Memorial Weekend and Nanny Goat.

So on Thursday I ended up having a biopsy done on my middle toe of my right foot... what I thought was a small black mole...I was told to rest for 24 hours and then take off the dressing and wash the surgery site and then light exercise..... my curfew ended 12 noon Friday..so Nanny Goat 12/24 and 100 was on my mind!

Goofing around with the RD hard hat and mega phone...

You see Nanny Goat just ain't any sort of an event it is an Old Goat race, it is not about how many miles you go it is not a timed event, by that I mean you sign up for 12 hours or 24 hours or a 100 miles....if you just do one lap you are a winner a medal and you name will be next to one mile in 12 hours....if you do 50 miles in 9 hours your name will still be next to 50 in 12 hours....if you do one mile in 13 hours you are a finisher in the 24 hour event...you get the idea right? The main reason is that nearly all your entry fee goes to Wounded Warriors Funding! ..

RDs.....

These are the amazing folks behind Nanny Steve Harvey (yes he is the guy in the green) is RD (well really behind ever successful male is a woman) and that would be Annie in white! greatest team ever. Shelley in stripes opens her ranch to Tents, RVS, kids, and 260 runners ..yes they are really standing in a barn.....you run through that every loop.  

This was my 3rd year running Nanny Goat, I thought as long as I kept my biopsy site clean and just kept moving forward I would be happy with 26 miles, but if I was feeling good 50 miles would be awesome or 12 hours which ever came first!!! but no more than 50!!..as had not been running much just cycling due to some medical stuff....

The Goat Pen! yup we all started in a Pen!!
Now there is really not much more you can say about this event.... it is one mile loops...boring???? OH NO....WHY??? well its hard to single out any one factor....
May be it is the Camaraderie ? Maybe it is the awesome runners, from Elite to raw beginner?   Maybe it was the incredible aid station..and believe me I have done a lot of races but they have a BBQ running right through the night with tri tip, veggie burgers, scrambled eggs.... Hammer Heed,Hammer gel and endurolytes, pickle juice!!!! and the other stuff you find at aid stations.... NO it is the volunteers ... or the amazing crews of other runners clapping and cheering you on....mmmm maybe its the horses that neigh at you as you run walk hobble by their fields ....It is really hard to single out one thing that makes the event special but it is over Memorial Weekend and proceeds go to Wounded Warriors and when you are hurting and having a hard time walking you really just have to think of the troops that protect us in adversity and give us the FREEDOM to be able to run one mile loops on a horse ranch in Riverside the freedom to laugh the freedom of speech the freedom to choose what you want to eat and wear.....the pain seems to melt away.......

So below are just a few photos of the amazing family of runners as for myself I am grateful to Tina for giving me a lift to the event and my friends Paul and Daniel for coming out and cheering Tina and I on! My toe is a little worse for wear but 50 miles is 50 miles!!

The Jester...Ed ,Colleen and Danni all 100 milers!!! AMAZING peeps.

Lots of miles and lots of smiles 

The Corral..

The Men in Pink!! Awesome Beer and run!!

the first 1/4 mile

Best Ranch dog ever!

Tony

Always nice to see Catra there to support Danni...

Fellow Hammer athlete!!!

Beaming 50 miles nearly finished

Tina, and  Daniel (cheerleader) 

Leon

Richele

The Audience

Vanessa

William

Annie and Steve and my medal!!

Lambert and Tracey (71 miles in 12 hrs)

Andrea 103 miles! in 24 hours.

So another Nanny Goat done and dusted good times, New friends made ........

My feet did not suffer any blisters and my biopsy site was kept as sterile as could be expected I do not recommend running 50 miles so soon after a biopsy.. but if you are going to run 50 miles it should be one for a good cause with good people.  

Big thanks to Hammer Nutrition the Perpetuem and Hammer bars were my saving grace!and Polar USA for guiding me through the course, Rudy Project USA for protecting my eyes and Ocean Potion for protecting my skin and Kool n Fit in my shoes!!

Tour of California Stage 7 Santa Clarita to Pasadena.

I could not resist...I had found out that California Triathlon were hosting an "Epic Ride" which would be the same route the pro cyclists would do on the 7th day of the Tour of California I knew I would want to challenge myself. 

Ray Mena and I before we departed....

So I enrolled my friend Ray who needed a little bike ride to get ready for his upcoming Ironman in Colorado put our names on the roster and pow no turning back!

The Ride.
The day began at 5am, and all the bikes were put into a huge truck, then we boarded a bus and were shuttled to Santa Clarita. After given route maps, and the go ahead to begin the only thing on my mind was a bathroom!! After finding a bathroom at 6.30am we began the epic ride....

The first few miles to mile 30ish were flat and rolling hills, the pace was a moderate to serious pace, traffic lights would make me jump faster and work harder!!

It was a great day 6 hours and fueled by perpetuem, lots of climbing and two King of the Mountain stages.

All  smiles at mile 50 ish, felt great and was well fueled on Hammer Bars and gels , The climb in the Mountains was certainly spectacular and the ride was a once in a life time experience, As I carefully descended Mount Wilson I chuckled to my self as later the pro cyclists would do this same ride and they would just knock it out of the ball park!!!!  87 miles of rollers climbs and long descents when I finally rolled into Pasadena I was DONE!! ready to relax and watch the pros finish! Was an awesome day to be on two wheels, thanks to California Triathlon and INCYCLE bikes for a spectacular day and my friend Ray Mena for sharing the day.

After the fires the mountain recuperates..

Demi SC VELO and Mark Ray Cannondale

Ultraman Ohana

All SMiles Ray finshed!!

On course we are cycling junkies!!!