I volunteered and ran over the weekend at the J&J Trail Running Reunion. It was fun seeing old friends, making new ones and getting...creative with serving ramen. I ran a decent 4-miler and was happy to not be last for a change. I may be on a comeback. Maybe.

Photo: A still from a video I shot at the pavilion on Friday evening. Look how organized everything is!

Thomas Bowling, soon-to-be-59, is a legend of the San Antonio running circuit. He has numerous ultras accomplished, with just a couple of races he'd like to do over. He is fearless about 100Ks to 100-milers. A counselor, he uses his own techniques to help himself get through tough, uncomfortable spots. Volunteering is another of his favorite ways to give back.

He also managed to subconsciously convince me to go through with this weekend's Salsa Walk.

Photo: Cunningham Gulch in the San Juan Mountains - part of the Hard Rock Course

A recap of a crazy, horrible week, along with lessons learned and stories from the past. Plus, a recap (with an ending) from Rocky Raccoon, since my power went out as I recorded last week's episode. 

Photo: my back porch on Feb. 15, 2021

Seriously, we have 3 inches of snow on the ground and it is below freezing. Six days ago, it was 80. We got this nasty polar vortex thing and it won't let up until the weekend. Meanwhile, my power goes out every 30 minutes for 10 minutes. 

Otherwise, I took my friend, Jessica, to Huntsville over the weekend for the Rocky Raccoon half marathon. We had a lost car key and found it. The wind chill was in the teens but at least it was dry.

She had a great time and now wants to do more Tejas races!

 I have a Big Birthday on Friday, which has churned up a lot of angst and sadness, but also some optimism. I talk about my ongoing struggle with depression and overcoming the stigmas associated with it.

I also give a few shoutouts, race updates and talk about the sundry items I collected during a trail cleanup on Sunday. Here is where you can sign up for Sunday.

In an effort to demonstrate that I can be accountable, I ran all of the miles I was supposed to last week. Hey, it's a start. I also managed to run a 10-mile race and come in dead last in my distance. Baby steps.

To further hold myself accountable, I signed up for a couple of challenging events: The Salsa Walk, where participants walk from the Chuy's in Selma to the one in San Marcos, for the 50K, or if you're really crazy, you continue on to the Chuy's in Austin for 100K. I am only half crazy. Past participants describe it as super-dumb and sucky, but I have to find out for myself. That's on March 6.

Starting May 1, I will be participating in the Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee, where participants cover 1,000K (620 miles) until you finish on or before Aug. 31. If you can get in 5 miles per day, you can do it. I am hoping to get in more miles per day by doing races -- including the Capt'n Karl's night trail series this summer.

I met Pamela a couple of years ago as we both slogged through the Brazos Bend 50-miler. She saved me with her 30-30 timer, stories and a touch of Fireball.

Since then, she has racked up a bunch of ultras, with the most recent being a 55-hour virtual where she logged 129 miles!

She is super-positive and motivating. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Photo: Pamela at the Alamo City Ultra in 2019.

Being a single parent is a big enough challenge, but throw a pandemic into the mix and things get even trickier: it's not like you can leave your kids with a friend or distant relative while you take a little time for yourself.

Mayra Caamaño, of The Woodlands,  and Hilda Ochoa, who lives outside of San Antonio, tell their stories, offer their coping mechanisms and talk about finding gratitude when our previous lifestyles are in the past.

Photo: Hilda Ochoa, left, Myra Caamaño, left. (Forgive my sad Photoshop skills.)

Last weekend, I learned that there is more to volunteering at a race than handing out food and drink and medals.

I found out there is a lot of prep: ice, fruit, propane, pallets of bread and tools to be purchased and more. There are stakes to be driven, signs to be stapled to said stakes, caution tape to be strung.

On race day, there was blood, hungry folks snapping up mashed potatoes topped with ramen broth and a woman with a tampon jammed up her nose because she fell and broke it.

I chose not to run on Sunday out of a combination of fatigue, a desire to keep helping and an impending epic rain and sleet storm, mixed with snow. Yep, we got all three.

It was an epic weekend where I saw most of my friends from The Valley (it was like a parade) and got to be part of one of the biggest races of the year.

Hats off to the folks who stayed the duration, working day and night. I was merely a bit player. But it was worth it.

Photo: the view from The Boyles aid station around 9:30 am on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021.

Happy New Year!

Like most runners, I am always learning new things about myself: mental attitude, nutrition, hydration, gear.

I got a new hydration vest -- the Nathan Vapor Howe -- and really like it. My former brand, Ultimate Direction, didn't live up to my expectations, so I switched. I also have been tweaking my diet and have added a couple of supplements, which seem to help. I also tried caffeinated Tailwind and, to my surprise, really liked it.

I had a couple of decent runs over the weekend. The second one, I did something that I haven't done in years: I ran a mile without stopping.

I know it sounds hilarious but it happened and made me feel better about my abilities. I'm going to keep at it so I can run more than walk. I know it won't be this way every time, but that is a new goal. In turn, I think I'm getting off the Struggle Bus.

Photo: Lucia Lua Ramirez