Well, Thursday is over . . . already. Really this week has been a blur, in a good way, but a blur nonetheless.
A week from tonight I will be all giddy and excited because next Friday I will be boarding a plane for San Francisco. My most favorite city in the whole wide world. To do what? Run!!! With 3 extra days to just BE in the city. I don't know what I'm talking about, I'm giddy now, dammit! I can't believe I'm actually doing it. So happy that I am, though.
I have breakfast with a girlfriend I haven't seen in many, many years scheduled for Saturday morning and lunch with a girlfriend I love dearly, but whom I've never met on Saturday afternoon. Then I'm hoping that my ex-brother-in-law and his partner will be in town and available to have dinner with me Saturday night! That would just make it perfect, really. Perfect. God is so good to me, I have a feeling things will work out.
Today I did not get up and run because I stayed up way to late. 10 o'clock is way to late for me these days! Certainly to late to be up if I want to get up at 4 a.m., and run. So I didn't get up. I actually didn't get up til quarter to 6 and I try to leave for work by 6:25 at the latest. It was rushed, to say the least.
Didn't run, but I did lift weights -- did Cathe's STS Disc #2 -- feeling good about that. I was really sore today, from STS #1 on Tuesday, but once my muscles got worked out I felt better. I anticipate sleeping good tonight and getting up to run in the morning.
Secretly I want to run my 8 mile loop again tomorrow but I question whether I should considering I have ever intention of running at least 16 on Saturday. We shall see, we shall see. I'll never know if I don't try. . . right?
Good things that happened today.
1) There was very little rain and a great deal more sun than we Portlanders have seen in a while.
2) My beau gave me two free Blazer tickets he received for test driving a Kia so that I may take my youngest son to the game on Tuesday evening.
3) I had a pleasant conversation with my landlady today.
4) Tomorrow my oldest son comes for the weekend.
Things I am thankful for.
1) My healthy and happy children.
2) My loving and lovely mother who lives with me during this season of her life.
3) My beau who loves me differently than any man has ever loved me.
4) My job which is beyond awesome and a great opportunity that I'm not even sure I totally grasp right now.
5) That, by the grace of God, I can run!
Good Night!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Wednesday is over already . . . . WOW!
I can't believe it's the end of Wednesday. Seems it was just Monday and Friday was just a faint shadow in the distance. Time is flying!!
I got up and ran this morning!! Not only did I run, but I ran 8 miles!! Awesome! I got out a little late and even had the audacity to consider NOT running when I woke at 3:50 from a deep sleep and tried to convince myself that the deepness of my sleep meant I needed more and should reset the clock to 5:30 (from 4:10). I actually did reset the clock, but then I laid there for 8 minutes and then jumped out of bed and got ready. I got out of the house by 4:10 and ran the route I had mapped out in my mind. It was a nice steady 8 miles and I feel good about my performance. Amazingly, I really didn't feel to stiff throughout the day. If anything the pain I felt today had nothing to do with the running, but everything to do with the lifting!! My chest hurts to the touch, my shoulders hurt when I move and my biceps cry out when I bend my arms -- it had been a long time since I lifted, obviously.
So I think I decided that I can run long this Saturday without leaving Sherwood. I ran 8 miles this morning on a simple loop - I could do the loop twice for 16 miles and change it up a little more to make it interesting. Still thinking on it.
I did stop by the running store on my way home to pick up some possibilities for fueling en route. Bought some stinger chews and some stinger goo that's pure honey and then the lady talked me into some other kind of gel to try that didn't seem so thick. The PDX Running Chicks suggested other things like pretzels, vegetable broth and candy -- but they all pointed out its a very individual thing. I have to find what works best for me. It's definitely a process.
I'm so happy with my performance today though!! I intend to try and run tomorrow as well, maybe not 8 miles, but I want to get out there and run. Feel like I'm on a roll. And then tomorrow is another lifting day too -- I hope I'm able to lift the weights!!!
Finding it hard to believe tomorrow is the last day of March - already.
Time is flying by!!
Peace.
I got up and ran this morning!! Not only did I run, but I ran 8 miles!! Awesome! I got out a little late and even had the audacity to consider NOT running when I woke at 3:50 from a deep sleep and tried to convince myself that the deepness of my sleep meant I needed more and should reset the clock to 5:30 (from 4:10). I actually did reset the clock, but then I laid there for 8 minutes and then jumped out of bed and got ready. I got out of the house by 4:10 and ran the route I had mapped out in my mind. It was a nice steady 8 miles and I feel good about my performance. Amazingly, I really didn't feel to stiff throughout the day. If anything the pain I felt today had nothing to do with the running, but everything to do with the lifting!! My chest hurts to the touch, my shoulders hurt when I move and my biceps cry out when I bend my arms -- it had been a long time since I lifted, obviously.
So I think I decided that I can run long this Saturday without leaving Sherwood. I ran 8 miles this morning on a simple loop - I could do the loop twice for 16 miles and change it up a little more to make it interesting. Still thinking on it.
I did stop by the running store on my way home to pick up some possibilities for fueling en route. Bought some stinger chews and some stinger goo that's pure honey and then the lady talked me into some other kind of gel to try that didn't seem so thick. The PDX Running Chicks suggested other things like pretzels, vegetable broth and candy -- but they all pointed out its a very individual thing. I have to find what works best for me. It's definitely a process.
I'm so happy with my performance today though!! I intend to try and run tomorrow as well, maybe not 8 miles, but I want to get out there and run. Feel like I'm on a roll. And then tomorrow is another lifting day too -- I hope I'm able to lift the weights!!!
Finding it hard to believe tomorrow is the last day of March - already.
Time is flying by!!
Peace.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Rainy blah kinda day . . . .
Didn't run today. . . chose not to get up.
Aunt Flo came to visit, I'll blame the lack of running on her, thank you very much.
Had a good day at work; a nice dinner with my beau and then I came home and worked out.
I use to lift 3 days a week, at least, but that has fallen off and I miss it. I think I naturally have definition in my arms, but when I work out the definition is greater and the comments are constant. I miss that, shallow as it may be. Summer is coming (although its hard to believe that when you live in Oregon) and I will again earn the right to bare arms. Tonight was Cathe's STS Disc 1. It's a 3 month program, 3 lifting days a week -- if I see this through I will be completing STS about the time I get ready to run the Vancouver Marathon. That seems like a worthy feat. So I'm on it.
Tomorrow it is my intention to get up and run, rain or not. This is Oregon after all. If you can't run in the rain, you pretty much CAN'T run.
Still thinking about running long on Saturday. . . even told the beau and he was dully impressed with my intentions. I'm excited at the attempt.
It's off to bed for me.
Feeling strong, feeling happy, feeling quite blessed.
Aunt Flo came to visit, I'll blame the lack of running on her, thank you very much.
Had a good day at work; a nice dinner with my beau and then I came home and worked out.
I use to lift 3 days a week, at least, but that has fallen off and I miss it. I think I naturally have definition in my arms, but when I work out the definition is greater and the comments are constant. I miss that, shallow as it may be. Summer is coming (although its hard to believe that when you live in Oregon) and I will again earn the right to bare arms. Tonight was Cathe's STS Disc 1. It's a 3 month program, 3 lifting days a week -- if I see this through I will be completing STS about the time I get ready to run the Vancouver Marathon. That seems like a worthy feat. So I'm on it.
Tomorrow it is my intention to get up and run, rain or not. This is Oregon after all. If you can't run in the rain, you pretty much CAN'T run.
Still thinking about running long on Saturday. . . even told the beau and he was dully impressed with my intentions. I'm excited at the attempt.
It's off to bed for me.
Feeling strong, feeling happy, feeling quite blessed.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday is outta the way . . . .
I usually don't run on Mondays. I have a ton of excuses for not running on Mondays. All of them lame, but convenient. "It's the first day of the work week, I need my sleep" is the one I usually use when I turn over and reset the clock for 5:30. Today, however, I got my butt out of bed and went for a run.
This is especially noteworthy because my boys woke me up at midnight to have me set the oldest up with Netflix on his Xbox 360. See, their spring break had one more day so they could be up til all hours of the night without issue. So, they woke me at midnight and then again I woke up at 3 a.m. to find the youngest still up but "getting ready to go to sleep." I certainly expected my inner wimp to reach out and reset the clock. But she didn't do it!
Clock went off at 4:25 and I was up and out in 10 minutes flat. It was a glorious morning, not to cold (the school sign said it was 41 degrees)and of course there were very few people out. I thought I'd run my normal 45 minute run which amounts to about 4 miles give or take, but I surprised myself and extended the run and made it a nice and easy 6.05 miles in a little over an hour. I was pleased with myself and how good and pretty effortless the run seemed. I'm not fast by any means, but it still felt effortless and thats when I know I love running as much as I think I do.
After starting the day with a run, it's very hard for the day to be "bad!" This is the God's honest truth. It just can't be bad. When crappy things happen I'm able to say "well, at least I ran this morning." And everything is right in the world.
I love running.
Thinking about running long this coming Saturday morning. When I say "long" I mean longer than I've ever run at one time. For me that would be anything over 13.2 miles. If I had a specific goal I would say I would like to run 15 or 16 miles, but truthfully if I could run 14 I'd be happy. My mission between now and then is to find something to carry to fuel my body while I run OTHER THAN gatorade. Gatorade is so sugary and I just don't like it that much. If I don't find a suitable replacement I'll probably use Gatorade, but I'd rather not so I'm checking out the possibilities.
The idea of running long on Saturday is very exciting. . . I think I'm going to do it, now I just have to decide where to run. . .
Decisions, decisions!
This is especially noteworthy because my boys woke me up at midnight to have me set the oldest up with Netflix on his Xbox 360. See, their spring break had one more day so they could be up til all hours of the night without issue. So, they woke me at midnight and then again I woke up at 3 a.m. to find the youngest still up but "getting ready to go to sleep." I certainly expected my inner wimp to reach out and reset the clock. But she didn't do it!
Clock went off at 4:25 and I was up and out in 10 minutes flat. It was a glorious morning, not to cold (the school sign said it was 41 degrees)and of course there were very few people out. I thought I'd run my normal 45 minute run which amounts to about 4 miles give or take, but I surprised myself and extended the run and made it a nice and easy 6.05 miles in a little over an hour. I was pleased with myself and how good and pretty effortless the run seemed. I'm not fast by any means, but it still felt effortless and thats when I know I love running as much as I think I do.
After starting the day with a run, it's very hard for the day to be "bad!" This is the God's honest truth. It just can't be bad. When crappy things happen I'm able to say "well, at least I ran this morning." And everything is right in the world.
I love running.
Thinking about running long this coming Saturday morning. When I say "long" I mean longer than I've ever run at one time. For me that would be anything over 13.2 miles. If I had a specific goal I would say I would like to run 15 or 16 miles, but truthfully if I could run 14 I'd be happy. My mission between now and then is to find something to carry to fuel my body while I run OTHER THAN gatorade. Gatorade is so sugary and I just don't like it that much. If I don't find a suitable replacement I'll probably use Gatorade, but I'd rather not so I'm checking out the possibilities.
The idea of running long on Saturday is very exciting. . . I think I'm going to do it, now I just have to decide where to run. . .
Decisions, decisions!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Baby Blogger, take one. . .
Confession #1 ~ I've never blogged before. Thought about it frequently, but always thought I'd spend way to much time self editing to make it worthwhile. . .
Confession #2 ~ I'm not going to self edit. I'm going to take a cue from my friend Jennifer and just put it out there -- this is therapy for me, after all, not you.
Confession #3 ~ I'm starting to believe I'm a runner. How freaking awesome is that? Pretty damn awesome.
I started running in August of 2009. Brought a new puppy home in June of 2009 and while I would walk him in the morning I would see runners and think "hmmm, can I do that?" I decided when there was no one looking to see if I could. Turns out I could run. Not for very long, but I could run.
Trigger and I would go out and walk each morning and when I had enough courage (and I couldn't see any real runners) I'd run. Run 10 seconds, walk 10 minutes, run 30 seconds, walk 12 minutes. It felt ridiculous, but I liked the feeling of running and Trigger thought it was pretty cool too. Every day we were out there and every day it seemed like I could run for just a little bit longer. It was really amazing.
Trigger is a Mastiff. He's coming up on his second birthday on April 15th. When he was a little puppy he was all about the running. About the time I had progressed to running 3 miles without walking he was almost 1 and 135 pounds. He didn't really run anymore, he lumbered. I still took him with me until the day I set out to run my furthest, approximately 3.5 miles. We had almost reached home, I'd say we were half a mile from home, and Trigger just sat down. "I'm done!" He silently declared. "I'm done!" His stopping so abruptly almost caused me to hit the ground, but I recovered and had a long talk with him. He ultimately won the conversation and we walked the rest of the way home, but not before I told him I'd have to run alone from here on out. He seemed okay with that. Now almost a year later, at 185 pounds he is still content to watch me leave in the morning to run -- "I'll see you for the walk later" his eyes say to me -- I love him so.
So now I run alone. I am a pre-dawn runner. There is nothing like running before the rest of the world is awake (except for that crazy newspaper delivery dude). It's quiet and the air is crisp and cool no matter what season it is. It's the very best part of the day and it never fails to make me feel good.
In early 2010 my ex-brother-in-law told me I should sign up for a race. I told him I wasn't a "real" runner, and couldn't possibly do that. Because the "real" runners would know I was a fake. He told me that was a common reason people didn't sign up and that I should just do it. After a month or so of contemplating that I took his advice and signed up for a 5K. It was the 2010 Answer to Cancer 5K in June. After the race I was totally addicted to long distance running.
By the end of 2010 I had run 5 Half Marathons, 3-5Ks and 2-10Ks, one of which was on a trail -- who knew trails were so much harder??!! It was an awesome running year but all it did was make me want for more in 2011. And here we are in 2011.
It's the end of March and so far I've run a 10K, a Half Marathon and a 15K. But the year has only just begun. I've got many races on my horizon for the year, most notably the Vancouver Marathon in June and the Portland Marathon in October -- but there is so much more. This year is about seeing what more my body can do. If I never try, I'll never know.
Hoping this blog keeps me on track with my training, i.e., running, lifting, nutrition, etc. We shall see.
Next race for me is the U.S. Half Marathon in San Francisco on April 10, 2011. This will be the first race I have ever travelled to and I'm very excited. Excited because I love San Francisco with all my heart and I love running. Putting the two things together seems like the end all, but in truth it is only the beginning.
It's all good.
Confession #2 ~ I'm not going to self edit. I'm going to take a cue from my friend Jennifer and just put it out there -- this is therapy for me, after all, not you.
Confession #3 ~ I'm starting to believe I'm a runner. How freaking awesome is that? Pretty damn awesome.
I started running in August of 2009. Brought a new puppy home in June of 2009 and while I would walk him in the morning I would see runners and think "hmmm, can I do that?" I decided when there was no one looking to see if I could. Turns out I could run. Not for very long, but I could run.
Trigger and I would go out and walk each morning and when I had enough courage (and I couldn't see any real runners) I'd run. Run 10 seconds, walk 10 minutes, run 30 seconds, walk 12 minutes. It felt ridiculous, but I liked the feeling of running and Trigger thought it was pretty cool too. Every day we were out there and every day it seemed like I could run for just a little bit longer. It was really amazing.
Trigger is a Mastiff. He's coming up on his second birthday on April 15th. When he was a little puppy he was all about the running. About the time I had progressed to running 3 miles without walking he was almost 1 and 135 pounds. He didn't really run anymore, he lumbered. I still took him with me until the day I set out to run my furthest, approximately 3.5 miles. We had almost reached home, I'd say we were half a mile from home, and Trigger just sat down. "I'm done!" He silently declared. "I'm done!" His stopping so abruptly almost caused me to hit the ground, but I recovered and had a long talk with him. He ultimately won the conversation and we walked the rest of the way home, but not before I told him I'd have to run alone from here on out. He seemed okay with that. Now almost a year later, at 185 pounds he is still content to watch me leave in the morning to run -- "I'll see you for the walk later" his eyes say to me -- I love him so.
So now I run alone. I am a pre-dawn runner. There is nothing like running before the rest of the world is awake (except for that crazy newspaper delivery dude). It's quiet and the air is crisp and cool no matter what season it is. It's the very best part of the day and it never fails to make me feel good.
In early 2010 my ex-brother-in-law told me I should sign up for a race. I told him I wasn't a "real" runner, and couldn't possibly do that. Because the "real" runners would know I was a fake. He told me that was a common reason people didn't sign up and that I should just do it. After a month or so of contemplating that I took his advice and signed up for a 5K. It was the 2010 Answer to Cancer 5K in June. After the race I was totally addicted to long distance running.
By the end of 2010 I had run 5 Half Marathons, 3-5Ks and 2-10Ks, one of which was on a trail -- who knew trails were so much harder??!! It was an awesome running year but all it did was make me want for more in 2011. And here we are in 2011.
It's the end of March and so far I've run a 10K, a Half Marathon and a 15K. But the year has only just begun. I've got many races on my horizon for the year, most notably the Vancouver Marathon in June and the Portland Marathon in October -- but there is so much more. This year is about seeing what more my body can do. If I never try, I'll never know.
Hoping this blog keeps me on track with my training, i.e., running, lifting, nutrition, etc. We shall see.
Next race for me is the U.S. Half Marathon in San Francisco on April 10, 2011. This will be the first race I have ever travelled to and I'm very excited. Excited because I love San Francisco with all my heart and I love running. Putting the two things together seems like the end all, but in truth it is only the beginning.
It's all good.
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