Newbie Trail Run - One year anniversary Trail Run - MRTT

Hello!

I run / hike with a local chapter of Mothers Run This Town (MRTT).   I have been enjoying events and getting back into running with this local group for over a year now.  It is the Roseville/Rocklin chapter.  My daughter is very involved as as she is an Ultra Runner and this is one of six Newbie Trail Runs that she has hosted.    We have had over 70 show up on occasions.  This is the anniversary of the trail run.  (Remind me in another post to post some amazing pics of my daughter and her trail and running accomplishments).

What is a newbie trail run?  It is a beginning level trail run 4-5 miles for all levels of runners. Many of the ultra runners assist us, as well as marathon runners, and avid runners, jogs, and power walkers.  We get into groups and we take off.  Usually at the crack of dawn and we run, jog, walk to the sunrise.  

The group is an amazing group.  Everyone is so supportive and kind.  I am so happy to be a part of this wonderful society of women.  If you are interested, look for a local chapter and join in, usually you can find them on Facebook, the groups are private.  It is woman only group, but you don't have to be a mom, you can be a SRTT (She Runs This Town).    With the support of this group I was able to get back into running this past year, and run several 5K races, some official and some on my own.  I did not meet my goal of 200 miles this year, but I got a good 150  and that is about 100 more than last year. 

 *note for the guys, in some areas the husbands, boyfriends etc, join a group for men.  I don't know what it is called...something like Dad Run the town/ He runs the town.

We had about 21 show up, which is not bad on the Sunday before Christmas.  Many waking up at 5 am, driving in the fog to the mountains, about 25 minutes away for most of us, to go out on a 29 degree day and freeze our butts off.  The pay off is rich, the sounds of the rushing river, the smell of the green moss, the fog lifting as the sun rises, and the beautiful dam at Lake Clementine, Auburn, California. 

 We ran under the Foresthill Bridge.  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foresthill_Bridge. It was most lovely and very very tall.  The hike was about 4.7 miles total.  It was all uphill to the dam and all down hill on the way back.  I would rate the trail and safe for beginners, it was not treacherous.  There are a lot of rocks and some little muddy streams to navigate, but that is the fun of the trails.  No need for speed.  It is also a way to burn off 950 calories before 9 am.  It was 797 feet of elevation gain, to about 952 elevation, so nothing too steep, but a nice work out.

What a wonderful way to get away from the hustle and bustle, post election, social media, and holiday frenzy.  Not complaining about the beautiful world that we live in, just saying it is nice to get away. 

Happy Week before Christmas, I hope you enjoy the serene and beautiful pictures from todays's hike. 

A Christmas Memory 2016 - Abigail and Amelia

Last Sunday the girls were over.   The girls are my grand daughters Abigail and Amelia.  I had recorded Santa Claus is coming to town a few weeks prior and I was saving it to watch with them.   I should have know it was "ok" to watch, but to be sure I had wanted to watch for myself.  I relished the show as a child and it has been many many years since I saw it, I didn't quite remember much about it except the song, and ironically, the wizard guy.  I wasn't sure in my memory if that guy was a good guy or a bad guy, and just how bad could be?

Well, the girls and I watched Frosty the Snowman for the second time and I decided to take a risk and watch "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" with them.  I mean I survived it, but then again, I survived hose water. (Gasp)

Oh it was a true delight.  It tells the story of a baby orphaned, and he is adopted to be Chris /Kris Kringle, and later becomes Santa Claus.  The story is truly wonderful and wonderfully narrated by Fred Astaire.  The girls being ages 5 and almost 3 were mesmerized from very beginning. 

I always wonder how much of the story they "get."   Well, not with Miss Abby as she is older and she doesn't miss anything.  Then I just sat and watched with them and waited for the gals comments  as Chris / Kris grew up to become Santa.  At first he was young and clean shaven, over time he got a red beard.  It was Abby who first said, "is he Santa yet?"    

I knew for sure then that she knew what was going on and had been carefully following the plot.  Later the beard becomes fuller and longer and Abby gets even more excited..."is he Santa yet?"  Amelia was sitting with her in the rocking chair and was following  the story closely.  And then there is grey hair in Chris/Santa's beard, the excitement in the room was measurable. 

And then, there was the first scene were we finally get to see white hair Santa, the transformation from Chris/ Kris to Santa.  The cutest thing to behold was Abby leaning forward to watch intently as Santa had arrived.  What I did not expect was to see Amelia stand up in the chair and start cheering and clapping for Santa.  It was the cutest thing I have ever seen.

And so far this year that is my Christmas Miracle.  The simple joy of innocence and the joy of believing in Santa Claus. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus_Is_Comin'_to_Town_(film)

True to form the first week of December goes by and there is no tree up.  I am home recovering from a nasty cold/sinus thing and looking on Amazon to see if I should take the plunge and get a fake tree. Year after year it is a pain to get a live one, keep it alive and deal with allergies.  But on the other hand I have always fallen in love with every tree that I have had.

This year I kept saying ...no tree... I will just decorate. And then I caught myself saying, 'oh no I have to put up a tree for the girls.'  But today I took the plunge with total honesty and told myself, "what in the heck are you talking about?  You love a tree, you adore a tree, you sit by the tree, you love the lights, you love the warmth of the holiday season, you love the music, you love everything about it." 

So there, I am getting a lovely tree probably cheap fake on amazon and I will make it lovely.  This time next year, 11 months from when I take it down, I will have one in a box in the garage and I will get to enjoy it longer than usual.

So there it is... I just ordered it for $39.75.  6 ft,  Non pre-lit econo tree, free shipping, Amazon Prime, to arrive on Monday, December 12th.

In the kitchen, I have been baking bread.  The usual sour dough and Challah bread.  It is a lovely way to make the house nice and everyone loves fresh bread.

 

Merry Christmas, from now until the New Year, I am going to jingle jingle all the way.