Savoring the PI Spirit

Early morning 4 mile run on Parris Island, brunch with 6 Marines at Traditions swapping Drill Instructor/recruit stories, an awesome tour of the base by one Marine sister, and another Marine sister hooking me up at the PX...the cost of coming in early for the celebration, priceless!

The Molly Marine 5K

The last time I ran regularly was when I was in the Marine Corps 30+ years ago. Yup that was me, doing the running portion of the physical fitness test (PFT) during boot camp back in the day.

I hated running back then, mainly because I had to. When I got out, I hung up my running shoes...I was done. Through the years, I tried to get moving again but never succeeded.

This year after training for three months, I was excited to back to the place where it all began, Parris Island, South Carolina.

I planned to attend the Women Marines anniversary celebration on Monday, 13 February 2012 but went a few days early to run in the Molly Marine 5K Run/Walk hosted by the SC-1 Phyllis Alexander chapter of the Women Marines Association. At 5K, we would be running twice as far as we ran the PFT in the late 1970s (now all Marines run 3 miles).

When I drove through the Parris Island front gate that morning, I was pretty emotional. I couldn't quite believe I was back and wasn't sure what to expect. 

PI is flat but with a 17 mile an hour headwind, the run definitely wasn't easy. But I finished with a personal best and the top woman in my age group...well okay, I was the only woman in my age group!

Gonna Take A Sentimental Journey

Getting ready to take a trip down memory lane.

This is my original military ID pic from when I was in boot camp...totally looks like a mugshot, doesn't it?!

Half Way To The Half

I'm half way through my training program to run the Flying Pig Half Marathon on May 6th. Over the past 13 weeks, I've run nearly 150 miles with the longest distance being 9 miles. At this point, I know I can complete it...even if I have to walk the last 4 miles.

As I reflect on what I've accomplished so far, I'm amazed. I hadn't run a mile in nearly 30 years and I could barely run to the end of the block. I could not have come this far without the support of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training and my awesome coach Steve Teichow. That said, besides being connected on Facebook and an occasional email, I only see my coach and team mates on the long Saturday runs. My training runs the other four days of the week are up to me and so far I've been on autopilot.

I've had surgery on both my big toes and I suffered from shin splits when I ran in the Marine Corps back in the day. With an implant in one toe and a screw in the other, I thought my feet or shins were going to be my biggest challenge. Turns out neither one is my nemesis.

The biggest challenge, I've discovered, is my mind...keeping it occupied and thinking positively. Music helps A LOT, but sometimes old, tired thinking creeps in questioning my ability, whether I can really do this, etc. This is especially true every time we increase our mileage and I'm breaking a new barrier, a distance I've never run before.

This Saturday morning, I'll be running in the Molly Marine 5K at Parris Island, South Carolina where I first began running. I'll savor the experience and be reflecting on just how far I've come since I first stepped on those yellow footprints nearly 36 years ago.

Novi Super 5K

After an 9 mile run on Saturday, I learned about the Super 5K being run in Novi on Super Bowl Sunday. I enjoy the hoopla and want to get race experience under my belt so I'm prepared come race day so I decided to give it a shot.

Sunday morning was beautiful so the race promised to be packed with people. Sure enough, they ran out of shirts for those of us who signed up on race day.

Nevertheless. I had a great time and did pretty well coming in the middle of the pack considering I'd run 9 the day before. And I did get a 'Finishers' glass...my new favorite possession!

100 Days & Counting

100 Days until the Flying Pig Half Marathon in Cincinnati, OH on May 6th!

I've run 100+ miles, my longest run to date is 7, I'm doing 8 on Saturday, and I'm just over half way to my fundraising goal. I'm on track and looking forward to the finish line.

What's hard to believe is that I couldn't run to the end of the block ten short weeks ago. What a difference several weeks worth of dedicated training make. Now let's hope the mild weather sticks around for the rest of the Winter.

Saturday Snow Run

12 degrees, windchill 2, 7 miles with 1-2 inches of snow, 1:44, done. Not great time but damn, never run 7 miles before...LOVE breaking through barriers!!

Making It Personal

Some running days are better than others. Today wasn't one of them...I was sucking air!

Saturday was my longest training run yet. To date, I've only run up to 5 miles and I was scheduled for 6 that day. Because of other activities planned later, I began my run pre-dawn and without the company of my Team in Training running mates. It was just me, my iPhone, and my feet crunching on the new fallen snow, which in itself was a new experience.

I not only finished the run, but about 4 1/2 miles in, I finally felt "yeah, I'm a runner"!

Today I struggled to hit 4 miles, but there were two things that kept me going. First, I'm motivated by doing something for a cause bigger than myself. For this half marathon, I'm training to raise money to find a cure for blood cancer.

Sydney B. was the young girl introduced at our Team In Training Kickoff meeting and her mother's story of Sydney's journey touched me deeply as she walked half way across the room displaying her beads of courage. When I got her card last week, it was a perfect reminder and I posted it on my refrigerator.

The other thing that kept me going was my mantra "I'm a Marine. I Can Do This." along with Marine cadences like "C-130 Rolling Down the Strip" and "I Want To Be A Drill Instructor" interspersed between my running music. Somehow they remind me of time when running was so easy that I took it for granted. Weird, but it worked for me today, thankfully!

Red Wings Host Marines

The MI-2 Motor City chapter of the Women Marines Association has rhe privilege of watching the Detroit Red Wings beat the Chicago Black Hawks 3-2 from the Budd Lynch suite at Joe Lewis arena.

The two female WWII Marines on the sofa are 91-years-old and they and Col Buckles (far right) were saluted on the Jumbotron during a break in the game.

Everyone had a really great time!

I Am A Runner

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.