Wrapping Up 2011

To change things up for the last training run of the year on Saturday, 31 December, I signed up for the Flint New Year's Eve Resolution 8K. After a one week vacation, training increased to 5 miles so the event was the perfect distance.

I'm here to tell you it was a little scary going by myself and figuring out the ropes, but it was a great experience and I thoroughly enjoyed the hoopla of an actual event. That it was an 8K was just perfect and there is something about being passed by old people those with handicaps that puts a little extra fuel in the tank!

The good news is that I didn't finish last in my age group! In fact, my time was 1:01:19 averaging 12:20 per mile, which I felt pretty darn good about. I may have even been under an hour but I dropped my headband and had to go back to retrieve it. 

All in all, it was a great experience, I have a sweatshirt to show for my efforts, and it was the perfect opportunity to reflect on how far I've come during this challenging year.

Checking out the USS Lexington

On the Gulf Coast near Corpus Christi, the first naval vessel that women served aboard.

San Antonio 3 Mile Run

San Antonio...Deep In The Heart of Alamo Country

Adapt & Overcome

This morning it was cold, raining, and time for my training run. Yeah, still not a fan of running in the cold rain so I found a fitness club and bought a day pass.

Ten dollars, four miles, less than one hour later...done

'Tis The Season

I'm a cookie hound. Ask my daughter. When she was a teenager, she nearly got grounded a week after refusing to tell me where she hid the cookies she baked. I never met a cookie I didn't like.

This year, it's different. When I look at cookies, my first thought is "damn, I've worked too hard to put that back on my hips". That is SO not me of seasons past, who would have gobbled first, felt guilty later.

Last night I finally succumbed and enjoyed every last morsel of a home made frosted sugar cookie. It. Was. Awesome. The only consolation was knowing I had a training run today and that the season will be wrapping up soon.

Today I ran my personal best...just under 23 minutes for 2 miles averaging 11:28 per mile beating my record of 12:16 per mile. As much as I'd like to think it justifies eating more cookies, I think it has more to do with the excitement of going on vacation tomorrow and running in warm weather. That should be a new and interesting experience!

Life Is Full of Adjustments

I was supposed to play tennis tonight. Running is changing my body and the last couple of times I played tennis, I felt off balance. My agility and endurance have improved and I can definitely get to shots I never would have been able to reach before. I just don't feel grounded...weird.

Anyway, instead of playing doubles for two hours tonight, I opted for a 1 mile 'get my muscles moving' run this morning. Now that we're moving up in miles, I figured it was the perfect time to get used to carrying water with me so I'm ready for my longer runs.

I have both a handheld bottle and a belt with a water bottle attached. Both feel cumbersome, never having run with anything attached to me.

In the end, I opted for the belt because I couldn't imagine running with a bottle strapped to my hand. Then again, it may have more to do with needing both hands free so when I feel the urge to whip out my iPhone at a photo stop, I'll be ready.

The belt felt awkward and heavy on my back during my morning run. No doubt once I get used to it, I'll appreciate the chance for a swig when I'm 4 miles in. Just like everything, it's an adjustment...and hopefully I'll feel grounded on the tennis court again soon too!

Killer Kensington

Today was not my best day running. The upside is that I went 4 miles...the downside is that running at Kensington Metropark with its hilly terrain kicked my butt.

Since it didn't offer any stop signs to give me a break, I decided it's not just about the journey, but what you see along the journey.

I ended up taking a couple of photo breaks and a couple of hill breaks. That got me over the hump to mile 3 and I ran the rest of the way.

I have to get out of my own way! I had a mental block about going 4 miles, somewhere I'd never been before. With this training program, I'm continuously increasing my mileage so I'd better get over it and bust through that barrier.

Limitation lesson learned.

Does It Get Easier?

Yeah, didn't think so. But I guess that's the challenge...keep pushing your body past the point you previously thought was your limit.

Today I ran three miles, Thursday I'm scheduled for two, then Saturday I'll be visiting a place I've never been...four miles.

I've got to say, looking at December's training schedule kind of freaks me out. After this Saturday's four mile training run, I'll be going out of town for the holidays, just in time for a four mile run on Christmas Eve and returning to my first five mile run on New Year's Eve. Yikes, as if the holidays aren't stressful enough!

So for right now, I'm focusing on the upside of having lost 8 pounds to date and running further than I have ever run. I'm so grateful my knees, hips, and feet are hanging in there with me on this journey because we have A LOT more steps to take. 

Wreaths Across America...Remembering

It's was beautiful December morning at the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan.

After running three miles earlier this morning, I joined hundreds of others at 11 am in Holly to place wreaths on the graves of veterans in the local National Cemetary. Then at 12 Noon, a memorial service was held with a wreath presented for each branch of the service.

Non-profits sell wreaths for Wreaths Across America, whose goal is to put a wreath on every veteran's grave. Unfortunately, only a portion of the graves at GLNC received wreaths this year so hopefully next year more donations will provide wreaths for all the graves.

Three Weeks In

Non-runners might find this really hard to believe, but I actually enjoy running in the cold weather. It's a shock to the system at first, but once you're out there and warmed up, it actually feels pretty good.

I'm wrapping up my third week of training and I'm hanging in there. I've completed all my training runs and have run a total of 19 miles to date. 

Saturday Week 4 begins and I'm over the 21-day habit forming hump. Somehow, I don't think that's going to make it any easier as the miles increase.

Food Is Fuel

Tonight the team went to Hansons Running Shop in Royal Oak and listened to the coaches discuss nutrition. They stressed that this is not the time to start a diet, whether it be fat free, no carb, or whatever. The point is to try to eat 'clean', avoiding sugar and processed food.

One of the points they stressed was the need to refuel during the race. We got a sample of "Shot Block", kind of a gummy bear type energy chew. Other options were GU (a kind of gel/paste in a tube), pretzels, and my personal favorite (though I haven't tried them yet) energy beans. Go ahead, make me eat jelly beans!

It makes good sense to really tune in to our bodies now during this early training time so we know what works and what doesn't. That way, once it's race day, we'll know what we need to do to have a great race and just be on autopilot taking care of business.

Stoplights Are My Friends

Made it through my first three mile training run, but really looked forward to the four stoplights to catch my breath.

After we were done, both the run and walk coaches gave us a stretching and injury prevention clinic and answered any questions we had. 

Damn, I haven't run 3 miles in 29 years! I am SO grateful to Team In Training because I could not do this myself.

Holiday Fundraising

Christmas cards with fundraising letters are done and ready to be turned in at tomorrow morning's training run...whew!

Finding The Motivation

I've been wanting to run for years however the mind was willing but the heart and body were weak. To get myself off the sofa, I knew I needed an extra push. some sort external motivation to keep me going.

Team In Training with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society was exactly the catalyst I was looking for...a structured program in a team environment with experienced trainers, something my body could get into. Their mission of raising money to cure blood cancers was something my heart could get behind.

When I went to the informational session, I met coaches and a few others who said they had sat in my seat just a year ago. An LLS staff member said she had never run before and positively glowed when she showed off her medal and told us how thrilling it was to cross the finish line.

Sign-up form in hand, I was given a choice of doing a triathlon (yeah, right!), running or walking a marathon or a half marathon. Although my eventual goal is to do a full marathon, I thought it best to start small and work my way up considering these old legs hadn't run one mile straight for nearly 30 years.

Then we had to choose which event we'd like to run. Our choices ranged from Cincinnati, to Nashville, to Vancouver, BC or even Madrid, Spain. As awesome as Vancouver or Madrid sounded, I chose Cincinnati for my first attempt because I can drive there. It was also a plus that I would need to raise less money to participate.

Sign-up form completed, I was welcomed aboard and handed my official Team In Training shirt and a training schedule based on the event I chose. I left the meeting feeling cautiously optimistic that this was something I might be able to do with the support they offer.

Then reality set in and my sofa beckoned.

My First Week of Training

I've run seven miles during my first week of training and just ran my toughest two miles. Maybe it was Thursday's turkey weighing me down or maybe it was the wind in my face...not sure, but it was rough going.

My two mile Thanksgiving morning run went much more smoothly which made me think two miles would continue to be easy for me. Not so much today.

The main thing is that I finished it.

I have one more week of running two miles, then next Saturday I have my first three mile run. At this point, I just have to focus on keeping one foot in front of the other and not getting too far ahead of myself.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Today on training day #2, I had my one mile route all mapped out and was actually looking forward to running after work. It looked like I was going to get my run in but when I got off it was raining steady. Hmmm, learn to deal with the conditions or find a treadmill?

Yeah, can't quite go there yet as I'm still a fair weather runner. I was totally prepared for the cold, but the thought of getting soaked to the bone doesn't thrill me.

After two days of sore muscles and stretching, one mile seemed pretty easy and I was ready to keep going. That surprised me.

I would rather have been outside, but was glad to have had the treadmill option to run without ending up like a cold, drowned rat.

I have two more training days this week with two miles each day. I'm thankful for the steady, slow pace to adjust to a life of training along with the many other blessings in my life that I'm thankful for this time of year.

Marine Corps Marathon Motivation

I got a little marathon moto from recent Marine Corps Marathon finisher and friend Lori Howard at our Women Marines meeting today.

Lori just ran the event on 30 Oct 2011 and said if you only run one, the Marine Corps Marathon is the one. She said that as a Marine, it's awesome to cross that finish line and have a Marine place that medal around your neck.

Very cool!

My First Training Run

I did it...I actually finished my first two mile training run!

It's been nearly 30 years since I ran two miles straight without stopping and I was so thrilled to have completed it.

I'm not thinking about all the training that lies ahead, I'm just going to take one day at a time and do the best I can.

But I'm definitely savoring this day!

Running Scared

I have a dream to run the Marine Corps Marathon. There, I said it to the world and it scares the hell out of me.

When I served in the Marine Corps more than 30 years ago, we had to run and I hated it. Dreaded having to do it, couldn't wait to stop, and was relieved to get out and be free of that necessary evil.

A couple of years later while in college, I ran a 5K to impress a runner I dated. Though I did get a sense of accomplishment and thrill out of finishing the race, I didn't enjoy running any better than I had years earlier.

Throughout the years, I've thought wistfully of my pre-Title IX school days when I loved to run, feeling the wind at my face, loving the freedom I felt, and living for the kick at the end. Periodically I'd try running again but I lacked the motivation to keep me going. Even the moto fun run at the Denver WMA Convention last year didn't give me the drive to do it (though there is nothing quite like running in formation with a DI calling cadence!). 

Until now.

I'm rocking off the 'life stresser' chart with all that has happened in the last two years, but life is short and time is ticking.

Scotland Day in Balboa Park

Check Skydiving Off My Bucket List