Dedication

It's no secret that I worship at the altar of Lorenzoni. I've been a customer at their shop for more than 20 years - my first memory of buying shoes there dates back to 9th grade. I can count on one hand the number of pairs of running shoes I've bought somewhere else in those 20 years. It's a bit fanatical for a shoe store, right?

Only as fanatical as the owners themselves. Their (grown and growing) children are fixtures in the shop as well, and I truly hope my children can embrace our family business the way the Lorenzonis have. The owners are *serious* runners, who have actually WON races. Like, broken the tape first. That boggles my mind. But somehow they manage to embrace both elites and schlubs, and welcome everyone with open arms. They know me by name, which also blows my mind. They know everybody by name. And if they don't know, they fake it, and make you feel awesome, valued, and empowered anyway.

I decided not to run the Women's 4 Miler this year. It was a tough decision, but every year I hate the circus of it, I hate running in the heat of summer to train, I hate feeling halfway burnt out just in time for 10 miler training. But I love the event and what it stands for. So this year I decided that even if I wasn't running, the least I could do was devote my Saturday morning to helping with this event.

A Lorenzoni is race director, and year after year, hundreds of thousands of dollars are raised and donated to the UVA Breast Care center right here in our community. In fact, every race sponsored by the CTC, with Lorenzonis involved, is not for profit, and all proceeds go to local causes. Hundreds of thousands every year. And in the process, people like me get and stay fit, and find themselves leading a richer life because of the support of Ragged Mountain, the CTC, and all those crazy Lorenzonis. To show you an inkling of their dedication, here are the instructions I received today for my volunteer post on Saturday:



Anyone who's ever had a training program written by Mark (which is practically everyone in this town) knows that handwriting. Yes, Mark hand-wrote and -drew volunteer instructions for the 80 gabillion volunteers. Some might scoff and say "I can hardly read that." But if you're a real runner in this town, you know that writing like your own, and will gladly decipher it, if it means being part of that family.

I will don my green volunteer shirt with pride on Saturday, and feel proud to be both a runner in this running town to end all running towns, and a volunteer, dedicated to spread the good word about my sport, and support good deeds and good health. I'm so lucky to run in a town where running is not just running.

PS For my readers who are running on Saturday, in case you *can't* decipher Mark's writing, I will be posted at the intersection of Garth and Free Union, by the Hunt Country store. I'll be on the right, about at the halfway point. Look for me and I'll do my best one-woman scream tunnel. Best of luck to you!!

Cold and shaky

I started off the week with a terrible cold. I set my alarm for the crack of dawn on Tuesday to go for a cleansing run to help clear my sinuses. I find that if it's just a cold, running usually makes me feel a whole lot better, as long as I have the energy to motivate myself to do it.

I am so glad I did! Tuesday morning was cool, chilly even, after a long spell of hot weather. I didn't wear my GPS, but I got in 2 solid miles, and though I was still a little stuffy, I felt pretty good.

Then came Tuesday afternoon. I was feeling not as energized by then. Work was humdrum, and I was preparing for a 2pm meeting when I heard a noise that sounded like our elderly HVAC system was finally giving up the ghost. And then the building started to shake! And rattle! And the HVAC noise turned into an all-encompassing ROARRRRRRRRR. I knew immediately it was an earthquake, and dove under my desk.

We don't really have earthquakes here, certainly not the 5.8 centered not far from where I live and work. At least one of the schools near the epicenter was damaged so badly that it must be demolished. Which is particularly scary, given that school was in session that day. My neighbor has a crack in her foundation. West Coasters must remember that NOTHING is built to earthquake code here. An earthquake in VA is like a foot of snow in Atlanta.

We've felt a few aftershocks in the days following, but they'll be decreasing in frequency and intensity. Thank goodness. We also got brushed by Hurricane Irene, but thankfully didn't feel the brunt of it, like areas closer to the East Coast.

Meanwhile, my cold turned from an annoyance to an actual illness, complete with fever. I have been pretty much out of commission all week, and finally this morning was able to take a long walk. Running will have to wait another day or two.

The edge of fall is in the air, and I'm excited for the fall/winter training season to begin!

Back to school - summer recap

Is anybody still out there?

I've done very little running this summer, but have managed to stay very active, and feel strong and fit. My main form of exercise has been the "mom tri" - ride my bike to the gym, pulling Sami in the bike trailer, with Max pedaling alongside. Let them play at the "kid gym" (aka gym babysitting) while I take a class, run on the treadmill, and/or lift, then bike to the pool, swim until everyone is shivering and exhausted, and just when my legs are turning to jello, bike home. Uphill. It's pretty kickin' exercise actually. But I've even been slacking on that lately - it's just soooooooooooo hot. And so humid. I've done very little running outside, and still can only manage a mile or two on the treadmill before dying of boredom.

Max starts kindergarten next week, and I'm slowly easing back into real running. I really need to get in gear. I had considered the Pepsi 10K in mid-September, but holy cats it's 4 weeks away, and 6 miles seems crazy long to me right now. I want to enjoy it, not suffer through it.

I ran into Coaches Mark and Cynthia last night at a party, and over the deafening music shouted some drivel about how awesome they are and I will be back for 10 miler training and please call my husband for all their photo needs and he's under strict orders to give the family rate to anyone named Lorenzoni because OMG I had a 12 minute PR!!!! Um, yeah, real cool there, Mama. Anyway, it was a good kick in the pants to see them, and remember that as daunting as 6 or 10 or 13.1 or 26.2 is right now as the cicadas hum and screech, I have been there before and I can get there again.

Sharpen your pencils, readers, school's back in session.