Helena Handbasket: October 2009

Personal Reflections: Marine Corps Marathon

People often ask "Why do you run?" I ask myself the same question, especially on days when my running is lackluster... when I can't catch my breath after a quarter mile... when I decide to walk about half-way into a run... when the sun is too much to bear... when the cold air stings my lungs and chafes my skin... when the only words that are uttered begin with F or S... For the past year and a half I have asked myself over and over: WHY am I doing this?

After running 26.2 miles, I think I have a better idea:

Because it empowers me to challenge myself and overcome personal roadblocks I have created over the years.
Because I've never been athletic or "good" at any sport.
Because I like the independence & solidarity of it (running with friends is just as enjoyable but there is nothing like being out there solo, embarking on a one-woman journey).
Because I love carbs!
Because I get back exactly what I put into it (the best metaphor in life, in my opinion).
Because I can.

I completed the Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday, October 25. It was a difficult race - the first eight miles were hilly and my bladder was working overtime; so much that I had no choice but to deposit some excess in the bushes on the George Washington Parkway (don't judge me). There was no way I was going to stand on a five-minute line to use the Port-A-Potty.

I was feeling good until about the half-way mark in Hanes Point - things started to get interesting after the desolate three-mile stretch. Miles 14-19 were tough but the ample crowd support and awesome views of DC were incredible and inspiring as always. As I neared Mile 19, my heart started to sink... I was losing momentum and doubt was creeping in. Suddenly, I spotted Will, looking straight at me - he took a few pics and yelled "Keep going!!!" It was just what I needed to get me to the next leg of the race.

The 14th Street Bridge to get back into VA was brutal - a lot of people were walking or had stopped to stretch. My feet felt like bricks but I pushed on, knowing that Adrian and Insana were on the other side at the Mile 22 aid station. Crystal City seemed to go on forever - the wind was blowing against us and at that point, my body was screaming "enough is enough!" As I ran past the Pentagon near Mile 24, I saw a male runner on his back, shivering and barely conscious. Some Marines were surrounding him, anxiously waiting for medical help. I never found out what happened to that runner but my prayers go out to him.

At Mile 25 something inside me clicked (although looking back, it was probably my right knee cap falling off). I began sprinting - I heard music booming and could smell the dirt near the finish line! I began passing runner after runner, dodging my way through a sea of tired and anguished people. "Excuse me... I'm sorry... Oops, sorry" I quietly said as I fought my way to the Iwo Jima Memorial. I charged up the last short hill, pumping my arms and pounding my feet against the pavement for the last few seconds of the 26.2. As my feet landed across the finish line, my chest heaved as I sobbed and uncontrollably gasped for air while tears of joy, pain, and relief streamed down my face. Onlookers behind the fence were fixated on my pitiful breakdown and they looked on helplessly as I frantically scanned the crowd for a familiar face. I finally saw my friend Yvette, who had finished a few minutes before me. We began the long and gridlocked descent up the hill to exit the finisher's area so we could find our friends and family. I saw Will again, waiting patiently by a woman with a yellow umbrella (I was never so happy to see the color yellow as I was yesterday).

My finish time was 4:58: I didn't set any course records... I didn't beat Oprah's time... I even ran slower than my targeted 11:00 pace but I finished strong and not once did I entertain the idea of walking or taking a break - it just wasn't an option. The only time I slowed down to a fast walk was during the water stops; I never stopped running for longer than 30 seconds and for that, I am extremely proud.

Here are a few pics of me running (I'll be updating these over the next few days). Thank you AMO Photo, Collins Publishing, and WillWash Inc. for supporting one of my proudest moments:

Will found me! As I passed him, I tried to keep a smile on my face as I whispered through clenched teeth "I am in so much pain right now."

Putting on a happy face somewhere between Miles 22 & 23 (I was crying on the inside):

Walking up a friggin hill in Rosslyn, VA with Will and Sana post-race:

Will got me a Garmin 305 for my birthday earlier this year - it looks big and bulky but it is my security blanket and I was so happy to have it for the marathon:

"Pain is temporary. Pride lasts forever." Amen.

Here's a slide show featuring my running club. Elevens FTW!

P.S. I discovered I can text while running; of course, I don't recommend it for safety reasons but it can be done.

26.2 = DONE,
Notorious "Runnergirl" K.

Game: Telestrations

I think Telestrations could be a lot of fun for Game Night.

Each player has their own sketch book, marker, and word to draw. When finished the players pass their books to other players who must guess what you drew. The books are passed again and then each player must draw a picture to match the guesses written in the sketch books. After everyone is finished, the sketch books are collected and the guesses are revealed. It plays like a drawing version of the classic game Telephone.

Can't wait for the next Game Night,
Notorious K.

Ninja vs Ninja

As I was browsing the game section in Borders looking for new Game Night adventures, I came across Ninja Versus Ninja. The concept is cool: the lead player can only use shapes, locations, sizes, and directions to describe how to draw the word on the card for their opponents. As I looked more closely at the box, I noticed the Ninjas with stereotypical slanty eyes. I didn't take it personally but I'm sure there are people out there who might be offended by it. I'm going to submit this to Angry Asian Man to see what he thinks. What do YOU think?!

That's racist?
Notorious K.

Photo Scavenger Hunt @ the Green Festival

Nicole and I had a great time at the Green Festival! Here are a few highlights from our informal photo scavenger hunt:

Something made out of something interesting: wall decorations from steel oil drums. They were very unique and detailed:

A green mode of transportation: the A2B bike, an electric two-wheeler with speeds up to 20 m.p.h.

The coolest thing I saw at the festival: (I have to pick just one?!?) I was impressed with the handmade tree-free paper from Nepal. The inner bark of the lokta shrub is harvested (without harming the plant) and is used for paper products.

Something I've never seen before: socks made from alpaca wool. $15/pair but I'm sure they will keep your toes warm during the colder months.

Oh and I'm a sucker for stuffed animals:

Signing off,
Notorious K.

2009 DC Green Festival

I experienced sensory overload during my visit at DC's Green Festival - the largest sustainability event on the planet! The rich colors, soothing scents, lavish textures, and diverse flavors opened my eyes to an abundance of unique products, important causes, and eco-friendly alternatives that are designed to empower and positively enrich the world.

I knew I was in for an entertaining and educational visit as I set foot in the main showroom and met Green Destiny, a Mercedes-Benz wagon that runs on industrial grade hemp oil and used fryer oil (WVO = waste vegetable oil) from restaurants.

Next stop was the Cliff Bar booth, where free samples were handed out by friendly and knowledgeable representatives who were eager to share information about the latest and greatest organic trail mix bars. Cliff is a company that supports sustainable agriculture, strives toward zero waste, reduces their climate footprint, and conserves and restores the natural resources and ecosystems that we depend on. My favorite was the Mojo Peanut Butter Pretzel bar: at 10 grams of protein, 21 grams of carbs, and only 9 grams of fat, this bar is a perfect post-workout snack for any athlete.

I fell in love with the supremely soft fabrics and vibrant colors at Happy Green Bee's booth, a children's organic clothing company.

This happy toddler was sporting one of their outfits - she was absolutely adorable:

Livity offered funky clothing and accessories for adults:

I was diggin' the fedoras - check out the cool patterns and colors!

Yours truly:

The Paper to Pearls booth was a fascinating experience. I learned that the unique jewelry is a product of Ugandan refugee women, who hand craft and sell each piece, using the proceeds to buy food, medicine, and school supplies for their children. The bracelets, earrings, and necklaces are made out of paper and are colorful, lightweight, and very stylish. I marveled at the quality and detail - they were works of art!

Political and social responsibility go hand-and-hand with eco-accountability - many vendors had creative ways of enabling you to spread the word:

After visiting hundreds of vendors, my stomach demanded sustenance. I am obsessed with Indian cuisine so a beeline was made to Nirvana where I was served a hearty portion of basmati rice, curry chick peas, veggies and whole wheat paratha í:

What a wonderful experience and I will be back next year for more enlightenment and information on how to become a more responsible and sustainable human on precious Planet Earth.

Going Greener,
Notorious K.

Vintage: Wrinkles

In honor of National Poetry Day:

I wrote this poem for my late grandmother when I was in 8th grade. It was even published in a book and now I can't find it to save my life (probably got lost/thrown out when my parents divorced). It was short so I remember it verbatim:

Wrinkles
She sits upon an ancient bed
A cap of grey that's on her head
And as she smiles her eyes do shine
Remembering all that's now behind

Digs poetry,
Notorious K.

Laughing at Google's home page this morning.

My buddy Rich sent me this commercial. I thought it was pretty cool and I dig the song that's playing:

A haiku for you:

Sunday was not fun
The past is where it should be
But dude where's my car?

If I don't get a rental by the end of the day, I'm gonna be blown.

I have on a new sweater today and it makes me look all curvy and sultry, yet professional and chic. I love new clothes. I'd take a pic but I'm lazy.

Feeling pretty (which doesn't happen too often),
Notorious K.

Meet Yuki

Is that Spuds Mackenzie? The Target Dog? Nope, it's Yuki - an affectionate, playful, and fun-loving bull terrier who spent the weekend at Casa de la Notorious.

Check out the blank and empty, yet happy stare. Roach and Yuki have a lot in common:

Yuki tailgated Roach all weekend long.

She was his shadow and he was not always pleased to have her hot breath breathing down his skinny neck.

Yuki became indifferent to her canine lover when we went for long walks. Roach's only concern was chasing chipmunks and squirrels while Yuki trotted along, enjoying the warm sun and cool autumn breeze.

There was some initial hanky-panky:

But after the infatuation ended, they acted like an old married couple and didn't care to face each other when they slept:

I think Roach was turned off by the weight difference; he usually goes for smaller-boned chicks. "I like 'em thick but not that thick..."

Yuki's parents came to pick her up tonight and Roach is back to being a bachelor. He is king of the castle again and while he will probably wonder where Yuki is later on this evening, I doubt he will lose any sleep over it.

Dog tired,
Notorious K.

Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee

*Shoutouts to Lady D & Schultz for the free sample.

It's nice to have friends who give me cool stuff to try. Starbuck's latest innovation might just change the way people look at instant coffee.

When *I* think of instant coffee, I think of Sanka which reminds me of gravel. Just add hot water and you get.... hot water that kind of tastes like coffee.

Starbucks has done their homework. VIA is packaged to be portable and convenient (just like those Lipton or Crystal Light packets for bottled water):

Just a tiny bit is all it takes (no gravel here - just finely ground aromatic goodness):

Add 8 oz. of hot water, give it 10 seconds to brew, and voila! Coffee is ready:

I added some Splenda, one creamer, and ice to make iced coffee.

The taste? Rich, smooth, and nutty. VIA is perfect for a quick cup of coffee on-the-go without sacrificing taste.

Viva the VIA,
Notorious K.

!!! Trauma !!!

...Ok not really but it felt like we were in an opening sequence of NBC's new series Trauma this morning when I told the doctor's office Deanna might have the *gasp* flu. Before I could get the one-syllable word out, the receptionist yelled "We need a mask!" and Deanna was whisked away to an examination room.

As we waited over an hour to see the nurse practitioner (poor thang):

Almost two and a half hours later, a nap, and a quick exam:

And here's me getting ready to rob CVS.

She's feeling much better now after some antibiotics, rest, and a special home-made tea that soothed her aching throat (thanks, WW - worked like a charm).

TGIF,
Notorious K.

I Run Like a Girl

Yipee!! It's October 1 and I can officially say I will be running my first marathon this month. Last night's track workout with FTM was awesome because I was able to run a negative split, which is what I hope to achieve on marathon day. I've been given this advice over and over from experienced marathoners - start out slow, finish strong (slow as in, "Gee...am I walking or running?").

I picked up my singlet after last night's track workout:

Here's what's on the back (2009's FTM slogan):

Embrace the Challenge? Really? I've seen past FTM slogans (The Marathon: It Only Hurts if You Stop, We Do 26.2!, The Marathon: A 10K with a 20 Mile Warm Up), that were a lot more creative. I'd like to see something like this: