly - one never knew what it held in store.
Viewing the San Francisco Marathon with a different perspective
Each time I run a race, no matter what the distance, even if I have run the same race before, there is a difference. There is of course a difference in the weather, in the crowds, in how I am feeling and doing and of course, I am older each year :-)
Today I ran the San Francisco Marathon which I had run earlier in 2005. The most appealing factor of the race of course, was the fact that I could run over Golden Gate Bridge in the fog, given that the Bay Area is shrouded in fog almost every morning in July. The longer the sun takes to get out, the better as the temperatures hover in the 60s and it is just perfect conditions for a run, that too a long one.
I really owe my hubby this time as he took the trouble to get up at 3:30 a.m. and drop me off for the race. He normally sleeps really late; last night he slept at midnight so it was really a great deal of effort on his part. Of course, till he actually woke up and got ready, I was sure I would have to drive by myself and figure out how my tired legs would drive back home.
The race had wave starts, something I was not used to. I had signed up with an estimated time so that I was in the last wave - very disheartening but I knew it didn't matter given that it was the chip time that mattered. So, I was in the last group to take off and it felt absolutely great as standing around in the 55 degree weather with a wind for maybe an hour was not exactly how I wanted to start the race. Listening to conversations and watching the Bay Bridge in the fog was a good way to spend the time. I am always tongue tied with people the first time I meet them though several of you may find that hard to believe:-) A mile into the race I knew that I absolutely *had* to go to the restroom. Once that was done, I was set for the rest of the race. The first toilet I spotted had two people in line and it seemed like the person inside was going to take time. So I decided to move on - bad decision. By the time the next toilet was in sight there was no way I could wait. I spent twelve whole minutes waiting so much so that I actually saw the last person in the race - that was a first - so something new. With that I knew I could not better my best time but I decided to enjoy the race anyway without being concerned about the time.
With renewed energy I took off and loped along till the first hill which I felt was conquered really well especially when I overtook several people walking thanks to my hill training sessions. This then brought me to a stretch connecting the trail to the Golden Gate Bridge. Since I was way towards the end, there were innumerable people passing the other way having already gone over the bridge. The energy level on that bridge is absolutely amazing and that alone carries me through the entire stretch with a great deal of enthusiasm. And as I remembered it, yes, the bridge was clouded in fog but not so much that it blocked the vision so it was fantastic.
Upon returning from the bridge there was a long hill going into Golden Gate park. At the top of that hill was the most breathtaking view of the race in my opinion. There was the Pacific Ocean dashing against the cliffs with a view of all the houses at the back and all the greenery around. I could have sat there for an hour just watching the waves. That was also the start of a highly energising downhill run. Soon after, the runners finishing the first half marathon were gone and a few of us trudged along. This stretch of race can be a dampener especially after all that energy. Of course, it helped to know that I was half way done and I message hubby accordingly. I was feeling pretty good till mile 15 all of this through the park but by 16 it felt like I might be a little tired. By 18 I was thinking, gosh, am I crazy - did I really sign up to do this again? All along, the views in the park were beautiful. Thanks to all the rain this year, it was especially green, the lakes looked very peaceful and the only sounds were those of tired feet around or the birds.
From the park, the route came out to Haight street, which I didn't seem to have noticed the last time I ran this race. I made a mental note of all the interesting restaurants I saw along the way, deciding that I had to come back here to eat; the most interesting name was "Squat and Gobble". By mile 20, I had regained my spirit and had decided to continue with a steady pace, no matter what the time because I knew I was going to cross the 5:00 hour barrier. Hubby called and I let him know where I was. By then, he had come back with my son to cheer me at the finish line. My 12 year old daughter proclaimed the previous day that she only wanted to sleep. There was of course a time when both would come happily to cheer their mom excitedly.
I also learned some trivia about the city and some quotations because these had been put up all along the route. By mile 21 though I was thinking - I really don't care anymore about these trivia questions. I just want to focus on my hard task ahead. Confucious said (not exact words but to the effect) that no matter what the pace, keep moving. The official bird of San Francisco city is the California Quail. The ones about Ansel Adams and the Transamerica Pyramid were what I already knew.
After mile 21 I just kept focused on achieving the next mile with a goal of 25 as I knew hubby and son were waiting around there. At about mile 24 I arrived at the AT&T parking lot, going onto mile 25 near the stadium. Soon after I spotted them; my son had made signs all on his own to support me, we chatted a bit as they ran along the outside of the path, one of the photographers took a picture of mom and son and they ran along a bit before hubby decided that my son was wearing out my energy and I needed to save it for the end. That did, however, really help with at least half a mile when I soon saw the marker for 26. As with a few prior races, I know not where that strength comes from but the last .2 miles were done sprinting to the finish line. Hurrah! Another one down. I know this is crazy but I have planned my next one five months from today as there is a marathon in California on my birthday. What better way to celebrate it!
Today I ran the San Francisco Marathon which I had run earlier in 2005. The most appealing factor of the race of course, was the fact that I could run over Golden Gate Bridge in the fog, given that the Bay Area is shrouded in fog almost every morning in July. The longer the sun takes to get out, the better as the temperatures hover in the 60s and it is just perfect conditions for a run, that too a long one.
I really owe my hubby this time as he took the trouble to get up at 3:30 a.m. and drop me off for the race. He normally sleeps really late; last night he slept at midnight so it was really a great deal of effort on his part. Of course, till he actually woke up and got ready, I was sure I would have to drive by myself and figure out how my tired legs would drive back home.
The race had wave starts, something I was not used to. I had signed up with an estimated time so that I was in the last wave - very disheartening but I knew it didn't matter given that it was the chip time that mattered. So, I was in the last group to take off and it felt absolutely great as standing around in the 55 degree weather with a wind for maybe an hour was not exactly how I wanted to start the race. Listening to conversations and watching the Bay Bridge in the fog was a good way to spend the time. I am always tongue tied with people the first time I meet them though several of you may find that hard to believe:-) A mile into the race I knew that I absolutely *had* to go to the restroom. Once that was done, I was set for the rest of the race. The first toilet I spotted had two people in line and it seemed like the person inside was going to take time. So I decided to move on - bad decision. By the time the next toilet was in sight there was no way I could wait. I spent twelve whole minutes waiting so much so that I actually saw the last person in the race - that was a first - so something new. With that I knew I could not better my best time but I decided to enjoy the race anyway without being concerned about the time.
With renewed energy I took off and loped along till the first hill which I felt was conquered really well especially when I overtook several people walking thanks to my hill training sessions. This then brought me to a stretch connecting the trail to the Golden Gate Bridge. Since I was way towards the end, there were innumerable people passing the other way having already gone over the bridge. The energy level on that bridge is absolutely amazing and that alone carries me through the entire stretch with a great deal of enthusiasm. And as I remembered it, yes, the bridge was clouded in fog but not so much that it blocked the vision so it was fantastic.
Upon returning from the bridge there was a long hill going into Golden Gate park. At the top of that hill was the most breathtaking view of the race in my opinion. There was the Pacific Ocean dashing against the cliffs with a view of all the houses at the back and all the greenery around. I could have sat there for an hour just watching the waves. That was also the start of a highly energising downhill run. Soon after, the runners finishing the first half marathon were gone and a few of us trudged along. This stretch of race can be a dampener especially after all that energy. Of course, it helped to know that I was half way done and I message hubby accordingly. I was feeling pretty good till mile 15 all of this through the park but by 16 it felt like I might be a little tired. By 18 I was thinking, gosh, am I crazy - did I really sign up to do this again? All along, the views in the park were beautiful. Thanks to all the rain this year, it was especially green, the lakes looked very peaceful and the only sounds were those of tired feet around or the birds.
From the park, the route came out to Haight street, which I didn't seem to have noticed the last time I ran this race. I made a mental note of all the interesting restaurants I saw along the way, deciding that I had to come back here to eat; the most interesting name was "Squat and Gobble". By mile 20, I had regained my spirit and had decided to continue with a steady pace, no matter what the time because I knew I was going to cross the 5:00 hour barrier. Hubby called and I let him know where I was. By then, he had come back with my son to cheer me at the finish line. My 12 year old daughter proclaimed the previous day that she only wanted to sleep. There was of course a time when both would come happily to cheer their mom excitedly.
I also learned some trivia about the city and some quotations because these had been put up all along the route. By mile 21 though I was thinking - I really don't care anymore about these trivia questions. I just want to focus on my hard task ahead. Confucious said (not exact words but to the effect) that no matter what the pace, keep moving. The official bird of San Francisco city is the California Quail. The ones about Ansel Adams and the Transamerica Pyramid were what I already knew.
After mile 21 I just kept focused on achieving the next mile with a goal of 25 as I knew hubby and son were waiting around there. At about mile 24 I arrived at the AT&T parking lot, going onto mile 25 near the stadium. Soon after I spotted them; my son had made signs all on his own to support me, we chatted a bit as they ran along the outside of the path, one of the photographers took a picture of mom and son and they ran along a bit before hubby decided that my son was wearing out my energy and I needed to save it for the end. That did, however, really help with at least half a mile when I soon saw the marker for 26. As with a few prior races, I know not where that strength comes from but the last .2 miles were done sprinting to the finish line. Hurrah! Another one down. I know this is crazy but I have planned my next one five months from today as there is a marathon in California on my birthday. What better way to celebrate it!
Pleasures from the information age
November 14, 2009 9:57 AM
I felt like I just had to share these.
1. Sitting at my children's dentist office on Veteran's day, waiting for my daughter to finish with her tooth extraction (she has great teeth fortunately, this one just didn't fall off and the new one coming in had no space), reading something mindless - Bay Area Parent - marvelling at how many private school ads and enrichment ads there were - as an educator it always fascinates me to see the parental fascination for these things. Mom#2 was in the waiting room with two kids. A few minutes later, mom#3 comes in and Mom#s 2 and 3 greet each other.
Mom#2: Hi, so good to see you.
Mom#3: Hi, so nice to see you too.
Mom#2: I haven't seen you in a long time.
Mom#3: Yes, except on facebook. Isn't that how everyone sees each other these days?
I haven't made up any of this - seriously!
This morning while running at the dish on one of the downward slopes, admiring the clouds, the scenery was picture postcard perfect - so much greenery, not so many people, etc., etc.
I see a couple - man and woman - walking supposedly together. The only reason I thought they were together is because they were trying to keep the same pace with about a half a mile's width between the two. Then I see that both are talking on each of their cells while trying to walk sort of together and get their share of exercise. It amused me so much and got me thinking - maybe if ever my husband and I set off on a walk by ourselves we might do the same - so unused to getting time to spend with each other - each catching up with his/her own friend? Food for thought...
I felt like I just had to share these.
1. Sitting at my children's dentist office on Veteran's day, waiting for my daughter to finish with her tooth extraction (she has great teeth fortunately, this one just didn't fall off and the new one coming in had no space), reading something mindless - Bay Area Parent - marvelling at how many private school ads and enrichment ads there were - as an educator it always fascinates me to see the parental fascination for these things. Mom#2 was in the waiting room with two kids. A few minutes later, mom#3 comes in and Mom#s 2 and 3 greet each other.
Mom#2: Hi, so good to see you.
Mom#3: Hi, so nice to see you too.
Mom#2: I haven't seen you in a long time.
Mom#3: Yes, except on facebook. Isn't that how everyone sees each other these days?
I haven't made up any of this - seriously!
This morning while running at the dish on one of the downward slopes, admiring the clouds, the scenery was picture postcard perfect - so much greenery, not so many people, etc., etc.
I see a couple - man and woman - walking supposedly together. The only reason I thought they were together is because they were trying to keep the same pace with about a half a mile's width between the two. Then I see that both are talking on each of their cells while trying to walk sort of together and get their share of exercise. It amused me so much and got me thinking - maybe if ever my husband and I set off on a walk by ourselves we might do the same - so unused to getting time to spend with each other - each catching up with his/her own friend? Food for thought...
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Wisdom at last?
They say that nothing can buy experience - true in several instances. Youngsters do tend to have the brash - what do they know about people in their 40s like me - well, I'm sure I did the same back then. In today's race though, I think I think I finally gained a little wisdom six and a half years after running my first half marathon and six years after running my first marathon.
I might have said this several times before but running gives me immense pleasure - maybe the only thing that comes close to that with any physical activity is when I am hiking in a beautiful patch of land. However, I think that exhilaration I feel when I am running on an empty road or up a hill cannot be explained.
Just two days ago I contemplated whether or not to run my fifth half marathon - well, it had been a year since my last race and I was itching to do one. 10Ks don't give me as much pleasure and a full marathon does require a fair amount of training - I am not quite ready for my next. So, even though I hadn't specifically trained for this one, knowing that I had been running fair distances regularly enough that I would not bomb that I decided to go yesterday and register for this race. Why this one? Several people had told me that it was fun with all the bands along the course. So I went ahead and paid what I thought was a ridiculously high price for a half marathon - I think I paid around that much for even the Nike full marathon last year - but then I was looking forward to the experience.
The last few mornings have been chilly and this morning was no exception. It was expected to be sunny though and having been sunburnt badly during my first marathon, I decided to apply my sunscreen even though it was dark leaving home. I liked that I had to drive only 15 minutes to the start, that parking was really easy when I arrived and that there were zillions of portable toilets. I did not, however, expect to pay another $7 for convenient parking. Oh, well, all for the experience.
I delayed checking in my gear till as late as I could because I did not want to brave the morning chill longer than I needed to - my racing tank would be freezing. At 7:40 I decided to take the plunge, checking in my gear with two like-minded women I had met while waiting for the opportune moment.
Off I strode looking for my corral - I had given a random end time of 2:20 - that I think was my time for my first half marathon. I knew I wouldn't do worse than that because even though I am maybe 10 pounds heavier, I feel much fitter than I ever have. As I was entering the corral, I met this dear, old friend of mine - I first met him 20 years ago when I used to do my usual runing back and forth on Marine Drive in Mumbai and he used to play cricket and we both worked at the same place. When we reconnected a few years later, both were married and he was way more into running than I was. He ran my first marathon with me at my tortoise=like pace just to give me company - and he came all the way to San Diego just for that. I have yet to see him not go out of his way to help another runner. Anyway, I knew that he would be there today, I just didn't know where and it turned out that he was one of the pacers for my kind of pace - so that really made my day.
I then met with another woman who was fairly local and who was running on her own. She and I ran together for a little over half the way and she then told me that she was going to slow down a bit. Initially, I kept just a little ahead of my friend and his pacing sign - thereafter, I decided to up the speed just a bit and I kept increasing it. Along the way, I saw several interesting signs but the one that inspired me the most was this one on a woman's back that said "Running for my almost 3 year old and my 13 week old" 13 weeks - I could barely get my body back together and here was this woman running a half marathon - of course, I had to compliment her - that was awesome. There were lots of people running in memory of children, friends, family members, others attempting their first half marathon and yet others like me who just ran because they liked to. Want inspiration next time? Go volunteer at a race or run/walk/bike as part of one - it is simply amazing.
The bands - almost one at every mile - kept up the spirits as did several local folks who came out on Sunday morning just to cheer us, some enjoying their drinks, others, giving food to the runners, yet others playing music for the crowd and cheering us on - even little ones. That, along with the 12,000 strong participant number kept up the level of excitement.
The medal is probably one of the nicest I have received in my races and I was sure glad that they gave a real banana instead of the packaged health foods - they did give a couple later. The funniest was the volunteers cheering when someone decided to get a bagel - almost nobody wanted one.
For the first time since I started running distances, I felt like I had the pacing in my control; not only did I start out a little slower but I also had ample energy and finished my race in 2:08 which was only 2 minutes slower than my fastest half marathon time 5 years ago. I seemed to want to increase my speed at each subsequent mile, didn't need much water, used just one gel pack because I felt hungry. All this made me feel even more inspired - who says that speed cannot increase beyond 40 - its all in the mind. I'm not really sure but I certainly felt that way today - and with one of the bands playing "Doors" at mile#12, who can ask for more?
I might have said this several times before but running gives me immense pleasure - maybe the only thing that comes close to that with any physical activity is when I am hiking in a beautiful patch of land. However, I think that exhilaration I feel when I am running on an empty road or up a hill cannot be explained.
Just two days ago I contemplated whether or not to run my fifth half marathon - well, it had been a year since my last race and I was itching to do one. 10Ks don't give me as much pleasure and a full marathon does require a fair amount of training - I am not quite ready for my next. So, even though I hadn't specifically trained for this one, knowing that I had been running fair distances regularly enough that I would not bomb that I decided to go yesterday and register for this race. Why this one? Several people had told me that it was fun with all the bands along the course. So I went ahead and paid what I thought was a ridiculously high price for a half marathon - I think I paid around that much for even the Nike full marathon last year - but then I was looking forward to the experience.
The last few mornings have been chilly and this morning was no exception. It was expected to be sunny though and having been sunburnt badly during my first marathon, I decided to apply my sunscreen even though it was dark leaving home. I liked that I had to drive only 15 minutes to the start, that parking was really easy when I arrived and that there were zillions of portable toilets. I did not, however, expect to pay another $7 for convenient parking. Oh, well, all for the experience.
I delayed checking in my gear till as late as I could because I did not want to brave the morning chill longer than I needed to - my racing tank would be freezing. At 7:40 I decided to take the plunge, checking in my gear with two like-minded women I had met while waiting for the opportune moment.
Off I strode looking for my corral - I had given a random end time of 2:20 - that I think was my time for my first half marathon. I knew I wouldn't do worse than that because even though I am maybe 10 pounds heavier, I feel much fitter than I ever have. As I was entering the corral, I met this dear, old friend of mine - I first met him 20 years ago when I used to do my usual runing back and forth on Marine Drive in Mumbai and he used to play cricket and we both worked at the same place. When we reconnected a few years later, both were married and he was way more into running than I was. He ran my first marathon with me at my tortoise=like pace just to give me company - and he came all the way to San Diego just for that. I have yet to see him not go out of his way to help another runner. Anyway, I knew that he would be there today, I just didn't know where and it turned out that he was one of the pacers for my kind of pace - so that really made my day.
I then met with another woman who was fairly local and who was running on her own. She and I ran together for a little over half the way and she then told me that she was going to slow down a bit. Initially, I kept just a little ahead of my friend and his pacing sign - thereafter, I decided to up the speed just a bit and I kept increasing it. Along the way, I saw several interesting signs but the one that inspired me the most was this one on a woman's back that said "Running for my almost 3 year old and my 13 week old" 13 weeks - I could barely get my body back together and here was this woman running a half marathon - of course, I had to compliment her - that was awesome. There were lots of people running in memory of children, friends, family members, others attempting their first half marathon and yet others like me who just ran because they liked to. Want inspiration next time? Go volunteer at a race or run/walk/bike as part of one - it is simply amazing.
The bands - almost one at every mile - kept up the spirits as did several local folks who came out on Sunday morning just to cheer us, some enjoying their drinks, others, giving food to the runners, yet others playing music for the crowd and cheering us on - even little ones. That, along with the 12,000 strong participant number kept up the level of excitement.
The medal is probably one of the nicest I have received in my races and I was sure glad that they gave a real banana instead of the packaged health foods - they did give a couple later. The funniest was the volunteers cheering when someone decided to get a bagel - almost nobody wanted one.
For the first time since I started running distances, I felt like I had the pacing in my control; not only did I start out a little slower but I also had ample energy and finished my race in 2:08 which was only 2 minutes slower than my fastest half marathon time 5 years ago. I seemed to want to increase my speed at each subsequent mile, didn't need much water, used just one gel pack because I felt hungry. All this made me feel even more inspired - who says that speed cannot increase beyond 40 - its all in the mind. I'm not really sure but I certainly felt that way today - and with one of the bands playing "Doors" at mile#12, who can ask for more?
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Today's run
This morning was one of those - woke up determined to run the two rounds of "The Dish" I had planned - no aches and pains, no time excuses, having rested the previous day it was one of those days where both the mind and body were working in synch.. Of course, there have been other similar days and those when the mind wants to do it but the body is groaning. I did enjoy my morning cup of tea as almost always - there is something about the silence of the early morning which I have enjoyed from early childhood and continue to do so - there is a sense of peace. Not having received the newspaper in time to do my Sudoku did throw me off a wee bit because I really enjoy that time of day to do my puzzles and awaken my brain.
Having eaten a slice of toast with butter (for some reason I was really hungry even after my tea) I got ready for the run (I always have my workout clothes ready the night before and have become an expert operator in the dark). Just as I was leaving the house I realised that the sun might be out soon because it didn't look like there was any fog which meant that I would certainly need my running visor - I have this special one - special only because I think so - and it must be filthy and sweaty but I prefer it over all my race freebie hats. The ten minute drive just before 6 a.m. was very uneventful as it normally is and I would much rather keep it that way.
Incidentally, I often get asked what is "The Dish" - basically the dish is a real satellite dish which is part of SLAC (the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center). Stanford has got built a walk/run trail around there - the trail is a 3.6 mile loop (it also has an extension if you choose to do it). I often like to do two rounds of the dish or one round with the extension. Now 3.6 miles doesn't sound a lot at all and doesn't give you the true intensity of the trail - it is like doing interval training - steep hills - both up and down. One could go either way on the trail and do more or less the same number of hills both ways and one has to actually run/walk it to experience the thrill. It is one of my favorite places to go for a run - it is very safe so I don't have to worry even if I am there at 6 right as the gate opens.
I started out feeling good with the slight chill in the air. There were several people on that first hill which I always dread before I get started. By the time I was at the top of the first long uphill stretch, the view was brilliant. The sky was getting ready for the sun to emerge - the bay was resting with the water at low tide and the hills looked like purple silhouettes. In a few minutes I saw the sun, nice and bright, big and orange emerging from beyond the hills. There is something about just seeing the sun emerge like that - makes me feel like I have boundless energy for the day.
Soon thereafter, I came to the foot of what I call my recharge hill. This hill is almost exactly halfway through the loop, is short and steep enough that I get a thrill from running it. That hill seems to give me just the right energy to sprint down the subsequent hills - of course, I might think it is sprinting until I come across one of these young students who are truly sprinting and bring me back down to earth level. Today there were two such young ones who I crossed three or four times because they also did two rounds. One of them I think was on her third when I left. I keep thinking - that is my goal - to be able to truly sprint not just down but also up those hills.
At the end of the first round I was feeling really good but my mind seemed to say - are you stupid to have decided to do two today? Well, I dumped that thought and plodded up the first hill at the start of round#2. By now the sun was way up in the sky and I knew this round had to be hot. I had all these thoughts going on much as I tried to tell myself - focus on your immediate goal - should I have brought water? How silly not to bring some gel, what if.... The stronger part of my mind blew away those thoughts and I plodded on. At the top of that first hill I seemed to gather strength and charged on. At about the time one woman who was superspeed walking seemed to have started running and was almost at the point of overtaking me. At this point I was determined not to let her ahead - I mean there are times when I know that a person is way faster and with my level I will not be able to stop them and then there are times like today when I was just set knowing my limitations. For most of that round I heard footsteps within seconds of me and then stop - she seemed to be using me as her pacer - that felt oh so good - of course, only until I would see of those two students dashing past. The recharge hill kept its name and despite the heat and the intensity of the sun on round#2 it was go, go, go. The downhill at the end felt exhilarating and boy, was I glad I did it.
Not only the run but I would do this again and again just to see the sunrise. Now back to a regular, kid filled day.
Having eaten a slice of toast with butter (for some reason I was really hungry even after my tea) I got ready for the run (I always have my workout clothes ready the night before and have become an expert operator in the dark). Just as I was leaving the house I realised that the sun might be out soon because it didn't look like there was any fog which meant that I would certainly need my running visor - I have this special one - special only because I think so - and it must be filthy and sweaty but I prefer it over all my race freebie hats. The ten minute drive just before 6 a.m. was very uneventful as it normally is and I would much rather keep it that way.
Incidentally, I often get asked what is "The Dish" - basically the dish is a real satellite dish which is part of SLAC (the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center). Stanford has got built a walk/run trail around there - the trail is a 3.6 mile loop (it also has an extension if you choose to do it). I often like to do two rounds of the dish or one round with the extension. Now 3.6 miles doesn't sound a lot at all and doesn't give you the true intensity of the trail - it is like doing interval training - steep hills - both up and down. One could go either way on the trail and do more or less the same number of hills both ways and one has to actually run/walk it to experience the thrill. It is one of my favorite places to go for a run - it is very safe so I don't have to worry even if I am there at 6 right as the gate opens.
I started out feeling good with the slight chill in the air. There were several people on that first hill which I always dread before I get started. By the time I was at the top of the first long uphill stretch, the view was brilliant. The sky was getting ready for the sun to emerge - the bay was resting with the water at low tide and the hills looked like purple silhouettes. In a few minutes I saw the sun, nice and bright, big and orange emerging from beyond the hills. There is something about just seeing the sun emerge like that - makes me feel like I have boundless energy for the day.
Soon thereafter, I came to the foot of what I call my recharge hill. This hill is almost exactly halfway through the loop, is short and steep enough that I get a thrill from running it. That hill seems to give me just the right energy to sprint down the subsequent hills - of course, I might think it is sprinting until I come across one of these young students who are truly sprinting and bring me back down to earth level. Today there were two such young ones who I crossed three or four times because they also did two rounds. One of them I think was on her third when I left. I keep thinking - that is my goal - to be able to truly sprint not just down but also up those hills.
At the end of the first round I was feeling really good but my mind seemed to say - are you stupid to have decided to do two today? Well, I dumped that thought and plodded up the first hill at the start of round#2. By now the sun was way up in the sky and I knew this round had to be hot. I had all these thoughts going on much as I tried to tell myself - focus on your immediate goal - should I have brought water? How silly not to bring some gel, what if.... The stronger part of my mind blew away those thoughts and I plodded on. At the top of that first hill I seemed to gather strength and charged on. At about the time one woman who was superspeed walking seemed to have started running and was almost at the point of overtaking me. At this point I was determined not to let her ahead - I mean there are times when I know that a person is way faster and with my level I will not be able to stop them and then there are times like today when I was just set knowing my limitations. For most of that round I heard footsteps within seconds of me and then stop - she seemed to be using me as her pacer - that felt oh so good - of course, only until I would see of those two students dashing past. The recharge hill kept its name and despite the heat and the intensity of the sun on round#2 it was go, go, go. The downhill at the end felt exhilarating and boy, was I glad I did it.
Not only the run but I would do this again and again just to see the sunrise. Now back to a regular, kid filled day.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Winter Trip - Las Vegas and New Mexico
Lying down and reading with my daughter in complete silence, each of us absorbed in our book, is one of my best memories of the trip we undertook this winter break. While at home, there is hardly a moment when I can actually put my feet up, drop everything and read, leave alone read with my daughter. I have to scramble for time to read for pleasure, normally a few minutes before bed or really early in the morning. These days I have found a way to read while working out at the gym - my new found getaway. That is why I really treasure that time. Also, the boys had gone out that evening so she didn't have to deal with my constant - don't be mean to your brother bit or the boys making noise. In fact, she commented that it was so peaceful and quiet without them around.
To begin with I didn't want to go anywhere - I mean, everytime we go, I have this humungous job of cooking and packing all my son's special foods. This is no easy task, a few hours worth and I wouldn't be able to start till the evening before we were supposed to take off. My husband did the job of getting the car serviced and booking the hotels at the last minute after going on about the fact that we should go someplace, that he had a two week shutdown and that this was crazy that I didn't want to go. I finally relented. Working right till the last afternoon before leaving didn't make it easy at all but then I wanted to come back no later than the 1st, I wouldn't come back on the 31st - historic superstition dealing with my son's health, which is why we decided to come back on the 30th. Packing, cooking, cleaning, closing shop at home, making sure my babysitter had details of when to come in to put out the garbage, water the plants, feed the hamsters. It all seemed too much to deal with. In the end, it was all worth it because we got to spend so much quality time together, which we almost never get to do on a regular basis at home. I am busy with school and the kids and their routines, while my husband is almost never at home on weekdays and makes up for his sleep on weekends.
Our final destination was Santa Fe, New Mexico, about 1,100 miles from home. This meant that we had to stop somewhere along the way. Of course, my husband planned it that way, given that he jumps to go to Las Vegas at the drop of a hat - I call it our annual pilgrimage. I kind of like it and don't. I mean, its fine once or twice with the kids but n times - that is really stretching it. The two of them know now that they get to inhale loads of smoke and each time we pass through the casino areas, they hold their noses and don't talk at all. This time the smoke seemed worse or its just my older age. We had a fairly uneventful drive to Las Vegas other than taking a different route, thanks to a new GPS which my husband bought, during which we saw loads of snow in southern California, a very rare occurence indeed.
In Las Vegas, for the second year in a row, we were able to go to a show as a family, thanks to our son really growing up. We enjoyed a magic show - it was really very well done. Keeping in mind the audience as mostly kids, the show was also scheduled at a very reasonable time. We shopped, walked a great deal, went to the dolphin habitat and the secret garden. Not to miss ate at California Pizza Kitchen - as soon as the kids saw the restaurant they said they were hungry - like they don't get enough of that food at home. The kids and my husband went to the video game arcade in the hotel and came back with a cartload of stuffed toys. The irony is that when my son met a Santa in the hotel lobby after this and Santa asked him what he'd like for Christmas, his response was "A stuffed toy!!!!!" Oh, well, my highlight of the stay was using a sauna for the first time.
Driving to Santa Fe from Las Vegas took way longer than we had anticipated. Even though we left Vegas at about 8:00 and there wasn't a lot of traffic driving through Hoover Dam and getting onto I-40, the main connector, it was slow, being a single lane. We reached a totally snowed Flagstaff, where the kids spotted an Olive Garden, so guess where we ate lunch? By now, my son had discovered chicken salad as his standard fare, with all of his dietary restrictions. It would be given to him minus croutons and dressing and he would have that with milk. We weren't quite dressed for the weather in Flagstaff and were really freezing. Thereafter, going downhill was alright and by the time we got to the continental divide, it was cold, dark, snowing, the roads icy and traffic moving really slow. It was kind of scary because the road was unfamiliar as were the road conditions. We had a very late stop for dinner at Albuquerque and then made it to Santa Fe at about 9:45 p.m.. Driving in, I was really surprised to find that such a small town had a Trader Joe's and a Whole Foods - well, I had no need to worry for my son's food.
Santa Fe is what held the greatest surprise for me during this trip. Several people at work had told me about what a beautiful place it is and how I would really like it but it was when I actually set my eyes on it the next morning, I was stunned by the beauty. The snow made it even more beautiful than it would normally be and I went crazy taking lots and lots of photos. The contrast of the blue sky, the snowy mountains, the bare trees, the adobe structures and the snowy terrain was completely fascinating. None of us had the right footwear but we decided to walk anyway. My son had come into the car with crocs on and we clean forgot to pack his shoes. As a result, we spent the first morning, just walking around the plaza, looking for a decent shoe shop. The plaza stores have lots of art, jewellery and leather products, and really expensive footwear. We weren't going to spend $100 on a pair of shoes for my almost eight year old who would outgrow it in no time. Finally, having asked someone in a store that had some excellent music playing, the man at the counter gave us a super map and showed us a sports store about four blocks down. In the meantime, despite the breakfast buffet, we were hungry at lunch and had found this French cafe while walking, walked in and were in for a treat. I almost literally gobbled down my nutella crepe, while my son discovered turkey rolls (the cafe had no chicken) and between the two children, they came up with this new turkey roll salad recipe that became a big hit. Given my son's highly limited food options, this was a welcome. He was thrilled with his new shoes. While walking back to the hotel to relax for the afternoon, we found this antique store going out of business. My husband loves picking up curios everywhere we travel, especially the native american ones. So we got these masks and dreamcatchers.
This was on the 24th of December. Being Christmas Eve, there was the special walk at Canyon Road to view the faralitos - weighted brown paper bags with candles that are a New Mexico tradition. Canyon Road is the artists road - where you probably find more art galleries per capita than most places in the world. We had picked the hotel location such that we could walk to any location, plus of course, the breakfast which had to be part of the package. So it was convenient in the evening to walk to Canyon Road. On the way, we found this cafe where we decided to eat dinner - Gaudalupe cafe. Dinner was absolutely delicious. Given the below freezing temperatures outside and our bodies still acclimatizing to the same, the hot chilli - both in terms of temperature and spice was more than welcome. Of course, I am now paying the price for all of those meals. The walk was amazing - so many people, so many faralitos - it was fascinating.
Whenever I go to a new place, I take the first day to get used to the surroundings and the roads,and I am off on my run on day 2. There is something thrilling about running in different locations around the world. If I did have the money, I would set my goal to run in every city of the world. As always, I had packed my running shoes and accessories but after seeing the icy pavements and really cold weather, I had second thoughts on this second day. Plus I had to take photos - I was so captivated by the natural beauty. So I decided to do a long walk, carrying my camera, stopping almost every minute because I spotted a great view. I walked the second day as well and ran on the third day with my camera in my backpack. This was Christmas day and we found that almost everything was closed. Much to my daughter's chagrin, we went to another French cafe for lunch - it was really close to the hotel and happened to be open on the day. Again, the food was delicious. No matter which restaurant we went to, the food was really good. It does explain all my excess pounds.
One of the best memories of that day is of the kids playing in the snow, and of my son making up his snow walk song - "Nobody knows me, oh yeah, oh yeah". He sang and danced this all day while we walked around town. Playing in the snow was not as easy as I thought it might be. My son wanted to build a snowman and we were helping him. After several minutes of bending and lifting and sculpting the snow with all those layers on, I was really tired. My daughter liked the snow so much that she sprayed snow all over her long tresses. My son would keep building something in the snow, call it his sculpture and carry it with him while we walked. All along that morning it was snowing. It was probably our first time playing in the snow while it was snowing and I have to admit we really had lots of fun.
The museums which were closed for the past two days were now open. We had to decide which ones to see and not to try and squeeze in too many on one single day. It was snowing again in the morning and we had a snowball fight and snowball throw contest in the park across from the first museum we visited. By now, of course our bodies had got used to the below 30 deg Farenheit temperatures and didn't really bother with the cold. It was also the morning I had gone for a run and was feeling highly energetic. The Georgia O'Keefe museum was excellent and since my daughter paints, she really enjoyed it too while my son kept asking all sorts of questions about O'Keefe - so he was also fascinated. We went that afternoon to this chocolate drink place - where they make chocolate drinks that the native americans used to have - the mayas, the incas, etc.. Despite being used to spicy food, the chocolate spicy drinks were hard to stomach and I stuck to something that was more like hot chocolate - with cinnamon and almonds - but very potent. By the time we left this place, the snow and wind were intimidating. We had decided to go to Museum Hill to see the two museums which one of my coworkers had said were not to miss. The hotel staff recommended that we take a taxi up there and drive back in the bus. So we went in the taxi, enjoyed the two museums, which had a great deal of hands-on activities for the kids to do. At the pot holder weaving all four of us were so engrossed that we must have been there for more than 45 minutes. The kids play area was also fantastic with a huge play house, lots of wooden toys and shelves full of children's books. The view from the top of the hill was amazing - the snowy Rockies, the greens, the trees.
By the time the museums closed and we went down to the shuttle it was way more than freezing after all that snow and wind. It was 5:10 and the bus hadn't come - it was supposed to be there at 5:03. There was a British couple also waiting for the bus. The woman was really good at entertaining my children at how to keep themselves warm. In the meantime, I decided to call the number on the bus stop. The person who talked said that they had stopped the service because of the wind and icy conditions. I then asked him for the taxi number, we called the taxi and went down safely. We decided to eat at the Indian restaurant near the plaza, across the road from our hotel. It has become somewhat of a tradition, no matter where we travel, we have one Indian meal. We have done that in Tokyo, Europe and several places in the US. After a great deal of grumbling, the kids actually enjoyed the meal; it was truly delicious.
The kids loved the hotel because we had a breakfast buffet each morning, we had three computers in the lobby with high speed internet access and a heated, outdoor swimming pool where they actually swam in 30 deg. Farenheit weather. I liked it because of the easy accessibility and my husband had decided that Santa Fe was too arty for him. The Native American jewellery is really beautiful and we only bought at two places because Santa Fe is kind of expensive. We didn't buy any of the rugs or other artwork, just a replica of Georgie O'Keefe.
We drove to Albuquerque the next morning along the Turquoise trail which was scenic indeed. Cerreles was a village along the way which had a house with several artifacts, a museum and a bunch of animals. We didn't really go to the museum, thought the artifacts were expensive and continued on our drive.
Our first stop upon reaching Albuquerque was a Subway for a late lunch. This was adjacent to the Old Town where we spent the rest of the day. At 37 deg farenheit, his was apparently the coldest day of the year in Albuquerque. However, after leaving Santa Fe at 22 deg Farenheit, it didn't seem nearly as cold. The old town is full of stores with all kinds of Native American arts and jewellery. Given the state of the economy, several stores had huge discounts and we bought several earrings amongst other things.
The next day we went to the two museums near the old town which were both fantastic – one is an American Indian museum and the other a children's museum. The latter was so engaging that the four of us could have spent a couple of days in there. We met a lady who said she has been to several children's museums in the country and this was by far the best she had been to. The American Indian museum has several interesting exhibits as well.
While driving back, we didn't take the Hoover dam-Las Vegas detour route, much to my husband's dismay, and went from I-40 to CA58, staying on the way at Barstow. I was so happy to see "Welcome to California" – it seemed like we had been away for ages. On the second day of our drive, though we have done this route several times, we decided to stop a bit at Tehechapi, which we haven't done before. It was fascinating to see snow in the middle of the Mojave desert, and the greenery as well, which made it a treat for the eyes. I went kind of crazy taking photos along the way and my daughter wanted to learn so I started with photography 101 with her; the same age that I started almost (I was 11 and she is 10) – but with a big difference. I had started with an Agfa Isoly!II completely manual camera while she was starting with a Nikon Digital SLR. Times have obviously changed.
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