Life is good... A fool's paradise

It should be illegal to squeeze as much juice out of life as I have this weekend. Katie and I are going to France and England in May. She currently has the job of travel agent and European educator to her non cultured husband who has never been across the pond. Friday night we had a fabulous dinner at Chez Lu Lu and she filled my head with many things French as we drank French wine. A few hours later I awoke at 3:15 am to go run the Mount Cheaha 50k. The event was without a doubt the most difficult thing I have ever done. It started at the base of the Talladega National Forest and traveled 31 miles in the woods through technical terrain to the highest point in Alabama atop Mount Cheaha. My body gave out early at mile 10, but I persevered for 21 more miles to the finish line. This was my 6th 50k and worst finish by 43 minutes. I've never been more proud or satisfied to finish a race. Today I can barely walk, but it has been a wonderful day; French movies in the morning followed by French wine by the outside fireplace this afternoon. Next Saturday we travel to Laurel, Mississippi where I'm going to make this broken body run 50 miles in the forest for the first time. Katie is going to run a 13 mile trail race the same day. While reading "Again to Carthage" this afternoon, I came across a quote that describes my existence these days.

"It may be a fool's paradise, but my point is that it's a paradise nonetheless. And what's a better alternative than even an idiot's euphoria when you're young and happy and you're fairly certain that one day in the neat future you're going to"

1. Spend 10 days in Europe with your soul mate.
2. Qualify for Boston and run in the best marathon the world has to offer.
3. Run 100 continuous miles in the woods.

Hit it hard,

JG

Mercedes (the race, not the car) and Mud Puddles

What a weekend?!

Snow, 5K, fun pasta dinner w/ friends, half-marathon (full for JG), some house-cleaning, some good get-caught-up-at-work-time, and an engagement announcement (Dad's). Crazy that all of that can happen over one 3-day weekend, eh?

Oh, yes, and it was Valentine's Day yesterday. That one sort of got lost in all the other goings-on of the weekend. After 16 miles of running (5K w/ Dad and 13.1 miles w/ mom--congrats to you both :o), I was exhausted. JG claims he wasn't exhausted after running a 3:24 marathon (but we both fell asleep at 9 p.m.)

So in honor of Valentine's Day a day late, here is my Web-valentine to JG (at my expense since he said he needed a laugh):



Even when we're in it up to our necks, I love you.

You make life fun, spontaneous, and worth living to the fullest each and every day.

(and Happy Birthday to my original partner-in-crime, Meg--who no longer stuffs her pants full of mud (as far as we know :o)!

If life gives you mud puddles, take a mud bath (and enjoy it)!

Happy Valentines Day!

Love,

Kate

A Different Look

OK. Nothing too drastic . . . just a minor facelift. Look out . . . blogs to return this weekend. We've been swamped lately, but life is good and there's plenty to blog about--eventually. Not to mention lots of pics to post of 2009 and the start of 2010.

Stay tuned. Until then, I leave you with a picture of life at its best these days :o):



TGIF and Happy Three-Day Weekend!

Kate