I’ve been back in Montana this week and it’s given me 2 more days to train on steep, rocky, beautiful trails. Yesterday I took off with only a lightweight top, tights, no hat, no base layer, no gloves. The temperature was in the low 30’s and the sun played cat and mouse with me the whole way. I thought the steep uphill would surely cause me to warmup but that never happened and within the first hour my ear lobes felt like you could snap them off. Then I noticed the difficulty I had keeping my arms bent, not to mention pumping them back and forth as I ran the switchbacks. Continue reading →

Gorak Shep just below Everest Base Camp

The more I look at pictures like the one above and wander through my memories of past trips to the Everest region, the more I admit to myself occasional moments of anxiety. Feeling anxious is acceptable, self-doubt is not. I have kept to a strict routine since May. I have approached this in a methodical way down to the last detail. I’ve worked hard both mentally and physically to prepare. By all outward assessments I’ve done a good job and I’m ready to go. So why do I feel like I need to increase my training! Get “serious!” I started writing this at 5 AM this morning. The more I delved into my feelings the more unsettled I felt. Then it started to creep into other areas of my life where preparation is a huge factor. I started stressing on the regional meeting I’m having today, the 42 new emails from 2 different accounts that came in since I last checked 30 min ago. I even looked at my dog and thought maybe I don’t walk her enough (she’s the most over-walked dog in Tiburon.) When the spiral begins I get up and move around. I threw on my clothes and drove to Tennessee Valley still unable to completely shift back to a balanced place. As soon as I stepped onto Marincello Trail and started to run I experienced magic. My focus did a 180 from feeling overwhelmed to feeling joyful and free. I hadn’t run since Saturday and I think the days off gave my body a much needed rest because I shaved a full 5 minutes off my 8 mile run. It was strong and easy, everything felt in synch. I left my anxiety in the parking lot and when I got back it was gone.

The first picture was taken 2 miles into the race. The second picture is of camp at 5:30 AM on race day in 2002.

There are now exactly 30 days left until I leave for Nepal. I’m uping my work-outs accordingly. Today’s WOD (workout of the day)

4 Rounds of:

• 4 rounds lateral shuffle w/ 24 lbs weight
• 20 box jumps (24 inches)
• 15 kettle bell swings w/ 35 lb kb
• 10 squat thrusters with 24 lbs
• Overhead lunges w/ 2-16 lb dumbells
• 50 situps

The pug is tired from watching :).

I’m happy to report donations continue to increase thanks in large part to the excellent exposure this is getting. KPIX Channel 5 interviewed me yesterday and the feature segment is scheduled to air on the 6:00 PM News, Wednesday Oct 19 during the Sports Report.

This has been a day of gifts. The most important by any measure is the birth of my second grandchild, a little girl unnamed as of right now (although I am hoping for Charlotte). The second was to have a well written article about the marathon on the front page of our local paper. The third was to kick-ass in my morning work-out: 100 push-ups, 6 rounds of Pagoda Lane’s heinous stairs carrying 40 lbs of weights!

To all of you who “like” and “comment” on my usually hokey postings on Facebook, to my friends all over the world who indulge me with words of encouragement, to Mary-Alice who gives up her own work-out so she can meet me in the dark at 6 AM to train, to my AMAZING team of colleagues at Pacific Union International who offer me so many words of support even when they must wonder WTF some of the time, to everyone who is now “following” me, to the news agencies and websites who have picked up this story and given it exposure, to the strangers I have met who are not strangers any more, to everyone who has opened their wallet for this worthy cause or forwarded this website or story in one form or another to others so that they too may donate, my heartfelt thanks.

My typical Saturday outfit consists of a combination of the above. Hydration pack or handheld water bottles? Gels or “food”? Brew or plain water? Salt sticks or salty nuts? Usually it’s water and a couple of Block Shots. This past Saturday was probably my last long run before I leave on Nov. 12. It was a beautiful day and 20 miles went by in about 5 hours. I felt strong but my left knee is starting to feel the impact of what could be described as “over training”. I’m icing and using a roller 2x/ day on my IT bands. I didn’t know anything could be so painful! A harmless foam roller that looks like a cheap pool toy digs and tears into the iliotibial band, a tough group of fibers that run along the outside of the thigh.

Tell me this does not look painful? Rest, ice, blah blah blah. Every article on treatment ends with “use a foam roller” so I am.

I have been talking to various companies whose products I’d like to have to see if they would be willing to donate equipment. Top of my list is GoPro HD Video Cameras. They responded to my request with a 40% sponsorship discount. I can attach it to the chest strap on my pack and record a lot of the run as well as the trek to Gorak Shep. I appreciate their generosity.

Interview with the Marin IJ:  Mill Valley’s Thomson tackles marathon on Mount Everest

Interview with The Womens Eye:  Brent Thomson Prepares to Run the World’s Highest Marathon

Continue reading →