Attempts at Middle-Aged Fitness

My Second Marathon

2011-11-20T08:09:00.001-08:00

That's me - after completing the Mount Desert Island Marathon on October 16, 2011. I was shivering, hence the shoulders being up around my chin. Also of note is the dress. I bought two of them over the summer - I love, love, love them. You may purchase yourself one at nuu-muu.com . This one is called the ruu-muu - it has a huge pocket in the back, like on a bicycling shirt.

I know last year I said I would never do another marathon. The first one was not a very good experience, other than the joy over having done it. But the pain was horrifying. So, imagine my surprise around January when I decided I really could do another one. The first day I had this thought, I registered for the race, because it fills up quick and I also wanted to do it before I could change my mind. My daughter had already decided she was going to run the race, and I told her I would go and be her biggest fan, but I would NOT do another marathon. I called her to tell her I WOULD do the marathon.

In the 10 months of training, I changed my mind several times. I thought I had irrevocably decided not to do the race on July 30 after I completed my first 18 mile training of the season. I made a mistake in my calculations and ended up doing 19 miles. I had a blister with its own ecosystem on my right foot. I soaked my feet in the Boulder Creek after I was done, which was one of the finest moments of the summer. (but after scrolling through my photos from the last year, I realize that this training had a huge amount of fun associated with it!)

That day, I came home and lay in bed wondering how I would ever get up again. My left foot hurt so bad. I thought I had plantar fasciitis, I went to the doctor several times and my doctor thinks I have stress fracture and ordered an MRI. I have yet to have the MRI, because I think I didn't want to know. Anyway, on July 30, I had a dinner plans with a man I have been dating since May. We were going to a very high end restaurant downtown. I thought I might have to ask him to pick up a wheel chair on the way over, because I wasn't sure I could walk. That was when I decided that I didn't want to continue to do this. I told my coach I was done - I would do half-marathons, but I wasn't going to spend my weekends being unable to walk - and ruin my budding relationship with this nice man!

Me in my fancy running dress and the cutest jacket on earth, purchased at my favorite running store on earth, Runners Roost Lakewood.

I was registered for the Divas Half Marathon in Vail, Colorado on August 21. I had a room reserved at the race hq hotel, so I went up for that. I woke up that morning with a migraine and decided not to do it. I went for breakfast at the hotel and ended up eating with a couple of strangers who were running the race. I told them I had a migraine and wasn't doing it. They murmered sympathy, but then one of them said, "too bad you won't get the medal." Well, I wasn't going to miss out on that medal, so I did that race with a migraine. And it was hard! I don't know how they advertised that race as being "relatively flat" - I would like to meet their relatives! That was hilly as hell! But I had so much fun! At the finish, a fireman puts the medal on you (oh, baby!) and they hand you a long stemmed rose and a flute of champaign (which I gave to friends because I don't drink). In the last couple of miles, you get a tiara and a feather boa. It was super fun, and I had a great time.

And then, on September 25, I did a half-marathon on trails, the Bear Chase. It was hard! I logged my worst time ever for a half-marathon. But I had so much fun! There were three or four river crossings, many hills, and miles of single track, sunshine and beauty.

As I did this race, I considered that I COULD do the marathon I was registered for. There is no time limit, there is an early start for slow people, it is on paved streets, and it is at sea level. As long as I wasn't trying to be competitive, and as long as I wasn't going to beat myself up for my performance, I COULD do it! I sent my coach a sheepish e-mail asking her if she thought I could do it. She immediately sent me a new training plan. I had one weekend to cram in some long mileage, and then I was tapering!

So, off I went to Maine to do my second marathon. I didn't have high expectations. In fact, I had some pretty bad fears based on my first marathon. I had one idea foremost in my mind - to have the best time I could have without driving myself crazy. And I think I was successful. It is a great race. I cannot say enough about it. It is small. If you like crowds and fans cheering at every turn, this would not be your race. If you like a flat fast course, this is not it either. It is hilly. It is never flat. But it is unbelievably gorgeous the whole time. Every square inch of it.

There were so many special moments along this race, it would take another whole post as least as long as this one already is to detail them. Some highlights were: my daughter and I were together through maybe half of the race. We separated at about 7 miles when I had to use the woods (not many porta potties along this course), met up again at about 15, and then separated for good at 20. She was suffering and wanted me to go on without her. It hurt me to do that, but I understood her wanting me to go. (she hadn't trained much and was in five finger shoes.)

I loved this race. I enjoyed it. In the last 2 miles, I did what I won't usually allow myself to do... I cried. I was alone and I was crying. There were only struggling, limping people left on the course. I actually passed a couple of them in the last couple of miles. I was crying because I realized on a cellular level that I was doing this thing. I will be 60 years old in December. I know there are good athletes still at 60, but for most people who are 60, they are not out doing marathons. And no matter what it looked like or how long it took me, I was doing this. Not talking about it. Not dreaming about it. I was actually doing it. I decided I was never going to minimize what an accomplishment this is. I don't need to qualify it with how long it took or what my finishing place was. I did it.

After my marathon last year, one of my friends talked me into buying a "26.2" magnet for my car. She had to put it on the car for me. I thought it was "boastful." I thought that if it took me over 7 hours to complete a marathon, I probably ought not to claim it. After a few months, I took it off my car. After I was done with the Mount Desert Island Marathon, I put that magnet back on my car. Because no matter what, I am a marathoner.

And for next summer? I am planning an Olympic Distance Triathlon.

But I am not ruling out another marathon 100% - only 98%.

p.s., if you are looking for advice about how to go about training for a marathon, I would suggest finding a running group in your area and joining. It is worth every bit of investment of money and time. You learn so much and make friends with wonderful people who are so healthy and positive. I have a great coach who has been a great friend and has taught me things I never knew I needed to know! (Like wearing a plastic bag and a therma-care wrapped around my waist before a race on a cold morning!) And as I was commenting to my friend on Saturday as we watched the other runners go by, there are sure some good looking men in that group! And women too - but we aren't too interested in good looking women.

My Marathon!

2010-11-21T12:08:00.001-08:00

On October 17, 2010, I finally completed a marathon. After thirty years of dreaming of running a marathon, I finally did it. It was awesome. Long Beach Marathon, Long Beach, California. It was a good one. Another blogger has done a great job of blogging the whole marathon - his experiences are very similar to mine and I saw most of the same sights and people. I was happily surprised that I wasn't in featured as "can you believe this old lady is out here?"

And then, I have to tell you, I had a few problems. You can see that if you look closely at my time... which is not even accurate. It was worse than that! In the first few miles, my back started cramping. I thought it would work itself out as it frequently does. But it only got worse. I still was determined to enjoy myself and do the best I could.

If it had ended at 15 miles, I would have had a great race. But marathons go beyond 15 miles. They go beyond my 20 mile longest training workout. I discovered the true meaning of "hitting the wall." I never really knew what that was. I had "intestinal problems" which made me hit every porta-potty from about 12 miles to 18 miles. And my back was hurting so bad. At a couple of points there were people with "the stick" who had volunteered to roll it on your legs, or whatever. I asked if they could roll it on my back. It provided tremendous relief. (I bought one after I got home - it is awesome.)

At a point or two, I thought to myself - what the heck am I doing out here? I am old, I am not a skinny little runner. I am slow. I am not your typical marathon runner. I thought of some of those folks who wish anyone taking longer than 5 hours would just stay home.

And then I remembered a stupid movie I saw a year or so ago. About a silly man who said he was going to run a marathon and hadn't trained and had no clue. He was pitiful. I thought about myself watching that movie and wanting him to finish the marathon and how I didn't think he should just stay home. So, I figured, I had paid for my admission to this thing, I had trained seriously for six months. I was having a bad day, but I still could finish it and have my marathon.

I was in so much pain, at one point a woman came up behind me and told me, "it's your race, you have eight hours to finish it, don't sweat it." That was nice.

There were many special moments. The race was awesome. The course was pretty and flat and there was lots of support and lots of spectators. The first 8 or 9 miles were along the ocean which I loved. Winding through neighborhoods in Long Beach was really fun for someone from the arid mountains of Colorado. So different! On Sunday morning, we got to pass by churches full of people. At one point, I saw a house with a Broncos flag waving in the breeze. Very nice! A couple of times nice people walked along with me in the last 10 miles. It is so nice to have a conversation to take your mind off the pain!

One of the most memorable moments came just after I finished though. I had gotten my medal - it is a nice one. I had gotten my little space blanket. I had gotten a little bag with apples and bananas, and some water. And then a man came and put his hand on my shoulder and thanked me. I couldn't imagine why he would thank me, so I asked him.

He said "I have been behind you for miles and miles. I was in so much pain, and I could see that you were in pain, and I knew if you could keep going, I could keep going." Wow.

It was not the experiences I would have wanted to have. I wanted to be able to stay strong and finish strong. But I did not have that experience. I had a different one. It might have been an abysmal performance, but I did it, and I will have that for the rest of my life.

Training for a Marathon

2010-05-22T12:29:00.001-07:00

This is a picture of my shadow - I was trying to take a magnificent photograph of the front range of the rocky mountains while I was walking this morning - and ended up with a bunch of crazy photos on my iPhone - this is one of them. And the fuel belt does not make for a svelte looking shadow, I must add. Walking and chewing gum? Maybe not so easy...

I am truly training for a marathon. I have not managed to do one before. I have done 5 half marathons, but never a whole enchilada. And funny, I never finished a half and said "Gee! I wish I had 13.1 more miles to run!!" But I have always wanted to run a marathon. And at the age of 58, I figure it is now or never.

I love, love, loving my running club. It is so wonderful to have these wonderful people to meet up with at 5:30 on Saturday morning. Yes, 5:30. A.M. I love that too.

I have backed off some other commitments, so I am thinking I will have time to keep this blog a little more current. Would love to hear from you.

Frozen Shoulder

2010-05-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

I have got a frozen right shoulder! Thankfully, this does not affect my running - or fast walking. My training is on track. And going well. I am extremely happy with my decision to join the running club - it is awesome to have people to meet every Saturday morning. It is a major motivator.

But a triathlon this summer? I don't know. I need to get in the pool and see if I can even do a breast stroke.

I am doing the few exercises my ortho dude gave me.

I have an appointment for PT next Friday.

Aging is not for the weak-hearted.

April Stuff

2010-04-22T11:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I did something very daring in April. I joined a roadrunners club. And I am very excited about it.

Here is the sad thing (for me). I have always known this would be a dilemma, so it always kept me from joining a club. But I just wasn't making the kind of progress I need to make in order to do a marathon this year and I needed to take drastic action - hence the club. Back to the sad: I am too slow to go with even the slowest runners, so I joined the walkers.

The happy part of that is that they are excellent walkers. These are no slackers. These are some very fast walkers. They are accomplished walkers. Most of them have finished half-marathons and some of them have finished my coveted goal - a whole marathon... walking! Probably faster than I could "run" it.

So, I have happily joined them. I have a plan - a multi-colored spreadsheet. I have followed it faithfully. April will be my first over 50 mile month in over a year. I am very excited.

It is so much more motivating not to be always alone. When I have told someone I would be somewhere, it is easier to be there. And so much more fun.

I plan on doing the Bolder Boulder in May (that was my first race - in 1987!) and a mountain (I edited out the name since my blog was coming up in searches for that race) half-marathon in August. I am registered for the Boulder Marathon in September, but I don't think I will be able to squeeze a 26.2 out of that. I think I will do the half. I am not sure what full marathon I am going to do, but I am going to do one in Fall 2010.

Happy!

March Progress Report

2010-03-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I have left this blog alone for four months! I have actually been training. I have actually kept that weight off... but did not lose more. But I did manage to keep weight off over holidays, a death in the family, a car going south and costing me thousands and thousands of dollars, a workplace that has decreased in size by 50% - having to lay off my assistant, etc...... It's been stress.

I registered for a MARATHON. It is in September. It is The Boulder Marathon, the one I have always wanted to do. It is local - which means it is at altitude. But as you may have gathered from the first paragraph, I have had some financial "issues," so doing a destination marathon is not going to happen this year. I really have to work to convince myself that a marathon at all is going to happen. 26.2 miles. Wow. I know the state I have been in when I have finished every single (5 of them) half-marathon. I have never once finished a half and said - "Wow! I wish I could run another 13.1 miles!" But I have always, for my entire life, wanted to run a marathon. And if I don't do it now - at the age of 58 - I will never do it.

I need to register for a spring half - I haven't done so yet. The one I wanted to run filled up before I registered. So, I will likely run the Colfax - it will be the first time I have repeated a big race. I try to do different ones all the time. It is in early May.

My training - I am up to 7 miles on my long run now. I am waiting for it to get up to 40º to go out and run 7 this morning. I am trying out my new fuel belt. I have never worn one before. As you can see from the photo, I have a new pair of shoes - Brooks Adrenaline (how freaking cute are they?) and a new bra that match. Very important for your shoes and bra to match. I have worn Brooks Trances for the last three or four years, it was quite a leap for me to switch it up and get the Adrenalines.

So, I think I am on track. I have so much more to say, but I have to get ready for my run! I can't wait to catch up with you all. So many bloggers have moved on, but some of you remain, and I know there are new folks for me to get to know. Can't wait!!!

Progress Report

2009-11-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

I gave myself a goal of losing 15 pounds before I would post anything on this blog again.

And I did it! Woo! Hoo!

I can actually live at this weight.

I will continue on my food plan (Eat Clean Diet - thank you Tosca Reno!) and hope to lose more weight, but I feel FREAKING AWESOME right now.

After getting a freak October snowstorm where I had over 2 feet of snow at my house, I decided that I just needed to purchase myself a treadmill so that no matter what I could get a work out in.

So, I got a treadmill. It is awesome to get up early in the morning and hit the treadmill wearing freaky clothes, sweating like a nut, panting as I am going too fast for comfort, and doing all this before it is even light outside! Very good purchase.

Last week's mileage was 13.1 miles. I thought it was a wonderful coincidence that I did a half-marathon. I certainly didn't mean to. My run yesterday was 5 miles. I think it was a bit too ambitious with hills. I think I will go back to flatter long runs. I have added hills into my 3 mile runs, and that is OK. But I am still not feeling that strong, so I think I will cut myself some slack on the long runs for a while.

Here is my plan...

For the remainder of 2009 - lose another 10 lbs.
Build my base mileage - get at least up to being able to do a comfortable 10K
Register for the "winter race series" - 3 races, 1 in Dec., 1 in Jan., 1 in Feb.
Run a half marathon in Spring - hopefully in an exotic and fun location - suggestions?
Run a Real, Live, 26.2 mile Marathon in the fall, leaning towards Richmond - suggestions?

That's my plan. Hope I can do it.

(People advertising diets are advised to go elsewhere, I will delete your comments. Thank you.)

Thanks and Thinking

2009-09-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

About races...

I am about as excited as I have been in years. You want to know the truth about what I think happened? Last Tuesday morning I woke up with my second migraine of that week. I had two the week before that too. Probably two the week before that too. I have been just suffering terribly with them. Horrible, horrible. Last Tuesday, I called my doctor, literally crying, and told him I had to find something to PREVENT them, not just treat them. I had read about Topamax as a migraine prevention medication - and asked him about it. We tried it.

It has now been 10 days without a migraine headache! I cannot describe to you what this is like. I want to cry just writing this. I feel like a new woman. I am waking up in the morning with energy and the ability to get out of bed and do things. At night I feel like I can plan to get out of bed in the morning and go running or swimming or whatever activity I have planned. It feels like the most amazing freedom. I feel like my life has been given back to me. Thank you Dr. Yang and Thank you Topamax.

Now, on to races.... Wes suggested Donna's 26.2 in Jacksonville in February. That is only 22 weeks away. Not real sure I can get ready for a marathon in 22 weeks. Richmond is still out there in November and it sounds like a good one. My sister suggested I come out to East Hampton, NY and do their marathon in September, but it is too small for a person as slow as I am - I would likely come in last and having once had that experience, I would not care to repeat it. These are the ones I have seriously looked into so far. I will look into more over the weekend. Keep the suggestions coming if you have any...

I ran 4 miles this morning. YAY!

I swam 1/2 mile yesterday morning. YAY!

I am back on track! YAY!

Thank you for your help and thank you for coming by when I haven't posted anything for so long!

Back to it...

2009-09-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

Pretty much from square one. That's OK.

I haven't been running much at all. I had my two triathlons over the summer. They were good. The Tri for the Cure was awesome, as it is every year. My performance was off - I hadn't really trained - which can kind of put a crimp in your performance! But I still had fun.

Now I need to figure out what the heck I am doing. I have gained weight - no surprise there. I have lost fitness. NO surprise there either. But I am not too far gone to get it back. It will take a while, but I know I can do it.

So, I called a friend who is a personal trainer and asked her if she could help me. She assure me that she could - we haven't gotten together yet, but we will.

I have done some soul searching and have realized that I am blessed with a passion for running. I know I complain about it when I am training for a race, but I really love to run. I feel most happy when I have a huge race in my future. I need to get back to this core of my person.

I have wanted to run a marathon since I was 29 years old. That was 1977 folks. That is a long time. I am going to try to first get in shape, and then train for a marathon. I am looking for a race in fall 2010. Maybe Richmond?

Any suggestions for a first time marathon? It has to have over a 6 hour limit. Sorry, but I have never gotten under 3 hours for a half marathon, so I don't think I will try to do a marathon in under 6 hours. Oh, and it should be flat, friendly, and at sea level.

My little first step towards my goal was a 2 mile run on the treadmill this morning. See? I said I was starting all over again...

Long Time Without Update

2009-07-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

I was hesitant to post about my triathlon. I will NEVER do another tri where I need a wetsuit. I was OK, but I had to stop to flag down help for two different women at two different times who needed to be pulled out of the water. I hate to talk about that because I would hate for anyone who never did a tri to think that is normal - it isn't. My time for the race was really bad. I spent about 15 extra minutes in the water and didn't do much better on the bike portion.

Anyway - I have another tri this weekend. The weather here has absolutely been terrible - like as in cold and rainy and stormy, haily, windy, cold watery. I am not adequately trained, but I will just take it slow.

Here we go again with my annual decision that I really like long distance running. When I am doing long distance running, I long to train for a triathlon... but I think I am done with the bike.

I went over the handlebars (again) in May. I didn't break anything this time, but it freaked me out just the same. It is the second time I have done that. The last time was 4 years ago, and I broke a rib.

Maybe I just have to concede that I really am old?

Although a friend at work yesterday told me that she asked a couple of our co-workers how old they thought I was. One answered 40! The other thought maybe my late 40's, 50 tops. Wow. I am 57 and a half.

I am just grateful that these are my concerns. It is a good deal for a person my age.

wetsuit help!?!?!

2009-06-20T08:43:00.000-07:00

About three weeks ago, I impulsively signed up for a triathlon at the end of June - which is now next weekend. June 28. I thought, no big deal, I have done this tri before - and I do a tri every summer, I will just add one. I won't be quick, but I can do it and it will be fun. Besides, the Danskin has better shirts than the Tri for the Cure.

What I didn't count on was the fact that it has yet to be warm here. Therefore, the water temperature of the Aurora Reservoir (where the race is held) is 64º. I called and asked them if there is any way it could warm up by next weekend, and was told that even if it got up to 90º every day between now and then and never rained once, it MIGHT get up to 68º.

I have never used a wetsuit to swim before and never wanted to, but I realized then that I needed a wetsuit. So, I rented one from my favorite running store in the Universe - Runner's Roost Lakewood. I was very happy to see that I could find one to fit and it wasn't even the largest women's size they had. I feel not overwhelmed with confidence in my body right now, so I was dreading the trying on of wetsuits - even more than swim suits.

Anyway, thanks to my friends at Runners Roost Lakewood, I have this great wetsuit to wear and so I went out to try it out last night.

HELP! How do you get used to swimming when you feel like your chest is being compressed and your neck is being strangled? It took everything I had not to panic during my first lap. I did manage not to panic, but I didn't swim very well. The buoyancy is great, but it makes the breast stroke impossible - because my legs just float right up to the surface, making the kick impossible and kind of tipping my upper body down. Yikes. I will have to freestyle the whole thing- which I can usually do, but I always know I have the breast stroke in case I get tired or freaked out.

I have no time to get used to anything.

I am freaking out.

Has anyone done the swim portion of a tri in a wetsuit? Any tips?

Happy Running Girl

2009-05-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

I have been running and it sure makes me a happy girl.

I have a triathlon in August.

I have a half-marathon in September.

I am thinking I am going to have a half-marathon in January - in Maui!!!!!

I have not yet taken the huge step of booking my trip, but I think I am going to. Soon.

I am so happy to be feeling like myself again. It has been the longest winter of my life.

What a month or two it has been!

2009-05-18T18:49:00.000-07:00

Holy Cow!

I was running in April, then I got stricken with a series of migraines. Like debilitating migraines where you go home and pray it will go away. I took maybe 3 or 4 dosages of migraine medication, which is pretty hard on the body.

On April 16, I experienced chest pain and shortness of breath. I called the doc and they told me to go straight to the ER (actually they wanted to send an ambulance, but since I work at a hospital, I thought that would be incredibly embarrassing). They kept me for 6 hours in the ER and did all kinds of crazy tests, among them a PET scan. They said that I did NOT have a heart attack but that I needed to go see my doctor at the first available appointment.

That weekend, I got to ponder this and I was sure I was old and dying. It was awful. On the next Monday, I went to my doc, who felt that I was in good shape and it was unlikely that I had heart disease - more likely I had an adverse drug reaction to the migraine medication. But we scheduled a stress test. Well, I didn't know a woman my age was supposed to quit 5 minutes into the deal! No one told me! So, I went for 12 minutes, which is off the chart for a 57 year old.

Using my blood pressure and my cholesterol, They calculated my risk of developing heart disease in the next 10 years as 1%. One Percent. That made me feel very very good.

Then I started running again....

Last week, I developed a horrible toothache. And the worst part was, it wasn't actually my tooth that hurt. It was a gum infection, which was horribly painful. I took antibiotics for 5 days and that went away...

Then I started running again....

Now I am feeling good. I ran this morning. I am going to ride my bike to work tomorrow. I am a happy girl about this.

I am looking into half marathons to do in January. ... still have Maui on my mind.

Has anyone done a race in Hawaii? Any advice?

Wardrobe Malfunction

2009-04-13T06:05:00.000-07:00

This morning I did finally run. I opted not to run outside since it was still in the 20ºs. So I went to the gym. I have not been a member of this gym for long (24 hour fitness), I was a member of Bally's for years. But in January, I got a membership to 24º fitness.

This morning, as I was running, and feeling pretty good, I noticed that I felt a bit more "bounce" than usual. I looked down and realized that one of my bra straps was unattached to the front of the bra - see above, the bra straps loop around the front and then velcro back up. I have worn this bra for a while and have loved it - so I was shocked to see this happen!

I decided I could pause the treadmill and discretely reattach my bra strap. HA! I fumbled, and fumbled, and fumbled. Finally, I thought I had it somewhat reattached and could resume my workout... but as soon as I did, it freed itself. I paused the treadmill again and tried again. It was at this time that I decided to scan my environment and realized that to my left there was an entire glass walled spinning class - facing me! Yeah!

So, my unrestrained Double D was not to be restrained this morning. I finished a mile and left the gym.

Despite that rather unfortunate incident, it is a good start. I will run more tomorrow. But at least today I got out and did something! And probably gave a few people something to talk about today. (and sorry to any male readers, I am sure this is not exactly scintillating reading!)

Mileage

2009-04-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

I just added up my March mileage. It was the least number of miles I have run in one month for at least 2 years. I can only find my records from 2007 and 2008 at this moment.

In 2007, I averaged 54 miles per month. In 2008, it was 34 miles per month. This year so far? 16 miles per month. Oh dear.

This has got to change.

Soon.

Really.

Monday.

1000 miles

2009-03-28T13:27:00.001-07:00

I logged my 1000th mile with my Nike+ iPod and got a cool certificate and the opportunity to order this fabulous t-shirt! Who doesn't need a pink cotton t-shirt for 30 some dollars once you add in shipping?

This is even with the year or more between sensors where I didn't log any miles at all.

I worked many hours last week - too many to count. I work at a hospital. The Joint Commission came for our triennial survey... if you don't know what this means, I will never be able to tell you, but if you have ever worked in a hospital, you know. This is my job. This is the reason for the existence of my job. So, I love to do this, but man, am I tired!

Now I can get back to a regular schedule and get some running done. And the snow will eventually melt and the sun will shine and the flowers will blossom.

How great is that?

I'm Alive!!!

2009-03-12T18:35:00.001-07:00

The lovely POM Blogger sent me a case of this tang-tastic beverage. I love it! I poured it over a stemmed glass full of ice, and it was a yummy little snack. The fact that it is chock full of antioxidants and other health benefits is a big bonus! I am really looking forward to seeing erectile improvement! Just kidding - I am a girl... a single girl... oh well. :(

And I am back to running. And just in case you thought I wasn't really a runner, I posted a picture of my feet. I have lost 2 toenails (the second toes) since January. Do you see the blackness at the base of the right big toe? That means I am going to lose that one too, just in time for sandal season. I know, I know, I need a pedicure... but I wanted to take the picture before I disguise the damage.

Oh! And see that lovely floor beneath my feet? My new bamboo flooring. It is nice, and I really like it.

I ran a 5 mile race in February. It was really a good experience for me. I hadn't trained at all, and was not at all injured, so I was able to really run for 5 miles. Now I know that 13 minute miles would not be considered "running" for most people, but for me, it is running. It was really a great experience.

I threw in the towel on ever getting outside and running. Just when I thought it might happen again, some brilliant person decided to make it daylight saving time in the middle of the damn winter! I am getting to work when it is still dark. So - I have made the trek to the gym to get on the treadmill. Now, I don't really love running on the treadmill, but when you haven't done it for a while, it isn't so bad. I can really crank up the music and just zone out on it - without looking for cars, potholes, dogs, and weirdos.

I am hopeful for spring to arrive and excitement to build about my triathlon and other races.

Snowman Stampede

2009-02-21T14:19:00.000-08:00

I took a picture of the chip from the race I ran this morning.

I RAN 5 frosty miles at the Snowman Stampede race. It was fun.

I registered on Wednesday when the weather forecast said it would be 60º today. I got up this morning and it was 2º. By race time, it was in the 20s, so I could bear that. It was a good race, and I feel really happy about how I did. For one thing, I did not come in last!

This race had the cutest shirt. I am too lazy to take a picture of it now, maybe I will do that later this weekend.

I am feeling encouraged and happy about running again.

Ix-Nay the awaii-Hay ip-Tray

2009-02-14T14:38:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am indeed bilingual... I speak pig latin.

I have been going over and over in my head this idea of a trip to Hawaii. This morning I woke up in my bedroom (well, of course I did) and looked at my crappy drapes and thought - I really need to replace those things. Then I thought about the drapes in the other bedroom upstairs, and they really need to match. Then I thought about the new bookcases I need when I get my new floors installed.

And then I thought about things like credit card balances...

And then I thought - I am not going to Hawaii. That is just the height of craziness.

So I will keep my original race goals. Two triathlons and one half marathon. All local.

I am going to plan a trip to the beautiful mountains in Colorado later this summer. I have a friend (wink wink) in a mountain town who would love for me to come and visit him. He is on the way to one of my dearest friends who moved to western Colorado three years ago. I will go visit them.

So, I went to Pottery Barn this afternoon and got new drapes, rods, and sheers for two windows. Holy Crap! That was expensive!

Oh, and I actually RAN 3.1 MILES yesterday! The first run in the entire month of February. It felt good.

Dreaming Again...

2009-02-12T16:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday at work in a hospital-wide meeting, three representatives from HR dropped in to tell us about potential lay-offs and our rights should that occur. They said it was unlikely, but I am thinking the two top people in the department would not have come to the meeting if it were really and truly unlikely. Only time will tell...

So, as everyone went back to their work areas and offices to ponder life without a job, I went back to my office and started planning a trip to Hawaii. And why go somewhere without a race being involved?

I have been to 49 states. The only one I have not visited is Hawaii. I really want to go there.

The Kona Marathon is on June 28. The headquarter hotel's rate is $130 per night. It looks awesome. The race starts and ends at the hotel.

The race is apparently hard, hilly and hot. I had considered trying to run the full 26.2, but probably this isn't the good choice for a first and probably only in my lifetime marathon.

But I could still do a half.

Has anyone done this race?

Is there any hope for me? I hardly even trained for P.F. Chang's and swore it would be my last long distance event... but I had so much fun, it really left me wanting to do more races.

My cold is about 80% gone, and I can go out and run tomorrow (if we don't get too much snow). I am totally uninjured at this point since I have run only once since January 18.

I want to go to Hawaii! Any thoughts?

OK, I lied...

2009-02-08T12:35:00.001-08:00

On Monday my chest started hurting, by Tuesday my head, throat and sinuses hurt. By Wednesday, it was a full blown cold. By Thursday I was in bed all day. By Friday I thought I was on the mend. Yesterday I thought by today I would be fully recovered.

However, I am heading back to bed.

I hope to God that I will get back to feeling like a human being and get back to training soon.

Last night at a social event, I spoke for a long time to a man who is training for Boston. Wow. It made me want to go out and run! By next week? I hope.

I am so excited about my tris. They will be my 6th and 7th triathlons. I really need to try more than a sprint sometime...

But first, I must get rid of this cold.

Commitment

2009-02-01T13:36:00.000-08:00

I am going to make several commitments here. I am just putting them here because I feel accountable for doing what I say I am going to do if I post it here. So here goes:

I started training today for my first triathlon of the year (June 28)
I am going to actually do what is recommended as far as training...
like, doing what I HATE - weight training
And strengthening my core
I am going to follow a plan that was posted on the Tri for the Cure website
Today I started a new food plan
I have been eating like the last days of Rome ever since I finished P.F. Chang's.
That has to end, and it has to end now.
I am planning on 2 triathlons this summer - the Danskin and the Tri for the Cure.
I am tentatively planning on a half-marathon in September (Boulder Backroads)
I am going to post here at least 2 times a week because you guys motivate and entertain me!

OK. That is my commitment. Today I got my bike out for the first time since August. I forgot what it was like to pedal a bike up a big honkin hill - against the wind - in 35 degree weather. It was cold. And more of a work out than I remember.

But it was beautiful to be outdoors on a sunny (albeit cold) Sunday morning.

Post Race Take Home Points

2009-01-21T17:44:00.000-08:00

I left for Arizona, not even thinking I was going to run a race. The excitement of being in a place with thousands of runners motivated me to participate in a race that I was not adequately trained for. And I had an absolutely fabulous time. I would say it was the most fun race I have ever had. It wasn't the best time-wise, but it was the best time I have had - if you know what I mean. I am sore like I have never been after a race, but I am sure that is due to the fact that I wasn't properly trained.

Meeting Lisa and her pals was so much fun! Being with a group was an entirely different experience than going off to a race alone. I realized that I really need to make my training and racing more of a social event. I think it is highly motivational. I didn't freak out prior to the race the way I normally do and I am sure that was due to the fact that I had other peeps around. I also didn't cry as I crossed the finish line that way I normally do - and that was probably because I was focused on finding my group.

I started that race thinking it was my last long-distance event. But now, of course, I am thinking about my next one. Silly me. But I just enjoyed it so much!

I have two sprint tris to do this summer. I am going to start training for them. It will be great to get in the pool and on the bike. I have talked a friend from work into doing one of the tris with me. She has talked others into it, so I will have a group for the Tri for the Cure.

Maybe I can do the Boulder Back Roads half marathon in September? I wanted to do it so bad last year, but I wasn't trained. It just sounds like the best race.

I am motivated again. I just have to get my feet recovered. I got some serious blisters! I did drain them. It was fascinatingly gross. I described it today to an RN and even she thought it was gross.

I wanted to write a lot more about the experience of the race, but it is now 7 p.m., and I HAVE to watch American Idol!

Rock 'n' Roll Half

2009-01-18T16:05:00.000-08:00

I took pictures of my blisters to post here, but that is just gross! Does anyone have any advice for someone who has hideous blisters on the balls of both of her feet? I can barely walk!

That said, I had a wonderfully enjoyable race! The race was well-organized (well, they can't help it if they have 40,000 people using porta-potties and run out of t.p.) and super fun. I knew that I wasn't adequately trained, and that the cold I had last week took a lot out of me, so I just decided to walk and run if I felt like it and not worry about my time.

I walked the whole thing. And my time was 10 minutes faster than my last half-marathon (in Anchorage). AND - I totally enjoyed myself!

I got to meet Lisa, Karen, Pat, and Eileen. What fun people! Taking the bus from Tempe to the start was such a fun little experience! And waiting in line for the porta potties for an hour was also a bonding experience.

It is such a joy for a girl from Colorado to get into the warmth and sunshine on a January morning. I just thoroughly enjoyed myself. But I do need to figure out what to do with these blisters. I cannot imagine me walking through two airports, etc. tomorrow if I am not much better than this!

Any ideas?

Sunny Arizona changes everything!

2009-01-17T14:11:00.000-08:00

I left Denver this morning thinking I was not going to run this race. I have been sick for 10 days.... bla bla bla. The plane was full of racers. It was fun. I told someone who worked for the airline that it must be a light load with all those skinny people! (well, except for me.) He told me about a flight to a bowling championship - they had to split it up because of all the bowling balls! (well, and bowlers aren't known to be stick thin).

So, then I got on the light rail to go to the expo. Still sitting on the fence about this race. When who would "fate" have get on the train and stand right next to me - but an 85 year old man who is walking the 26.2 on a fake knee!

Well, hell's bells! I can walk & run my way through 13.1 miles. Really. I am not THAT sick.

I am so excited. I bought a bunch of crap at the expo. Gotta have a guitar shaped magnet for my fridge - and the shirt they gave me and the other one I bought isn't enough - I got yet another one. And a hat! So there!

I am psyched!

I am going to meet Lisa in a little bit!

What fun!

Thanks for all of your words of encouragement.

Oh, and it is really, really nice here.

Plan the Plan...

2009-01-15T13:37:00.000-08:00

But not the outcome.

I spent 4 days sick in bed. I got up yesterday and thought that maybe I was really on the mend. Today I went to work and since I work in a hospital with a bunch of healthcare professionals, several of them took pity on me and told me to go home - I looked like I was about to fall over. And felt somewhat worse than that.

I seriously don't know if I can even walk a half marathon on Sunday.

I will go to Phoenix because I paid for the trip. I will go to the expo because I paid for the race - and I will gladly take whatever they give me.

I will wake up on Sunday and make a decision as to whether I can attempt this race.

I am really disappointed. But I have to say that all the way along with this race I have not trained the way I should have. I have been so injured that I wondered if I could run it. I have now not run for a week - and amazingly enough, I am now without pain. But I have got the worst cold and feel like crap.

I will just make the best of the trip - regardless of whether I can participate in the race or not.

Wardrobe

2009-01-10T17:24:00.001-08:00

Okay. I slept all afternoon today to try to get rid of this cold. I woke up and decided to go get my wardrobe figured out for this race.

So, I looked up the weather forecast for Phoenix on Jan. 18 - it is supposed to get down in the 40s, and get up to 70º for the high. Here is my plan:

I will wear my running skirt - mainly because it has a couple of good sized pockets.
I will wear my favorite green technical tee - mainly because it is my favorite.
I will wear shoes and socks - I wish I could get some green smart wools. I love my smart wools and will never wear anything else.
I purchased some arm things so that my arms can be covered and then not covered when I need them to be naked.
I will wear my green jacket and check it at the start- unless I am freezing at the start, and then I will wear it and tie it around my waist if needed.

Any veterans of the race or residents of Arizona have feedback on this wardrobe plan?

Thanks!

Word

2009-01-09T19:52:00.000-08:00

Your Word is "Hope"

You see life as an opportunity for learning, growth, and bringing out the best in others.

No matter how bad things get, you always have at least a glimmer of optimism.

You are accepting and forgiving. You encourage those who have wronged you to turn over a new leaf.

And while there is a lot of ugliness in the world, you believe that almost no one is beyond redemption.

What's Your Word?

This was a lovely little test that I got from Chad. I think it is quite apropos to my circumstance.

You know, if I can get over myself, I can actually have a nice time in Phoenix next week. If I am stuck on worrying about myself and my performance and my pride and ego, I am certain to have a miserable time. This sounds like it would be an easy choice, and I guess the choice is easy, but the carrying it out is the tricky part.

I started running when I was 28 years old and had a 3 year old son and 1 year old twin girls. I really HAD to run to get out of the house. I got a neighbor to babysit for me each morning and I went out for my run. I would spend the entire morning in my sweats because I loved my little color coordinated outfit so much. I had a pair of grey sweat pants (yes, really), a blue leotard - for control - there was no such thing as a sports bra, so I wore the leotard over a normal bra. I had a grey and maroon sweat shirt - I thought it was super cute - but it WAS the 70's. I had a pair of gray and maroon Brooks shoes. I wore those things until they wore out.

When I was 30 years old, I got very sick. No one could figure out what was wrong with me. At that time, I was running 5 miles each morning. I loved running. I think I was still wearing the same shoes and sweats... but I was running. I went to doctors and they sent me home with painkillers. I knew I was dying. After 2 days, my husband dragged me out of bed and to the hospital. They cut me open from just above my navel to just above my pelvis - they didn't know what else to do- there were no such things as CT scans and MRIs back then. They discovered that I had a ruptured appendix. The doc told me I would have died within an hour if they hadn't opened me up... when he found out I was a runner, he told me that was probably the only thing that kept me from dying.

But I stopped running while I was recovering and didn't start back up for quite a while. After we moved to Denver and got divorced, I started running again. I was in my mid-thirties. I ran my first race in 1987. I was 35 years old. It was the Bolder Boulder 10K. It is a huge race. It was fun. I had to go to the bathroom during the race, and had to wait in line for quite a while. Imagine my surprise to see that my monthly visitor (sorry to be so cutesy, but I don't want to be too graphic) had decided to come during the race - totally unexpected, and I had on tiny little pink running shorts. oh dear. I made good use of toilet paper and finished my first race.

I participated in races for a while. Never anything more than a 10K.

As I approached my 40s, I decided I really needed to quit smoking! So I did. And gained weight. I kept that weight on for a good while. All of my 40s. When I was approaching 50, I didn't want to face my 50th birthday as a fat lady, so I joined Weight Watchers (again) and lost 30 lbs. I have, for the most part, kept that weight off for nearly 8 years now. Right now I have 8 lbs of it back, and it has GOT to go - ASAP!

In 2003, I had a heartbreaking end of an engagement. I thought I was going to die. So I went out and ran. I had to walk up a nearby hill, and run down... for 5 minutes. That was all I could do - 5 minutes, downhill. After a while it became 10 minutes, and then I knew I could do a mile, and then a mile and a half, etc. The most I ran was 3.1 miles until 2006... but I digress.

I decided I should do a triathlon in 2004 and I loved it! I have done one every year since. But running was my worst sport in the tri. I LOVE biking the best, and I really enjoy swimming.

On New Years Day 2007, I was talking with a friend who also did the Tri's with me. We decided we would run a half marathon in 2007. I started training right away. She decided not to do it. I had a Nike + iPod which I calibrated using a treadmill (which much later I learned is not a good idea). Well, I started running long distances because Lance Armstrong would tell me I was doing great at the end of a run! I found I could run 10 miles, then 11, then 13! I thought I was invincible! I thought I was running an 11 minute mile.

Months later I bought a Garmin. And discovered that I was running a 14 minute mile and that my distances on the Nike + were inflated by about 20%. I was a couple weeks out from my first half-marathon and discovered that everything I thought was the truth wasn't. So, I made an attitude adjustment and went to that half marathon to have fun. And I did. I had the best time. Every single picture of me at that race, I have a big smile on my face. I just had a great time.

I did another half in October of 2007 and took 5 minutes off my time. I enjoyed that one too.

In April 2008, I decided on a Friday to do a half marathon on that Sunday. I was ready because I was training for a full marathon. I had the experience of coming in last in a race. It is not really an experience I would highly recommend. It left me with some fears about doing that again. Ironically, it was my best time ever for a half-mary.

In June, I ran the Mayor's Marathon in Anchorage, Alaska. It was a great experience. My worst time so far for 13.1 miles. I needed to walk about half of it. It was fabulous to have that experience though.

So, now.... I am a week away from the P.F. Chang's in Phoenix. My training has been side-tracked by injuries and laziness. I am sick of running. I want to do something else on my weekends other than my "long run" which consumes a whole day. I started out good in the fall, but as the length of the runs increased, I really lost my motivation.

I have Piriformis Syndrome which causes sciatica. It is quite painful. When I run, I feel like there is ground glass in my left hip socket. It is not pleasant. My back is very painful too.

I sketched out a training plan here in late November or early December. I have kept to my plans for the long runs. But I have probably averaged 1 day of running during the week. I just have not trained.

I HATE HATE HATE to not follow through and not make good on something I committed to do. I will go to the race and I will do the best I can, but I will know that I could have done better if I had had the discipline that it takes to train for a race.

Sorry to keep whining about this. I wrote all this to try to work through this process. If you have read all of it - thanks. And thanks always for the wonderful words of encouragement you share. You guys and gals truly inspire me.

Ready or not...

2009-01-08T18:05:00.001-08:00

I am going to Phoenix in 9 days.

I just have to do some mental adjusting.

I am really afraid.

I have not trained adequately.

I have gained weight.

I am slow on a good day.

I talked to Javamom today and she was so encouraging. I can walk - there are people who walk this race.

My plan is (at this moment), to walk the first 6 miles and then start running. I don't want to start running and run out of steam half way, so I will walk and then run. Or just walk.

I still have not got my wardrobe figured out which shows you the extent of my lack of preparation!

I am excited about going to Phoenix and meeting Lisa and whoever else I may meet.

I just have to wrap my mind around the fact that my training didn't go well and that I have been injured for months.

The trick is to stop obsessing about myself!

Athena

2009-01-02T19:07:00.000-08:00

This post is probably going to be a rant, so be forewarned:

My goals for this year is to run ONE half-marathon and TWO triathlons. My half-marathon is in 2 weeks. I am not ready for it, but I guess I can survive it. And then I have no more long runs to do. And right now I am happy about that.

I usually do a sprint tri every summer. I was considering doing an Olympic since I am eliminating the long distance running. So, I looked at a local tri with a good reputation and it was there that I discovered this new (to me) concept:

ATHENA.

Now, granted, Athena sounds a lot better than Clydesdale, but really.

I have weighed 150 lbs. or under at various times in my life. When I do, people ask me if I am sick. My ribs show through SWEATERS. I wear a size 8.

When I weigh considerably more than 150 (as I do now) people tell me I look fit. I wear a size 12. Even my physical therapist and my physician tell me I am fit. My physician told me when I weighed 205 lbs. (years ago, I don't weigh anything near that now) that I had less fat on me than some folks who weigh 130 lbs.

What about if you are a woman who is 6' tall and you weigh 150? Your BMI would be 20.3 - hardly "fat". Should there be a special class for that?

It just sounds arbitrary and awful to me. There are some very fit people out there who do not fit the stereotype of an "athlete." But they are healthy.

I guess I am a little bit upset that I gained 4 lbs. over the gluttonous holidays. And developed some bad habits I am struggling to ditch. I usually try to not weigh every day and not be obsessed with the scale, but when my pants start being tight, I do take a gander at the scale and today was one of those days.

My fitness has been a struggle since last May. I would say it is because of the piriformis syndrome - which really is killer, but I am not sure that is really what it is. I guess if I wasn't in gruesome pain when I ran I would have a better attitude about it.

OK, that's enough out of this

ATHENA!

10 Miles to be rewarded with...

2008-12-28T14:20:00.000-08:00

Hours of football viewing, ignoring, sleeping, on the couch. The Broncos play at 6:00 and I am not sure I can take watching that game. They have been heartbreaking this year... but I could be singing a different story at about 9 o'clock tonight... or not.

I went out to WALK 9 miles this morning. I just thought I would see how a walk was compared with a run. The weather was insane. 50º and gusts of wind up to 20 mph. I headed out into the foothills where the wind was crazy. At 5 miles, I decided that I could tough out 10 miles instead of 9 and feel less pressure about my terrible lack of training for a race in 20 days. At 6 miles, I found myself running instead of walking. I ran the last 4 miles. It was more comfortable than walking.

I am hurting from this effort, but an afternoon on the sofa should remedy that, I think.

Last night, I dreamed that I was in Phoenix for the race. It was 5 minutes before the start and I was looking for something to eat! All I could find was a hot dog and decided there was no way I wouldn't barf the wiener, so I decided to go hungry instead. I think this dream is disturbing on a couple of different levels.

But even this amateur dream analyzer can see that this is classic performance anxiety....

8 miles on a treadmill

2008-12-20T18:45:00.000-08:00

Really. It is bitter cold outside. I considered running outside, but stood outside for a minute talking with my neighbor and realized that the wind was too lazy to go around me, so it just went straight through me!

So, I went to my new and wonderful gym (24 hour fitness) and tried running on the 'mill. I decided to walk/run, and then I decided to just walk. I can run 4 miles on the treadmill, but I knew I would never get the 8 miles I needed running.

I was able to do 8 miles in one hour, fifty minutes, and thirty-seconds. 13:48 per mile. It was a good workout. I am wondering if I should perhaps plan on WALKING the PFC RnR in Phoenix?

My days of LDR I think are over. It takes too big a toll. On my body. On my life.

I long to train for a triathlon. I long to get in the pool. I long to get on my bike, or even a spinning class if it is too icy and cold.

I know my blog has been an endless procession of complaints lately and I appreciate anyone who has read it. I think I shall go read your blogs now about your youth and training and fast races.

Slowly...

2008-12-14T15:10:00.000-08:00

Getting back on track. I don't know if I can possibly be ready to run a half-marathon by January 18. But I am trying.

I got out and ran 7 miles yesterday, it was a lovely Colorado afternoon, with a high of around 50º. During the week, I went to my new gym and ran on the treadmill which was fabulous! I am so glad I have a gym membership now... it is 3º below zero right now, and expected to get colder. I enjoyed the treadmill so much more than I expected.

So, here's the plan:

Dec. 14 - 20: run 3 miles X2 days. Long Run 8 miles

Dec. 21 - 27: run 3 miles X2 days. Long Run 9 miles

Dec. 28-Jan. 3: run 3 miles X2 days. Long Run 10 miles

Jan. 4 - 10: run 3 miles X2 days. Long Run 3 miles.

Jan. 11 - 17 Taper Week

January 18, 2009 P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll (Half) Marathon

There is no margin for error there.

Tomorrow is my 57th birthday. Happy Birthday to me.

Plans for my 58th year?

One half-marathon (I hope)
Two Triathlons (Danskin and Tri for the Cure)
THINK about the Boulder Backroads half marathon in September

But really, I think I need to scale back on the running. Not quit, but stop the long distances, I am so crippled up with the piriformis syndrome, low back pain, and now plantar fasciitis (again). I would like to focus more on triathlon, cross-training. Getting in the pool and on the bike. That's what I am thinking for now anyway.

Sunday Morning Run

2008-12-07T08:32:00.001-08:00

This is a doctored cell phone photo from my run this morning. It was a glorious morning for a run. Nice and warm (nearly 50º) and somewhat cloudy. I chose a route near my house which included lots of hills. The first 3 miles was mostly uphill.

I had not run for 10 days. I have totally lost my motivation. But my run this morning was good. I will try to get back on track.

On Wednesday of this week I was in a bad mood and went to Costco for lunch (really, really bad idea). I left there with a new television set and an idea to get a 24 hour fitness membership. Later in the afternoon, I ordered the 24 hour fitness membership... from Costco... $289. for 2 years... sounds like a good deal. However, since I ordered it online, I had to pay $9. to ship it? And I haven't gotten it yet. What is there to ship? Why does it cost $9.?

Anyway, this will solve the bad weather problem. And maybe a new gym will give me something new to do. There is one very near my house. I had a trial membership once and loved being able to get on a treadmill so close to home. I could come home from there and get ready for work without spending a lot of time or gas.

I am hopeful that my little crisis is over and I can get back to fitness and training.

Thanks again

2008-11-28T05:07:00.000-08:00

Really. Your comments have been so kind. I really appreciate it.

The day after I wrote my last post - about how I didn't want to run anymore - I woke up and wanted to get out and run, so I did. I also got out yesterday morning, on a crystal clear, cold, silent Colorado morning and I ran.

I think I am dealing with a post-mid-life crisis and the death of someone I really cared about. I have depressive tendencies anyway, so I know I can really go off the deep end about stuff that others deal with pretty well. I think the training for the PF Chang's Half in January will help me with this.

I am at the Denver Airport right now, waiting for my flight to Houston. I am going to spend the weekend with some dear friends in Houston. It should be good for my soul. I am bringing my running shoes... but not my Garmin. I just have so much electronic equipment, you would think I am some kind of high tech genius. All I am is a woman who likes a lot of gee-whiz gizmos. I can live without my Garmie for the weekend.

I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving weekend. And thanks again. Really.

Thank you kind readers

2008-11-24T19:08:00.000-08:00

You have really been kind. I have been having my own brand of grief reaction to my friend's death. Yesterday I wanted to lay in bed and pull the covers over my head and just stay there all day. Instead I went out and ran 8 miles.

The thing is, I did not feel better after running. I did not want to run, and I did not get that elation after a couple of miles that makes you want to keep going - the way I used to. And the thing was - the day before when I was not running because I felt the wind was out of my sails after hearing the bad news - I knew that a year or two ago, running would have been the first thing I wanted to do. It helped me cope.

The other thing is - I think my body has reached the maximum benefit from running. I am going to be 57 years old on December 15. I thought that running would help keep old age from my doorstep, but right now I think I was wrong.

I started running when I was in my late 20s and a young mother. It was my way of getting my body back, and getting some alone time. I kept running into my 30s. I never ran a race until 1987 - I was 35 years old. It was the Bolder Boulder - which is an awesome way to start racing. But I still smoked. I ran that first race with a cigarette tucked into the tiny pocket in my running shorts. My cute little pink running shorts. I lit up after I crossed the finish line.

I stopped smoking when I was 38 - and gained 40 lbs., and started smoking again for 6 months - and did not lose the 40 lbs. I stopped again when I was 39. And have not had a cigarette again. I weighed too much to run as a non-smoker, so I started race-walking. I lost most of the weight, but I kept a bit of that weight on me all these years. I walked a 12 minute mile at that time.

In 2003, I was engaged to be married. I was pretty overweight again...happiness seems to do that to me. On August 19, 2003, it became obvious to me that I could not marry this man and we broke up. I thought I was going to die. Two days after the break up, I went out and tried to run. I knew that running could save my life. I would walk one mile up a hill from my house. When I got to the top, I would turn around and run for 5 minutes. I was out of breath and could do no more than that.

I did that for a couple of weeks. Then I made it 10 minutes. A few weeks later, I ran a mile. After a month or so, I was able to run a mile and a half. I started losing weight. I started feeling good. I fit into a size I hadn't been in for a very long time. My legs were hard. My butt was like a rock. I stayed at a mile and a half a couple of times a week for a while. I was full of confidence. I registered for a triathlon!!!

I started serious swimming at the pool. I could not swim one length of the pool using the crawl stroke. But I kept trying. After a while I could crawl 2 lengths, and then breast stroke, and then back stroke. It took a few months, but I got up to a half mile non-stop of the crawl stroke. It took about a half-hour.

Biking was always my favorite, so I just spent more time trying to go faster. I still couldn't run 3 miles, but I figured I could walk in the race.

I participated in my first triathlon at the age of 52. I felt like a million bucks. It was one of the most wonderful things that ever happened to me.

On New Years Day 2007, I told a friend I was going to run a half-marathon that year. I don't know where that came from. But I trained and I ran my first half-marathon in May. It was wonderful. I knew I was slow, but I felt like a million bucks. I felt like I had found my sport. Slow, long-distance running. And I am not being humble when I say slow. I mean 14+ minute miles. I ran another half in October 2007.

At a Christmas party last year, a friend convinced me that if I could run a half, I could run a whole. I decided to do it in Alaska. I registered for the Mayor's Marathon... June 21... Summer Solstice. How cool is that. I got up to one 15 mile training run. Two weeks after I used another half-marathon as a training run. I came in dead last in that half. Ironically, it was my best half-marathon time ever. But it was a field of 800 athletes, without the "feel-good" peeps that offend some runners. I was the only "feel-gooder" at that race, and it wasn't feeling too good, let me tell you. I did enjoy it though.

I went out for a 17 mile run one Sunday morning two weeks after my 15 miler, and after 5 miles decided that I did not want to pay the price to train for a marathon. I knew I could train for a half-marathon without ruining my life, so I decided to run a half in Anchorage. The question I asked myself that day was "do I want to run with joy, or do I want to run with grim determination?" The answer was joy.

That was my last race. (well, aside from my triathlon in August - which I still consider a pleasure, not a chore) I am registered for the P.F. Chang's half on January 18. I know I can pull 13.1 out of this old body, but I am not loving it. I am not waking up in the morning wanting to run. I am not trying to figure out how to squeeze in a few more miles to get up to a total for the week or month, the way I used to.

My body doesn't feel like a jock's anymore. It feels old. I am no longer noticing the rock hard muscles, but the flabby skin. Not fat, mind you, skin. It happens when you age. I am pushing 60 and it is happening.

I recently got in touch with one of my high school acquaintances. She sent me pictures of a group of them at a restaurant. The class of '69. Well, I hate to tell you - they are old ladies. chubby old ladies. I am no stick figure - I wear a size 12, but I am not wearing huge shirts that are not covering my huge belly. I have my rolls and my bulges, but I do not look like my classmates. I know that is because of running.

I don't even think I expect anyone to read this. I am just facing a decision point I guess. I wish I had other old folks to talk it over with. Most of you are young and energetic and happy to be running. I know what that is like. It is GREAT. I am just not there right now and I am pretty sure that time has passed.

I will put in my training runs this week. I will consider that it is a shock to find out a friend has died. I am probably more upset than I am even admitting. I will not make any decisions this week. I will definitely run P.F. Chang's - and I am really looking forward to meeting some of you.

Since I have already written a book, I will add this little story.

I just cancelled my land line service. I use my cell phone for everything, so there is no sense in paying $52. a month for something I don't use. Today was the last day my land line was on, so I wanted to listen to the voice mails I have saved. Like from my granddaughter's first day of pre-school, etc. Tucked in there was a voice mail from the man who died last week. I was not expecting that. I really wasn't expecting to hear what it said. I have been feeling so bad about our last conversation and wishing I had been a better friend to him. So, this morning, I got to hear a message he left for me in May. It said "Thank you for your friendship. You have been a really good friend to me. There are so many things I love about you. Thank you." I felt like he reached out to me today to tell me that it is OK.

OK enough out of me! Thanks for reading if you have read this much!

socks and 8 miles

2008-11-23T17:11:00.001-08:00

Ok, so this is a sock I am knitting. It is so pretty that several people have decided that these are their Christmas present from me... but the news for them just might be that I decide to keep these for myself! I haven't kept a pair of socks for myself for years, and there is absolutely nothing like hand knit socks.

I did manage to run 8 miles today. I did not enjoy it. I might have mapped out a course that was too hard. Or maybe I am just fried on running. I kept thinking that I should just sit on my sofa and eat whatever the hell I want. I should get fat. I should cut my beautiful, stylish, hair with blonde highlights and red lowlights and let the gray come in, on my short hair.

I feel like throwing in the towel. This is too hard.

Maybe a touch of depression? Maybe.

I will keep running, and keep my hair. I will not sit on the sofa and eat. But today I would really like to.

Thanks for listening to me.

Just call me Jackie...

2008-11-22T07:13:00.000-08:00

Short for jackass.

After all the planning to run on Saturday instead of Sunday? I am sitting in bed right now, waiting to crawl back in... the heated mattress pad is heating up.

My socks are a lot further along and I could post a picture. Well, just like I could run today.

Yesterday I heard (on the news) that one of my beloved former boyfriends was found dead in his home. I feel like someone just kicked me in the gut. I couldn't sleep last night. He was having terrible problems, chronic alcoholism and many associated problems. After our romance ended 2 years ago, we remained friends. I am really so sad about this.

I will go do all the things I have to do today - after I wake up - and I will get my long run in tomorrow. I did my 2 runs of 3 mile each this week like I said I would.

And tomorrow I will run 8 miles.

Today I just can't.

Training Problems

2008-11-16T16:46:00.001-08:00

(I am starting my Christmas knitting - a pair of socks)

I ran my 2 times during this week... that was OK. This morning I went out to run 8 miles and ran 3 instead. I felt like crap. My hip hurt. My water bottle was leaking. I forgot the receiver for my Nike + iPod. I was not enjoying one second of the run and decided to bag it.

Here is my plan for this week. I am going to run 3 miles on Tuesday morning. I am going to run 3 miles on Thursday morning. I am going to run 8 miles on Saturday morning.

I am going to switch back to long runs on Saturday. On Sunday everyone expects me to make Sunday dinner. And I really do enjoy that - unless, of course, I just finished my long run and I am at the grocery store trying to figure out what I can cook quickly. That is not my idea of fun. I had a house full of family this morning when I took off to run and it just felt wrong to me.

But I must get my long runs in... next week. I commit to this.

No-Long-Run-Weekend

2008-11-09T12:49:00.000-08:00

It feels strange to not have a long run this weekend... like I am somehow slacking in my training. I ran 4 really great miles yesterday. My times were good and the trail was great - 2 miles uphill to start and then the reward at 2 miles when you turn around and start flying downhill. The weather is glorious - in a manner of speaking. Frankly, I would rather have seasonal temperatures - this is more like summer.

I am having a hard time getting in my weekday runs. I am so busy at work and I cannot seem to run and get to work on time. Maybe I should endeavor to do that, eh?

7 mile long run

2008-11-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

Today I happily completed a 7 mile run. I really felt great. My time is still good, despite running on hard trails, including some pretty good hills. I am now sitting with an ice pack on my back, a diet pepsi in front of me - and a football game on. The best way to spend a Sunday afternoon! (well, if the Broncos decided to win, that would definitely improve the day.)

I have 10 weeks before P.F. Chang's. I think I should have no problem getting a half marathon out of this body in 10 weeks - barring unforeseen circumstances - like injuries.

I am so glad to be in training mode again. It really helps me to focus. When I have no goal, I just don't feel like getting out there. This is good.

Trick or Treat Trail Race

2008-10-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

This might have been the most fun race I have ever participated in. Thank goodness I asked my friend to join me, or I couldn't have done it. It is just plain scary to be out on trails in the dark! I don't care how good your head lamp is. We could hear critters rustling in the bushes along the trail. And the thing we didn't know? We did not know that we had to cross a river twice ! through water up to our knees! In the dark! HOLY CRAP!

It was the coolest thing ever.

We won a prize for the best team name. Her last name is Knight. My first name is Mary.... so our team was --- drum roll----

KNIGHT-MARE.

We had shirts made and everything. It was so fun.

Four miles in the dark through a river a couple of times and tripping over rocks and roots, our time was abysmal.

But I am absolutely certain I have never enjoyed a race so much!

Does raking leaves count as cross training?

2008-10-25T13:54:00.001-07:00

I raked leaves this morning - that is a lot of work and I think it is my workout du jour. Now I am making apple butter. Making apple butter is a very long process.

I am very excited about P.F. Chang's and it has really energized my training. I am, so far, uninjured, and I feel good. I don't know why, but my pace per mile has decreased by approximately a minute. Honestly, I don't know why - except that I am not in pain as I have been almost 100% of the time for the last 2 years.

Tomorrow I will run 6 miles again. Next week I will try increasing it to 7 miles. That will be over half a half. Yay!

All Set to Rock 'n' Roll...

2008-10-19T14:36:00.001-07:00

I am registered for the race. I have my airline tickets. I have a room. The room was WAY cheaper than I imagined. I am so excited.

So I went and bought a new Nike + thing yesterday to go with the new iPod I bought 2 weeks ago. On this morning's 6 mile run, it kept stopping. I have no clue what that is about because my old one never did that. It was also extremely incorrect, so I will have to calibrate it with my garmie.

The 6 miles was good this morning. I threw in some hills. And some trails. And some nice smooth paths. It was good. My times are getting better for some reason, not real clear on why. Maybe I am just happy to be running after all the injuries I have had in the last year. This is the first time I have run more than 5 miles at a time since June. I hope I can just keep increasing the mileage. I would like to get up to running 13.1 or more on my training runs, and then maybe the half won't feel so hard when I do it.

I did it!

2008-10-15T17:52:00.001-07:00

I am registered for the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll (half) Marathon in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe, Arizona! Yay! I am very excited about this.

I called a friend today. She is older than I am, retired, and very sensible with her money. I asked her how extravagant she thought it was for me to do this. She just said "hell, you spend more than that on one outfit!" Well, she does have a point there.

All I needed was one more person to tell me to do it... and I registered. I am so excited. I took the full page ad (with the $10 off coupon) from the Runner's World Magazine and hung it in my office, just behind my computer.

I have my flights picked out... early Saturday morning and then Monday afternoon.

All I have to do is figure out where to stay. Running Knitter suggested the Four Points by Sheraton in Tempe. Java Mom was going to drive by there tonight to see what she thinks.

Oh! I am so so so so so excited!

Any tips on where to stay? I would like to stay south of $200. a night.... and in Tempe...

OK, gotta go watch the debate.

Arizona Dreaming...

2008-10-14T19:12:00.001-07:00

What the heck is the matter with me?

On Sunday I was trying to be responsible and not pay to go to Phoenix for the PFChang thang. But I WANNA. I hope to talk with Java-Mom tomorrow to get some hotel advice. I am looking for a cheap hotel that isn't disgusting.

This is hard because I have only been to Phoenix once - and I have no clue. The race runs through three cities. Apparently Tempe is the place to stay?

I don't know.

Maybe tomorrow I will post all about my plans to run this race in January. I really, really, want to.

And a small disclosure: My psychologist thinks I really ought to do this. If I were to ask my financial planner, I bet he would not concur. But I did not ask my financial planner.

So Conflicted...

2008-10-12T19:10:00.001-07:00

Today on my run, I saw many beautiful things along the trail. But the sight above really struck me. Somebody stood and tied many cottonwood leaves individually onto the fence. This trail runs through a touristy mountain town for a while... it is fenced off from the restaurants and bars. I imagined that last night a couple stood in this parking lot, breaking up. The woman stands and in an effort not to make a scene, picks up leaves from the ground and ties little knots into them onto the little bars of this fence. Okay, so I have a vivid imagination.

Money. I want to go to Phoenix for the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll (half) Marathon in January. But let me tell you, I also WANT new hardwood floors in my house, which I plan to do in January. I WANT a new car. I WANT to go to Europe in 2010. I WANT, I WANT, I WANT. Where do you draw the line in the sand, and just say - well, I may WANT to go to Phoenix in January, but that is money I do not NEED to spend. Hell, what do I know?

I am training for something. I ran 5 good miles this morning. I felt good. I plan on running 6 miles next Sunday, and keep training until I am ready to run a half-marathon again. I just don't know what I am doing. Why can't there be a race in Colorado in January - that is a rhetorical question - I know why... start with ice, snow, sub-zero temperatures, and add from there.

Head Lamp

2008-10-03T20:42:00.000-07:00

I registered for the Trick or Treat Trail Run race on October 29. It is a night race on trails. I purchased a head lamp so that I can illuminate the rocks and roots and not get hurt. I am very excited about this race, which has motivated me to get out and run this week.

Today I also looked up airfares and hotels to get to P.F. Chang's RnR in Phoenix. I might just do this! The airfare is not expensive and I can find cheap hotels. I just have no clue what part of town one should stay in. Many of you live in this area, and many others are planning to run it. Any suggestions?

Back on Track

2008-09-28T08:34:00.001-07:00

Oh goodness! It is good to run again. I was lacking motivation for a while... then I got a terrible cold for a week, and now I am back! I ran 3.1 miles yesterday and today I took a little trail run.

I visited my favorite running store yesterday and found out about a 4 mile race in October. It is on a Wednesday night! On trails! In the dark! How fun does that sound? Very fun. Now I have to buy a head lamp!

It is good to feel a little excitement again. I was thinking about doing a half-marathon at P.F. Chang's in January, but since I lost 10% of my net worth last week, I might need to re-think a few things! And maybe try to find local races to run.

I need to catch up with you all too!

5 Miles

2008-09-13T09:47:00.001-07:00

I did run one morning in Charlotte. This was a beautiful old church along the way. It amazed me that the altitude seemed to be a factor. I felt faster and indeed was. Why was the altitude not a factor in Anchorage I wonder.

This morning I headed out on one of my favorite running trails. I intended to run 5 miles, but felt pretty good at 2.5, so I didn't turn around. I turned around at 3 miles, and then started feeling really crappy at about 4. I ran 5 miles and walked the last one in.

I haven't run more than 3 miles at a time since the half marathon in June! I was so accustomed to running 10 miles that it amazed me this morning to be absolutely beat after 4 miles. If I am going to run I better start doing it a little more!

Hope everyone in Texas is safe.

Question of Etiquette

2008-09-07T18:11:00.000-07:00

OK, if it is not good race etiquette to wear a race shirt for a race you were never in, how about this...

I am in Charlotte, NC on a business trip. At the Denver Airport today, I was putting myself back together after going through security and noticed the guy ahead of me had a "Chicago Marathon" luggage tag. So, knowing what happened last year (ungodly heat and a canceled race) at the Chicago Marathon, I asked him if he finished the Chicago Marathon. Well, he looked at me like I was the most intrusive person on earth and said "I never ran the Chicago Marathon."

Well, Excuuuuuuse me!

If you are carrying a bag with a Chicago Marathon luggage tag, shouldn't you have run the thing?

On another note, I see I have a "follower"! How cool! You Rock Marcy.

Do you think I will get around to running in downtown Charlotte? It COULD happen.

Yoga

2008-09-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

I sat down on the sidewalk to take this picture on my morning run today. I thought the flowers were pretty and evoked a mood of late summer. I love late summer, early fall, late fall, early winter... then early spring, late spring, early summer, and late summer again. The only part of the year I struggle to like is late winter.

But I digress...

I went for an introduction session at a yoga studio today and then plopped down my credit card to pay the considerable sum for 3 months of membership. Please, somebody, tell me this wasn't a waste of money! Yoga is not cheap!

I have been struggling to keep running. I have been struggling with just about everything. I have been in tremendous pain from the car accident. The CT scan showed that I have "degenerative disc disease" which isn't news to me. I am glad it is nothing more acutely worse than that.

But do I want to continue to go to Physical Therapy once a week for limited relief (at $30. a crack), or should I try something else? I decided that yoga might just help me. The tiny little korean woman at the yoga place was so kind to me, and didn't try to insult me into signing up. You know how sometimes people tell you how very badly you need them by telling you how very pitiful you are? I didn't feel any of that at all.

We shall see...

No Races in Sight...

2008-08-17T13:56:00.001-07:00

That is a self-portrait I took while waiting to start the Anchorage half-marathon . It was so cold and pouring rain. I had this on my phone and forgot all about it until a day or so ago while I was going through the pics on my phone and ran into this one...

I am having a hard time staying motivated. Once you get in the habit of having a huge race/challenge ahead, it is hard to get out and run a measly 3 miles with no big goal in mind. I thought perhaps running shorter distances on a frequent basis would be a good thing to do. So that is what I am trying to do.

I have had a bit of set back in that my back is hurting. I went to the doc 2 weeks ago and had a CT scan last week. I should find out tomorrow what the result of that is. I had an ACDF (Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion of C5-6, and C6-7) in 1999 and my doc was afraid that I did something to all the stuff in my neck - and that they would have to "go back in" and get it fixed. Oh my. I SO don't want anyone going back "into" my cervical spine.

So I am still running. I really want to run the Boulder Back Roads (half) marathon on Sept. 21 - but I better find out what is going on with my back.

Oh, and on the weight loss front... I am down 6.6 lbs. That may not sound like a lot to anyone but me, but I know my body and 6.6 is a lot for me to lose. I am a slow loser! I feel like I am on a good slow steady progression. And after watching the Olympic Marathon last night, I realized that I would rather look like a runner than a shotput!

08.08.08

2008-08-08T18:48:00.001-07:00

There's me, finishing the triathlon last Sunday. And that is the first race photo I have purchased since 2004. I love the photo for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that I was finishing a triathlon with energy left. What a fabulous feeling! The second reason I probably shouldn't share, but I will. I think I look good. There! I said it!

I had a bit of a revelation during the race. I got to stand around with women of my own age as we prepared for the race, as we participated in it, and as we finished up and headed for home. Somehow I have this idea that if I were thin enough or in better shape, I would look like a 20 year old model. Here were these women, within a few years of my age, in swimming suits, wet suits, running clothes and bike clothes. This stuff doesn't hide anything. No one looks like a 20 year old model. But they are beautiful athletic women! And none of them look 20 years old. By the time we are post 55 years old, we all have something going on. Bellies, arm flab, dimpled legs and bottoms.

BUT WE ARE BEAUTIFUL! I am so glad to say this. It probably sounds wacky to those of you still in your 20s or 30s. But it is a revelation to me. A happy revelation.

There is other stuff going on, but I am just so dang happy to say, I am a fit, happy, and dare I say beautiful? woman! Happy, I tell you!

Tri for the Cure, 2008

2008-08-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

It was a wonderful day at the triathlon. The times have not been posted yet. I had problems in almost everything... but still, it was great.

I got to the park at 5:15, and joined the line of women with backpacks and bikes... walking... walking... into the park. Then the frantic rush to set up your transition area. Knowing full well that it will be squished into non-existence before the swim start. It was 70º already at 5 a.m., and the water was a very comfortable 74º.

The swim was different in that I never found a spot to swim without being kicked and elbowed. I was constantly being mowed over. It was uncomfortable. I could not see the buoys either, so I felt like I was swimming blind. I ended up doing the breast stroke a lot - just so I could see what was ahead. The first stretch of the swim, we were heading straight east - into the rising sun. It was blinding. My goggles added to the problem. I had to stop at a swim angel, hang on a noodle and lick the lenses of my goggles. Thank you Swim Angel! My time for the swim was (estimate) 28 some minutes.

I have no idea how long the T1 took. It didn't seem long. I hopped on my bike, surprised that my legs seemed to not be wobbly like I think they will be when I am done swimming. I headed out and enjoyed the ride - until I made the mistake of gearing into granny gear on a big hill. When I tried to take it out of granny gear, the chain fell off. I quickly hopped off the bike, turned it over, and then the ty-rap holding my computer broke. So after I got the chain back on, I held the computer in my hand for the rest of the ride. I think I did the ride in about 48 minutes. Not sure though.

T2 wasn't as bad as I expected either. I grabbed my garmin, a gu, my iPod, and headed out. I was quickly told, in no uncertain terms, that iPods were banned from the race. I headed back to my transition area to put my iPod back in my backpack. You know, I was really P.O.'d about that (because I think that should have been posted on the website or in their info, since they have always allowed them before) - but I didn't miss it at all.

I started walking, and realized that I was walking pretty fast. I decided to run. I was running OK. I probably ran about half of the 5K. I enjoyed myself. It was getting really hot by then - thank God I am over 55 and was in the 4th wave. There were still people swimming when I was running... I felt bad for them because the day just kept getting hotter.

Some lady in front of me kept yelling what I guess she thought was encouragement - "think of a cold margarita! A cold beer! A cold martini!" over and over and over again. I finally shouted, "think of an air conditioned AA meeting!" I don't think she liked that, but holy crap, not everyone is motivated by alcoholic beverages!

THE MOST AMAZING THING HAPPENED AT THE END OF THE RACE: I STILL HAD SOME ENERGY! I WASN'T JUST ABSOLUTELY CAPUT! I FELT GREAT!

I got back to the transition area with my buds - I SO love being with women my own age! I was dancing, and they were wondering what was wrong with me. Heck, I still felt good.

But you know, compared with a half-marathon, running a 5K is really pretty quickly over.

So, I had a good day. I am glad. I needed one. I am sure my times were not good, but I enjoyed myself, and isn't that what this is about?

And, on a serious note: when my mother was my age nearly exactly, she had just been diagnosed with cancer and had just undergone a surgery to remove a kidney... which proved futile, she was dead 6 months later. I kept thinking about her as I swam, biked, and ran. I am grateful that I get to be an alive person, healthy, and happy. This one's for you Mom.

YAY!

Hot Hot Hot

2008-07-31T05:04:00.000-07:00

Sunday is my triathlon.... do you see the predicted temperature? Well, at least it won't be cold getting into the water at 7:00 a.m. The running portion will probably be the walking portion for me. And I will carry water.

I am excited about the race. I feel much, much, much better. And I appreciate your well wishes... thank you. That accident was scary, and I am having nightmares about it, but I think I am on the mend. I got out and rode my bike yesterday and today I will run 3 miles for the first time since the wreck.

Here is the most amazing thing to me: Remember when I said I was done with long distance running? Well, now that I have stopped for a while, I LONG to get out and do a 10 mile run. I really miss the mental state you get into when you are running for a long time. So I found another half-marathon I want to do. My daughter just rolls her eyes when I tell her this... she rolled her eyes when I told her I was done running and now she rolls her eyes when I tell her excitedly about a half-marathon I want to do in September.

It is the Boulder Back Roads Marathon and it just sounds wonderful. Have I lost my mind?

Another Setback

2008-07-26T20:44:00.001-07:00

A week ago today I was in a very serious car accident. Riding in a fast car with a man.... something that has gotten me in trouble more than once... this time it was on a mountain pass, he was going too fast and lost control of the car. We ran into a concrete wall at probably 40 miles per hour. We really should not have walked away from the accident, but we did. I was in some pretty bad pain this past week. I think I am on the mend now.

I have a triathlon in a week - I know I can do it, but it just might not be pretty - or fast. But thank God I know I can do it.

I haven't worked out since last Saturday. I will be able to get back to it this week.

Word from long lost blogger

2008-07-19T09:06:00.001-07:00

In my other blogging life I just forget about people who don't post regularly. My behavior on this blog is very different. I have been doing some soul searching about my fitness regimen and have felt like I am being a whiner when I post about it. I think I have it pretty well worked out now, so I will tell you what I have come up with.

Here's the big confession: I weigh too much. I am fit, but just too big. I have gained weight in the last year. I find it very difficult to train for a half marathon and eat sensibly at the same time. This weight has impacted my performance I think. I think it is why I am so freaking slow.

So - (oh, how I loathe to write this) I joined Weight Watchers again. I am a lifetime member (since 1988) and it never fails to work for me if I just try to stay reasonable and not get too crazy with limiting my intake of food. I have lost 5 lbs. so far, and hope to just keep plugging along. If I were to lose a total of 20 lbs., I would be ecstatic. If I lost 10 lbs. I would be pretty happy and maybe that happiness would keep me motivated.

I still want everyone to know that I am still 30 lbs. down from where I was in 2001. Just so you know....

I went to the gym and ran on the treadmill 12 days ago. I suffered terribly for that. My sciatica was practically unbearable. I have spent a bit of time in traction since then. I have also been walking. And biking. And swimming. Yesterday, I took a little 2 mile run and was fine, so I have hopes that my triathlon on August 3 won't be a total disaster.

This morning, I drove down to the lake an swam for 25 minutes. Then I hopped on my bike and rode for an hour. It was good. I felt good and I feel good now.

I have a full day ahead of me and better get on with it. I will visit your blogs tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks for reading all of this...

Back in the Saddle (sort of)

2008-07-06T15:13:00.001-07:00

That's a picture (through an RV screened window) of an Alaskan sunset - at 11:45 p.m. And it still doesn't get dark after that!

After I wrote on Tuesday, I thought I just have to force myself to work out whether I want to or not. I dragged my good bike to the bike store to get a few things done to it, and then hopped on and went to the lake. I took my first open water swim of the season. Heck, it was my first swim of any kind since last year's triathlon. Then I hopped back on the bike and went home.

On Saturday, I tried to run for the first time since the June 21 half marathon. This morning after church, I took a 10 mile bike ride and a half hour open water swim. I think the swim was approximately 750 meters, but no one seems to know what the actual length of the swim lane at the lake is.

I think I have some decisions to make.

1. me + distance running does not = a fit Mary. Really. It just doesn't.

2. If I want to run faster, I am going to have to run shorter.

3. I can do that seriously on the treadmill... Oh NO! Not the Treadmill!!!

4. I really could walk as fast as I am running right now, and I would actually enjoy that.

5. I can swim and bike and actually enjoy that.

6. Maybe I can focus on the bike and swim training for my tri and let the chips fall where they may for the run portion.

I could go back to what I was doing before I got bitten by the half marathon bug. I was running about 40 or 50 miles a month and felt fantastic! I was fit and much, much slimmer than I am now. I have done nothing but gain weight since I started distance running.

What to do?

Back Home Again

2008-07-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

I got home from Alaska yesterday. I was gone for too long and I am very very grateful to be home. I have not worked out once since the half marathon on June 21. Yikes.

I have a triathlon in a month, so I need to do some serious training on the bike and in open water. I thought I would get out there today, but I feel crappy and it is raining right now. In other words - I am lacking motivation.

In the past, when I have really been motivated for training, a little sore throat, headache, running nose and some rain would never stop me.

Where do you get the motivation from when it is gone?

From Denali

2008-06-22T15:41:00.000-07:00

OK. I obviously lived through the race... see that fine looking finishers' medal? I totally overestimated what a difference sea level makes. I also totally underestimated what hills would be on the course. And also crazy surfaces. And rain. And coldness.

(okay, this picture is in here twice, and I can't seem to delete it, sorry)

So, my nephew decided to run the half-marathon. Somehow, even though registration was closed, he was able to register at the expo. So, it was great fun that he was there running a half marathon with his old aunt.

Before the start of the race, it started pouring rain. It was quite cold and pouring rain. Once again, thanks to Team in Training folks for plastic bags that I was able to get from them. My nephew and I were safely wrapped in plastic, and ready to rock.

The first mile was cold and dripping wet. After the first mile, I warmed up, ditched the bag, and started feeling good. Someone came up behind me and I heard "Mary!" It was someone from a contingent of racers I met at the Portland airport on a 4 hour layover. That was fun.

I was keeping a good pace for me, not too fast or slow. I felt good. At about 6 miles, we turned onto a trail that wasn't even a trail... through the forest. It was an uneven surface and grassy. It wasn't even a path! I thought I had better slow down for safety's sake and I am glad I did. The woman in front of me fell really hard on her knees. I stopped to help her. I really considered what was really important - me considering a PR, or helping someone who had just fallen. I chose helping her. I probably didn't spend all that long doing it, but I am glad I did.

It was at about 6 and a half or 7 miles that I just kind of ran out of energy. I decided to walk for a while. And then I decided to walk a little bit longer since my walk pace wasn't necessarily slower than my "run" pace. I decided to just try to enjoy the race.

I don't know where it was, but I heard someone say "Careful, there's a moose!" A Moose? Well, give me a camera, and my deepest fears turn into something I pursue. I just HAD to take a picture of it with my cell phone. After I took two of them, I realized that my lens cover was closed, so I took a few more. They aren't worth posting because the moose just looks like a brown spot. Damn! It was so cool. It was at that point that two more of the folks I met at the airport passed by and said Hello.

Maybe I was a tad irritable, maybe not.... maybe this will lose me some readers, maybe not. But I have to say there were so many purple Team in Training racers and their support people that I began to feel that I had crashed a private party. There were cheerers along the road who were screaming "go team!!!!!" and when I would go by, it was silence. Would it kill them to cheer for someone who didn't raise $20,000.?

At mile 10, I started walking with a woman who was keeping a good 13 to 14 minute pace. We were talking and really enjoyed each others' company. I asked if she minded me tagging with her because she was really helping me - and she said I was really helping her, so that was nice. By that time, I knew I was going to have a PW (personal worst), but I just wanted to enjoy myself. So, I did. It was pretty great.

In the last couple of turns, another woman grabbed my hand and pulled me through. I just kind of lost any energy at all.

All in all, it was a great experience. My poor nephew had to wait an hour for his old Aunt to finish, but it was great to have him there at the finish. A friend of my sister's from New York City was also there and cheered as I finished. How cool is that!

I am anxious to start training for my tri in August. But for now, I am on vacation! And boy, is it rainy and cold at Denali National Park!!! Perfect for sleeping!

Excitement Builds!!!

2008-06-17T18:11:00.000-07:00

Here is my race stuff... all layed out. I decided to go with a blue theme instead of the pink I had purchased. Probably because it didn't require that I purchase a new jacket.

It is so hard to pack for a trip where the high temperatures will be maybe 60º when I am sweltering in 80º indoors right now.

For instance, I bought some water shoes for the fishing trip we are taking. Well, I won't really want water shoes, I probably really want some water proof boots. But I have water shoes, so I will wear water shoes. They are super cool looking.

And can you guess what my favorite color is? (who even HAS a green bra? well, I do, actually a couple of them.) And no, the green chacos are not my water shoes.

So, I have become obsessed with the idea of running all alone on that trail during the half-marathon and encountering a moose. Probably coming in dead last in my last half-marathon wasn't the confidence building experience I might have thought it was. Anyway, I have thought about how I was alone through almost all of that race, and thinking about being alone with a mammal larger than a large SUV. Tonight I had a stroke of genius and checked out the half-marathon times for last year. Well, I am in luck. Plenty of people finished in OVER 5 hours. For a half.

If I finished in 3:08 like my last half, I would have come in 23rd of 58 women in my age group. I would have come in 93/146 35 to 39 year olds.

Phew! I will be fine. There will be lots of slow folks with me, and some even slower than me! Yippeee!!

Something new to be anxious about...

2008-06-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

As I looked through the pictures of the trail the half-marathon is on... I realized there were moose in a lot of the pictures.

What the hell do I do if I am running along and there is a moose ahead of me? I will turn tail and run the other way.... I just know it.

My first thought was - well, there will be lots of people around, keeping the wildlife from the trail... but then I remembered my last half-marathon. I ran alone for most of it. Alone, as in I couldn't even SEE anyone else.

I just hope there are enough people at this race so there will be fat people and old people so I won't be last and running alone. Or I will be SCARED!

Running Along

2008-06-11T17:45:00.000-07:00

I ran a couple of miles on Tuesday. I felt good. I don't know why running feels OK if sitting at my desk is excruciating. And driving my car is slightly worse than that.

Yesterday at lunch I went to physical therapy. She put me in traction, which really took the pain away for a while. I will have it again next Tuesday.

Then on Thursday I leave for Alaska. To say I am excited is the understatement of the century!!!

I looked at the route of the half-marathon today and did a little bit of research. It looks absolutely beautiful. Here is a link to some photos of it.

Oh, and with the help of my friend Debbi, I figured out how to get my laps on the garmin software.

10 Miles

2008-06-08T18:57:00.000-07:00

This was my changing room AKA passenger seat of my automobile today. I started a run at 8:30 in the morning when it was pouring rain and 49 degrees. I planned it so I would be at my car again at 5 miles - just in case I needed to take off my rain coat and long sleeve shirt. By the time I had completed 5 miles, it was sunny and warm, and I actually changed my shirt in my car! A little singlet instead of all that bulkage was just the ticket.

I am now confident that I can finish a half-marathon in Anchorage on June 21. I will be in pain, as I am right now, but what the heck is another couple of weeks of pain? I am so excited about my trip and the race and I am just happy, happy, happy. I would have loved to have been able to run a whole marathon, but it just may never happen. I need to stop minimizing the accomplishment of running 13.1 miles.

After the run, I went straight to the best running store in the universe - Runners' Roost, Lakewood, Colorado - to talk to them about some shoe issues. I left there with a new pair of Brooks Trance 7's in a size 9.5 Nine and a Half? How did this happen? I have always been an 8.5 or a 9. Anyway, they fit me perfectly and don't hurt! I can't believe they were so kind to trade out my shoes. I didn't have that many miles on the other pair, but they were mainly on a dirt trail, so the shoes were definitely used.

Here is a question for hopefully at least one of you who has a garmin and a mac. That software is craptastic. I cannot get my lap information and I really need it. I just downloaded the latest software this evening thinking I surely had the wrong version, but apparently not. Could it be that this is the one thing that isn't better on a mac? If so, it is a heartbreaker.

Hammer Time

2008-06-02T18:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got a call from one of my teammates - calling me from mile 21 of the Rock n' Roll Marathon... for encouragement. I was on the sofa, sitting on an ice pack. But man, when she called, something happened to me.

She has the same type of injury that I do. She is 51 years old, but thin, unlike me. Her mother died about 6 months ago. In other words, she hasn't trained. She started the race intending to run 3 or 4 miles, but just kept going. And I watched the live results page online and saw that she finished in 6 and a half hours! (take THAT, Rory Gilfillan!!)

Well, I figured if she could pull 26.2 miles out of her untrained body, surely I can run 13.1 in Anchorage. So, that is what I am going to do.

I ran 3 miles this morning. I bought another ice pack so that I can sit on one at work AND at home! I have been taking my massive dosages of ibuprofen as prescribed. I have been stretching religiously. Taking my muscle relaxers at night. Working on it... I think I can do this.

I just have to. I can stand another 3 weeks of pain. What's another three weeks? Nothing! Ha! I am so happy!

Physical Therapy

2008-05-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

I had my first appointment for Physical Therapy today. The thing that is causing my sciatic nerve so much pain is that my periformis muscle is all jacked up. Now, I took two semesters of Anatomy and Physiology, one semester of Pathophysiology, and various other medical classes - how is it that I NEVER heard of this muscle?

The physical therapist suggests that I don't run until I get the pain calmed down.

I have a bunch of exercises to do. I will do them.

But I am having a hard time not running. I ran 6 miles last Sunday, and then spent the remainder of the day in bed - on vicodin. Not a good way to spend a day.

I so want to at least run a half-marathon on June 21. I have to. Really. I just have to.

Do you remember how you felt when you started running and you would feel your belly and wonder where this hardness had come from? Or look at your butt and realize there was NO fat on it? Or look at the muscles in your legs and marvel that they could be your very own legs?

Well, I am going through that process in reverse. It only took a few weeks, but my belly feels more flacid, my butt seems less firm, etc., etc.,

This is sad. Woe is me!

Uh Oh...

2008-05-25T18:22:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted anything for a while because I was hoping I would have good news soon. So far, no good news. This sciatic nerve thing has gotten worse, not better. I am taking vicodin for pain, and still I am a squirming mess.

I had to cancel my first PT appointment because of a big deal at work. So, I won't have PT until next Friday. It is now 26 days until my race. I changed my registration to a HALF marathon. I just hope I can even do a half.

I ran 2 miles on Friday. I am going to run tomorrow. I just can't stop running when I am this close to a race. I feel like I have lost all my momentum. I haven't run seriously since May 12.

Sorry to be such a whiner. Here is a good thing to report: This morning I took my granddaughters to a local park so that they could play. Some fire fighters were walking around talking to kids and their peeps. When they were talking with my granddaughters, they pointed at me and said "we talked to your mom." Olivia was quick to say "That's my GRANDmother!" And I said "Thank you!" to the fire fighter. Thank you! How nice. That has never happened to me before. She is probably the only BLIND fire fighter in the country, but I will take it as a complement anyway.

Enjoy your running all you healthy people!

At the Race Expo...

2008-05-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of the inside of the tent at the race expo for the Colfax Marathon. I worked at the late registration table from 1 to 5. I really had no idea that anyone would be registering for a full or half marathon on the afternoon before the marathon, I was surprised at how many did. It was fun to be there. I was probably a bit too much of a Chatty Cathy with the runners.... but it was fun.

So, here were the things of note that happened:

A very fit man registered for a full marathon. I got his paperwork done and the other ladies (pictured above) were taking his money. He asked them "oh, how many miles is a marathon anyway?" When I looked at him with sheer horror, he laughed. It was a joke. The other ladies didn't get it though. They didn't know anything about races and kept calling the chip - "the timer" - which confused people.

A not-so-fit looking woman- who I assumed was older than me - and was shocked when I saw that she was 6 years younger than me - but still no spring chicken! registered for the full marathon. As we chatted, she said she thought she would do fine because she runs 5 miles every day. Oy.

I was happy to see that there really are people of all shapes, sizes, and ages who are running marathons. Well, mostly the older and lumpier ones are running the half - but still - it was nice to see that I am not the only older person with some cushioning to be running.

I also noticed as I walked around, that I know an awful lot of people who were at the expo. Like people from the running stores and clubs. I think it is scary that I know their names! Yikes.

....Edited out some mean stuff I wrote here....

Good luck to everyone out there running a race tomorrow.

Life as a Former Runner

2008-05-16T20:29:00.000-07:00

This is having a negative affect on my self esteem! I saw runners tonight after work and I felt so jealous! I saw one girl with a camelback and wondered how long she was running if she needed a camelback - and I speculated that is must be many, many miles.

My sciatica is somewhat better. I hope to be back running by this time next week. I needed a break to appreciate how much I love to run. I miss it - bad. But it took until today to even miss it. I was so fried.

Tomorrow I am volunteering at the expo for the Colfax Marathon. Last year, I was getting ready to run my first half-marathon. I was so excited. It was such a great experience for me. I hope working at the "late registration" table will rekindle my excitement for the events.

Wishes for great races for everyone racing this weekend.

The five most dangerous words in the English language

2008-05-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

Maybe It Will Go Away.

I looked back at this blog and my other blog and I have been complaining of hip pain since February. Did I go to the doctor then? No. Why not? Because I was afraid he would tell me to stop running.

I was in desperate pain today, enough pain to go to the doctor. And what did he tell me? To stop running until I get the pain calmed down. I have sciatica. I am scheduled for the first open appointment they had at physical therapy - May 21.

My doc was hopeful that I can get it under control in time for the race. Then we talked about races, I told him my reasons for going to Anchorage.... sea level, and an 8 hour time limit. He liked that idea himself and said he might train for a marathon. He said the farthest he has ever run was 15k. I, of course, encouraged him to go for it.

So the Colfax is definitely out. I might just volunteer at the race - that way I could still meet Jess! I will try to get in the pool at least to keep a certain level of fitness going.... then I hope to be able to run in a week and a half. Sheesh. I think I will still be able to run a half on June 21.

Windy Day

2008-05-10T16:16:00.001-07:00

I attempted to run 10K on the 10th today. The wind was blowing so hard, I lost my hat at one point, and then had to hold it the rest of the time. So I managed to run 5.4 miles.

I got to watch as a cloud came over a mountain, and then I could see that some sort of precip was coming out of the cloud. Sure enough, within minutes it was SNOWING on me. SNOWING.

May 10 + Snow = Colorado.

Now I am limping along with incredible pain that I think is from my sciatic nerve. It runs all the way from my left hip to my left ankle. And it hurts worse when I sit down.

Sorry to be such a complainer. The former chaplain where I work used to talk to me about "the therapeutic value of kvetching." Not sure anyone wants to read about it.

Still haven't heard whether I have next Sunday free to run the Colfax half marathon.

What about the Colfax?

2008-05-09T18:52:00.000-07:00

I am thinking about running the Colfax (half) Marathon next weekend. I really enjoyed it last year - it was my first ever half marathon. I was intending to run 13.1 next Sunday anyway... hmmm. I will mull this one over.

I didn't run at all this week! Holy Crap! There was all kinds of crazy stuff going on at work, and I had to be there early every day and work late. Tonight I loaded up my car with all kinds of stuff and my work laptop, and I am intending to work from home this weekend.

Well, and celebrate Mother's Day with my kids and grandkids. Take one run of probably 6 or 7 miles, clean the house, study for my final exam of the year at Biblical School, do lawn maintenance, oh, and RELAX!

I want to run the Colfax Half. hmmmmm.....

Last Chance!

2008-05-08T12:11:00.001-07:00

I just got an e-mail notifying me that it is my LAST CHANCE! to get photos from last May's Colfax (half) Marathon. There was one half decent picture of me, but I didn't buy it.

The one I really like is above. Here I am, laboring with all I have in me, still coming in behind the guy with the wife-beater who is not even moving!!! How cool is that!

I probably sound sarcastic, but I really do think it is high-lar-i-ous.

I will run again some day. The big deal at work ended today at noon. Things will calm down for a day or two. And I will again hit the pavement.

Goonie in her office

2008-05-07T12:07:00.001-07:00

Here's a picture of me, sitting at my desk, in my office... prettttttty.

I haven't run all week.
but I have actually wanted to. Which is good.

It has been a crazy week at work - I have had to be there early every day.

Decision Made

2008-05-04T11:25:00.000-07:00

At six miles into my run this morning, I made my decision. It went like this...

Mary, you have just run 6 miles. You have another 11 to go. Do you even want to do this? You want to run a marathon, but at what price? You COULD run the 4 miles back to the car and call 10 miles a good run. A good run if you are training for a half-marathon - not a full one. Then, on your Sunday afternoon, you COULD have your kids over for dinner. You COULD get your homework done for Biblical School and get ready for work tomorrow. Or, you could run 17 miles and go home and lay on the sofa.

So, here is what it came down to for me today:

Do I want to run with grim determination?

Or do I want to run with JOY?

The answer is JOY. I am going to run a half-marathon in Anchorage on June 21. I have an awesome vacation planned and I am going to enjoy it. When I look at the counter in my sidebar now, I am going to think - woo! hoo! ONLY XX days until vacation! I am not going to think "oh shit, I ONLY have XX days left to get ready to run a marathon.

I will likely get some crap from people for this, but ultimately, it is the woman in the mirror I most need to reconcile with. This training was feeling horrible. I feel lighter already. And, the last four miles I ran today, I REALLY ENJOYED. I haven't enjoyed running for a while now. This is good.

Friday Night Thinking...

2008-05-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

I thought I would include pretty pictures of my bruise and scars. (and you can see the impressions of the lovely knee-high fishnets I had on all day today.)

I went shopping after work tonight - for some furniture and some other stuff at REI. Then I went to the running store to get some shoes, but they were closed. So I will go tomorrow.

I did not run all week. I am scheduled for a 17 mile run this weekend. I guess I will wait until Sunday. I think this is the "do or die" run for my marathon training. If I can't do it, I am going to plan on running the half marathon in Anchorage. If I can run it, I guess I will know that I should continue with my training for a full marathon. Right now I am plagued with doubts and aches and pains.

I look at the counter on my side-bar and think - this should be something I am looking forward to, not dreading. But every time I see how few days are left, I just feel so much pressure. I don't know how I can be ready for a marathon in 50 some days.

I got an e-mail from my marathon mentor this week. It was meant to motivate me I am sure. It had just the opposite effect. She said she heard I was having doubts and she said "shame on you." and that people in MUCH worse shape than I finish marathons. Great.

I will go out this weekend and do my level best to run 17 miles. Some of you say that discouragement is typical half way through the training... I hope that is all this is.

Thanks for your encouragement and understanding.

First Bike Ride

2008-04-29T17:13:00.001-07:00

Today was my first bike ride of the season. I decided to ride my bike to work to:

a) get exercise (other than running)

b) save gas.

The ride TO work is approximately 8 miles downhill followed by a half mile uphill. The ride home, as you might imagine, is exactly the opposite... with the steepest grade in the last 2 miles. It was a good ride with the exception of me hitting the curb and flying into the grass. Thank God it was grass, or I would have been hurt. My legs are getting pretty gnarly looking with scars and scrapes and bruises from all my misadventures... not very becoming on a 50-something woman!

I am trying to fight extreme discouragement over my running. I thought I would take the week totally off and try to get my hip to stop hurting and other things healed up. I actually have an open wound all along where the bottom of my heart rate monitor strap was on Sunday. I have no idea how that happened because I have worn that thing a million times and never had the slightest chafing. The run on Sunday just sucked all the way around.

Sorry to be such a complainer. I just tried to call another member of my fund raising team "blisters for sisters", and she said she is in a bad mood and would call me tomorrow. What? Some people wonder why they are lonely?

OK, now I have crossed the line from complaining to outright bitchiness. I took my estrogen tablet, and hope to feel human again soon. But first let me say: I am going to watch American Idol tonight and I fully expect little Mr. Dreadlock Rasta-Man to go home tomorrow. What is he doing there?

Sunday 10 miler

2008-04-27T14:08:00.001-07:00

This is a picture of the South Platte River - which I ran beside this morning.

Do you want to know the truth? I had a pretty miserable run. My left hip hurts so bad. I kept taking walk breaks, but I swear they don't help anything, they just slow me down and make it harder to get a good pace going again.

I actually enjoyed my 15 miles last week more than I enjoyed the 10 today. Even though I had my cute new outfit on... and that usually makes a run more tolerable.

I honestly don't know how I can run a marathon in just 7 weeks.

I am going to take a nap now and hope when I wake up the world looks like a friendlier and less painful place.

Friday Night Self-Portrait

2008-04-25T18:00:00.001-07:00

Because apparently I never tire of showing you my new clothes and how dirty my bathroom is! I think this is going to be my marathon outfit. It will look great when they take me off the course on a gurnee - ooooops! Where's that positive attitude? I meant to say, it will look great as I cross the finish line with my arms in the air! And I can tell my family to look for me in the "sorbet" top!

I ran only 4 miles last night. I went out in a singlet and skirt - without realizing that the weather was going to change - the wind kicked up to like 30 mph. I am not even exaggerating. It was crazy. I still had a nice run, it was just a little bit shorter than I anticipated.

The weather is supposed to be bad tomorrow. If it is snowing, I will postpone my long run until Sunday. My long run this week will only be 8 to 10 miles. I was leaning towards 10, but I am feeling very tired and have hip pain. I will see how I feel tomorrow and how the weather is.

Must.... Stop.... Complaining....

2008-04-23T18:20:00.000-07:00

Today I am again happy to be a runner - but today was a day off. I am looking forward to running tomorrow. I will try to get 6 miles in before work. That should be good. I really should take some clothes and my gym bag to leave at work and run to work. It is about 8 miles. I could do that, as long as I took a shower after I got there. I have a make up bag and brush and hair dryer and curling iron in my desk - for days when I bike to work (which I haven't done since last summer).

The picture above was something that I thought was funny on my run on Saturday. Mind you, I had just completed 13.1 miles (and had still 1.9 miles to go) when I came upon this bike trail espresso stand. Really, it is on the bike trail - not the road. It is only accessible by bike or foot. It was packed with spandex wearing bike riders. I am sure it would be fun to take a leisurely bike ride and stop for a cup of joe along the way. I think I know a J-mom who would really like it. Not to suggest that she is anything LIKE a LEISURELY bike rider.

Today I was meeting with the director of nursing in my office and mentioned something about running. He said "oh, you're a runner?" And I was so happy that I had fresh meat to tell all about training for a marathon!!! Everyone else is sick of hearing about it. And I was thrilled there was still at least one person in the hospital who hasn't heard me talk about it.

Looking forward to 6 miles tomorrow!

3 Miles Today

2008-04-22T16:30:00.000-07:00

I took the afternoon off work. Oh, it was glorious. I ran 3 miles at noon - which was HOT. I usually run early in the morning, so it was quite an adjustment to be running in the mid day sun. I got to visit with a friend who was coming though town - that was nice. Then when I decided to take a nap, my neighbor decided, with all his hillbilly friends, to take out his dirt bike and let the dog bark and chase the dirt bike around the cul de sac. Well, the nap never happened. But I am glad that the weather is nice enough for these crazy activities to be going on.

Tonight, the Tivo is all ready for American Idol!! Woo Hoo! I have turned into a real american! I watch TV and actually look forward to it! Funny that I find this both sad and encouraging at the same time. Sad because, well, it is just sad. Encouraging because I have spent my life always moving, always doing, NEVER sitting still.

I am looking forward to a short long run on Saturday. 8 or 10 miles. That's all. Long enough to be fun, not long enough to be painful.

You know what I am really looking forward to? June 22, 2008 - the day after my marathon. When I hop on a train to go to Denali National Park to stay at a Lodge for 2 days. AFTER my short marathon career is OVER.

I have a triathlon in August and I cannot wait to train for it. Especially the biking and swimming. I may just walk the running part. I have had it with running!

Day after 15 miles

2008-04-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

I am actually feeling optimistic today. I am not hurting too bad from the 15 miles. The blisters I thought I had yesterday were temporary, and my feet are fine. I have a bit of a sunburn on my neck and that is about it. Oh, and I also have the lovely tan that ends above my ankle where my socks hit.

The skirt is cute, no? It is comfy and feels great. It is long enough so that I don't feel like a woman who doesn't realize she is in her 50s (and so are her legs!) I ordered a shirt in the pink color of the trim on the skirt - it should be in this week some time. The color is called "sorbet", doesn't that sound good? The visor was painful to buy because I am still mad at Pearl Izumi for that asinine runner vs. jogger ad campaign - but I really liked the visor the best. It has good sweat absorption and it is comfortable.

I just can't believe that I am optimistic today. Yesterday I thought there was no way I was going to be able to run one more inch than 15 miles. But then I remembered that 2 weeks ago, I hit the wall at 9 miles and barely made the 13.1 miles at the half-marathon. So, maybe it is in the realm of possibilities that I will run 17 miles in 2 weeks! Holy Moly! How did this happen!?!?!?

Fifteen Miles

2008-04-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

I did it. It hurt like hell, but I did it. The first 12 miles were actually OK. I started really slow and stayed pretty slow. I ran 4 and walked 1. I really enjoyed about 12 or 13 miles of it. It is a beautiful day AND I have a new running skirt and visor!

I stopped by my favorite running store in the universe yesterday, Runners Roost in Lakewood, for a visor. I got the visor, but I also got the very cutest running skirt and I ordered a shirt to go with it, but will have to wait until next week to get it. If I had one drop of energy, I would take a picture of this cute skirt, but frankly, I don't know how I am going to get up the stairs to eat something and take a bath - followed by a nap!

As I hobbled to my car to drive home today, I couldn't help but wonder how I could possibly run 11.2 more miles than this. Maybe my attitude will improve once I don't stink... we shall see.

Moving right along

2008-04-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

Well, kind of. I have told people at work that I am NEVER going to train for another big race. Do you know what they have the nerve to do? Laugh. Yes, Laugh.

I am slated to run 15 miles on Saturday. I have never run more than 13.1 at one time in my life. I know that at the end of 13.1 miles, I have never once said "Gee, I wish I had two more miles to run!" But I will attempt this on Saturday.

Prior to training for a half marathon though - I had never run more than 7 miles. So, maybe there is a way I can do this.

And here is the other thing: weight. I am LOATHE to write about it. But I know that running would be so much easier if I weighed 10 lbs. less. So I am doing a very sensible eating plan and losing a bit of weight. I lost 4.4 lbs. in the last month. I hope to lose another 4 or 5 this month.

I never want to be a thin woman. That is just not who I am. I have been thin in the past, and it requires that I don't eat much. I really like to cook and I really like to eat. AND I really don't want osteoporosis.

The irony? Like most "dieters" who have been dieting all their lives, I could write books on what to eat and how to eat it. It doesn't matter what I KNOW. And I swear to you, Dieting does not work as a permanent plan to keep weight off. The best solution I have ever found was running. But my weight inched up a bit last year and I need to lose it. And I will.

And now I am going to watch American Idol. Last year when my son was in Iraq, I started watching anything where the war wasn't likely to come up and AI definitely qualified! Well, I love that show. And I love little David Archuleta. Last night I actually picked up my phone and voted for him! I have never done that before. I was so freaked out that Michael Johns got eliminated last week. With all those bland blonde women left, I couldn't believe they got to stay and MJ had to leave! And I really can't believe I am blogging about American Idol!

10 Miles on a Sunday Morning

2008-04-13T11:47:00.001-07:00

But the picture is from yesterday. I had my granddaughters all day. Among other things, like shopping and going out for lunch, we went to my favorite park and played. What a joy it is to be a grandmother.

Except when you are trying to run 10 miles. Just kidding. The ten miles was fine this morning. I incorporated huge hills into this run. I feel good about it.

Except for my little temper tantrum. I wasted at least 4 ounces of water squirting it at a parked car with a bunch of asinine anti-war bumper stickers. Sometimes I wish I carried around stick-it notes to put on cars like that. "you can thank my son later for protecting your right to be a (insert favorite obscenity here, I know which one I like) idiot." yeah, stuff like that. "Bikes not bombs" was one of the most compelling stickers. Yeah, bikes will do an excellent job against people hell-bent on destroying us. Good plan.

Sorry if I have offended anyone. I am not usually flag waving in-your-face... but that car really peeved me.

But I regretted the waste of water later. Jeez. I really must learn to control myself.

Friday Night

2008-04-11T19:06:00.000-07:00

I took my running clothes to work today, thinking I would change into them at lunch or some other time and take an hour's break to run. It friggin' snowed on and off all day, and I didn't ever get around to running.

Tomorrow I have my two granddaughters all day! I am so excited about this. No running for nana tomorrow.

Sunday I will take my "long" run. It won't be as long as my run last week. Next weekend I will attempt 15 miles. I ran into a guy at the race expo last Saturday who recommended that I add 2 miles every other weekend. I don't know.

I think being 56 years old and trying to train for a first marathon takes a lot of, shall we say, cojones. Maybe coupled with a shortage of brains.

The bad thing about a new computer? All of my photos are on my old computer. I am used to pulling up thousands of photos to post any old time I feel like it. I have only about 20 photos on this baby so far. I will get more, trust me... I will.

Have a great weekend everyone. And good luck to everyone who is racing.

Tuesday after a Sunday Half

2008-04-08T16:47:00.000-07:00

Maybe tomorrow I will crash, I don't know. I feel great about my race on Sunday. I learned some stuff... like to slow down in the first miles. Like I probably could run a good 10K right now. Like it is OK to finish last in a race - not that I would really care to repeat the experience.

I failed to mention something on Sunday. There was one woman behind me. But she never finished. And I even knew her. Imagine my surprise in the first mile when she looked at me and said "Mary?" "Knitting Mary?" Some people call me that because I knit a LOT. I didn't recognize her with her sunglasses and running gear, but when she told me her name, I knew who she was. A casual acquaintance. But she never finished the race.

So I was 800/800. But some people didn't finish. And like some of you reminded me, most people never started. It is OK.

The race course was really wonderful because it started in a small suburban downtown, and then after 2 miles or so, hit the bike trail that runs along the river. The majority of the race runs along the river on the trail. So I enjoyed that. By the time it was in central Denver, the course left the bike trail and went up an extremely unfairly placed hill and then back down into a cool 'hood in Denver.

BUT, I remembered that the very first blog entry I ever made - in 2004, was bitching about middle-aged men on bicycles. I was training for a tri, and therefore was on the bike trails a lot. I noticed that these overweight guys in spandex on bikes are incredibly aggressive and angry. A few of them buzzed me on the trail as I was running along, alone, on Sunday. I don't know why they have to act like that. Anyway, back in 2004, it bothered me enough to start a whole blog about it - I later deleted it. The guys in the pool irritated me similarly... the overweight guys who get out of the hot tub long enough to beat the shit out of the water and swim one or two lengths of the pool before getting out of the pool totally out of breath, but victorious because they swim FAST!

OK I will knock it off now. I hope I am not offending anyone, because I don't mean you guys who are really training for something and then really participating in something. Really.

Facing Fears

2008-04-06T12:50:00.000-07:00

I faced a racing fear today.

The fear of:

Finishing last.

I did it!

And I did it with a smile on my face!

I knew right from the get go that there were three of us competing for the honor of finishing last. Unfortunately, I got a tremendous burst of energy for the first 9 miles and ran those miles faster than I have ever run in recent history. As I was running, I was thinking, Mary, slow down, you are going to pay for this later in the race - but I felt FABULOUS! I knew that I would slow down after 9 miles, but I thought I would slow down, not virtually stop!

By the time I finished, I was moaning I was in so much pain. My calves felt like two hard as rock knots of pain. My hips were screaming. I could feel the hooks from my bra digging into my back (and I have a GREAT sports bra), I could feel chafing under my arms. I could feel stress on my toenails. And, I felt like I was going to vomit. And maybe pass out. And I couldn't help but wonder how on earth I can do a marathon if I am dying during a half. I will have to reappraise this after I recover from this race.

The race finished at a restaurant where they had burgers and brats - a few of my favorite things - and I couldn't even eat. I got to my car miraculously, and stopped on my way home at the kwickee mart and got some Powerade and saltines. yummmy.

Here is what was wonderful about the race.

1. the first 9 miles were great! The course is great, and the day is perfect for running.

2. the people were fabulous.

3. the volunteers stayed to man the aid stations even though I was running alone... last.

4. the volunteers kept the finish chute open past the 3 hour limit (I finished in 3:08)

5. Rosemarie - she stuck with me for the last couple of miles and that really, really helped.

6. My friend Donna who encouraged me to do this race and treated me like I just won a world record!

The kindness of strangers is always a revelation to me. Thank you to all the nice volunteers and all of the nice runners - who are at every race... not just this one. I know some of you are reading this right now. Thank you

Now I am going to go soak and then take a nap!

Decisions

2008-04-05T13:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I bought my new computer last night. I really like it. I can't wait til I get my wireless router so that I can be really wireless... for now I am hooked up to my old modem. So I have this computer in my dining room - while my old computer awaits its move downstairs.

Today I registered for the Platte River Half Marathon which is tomorrow. I figure if I can run 10, I can run 13.1. I think it will be fun as long as I forget about my ego. If I start thinking I "should" run faster or be thinner or be younger, I will not enjoy myself. However, if I go as I am, to have the best time I can, I think I will enjoy it.

I haven't figured out what I am wearing yet. It is in the mid 60s now, and tomorrow is expected to be pretty much the same. So I need to suddenly wear warm weather clothing. It is hard to make that change, but I am sure I will be glad I did when I am running comfortably in light clothing.

Wish me good luck!

Thinkin', Thinkin', Thinkin'...

2008-04-03T16:37:00.000-07:00

I talked to my marathon runnin' mentor this afternoon. She asked me if I want to run the Platte River Half Marathon on Sunday. I think I just might do it. I think I can do a half. Crazy, because last year, with all the training I was doing - the half was my main event. But now, I am so focused on a whole 26.2, a half sounds like something I can do. My longest runs so far this year have been 10 miles, but I know I can run 13.1. It might not be pretty, but I can do it.

The website for my Alaska Marathon fund-raising is also up. I am the last woman - the one who looks so intense running - while the other ladies have nice pictures of them smiling. Oh well. Feel free to donate! The good thing about this is that all of the money goes to take care of the elderly. Not one cent goes to pay for my race registration or airfare or hotel room - I am covering all of my own expenses.

About the computer... I went to a computer store yesterday and talked to a young man about my dilemma. He just said straight out that a Mac costs more but is better than a PC!?!?! Then he told me he didn't work on commission - well, I think I guessed that already! I think I will go purchase the mac this weekend. I really want it.

I went to the doc yesterday and got medication for my migraine and it worked! After 5 hellish days with a migraine. Maybe I can run tomorrow. I missed almost a week due to that damn headache!

Non fitness related advice?

2008-04-01T17:09:00.000-07:00

I had a migraine for 4 days so I have not run. I am missing more runs than I am making, but I hope to get on track soon. I have got some serious family stuff going on and I am sure that is why I have had stomach aches and headaches... this too shall pass?

OK, so tonight I went to the Apple Store to look at new computers. I have a 6 year old Dell desktop, and I want a new laptop to use at home and to take to Alaska with me. I went online to Dell and starting putting together a laptop - and a $499. computer turned into a $1,500. computer without adding much of anything.

Well, hells bells, I thought - why not get a Mac if I am going to spend that much money?

So I went to the store tonight - and I managed to walk away without a computer. I am thinking about it. Hard.

Does anyone have an opinion on Macs? Can you use your garmie with a mac? Is it worth the money? Is it so terribly different from a PC that it is hard to use?

Thanks guys.

Change of Plans

2008-03-29T11:32:00.000-07:00

Not only did I not run at Waterton Canyon, but I didn't run my planned 12 miles.

I was up most of the night with a terrible stomach ache and other things that go with that (doesn't take much imagination, does it?) I thought I felt pretty good this morning - until I started running. I made 5 miles and then bagged it.

I purchased an annual pass to a nearby park - so I can drive there and skip the big honkin hill that is on the way home from there. I found some nice trails there and I think the pass will pay off. It was really nice. I took the above picture on a trail down to the creek.

It is a beautiful day, I just wish I felt better.

Now I am debating whether I should try the 12 miles tomorrow or skip it and take a nice bike ride....

Bad Blogger!

2008-03-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

This week I have been so preoccupied with family problems I haven't been blogging here. I also missed a run this week.

Tomorrow I am planning on a 12 mile run. One of my co-workers came to visit me this afternoon and suggested I try running at Waterton Canyon. It is 6 miles uphill, through a beautiful river canyon - then you turn around and run 6 miles downhill - which sounds like fun.

Here is my problem. See the picture of the bighorn sheep above? Well, you really haven't lived until you have seen one take that pose, head down, horns up, and start running at you. I did have that experience 7 years ago at Waterton Canyon on a bike ride. I turned my bike around and pedaled as fast as I could uphill and waited for a group to ride down with. The same bighorn in the same spot did the same thing when we came down, but another buffoon just whizzed right past him and he ran off. I never rode a bike so fast in my life - to get down that hill.

Do I really want to face a bighorn sheep without a bike even? Just me and my feet?

My friend suggested that if I didn't go so early in the morning, I wouldn't have all the run-ins I have with wildlife.

So that is what I am thinking about tonight. I will update tomorrow.

90 Days

2008-03-22T11:10:00.001-07:00

That's a warning about mountain lions. If there is one thing that REALLY scares me, it is mountain lions. I wasn't afraid today though since there were a million people on the mountain (well, I might be exaggerating slightly). It was fun to run up to the mountain, and then run on trails for a bit.

So, I have 90 days before my marathon. I followed my plan and had my hiccup week. I ran only 7 miles today. I made them hard miles, lots of crazy hills - and you know what? My overall time is no worse than what it is when I run around a lake at a park. But this way, I have extremes, some miles are really slow, and some miles are not so slow.

I am happy with my training. I still can't imagine that I am going to be able to run 26.2 miles in a short 90 days. How can that happen in such a short period of time?

Alaska Stuff

2008-03-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

In case you didn't read yesterday, I actually had a successful 10 mile run. I am still flying high on that one!

Yesterday I spoke with my nephew in Alaska. We discussed my plans for my trip.

Oh dear. I am so excited. I have booked my flights based on my nephew's recommendation that I stay longer than I had intended... I am, after all, staying at his house! I wanted his permission to stay longer than a weekend.

So, I am getting to Anchorage on Thursday night. Then we will go to the race expo on Friday. Saturday is the race. Mary Gee's first marathon!!!! woo hoo!!! The next day I am hopping on a train to go to Denali. I will stay at Denali National Park for 2 nights and then take the train back to Anchorage.

My nephew wants to go on a fishing charter! How cool is that! So I will have some time to spend in Anchorage because I won't be leaving until the next Monday.

I write this to confirm it in my mind. I was talking with a friend (well, actually a former boyfriend) and he said I shouldn't go. He said I should stop running because it isn't good for me and going to Alaska is just expensive and isn't going to "make you happy." What the hell does that mean?

I spoke with two of my children after this conversation and they both agreed that going to Alaska is one of my better ideas! So, I will just try to put the f.b.f.'s opinion out of my mind... there is, after all, a reason he is a FORMER b.f.!

10 Glorious Miles!

2008-03-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

(I don't know why I feel the need to take a bathroom picture, but I apparently do. This is from my pit stop on my run this morning.)

I ran 10 miles this morning. I am so glad I got out there and faced these demons. The demons telling me I can't run a marathon. That I am too old to run at all. That I am too fat to run and I must be delusional.

Take That Demons!

I think I discovered something (else) about myself this morning. I didn't go to the park with the other runners - where I feel slow and old and heavy. I went out on roads. On insane hills. The first two miles are downhill- and they give you a really nice start. Kind of like starting on training wheels - I get used to going fast, so my speed stays faster that way. The next mile is up and down. And it has a bathroom stop, and a chance to fill up my water bottle and ready myself for the tough part of the run.

Between miles 3 and 7, it is nearly straight uphill. It is hard. The bikers flying by in the other direction nod or smile or wave at me. I feel it is grudging respect. They know what the grade of that hill is. And a 14 minute mile doesn't look so bad when you are running up a hill at altitude.

Funny, they look at me differently than people at the park do.

And you know what? I feel different about it too. It is fun. I enjoy it. I feel good about myself.

The last 3 miles were fabulous! Great! Marvelous!

I took a gu to have after 4 miles. I was carrying water to wash it down with. I think I prefer doing this to carrying powerade in my water bottle.

I feel great. I am so glad I did this run this morning because I was so discouraged after the fall last week. I stayed with my plan this week and I am on track. YAYAYAY!!!!!!!!

Recovery is fine

2008-03-12T17:17:00.000-07:00

My left knee is all scabby now, I would love to post a picture, but it really is kind of gross - well, totally gross. My right knee turns out to be just bruised. I am fine, just still a little freaked out over the whole fall thing.

I did run on Tuesday morning and intend to run tomorrow.

So, for people who are not over the hill, how often do you fall when you run? I would imagine not very often.

And - it is now 100 days until my marathon. yikes.

I am considering registering for a half-marathon on May 18. It is the one I did for my first ever 1/2 mary last year. I think it might be good for my training. Whatcha all think?

Falling Stars

2008-03-08T12:05:00.001-08:00

That's a picture of my left knee. My right knee is very similar, only it has some gravel imbedded in it. My hands are scraped up as well. I fell 1.03 mile into my 10 mile run today. Fortunately, I was in a park with many other runners, and many of them stopped to help me. I really fell! I was even seeing stars. I almost started crying, but then I realized that if I did I would never finish my 10 miles. So, I got up and ran away and did run 10 miles. I felt great for about 5 of them, and then my knees really started hurting and I felt really, really crappy. The last two miles were torture.

By the time I got to my car, I was crying. I called my daughter who volunteered to come over and help me, but all I wanted was a hot bath and my own bed. I have now had my bath, a bowl of cereal and lots of water. I am going to bed.

I did run according to my plan this week. 16 miles.

I think I fell a lot harder than I realized and I am not feeling good at all. For those so inclined, would you say a prayer for me? I am feeling pretty physically and emotionally beat up. waah.

True Confessions

2008-03-04T05:36:00.000-08:00

What is it about last year that isn't about this year?

Why was I so motivated last year and accumulated huge mileages, no matter what the conditions? And why is that not the case this year?

I did go to the treadmill this morning and ran 3 miles. I will attempt to get to the pool tomorrow and swim a half mile.

Here's my plan:
Sunday: off
Monday: cross-train - bike or swim and core
Tuesday: Run - 30 to 45 minutes
Wednesday: cross-train - bike or swim and core
Thursday: Run - 30 to 45 minutes
Friday: cross-train - bike or swim and core
Saturday: L-o-n-g R-u-n

Let's see how this works!