Staying on topic

I named this blog "SuperKate" in part because it didn't require me to stick to one subject.  I guess no name would require you to, but if I named it "Kate on the Run" or something, you'd expect a lot of running content.  SuperKate leaves me open to write about whatever I want.  For my 2Toms VIP blogger gig, on the other hand, my assignment is adventure racing...and it has been an interesting experience to have my topic limited.

Of course, you all know ("[groan] Not another adventure racing post!!") that adventure racing is pretty much my favorite topic, but I won't pretend I'm not slightly worried that I'll be able to keep coming up with interesting posts.  Right now I've got several in the pipeline, though, so I think I've got October covered!  This past Friday's post was about building a personal adventure network. Check it out and let me know what you think! :)

By the way, if you missed my report on this year's Berryman adventure race, it's right here

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In other news (so much for staying on topic!), I had a great weekend. Friday night, Jeff and I took our youngest to the drive-in to see ParaNorman (meh...I thought it was ok.  I did think there were some kind of scary/gross things and inappropriate language/topics for the target kid audience, but J loved it).

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Saturday morning soccer
Saturday morning started with soccer. J's team lost pretty badly, but he had an assist, ran his heart out, and had fun, so I'd call it a success.  Jeff has seemed a little irritated about having to lug all the chairs and stuff from the car when I run there, so I put off my run until after the game.

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My little salesman
The boys headed home to sell Cub Scout popcorn (sales pitch: J was the top seller last year and has set a goal of selling $2500 in popcorn which would qualify him for a percentage of his sales to be credited towards a college scholarship.  He's currently over halfway there.  If you're interested in buying some popcorn from my baby, email me -- super1kate (at) gmail (dot) com -- and I can send you the info.  You can buy online and it'll be delivered to your door.  Not, unfortunately, by me, though I'd love to come and visit all of you.).

This is my playground this morning. :)
My Saturday morning playground...it makes me happy just to look at this picture. :)
Meanwhile, I hit the trails for a 10-mile run.  It was a little warmer than I'd anticipated, so I was regretting the capris and short sleeve shirt, but it was an absolutely glorious morning. Well, for the first 8 miles.  The last 4 pretty much sucked.  Yeah, I know that doesn't add up to 10.  I didn't map out my route ahead of time and didn't really remember how far it was from the trails to my house.  Oh, well.  I need to build my mileage before November's 30K, so now hopefully the first 10 of next weekend's 14 will be good.

After a much-needed nap, Jeff and I went on an actual date at Taste of St. Louis.  It's very much not my husband's thing, unfamiliar food and packed crowds, but it was fun...and it wasn't a movie which seems to always be our default date.  I had Ethiopian food for the first time.  I loved the beef samosa, and thought the doro wat was ok.  It was fun to try something different because it's pretty rare for us to not go to the same old place.

As you know, Sunday is football day at my house, so while my fantasy football team was busy getting destroyed (again), I went to Alton to help out with registration at the cyclocross race.  Lots of familiar faces, and I got to sort of see some of my Team Godzilla friends race (flashes of green zipping behind the registration pavilion).  Good job Robin, Wade, Russ, Mike, and Terry! One of these days I'll be out there with you...maybe.

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My jr. pit crew...J saw me changing my mountain bike tires over to cross tires and wanted to help air them up.
After the race I rode the 17 miles home, and this ride was much less uncomfortable than the last time I made the trip.  Of course, I'd only ridden 3 miles there since I was running behind and Jeff dropped me off on the way.  Maybe that's the difference in how I felt. A couple of my friends offered me rides back, but I've had a hard time fitting in workouts since school started, and the bike commute seems like a good way to kill two birds with one stone...at least while the weather's nice!


Comments

  1. I thought your post on building an adventuring racing network was well done and great advice! Since I'm doing Patrick's run in November (I'm assuming you are too and invited Anne) I have some questions that might make for good adventure race topics. They are the usual, what to do about chaffing, blisters, electrolytes, hydration and fuel.

    Funny scouts popcorn story. I was going into the grocery store two weeks ago and the scouts were set up to sell. A shy, stuttering kid was try to give me the pitch while I tried to tell him I buy from my neighbor. He wouldn't look me in the eye, but wouldn't move out of my way either :-). I almost fell on him!

    Way to switch up date night. They are important and it's easy to get in a rut, or worse, not doing them at all.

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  2. Thanks for the ideas! Yes, I'm doing Patrick's run...at least some of it. I'm doing the skippo 30K the day before, so I'm not sure how much running I'll be up to. I'm thinking I may bring my bike as well. :)

    J is a pretty polite little salesman, and he's gotten really good at talking to people over the past couple years of selling. And he and Jeff are VERY good about taking no for an answer quickly and politely. :)

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  3. I am WAY behind on blogs, I will have to read your report in a couple days when I'm off work (I got a new job...it's eating up my blog time). I'd buy a lot of popcorn if you buy a lot of cookie dough from my son so he can go to NYC with the marching band????? :) I'd also love it if you'd hand deliver it to Colorado. Or even Chicago this weekend!

    Okay, just wanted to stop by and say hi and let you know I'm not abandoning you or anything! :)

    xo

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  4. Great post. I enjoyed the guest post on the 2Toms site too. I think it is harder to build that network in general multisport racing as the field of participants tends to be bigger, but there is still a certain amount of it. Nice when you run into someone you know at races regardless.

    What is this race of Patrick's you are talking about? Should I be interested? Our popcorn sales don't start til next week. I kind of hate it. And we're doing cookie dough right after - ugh.

    Jealous of your date night. I really need to schedule more of those.

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  5. "Stay on topic"

    We don't need no stinkin' topics. I don't know if I would as adventurous for the food on your date night. No need to go off the steak menu at times.

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  6. I find all your post interesting and enjoy the adventure race posts. I'm also behind with blog reading and commenting and really busy at work. Why can't we just make money by doing this and running...

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  7. I was a Girl Scout and my mother always ended up with a freezer full of thin mints. Send me the link, and I will buy popcorn. : )

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  8. That looks like a pretty awesome trail for a ten mile run!

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  9. Aaahhhhhh, that trail looks incredible! I'm jealous that you get to run in some green. (None of that where I am.)

    Good to see that you have a family pit crew ready to help out.

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  10. I am laughing at your husband not liking different food. I couldn't even get my husband in that place. Mexican is exotic to him. Hope your son makes his popcorn goal. As you can guess I get hit up pretty hard at work. But if you were delivering it personally! Do races slow down for you in the winter or are you able to keep doing the adventure races even then? I can't remember from other years. I guess i will have to accept running only races pretty soon. B.O.R.I.N.G!

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  11. Oh yeah...my husband and I went to see Paula Poundstone for our latest date night. Do you know of her? HYSTERICAL! A great one.

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  12. I wonder if you and my husband have the same unfortunate fantasy football team.....I heard him groaning over the laptop the other night and I thought something horrible had happened to our finances, but nope....it was the fantasy football team.

    Going to read your report now! I'm behind on blogs too!

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  13. I started my blog as a travelogue, then it turned into a space for general life ramblings, and now I struggle even to keep up with race reports. I'm beginning to wonder whether it's worth keeping it active at all, but I love reading updates from you or others, and I'd fate to lose that community.

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  14. I think you should jump in to cyclocross with both feet. Only 45 minutes of pain (with occasional) bouts of terror. And you're not too tired to drink PBR afterwards.

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