Talk about GO GIRLS

Laying foundations for your girls. The Whitley’s literally bounced into our lives. They moved in our mountain side, built a studio in their basement, and started dancing, and dancing, and dancing. They were gymnast, ice skaters, acrobats. And Miss Bobbie was an unrelenting, passionate, and intuiative- all about their welfare- instructor… and we benefited. We had an active, determined young gal and they had a perfect place for her to pour that into. And it layered a friendship for a lifetime. Laying foundations for my girl, inside and out! A gift that keeps giving. The “Girls” are all grown up! One of my treasures, to be friends with… Miss Bobbie and the Whitley’s. Love it that they lived outside the box, that they instructed with fervor and intensity, and that they never gave up the dream or theme, knowing it would pay off as phenomenal. I like sharing that kind of out of the box with you. They made “FITNESS” a family home, a family lifestyle, and a living.
Fitness has been a huge part of the journey. God has been the other. Zeal the fuel. I will celebrate our boys and the

great men they are becoming, but here’s a tribute to our girls. This is life’s most blessed journey. I am about to go run unrelenting miles in Africa and trek to the top of a 19,000 mountain, but parenting the inner heart and the moments of growth in our kids are the treasures. And,watching who they have become is summiting its own kind of mountain top. My hands are held high and I peer over the vast expanse below that will be their futures. It IS one of life’s greatest PEAK experiences.

Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes…

Hyped out today. I drove carts for the pros this morning at the PGA Farmer’s open, Torrey Pines, La Jolla. And than I ran for one hour and a half with girlfriends along the beach in Dana Point. I jabbered the entire way… down the stairs, Salt Creek beach, up the stairs, across the bluff, down to Dana point harbor, up PCH, back up the bike path, back along the sandy shoreline. They probably wanted to PUNCH me instead of the clock. Thanks, gals, for putting up with me, my adrenaline, and the hills. Kilimanjaro or bust. The project is probably going to do both to me!! Things are taking a financial and logistical toll…a book’s worth.

One of the gals I ran with is a producer and has a new start up show. Check out her http://www.OUR2ndACT.com. It is where reality meets talk show for Boomer Babies. Main topic…thriving at 50 and menopause. Now, there’s something to talk about!

And, Okay. I’ve learned something about a sport I had no idea. Golf gawkers walk an average of 6 to 9 miles to watch one round of an 18 hole golf course. Wonder what the caddies do? Keegan’s caddie Pepsi has calves. When I asked him what workouts and sports he does, he cocked his head, flashed a sun tanned smile and said, “I walk. I carry clubs”. Said as he sipped off his water bottle containing, you guessed it, Pepsi. The PGA Humana Challenge in Palm Springs did a superb job offering opportunities to learn about ‘FIT’ choices and offered ‘FIT’ things to do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vrhRI5HgeJk

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Running right along:

Punched the stopwatch and ran for 2 1/2 hours. Down the bike path, through the Claremont colleges. Laps around one track, laps around another. Past the colleges. Snuck down a service road and ended up in the Santa Ana Botanical Garden? Ran on little man made trails in a man made fake forest and past planted shrubbery. Ran out of interest and ended up jogging in place in Somecrust ordering an iced mocha coffee. Ran back to the tracks and did laps with my iced hand weight. Ran back down the bike path. Flopped on couch to remove dirty shoes and socks. Flipped open Competitor Magazine. Little blurb article. “Safely Increase your mileage.” Don’t go out and risk injury. Bullet point: increase the frequency of your runs before adding mileage. (opps) Slow down! Your easy runs should be easy. (K. got that one. Can’t run too fast with an ice mocha in your hand) Make sure your long run is no more than 20 percent of your overall weekly (Opps, again). Increase mileage for two weeks and reduce on third before adding again. (I only have 5 more weeks, really opps.)

There are two books I found from velopress that may help me keep on track…or off the track and on the road for that matter. My body likes 2 lap races, over in 2 and a half minutes not 2 and half hours. And, truthfully, the training for those 2 and half minutes is more arduous, tactical, intense, and needing months of layering, wise training, good coaching, stretching, rest, nutrition as the 2 and half hour runs and marathoning. I am in territory of the unknown. So advice may come from Hanson’s Marathon Methods or the Rock n Roll Marathoner’s Guide. http://www.velopress.com

YOU GO GIRL!

I have spent the past four weeks working in an outdoor retail store learning about best products, new fabrics, proper layers, uses for equipment, trinket options. And from experienced outdoorspeople… tricks of the trade…how to make your outdoor experience a grade A outdoor experience. I am training and getting film footage and advice to splice in for “FINDING FIT”. I have basically made myself a student of what to pack and how to best prepare for an adventure to run a full marathon than make it to top of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. (over 19,000) feet. How is this information EVER going to be useful in life?
In walks Sabrina, a city gal from Chicago ,whom just learns that four girlfriends are going to climb Kilimanjaro for a birthday celebration, fully porter assisted, but she needs these things. She hands me her list. It is long. It is the exact one I have.
Sabrina owns no outdoor wear or gear, and has to be out of the store in 1 hour! Sounds like a reality game show…we went into whirlwind. Sabrina now owns an osprey day pack where the hydration hose is insulated from freezing and the mouth piece magnets to sip position right below her mouth. She has wind stopper, rain gear,800 fill down, capilene, sturdy boots, socks, sun hat….on and on…all fitting in a water proof duffle to put in her suitcase. Sabrina leaves in a few days. Wha lah! It will be fun to hear from her and how her impulse to just GO DO IT goes. This will be the practical how tos for ANY person that gets the goal to do something as wild as get out from behind the desk….or take a fun break like Sabrina and celebrate a pillar date on a unforgettable peak. So cute was her interest in YOU GO GIRL, these little pouches you put between your legs and discreetly pee; very useful in a base camp where there are no bushes to squat behind. She grabs our entire supply and giggles, “party favors for the girls!” Sabrina, YOU GO GIRL! And yes, thank you, Teton Mountaineering for being a ‘world’ of outdoor knowledge.

Here’s a well appreciated email she sent before she embarked on her trip.

” Hi Caren,
Thank you so much for your email- I was going to email you this morning! First and foremost, it was such a pleasure meeting you- I’m even more excited and inspired about the trip after working with you and LOVE the fact that even at 19,000 feet, you made sure I was color coordinated!
I loved your energy, enthusiasm and energy and how ironic that you are doing this next month (along with a marathon! ). I can’t wait to tell my friend your story who organized this whole group for her 50th birthday! Anything is possible in life if you out your mind to it!

Let’s definitely keep in touch and would love to meet up if you are ever in Chicago. My husband and I also go to LA a lot so when I’m out there will see if you happen to be there two. We also spend 2 weeks in march and the month of August in Jackson.
I’m going to keep a journal and lots of go pro video of my hike, mostly to document for my 10,9, and 7 year old kids. My desire to do this goes way back ~ my father lived in Africa in the mid 70’s while my mother and siblings lived in London because it was too dangerous to live there. He commuted for 6 years back and forth but fell in love with Africa. Eventually, due to the political climate, it was too dangerous to work there and he moved back to London. He died last year and this climb is partly dedicated to his love for Africa.
I look forward to sharing my story at some point with you! In the meantime, best to you. After I read your card to my daughter she said to me “wow – she’s famous. We should have gotten her autography” I agreed!
Hugs and happy hiking,

Sabrina