One more Robie picture and a quick post...

For some reason I can't get MJ's pictures to download, but here is the one of me that I was able to get where I don't look completely miserable and sick.
Last night we went on a long bike ride out to Bown Crossing close to Harris Ranch... we had no idea all of those restaurants and shops were out there. We had a great flat bread pizza and then pedaled our way home.
Tonight is the big "doom metal" show. I'll report soon on how it went. I can't wait to see my little brother.

Picture Update...

Our latest home improvement project - We painted the front door and window boxes last week and put our address on the door in green... kind of hard to see in these pictures. The tulips are beautiful this year.

MJ's aunt and uncle live on Robie Creek Road. He stopped mid-race to say hello and have a beer.

Pre-race Alisha.

Pre-race Michael & Michelle.

I am still not feeling 100% but definitely much better than I was last week. I left work early on Friday and spent most of the day sleeping. I really appreciate all of your concerned phone calls and emails. I am so lucky to have so many great people in my life.
I thought I would share some of our recent pictures. I hope everyone is enjoying some fabulous spring weather. Wednesday night we are looking forward to watching my brother Scott's band play in Boise before they embark on their nation-wide tour... it should be a departure from his regular type gig, and we are really looking forward to seeing him. Oregon just seems too far away some times. For that matter so do Indianapolis, Norway, India and Australia...

Finished!

For whatever reason my results aren't pulling up in the computer, but I crossed the finish line at 2:59. MJ crossed it a couple of minutes before I did. I am exhausted and sick and very sore, but I feel like I accomplished my goal. It feels good to have finished and to know that my training did pay off. I know that I could have finished stronger under better circumstances, but I am happy with how I did... now I am going to go take a nap. Pictures to follow...

The Day Before...

I hesitate to post today. I am in a foul mood… I feel like my body has betrayed me. Since January I have run more than 140 miles. 140 tough miles in the hills. Sometimes I ran in the snow. Sometimes I ran in the rain. Sometimes I ran in the dark. Sometimes I ran through the mud. Sometimes I ran with stomach issues for an hour or two at a time. I spent over 16 hours trying to register for the race, finally getting in after midnight. I lifted weights, did countless lunges, sacrificed time I could have spent with my family and my fiancé. All of this I did for a goal I set last year… The Race to Robie Creek. And what do I have to show for all of this hard work?

All week long I have been battling an incredibly nasty chest cold. And all night and morning I have been coughing up all kinds of unimaginable stuff (I’ll spare you the details of said “stuff”- just know it isn’t pretty). I keep telling myself that it could be so much worse, that I should be grateful that it isn’t. But I can’t help but feel... well... betrayed. So that’s my pity party for the day. Sorry to unload on anyone that actually reads my blog. I guess the only thing I can do at this point is wait and see what happens tomorrow.

I finished!

I did the Les Bois 10k this weekend. So far, my longest race. I finished in 1 hour and 10 minutes which is way faster than I thought I could do it in. Woohooo! Now we just need to get through Robie Creek! Thanks to everyone that called and emailed your support... I really appreciate you all.

Sometimes it takes a friend to pull you up the hill

MJ, Alisha and I this summer

Susan, Me, Wendy (doing her best impersonation of a couture model), Cori, and Dawn

This weekend Alisha and I are running the Les Bois 10K to see how we stack up for Robie Creek. I am pretty nervous. I ran the race course (alone) last weekend and it was brutal. It's on dirt which is good because running on streets isn't my favorite thing to do. But it is up 8th Street which is steeper than Rock Canyon Road. I was so humbled - I had to walk most of the way up, and running down hill was painful everywhere... quads, calves, knees, hips. Since I decided to sign up in the first place I am determined to do it, and thankfully Alisha decided to do it with me last minute. I think that she will be a good motivator for me to keep going. Truth be told I was not in the best of shape last weekend, anyway. I was dehydrated and tired. I am trying to keep in mind, as a good friend told me the other night, even if I come in dead last I am still doing more than the people that are able-bodied and sleeping in that morning.

Lists & Goals

Last year before I turned thirty I came up with a list of thirty things I wanted to accomplish before the big day. Some really tough things were on that list. I quit smoking, learned to surf and white water kayak, got a tattoo, went on vacation by myself. Some things were a little easier – I posted things I had written on a blog for a year (not this one), I planted a tree, rode a mechanical bull, I asked a boy out on a date (yes, it was Michael). Some things that were on the list haven’t been crossed off yet. I spent a bit of time beating myself up for not finishing by August, but then someone told me that the fact that I had made the list at all was what was important. So… I decided to keep on trucking. Maybe add a few things… maybe take a few off that are no longer important to me (get a pedicure, waste and entire day watching movies). I am determined that one thing stay on the list until I can finally cross it off…
The Race to Robie Creek, for those of you not living in Boise, is legendary. I can remember thinking when I was younger, “why would anyone ever want to do that?” As a native of this city I have begun to feel like I have to finish it at some point – like it is a rite of passage that I need go through. Monday I spent 14 hours trying to get in thanks to a computer glitch. At 12:06 am with MJ’s help I, Michelle Headrick, officially signed up for the hardest half marathon in the Northwest. Straight up, and straight down. Torture on the quads for longer than I have ever run. I can’t wait. My goal time? To finish before the race organizers start packing up for the night.
Peggy is in town this week. Her brother Mike turned 60 this a week and we celebrated at his house. All the kids from Christmas were there, and total chaos abounded. It was a great time, and we look forward to being able to spend time with Peggy for the rest of the week.
I hope that everyone out there in cyber land is doing well and reaching for their goals… love to you all… -M