Scenes from A Run

As it becomes time to rev up the mileage on the path to the New York City Half Marathon-I take my long runs on the road. Off I went to Monterey for my 9 mile long run.  There's a beautiful trail that runs from Castroville to Pacific Grove (I think ).  I start in Seaside.

I should be one of those people who take pictures but really there isn't much to take pictures of that you haven't seen before.  Let's see if I can dig up some for you.

This is what it looks like and it is beautiful.   So I don't have to keep taking them unless there is something interesting.

Okay look closely Here on the basketball court of Monterey right by the aquarium were the numbers 8 and 24 interlaced in the fence. There's also a beautiful blue sky.  

As I was climbing the super big hill up by Seaside I met an older runner who was coming the opposite direction.  I stopped and talked to him.  He was 79 years old and had run 25 marathons in his life.  He only does half marathons because they take up too much time to train for.

So he told me about  Blue Zones and how those that live to be a hundred exercise and I should keep that up.  He told me that he was running a half marathon next month too.

You never know who you see on this trail.  But it's beautiful and not too far from home.  Join me here.

The Week That Was

Let's see what happened on my camera this week.

This is a picture of Benjie before he went to the groomers.  He hates the groomers but they are really great and he comes out looking beautiful.

The moon is one of my favorite parts of nature.  I love it and can look at it for hours.  Like most divas it doesn't like to be photographed.  But here's one picture I did get.  

I am growing to really like the treadmill.  My gym at 4:45 AM is full of warriors who inspire me everytime.  They could do a better job of decor.  This was my view.

My district office is in Moss Landing.  Moss Landing is so beautiful.  You should go some time.  This was the sunset as we left a meeting on Monday.  I need to slow down when I'm there and take it in.  Like the Otters who literally cross the street there.

It's Valentines' this week. Love to ALL

The Many Faces of Benjie

No matter what kind of relationship we have.  You and I -that's who I'm talking about.  Maybe you know me in real life, or from work, or a fellow Running Ambassador, Maybe a former classmate, or one of my favorite categories former cycling friend-you know about Benjie

 Benjie is the first dog who is truly mine.  The story of Benjie is that 11 years ago during a parent conference a parent came in holding this fuzz ball that fit in the palm of my hand and I took him home.

His original name was Bon Jovi because he had this crazy blond hair.  Danny thought that was too hard to say so his official name is Benjie Bon Jovi.  No-one knew I was bringing him home that November day but I did.

 Benjie's personality is huge.  Almost as huge as his stomach.  But he is the most loyal person I know.  Oh -he's not a person?  Tell him that.  He's smart, he's cute, he's friendly, he is ALWAYS happy to see me.  

I tell lots of people they need a dog.  They don't always do it.  But this guy?  He should be a dog ambassador for people to have a dog.  Plus he LOVES the camera.

I wanted you to meet him.  This is Benjie

50 is the new Hot

I've been fighting aging for quite some time.  It's part of the workout every day almost-run the marathons-run in the dark obsession I have.  I'm determined to fight it every step of the way. 
Lets face it I attacked my career in my 50s ran my first of 4 marathons and haven''t looked back.

I'm not really a late bloomer -I'm actually an old sole.  
But then came Super Bowl some number I'm not sure of.  This was the 49ers my adopted team and the KC Chiefs.  The 49ers have a really young coach.  Like he's 15.  The Chiefs have a super young quarterback.  His mom is younger than me.  

But then came half time.  And this.

She's 50-and she's not listening to what people tell her to do.

But she's not the only one in their 50s.  I'm always protective of people who are my age.  Here are a couple

we are the same age.  I'm sorry-have you seen his abs?

In the running world you see them all the time.  70 year old women breaking records.   In fact I have yet to crack the podium in my age group.  There are women my age who are really really fast and can run far and do so often.  Here's one

In my real life they are everywhere.  I have friend coming back from an injury running 6 minute miles.  

So the next time you are feeling old.  I have a feeling those of us in our 50s-we are going to be blazing trails for decades to come.

Power to the People (over 50)

To the Motherland

A couple of years ago I had one of those awful pivotal years.  The kind of year which sucks so bad but propels you to something better.  Which it did because I'm super lucky to be working where I am and in the place that I am.  

But along the way I took a much deserved long awaited trip to Europe on the most beautiful cross ship in what I call the Motherland.  Italy.   Rome, Florence and Naples.

I am 100% of Italian Heritage.  I've not done a DNA test but everyone all the way back was Italian.  No dosages of random other Europeaniss like the rest of the family. And I look Italian.  I'm of southern Italian Peasant stock.  With the attitude to go with it.

Look at me there.  I think I look good for having flown 12 hours.  I was so excited to be there.

After all Italy is the home of Art, Food, Fashion, Religion, Music, History?  Keep going.  All of it.   And going there were the essence of every family tradition and the way I looked. 

That cruise was so amazing.  It was perfect.  I'll go back to Italy someday.  Probably 2021.  Even if I go all by myself.  Have you been there?  You need to go.

2020 is Crystal Clear

January was a great month.  I hit every workout on my schedule for the entire month.  I'm running better and better every time I get out there and these past two weeks have been pretty perfect.  

Remember me telling you that last weekend's race was great?  Today was greater.  An 8K which is about 5 miles.  This race. 408K Race to the Row is part of the Run Local Series.  They utilize downtown San Jose which is great -it's flat and it's fast.  It starts at the Shark Tank and finishes on Santana Row.  Well run, well attended .

I met lots of nice people today too.  During the race I met a guy wearing a NYC Half Marathon shirt.  We talked about that just a little bit (during the race).  He's going next month too!

I road the bus back with a woman who is an ambassador for Run Local -I'm a Mermaid Series Ambassador.  We talked business and running.  I'll see her again in April at the Silicon Valley Half.

I'm making an effort to do more local races this year and I'm loving the ease of it.  Get out there!  Run, walk, whatever.  Running is a gift and it's for everyone!  Let me know if you want to meet up!

The Great Mississippi

I've always had a thing for New Orleans.  For Decades.  Probably since high school.  I think originally it might have been the music but as time went by it became an obsession.

Not too many years ago we decided to make a city list and start visiting.  Most of our trips at that point had been to Dublin or New York to visit families.  It was time to take vacations.  First we went
to Seattle and that was great.  It was easy it was close it was cheap. It was fun.  

The next year we went to New Orleans.  It did not disappoint.  If New York has my heart and San Francisco has my mind and body (get it? I live near here).  New Orleans took my soul.  The food, the music, the hurricanes, the voodoo , the people, the history, the architect, all of it.  

When we do these cities we are tourists.  All the places all the buses including a tour bus driven by Henry.  Henry was a pure bread native with a great sense of humor.  New Orleans can not be spoken of with out talking about Katrina.  The hurricane which devastated the city.

This particular picture is not characteristic because I'm smiling. I  shouldn't be.  If you look very very closely you can see the water mark from where the mighty Mississippi rose on that terrible September day.  

Take that in.  I love that city.  I will go back.  

Say My Name

Oh Boy my name.  I was given this name.  Therese DiBartolo.  No accent on Therese no middle name.  A mouth full of words and letters and ethnicity.  What's a girl from Long Island to do?  Marry an Irishman with a more common last name-Phillips.  At least wit hone easy name everything flowed a little easier.

Then I moved to California.  Number 1-the Name DiBartolo belongs to the 49er family.  So when you say it people mostly know it.  Then there's this other thing-everyone here has hard to pronounce ethnic names.  And they have many many names.  Double last names triple first names middle names everything.

Plus there is this movement about pronouncing names correctly.  Its cultural insensitive not  to try and pronounce names correctly. and suddenly a name like Therese DiBartolo is cool.

I'm still Therese Phillips except on facebook where I have both names.  But a couple of summers ago I was able to go to Europe.  I was in Cannes.  Yes that one.  The one in France.  Yes and I was walking past a shop and in the window was an apron with my name.  Therese.

I was so excited.  There are no license plates in souvenir shops with my names or quizzes or anything.  My name.  THERESE. (rhymes with Perez if you aren't sure)

A Taste For Fashion

I love clothes.  I have always loved clothes.  It started with my mother and the amazing outfits she would dress me in.  I mean look at me in this picture-not only is the color and style on point but it's on point from head to toe.  

Then I went to Catholic School and wore a uniform for 8 years.  The best part was that in 7th grade I would get to change from the jumper to a skirt and vest combination.  I still wore these great short sets from Sears in the summer.  I still remember when they would come from the catalog all packaged so cool.

True story-I chose Holy Trinity as my high school because of all the catholic schools in Nassau County this was the only one without a uniform.  A dress code yes a uniform no.  Turned out to be a great school and experience -but I think they went back to uniforms.

There were my punk rock days closely followed by my prepster days followed by shoulder pads followed by mom sweats all the way to now and my 3 closets.

In another life I might have been a fashion designer.  So next time you notice or ask do you ever wear anything twice?  The answer is yes -I just know how to style.

2018

In trying to catch you up since the blog went dormant this is a picture of the top 9 from 2018.  That's right not last year but the year before.  So let's go from top to bottom

1-that's me after the San Francisco Rock and Roll Half Marathon.  I love this race because you get to run over the Golden Gate Bridge.  If you know my fear of bridges this is a big win.

2.  2018 kicked off with snowpocolipse and a visit to New York just after Joe and Kelly moved there.  This is the first of a gajillion trips top Brooklyn.  This is Time Square and it was 3 degrees.  

3.  This is me and Rob somewhere around when we got engaged.  I had a super Pat Benatar hair cut.  He still looks the same.  And she was robbed and should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

4.  This is me and Leon Panetta.  I'm a political junky and he runs the Panetta institute and his volunteers read at my school.  Leon Panetta is a bonafide celebrity.

5.  Rob's 60th Birthday.  See?  Looks the same.

6.  Sunset out my front door.  We get crazy amazing sunsets in Hollister.

7.  Me and Kelly at her wedding shower.  I love this girl.

8.  This is us hanging with Danny and Kelly shortly after their wedding .

9.  This was a crepe and cappuccino in Mallorca.  I loved Mallorca.

Missing -Italy

2018 was a pretty good year.

Out of the Blue

Today I was going to tell you about what a great race I had yesterday at the Mission 10 race at San Juan.  10 miles.  Last time I ran this race it was during a very hard time and so this was quite a win in many ways.

I had just gotten back from today's run-also good-when the news came about Kobe.  I have no connection to Kobe none.  I'm not a big basketball fan, I'm not from LA so he's not part of a team I follow.  I rarely even think about him.  But for some reason -even before we found out his daughter was in the crash-this felt like a punch in the stomach.

You could envision what their morning was like as they rushed to get to basketball practice.  No big deal millions of families do this every day-not on a private helicopter but still.   Maybe because his name has popped up a little lately because of LeBron's record.  I vaguely remember a show on HBO about him...maybe.  

I looked through the blog for pictures thinking maybe I had referenced him at some point.  Nope...nothing.

But today we are all reminded that it's so random.  One day you think your life is on a projection and then just like that everything you knew or planned will never happen.  Something I think about all the time when I feel like I haven't bargained for something I'm going through.

I started out referring to going back to a race which marked a time when everything had changed from what I thought it was going to be-maybe it's that.  Lots of people have said the same thing.

Rest In peace Kobe and watch after your little girl.

Back to School

I always said I would never get my Masters Degree because it would cost more than it would be worth. Then  right about the time I ran that first marathon I decided I wanted to go into administration so I may as well get my Masters too.

So for two years I went to San Jose State.  It was supposed to be an online program.  It really wasn't and for two years I raced up to San Jose usually on a Friday night.  

The work was just that work.  And I was by far the oldest person in the class by far.  I was surrounded by ambitious and really smart 20 year olds and I became the camp mom.

These kids were always stressed about the assignments.  I really wasn't I was going for good enough not grey hairs.  But these kids grew on me and some are still my friends.

There aren't too many of us who actually became principals. And I didn't really enjoy the work.  There will be no PHD in my future.  But I have a masters and went to a fancy dinner and wore the robe and the collar and the hat.  Because 50 is the new 20 and if you bring snacks your classmates will help you in class when you aren't paying attention.

Central Park

If you add up all of the times I've raced my bicycle and all of the times I raced or run in Central Park on foot (you know-those parades I'm obsessed with) I can't imagine how many laps I've done.
When I raced my bike they were scary because you know- the 80s and Central Park.  Now Central Park is this beautiful oasis so not scary at all.
When I go to New York I don't like to run because the roads are so crappy.  So I try to go when I can race so I get one strong run in and then I just walk ...lots.
This was the Shape Women's half marathon last April.  I had the absolute best time.  Look at me running and smiling.  That never happens in my pictures.  
Being a Title Nine Mermaid Ambassador I run Lots of women only (men can run too) races.  I like them.  This one was fun.  Here's the thing though.  Central Park is a six mile loop so you do two-is of them.  I am not a fast runner.  I don't move fast.  I just move.  
At one point on the second lap the winner came running by on her way to the finish.  Yes I was lapped.  I'm amazed at the speed that elite runners run.  But me?  I get my money out of these.
In a month or so I'll be racing the NYC Half marathon.  I'm not sure if it goes through Central Park .  We'll see.  And look over there?  That guy in white?  He's cheering for me.  He's like a fan.  Maybe not.  He's probably like what's that girl wearing shorts for no-one else is.

26. plus .2

Since I turned 50 I had this crazy idea.  This crazy idea that this is the decade where I should run 26.2 miles.  So I did it on my 50th birthday.  But then I did it again and again and again and again and again and is that 4?  I'm going on 6.  What for you say?  No idea.  I just do.  Maybe I secretly always wanted to be in a parade and this is the only one I could get into.  Not that its free-it's super expensive.  Probably like 1000 dollars each time.

This time I ran in DC with the Marines.  Look at these Marines!  They stand at the end (actually they stand everywhere and give you water and donuts and stuff and cheer you on). at the end they give you a medal and then they take pictures of you .  Because why not?  They are heroes and it's a parade.

I look pretty good for the end of a parade don't I?  FYI a few months after this I had knee surgery for Meniscus Repair.  And then I ran two more marathons.

Hoo ra. 

Go for the Upgrade

This summer we took a world tour. We went to so many places with so many people it was a miracle and a victory that we had a hotel every night because you know distraction is my middle name.  

This was the second leg of the tour.  This leg involved adding Danny to our car because he was coming with us from Vermont to Brooklyn.  What?  You didn't know a world tour went from San Francisco to Boston to Vermont to Brooklyn to Boston to London to Wales to London to San Francisco?  Call us Beyonce and Jay Z. go ahead.

Anyway originally I had a regular car.  Good luck they upgraded us to this Kia SUV.    We were packed so tight we had luggage between us. Of note?  I really like my hair in this picture.  Remind me to go shorter next time I drive poor Courtney Crazy.

Of note I smile like this EVERY time I'm headed to New York.

A British Wedding

This summer I had a chance to go to a British Wedding.  Maybe it was an Irish wedding.  Nevertheless it took place in Wales.  I did not know much about Wales except for Diana was princess of it.  I didn't know what to make of Wales but I ended up really liking it.
As a rule we don't go to weddings for the Irish because we can't possibly go to all of them so we don't go to any.  But my brother in law is a wise person because he was smart enough to get my husband to go by making him best man

The wedding was nice. (the couple is not in this picture and neither am I).  I don't eat lamb so I skipped the meal and there were no choices but I did appreciate the American buffet afterward with hot dogs and nachos I think.

It was super fun.  I didn't wear a big British hat and good thing because as you see no-one else did either.

Of my whole world tour I really loved Wales.  I intend to go back sometime.  You should go too.

Happy Birthday Phillips Number 2

This is my son Joe.   The human not the dog or the pumpkin.  He lives in New York now which is ironic because he hardly ever visited there.  But.he's adjusted well to returning to his New York roots.  I guess you can't take some things out of your DNA.

Tomorrow is his birthday and this magical model worthy person who teaches us all how to shmooze and rock a bare ankle.

I miss him every day.  He's my shopping buddy.  

Now if he would only propose to his beautiful Kelly. (We have 2 of them and they are both magical)

Until March.  We love you Brooklyn Joe

Magic!!

When I go to New York my cousin Lori always comes to see me.  Well except once but she had an excuse.  We always try to go to a show-you might call it a play.  She has this website she uses which gives out discount tickets to all kinds of plays.

This time we went to see The Illusionist which was technically a Christmas Play.  We were past Christmas but luckily it was a mild case of Christmas sorry Holiday. Just a snow trick at the end for the kids in the audience.

Magic can annoy me tremendously but I have to go in with an idea that I won't know why or how these things work and that's okay.  I suppose its a lot of distraction.

My favorite was the guy who read minds or the mentalist.  That was seriously cool.  I want to be that.

The French guy was really hard to understand.  We all wish Joe had been called up to participate.  He wasn't.

The best part was seeing Aunt Loretta.  

Hello 2020

I've been to New York again.  I went to visit Joe and Kelly and of course Pat and Palma and Lori and hurray Aunt Loretta.  New York is always going home even though before Joe moved there I barely ever went to Brooklyn.  But Oh My Brooklyn is magical.

This trip I wondered around New York and went to the Whitney Museum which I've kind of sometimes heard of but never been to.

It was a weird mix of modern weirdo art and paintings.  But here was this sampler.  Which you couldn't touch or get near-it was behind a case.  My favorite part was the saying that said "I shop therefore I am"

Yep that's pretty much me.  There's a quote about authority too.

No running on this trip.  Winter running clothes take up a lot of real estate in your luggage.
Next up the Mission 10 in San Juan..