Pucker up, Father Time!

                                                       

Another decade has fallen.  Father Time is stealing away the years before I get used to them.  I remember turning 30.  I-was-freaked-out!  I mean, who was I?  So many things in life hadn't been done.  I hadn't figured out who I was and there were so many things that I 'thought' I needed to resolve in my 20's that were left undone.  It was truly unsettling.  I remember some close friends saying their 30's weren't so bad after all.  They urged me to just embrace the new decade.  I slid into the new years cowering at what I might find.  I was timid.

My 30's have come and gone... as quickly as a feather blows away in the wind.  Were my 30's good to me?  No.  No, they were not.  I don't blame anyone but myself for the pain and anguish of that decade. Despite the trials and tribulations it was the decade I learned the most about myself.  Through the amazing process of self-discovery something awakened in me.  I became fierce.   One of my best friends recently used some words to describe me. Some of the following I've just learned recently about myself...  and some I realized at the beginning of the decade. This list describes who I am... who I've become and am still becoming.......

Intelligent
Aware
Open
Gorgeous
Funny
Fierce
Sexxxy!
Nurturing
Flexible
Generous
Genuine
Delicious
Sincere
Trustworthy
Warrior Goddess

I've forged some tremendous friendships in my 30's.  People have come and gone and some have stayed for the long haul.  The friends that have stayed mean the world to me.  I could not be this awesome without them.

As I embark on a new decade I'm bringing with it knowledge and courage to be who I know I am.  I am a mentally strong woman. I am a great mother, nurturing and caring.  I am, again, finding my passion for running and strength training.  I will not be stopped.   I will make my 40's be the best decade of my life.  I will be a force to be reckoned with... and nuclear force... a Daisy Cutter.

Father Time.... Kiss my firm, sexy, 40-year old ass!!  See ya in another 10 years, Old Man!

Organics!

A friend told me about Bountiful Baskets a couple weeks ago.  After he picked up his first basket and told me what was in it I just had to try it for myself.  Well, yesterday was the day.  I drove to the pick up site and arrived just before 10 AM.  I got in line and when it was my turn to enter the warehouse to pick up my veggies and fruit I was amazed.  It was loaded with great organic produce - carrots, zucchini, summer squash, green beans, heirloom tomatoes, cantaloup, raspberries, green leaf lettuce, collards, cilantro, spinach, purple cabbage, plums... I added on Rainier Cherries and 5 loaves of organic 9-grain bread - each slice is only 65 calories, so that is a plus! This is the best kept secret ever!! I'm hooked!  Check out:  bountifulbaskets.org

Legs of Steel!

ONE THOUSAND POUNDS! 

I started out the night getting to the gym late... so I was just going to do a quick workout and then get home. I get there, walk in the door, and my new friend Sam say's -- "there she is!". So I walk over to the leg press where he and his friend are pushing 800+ pounds. Sam says "sit down and press this". Uhhh, are you sure? So I did. I rarely shy away from a challenge. Got 8 reps out of it. So his friend says he's going to put a total of TWENTY 45-pound plates on now... with the weight of the sled (103lbs) that's 1000 pounds. His friend Dave sits and gets 4 reps. I sit and get 4 reps and was a lot more controlled - we then do another round and both get 3 reps. We then lowered the weights to 540lbs and Dave says to sit and just rep to fatigue.... I got 20 reps. He got 10. OMG... I'm stoked. I was told tonight that I was the strongest woman they'd seen that wasn't on television. LOL I laughed so hard..... These guys really made me feel awesome tonight!

A Few Years and a lot of Changes

I'm back! I was sitting at my computer tonight and I thought about my old blog. I love to write. I want to get back to journaling my workout and life experiences. I'm really not sure where to start, but to just get right back in... with both feet.

A move and some life changes have brought me to the sunny, hot state of Arizona. While it's completely different from Washington State, there is plenty of beauty here. It surrounds us everyday. The teddy-bear cactus, the beaver tail in bloom, the bunny rabbits running around the yard, a cool green patch of life in an other-wise desolate land. This place holds a place in my soul that I didn't know was there. The desert is brimming with beauty. You just need to take your blinders off.

I'm happy to be back... endurance is everything in life.

New Musings....

This is the plan -
Monday 13th - run (happy birthday big sis!)
Tuesday 14th - bike or massive yard work. This is what I get with so much 'yard'.

This is my bike - who wouldn't want to ride that?

Wednesday - run
Thursday - bike
Friday - run
Saturday & Sunday - I have no idea. I'll try to fit something in if I'm not dead from the previous days. Seriously out of shape. It's gross. I just can't believe it. It's hard to believe in myself when I can't get my mind mentally in that groove that it just used to naturally be in. Where the hell is that girl that's run 18 marathons? Seriously, I want her back but sometimes I feel she's so buried by stress, work, and bitterness (yes, I'm bitter) that I'll never be able to dig her up again. And if that happens, if I can't find her again, Robb wins. That right there should light a fire under my ass to get me going.

My HOPE this week is to blog the distance of the run or bike from the scheduled day - at the end of the day.

Wish me luck.

Shel

PS - oh yeah, I'm looking ahead for a goal race. The Annual Marathon Maniac reunion is next May at the Tacoma Marathon. If I can get ready for that, then I'll be able to do possibly one that summer and at least Seattle in the fall of 2010 - that will take me to 20 marathons - which is something I've been looking forward to. A small part of me wants to get something pulled together for a marathon at the end of this year, but that's total nonsense so I need to put that idea to bed before it gets the best of me.

Off to try to name capitol of states.... wow, that'll put ya to sleep! Thanks for the suggestion!

Dead Widgets

Oh yeah - I know the widgets on the left are way out of date - I just keep trying to figure out what to replace them with. New goal race? Do I want to keep up with the online training log that I never use? Guess I just answered that one myself. So, I'm just going to be a slacker for a few more weeks... or a month. Stay tuned - one day they will all be updated and maybe on that day - I'll be back (said, of course, in the most Arnoldish of accents).

Shel

PS
Night....

When you can't sleep.... BLOG.

Well, I'm WIDE awake. If it wasn't 11 PM I'd go for a walk.... oh well. The joy in this night is smelling a really smelly dog. What does he smell like? well, dog. He's snoring away on his little doggie bed on the floor. Good thing he has stopped trying to sleep on my bed seeing as I'm allergic to him and he gives me hives. Nice.... doggie.

My girls are with their dad right now... they have a 3-week stretch with him. We're half way through and I miss them like crazy. I miss their sweet hugs and their funny questions and even their bickering. It's too quiet - which is probably why I have trouble sleeping.

Anyway - exercise front: I biked a couple days last week. The first attempt went foul. I got my bike loaded up - drove in to Seattle so I could bike along the lake, got 1/2 mile from work and my rear tire went flat. AGAIN. It seems it was a pinch flat from when I had the new tires put on. It's weird it didn't go flat on my ride weeks ago. I think it was just waiting for me to really WANT to ride to flat on me. I tried again a couple days later and made it all the way from work, down to the lake, around Seward Park and back. It was a short ride - 13 miles or so - but I made it. I can't believe how out of shape I am. I can't keep making excuses. SERIOUSLY! I'm strong - I can do this - I WANT to be physically fit again - I need to be able to be there again.

I have my bike loaded up and ready to hit the road tomorrow too. Just need to get some sleep so I can actually get up in time to get a ride in before my work day begins.

The plan for this week is to ride tomorrow and then do 6 miles on Friday morning - it'll be a run/walk as I know I can't do the entire distance running right now. Again, I'm about where I was 5 years ago. All that hard work - gone - depressing. However, I've been here before and I know where I can get with some hard work. FOCUS - that's what I need.

Okay - I'm sitting here just watching Alton Brown soak corn... I'm sure if I just close my eyes I'll be able to envision something a lot more entertaining....

Off to dreamland, I hope.

Shel

Get a Map!

Well - even though that ride out on the bike sucked today - it did spur me to get on the trail tonight. So.... I decided to go out 30 minutes - 40 max. I parked my car, got my key tucked away and headed out with my cell phone. Hey - I know there's limited reception out there, but it still made me feel better to have it, although I couldn't get Pandora on it... dang!

Okay - so I head out.. .I run 30 minutes and think I'm close to my car. I head down the road the way I think I should go. I think I have my directional sense pretty well figured out. I get to the bottom of the road and I can't see the parking area. DANG - I've gone the wrong way. The other end of the road is 2.25 miles away. I start chugging along. That's okay - I'll be gone an hour. No biggie. I finally make it to the end that I'm sure the car is at and guess what? No car.... yeah, I was right the first time. The parking area was evidently over to the right and I went to the left and just missed it.



So, now I'm frustrated and know that the car is 2.25 miles away. I then ran into a couple with a map - NOTE TO SELF - GET A MAP! Anyway, I notice a trail that leads between the two ends of the road so if I take it I'll cut a significant amount of time off my trip back to the car. Anyway, I get through the trail and yeah, just as I suspected - there's my ride. Nice! So, 80 minutes later, I'm finally on my way. What a way to start back into running - an 80 minute trail run filled with frustration! It was fun though... can't wait to do it again - all but the lost thing.

Biking

Well - I'm either extremely out of shape or I'm just a bundle of nerves. I got on my bike today - first time since August of 2007 and it kicked my ass. I felt like I was literally going to vomit. I didn't make it far. Okay - I did 6 miles. That's it! I know I have a way to go to get back to where I was a couple years ago but, sheesh, this was ridiculous! Where the hell is that girl that can pump out marathons and 60+ mile rides????? I'm trying to dig her back up but it's a slow process!

Anyway, my plan is to do a walk/run on some trails tonight while my girls are at dance. I'm going to post back here tonight for accountability. Great - I'm accountable to a blog because I can't just do it on my own. Nice!

Anyway, I'm feeling good.... Thanks to my great friends for you support - virtual and otherwise!

Shel

Five Months

Well, it's been 5 months since I've posted. Not really the goal I had when I set out to start this blog.

I'm finally divorced and I'm finally to the point where I can say my life is finally on track.

Yes, Robb - I know you read this blog - Lynn told me you did so - enjoy.

Anyway, as I was saying - I'm finally divorced from one of the biggest liars I've ever known. This is such a great feeling - to know he has no more control over my life. I just have to deal with him 12 more years (ugh) and then I'll really be free.

I feel really mentally and emotionally strong now - or stronger than I've been for a long time. My life as I knew it was ripped up from underneath me and that's hard to deal with as you're trying to be a mother to two young girls and work full time. It's time to take that experience and put it behind me - take what I've learned and make it work for myself and my girls.

Running - I was asked today how my running was coming along. I had to say I hadn't really run since October. That's the truth. It's awful. I remember really identifying myself as a runner - and I can't now. I want to be able to do so again so I've made a schedule. Yes, it's penciled in - starting with 2 miles. Yeah, I'm starting over from the beginning. Again - mentally painful as I know the exhilaration of a 26 mile run - to start knowing 2 miles will be hard on me is depressing but I'll never begin again if I don't just begin.

I feel like I've endured one of the greatest challenges of my life. I've finally come out the other end - not unscathed - but not completely broken. I'm in the process of healing and I'm going to start focusing on me again - briefly every day. Yoga, Pilates, running - I need to get those positive endorphins going again. I know this will make be a better mother and friend.

I really hope my next post is one of accomplishment - that I've actually done something - run a mile or two. I really hope it's not 5 months down the road. This summer is going to be amazing - because I'm going to make it that way.

Shel

WTC

What the Crap?

This is what I think all of the time -- and it's a silly saying -- and a little rough at that. But what the crap am I thinking? What the crap am I going to do? What the crap am I SUPPOSED to do? I need to get a new saying to run through my head.

Anyway - I keep thinking about my pending move back to Utah and I think - who does this? Move - without a job? give up a good job for a maybe? Give up my house? I LOVE my home! What am I thinking? I'm beginning to think I'm not sane - or I'm scared - probably a bit of both.

Life just throws test after test after test your way. Well, I have to be honest. I'm not liking life and it's tests right now. Frankly, they suck.

Okay, that's it for now - I need to get back to bed. I'm not focused - I'm not getting any work done. I think I'll sleep for a couple more hours and then get up again.

Quinn has an audition today and Amelia has school - dance, of course, later.

Nighty, night.... or should I say, Good Morning?

Embracing the Journey

The journey that is called Twin Cities.

October 5, 2008 – this was a day to remember. It was what I called my Freedom Run. I arrived in Minneapolis with 9 other friends. We’d all planned on running the Twin Cities Marathon some time last year after Chicago’s disaster. It’s a run I’d looked forward to for some time. We arrived from various cities around the US. Except for myself, everyone had trained for this event. I, as most people know from this blog, had a little implosion of life in July. Going through a divorce has its fair share of struggles so I didn’t get in the training that I’d planned. I was coming off of an injury and a small bought of depression and wasn’t in the best shape going in to training and then the divorce made training next to impossible for me.

Still, I wasn’t going to let Robb win. I’d gotten my airfare and my entry to TCM so why not run it? I’d done 15 other marathons so I knew mentally I could do it. I’d done it before so why not just try. The worst thing that could happen would be that I’d have to stop and drop. I set out with just a long run of 14 miles under my belt – and that was about 6 weeks prior to the race. DEFINITELY not the mileage you need to run a successful marathon. However, this marathon had a different journey. The journey was not to set a personal best or come in even close to my PR – it was to endure to the end -it was to WIN, to not give up, and to overcome all of the negativity that I’d endured within my marriage – and with regard to my running. It was my Freedom Run and I was out to embrace the journey.

We started out for the Metro-dome around 5:30 and it was sprinkling. As we got on the buses that would take us to the start it was raining. The rains subsided as we lined up for the guns to go off. About a mile into the run it started raining again. Then the downpour started. Miles 2 through 9 were pretty much a soaking mess. But, coming from the Pacific Northwest it was a piece of cake. I know I don’t melt, having run in downpours more than my fair share. I stopped dodging the puddles and just ran through them. I was wearing my running skirt and a short-sleeved Maniac top – wished I was in capris, gloves and long sleeves. It got COLD. The cold is probably what made me get through the first 11 miles without stopping. I just wanted to get through the race and surprisingly I felt GOOD!

Miles 12 through 16 were a little tougher as they should have been. Remember, my longest run all YEAR – yes, in all of 2008 was 14 miles and that was in August. The last 20 I’d done was in September of 2007 when I was training for Chicago. Again, not in marathon shape.

Miles 16 through the end were just a test of faith and strength – physical as well as mental. The faith I had was that I knew I’d get through this. I knew that I’d been blessed with a strong body and that I had been through this before, maybe not this hard, but I’d been there. I knew I could do it. The mental strength was just about not letting the mental ‘bad’ demons get to me. I saw a couple ‘runner drop-out zones’ and thought it’d be nice to be done since I wasn’t going to get a PR and it was tough but I fought those back with these words – ‘IF I QUIT ROBB WINS’. I’m stubborn and Robb will not win. It kept me going and going. The physical strength was just acknowledging that my legs and hips were on fire. The body really DOES need that training in the months before a marathon and it’s INSANE to try to do it without. Does that make me insane? Probably – or more like just insanely stubborn and unwilling to let my ex triumph over yet another aspect of my life. No MORE.

The last mile I just focused and shuffled it in. I came up over the downhill to the finish and saw the finish line. I got really emotional. I think the only other times I was emotional in a marathon were the first two – and they were the first marathons right after the births of my daughters. The other 13 have just been fun experiences – exhilarating, but not too emotional. I got so choked up this time. My eyes welled with tears. I thought of my friends and of loved ones who encouraged me to run this marathon. I thought of the people’s names I’d written on my arms (yeah, we do this to be inspired as we run – kind of like little tattoos of our kids’ or spouses names) I looked down so many times during the run and I thought of those people, of the love I have for them and the love they have for me.

I crossed the finish line exactly at 5:23:00 – normally this time would have thoroughly disappointed me as I’m usually right around the 4 hour mark. However, this was an entirely different journey. Another test of enduring everything. This race signified a new beginning for me. It signified a fresh start for running, a new beginning. I ended that race with a new love of the sport. I know this is what I’m supposed to be doing. Running feeds my soul as well as FREES my spirit. I’m never going to give up marathons. These are a part of who I am. I may not ‘look’ like the typical runner, having a short, stocky body, but I have the heart and determination of a runner. No one can ever take that away – never again.

Oh, by the way - my good friend Cyd and I found matching bracelets from Brighton that say "Embrace the Journey". It's so appropriate. I love it and plan to wear it daily!

Seriously? Again!

It, again, has been way too long between my bloggings. A lot of stuff has been going on in life and I guess writing is just not top priority. Right now I should be working, but -- no -- I decided I needed to just write.

I'm anxious and conflicted about this coming weekend. I'll be meeting a bunch of girl-friends for TCM - Twin Cities Marathon - for those of you that are not in the know. :-) Anyway, I have not trained. It's been sporadic at best and my longest run, a month ago, was 14 miles and it kicked my butt. Seriously - I had a really hard time with it. Again, I'm going to do TCM to show Robb he did not win. He might have beaten me down a bit, but he will never have that control over me again. He will NOT win this one. I will get through the marathon. Might be a six-hour ordeal, but I'll do it. I'm not afraid of pain or time and I'm not going to be ashamed to come in 2 hours slower than my best. This will be my triumph - and mine alone. It'll be even sweeter than those sub-4 marathons I've done because this will have been completed during one of the hardest times of my life.

I just wanted to say thank you to all of my friends and my support. Seriously have been the best ever. I have so many cheerleaders and so many people who have watched and will be watching my girls as I go run this race. I could never do all of this - go through such a life changing experience without my good friends. These are the people that endure with you - that make it possible for you to reach for your dreams and goals. The people who are there prodding you to just get out the door when all you want to do is to sit and cry. Enduring and lasting friendships - Thank you - and you guys know who you are! I love you!

So as I embark on this new journey - a marathon that has had little to no training -- all I can say is I'll be focusing on the friends and loved ones in my life. You all will be pulling me through. You don't realize that, but you will. You'll be there whispering encouragment to me as I make it mile after mile. I can't wait to focus and meditate on all of my friends... we can do this together.

When I cross that finish line you will all be there with me. So, pat yourselves on the back -- you're in for a long and blistered run on Sunday. We will finish - we will endure - we will make it out even stronger than we entered. I'm a survivor thanks to all of you.

Love to you all,
Shel

Running Friends and SPOF

I actually got in 14 miles yesterday. I went out in the early AM to run it all solo. I got two miles done and quit. Yes me... quit. Hard to believe huh? I just couldn't do it. I knew it was a mental thing - probably some physical but I hadn't let that come in to play at the two mile mark.

I called my friend Sherri and we set a plan in motion to get a sitter to watch the kids so we could run a bit later in the afternoon.

We set out around 1:20 or so and found our pace. I knew jumping back in to running with so much time off would be huge - especially jumping in to 14 miles. What the hell was I thinking? Oh yes, I'm thinking that TCM is literally a month away and I have been bombarded with the HELLS of life and have let that take over everything. Understandable.

Anyway, I'd decided to do a run 4 walk 1 combo. I'd never really done this but decided I needed this run to be easy mentally breaking it up in to little chunks and easier physically as I wasn't sure I could do it.

The first 8 miles were okay and then I just felt really fatigued. I'd been feeling really worn down all day. I think partially due to some medication my doctor has me taking and I think I'm going to drop it... it's no good. Just makes me feel like I have a haze over myself. Yeah, it's good for bringing your emotions under control but at what cost? Anyway, I think part of that fatigue was due to medication and I'm not sure how much was due to me just being woefully out of shape.

The last 4 were pretty much hell. My legs felt like lead my my friend Sherri kept up the positive talk....she's a counselor, ya know? I got emotional a few times out there but one time I got really upset. Not because of the run or the hurt but because I'd let my husband take the one thing I truly loved besides him and the girls away from me.

SPOF - Spousal Piss Off Factor -- this is the factor given to running. If there is a race that you really want to do and it has a SPOF of 3 - then do it. IF it has a SPOF of 10 - you'd better stay home.

For the last two years it seems like even getting out the door to run a short 4 or 5 mile run had a SPOF of 10+. I got comments like 'if you cared about the laundry as much as you do running we'd never have to look for socks' or just really put out comments that he'd have to watch the kids or do something that required any effort. It was my only outlet and I let that get taken away from me. I wanted my marriage to work and I felt like running was such a sword in his side I let it dwindle and dwindle. No, he never asked me to stop running -- it was just more of his attitude and his asking me not to talk to him at all about running. He didn't care to hear about it.

As I was running yesterday I got so mad at the place where I was. I'm back at square 1 with my running and two years ago I was kicking out marathons like they were 10ks. I'm mad that all that work and training I did has disappeared and I have to do it all over again.... for what? For a husband that was cheating on me AS he was putting me down and squashing my love of running. I did that so I could attempt to make my husband happier with me -- to work on my marriage and all the while he was lying to me and screwing around with woman after woman. He NEVER worked on our marriage. It was a game to him... and just a vessel of lies. I'm so mad at him for doing this to me and the girls but I'm just as mad at myself to letting him and for letting him defeat me - NEVER AGAIN!

So.... here's to 2009. Free of SPOF and free of my lying cheating cursing asshole of a husband. Good riddance. Here's to a 2009 of fun with my girls, dance for them and running for me. NO SPOF to work around - no tension when I say I want to go do a 1/2 marathon with a friend. No more.

Life is about living and learning. Well, I've learned a hard lesson. Now it's time to start living again.

Too Long

It's been a long time since I have posted anything. Basically my life as I knew it fell through the floor in July. I found out my husband of 10 years was in love with a 24 year old girl and I made him leave.

So, this is yet another test of endurance. I'm finding a lot of strength in being on my own with my girls. Going through finances and getting things separated and ready for divorce is not a small thing. But it's necessary. I haven't been too emotional, mainly just really focused on things I can effect. I'm sure the wave of emotions will come later. I mean they do come, but it's not all the time.

My girls took an extended vacation to be with their grandparents and I think that has helped them adjust. They just came back and knew he wasn't going to be here anymore. They'll still see him but how often still remains to be seen.

My running and exercising has taken a back seat to life yet again. TCM is like 8 weeks away - or possibly less. The longest run I'd done prior to the upheaval was 12 miles. I'm going to attempt 14 this weekend. We'll see if I can just get back in the saddle again. I NEED to do TCM. It won't be pretty, that's for sure, but it's going to be my race - the race I did while going through the hardest thing I've ever had to do.... saying goodbye to my husband.

Finding my grey area

I had a long chat with my nutritionist on Thursday and she told me again what I already know, and that is I'm black and white. I either do something 100% or not at all. I'm having a really hard time finding that happy medium -- my grey area.

I need to be more consistent with my running AND my nutrition. I know that life throws things at us... almost every day that we need to just pick up, dust off and continue on. It's this way with running -- a day that you slog through a run and wonder WHY am I even doing this... why am I out here? Or you have a piece of cake at a co-workers birthday party and decide you entire diet for the day is blown so why not eat the chips too. It's time to look at these as events to learn and grow from. WHY was that run bad -- did you hydrate properly? not enough sleep last night? Why can't you just enjoy the cake and stop there... maybe a salad for dinner instead of the heavier dinner you'd planned? The entire day is full of decisions that will make or break your fitness and nutrition regime. The plan is to tailor these decisions to make your day the best it can possibly be.

I'm going to really try this week to plan - plan exercise and plan nutrition. I need to do it daily because things fluctuate so much in the summer with school out that it's hard to make a weekly schedule and stick to it.

I'm ready to take the black and white out of my life and blend it together -- grey area, here I come.

I've been tagged!!

I was tagged by my new friend Lori -- AKA Toughnoodles. She came across my blog just a little while ago after I'd started posting a bit more regularly and I truly enjoy reading hers as well.

1- How would you describe your running 10 years ago?

10 years ago my running would be categorized as non-existent. I didn't run. I dabbled in running during college, but it was more like run a mile or two every month or so. I mtn. biked and snow skied a lot and that's it. I started running 9 years ago this December. I signed up with Team in Training - the Leukemia Society's running group and decided to run the Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage - June of 2000. That experience changed my life. I ended up run/walking my first marathon in 6:01:01 -- my goal was 6 or under as I was painfully slow and a new runner and WAY overweight. I ALMOST made that goal, but it was the process that was life-changing.

2-What is your best and worst run/race experience?

BEST: Probably the marathons that go well. All of them. Capital City Marathon 2003 - first post-pregnancy marathon after baby #2 and my first attempt at training myself. I took my time from that just over 6 hour time to a 4:45. I was really, really proud of myself. Skagit Flats Marathon 2005 my first SUB 4 marathon -- I was thrilled and came in at 3:59. Portland Marathon 2005 - a month after Skagit I did that one in 3:57 -- I was on a roll.

WORST: Injuries. After Portland 2005 I started training for an ultra and just plain and simple, over trained. I ended up with a cast for a really bad Achilles injury. Yes, it was bad enough to immobilize completely.
I kept with weights and cycling so I stayed in good enough shape to do three marathons in 2006.

September of 2007 I broke my tibia at a boyscout fundraising event and had to stop everything. I'm still trying to recover from that.... almost a year later, 20 lbs heavier and a bought with depression I think I'm finally winning.

3- Why do you run?

I run for my sanity and because it's something that I can do that I feel I'm good at. No, I'm not fast, but I don't let up with distance. I would LOVE to get that ultra under my belt. I've attempted one -- had a DNF. But, about 2/3 of the field dropped due to hail, sleet, and snow - so I was in good company.

When I run it lets me clear through my thoughts... it lets me think about God and His creations. It lets me think about my girls and my husband and I can work through a lot of life's problems when I run. It's all about clarity and sanity.

4- What is the best or worst piece of advice you've been given about running?

Probably the worst advice I was given when I first started out running was at Lady Foot Locker -- no, I don't go there anymore... but to a 'real' running store. Anyway, I was told I needed really, really supportive shoes if I was going to be covering 26.2 miles. Think shoes that would not bend, had no flex in them at all. It was like walking on boards. Um, no.... shin splints galore and a trip to Sound Sports in Seattle and I was cured.

Best: Start slow at race - don't go with the crowd - you'll pass them eventually.... and you know what? I usually do. I remember Seattle 2005 - I started really, really slow with a friend that was training for an ultra. I was aching to go faster but we kept our 10 min pace. At the 13 mile mark we kicked it up and our negative split was huge... and we passed a ton of people in the last miles and we felt GOOD.

BODY GLIDE -- everything! Body Glide on your toes prevents blisters!

5- Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.

Let's see -- I guess the one thing that might be surprising about a Marathon Maniac that has completed 16 marathons... would be that I don't consider myself a runner. I wish I did. I don't. I don't feel like I look the part so it's almost embarrassing to tell people I run. It's something I'm trying to get over.... I have a thyroid condition and will never be thin like most runners are. I'm strong and have great endurance but deep down I wish I looked the part.


Now I'm supposed to tag 5 other people so these are the people whose answers I'd really like to read: Rach, Andria, Sherri, Another Sherri, and I'm still trying to decide the 5th person!


Here are the rules guidelines: If you have been tagged, you will find your name at the end of this post. You should then, copy the rules (or your version of them), and the set of questions onto your blog post, provide your own answers, and then tag 5 new people.
Just to be sure that everyone tagged knows they have been invited to play, go to their blogs and leave them a special comment letting them know, and refer them to your blog for details. One more thing, once they've answered the questions on their own blog, they should come back to yours to tell you

out and backs

Today I did 9 miles... out and back. I felt really stiff the entire time, like I was hardly moving yet every time I looked at my watch expecting to see 11's I saw 9:15s or so. Yeah, not really quick, but it wasn't slow as molasses like it felt. I'm getting over 'something' - a bad cold or semi-flu... not sure what but it could have been that. Also, I did some weight training yesterday and my calves have been aching all day today so I know that didn't help.

I was around mile 7 or so and I saw someone who yelled out my name. I didn't recognize him at first and then he said -- "hey, it's Bruce". I realized who it was. It's a buddy of a guy who's wife I used to run with. I had talked to these guys (three of them who ran together) a couple years ago and talked them in to qualifying for the Marathon Maniacs. They were 2 - 3 marathon a year runners and now they hit almost one a month. I realized I've spread the running/marathon disease to a few people. Along with these three guys, I've encouraged two runners from my YMCA group to qualify for the Marathon Maniacs, and one co-worker - who I encouraged to do her first marathon and she just keeps kicking them out and she has also qualified for the Manaics.... that's 6 Maniacs. My friend Shelly is a Maniac too, but I'm not sure I can say I influenced her. It was Chicago that did her in... she ran that awfully hot race last year and then decided she needed a re-take. Anyway, I guess where I'm going with this is it's really nice to be out running, struggling your butt away - wondering why you do this, and then someone sees you and lights up and is excited to see and greet you - you then realize you've really made some differences in other people's lives.

Running is good for your soul -- it's good for friendship -- and it's always nice when you're on the return from an out and back.

Well, it's official.

I'm going to Twin Cities to run this fall. It will be so much fun. I purchased my flight today so I guess there is no turning back.

Three things must happen before Oct 5th.

1. MUST lose some weight as I don't want to be the lone fatty there.
2. MUST get my pace back up to where I was - #1 should help with this.
3. MUST get in all my training runs. I'm only doing 4 runs a week with cross-training so I should be able to accomplish this. This should help me with accomplish #1.
   

Those are easy, right? Well, not so easy with two kids, a full time job, husband, household and all the other duties of mommy and wife -hood.

Cross your fingers I get this all figured out.

Twin Cities here I come!

Meet Tank!

As most of you know, our wonderful Lab Cody died about a month ago. Robb and I had talked and decided we wanted to find a smaller more 'house friendly' dog when we finally decided to get another one. We'd been looking at bassets, pugs (just me... Robb wasn't too fond of them), all sort of smaller-type dogs.

Anyway, Robb called me yesterday and said he'd found a dog. I guess he was delivering appliances to a customer and they had a dog (miniature beagle mixed with some sort of hound) that was just adorable. He commented on him and they asked if he knew anyone who wanted a dog. Apparently they had a few other dogs and this dog was a little high strung around the other dogs. Anyway, he called me and talked to me about it and I said to just go get him. He's 8 months old, house trained, crate trained and is just great around the girls. His name is Tank.

We took him for a walk today and every time he saw a bird he just bolted.... definitely likes those birds. He's a great lap dog... okay, a bit big for a lap dog, but he doesn't realize that.

We're so glad he's a part of our little family.... what a nice little guy for the girls to hang out with.

Welcome, Tank!