7 Months Ago.....

...was my last post!  That's pathetic.  While I have been keeping up on reading all of the blogs I follow, I just haven't been very good at posting or commenting.  I also started wondering why I was blogging at all.  Who cares?  It was getting stressful just keeping up with my one or two posts per month.  But, a few days ago, I went back and read some of the posts I had written and remembered that the main reason for doing this was to have a journal for myself.  Yes, I wanted to have something to keep me accountable to running, but I realize as I look back that it became so much more.  It's a place where I could honor people or remember special days or serve as a reminder later on about those life experiences that sometimes get forgotten.  And, of course, as the title indicates, it is a place to always remember Anna, my niece who was taken from us way too soon.  So, I'm back.  I'll still talk about running, but I'll also write about other things.... the things that mean the most to me so I don't take them for granted.  It doesn't matter if anyone reads or nobody reads ...  this is for me.  

Where do I begin?  When I left off last, I was about to run a 1/2 marathon.  My goal was 2:15.  My time?  2:16:00.  I would have taken 2:15:59.  Oh well!  I don't do well in temps above 60 degrees and, by the end, it was well over 70.  I crossed the half-way point at 1:06 and I thought I was well on my way to reaching my goal, but the "heat" (it was hot for that time of year) got to me in the end. 

In May, my son, my husband, and I ran a 10k on Memorial Day to raise money for disabled veterans.  It was awesome to participate in this even with my family, and we just had fun.  Then.....

I kind of fell out of love with running for awhile.  I was just too hard on myself for not being faster.  My goal was never to be the fastest runner, but my competitive side does come through occasionally, and it was causing me grief.  The weather just kept getting hotter and I kept getting slower.  I kept hearing about people who just started running and were already much faster than I.  An article come out in "Runner's World" about that time (which was perfect!).  The author wrote about taking the summers off because he just didn't enjoy running in the summer.  He hiked, kayaked, biked, etc., instead.  When he started running again in the fall, he felt energized and running wasn't boring or hard anymore.  So, that's what I did!  I took the summer off.  I worked out to Jilian, went hiking, and just generally participated in activities that I normally don't get to do. 

I started running again about the end of August, and it feels GREAT!  I wear my Garmin (to track mileage), but don't look at it for pace or time.  Running is to keep me healthy, somewhat in shape, and provide an outlet for the stress in my life...that's it.  There's nothing like starting out a day with a cool morning's run.  Not only that, but a few weeks ago, my son said he wanted to train for a 1/2 marathon!  I was a little shocked, to be honest, but very excited to impart all of my "wisdom" and "knowledge" to my 17-year-old.  We went and had him fitted for some shoes, and he's off and running (literally).  The only problem???  He wants me to run with him, and there's no way on this earth I'd be able to get him out of bed at 4:30 a.m. (my usual run time).  So, I made the EXTREME sacrifice of switching my running schedule to run with him after work/school.   Ugh!  At first, I hated this.  Too much traffic, too hot, and I'm not exactly motivated after a day at work to get my running clothes on and head out the door again.  But, the more we got into a routine, and the more the temps dropped, the better it got.  Now, I look forward to that time with my son, and I'm grateful that he actually still wants to do something with me.  It's something we can do together with the same goal in mind.  That goal, incidentally, is this:

in Davis, CA.  I CAN'T WAIT!  It will be so great to cross the finish line of this race with my son beside me (or very far ahead of me ... however it works out). 

Wait....what?

That's what I said yesterday when it fully dawned on me that my next half-marathon is next Saturday!  I knew in the back of my mind that it was, but, now it's just kind of THERE...in a week...7 days.  I haven't been too worried about it.  I have a loose goal of 2:15 or less, but it won't be the end of the world if I don't get it.  For the most part, I've been getting all my training runs in, and they've felt pretty good.  I've gotten away, though, from my 5 runs per week, and have consistently been running 4 times per week.  My body seems to like this frequency much better.  I don't feel quite so exhausted by the time my Saturday long runs roll around, and my runs feel like they're better quality.  I seem to be able to keep the hip pain away, also, with the decrease.

I continue to work on speed, but not as much as I was hoping to.  I get a little sidetracked while I'm running because I just enjoy the thinking time....the alone time.  From what I've been reading, track work is probably the best way to improve speed, and I'm just not motivated to do that right now. 

What I'm really working on is (don't laugh) a form of potty training.  I was really frustrated last year with all the pit stops I had to take both in training and in my races.  In reviewing my recaps from my October 1/2 marathon and my December marathon, it's pretty obvious where I lost A LOT of time.  I was trying to follow the advice to hydrate, hydrate, and hydrate some more in the days prior to those long runs, and I think I may have overdone it.  I've been experimenting with getting the water I need, but not so much where I'm constantly having to stop at those porta potties.  In doing so, I've run over-hydrated, a little dehydrated, and a lot dehydrated.  But, I think now I've found a system that works for me.  My only concern is that I've been used to running in cooler weather in the early morning, and it's supposed to be in the 70's at the 1/2 marathon next week.  That may throw me off a little. 

I've been looking for some more races to sign up for in the future.  These two are definitely on my radar:

Milwaukee Brewers Mini Marathon to benefit Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer (MACC)

and

the 2013 Cellcom Green Bay Marathon

I wanted to run this year's Cellcom Marathon, but Lambeau Field is being renovated, so their tradition of finishing up at the stadium was omitted.  That would be the biggest pull for me to run this, so I definitely want to run it next year. 

While most of my family lives in Wisconsin, I don't, so I'll have to think about travel expenses and see if I can swing one or both of these races. 

In other news, spring has definitely SPRUNG here in northern Nevada.  It is a GLORIOUS time of year when the valley is coming back to life against the backdrop of mountains still dusted or covered with snow (depending on their heights).  Some pictures from this beautiful season:

One end of  a HUGE rainbow I saw while running one day

The other end

The middle

If you look very closely, you can see a faint double rainbow

Easter sunrise

Yay!  The beginning of 4-wheeling season!!

A different form of new life...our new grandnephew Noah.  Welcome to the world, little one.  Kind of fitting to have a picture of Noah along with pictures of a rainbow, right?

Now, off to catch up on all of your blogs!  I've been a very bad follower lately...sorry!!  :)

Let Go, Let God

This post will have little to do with running, so, if that's what you are interested in, you may want to stop reading. 

I don't talk about my job much on here.  Suffice it to say I work full-time and enjoy the environment in which I am employed.  A little over four years ago, I was promoted to a "dream job".  I loved this job.  It was challenging, interesting, and presented variety, which is important to me.  As with all good things, the honeymoon period ends at some point.  I still love this job, but absolutely DON'T love the strain it puts on me and my family sometimes.  I've had to come in and work on approved vacation days.  I'm "on-call" some holidays.  There's no certainty on any given day about when my work day will end, which causes issues with obligations outside of work.  It got to a point where I was unhappy and stressed, even when I wasn't at work.  I've considered asking to be reassigned back to my old position, but felt that, if I did that, people would view me as a quitter or someone who just couldn't hack the demands of the job.  In addition, you get used to a certain level of income and wonder if you can survive if that gets cut back. 

Just in case you think I'm spoiled, I'd like to add here that, prior to my current place of employment, I worked about 14 years in the restaurant / hospitality industry.  Many of those years were in a management position.  I know what it's like to work 50-60 (or more) hours per week and not get weekends or holidays off.  I get that there are people who deal with scheduling problems every single day.  I am GRATEFUL to be in a position now where that doesn't apply (to that degree, anyway).  However, those same feelings of lack of control over my life were surfacing again.

Last week, I nervously approached my supervisor and asked to be reassigned.  Since then, other people in authority have been brought in, and every single one of them has been WONDERFUL.  I didn't hear, "Well, that's what you signed up for when you applied for this job."  They were understanding, compassionate, and willing to do everything they could to help.  It looks like it will work out for me to go back to my old and much less stressful job.

Why does it take so long to try to change your life for the better?  I knew I was unhappy.  I knew I wasn't always pleasant to be around at home.  I knew I was tired, drained, and irritable.  Yet, I was concerned about the perception of others.  Would they think less of me?  Will my family suffer from the reduced income?  Bottom line is...it doesn't matter (well, I don't want my family to suffer, but I think you know what I mean).  Who cares what people think?  And, I think my family would prefer some quality time with a nice wife/mother over a little extra money.  I finally prayed, prayed, and prayed some more asking that God would help me to trust that He was leading me to this decision and He will take care of the aftermath.  And, you know what?  As always, He did take care of it, is taking care of me right now, and will always be there guiding my every step (when I let Him). 

In fact, the best times in my life have come from FINALLY letting go of the feeling that I must control everything and giving it all to God.  You'd think I'd learn by now, right? 

Things I Love Right Now (about running)

I can't believe it's been over a month since I posted last!  I'm constantly thinking of things I can write about, but the time always seems to get away from me. 

Generally speaking things are going well with running.  On Friday, I finally bit the bullet and signed up for this:

American River Parkway Half Marathon

I'm glad to have something to train for again.  I generally have a little more motivation if I'm working towards something.  There have been a lot of races I've wanted to sign up for, but there aren't many in my area.  So, running a race means paying the entry fee, gas to get there, and, usually, a hotel the night before.  That gets pretty expensive!  This one is just a couple hours away, and the entry fee isn't totally outrageous.  (I was thinking about signing up for the R&R San Diego half-marathon if my husband participates in the full again this year...$135...for the half!!  I.don't.think.so.) 

I also continue to work on "speed" and core exercises, and see some improvement in both of those areas.  My IT band has not been an issue, although I've felt some left-hip discomfort which comes and goes (that's always been an issue with me). 

Anyway, you're probably wondering what any of this has to do with the title of the post.  Not much!  Just wanted to give a little update for those who are interested.  :)

Everybody has their go-to gear, nutrition, etc., when it comes to running.  Mine seem to change as time goes on.  Right now - when it comes to running - I am LOVING these things:

Nite Beams... A few months ago, I won an arm band and a leg band in a giveaway hosted by Jamoosh.  I am in love with these things.  I have been looking for a good way for people to see me in the early mornings for quite awhile.  I used to run with a headlamp, and that was just awful.  After one unfortunate incident, when the headlamp slipped down and slammed into the bridge of my nose, I was done with that.  These just wrap around your arm or leg and you're good to go.  They don't irritate my skin and, after awhile, I don't even feel like they're there.  You can set them to glow continuously or to flash on and off.  They not only help you be seen, but they're bright enough to illuminate dark roads, as well.

Iron Girl Fitted D sunglasses

From Allied Medal Displays

Wrist ID Sport

The items in the above pictures are items I won all at the same time in a giveaway hosted by April in November (yes, I was pretty lucky in giveaways for awhile). 

The Road ID and the medal display are items I've been wanting for quite awhile, but never quite was able to pull the trigger as to spending the money.  I was close with the Road ID, because, yes, I get that it's for safety and all.  But the medal display...well let's be honest...I don't think it'll be jam packed with medals or anything. 

In fact, this is what mine looks like right now.

The two on the right are actually my husband's

Hopefully, we can fill that up a little bit more.  :)

 The Running Chics shirt is sooo comfy, and I've worn that a few times.  The sunglasses I wear every Saturday on my long run, and I love them.  Every other pair of sunglasses I've bought steam up when I start to sweat (so...immediately).  These don't and they are very comfortable.  I haven't tried the short sleeve shirt from Balancing Act, yet, because it hasn't been warm enough, but it looks really cute and comfy, as well. 

And, then, of course the trusty sidekicks I don't think I'll ever replace!

CW-X Stabilyx 3/4 tights

Garmin 305

Under Armour Cold Gear Compression Mock...this is all I need all the way down to 20 degrees.  Anything colder, I just add a light long-sleeve shirt, and I'm good! 

The last thing I'm totally loving right now is this Scheels commercial.

So motivating!

One other thing I wanted to share...on Monday, I actually ran at sunset!!  Normally, once I get home from work and eat dinner, I'm DONE!  But, I didn't get my run done in the morning, and I was feeling like getting outside.  It was actually a pretty great run!  And, you can't beat being able to see where you're going and getting sunset pictures. 

²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  (1 Cor. 9: 24-25)

Running for a Reason; Sub-10 Minute Miles

I don't know what happened, but I slept about 11 hours last night!  My husband and I sat down to watch a movie, and I fell asleep on the couch (nothing new there).  I got up briefly to sleepily walk to bed and then slept pretty much straight through to 7:00 a.m.!  This NEVER happens with me.  If I go to sleep early, I'm up before 6:00 a.m., usually waking up two or three times during the night.  You'd think that would make me feel more energetic, but I think I could have stayed in bed all day today.  HOWEVER, there were two reasons I wanted to get up and run today. 

Reason #1:

Welcome to the Team Page of Anna's Army

Join Our Team

Anna's Army Statistics Money Raised Team Suggested Amount: $1,000.00 Total Raised: $1,120.00

A lot of my family participated in this walk in Milwaukee, WI, in memory of Anna.  I wanted to be there so badly, but I was with them in spirit during my run.  Soldiers of Anna's Army have raised over $11,000 in the past year for different organizations with the mission of wiping out cancer (especially pediatric cancer).  This amount is just what I personally know about.  I know a lot of others are donating, contributing, and participating in many activities and fundraisers in her memory.  A little 4-year-old girl has mobilized a whole contingency of people who want to kick cancer to the curb!  Pretty amazing!! 

Reason #2:

From shutupandrun.net, who hosted a virtual run in memory of Sherry Arnold

As I ran, I thought about all of the children who have lost their lives to the dreaded disease of cancer and their families who go on somehow day after day, but are never quite able to fill that hole in their hearts and minds.  

I thought of Sherry, who did nothing more than wake up in Sidney, MT and leave for a run at 6:30 one Saturday morning.  She hasn't been seen since.  It is believed she was murdered by two men who are now in custody, but her body has not been found.  My mother-in-law grew up in Sidney.  It is a small town of about 5,000 people.  If it can happen there, it can happen anywhere. 

I ran, I thought, I prayed.  

I've been working on my "speed" (relative term) since I've started running again.  Last year before I started working on my distance for the marathon, I could run 6 miles and average a sub-10 minute mile for the whole run.  I haven't seen that since.  In fact, a month ago an 11-minute mile felt like death.  Yesterday, my goal was to run 4 miles in under 40 minutes.  My time was 40:18 (so close!).  Today was the beginning of a cut-back week, so I only had 4 miles on schedule for my "long run".  I ran hard, but wasn't really trying to break any records, and I felt pretty comfortable the whole time.  It could have been because I was focusing on other things:

That's an average of 9:51 / mile.  Not great for many runners, but flying like the wind for me.  :)  Not only that, but, to break it down,

Mile 1 - 10:27

Mile 2 - 10:01

Mile 3 - 9:34

Mile 4 - 9:21

I actually got faster with each mile!  Pretty happy with this.

Finally, 

to my sister, Becky!!  Wish I could be there to celebrate with you!!! 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

One of Those Weeks

I've had "one of those weeks".  I've been cranky, tired, and hard to live with.  I hate my job, I'm fed up with politics, I hate the teams going to the super bowl ...you name it, I've complained about it.  So, it's probably time to do a gratitude post.  What do you think? 

I'm thankful for my son.  He's 16 now, and starting to think about college, driving, and the typical things 16-year-olds think about.  I'm so incredibly proud of him.  At the end of May, as part of a requirement for earning a congressional award, he will be traveling to TURKEY for 21 days.  He will be taking classes there and teaching English for service credits.  Of course, he will also have plenty of time to explore.  As someone who has never been out of the country, I am incredibly grateful that he will have this wonderful opportunity. 

With his new passport...I'm kind of jealous that I don't have one. 

I'm thankful for my husband, who celebrated his birthday yesterday!  He inspires me every day to not focus on the negative and live for what we have today.  He is strong in his beliefs and values and does not back down from anyone who challenges his feelings.  Don't tell him I said this, but I kind of love that about him. 

I'm thankful for all of the material things with which we've been blessed.  A warm home, food to eat, clothes to wear, cars to drive, the things we daily take for granted. 

The car my son wants to drive

I'm thankful for my health.  I'm thankful for the ability to run and exercise when there are so many who can't. 

I'm thankful for music.  So often, when I feel sad or disheartened, I can sit and play the piano or just listen to music.  Soon, that sadness is replaced with peace and contentment. 

If anyone would like to buy me this as a gift, I would take it!

I'm thankful for living in Nevada.  Seriously, so beautiful!  God's creation is so prominently displayed in the mountains, the deserts, the lakes, and...wow...just look at these sunrises!

Driving in to work the other morning

The start of a run last week

I'm thankful for a GREAT 8-mile run today.  After a 6-miler earlier in the week, I felt like throwing in the towel altogether on this whole running thing.  My legs felt heavy, my breathing was labored, and it was just hard!  But, as always, every bad run will soon be replaced by a good one, and today was it.  It's the farthest I've run since the marathon, it was pain-free, and that love was back!  The sun was shining, the air was cool, and the sky was blue.  What more could you ask for?

What are you thankful for today?

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. (Psalm 69:30)

Back to "Normal"

I felt there hasn't been too much to say these past few weeks, so I haven't posted in awhile.  We're finally getting back into the swing of things after the holidays.  I feel like we're back on a schedule now, and that's pretty tough (what...you want me to work a full week??).  Good thing I had today off for another quick break.  :)

A lot of people (my husband and son, for example) like to sleep in on those days when work and school are not dictating our wake-up times.  I, personally, like to get up just a little later than I normally would (come on...I'm not going to get up at 4:15 on my day off...I'm not that weird), and enjoy doing something different than the normal routine.  I don't HAVE to immediately get dressed and go running or HAVE to put on work clothes.  I can make a cup of hot chocolate, sit and relax, or whatever before starting the day.  That, in my opinion, is the best part of a day off.  Of course, I did HAVE to go running today, if for no other reason than to work off my frustration with the Packers game yesterday.  So hard to watch!!  I had to self-medicate with this after the game.  

Yeah, I don't take these losses very well. 

Running on a day off means I can run in the daylight!  I can actually enjoy the scenery.  Some pictures from today's run:

FINALLY!  We got some snow...desperately need the moisture in this area. 

I've been running again pretty consistently for over two (2) weeks, now.  I've felt great and, for the most part, pain-free.  Right now, they're mostly shorter, slower runs.  I don't even look at my Garmin.  I do plan on working more on my speed, but I'm just trying to get back into it at this point.  Now that my mileage isn't at marathon-training distances, I have time when I finish my runs to get some ab / core work in.  HATE this!  I've never been disciplined when it came to these types of workouts, but I realize it will help with my running (and in defining creating ab muscles), so I try to work it in at least three times a week.  I've started self-torturing myself with "planks".  If you don't know what they are, keep it that way!!  They are not fun (unless you're my family who has fun watching me try to do them)!!!  I also do crunch variations and all that other stuff....blah!  

Looking at some races I might enter in the first half of the year.  I'll probably try this one (in Sacramento):

My husband is looking at maybe hand-cycling in this marathon,

the Windermere Marathon in Spokane, WA, so I might do the half there, as well.

We're waiting to see how everything pans out as far as scheduling. 

Hope everyone's new year is starting out well!  Have a great week.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  (2 Cor. 5:17)