#the whole loop is 54k

[we-re-always-alright]

absolutely SEETHING reading comments about pizza and delivery in the city (Chicago) on tumblr dot com I cannot handle it

[mubal4]

Race Wrap Up - Blackout Night Runs 27k: Aravaipa Running Live & Flagstaff Big Pine 53k: Aravaipa Running Live

Just another weekend in the mountain……sort of 😊. This was a first and a way to do something new and challenging. I’ve heard it said before and not sure who gets the original credit but, “if you want to do something you’ve never done before, you have to do things you’ve never done before.”

Before we get to it, as always, want to thank the team, staff, volunteers and the entire Aravaipa Running community. Very fortunate to have these folks in our backyard to host and put on these amazing events. Much gratitude to all the other runners throughout the weekend. I was fortunate to spend some miles with a handful of some great folks and we had some laughs, suffered a bit together, and at the end, crossed that finish line – thanks for keeping me going. Thanks to Robin, Isabella and Alaina, although I did this solo – the calls and text messages before, during, and after the races meant the world to me. Love you so much.

The quote above about doing things we’ve never done - So true right? Four years ago, the entire family went up to Flagstaff to do the Big Pine 54k (it’s changed a bit over the years 😊) and we had a blast. This year, considering what we have on the calendar coming up in September, we felt that going back up to Flagstaff for the race this year, in altitude, in the pines, would be a good training exercise for the Mogollon Monster. When we made the commitment to the Monster we new we were going to have to do some things different, considering…….it is a whole different type of adventure. So, in addition to the Big Pine 53k on Saturday morning, we decided to do the Blackout Night Runs 27k Friday night. Keeping with that spirit of “different” we kept the weeks training agenda the same, with some slight tweaks, after a big weekend leading up to the races. Adding to the “differences” I was heading up to do this solo, Robin and the girls had other things going on, so it was shaping up to be a glorified training weekend, up in the mountains, with aid stations throughout – good stuff!!

Flagstaff is about a two-hour drive from our home in Phoenix and with a 7pm start on Friday, I headed up I-17 around 12pm and hit some traffic. However, got up there in plenty of time to get settled at the hotel, get some food in me, and relaxed a bit before the 27k started. This course is the same looped course I had run 4 years ago so there was some familiarity with it and most of the first loop, even with the later start, was done without needing the headlamp until the last couple of miles. The 2nd loop, however, was all nightfall and the glow of the headlamps led the way. I was fortunate to catch up with a new buddy Eric (thanks for the picture 😊) and we shared some good miles and company. I was feeling very good throughout the race. There isn’t much climbing, and the trails are very runnable. There are some technical portions with being at night, makes it a little challenging. I had been moving faster than I thought I would and should have been going…….and with about 4 miles left I caught a toe and went down pretty hard, bagging up both hands and my right arm. Fortunately, it wasn’t too bad and there wasn’t anyone around to witness my lack of grace!!! There was a climb right after that so I was able to get my wits about me and finish the 27k in good form and feeling pretty good.

When I got back to the hotel, I was able to clean up and strangely enough, what bothered me the most was my right hand. I must have extended that out of instinct when I fell, and it took the brunt. I guess that took the attention away from my legs, which were already tired from a good week of training, and the fact that I had another 32+ miles to run in a few short hours. The quick turnaround was something we’ve never done before. Yes, we’ve run further distances in one push but not these two distances with a break/rest in between. I was very interested to see how my body would respond in the morning and throughout the 53k race. Like most nights before a race, I didn’t sleep well. However I did get up feeling good and there wasn’t any soreness from the night before……other than my left hand 😊.

It was a chilly morning, just around 40 degrees at the start, which felt amazing compared to the desert heat. The 53k, as mentioned, was different than what I had done four years prior. Part of the course was the same loop from then, and from the night before, but there were two new stretches put in so I was excited to see what these new trails were like. These new sections didn’t disappoint. They stretched through many tall pines and up in the higher elevations, mostly single-track with some forest roads. There were some shady areas and there were some sections that were completely exposed and when we hit the late morning, early afternoon, even though the temps were in the mid 70’s, it heated up quickly. The early miles, most of them up to mile 10 roughly, I was working out the kinks from the week, and night before. My legs felt a bit heavy but overall, I was feeling good. About mile 15 I came upon two other runners, a man and woman, maybe a couple – not too sure but they were running together. As I approached them, about 200 yards back, I saw them make a turn to the left and immediately saw the woman take a pretty hard fall and let out a big scream. Having experienced something similar the night before, I was able to relate but it seemed like she it much harder than me from where I was. About a half mile later, I had passed the dude and was about 50 yards behind the woman and saw her clip a toe and again let out a blood curdling scream, like one where birds starting scattering from trees……it was loud. I felt bad for her because we can relate to that feeling. As I approached her to pass, I wanted to say something to try to encourage her and said she was doing great, keep it up, and we all know how shitty it feels to catch a toe and take a spill. Not sure if she liked it so much at the moment but we did see each other at the upcoming aid station, and she was in real good spirits and seemed to have put the experience behind her. I hope 😊.

We had a short 3 miles or so to the next aid station, getting back on the familiar looped section of the course that would take us back to the start/finish area before heading back out for one least loop. Those 4 or so miles were not ideal for me. My body felt good, but my stomach seemed to start going south and it may have been a lack of hydration. I was moving well and was drinking but wasn’t taking in any calories. I came into that main aid station and doused myself with ice cold water and downed likely as much as I doused myself with. The cool water felt great, and my spirits began to improve. I decided it was likely a good idea to throw some food in my head but that didn’t work very well. I tried a little burrito and some watermelon but neither hit well and I had to spit them into the trash. Again, not ideal so I drank some ginger ale and housed a couple of pickles. At this point we had just under 9 miles to go and my legs, although tired, felt good. I left the aid station and pressed on. The next several miles went by very smoothly and was able to catch a few folks and had some great conversations. About a mile from the last aid station, I came upon a husband and wife, a different couple, that were just a treat to share some miles with. Great people!! We where having a good conversation and I was about to run ahead to the aid, as soon as I said goodbye, bam – another rock jumped out of the ground and tripped me 😊. Actually, I toed another rock and went down. Not as hard as the night before but definitely with much less grace…..! The dude was so great, telling me, “I got ya bud, you alright, I got ya.” I just laid there in the trail, on my back, in the dirt, laughing. We all had a good chuckle and then got on our way. The last aid station was great, the volunteers there doused me with more water, filled up my bottle and I actually got some calories in me for the last 4+ miles to the finish. It was a good little climb out and then a nice long flat stretch. The final two miles, I came across a few more runners and we exchanged a few congratulatory words and gratitude for the day.

Crossing the finish line was quite satisfying. It was the first time that I had gone out and tried a back-to-back race like that and was very surprised at how good I felt. Yes, I did feel that I had run 50 miles and there was tightness, and I was a bit sore. Overall, it was a great “training” day with a group of exceptional human beings. It has me excited for the next few months leading up to our big day in September. Although the family wasn’t with me I did stop in Sedona on the way home & enjoyed a burger and a beer at the Sedona Beer Co.!!

Apologies for so few photos but didn’t have much of a chance to take any shots. Big thanks to those that took some of these for me 😊.

[starboysinspace]

Klance Recs #1

Homesick at Space Camp by K0bot (PG, 54k, WIP) Summary: Lance's insistence on maintaining his rivalry with Keith is hurting his performance, and Shiro's had enough. Keith and Lance are forced to talk it out, and Lance becomes certain of one thing: He's gonna be the best friend Keith's ever had in his LIFE. Naturally, he's in for much more than he bargained for. [Fake Marriage, WIP] time out of mind by aknightley (PG, 27k) Summary: Keith and Lance wake up married. In the future. He lays there a moment, processing the faint throbbing in his head, a strange bitter taste like lemons in his mouth. When he opens his eyes, the room spins wildly into a kaleidoscope of colors, so he closes them again, breathing in and out until he feels less like he might throw up. He suddenly registers a warm weight over his waist, and lifts his head to see a brown arm thrown over him. It looks startlingly familiar, but different, bigger than he remembers, more toned. Keith turns all the way around and comes face to face with Lance sleepily blinking his own eyes open. [Time Travel, Fake Marriage] Heatwaves on Autopilot by WhatTheBodyGraspsNot (NC-17, 56k) Summary: Keith and Lance unknowingly inhale an alien aphrodisiac during a simple resource retrieval mission. But unlike the common aphrodisiac, this particular one reactivates under certain unknown conditions, later leaving them craving in situations that don't necessarily present them with many options. Keith tries to work through it, concerned with the sudden lack of control of his body, until he realizes the same thing is happening to Lance. So...great. How are they supposed to deal with this, keep it a secret, AND tend to the thousands of other responsibilities that come with defending the universe? (Together, of course.) [Heat Cycles/Sex Pollen] Today, anew by MemeKonVLD (MemeKonYA) (R, 5.9k) Summary: “Lance.” Lance’s eyebrows furrow in concern for a second before his whole face goes gentle and open. “Hey buddy, everything okay?” Keith nods. Then shakes his head, then opens his mouth to let out a noisy sob before he’s hugging the air out of Lance, grip vise tight. Lance hugs him back. That’s one of the great things about him— he doesn’t— he doesn’t need explanations for things like this. He doesn’t make Keith jump through hoops, the way other people might— he’s just— he just knows what Keith needs in times like this. No façades, no posturing. (Or: the one where Keith is trapped in a time loop. A time loop from hell.) [Time Loop, Temporary Character Death] A Commutual Contract by SKayLanphear (R, 24k, WIP) Summary: After a terrifying experience during which Lance, seemingly, dies, Keith is haunted by horrible nightmares of holding his comrade in his arms while he took his final breath. To the point where he can't sleep unless he knows for absolute certain that Lance is alive. And while the attention is surprising, Lance doesn't really have a problem with Keith checking up on him. Or the fact that Keith only seems totally comforted when he can cuddle Lance close and hear his heart beat. After all, there's nothing wrong with two bros cuddling. It doesn't MEAN anything. Or, at least, that's what Lance keeps telling himself. [Bed Sharing, WIP] How To Train Your Galra by magisterpavus (NC-17, 68k, Series) Summary: “Shiro, I fucked up,” Keith blurted, wringing his hands. Shiro paused mid-punch, shooting him a quizzical look. “What? What happened?” “I think,” Keith whispered, “I think I accidentally roofied Lance. With my dick.” [Galra!Keith, A/B/O Dynamics] Fake It Til You Make It by nikkiRA (R, 26k) Summary: “No, it’s not that –” Keith tries to backtrack. “We just – we –” he isn’t sure what he’s going to say, he just knows he has to say something before he and Lance are forced to have sex with some weird alien species, while also keeping the weird alien king happy enough to create an alliance with them. But not for the first time and not for the last, Lance pulls through. Of course, this time pulling through almost gives Keith a heart attack, because Lance slips his fingers through Keith’s so that they’re holding hands. “What Keith here means to say,” Lance says, and although his voice is steady, he is gripping Keith’s fingers so tightly it’s painful. “Is that we can’t mate with your people, although we, um, appreciate the offer, because, well. We already are. M-mated, I mean. With, you know. Each other.” [Fake Marriage] Nightmares by Trashness (PG, 14k) Summary: Lance's nightmares are getting out of control. It's effecting his and the team's performance, but he's at a loss for how to fix this. Apparently sleeping next to a warm body helps. [Bed Sharing, Mutual Pining] Accidental Bonding by Newbiemans2015 (NR, 2.9k) Summary: Whilst trapped on an alien planet Keith and Lance accidentally get married, and now how to deal with the consequences. [Accidental Marriage] All things infinite by MemeKonVLD (MemeKonYA) (R, 7k) Summary: “I didn’t know Lance was...” “Bi?” Hunk supplied. “Ready to jump anyone sentient and willing?” Pidge offered. “Yeah, let’s go with bi,” Hunk says. (Or: the one where Lance is a Bisexual Intergalactic Flirt, and Keith discovers he has feelings about this.) [Pining!Keith] like honey by manamune (NC-17, 4.3k) Summary: Keith wants to lose control. Lance has always liked helping people. [BDSM] Fireside by molsat (NC-17, 4.9k) Summary: It’s not the compliments that make Lance’s palms sweaty, his heart thunder wildly against his ribcage, and his face swell with impossible heat: it’s the way Keith has to be such a giant dick about it. [Praise Kink] Making the Most of the Night by saezutte (NC-17, 15k) Summary:  Having sex with Keith in order to secure an alliance with an alien species wasn't how Lance expected to lose his virginity, but it wasn't the worst way for it to go. (Until afterwards, of course, when it all goes wrong and Keith won't speak to him. Not that Lance has any idea why. Or why it bothers him so much.) hot singles in your area by rire (NC-17, 15k, WIP) Summary: “So she gave you a fake number?” “Yeah.” “And it turned out to be the number of a sex line?” “Yep.” “And then you decided jerking off was the best solution for your heartbreak?” “I guess you could put it that way.” “... And now you’re in love with a phone sex operator.” [College AU, WIP] Rivals-With-Benefits by lissa_molloy (NC-17, 26k, WIP) Summary: Lance and Keith have been sneaking around for a while now, not yet to the point where they can get over their rivalry but well beyond acknowledging how attracted they are to one another. A collection of vaguely-related oneshots in a fuckbuddies AU for Klance. I'll add tags as I go. [Friends/Rivals with Benefits] Blueprints by UnderTheSilentStars (R, 39k, WIP) Summary: "While soulmarks themselves were common, it was rare for someone to have anything other than the name of their other half...and Lance had a red paw print." [Soulmate AU] so why don't we fall by aknightley (NC-17, 4k) Summary: Five times Lance used a pet name for Keith, and one time Keith used one for Lance. Keith has no basis for having a relationship with someone, so he's trying to follow Lance's lead.  Down the Rabbit Hole by TheQueen (PG, 41k, WIP) Summary: It starts when he wakes up. Breathing hard and scrambling against the soft bedding and heavy comforter until he falls flat against the wood floor hard enough to take his breath away. Time travel might not be the worst thing Lance has ever dealt with. But it sure does feel like it. [Time Travel, Canon Divergence, WIP] 30 Rules to Marriage by delictor (R, 38k, WIP) Summary: Lance was only trying to argue with Keith, not marry him. And even if the marriage only really counted on the one planet, he couldn't help but let it take over his every thought slowly. Especially with him constantly thinking of the 30 rules of marriage his parents had taught him as a kid and trying to apply them to him and Keith. His logic? The 30 rules could apply to even just a friendship... Or: Lance and Keith accidentally get married and it's not actually as bad as they thought it would be. [Accidental Marriage, WIP] Diplomatic Difficulties by TemenCMoth (PG, 10k, WIP) Summary: Allura sat with her head in her hands. Coran balked. Hunk was frozen, new goo concoction slowly leveling out on the floor. Shiro looked stricken, hand in a white-knuckle grip on the back of a chair. The only sound in the room was the little clack-clack of Pidge's keyboard. The room was filled with tension thick enough to be cut with a bayard, a silence so loud none of them noticed Rover hovering behind Keith. They sure noticed when he started playing the Wedding March. [Accidental Marriage] heat of your skin by sodappend (NC-17, 2k) Summary: Keith is in heat and Lance is the last person he wants to see. So of course it's Lance that walks through his door. [A/B/O Dynamics] Skin by MemeKonVLD (MemeKonYA) (R, 3.2k) Summary: He’s aware of Lance talking to him, but he’s still too asleep to try to decipher whatever it is he’s blabbering about. He only starts paying attention when one of Lance’s hands goes to the drawstring of his pajama pants. “Whoa, what are you doing?” He asks, slapping Lance’s hand away, cheeks warm. “You,” Lance starts, pointing at him (and Keith notices that for all he’s made fun of him for the last forever for them, he’s wearing his fingerless gloves), “are not screwing up my skin care routine, man.” (AKA: the one where Keith and Lance switch bodies.) [Body Swap] I'll be your... whatever it's called by MoonStar1220 (NC-17, 3.7k) Summary: After a particularly rough and frightening fight with enemy Galra Lance decides he's had enough of Keith's behavior and vows to fix it. [Galra!Keith, A/B/O Dynamics] Alpha-nd a way to you by opalfire (NC-17, 3k) Summary: Lance honestly had no clue what was going on anymore. He had scented Keith, as though he were his mate. Lance flushed. The other alpha must think he was insane by now. “I-I’m sorry - fuck - I mean,” Lance stuttered. Keith just stared at him, the flush on his face getting redder. “I know we’re both alphas, shit I’m so-“Lance started. “We’re both what now?” Keith’s eyes widened before narrowing as he stared at Lance. “Oh my god, you don’t know.” otherwise known as Lance gets possessive and scents Keith without knowing he's an omega till he hits heat [Omegaverse, A/B/O Dynamics] Alive With the Glory of Love by lemoninagin (NC-17, 4.8k) Summary: “Hurry,” Lance urges with a gasp, clutching harder at the stands with both hands poised on them for support now, palms slick with sweat, “They’re going to find us like this if we don’t hurry, oh my God.” A deep chuckle tickles over his ear, almost rivaling the pounding of blood in them. “Let them.” [Public Sex]