Putting down roots

Yesterday was a milestone of sorts for me - I had to get my driver's license renewed.

With my birthday approaching my license expiration date loomed, so I put time on my calendar to leave work just a few minutes and head to the Revenue Office to get it taken care of. I hoped that by waiting for the holiday week the line would be short, and to my delight I walked in the door to no line at all. In and out in less than ten minutes - that has to be a record.

The lack of a wait wasn't the milestone, though - it was the renewal that hit me as momentous. You see, I've never lived anywhere in my adult life long enough to have to actually return to the Revenue Office / DMV / RMV / whatever that particular state called it. I suppose I did renew my Texas license while I was in the Army, but the irony was, I didn't even live there. It was my home of record having grown up there, but not really my home of reality.

Justin and I left active duty in part because we knew we wanted to have a family, and we wanted our future-children to have a sense of permanence, a place they called their hometown. Little did we realize that a career in sales would require the same mobility as a career in uniform. If you combine my civilian career with my time in uniform, beginning with leaving home to go to West Point, my personal odyssey has been an extraordinary journey:

West Point, NY -- Ft. Eustis, VA -- Ft. Stewart, GA -- Ft. Lee, VA -- Ft. Leavenworth, KS -- back to Ft. Lee, VA -- Ft. Hood, TX -- Owings Mills, MD -- Adams, MA -- Liberty Township, OH -- Fayetteville, AR

I've said it before and I'll say it again - we love it here in Northwest Arkansas. I hope that we can make this a long term domicile, and give our children a place that helps them feel grounded no matter where they go in their own adult lives. I know you can never say never, and great opportunities may arise in the future that will necessitate moving boxes and changes in plans, but for now, I'm grateful for the little card in my wallet that says I belong here. At least until 2019.

Summer Fun - Floating the Buffalo River

Ask a native Arkansan what to do in Arkansas in the summer time and inevitably, one of the top answers will be "float the Buffalo!" The Buffalo River is the nation's first National River and a true outdoor treasure. According to the National Park Service, it is one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower 48 states, and lures locals and travelers alike to its shores.

Similar to hiking Mt. Kessler, floating the Buffalo has been something I've thought, "we should do that!" since the first time I heard about it. Unlike our local adventure, though, floating takes a bit of planning, and also felt like something that would be more fun when the kids were a little bit older.

With Shauna's departure for her year long adventure in the UK looming, we finally picked a date and decided to go do it! In preparation, I googled "floating the Buffalo River" six ways to Sunday. I found plenty of information on types of floats and outfitters. There were enough sites with water levels to get an idea of where we were in the season. Strangely, though, there wasn't a single place that spoke to a novice like me; a rookie who wanted to take kids down the river but didn't own a watercraft or have really any floating experience at all.

There are so many options - canoes, kayaks, inflatable boats, inner tubes. Two hour, half day, overnight trips. In and out, camping, cabins. I thought it was as simple as - go float! Given our inexperience, we chose to go with the shortish float via canoe, since the three adults at least had experience wielding a paddle. With no specific checklists, we figured we were all set with the reservations and the start time for our planned 3-4 hour float.

Irene, Caroline and John ready to float

That Saturday morning dawned sunny, hot and seemingly perfect for a day on the river. The six of us piled in the van and headed east toward the Buffalo River Outfitters. It's a beautiful drive, but it was a bit farther than expected, and by the time we got there we were cutting it close for the mid-distance float. As we hadn't eaten our lunch yet, we had to instead opt for the 2-3 hour float so that we could have our picnic lunch before heading out. Lunch done, kids' swimsuits on, all we had to do now was wait for the shuttle to get us down to the launch site!

Despite having hats and sunscreen, we were missing some of the more critical equipment. For those rookies like me who've never floated before and can't really find the easy answer, here's what I wish I'd known to bring when I was planning our first trip:

• A cooler - not only will you want water (or other drinks) while you're out on the river with no shade, it provides a third seat for the non-paddler in the canoe.
• Bungee cords - said cooler has to be securely tied to the watercraft.
• Koozies - you can't have any drinks on the river that aren't in something that floats. I love knowing that we're doing everything we can to keep the river clean, and a koozie around a water bottle is a small price to pay to help do that.

At this point, we were blissfully ignorant and just happy to be at the water's edge. My big surprise when arriving at the launch point was how many people were on the river! I knew it was popular, but I'd not mentally connected the dots to realize it was a steady flow of people in canoes, kayaks, tubes, and sometimes just swimming by, enjoying the cool water on a hot summer day. We watched the other floaters, waited for our outfitters to get the canoes to the water's edge, and took a few pictures in the sun.

We managed to get into the canoes and launch into the river, and immediately, I realized - this isn't as easy as it looks!! Shauna and I were in a canoe together with John; Justin had Caroline and Irene with him. Despite having two-adult-power in our canoe, we managed to get turned entirely around, floating backwards right at the start. Good grief!! With a little bit of laughter and a good bit of upper body strength, we got turned around properly and began floating down the Buffalo. We were off - we were floating!

It didn't take long to realize it was much hotter on the water and in the sun than I had expected. I was very grateful for my hat and sunglasses, but without water to drink and in regular outdoor clothes with sneakers, I was stuck in the canoe without a lot of options for cooling off. Thankfully, we'd put the kids in their swimsuits, and we soon realized one of the best parts of floating is stopping along the way to cool off and swim in the river. After an hour or so of paddling, we parked the canoes on the shore and watched the kids dive into the cool, clear water of the river.

Seeing the kids cooling off in the water made me wish that I had worn a swimsuit, too. Back to those checklists - I had figured out what equipment we were missing; now I knew what the attire checklist should've been:

• Swimsuit - getting into the water would've been amazing given how hot it was that day. I was pretty close to getting in fully dressed, but it would've been a long ride home in wet clothes.
• Sandals (though the old sneakers did work, as long as you don't mind squishy shoes) - you definitely can't go barefoot. The bottom of the river is straight up river rock, not sand, and would be pretty painful to walk on without shoes.
• Dry clothes to change into upon returning to the car for the drive home. Nobody wants to drive three hours in a swimsuit that's spent time in the river.

The kids had so much fun; they're still at the age that their laughter rings clear and true, no pretense or worry about what others think as they play and have fun. I so often say we're at the sweet spot with our kids - they're the age where they can do so much for themselves, and at times like this, they can go off a bit on their own without a parent having to be within arms' reach. Their budding independence is an affirmation that we're somehow navigating this parenting thing okay.

We were about an hour and a half into the float at this point, and I was desperately thirsty; I can't emphasize enough how big of a miss it was not to have brought a cooler and drinks. Lesson certainly learned. We herded the kids back into the canoes, and switched places so that Justin would have help with the paddling. That's when I realized how little help was going to come from the kids! I watched Justin and Shauna float farther and farther ahead as I worked to navigate under one and a half oar power!

There were places where the river ran faster than others, and I was glad that we hadn't come earlier in the season when the water was higher. We did run into a few places where the canoes scraped the bottom, but I think all in all, the water level was perfect for our first time on the river.

As I began to think we were going to be hard pressed to make it all the way to the end, there we were - the outfitters were on the banks waiting for us to pull our canoes up out of the water and head back in the shuttle. The float actually lasted just a bit under two hours; the lesson I learned this first time out is that the variability in the time for a float comes from how much time you spend out of the canoe, as well as how vigorously you paddle. If you know me, you know I'm not much one for passive outdoor activity; it wasn't a race, but I was still going to put some muscle into it! If you'd asked me at the beginning whether an under-two-hour float would be just right, I would've rolled my eyes and suggested the much longer one. Given our lack of preparation, though, it was a good thing we only spent that amount of time on the river.

With my first trip under my belt, here's what I'll know next time:

• Consider an overnight trip - it's a far enough drive that out and back is a little bit taxing. Going the day before to get an early start on the river would help not just with the heat, but with the crowds, too.
• Relax a little bit - it isn't a race down the river. The views are incredible, and the people watching is entertaining, too.
• Figure out a way to waterproof a camera - it is a stunning landscape to which my pictures just can't do justice. Along the way we saw a bald eagle, too - it isn't just the bluffs and the trees overhanging the river that inspire.
• The different types of watercraft all make for a different experience
• The canoes were perfect for our family trip with kids our age. They're a way to make it a group activity, because it requires cooperation and teamwork to get going in the right direction.
• The kayaks I saw were often loaded with camping equipment - so I think kayaking would be an amazing way to do a multiday camp/float trip. Those were the people I looked on as adventurers. A day trip on a kayak, too, seems to me like a more solitary, individual float, but perfect for a day of reflection and peace.
• Inner tubes - now those are the people there for a party! What fun to bump along down the river, drifting in and out of a group of friends, hanging your toes in the water and swimming as much as you float.
• While we didn't see any of the inflatable boats because the water level was too low, I think that would be a wonderful multi-family float option. I hope to try that together with Shauna, Andy and Irene someday to see if we can navigate the higher, faster water earlier in the spring or summer.

There definitely will be a next time - in fact, I hope there are next times. The Buffalo is a gift, as are the number of other beautiful rivers you can float here in Arkansas. It's the time together, though, that is truly priceless.

Hiking (practically) in our backyard

Arkansas, the Natural State - if you've never visited, that's a catchy slogan, but it's hard to conjure up just what it might mean. Once you live here, you realize that it's almost totally insufficient to describe just how stunning this state is. The natural beauty all around us here in Northwest Arkansas is something I never take for granted. In our four years here, I've really only scratched the surface of all of the amazing outdoor activities within a couple hours' drive.

A tremendous - and unexpected - benefit of starting this blog and then writing down my Life List has been the increased willingness to just go DO it. Whatever it is, more and more I'm inclined to take action; to make the trip; to go on that adventure. Forget the fatalistic never knowing if you'll have another tomorrow; it can be as simple as not knowing what the weather will be like once you do finally make time. I'm super comfortable with saying the laundry can wait; the dishes will get done; we'll go through the drive through or pick up a pizza.

Last Saturday was another one of those remarkably beautiful Saturdays here in Northwest Arkansas. Justin was in Little Rock for class, so it was me and the kids at home. I didn't have any pressing work to do; there were no scheduled activities after soccer and Lego League were done. The kids usually spend Saturdays playing with friends in the neighborhood, playing together in the playroom, or in Caroline's case, reading. I had the itch to get outside for some activity, though, and to spend time together.

Mt. Kessler is only fifteen minutes from our house (and that's if I hit the red lights), with easy hiking trails that anyone can manage. In the fall, it erupts in glorious colors as the trees change, and for a couple of years I've said that one of these days, I'm going to go hike it. October of this year rolled around, and I had not yet made good on my pronouncement. While the leaves hadn't started changing yet, the day was just beautiful - blue skies, warm sunshine, and a promise of a breeze combined to make it picture perfect. I texted my friend Mary for tips on the best way to reach Mt. Kessler's trails, she offered to meet us there, and our afternoon plans were set!

If you're local and have never hiked Mt. Kessler, put it on your list! It's a very easy trail for legs of all lengths and strides of all sizes. We headed for the south side to the new lot off of Cato Springs Road, where there was plenty of parking. The only downside was it is a bit of a walk from the parking lot to where the mountain trail actually begins, but the path is well maintained and easily traversed. While we were on foot, there were also plenty of mountain bikers up there with us. To Caroline's delight, the trail is also perfect for dogs!

Once up on the mountain, there are several scenic overlooks to take a break and look down on the Boston Mountains in the distance. I can only imagine how breathtaking it will be in a week or so when the leaves begin to show their fiery oranges, reds and yellows of an Ozark fall. We walked for about an hour and then turned around to head back to the car. We didn't make it over the mountain, but next time I think we'll bring some water with us and plan for a longer hike to try and at least get to the top. Given how easy it is to get there, I hope to go again when the reds, oranges and yellows begin their fall show.

There was nothing fancy about our plans that day, nothing expensive about the outing. It was simply a chance to spend time together with my kids and my friend, unplugged and active. Y'all come see me here in Arkansas - we can discover some more of the Natural State together.

It ain't Texas, but it's getting closer

I love living in Fayetteville. I probably talk about it enough that a lot of people are all, enough already. Having said that, there are still plenty of things I wish we had here that would make it that much better.

One of those would be a professional sports team. I don't hold out a lot of hope that the NFL will put a team here, or that MLB will see NW Arkansas as the next hot spot for America's pastime. The population just isn't big enough, I assume, to support a franchise in any of the major leagues.

The next big category that would make it even better to live here? Restaurants. And breaking it down from there, I would love to have a truly good pizza place; a killer Texas BBQ joint; and, more than anything, legit Tex Mex. Roll that all together, and what I'm looking for is to turn NW Arkansas into a little slice of Texas with a reminder of my East Coast days in the form of New York style pizza.

Taking one step down from sit down restaurants, though, the next best thing that's happened in the local restaurant scene? WHATABURGER HAS COME TO FAYETTEVILLE. Texans rejoice!!

And man, there are a LOT of Texans here. As the local rumor goes, this was the biggest opening of a Whataburger EVER, doing sales of roughly $1Million a day in the opening week. One million per DAY. That's a lot of burgers and fries, y'all. And opening day was when school wasn't even in session; all those Texas kids who go to the University of Arkansas weren't even back yet.

It was pretty crazy; traffic control by off-duty cops, a maze of traffic cones to manage the parking lot flow, and a wait to just get a parking space, much less to order and then sit down. Given the fact that we pass approximately 50 Whataburgers on our drive to Houston each summer, we decided we could wait until the initial craziness passed before we made our way over. I love that similar to the maroon & white motif unique to the College Station Whataburgers, there's a nod to being smack dab in the heart of Razorback Nation on the building.

After going to the Army-Arkansas volleyball game a couple of Saturdays ago, John and I swung into the relatively-not-busy parking lot on our way home to grab a late lunch. I think there are still some kinks to work out; they're so busy, I'm not sure the kitchen has figured out how to keep up yet. Still, Mama and kiddo were pretty happy to have a little slice of Texas right here in our hometown.

The latest rumor is that the first location has been so successful, the company has already purchased a second parcel of land close to the mall - uptown Whataburger, if you will. The more Texas that comes to Arkansas, the more I'm convinced I'll never want to leave. We have fast food burgers covered now, and breakfast taquitos too, for that matter.

Whataburger - check. Next up? Can I get a Pappasito's up in here, please?

Race Report: New Years Day 2015 Black Eyed Pea Run

As much as I enjoy running marathons, there are other races out there, too. One of the benefits of the grind and pain sometimes associated with the really long runs needed to prepare for marathons is that shorter runs seem easy in comparison. Given my love of and devotion to running, kicking the year off with a race seemed like a great way to get 2015 going!

There are plenty of New Year's Day runs out there; I'm not the only one who loves the idea of accomplishing something physically on the first day of the year. As another example of why living in Fayetteville is so awesome, though, we had the opportunity to join the inaugural Black Eyed Pea run put on by not only locals, but by someone I know!

Jennie, Pauline (awesome race organizer!), me and Shauna

The running community is tight, and that is as true in my hometown as anywhere in the world.

It gets better, though - not only was it local, and the inaugural year, but it was FREE!! Pauline found local businesses to help out, and has enough friends who volunteered to put it on, that it was yet another amazing thing that makes living here so great. I'm not saying I wouldn't have paid for it, but how do you pass up a free race that's in your backyard?! Add to it the best good running friends ever, and I was all in.

Some of my Java Jogger crew, plus kids and Hank the canine member

The atmosphere before the race was unique to any other race I've ever done - it was basically a big group of local friends who were excited to run together on a beautiful, crisp winter morning. There was music, hot chocolate, lots of laughing and a little bit of picture taking, too! I'm not sure if Pauline's neighbors were as excited about the crowd as we were, but I hope they were good sports about it. It cracked me up that packet pick up was in their garage, but at the same time, it ran more smoothly than a lot of races I've paid for in the past! Ha!

Of course, like we say on occasion, we were just running this one for fun. As we lined up at the start line, Shauna and I looked forward to an easy run, knocking out a few miles to help offset the snacks and appetizers I would eat as I watched the New Year's Day football games later. Naturally, the planned easy pace turned into a "let's see if we can make ourselves throw up" pace.

Official time was actually 8:16 pace, 51:13 total. BOOM.

I will someday accept that I cannot pace myself to save my life. Sometimes it's cool that I'm ultra competitive; sometimes I wonder, why?? The thing is, though, Shauna and I didn't really feel like we were going to die for most of the race. We knew we were going fast, but we felt okay, so we kept it up. And the route was along the trails that we know so well, so it truly was like just being out for a run together with no pressure.

No pressure other than the other people running the race who were either just close enough ahead to pass, or coming up on our heels and we wanted to see if we could stay in front of. None of which was ever communicated verbally, of course. But still. Now, when we saw the course photographer, there was the tiny bit of pressure to make your race pictures look like you're having fun and not in pain.

Me and my Twinnie (and random photo bombing runner)!

Any race where my back half fade results in an 8:41 mile, I'll take it. To top it off, the last bit of the race back into Pauline's neighborhood had a CRAZY hill. I'm not sure how I pulled off that 8:41, to be honest. Once that finish line came in view, I must've picked it up a bit, because a sub-8:00 pace of any distance is a rarity in my running these days. With official timing and a finish line arch, this local race felt big at the same time - and then there was bling, too!!

Once at the finish line, the warm drinks and festive atmosphere welcomed us to stay for a while. The problem with perfect running weather, though, is it isn't so great for stand-around weather once you're sweaty. A few more pictures, and it was time to head home, get cleaned up, and celebrate the New Year with our feet up.

Overall, I absolutely loved this race. With both a 5k and a 10k, it was a great mix of casual walk/runners, crazy good runners, and everything in between. It was laid back but super-well run at the same time. It was free to participate, but it still had all of the elements of a bigger race. Packet pick up; swag bag; official timing; arch at the start / finish line; professional photos. And oh-by-the-way, the photographer made all of his amazing pictures available to the race participants for free. Truly, would you find that anywhere other than Fayetteville??

I really, really hope that the Allens put this race on again next year. There are so many reasons I love living here, and this is yet another one to add to the growing list. I love that I've lived here long enough that I know people, and my people are runners. I love that there are people so generous as to put the time, energy, effort and yes, money into something that the local running community can embrace. I love that my friends and I had the ability to not just participate, but to be a part of making it a success. Here's to being a "streaker" and running the local Black Eyed Pea run for years to come!

Divided Loyalties: On Brave Old Army Team, Gig 'em, and Woo Pig Sooie!

Ah, college football season. That time of year when people wear Razorback gear pretty much every day, when I start checking the AP rankings to see who's overrated, and when I upgrade the cable package to ensure I can see every one of the hapless Army team's games.

At this point in my life, I am firmly a divided loyalties fan. My first love, the Army team (also known now as the Army West Point Black Knights, which I'll save for another rant sometime), has had years of performances ranging from lackluster to uninspiring to downright embarrassing. A thirteen year drought of beating Navy has even the most die hard fans like me wondering what has happened to the Pride and Dream of every heart in grey.

Despite knowing they would break my heart with regularity throughout the coming football season, I got online last Friday morning and upgraded our uVerse TV package to ensure that our channels included the CBS Sports Network. In a sign of indulgent modern consumption, we pay well north of $100 a month so that I can watch about five hours of TV a week, more when the Astros are in the pennant hunt as they are this year. Anything for the Army team, my first sports love.

While I'm not a Former Student and have no expectation of ever enrolling in a class, I've been a fan of Texas A&M and its sports teams literally for as long as I can remember. I am the daughter and sister x2 of Aggies, and if you know anything about Ol' Army, you know that I'm as close to bleeding maroon as one can be without wearing the Aggie ring. I could sing the Aggie War Hymn at the age of three, and I can "hump it" like a native for Spirit of Aggieland.

Most college football weekends, I'm grateful for this genetic love of the Aggies because, at least for the last few years, they've provided heart stopping excitement and enough wins to boost morale when the Army team comes up short. This past weekend was yet another thrilling season opener, I'm sure in large part because my super-adorable niece is part of the 12th Man!!

I come by the Army team honestly, being a grad; I bear allegiance to the Aggies by virtue of close relation. My third loyalty is a matter of geography: I live in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the home of the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. Make no mistake about it, either - Arkansas is CRAZY for their Hogs. My analysis goes like this: there's only one major University in Arkansas, so you don't have the A&M - t.u. - all the other schools dynamic like you do in Texas. On top of that, you don't have any professional sports teams, so there isn't an NFL team vying for the attention of football crazy, SEC Nation Arkansans. And, when in Rome... well, Woo Pig Sooie (affectionately abbreviated as WPS which, for the first couple of years that I lived here, confused the crap out of me, as I assumed it was West Point Society. Notsomuch).

College town living is fun (except for the college kids, but what can you do about that), and SEC college towns peg the charts on fandom. I look forward every season to this one house in my neighborhood where Superfan lives, to see how he'll display his loyalty. One year he mowed "GO HOGS" into his grass and painted it red; another year he had red and white lights spotlighting lawn decorations. This year is excellent, in my opinion:

However the season goes, for all three of my teams, there's one thing that can guarantee my sports-fan happiness, one thing that qualifies it as a success regardless of what the Win-Loss columns say. All I really, really, REALLY need this year is to

BEAT NAVY!!!

Race Report: The Hogeye Marathon 2014

Hometown races: you can't beat 'em. No travel, no sleeping in a hotel bed, no taking a chance on restaurant food, no navigation of unfamiliar city streets at 4:30am on race day. Packet pick up can be accomplished as part of Saturday's errands, you run into friends at the expo without prior planning, and even get to meet an NFL Tight End because he's home during the off-season, helping coach at a Razorback football clinic.

The Hogeye Marathon is the oldest marathon in Arkansas, and has quite a history. Its course has changed over the years, no longer going to the town of Hogeye and back (and if you think Hogeye is an unusual name for a town, then you need to do a little more research, because there are some awesomely crazy town names in Arkansas). It is run fully inside the city limits of Fayetteville, mostly on our amazing trail system.

Before we get to that, though... the start line. Race day weather was perfect, which after Louisiana I couldn't believe I'd get lucky enough to have two races in a row with beautiful weather. The 36 degree temperature let me enjoy the start line just waiting, hanging out with friends and making some new ones, too. In my first race for Gold, it was fun to see a few other Maniacs ready to take on the Hogeye!

The only pre-race mishap I made was not starting my Garmin early enough. I figured it wouldn't have a problem finding the satellites - downtown Fayetteville isn't exactly crowded with concrete and glass skyscrapers - but I figured wrong, and when the gun went off, my Garmin wasn't ready. Everybody knows that if a run isn't on the Garmin, then it doesn't count. I couldn't start the race without my Garmin!! PANIC!!!! The crowd began moving forward, and though it wasn't a very big crowd (the entire race, marathoners, half-marathoners and relayers together, was about 1,700 strong), I kept slipping back in the pack while I waited for my watch. FINALLY it synced with the satellites, I began moving forward, and hit start as I crossed the start line. Crisis averted!

I mentioned that the race is largely run along the Fayetteville trail system,  which I run almost every single time I go out for a run, four or five times a week. You'd think I'd remember just exactly how H-I-L-L-Y that dang course is. I mean, we're in the foothills of the Ozarks, and just north of the Boston Mountains. I run up and down hills on just about every run I do because there's no avoiding them. The thing is, most of my runs typically go just six to eight miles, so while there might be a wicked hill in there, you get it done, and the rest is a bit of up and down, total elevation gains in the 100-200ft range for a typical run. When you're running 26.2 miles, though, you encounter a lot more than just one wicked hill. This particular race course puts the most challenging hills at the beginning.

And that's where my story of "Oops, I did it again" begins... with the first hills.

Knowing that I have a tendency to go out too fast, I made it a goal these past two months to work really, really hard on negative splitting my long runs. Start my Saturday morning runs with a pace of 9:00 per mile or slower, and then gradually get faster over the course of the run to finish with an average pace of somewhere between 8:45 and 9:00 per mile for the entire run. The theory was to create a habit so that, come race day, I would have the discipline and experience to hold back when the adrenaline of the start line kicks in. I did pretty well, keeping my weekend long runs close to goal pace, and negative splitting most of them.

Unfortunately, theory disproven. Not only was I hopped up on race-day adrenaline, I was far enough back that there was a bit of a crush, and I began weaving and dodging in an effort to get closer to the front where there was more elbow room. That also meant that I picked up the pace intentionally (doh!!) to pass this runner, then that runner, then this pack of side-by-side runners taking up the whole road. I share my wacky splits from the first eight miles as evidence:

It's pretty difficult to negative split a course when you start out with an 8:20. *sigh* At least I was conscious of my mistake this time, rather than thinking this was the easiest-race-ever and I-can-run-this-way-for-hours. I knew I was going to pay for it, and pay for it I did. But at least I got to see my husband, kids, and friends along the way. Hometown race, how I love thee...

Quite a bit of walking in the back half, and there is no doubt - I couldn't have done it without the help of my friends Hollan and Sarah along the way. Hollan ran with me from about mile 16 to 25, and if she hadn't been with me, there is no way I would've run as much as I did. The overly fast start wasn't just hard on my aerobic capacity later in the race; those wicked downhills did ten times more damage than the punishing uphills, and my quads were absolutely shredded by the back half of the race. I had pain in my right quad; pain in my left hamstring; pain on the bottom of my left foot. It's rare to run 26.2 miles and not hurt somewhere, but this one was really tough, because the hills just.don't.quit.

By the time Hollan and I parted ways at mile 25, I knew I was going to make it, but there was one more WICKED hill in front of me: the part of the trail that leads up to Maple Street, and then the final downhill to the finish. Hometown races always come through: there is absolutely nothing like seeing one of your best good running friends and her husband on the bridge above you as you loop around the trail, cheering you on, encouraging you to finish strong. As I came up to the bridge where Sarah and Jeff stood, she came alongside me as I shuffled and barely picked my feet up, step after step. I just said, "get me up the hill" and she did. I walked it; it was steep; but Sarah stayed with me, encouraging me all the way to the top, and gave me that last burst I needed to physically get over the hump.

Then... then, it was quite literally downhill from there. I barreled down that last hill, quads screaming, but thankfully, so was the crowd. The only true downside of a small race is that crowd support is sparse along the way. There were stretches where I didn't even have any other runners around me. But the last 100 feet to the finish line, there were crowds cheering, ringing cowbells, clapping, and encouraging me onward. And how wonderful to be able to see all the way down that last hill to the finish line, my destination in sight.

As I came across the line and looked to my left, there were my husband and kids - my biggest fans - cheering for me. My running twin Shauna and another good friend from my running group, Mary, were there, too, to support me and celebrate the joy of finishing the race. Joy and silliness abound in a hometown race called Hogeye, the place where the Razorbacks call home:

Hog nose on my face and on my medal!

While this race wasn't about time, considering how poorly I executed my race strategy, I think the time I turned in was pretty respectable, especially for the kind of elevation gains this course has:

Official time was actually 4:12:17, but
what's 15 seconds between friends?

This is the third year I've done the Hogeye - I did the marathon in 2012 and the relay in 2013. There is unfortunately some bad press on the race in the local running community for various reasons, but it's my hometown race and I think it's a really important part of life here in NW Arkansas. It is part of what makes Fayetteville such a wonderful place to live, and I want to support it.

It's time to change the narrative - this year, there were no apologies necessary. The race went off without a hitch, and was the best planned and best supported Hogeye I've done yet. The aid stations were top notch - water and Gatorade at every one, Clif Shots and Clif gels at multiple stations on the back half of the course, and medical and support personnel on bikes in various places to make sure everyone stayed safe. The volunteers making sure all of the runners stayed on the course and took the proper turns were wonderful - the only regret I have from the entire race is that I didn't get a picture of the signs that were on some of the city streets warning motorists that they needed to share the road with runners. They stated:

SLOW

MARATHON IN PROGRESS 

Punctution is everything, no?

If you've read my other recent thoughts on running, then you know this is the first in my quest for Maniac Gold; the first of my "marathon of marathons," if you will. The goal wasn't to run fast; the goal was to have fun.

I can say, without hesitation, mission accomplished.

Conceptual Math is Elementary

It's kind of a running joke at work that math isn't my forte - I mean, I'm an English major, I never had a single business or accounting class at West Point (go figure), and selling is fundamentally painting a picture with words. With loads and loads of data behind that picture, but still.

The thing is, I love math. And I've always been really good at math. In fact, I was an A student in math all the way through school, including through my required courses in college, and when I first chose a major, I signed up for math. But I was sadly young and naive, thinking "We all have the same job when we graduate, anyway - why should I work so hard?" so I changed my major to English (via one semester of being a Russian major, but that's a whole other story).

Suffice it to say, I love math. I think math is important. And I'm determined that my kids will love math, too. I mean, you can sell laundry detergent with a math degree. But you can't build a bridge with an English degree.

So to that end, I'm forever encouraging my kids with anything math related. It saddens me that my children have so easily fallen into stereotypes: John (my boy) loves math, Caroline (my girl) "hates" math. Her words. Which I dispute every.single.time. she says them. I believe that parents are kids' best teachers, and I take developing a love of math in each of them very seriously.

Sometimes, though, it's really nice to have help. And for those of us lucky enough to live in a college town, it's incredible to have help in the form of a University professor with a PhD in mathematics.

Last Saturday, my two kids were super lucky - though Caroline might beg to differ - to be a part of the inaugural Fayetteville Math Circle meeting. On the first Saturday of every month, two professors from the Mathematics Department at the University of Arkansas host an hour at the local library for the Fayetteville Math Circle, a program dedicated to showing kids that math can be fun. Perfect! Because Caroline, of course, thinks math is booooooooriiiiiiiiiiiiiiing.

Not knowing exactly what to expect but assuming it would be awesome (because it's math), I was just a little bit blown away that their first topic was conceptual number theory. That's right. Number Theory. For elementary school kids. But in a simple, visual way that the kids had no idea it was officially and formally number theory.

That would be Dr. Harriss of the UofA Math Department
Teaching my kids Number Theory
For Free
BOOM

It's simple, really. Close your eyes and think of numbers. Count them in your head, and then open your eyes.

How many different ways can you make 1? 2? 3? and so on until 17. I wandered in and out - it was 15 kid-free minutes at the library, after all - but I probably should have stayed. It looked like fun.

John is all in with this one - again, stereotypical boy. I hope that this helps Caroline truly learn that math is fun - and colorful, and creative. Because she is already both of those things. She's good at math, too - she just needs a little convincing.

Fall in the Ozarks

If I had every available color pigment, in every imaginable hue; every artistic tool of every shape and size; and the ability of the masters throughout history; I still don't think I could paint anything that comes close to the beauty around me in this breathtakingly beautiful Ozark fall.

Fayetteville routinely comes out on "Most Beautiful" lists. Truly, Fall in the Ozarks is wondrous. After four years living in the Hudson Valley and two years in Massachusetts, I naively assumed I would never see the kind of riotous color of a New England fall anywhere else. This year, though, I admit I was wrong. This may be the most glorious, vivid, words-can't-really-describe-it fall color I've ever seen.

We got our first glimpse of the extraordinary palette to come with our train ride a couple of Sundays ago from Springdale to Van Buren, Arkansas.

The Arkansas-Missouri Railroad has scenic tours along the rails in NW Arkansas, and we've wanted to take the kids since we moved here. Justin planned this one perfectly - the leaves were approaching peak; the weather was glorious; and the layover in Van Buren was just long enough for lunch but not long enough to get bored in the three-block-long Main Street.

We were upgraded from the Club Car to the Vista Dome - and oh, what a view we had.

All Aboard!

 We were on board with the local Photography Club, so the train made several stops on the way down there. While we weren't able to get off the train, it did give us the chance to get some great photos of our trip and the view from the train:

That was a week ago, though - and in the seven days since our adventure on the rails, the colors have REALLY come out. This is one of our little maple trees in our backyard:

That's just the warm up...

That glorious blue sky!! I told the kids to enjoy it - I think Saturday may have been the most perfect Fall day of my life. I got this great shot of Old Main from the Library terrace:

We were at the library for the inaugural session of the Fayetteville Math Circle, yet another amazing thing about living in a University town. After the session, we headed over to Wilson Park for some fun with a friend:

Climbing on the castle at Wilson Park

Such a gift to have a Fall day like we did on Saturday. I don't really know where to begin to describe the leaves this year, and these pictures are just pale imitations of the real thing.

Wish you were here!

You Live Where?: Take me out to the ball game!

I think we're there - my son is finally interested in sports. He's always been interested in kicking a ball, swinging a bat, and tackling his sister. But tonight is the first night he's wanted to understand the rules of the game. 

And I am in heaven, sports fans. 

I love sports. All of them with varying degrees of intensity. Baseball is my lazy summer indulgence, a soothing Sunday afternoon soundtrack that gives me permission to fall asleep on the couch. But here in Northwest Arkansas, we have our very own minor league team. Tonight is the last game of the season, and it feels great to be in the summer air of the evening that kicks off Labor Day weekend. 

As we were walking up to the stadium, John asked if these we're the Razorback players. I got to explain the whole minor league, major league thing. And he actually listened and asked questions to make sure he understood. Added bonus: Caroline was even listening. 

Inside the ballpark, we headed straight for the concession stand for the requisite hot dogs and peanuts, then settled into our seats. In the shade. Oh, sweet fancy... What a difference the shade makes. It went from dog days, unbearable sun to the perfect night at the ball game. 

I got to explain fair and foul territory; where the strike zone is; how to read the count; and a bunch of other fundamental rules of the game. 

What I say and what he hears aren't always the same thing, though: "One more out and that's the ending!" Um, well technically you're right...

More fun than a stick of cotton candy...

Caroline was kind of into it, too, asking questions:

Who's the one that's throwing again? 

The pitcher. 

Oh, yeah. What's that thing the pitcher is standing on?

The pitcher's mound. 

Is that supposed to be helpful for him or something?

Look Mommy, eyeballs!! (Take that, Washington Nationals' racing Presidents!!)

Minor league parks are big on inter-inning entertainment. So far we've watched the Crawfish Shuffle on the replay board (brought to you by Zatarains); the eyeball race (brought to you by Vold Vision); the Sundae Scoop Toss involving upside down painted traffic cones and rubber balls (brought to you by the Walmart Visitors Center); and the Triple Roll Bowl involving throwing rolls of toilet paper into a toilet seat held by your partner (brought to you by Cottonelle). I can hardly wait for the end of the fourth inning!

Under the lights!

End of the fifth and the grounds crew stops halfway around the bases to dance to the Bee Gees: Look Mommy, there's a dog in the field!!

We made it all the way to the end of the 6th inning. Game was tied, and the night had been fun, but both kiddos were on the fine line between fun and exhausted meltdown. We packed it in, headed home, and were in bed not too much later.

Hope your Labor Day weekend started off with as much fun as ours did!