A race and a memory..

The weather has been a bit chilly recently, the dang polar vortex has made running outside downright miserable, but Sunday, Sunday we got a break. Thankfully I had signed up for the Hyannis Half Marathon last week! What a BEAUTIFUL day for a race!

Brian loves taking Panoramics..

 I kept telling myself the whole time, to just go slow, take it easy, run at training pace not race pace. I wanted to do this for fun, by myself and to see if I could just settle into a comfortable pace. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I enjoyed the scenery (I almost took out my phone to snap photos of the beach!)

The course was good, a little hilly but not nearly as bad as my training runs have been. I kept thinking about Boston, how far I've come and how I can't wait for the day I cross the start line of the marathon. I do my best thinking while running and let me tell you in 13.1 miles, you think about a LOT. I decided what I'm going to get my brother for his birthday (he turns 30 in March!!), I thought about where I want to take my parents when they come visit me in April, and I thought about what I wanted to eat for lunch!!

I

Why do I look like I'm walking??

 My time wasn't the fastest, but it certainly wasn't the slowest! I finished. And that's all that matters.

I finished!! :)

 After the race, we decided to visit Birdie. Birdie passed away on February 22nd, 2012. On February 23, 2012 Brian and I took a little bit of her, (she was cremated) and laid her to rest in the ocean in Dennis, MA. Birdie loved to travel and I figured this way she would be able to, I hope she gets to see Australia soon. 

 As a memorial, we had carved her name into the seawall, number 8F at West Dennis beach. She will forever be remembered at this spot. Its now our spot. Every time we go down the cape we stop to say hello, I tell her about what she's missed, and Sunday was no different. I cry like a baby every time I'm there, but it's nice to have a spot.

 I miss her every day and she's certainly missed a lot in the past 2 years. I try to remember that she's with me always, not just at the beach, but during my race too.  Sunday, Sunday was a good day.



 

Struggles... we all have them right?

We all know about the runners high... (see previous post for sunshine and rainbows).. But we have lows too.. Sunday was a low.. a miserable miserable low.

I'll be honest, when I woke up Sunday morning I wasn't in the mood. I was cranky, a bit sleepy, cold (our apartment can't seem to regulate itself right..) and just blahhh.

After checking facebook, email, tmz and exhausting my candy crush lives I realized it was now or never. SO, after deciding it was too cold (Seriously? Where has my Minnesotan back bone gone?!) I got dressed and ready to venture to the gym.

I had new sneakers! Totally bad idea when 15 miles is your goal but alas I'm attracted to shiny new things. I had my water! My shot bloks! My music! (Pandora is learning more and more about me everyday... <3)

Ready to Run!

And then about a mile in my toes went numb. I usually retie my laces but I was so excited to have new sneakers that I overlooked that and just threw them on. Problem Number 1. So I stopped. Retied them.

New Sneaks! Asics Gel Nimbus 15s!

Problems 2-1000; my attitude. I knew it was crummy. I knew I wasn't in the mood to run. And yet, after 6 miles and a screaming voice in my head telling me to just quit. I cried. On the treadmill. In the gym. Thank goodness no one else was there. BUT I think I would have cried anyway. I was so upset. So disappointed in myself. I sent Brian a text and told him I was done. I couldn't hack it. I'd never be a marathoner. blah blah blah. (Apparently I had forgotten all about the 13 miles from last week and all the other miles I put in this week!)

I got the BEST response from him, "It's ok to have a bad day." I don't know WHY I never thought of that. How many times have I stepped out the door to run and changed up the pace, the route or the mileage based on the day and how I felt? Suddenly because I was marathon training this wasn't ok? I knew I needed to deal with it, and move on.

And with that I went home. 9 miles short. With sore feet and a heart full of disappointment.

I spent the majority of the day disappointed in myself, I cried some more while foam rolling and stretching (seriously? what's with the crying?!??!) And even a donut, a beautiful boston kreme donut, complete with hearts on top, could barely cheer me up. Best boyfriend ever though right? me in tears = Donuts! :)

Yum!

I know now, the next day, that not completing the run isn't some weird indication of how race day is going to go and it doesn't mean I'm not a runner. If anything, these highs and lows, mean that I am.

So today, as I take my usual rest day, I'm gearing myself up for a 6 mile run tomorrow morning, but if it turns into anything less, that's ok too. Just as long as I keep taking that first step.

13 Miles...

I ran 13 miles yesterday.

I spent the majority of last week worried about it, after all... the last time I ran 13 miles was in Chicago.. with Pamela and Jocelyn. I had friends to push me, a group of amazing Team Challenge supporters and teammates, and frankly it didn't seem so bad. There would be a medal and a party after. Not so much yesterday.

To make matters worse, I should have been running the Miami Half Marathon yesterday with Team Challenge, but I wasn't. Pamela and I decided that it was for the best to bow out of Miami. Her body is not happy with her love/hate relationship with the good ole 13.1, and decided to be stubborn. She needs to get healthy, rest up and although I could have gone on to do the race alone, it just wouldn't be the same.

All of that left me to complete my 13 miles solo. Since the weather was beautiful (a tropical 40 degrees!) I bought myself a new gps watch

(Garmin Forerunner 10!!)

to tackle the miles outside. Boy was it HILLY!! My legs were SCREAMING at the end of that run, way too much elevation change for my first outdoor run in awhile.

But, its over. And I'm kind of sad to see the 13 miles go. It was a milestone for me. Training for my first half marathon it was the 8 mile run that seemed to spark something in me. Today its this last run, 13 miles. I learned a lot about myself out there. I learned that I can spend 2:30 hrs with myself and really truly enjoy it. I learned that I AM capable of running, running far, no matter the speed. I learned that this chubby runner is turning into an athlete again.

Yesterday there were no medals, no cheering section and no after run party... there was just me, my sneakers and the road. And I couldn't be happier.

THE moment...

Many women talk about THE moment, the moment their lives changed for ever..  Most will talk about when they got engaged, or married or had a baby... not me. My MOMENT was when I was handed this...

My Invitational Entry into the 2014 Boston Marathon!! :)

Let me back up... 9 years ago I moved to Boston. Every April I joined the masses of people headed to Copley Square and the Boston Marathon Finish Line.. Marathon Monday. It's so awesome it even has its own Holiday. The 3rd Monday of April is known as Patriots Day, but for most, its known as a day off from work to watch the runners.

It's never less than exciting. From the moment the elite take off to the swarms of "regular" people. They are people of all shapes and sizes, some in costumes, some in military fatigues. Regardless.. it's amazing to watch. And these "regular" people might be even more amazing to watch... they give me hope that someday ... maybe I could do it too!

Well... this is my year!

How you say? How did this chubby little recreational runner turn into a MARATHONER?!!? hahah I didn't qualify. I didn't wake up and run some sub 3 hr. marathon... Bottom Line.. I got lucky.

Like seriously lucky. My boyfriend, Brian, is a Lt. Field Supervisor for a major ambulance company. Short story? His work got numbers because they work the marathon, and they gave me one. Long story? He worked Marathon Monday last year, during the bombings. Scary stuff. Story for another day. This is a happy post!

Thus begins my marathon training, my first marathon, the BOSTON MARATHON. I am beyond thrilled. I get giddy and teary-eyed just thinking about it. I just know I'll have the biggest grin on my face, and want to wear my medal and marathon jacket every single day. But for now... I focus on logging those miles in my little suburb and hope that I'll be ready on April 21st. 

101 Things... in 1001 Days

I've been an avid blog reader for quite some time, mostly with a little push from my lovely friend Allison. So when I came across this great idea here, I jumped at the chance to get Allison involved... So we both created our lists and started our 1001 days.. See her

list here!

It took a LOT longer to come up with 101 things than I thought it would. They all had to be things that were a bit far reaching, but not totally unattainable in about 2.75 years time. Some are fun and on there simply to create new memories and some push me a bit further.

Here's my list!

1. Run a marathon (Completed April 15, 2014)

2. Be a bell ringer with the Salvation Army

3. Run a mile in under 7:30 minutes

4. Give up coffee for a week.

5. Spend a weekend without technology

6. Watch 10 classic movies I’ve never seen.

7. Send Owen a present/card/postcard once a month for a year.

 He LOVES dinosaurs... Almost as much as receiving his own mail! Cutest Nephew Ever. <3

8. Take Owen to Disney.

9. Meet Mickey Mouse

10. Do not buy anything non-essential for a month.

11. Pay off my car.

12. Pass the bar exam

13. Finally get to my goal weight

14. Don’t complain about anything for a week.

15. Ride in a hot air balloon.

16. Go skydiving.

17. Eat gluten free for one week

18. Plant a tree.

19. Adopt a family at Christmas.

20. Write a letter to Owen as “Santa”

21. Send a card or flowers to a friend.. just because

22. Adopt a pet (Bruin! Adopted in May of 2014)

23. Attend a live taping of a tv show

24. Make pasta from scratch

25. Learn how to can foods, such as homemade tomato sauce

26. Knit a queen sized blanket

27. Start a college fund for Owen

28. Try Potato Donuts

29. Make a pie on Pi day!

30. Try one new recipe every day for a week

31. Don’t eat sweets for a month.

32. Pay off my credit cards (DONE!)

33. See 5 more states (Virginia,)

34. Go sailing

35. Visit a vineyard

36. Go deep sea fishing

37. Write a blog (Hello Blog Readers!)

38. Kiss under a mistle toe (December 2014)

39. Get my private pilots license

40. Read the bible, cover to cover

41. Bring my lunch to work every day for a month (January 2014)

42. Brew my own beer

43. Take an art class

44. Host a dinner party

45. Leave a 100% tip at a restaurant

46. Create a beauty routine and stick with it. (Started wearing makeup!)

47. Create a recipe book.

48. Juice fast for one week

49. See a broadway musical

50. Run a race at Disney World

51. Complete a DIY every week for a month

52. Write down 5 positive things that happened during the day for an entire month

53. Read 5 or more "classic" novels

54. Make Crepes

55. Go apple picking

56. Start to write a book

57. Learn how to make sushi

58. Spend Thanksgiving in Tennessee (November 2014)

59. Make homemade laundry detergent

60. Do a yearly half marathon for CCFA

61. Get my firearms license

62. Pass the FBI fitness test

63. Throw a surprise party for a friend

64. Attend a polo match

65. Do 100 pushups without stopping

66. Go zip lining

67. Set up a Christmas fund, to save money before December

68. Have breakfast for dinner (Easy peasy, all the time! mmm waffles)

69. Use the crockpot for dinner 5 times one month

70. Go rock climbing

71. Re-learn how to hockey stop

72. Build a blanket fort with Owen (Couch cushions count right?)

73. Keep a food journal for one month (February 2015)

74. Floss my teeth every night before bed for a month

75. Go camping

76. Buy a new bed

77. Buy a sofa (November 2013)

78. Save $10,000

79. Donate Blood

80. Attend legal continuing ed class/conference

81. Make a new friend (February 2014, Angela!)

82. Make clam chowder

83. Volunteer for a political campaign

84. Put a note in Brians lunch once a month for 6 months

85. Run 1,000 miles in a year

86. Work out every day before work for a month

87. Stretch every night before bed for a month

88. Have a date night one night a week for a year

89. Teach Owen how to make Dad’s meatloaf

90. Go running in the rain AND snow. (Snow January 2014)

91. Build a snowman

92. Grow an herb garden, cook with them!

93. Payoff someone’s layaway at Christmas time

94. Go on a road trip

95. Go waterskiing

96. Do not watch tv for a week

97. Quit FB for a week. (April 2015)

98. Rent a beach house.

99. Save $10 for every completed item

100. Donate $10 to charity for every item not completed

101. Make another 101 in 1001 list!

We are set to finish this July 14, 2016... will you join in the fun?!?!

Blogging for?

I was never much of an athlete… I preferred books, imaginary places that I could get lost in, and forget about who I was … and who I wasn’t. So then why am I writing a blog… presumably about running?

Because things change.

In February of 2012 I lost my great aunt (Birdie –get it?!) to Crohn’s Disease. She was my best friend. After the one year anniversary, I decided I had to do something. So I joined Team Challenge and started training for my FIRST HALF MARATHON (woah.) I completed that half in June of 2013 in Chicago, and my world has never been the same.


So here goes it..