Phoenix and Beyond

I know, so delinquent...but you'll get over it....here's pics i promised

So sue me....I had to have a little fun

And it is grand...
Why not hike a mile into the Grand Canyon the 2nd day after a marathon? I can't think of a reason either (esp.if mules can do it).

Camelback Mtn, Phoenix, AZ

3 days after the marathon, I decided to tackle climbing this puppy, although, one really big pup it was....1.2 miles straight up

View from the summit!

As long as someone else is doing it too...

.....that makes it socially acceptable....unless you are both certifiably crazy!!

Horray! I did it......no I didn't win...darn Ethiopians.....gotta come over here and show us up.....i mean really....I was this close to beating out 33,000 other people.....right....stop asking me if i won....really i was just attempting to not slither across the finish line. It was awesome weather 50's to 60's while it was snowing back in N'ville. Gorgeous blue skies, perfectly flat-except for that slight upward incline on mile 26 against a very strong wind (thanks race planners). Phoenix was beautiful with mtns surrounding all sides of the city, palm trees and cacti everywhere. Very different from the south. The last 6 miles were the longest six miles I've ever done in my entire life (thanx for the warning carla-one i could have done without)....i swear each mile got longer and longer...and my dumb mp3 player took the most opportune time to completely freeze on me...mile 20...as if i needed you the first 20..the last 6 were unbearable without it.....i was still smiling at 17....that left me with time to hear all the cusswords people were using around me and i actually noticed that everyone near me was just kinda limpin and very slowling crawling to the finish (kinda looked like zombies slowly creeping through the city streets, but slightly less scary since no one had the energy to be any kind of a threat at that pt)...thanks tnt for all those super cold, early mornings loaded with hills....i definatley faired a lot better......although...i'm definately appreciative that katie met me at mile 24 and did the last 2 with me, cause i was in need of some good encouragement. Would I do it again? That night I was not even considering it, but the next day when I was hardly sore and walking some good hills out in sedona...then hiked a mile down into the grand canyon on tues, and 1.2 miles straight up the side of a mountain over only boulders on wed plus several other hiking trails...the answer is....probably, but not till next yr....gotta give those ethiopians time to recover and train a little more so i can give them a true run for the money! for now, i'll stick to training for the country music half in april! go team erin! (currently recruiting for runners to train under my direction and official cheerleaders for race day)

Music Stew

Anyone remember that really disgusting concoction cafeterias used to try to pass off as healthy when we were in elementary school?...leftovers stew.....really it was just a money-saving plan....hey, let's just empty out our fridge every friday and make some really yummy stew for the little kiddies...that stuff was lethal....never could tell what was in there...and sometimes we found things that we definately hadn't eaten that week...always made me really curious.

In prep for knocking resolution #2 off my list on the 15th (run a marathon)....I gotta find some fun tunes....so i'm searching through my musical library and here's what i've discovered:
-I own way too much music
-I own way too much music I hardly listen to
-I have a list that grows by the moment of songs, artists, and albums I want (downfall of living in N'ville)
-The selections look like music stew....but that's my taste and I absolutely love listening to a good rap song, then flip to a country fave, up next, a little jazz....

Here's the catch-I gotta occupy about 5.5hrs of time and I have 4gb so no worries on the space....so suggestions please-fun, energizing, inspiring selections only....can be anything, oldies, backintheday tunes, whatever.
Help a girl out! :) You can feel proud that you helped me accomplish my goal while i'm rocking it out in Phoenix.....I have been known to break it down in the middle of workouts when bored, or the moment strikes...during 26.2 miles I'm sure there will be multiple opps.

Sometimes, I do conform

After muchas friendly nagging from many, but mainly Court, I have completed number one on my super short listed '06 resolutions...blog started....that's right...it is only the 4th and I have done it...that is, after all, why I will rule the world.....

So now the world can get just a little more of me.....like being with me in person, or reading my email solicitations aren't enough....kinda scary that they let just anyone blog...when I rule...that will definately be regimented....as will most of everything....not that I don't believe in freedom....just freedom that I have first signed off on.....while it may sound slightly like a dictatorship...think of it as helpful guidance or a healthy system of checks and balances where I play the ultimate conscience. Oh how pretty the world would be. Get ready, cause any day now, I'm sure someone with some kind of importance and authority to instate me as ruler of the world (without a vote, of course) will be ringing my phone to let me know....till then...the anticipation is heavy for everyone. I suppose I could start a therapy support group to help everyone cope.....