Make me your radio, turn me up when you feel low

Treasure Island

Redington Shores

Pass-a-Grille

St. Petersburg

I have found my life in Florida to be a bit ridiculous. In almost every way.  Lets start with my job, I work as a consultant collecting data on the beaches. Note to you all, if ever you want to feel like a person in power, just walk down the beach with a polo shirt and a clip board.  People will assume you are an expert at anything beach/ ocean/ wildlife related. Last week alone I was asked if I knew what type of crabs were scuttling around, if the jellyfish being washed ashore were poisonous, how many sea turtles I had counted that day and if I had any information on the surveying project down the road.  Seriously folks, what makes you think I know these things? Oh right, the polo shirt and clip board, I see how you might mistake me for an all-knowing public servant.

Also, running here is a bit tricky.  Most of the day it gets too hot for my sister and I to run so we have two options 1. suck it up in the heat and hit the "trails" aka crushed shell path running through palm trees where we have spotted many daunting spider/ crab hybrids and once even a bobcat 2. wait until dark and risk the potential wildlife encounter or rouge senior citizen driving past their bedtime in our neighborhood.  Either is pretty dangerous, especially after Em and I swore we saw a Florida panther a few miles from home.

I am currently in the crazy process of studying for/ applying to grad programs while working crazy hours.  My favorite place to get the most done is the local coffee shop run by only the most adorable English family.  Greeted as Miss Brewer and getting the extra coffee at the end of the day paired with seriously the most amazing cafe food (I recommend the turkey, brie, apple sammie on french bread) is why I keep driving the 15 miles to get there.

While doing all of these things I have also volunteered to help my sister at on of her million odd jobs, wine tasting at grocery stores. Seriously, the people you come across in this job you could not make up in the most hilarious of sitcoms.  Last week we were stationed at a liquor store where everyone working was simultaneously heckling each other and sampling the booze that they were selling while helping a near constant stream of customers.  I had no idea a place could be so happening on a wednesday afternoon in retirement world.

Oh we run just to find a way to change, its good to get away sometimes

Oh goodness, where to start. Well, its been a whirlwind since I last updated so as these things go I will try and hit the main points.

Flew back to Michigan from my Florida adventure and was there a grand total of 17 days before turning back around.  During my 17 days back in Wayland I had frequented the one and only coffee shop daily, searching for jobs, studying, and in all trying to figure out life plans.  Thru my sister I found a job lead, and within 3 days of submitting my application I was hired!  Although not a long term position, this work will give me enough time and security to figure out my next move. I did enjoy my time back in the mitten though, hanging out with the high school cross country teams, getting together with my biking group in Kalamazoo, presenting a travelogue to my old Pfizer colleagues, and making a little pilgrimage back to Ann Arbor to see some long lost college friends.  The saturday morning mrun pancake run was definitely a hi-light (along with the FREAKING amazing football game that followed) :)

So for now I am back in the sunshine state, sharing a room and a car with my favorite big sister :)  I start work tomorrow, always a bit nerve wracking, but this should be fun.  I will be compiling evidence for Federal and State agencies such as NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association) by walking the coastlines and asking for interviews and filling out questionnaires. The rest of my time (hopefully) will be spent studying for grad school entrance exams and applying to schools. Its all a little overwhelming but being productive has kept me relatively focused these past few weeks.

Researching possible school options and creating career goals for myself has kind of psyched me up for life.  Not going to lie, still missing South Africa like crazy, but figuring out my passions and figuring out how to incorporate them all into a crazy life experience is really exciting.  Patience is something that is very hard for me right now though lol. Ok lets be honest, when has this ever been easy. Slow down Sarah, one step at a time.

So although Michigan is starting its chilly pumpkin spice latte season, I will be walking the beaches and getting sunburnt (mission already accomplished on day two).  Sorry body, you still don't get the normal seasonal progression that you are used to.

Just a small town girl

Wow, ok so lots has happened since my last post, so I will try and sum up what has went down in the life of Sarah since touching back down in the states.

RAGBRAI: Within hours of being picked up from the airport my mom informs me that there is one spot left on the bus to RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, the world's biggest bike tour with over 15,000 cyclists riding over 500 miles) and I only had a few hours to make up my mind if I wanted to come. Despite my protest of "I haven't ridden in a year" we took the bike out for a spin to make sure it was road ready. I don't think I ever really agreed to it, my mom just started making arrangements and I transferred some clothes from suitcase to backpack. Therefore, my first week in the states was spent waking up early to bike in 115 degree heat, start drinking waaaay too early, rocking out to music, eating dollar store spaghetti o's and staying up way too long hanging out with long lost friends.

Tour De Michigan: Once back in Michigan, an interesting twist of fate made it possible for me to show my friend Lucy (whom I met in Cape Town, originally from London) all that Michigan has to offer. Our sightseeing included a trip to both Bells Brewery/ Eccentric Cafe and Waterstreet Cafe (two of my favorite places in Kalamazoo), viewing of the incredible Lake Michigan on our beach day in South Haven (it has been confirmed folks, it really does look like the sea), a night on the town complete with signature martini's in Grand Rapids, and a weekend of fun in my college town, Ann Arbor. It was so much fun sharing all that my state had to offer with someone who was seeing all these special places that make up my life with new eyes. I also had a blast connecting with old friends, despite the difficulty of telling stories through the giggling (apparently I picked up a bit of an accent from za that supposedly is hilarious, lets hope that passes soon). This whole week made me realize how great of a place I live in to begin with, and that I can appreciate even after being in such a different place for so long.

Floridaaa: Still having yet to catch up on my sleep since.... (man can't even remember the last time I slept a full night) I woke up after a long night due to car trouble in Ann Arbor to take a few more hours to transfer clothes into yet another suitcase. My saving grace this time was that my sister's closet was at the destination of this trip and so it didn't matter quite so much if I forgot something because I will most likely steal all her clothes anyway (definitely came in handy because I'm not even sure if I was completely awake and coherent when I packed this time). So now I am in sunny, well more like rainy Florida catching up with my dad and sister. This will be my time to reenergize, relax, and consume my weight in Mexican food.

Its been incredibly weird to be back here in the states, but its been kind of fun to see familiar things with new eyes. I catch so much of the "classic American" things that I took for granted or didn't notice before, and find myself laughing at what some of my South African friends would think about these small town nuances. Seriously man, only in America.

My heart is definitely missing Cape Town and all the friends I left there, but I have been very thankful for the ability to jump right into traveling and exploring here to keep myself occupied. Having Cape Town friends here to reconnect with has also helped, but I know that its going to take some time coming down from such a wonderful life experience. Thank goodness for the internet, the world is definitely a much smaller place when you know that despite the miles you still have a way to stay close to your friends :)

Oh got this feeling that you can’t fight, like this city is on fire tonight, this could really be a good life, a good, good life

July marks the ending of my work here in cpt, and the beginning of freedom to do as I please with the daylight hours, a huge plus. After the last few hectic days at Regency, an office party at Spiros (local greek restaurant) commemorated both my boss Richard's birthday and the end of my time here as an intern. Strange to think that I was only meant to be here for 3 months, and here we are nearly 11 months later finally saying goodbye. Due to my departures, I was asked to write one of our monthly articles featured on the Regency website detailing my experience here, feel free to look up the web page and check out what our NGO is all about (regency dot org)

This month also gave me the opportunity to bring a little bit of America to my friends here in Hout Bay. After learning of my cooking/ baking abilities on one of our weekend trail runs (when you are together for 8+ hours at a time it is interesting how the topic of covo always ends up on food) it became apparent that a 4th of July celebration was in order. With the help of a well-timed care package from my mom I was able to recreate as best as I could the star spangled holiday, complete with "American" food (foot long hot dogs, corn on the cob, potato salad, coke and chips), the brewer kid's favorite pies (Emily's red white and blueberry and Jesse's tollhouse pie) and watching of jackass the movie. So much fun, especially when I realized this is the third continet that I have celebrated independence day on!

I have also been able to spend some quality time on the mountain with JT these past few weeks. She wanted to show me some new trails that I had yet to run and to also get in some great views that I could take pictures of (since usually pretty focused on not falling off the mountain, running into protea bushes, or spraining an ankle). I swear the vegetation here has it out for me, between the protea bushes bruising up my legs and attacking my face and the prickly devil bushes that always seem to be around when I need a good hand hold, these trail runs have definitely made their marks. Visited a geo cache, ran under some epic waterfalls, waded, through rivers swollen from winter rains, and had some ridiculously good laughs. So sad that I wont be here when she and the boys tackle Double Hout Bay and Tuffer Puffer, should be awesome races!

Also managed to get an entry into the Knysna Forest marathon this past weekend, so was able to see the Garden Route that I have heard so much about. The drive consisted of taking pictures, jamming to music, consuming ridiculous amounts of coffee and wine gums, and learning Afrikaans vocab via road signs. Translating names like Suurbaak and Buffelsjagsrivier had us both in stitches. Knysna is such a beautiful part of the country, and was so excited to see this new place the best way possible, via running :) The race was an effort to say to least (I was refusing to let a bum leg stop me from experiencing such a beautiful route) but our little Hout Bay clan stuck together and with the assistance of an undisclosed amount of pain killers and muscle relaxers I managed to get myself to the finish line (I swear one of these days my stubbornness will lead to my downfall). Ah well, first off road marathon done and dusted, next challenge please! :)

New horizon and sides from my eyes The discovery of the unknown Is something to tell the folks back home

Even though it is winter here, I find myself trying to be in nature more than ever. I want to soak everything up. I want to feel the elements and smell the earth. Feeling alive on the mountain or beside the sea. It's been nearly 10 months here and I still revel in these things. Makes me glad that I have friends training for seriously epic trail races so I can tag along for runs. Thursday was a public holiday (Youth Day, in remembrance of the Soweto Riots in 1976) and although rain (ok torrential downpours/ lightning/ thunder/ and hail) prevented a morning run, we were able to get out for the best part of the day and savor the sun when it finally came out.

Friday was a race to get through the weekday so that I could get back on the mountain, but this time at night. Around sunset a group of us headed out to do legs 2 and 3 of the Hout Bay trail, about 5 hours on the legs. The first bit I had done before, but was excited to check another new trail off the list for the second half. Lately it has been incredibly to be able to sit at my desk at work or look out the window of my apartment and see all the mountains that I have now ran/ scrambled/ hiked/ climbed. Had a blast chatting, joking, eating and singing our way around Cape Town's mountains and made some new friends in the process.

The rest of the weekend was full of friends and chilled vibes. Had an awesome braai (well braai turned epic feast) on Saturday and drove around the coast sit by the ocean to sip some coffee from La Vida and journal Sunday afternoon. Even caught a rainbow during one of the million brief but powerful rain showers we had during the weekend. Made me think of my dad, not just because of fathers day, but also remembering pulling him pulling over on our drives to Colorado on family vacation making sure to capture the double rainbows formed by the summer rains.

All of the wonderfully soothing morning showers have thrown off my sleep schedule though, its way too easy to fall back asleep on the weekend when rain is gently pounding your window and before you know it the day is half gone. And while the late nights following were great to catch up to some friends and family online, It is not the ideal way to get ready for the work week. Tuseday... here I come. Ugh.

Leave all your love and your longing behind you, can't carry it with you if you want to survive

Trail run time again! Saturday was the Old Fisherman's Trail Challenge, and another way for me to run/climb a mountain that I see every day! The 22k race started on Hout Bay beach and ran up Blackburn ravine over to Silvermine, then down to finish on Kalk Bay beach. 600m elevation change in about 6ks was tough, but being on the mountain enjoying a fresh 'winter' day is so worth it. The clouds rolled in during the day, so when we were actually on top of the mountain it was hard to see the view, but kind of made it Jurassic Park like and mysterious.

This race was also called a 'challenge' because it included additional worries of 1. not getting lost 2. making sure to punch your race passport at every checkpoint 3. making it over some pretty rough terrain. No joke, they check your kit to make sure you are carrying all the proper equipment, and a good thing too. The guy in front of me during a tough downhill took a pretty big spill and cut open his knee, I literally saw kneecap. Thankfully we were close to a checkpoint and everyone around had proper first aid. Lets just say I was a bit more cautious of the slippery rocks after that one lol.

My favorite part of the run was in the Silvermine trails. I had run there previously and gave them the nickname of Michigan Trails, because they remind me so much of what I am familiar with... trees, lots of ruts, darker brown dirt and some boardwalks. Flew through that section and felt great before heading up another pretty intense uphill, getting almost lost twice, luging down way slick wooden paths, and then down to the beach where I saw a puffer fish. So much excitement, I know. To celebrate (and get a little clean) I jumped in the ocean, much to the dismay of the locals, who think its freezing here now. Silly.

So, another week, and another mountain down.

Now that she's back in the atmosphere, with drops of Jupiter in her hair hey hey

Picture one for this week was taken after work on friday as I decided to take my book down to the beach for the last glimmers of sunlight. Still amazed with the beautiful place that I live, the mountains are constantly changing with the light and the sea is something I can never take for granted. So despite sporadic downpours all weekend, I managed to spend the majority of my time outside enjoying nature.

Saturday's plans, being my indecisive self, were left completely up to my friend. He totally delivered by taking me to the World of Birds here in Hout Bay, a place I had been meaning to go to. Its an amazing bird sanctuary, but has pretty much any kind of animal you can think of. After a funny look from the lady examining my student card (hey, they didn't specify African student card, better believe I'm going to try for a discount) we headed straight for the monkeys. Ok so in Africa, they are pretty lax with the caging of animals. Everyone is free to saunter around with squirrel monkeys climbing all over you until your hearts content. So. Awesome. Later on I didn't appreciate the lack of barriers between us and the wildlife when owls kept sneaking up on me from behind corners/ perching over doors and seagulls pecking my feet. It was pretty cool to see the animals up close though, even if the did put the wallabies in with the tortoises and some of the penguins could use some lessons on taking baths.

Sunday was a long awaited trail run. Ever since I let my legs have a little rest the mountains out my window have been calling my name. Starting out, we ran into a fellow runner who was actually looking for a geo cache! So crazy, these things are everywhere! Helped in the search for a bit before heading up the trail starting at Suikerbossie. Headed up near Llandudno ravine and eventually made it up to the backside of Table Mountain to have lunch near the dams. Really nice to feel the legs working again, and had a beautiful day to be out in nature for a few hours. Another encounter with a hiker left us with some new trails to discover for another day, I swear I could live here for years and never find all the places to run! Thanks to all the rain, the waterfalls and dams have begun to fill and after eating I tested out one of the little brooks for its ice bath qualities. Such stunning views as well, will definitely have to run this one again and take a camera along.

The rest of the weekend was spent listening to the rain pour and drawing with my jumbo, chisel tip colorful sharpies. It was a great weekend.

As sure as night is dark and day is light I keep you on my mind both day and night

So apparently this weekend I had an incredible urge to seek out my old yoga studio in Cape Town. This is a very strange feeling due to the fact that yoga hasn't really crossed my mind in the past few months, but with winter rain, chillier temps, and less sunlight to work with my mind has apparently started to wander to alternatives to staying active (not to mention office work can really do a number on your back and neck, the poor spine really needed some tlc). Now that I have wheels :) I woke up early (I swear, I can wake up at the crack of dawn for running/ yoga/ you name it, but 9am always comes too quickly for work) and made the trip into town solo. I feel so cool, driving along. It is quite like a game, shifting your perception to the wrong side of the road, wrong side of the car, shifting with the wrong hand. But I have been surprised with how well your brain adapts to things like this. Oh the mystery that is the mind.

Anyway, got to yoga in once piece and on-time. Was a bit hesitant when I saw that my previous instructor was actually taking the class with me (I was then trying to wrack my brains to remember if there was a skill level or difficulty associated with this particular Saturday class, seeing as this whole idea was slightly last minute per my life lately) but everything turned out ok. Was a bit on the inexperienced side of things for this class (being a bit out of practice didn't help my cause) but the wonderful thing about yoga is that there is always a more difficult pose, so no one is ever really at the top. People are falling over doing balances and muscles are twitching, its a strug fest for everyone regardless of the level. After an an hour and a half, my body was so pleasantly stretched/ worked/ relaxed I had a bite to eat then decided to take a little walk around the waterfront and visit my favorite shop Cape Union Mart to ogle the lovely outdoors stuff. I think I could live in that place.

Was pumped to be going to the movies this weekend as well. I realized that the last movie I saw in theaters was Spud, which was in Durban last November. While waiting for a friend to get off work, I wandered back to the neighborhood I used to work in (Gardens) to the best little coffee shop/bar/ hookah lounge. Reading a book by candlelight, sipping on some coffee as you listen to Johnny Cash records, can't get much better. I loved being back in The City too. Everything feels so familiar, like I'm back living in Perspectives, working on Hope street and running down to the reservoir everyday. Good times. Crazy to think thats where it all began, couldn't have imagined back then that I would still be here now. Speaking of movies, I also just re-watched Blood Diamond this week and nearly had a heart attack when they showed Cape Town! I hadn't watched the movie since I came to Africa and couldn't even remember that parts of it took place here. Soooo trippy, especially because the last bit was shot at the waterfront, just where I had spent the afternoon!

Has really been good to reconnect with people back home recently as well. Now that school is finishing up I can see people de-stressing and getting into the summer mode. Really great to hear from everyone, and making me excited to make plans for when I return home. Will be sad to say goodbye to this place I love so much, but I will be back. Besides, I have to come back to run the Comrades right? :) 90ks huh... better give me a bit to prepare

When you’re lying in your bed and the sounds’ still in your head let it spin around you takes you back again, again

Another slightly scattered posting. For your reading pleasure.

This week will be my first full week of work since before Easter holiday...yuss South Africans love their public holidays and I quite enjoy finding creative ways of extending the weekend with running adventures. The most recent was voting day last Wednesday but there has also been Family Day, Workers Day, and Human Rights day.

Never thought it would happen, but now when watching movies set in the states I wonder why everyone is driving on the wrong side of the road. So bizarre, but very glad my mind has made the transition, especially now that I have started driving here on my own. Yay for being ambidextrous, and having a dad that made sure I learned how to drive standard transmission :)

I currently have 6 bruises attempting to heal. I'm not quite sure if I should start wrapping myself in bubble wrap or evaluate the life choices that led to these injuries. Hmm, racing, running through the African wilderness, downhill trail scrambling, and climbing tall objects...nope those all are going to have to stay. Guess its time start wrapping.

Due to the office Feng Shui experts I had to pack up and move 5 feet across to the other bedroom in my flat. After living here for 5 months. Seriously. Never a dull moment here.

I'm starting to have to think about what I have left to do before I leave. I can't believe time is going so fast. But then again I can believe it, with all the relationships I have found here and how familiar and comfortable everything seems now. I appreciate all the families that have welcomed this stray into their lives, it has really made South Africa feel like home.

I have never in my life been so freaking pumped about mail of all kind. Emails, care packages, letters, post cards. You wonderful people back home sure know how to make me smile :)

I think I have developed an unusual attachment to buffs. And the ocean. And the mountains. Dang it only one fits in my backpack. Well thats going to suck.

This week it took a South African to remind me that South Africa doesn't have bagels. Strange.

Totally was un phased when I went to get medicine for a sore throat just to get a bottle of pills with no directions, and had to google the recommended dosage and what exactly was in the tablets. Oh Africa, always so sketchy.

Found the "Smallest Pub in South Africa" finally. Its right here in Hout Bay, and have passed it probably a million times. But then again, its the smallest right, so I shouldn't feel dumb?

In case anyone is wondering, I did take a brief break from the running to let the legs (and immune system, stupid marathon colds) get back to full strength, but I am registered for another trail run in three weeks. Hoooray! But how to get a run in, SA doesn't have daylight savings so every day we lose a bit more sunlight from both ends of the day. Not sure which is more annoying, losing it all at once like in the states or losing a bit every day and have to keep recalculating the latest I can be out.

I am currently holding a Hout Bay library book hostage. It has been overdue for about a month. My current late fee is R6 (less than a dollar, gasp). Don't they know that books over a thousand pages should get some sort of exception to the two week return rule?

Ok random jumblings done.

Hurry hurry hurry Now quick quick quick Just step on the gas cause I don’t wanna miss this This opportunity will only come once in my life, my life

Last week an invite to run the African x fell into my lap, and feeling a bit reckless at the time I eagerly accepted. Pretty glad my body doesn't always remember physical pain, because I would have been missing out on some pretty great experiences if it did. African x is a 3 day trail race based in Kleimond, South Africa which is a beautiful oceanside town near Bettys Bay. The race was something I had never experienced before. What an atmosphere! With your entry you get all your meals, a huge goodie bag, and entrance into some of the most beautiful trails I have ever run. You can't help but pick up the fabulous vibe off of all the excited runners ready to run. The lyrics for the title of this blog come from their theme song of the race, Happiness by Alexis Jordan, which was blasted for us at each stage start.

Day one: 23ks and 599m climbing.

Feeling a bit nervous (and totally wondering what I was doing starting a 3 day offroad race almost exactly two weeks after an ultra marathon) I started out this stage pretty conservatively. Although scenic, the first bit on the beach kind of smelled like horribly rotting eggs (first picture) lol. Somehow bumped into a lady that recognized me from another trail race (do I really stick out that much?) and got chatting to her and some others as the path snaked its way up a ridiculous mountain path. Definitely the technical stage of the race, but managed to keep the ankles in tact. Loved the "magic forest" bit and finished with amazing views of the bay.

Day two: 40ks and 1137m climbing.

Now this was the tough one. The first 5ks are straight uphill and the rest of the day continues to give you mountains and valleys. Had some seriously beautiful views (pictures 2 and 4) that continued to change as we wound our way around fire burnt areas (the fynbos need fire for their life cycle, but natural fires ravaged the area in March of this year). Had to dig deep in some parts of this stage, not only my first time running (practically) a marathon off road, but doing it on tired legs is a whole other game. But this is why I signed up, I wanted to test myself in a way I hadn't before. I feel strongly that tackling physical challenges shows you your inner strength and allows you to overcome other obstacles in life and learn how to deal with difficult circumstances. This race was proving to myself that I am as strong as I choose to be.

Day three: 21ks and 452m climbing.

After yesterday my body was starting to feel the wear, but a layer of second skin on my gigantic blister, some ibuprofen and two buckets of ice to fill up the tub in the hotel and I was good enough to make it though the last day. 8ks straight of climbing was our wake up call, but the pleasant single track of equestrian trails that followed it made it all worthwhile. I was holding my breath when I saw on the race guide that the last 5ks were on the beach (sand and sore legs, not an ideal combo) but it was actually quite manageable. Definitely no sweat after the previous day.

All weekend I was in awe of the strength of the runners I was surrounded by. There were even a pair of 60+ women that finished every day! I am very thankful that this opportunity to experience something new with a complete stranger (my partner, quite a legend in this area, and I met the day of the race) and learning about someone else in such an interesting setting. I appreciated the ability to experience this, since it may only come once in a lifetime.

Bonus: I got to drive all the way back from the race by myself! :)

I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise, to fly

Well guys, its official, I have finished my first ever ultra marathon! Couldn't have picked a more perfect race as well, Two Oceans, aka the most beautiful marathon in the world. 56ks around Cape Town, with views of beautiful beaches, scenic ocean overlooks, and two grueling climbs up Chapman's peak and Constantia Nek before finishing on the University of Cape Town's Rugby Fields.

The race weekend started off with supporting Pieter in his 20k (alright afterwards we realized it was half marathon distance) trail run. It was only the second running of this event but definitely one to watch. If you like intense scrambles and extreme terrain mixed into your long run, then this is the race for you. In order to just spectate his parents and I had to hike up to the King's Blockhouse, no easy feat. Perhaps not the best way to rest your legs for an ultra, but thus is life, you do what you want to :) Pieter's parents are seasoned ultra runners however, so they kept reminding me to sit down and drink water the whole day. Had an awesome chat with who ended up being the chairman of the local trail running team while waiting for the runners to come by. Spotted some of the runners way up on the exposed cliff section, definitely a race not for the faint of heart (P's mom had to look away lol). Did I mention this was his first trail race? So intense! Looked strong all the way to the finish, definitely deserved that medal.

The rest of the day consisted mainly of naps, hydration, and an incredible amount of pasta. Nerves didn't get too bad until it was time to go home and try to sleep. Thankfully I managed a few hours before waking up at 4:30 to get ready for my pickup at 5. My Hout Bay running buddies have an awesome business office in town just a block away from the start! Soooo ideal, especially when this means no porta jon lines. Had a bit of a struggle with bag check once we got there, but shimmying through to the front of lines has become a skill that I pull out in times like these and managed to get onto the start line with a few mins to spare.

Once in my corral (they assign you according to your qualifying time) I was able to relax for a bit and chat with people around me and altogether get excited about what was ahead. Your bib also shows if you are an international participant (bright orange instead of the usual green) and what country you are from, as well as your name, so it starts up many convos. The starter asked for all the internationals to raise our hands, which was pretty cool to see. Then they asked all the females to raise their hands...looking around I didn't see a single one....ahhhh! Guess not too many in the B group! Hearing the national anthem of South Africa at the start was a really special thing for me, and reminded me of how cool it was to just be here.

The race in general was awesome, and ridiculously tough. You kind of just need patience to settle into a rhythm and not freak out too much about how much longer you have to go. There is no, yes we only have 10ks left... its more like yes! we have made it 26ks, now... only 30ks and two huge climbs to go lol. Passed the halfway point in about 2:19, a good pace for the flatter, easier first half of the race. We started to climb Chapman's peak after that and started to start really feeling my legs when we hit the flats after a cruising downhill into Hout Bay, about the marathon mark. Made it there in about 3:38, so still on pace with what I was aiming for, but still had the more difficult of the two climbs to contend with. Constantia Nek on tired legs is one big struggle, but I had more pain coming down the other side. Hello sore feet. But music and great support along the way kept you going, along with the awesome treats they had for us runners to eat (potatoes around the 25k, ice cream and bananas at the top of chappies, and candy bars right before the summit of constantia, not to mention powerade and water sachets and coke all throughout the race). Seriously guys, these packets of water and powerade are AWESOME and so much better than cups (except when you accidentally squirt some up your nose). Digging in deep came when you hit the highway portion on the way to UCT, but the finish is so close you can taste it... and that feeling pushes you on. Coming into the stadium and seeing the finish was so rewarding, definitely something I won't be forgetting anytime soon. Left with a finish time of 5:02, not quite a sanisbury medal (sub five) but really can't be disappointed for finishing my first ultra, especially when I decided to do it about 3 weeks prior!

Other than a bruised toenail, some sore legs, a huge gash on my back from where sweat met my one and only seam of my shorts, and one gigantic blister, I am alive and well. Actually already started running again, and while the legs have lost a bit of their spark, they feel good and are ready for the next challenge :) Thanks everyone who sent up prayers and thoughts for me on race day, definitely appreciated them!

All the days of my life I have been waiting for this time Could you believe now it's right before my eyes

What do you do when you are trying to focus on the longest race of your life?

Step One: annual hot dog run with the club. Had an awesome extra 2 hours of sleep this Saturday, didn't have to get up until 6:30am for the training run, another look at the final stage of the ultra (Constantia Nek hill aka my legs worst nightmare come April 23). Its the killer that comes after the marathon mark, but this weekend on fresh legs it was nbd. Lets hope that it feels the same in a weeks time. Regardless, had a great last long run with the club followed by the traditional breakfast of champions. It's a very strange feeling to have two hot dogs in your system before 10am.

Step Two: find every running/ athletic/ outdoor store in the mall and drool over awesome gear. Seriously. I have decided that my future house needs no real decoration, just to be kitted out with outdoor gear. Also, buffs are my new favorite things. I really hope they catch on in the states because they are ridiculously awesome, especially my new multi colored gem.

Step Three: get totally pumped for the race by chatting with people who have run the Two Oceans before. A family dinner at a friend's house quickly turned into race strategy central complete with the pulling out of photo albums from past Two Oceans and Comrades marathons as well as timing predictions and goals for the upcoming event. Don't think I will ever tire of race war stories, and always helpful to listen to how other people have figured out how to conquer The Most Beautiful Marathon in the World.

Step Four: taper. Ok well I am not so good at this apparently. First weekend off of running I managed to still do a 5 hour hike up Devil's peak while doing a little race route recon for the Two Ocean's trail 20k. What beautiful trails! Had no idea they were hiding out there. This city seems to have an endless supply of awesomeness perfect for exploring. Also couldn't resist a scramble up Lion's Head Monday night for the full moon. Ooops, sorry legs, I will try and give you some time off now.

Step Five: get totally psyched up for racing by hearing about all my running friends back home dominated Boston. Awesome job guys! Wish I could have been there to cheer you on in person. Looked like an amazing day for an epic run. Brings me back to last year, who would have thought that race would be my qualifier for this ultra. Crazy.

Step Six: finally understand the difference between my pancakes and South African style pancakes. What I make is considered flap-jacks here, and pancakes are more of a crepe hybrid that can be sweet (we had cinnamon sugar with lemon juice) or savory (hello cheddar cheese) and are thicker, pan sized, and rolled up with the filling inside. Pancakes, flap-jacks, crumpets, crepes, I approve of them all. Great way to carbo load, that along with my Easter candy I got today. Winnnnnnn.

this is my life and i only got one yea

Confession time... I told myself that I wouldn't do super long races until I got older and lost my "speed" and gained "patience" but I severely underestimated the persuasiveness of my new running guys. EVERY weekend I met up for a long run I got nothing but reasons why I should change my registration for Two Oceans. I held strong, unsure if I could actually do it for one but also because I wasn't sure if I could still enter (you have to qualify with a marathon time). The week I did a training 40k I finally broke down and emailed the race director. Within hours I was told international registration was still open. Yikes. So now I guess I am officially registered for my first ultra marathon. Look out.

So this weekend the club and I ran the last 20ks of the race, mostly in the dark (5am start ensured we were less likely to be hit by cars speeding down the mountain). Really glad to have previewed the entire course (all 56ks) before race day, will be good for the mental game I will be playing to finish this sucker. Waking up so early kind of made the rest of Saturday extremely lazy, total approval. Nothing like knowing your work is done for the day around 8:30am... I have also come to the realization that I sleep in more on weekdays than the weekend... strange.

This weekend was also a cool tour of some new parts of cape town for me. Had a great dinner in Big Bay visiting a new friend, and was totally impressed by all the kite surfers rocking it in the ocean. Put that on my list of things to do. Also was able to spend some quality time at the V & A waterfront checking out boats, laughing at tourists and enjoying the beautiful sun all my s.a. friends had said was long gone. Excuse me but the sunburn I am rocking right now begs to differ. Summer lives on!

For some the world's a treasure to discover and your scenery should never stay the same

How do you start another awesome weekend? By getting a package from home filled with bday presents AND finally my pair of new shoes arrived! Grey/purple/ neon pegasus with gore tex. You may drool now. I of course had to test them out with a lovely long run Saturday morning with the Harriers. Another beautiful day to run. Its actually quite strange, I have noticed since being here I have started to be conditioned to crave coke when I am done running. Its the refreshment of choice post race here, no gatorade in the finish chutes just water and coke. Regardless, great run in brand new shoes was followed by one very classy lunch at Rust en Vrede, a winery in Stellenbosch (pictures above). Met some new friends for the winemakers lunch (first time ever having steak at a restaurant, everyone be proud, with the most amazing chips (french fries for all you americans) and salad you can ask for). Pair this with glass upon glass of the most amazing red wines imaginable (thanks to a new friend that works at Rust en Vrede we managed a free wine tasting) and some new pilot friends you have yourself a fine afternoon.

Sunday brought about a run/ scramble up Lions Head and Signal Hill, just what the new shoes needed, a little dirt to make them look legit. Have never witnessed so many people on the trails though, definitely got some looks as you run past the casual hikers lol. After a delicious brunch on Kloof st. the rest of the day was devoted to helping some friends begin apartment searching around the city. Somehow managed to bump into an agent that remembered seeing me and the other interns from perspectives! What a small world. However this whole experience makes me absolutely dread having to find a place to live for myself when the time comes, maybe I will just couch surf for the rest of my life :) Ended the night on the balcony of a ridiculous apartment overlooking the harbor watching the seals play and chatting with quite an entertaining couple. Seriously one of the greatest things about travel, meeting people and listening to stories. Wasn't quite ready for Monday after such a weekend, but with Monday comes the possibility for yet another epic week in Cape Town. Bring it.