The End of an Era...or just 2009

It is hard to believe that 2009 is almost over. It has been a good year for our family, and we pray for another good year in 2010. It is difficult to write with some sense of coherency an overview of the year, so I think that maybe just some bulleted points of totally random thoughts might work best...

• In 2009, I learned that I am capable of doing things that I used to only watch others do - like run. I would drive down the road filled with envy as I watched runners trot down the street effortlessly. While I can't say that I run effortlessly, I can run 8 miles - 8 miles!!! In March, a mere 9 months ago, I was struggling to reach 1 mile. How amazing is that?? Knowing that I can still learn knew skills, I am more confident to try new things. Skiing, anyone?
• In 2009, I earned a master's degree. While for many that isn't a big deal, but I started going back to college 10 years ago, and going to class while working full-time and raising three daughters just isn't easy. Worthwhile - absolutely! I love to learn, and I hope that I set a good example for my kids. We are never, ever, too old to reach for our dreams! Once we give up dreaming, we give up living.
• In 2009, we lost a pet. Just last night, one of our dogs died. It was a very odd experience. He was old, and he had trouble getting around because he had gotten fat (he always stole the other dogs' food), but it is never easy to lose a pet. We had been in Nashville for the day, gotten home late, and the dogs were ready to eat. Gary fed them as usual, and Paws acted completely normal. It wasn't 15 minutes later until he just lay down and died. There was no suffering; he was just gone. Gary and I were both with him, but it still doesn't seem real. He will be missed by all of us - especially the other dogs.
• I continue to be reminded every day how fortunate I am. I have a wonderful husband who supports every crazy idea I have, and loves me no matter what; I have three beautiful and healthy daughters; I have a great step-daughter and step-son, and four step-grandchildren whom we adore; I have a job that I love and that allows me to make a difference each day; I work with great people; I have a warm home, warm clothes, plenty of food, and all that we need to make it in life; and I have a strong faith and know who provides for me. What more could one ask for?
• In 2009, I reconnected with some people from my childhood, Nancy and MaryAnn, and that is truly a blessing. Having moved to Southern Indiana when I was 11, much of my early childhood was just forgotten. It is so nice to be remembered, and to know that people remember my family, especially my dad.
• In 2009, we had visitors! In the summer our granddaughter Vika spent several weeks with us, her sisters spent a week here, my in-laws were in the area for several weeks, Bethany's friend from Germany stayed with us, and Bryce was here for a week. We love to spend time with our family, and are very grateful for the time we had with everyone.
• In 2010, my middle daughter will graduate and leave for college. It is an exciting, yet scary time. Is she really ready to move to Indy? Are we really ready for her to go? It will be a busy year, and the time will fly by. I pray that I have taught her well, and that she always makes good decisions. As most parents know, they don't always make the best decisions, but that is how they learn. I haven't always made the best decisions, especially when I was fresh out of high school. I pray that Bethany has a great year, and that the transition to college goes smoothly for her. She is a great kid, and has the potential to do great things!
• In 2010, my in-laws are going to move within 2 hours of us. They have been in Texas in the winters the past couple years, and traveled the rest of the year. It will be nice to have them settled, and not too far away.
• In 2010, I have my 25 year class reunion. Wow! The years have gone so quickly. It will be interesting to see the mix of people. Some of us have older children, and some have little kids. Some have grandkids. I hope that we are all beyond trying to impress one another, and that everyone realizes that we are really all the same...we are just trying to get our children raised, pay our bills, and be content with our lives.
• In 2010, all of our children will be here to celebrate with Gary. He is turning 60 in August, but more importantly will celebrate 10 years of sobriety!! I am so proud of him. He has worked very hard, and is always willing to help others.

I said that I just had random thoughts today...and that's pretty random! I do want to add that I have run 8 miles on a couple of occasions with Erin. It isn't easy - it's actually really hard - but I feel so good, and so proud, when I finish. Erin is a great motivator! I would like to be able to run a 10-mile race, but I can't say that I am overly confident that it will happen. At this point, I would be content to run 10Ks (6.2 miles) and work on improving my time. Of course at this point last year, I wasn't even running!

Happy New Year, Everyone! Make 2010 your best - it's up to you!

Where's the snow?

I guess the East Coast is hogging all of the snow! I don't want as much as they are predicted to receive, but a little bit would certainly help me feel more 'Christmasy'. I had planned a nice run in the snow this morning, but instead - facing a dreary day - decided to do my TurboJam weight workout. I considered running a couple of miles on the treadmill, but decided to reserve that energy because Erin and I plan to run at least 8 miles tomorrow evening. Okay, I say plan, but I am actually praying that I can make it! It won't even be a challenge for my young niece, but she will have to drag her old aunt along!

Wednesday evenings, Jackie and I run 6 miles while her boys are in religion. We normally have a pretty good run. Since Erin is home for Christmas break, she joined us this week. We really had a fun run (I never thought those words would come out of me!). It was only about 22 degrees, but after about a mile we were all warmed up. Having Christmas lights to look at (and critique) made the run seem quick, and Erin makes it all seem so effortless, so Jackie and I didn't dare complain! Of course, we did take any opportunity to remind Erin that we both have 20+ years on her!

This afternoon Addison has her violin party in Owensboro. She must be resting up because it's 10:45 and she is still in bed! Tomorrow she has her band Christmas concert. We also plan to attend church at Owensboro Christian in the morning, so our weekend is pretty full. O'boro Christian is a large non-denominational church that we attended when the girls were little, and my mom and step-dad still attend. I absolutely love the church; their services are so uplifting and the music is incredible. It just became impractical to attend there weekly. Once in a while I feel the need to experience a service there, and the girls love going and actually get something out of it, so tomorrow is our day.

As I ponder the upcoming year, I continue to pray that I stick with my running and exercise. I have already lasted longer than I had with any other type of physical activity. I have to have goals to keep me motivated, and my first goal of the new year is to complete a 10K (6.2 miles). I run that distance regularly, but it is really different to run it in a race. When I run here in town, I know the course, and there is something to be said for the familiarity. Running a new course makes it seem longer to me. I hope to then complete a 10-miler with Erin. Yesterday morning it was difficult just to run 4, and 10 miles seemed impossible. Other days when I have a particularly good run, I know that I can handle it. Once I cross the finish line of a 10-miler, I don't really know what will be next. The next natural step would be to run a half marathon, but I can't really say that I am quite that dedicated. Thirteen miles is a long way to run! I might just stick to the shorter races, and try to improve my times.

I am reading a book that just has short stories of how running has changed people's lives. Reading it has caused me to consider how running has changed my life. Obviously, I am healthier. I have lost 10 pounds; my cholesterol level is relatively normal (high cholesterol is in my family); I can take a flight of stairs without getting short of breath. There are other non-health benefits as well. I feel more confident in myself. Because I have met this challenge and run further than I ever dreamed possible, I am ready to tackle other challenges that might come my way. For the first time ever, I am comfortable with my body. Sure, I am still after 'Michelle Obama' arms, but I no longer dwell on what I don't have, and am just glad that this 42-year-old body can run and stay active. I don't really care what others think; I know that my muscles have not let me down! They might rebel in pain sometimes, but they never fail to move. I also feel less stressed - or at least if I am feeling stressed I know that I can hit the pavement and will feel better. Running has given my husband and me something else that we enjoy together. Going to races, knowing that he is also there to run and to support me, has been a blessing (and we have quite the collection of race t-shirts!). Running has also given Erin and me a common tie. I have truly enjoyed spending time with her. And, although Jackie and I have been friends for many years, she and I have become even closer through our running. We listen to one another complain about every little ache, and encourage each other to keep going. Neither of us were ever athletes - but we are now!!

Now move that body...

Winter Running

I have never been a cold-weather person. Although I was born and spent my elementary years in northwest Indiana, the Region, where snow and freezing temps are the norm in the winter - and we certainly never missed school due to the winter conditions - I still prefer to be indoors with a cozy fire and a good book. I have dreaded trying to run in the cold for months. More than that, I have dreaded trying to get runs in on the treadmill.

Knowing how to dress is probably the most difficult part of running in the cold because my body temperature heats up pretty quickly. I have found that I don't need nearly as many layers as I had anticipated. It might take a couple of miles to warm up, but once I do, I seem to go from chilly to too hot very fast. Most days a long-sleeved t-shirt, some type of sweats, a fleece jacket, cheap Walmart gloves, and something to cover my ears will suffice. Yesterday Gary bought me a cool hat with a hole in the back for a ponytail! I also purchased some reflective arm bands and a flashing light to wear. I run in the dark a lot now, and I have read too many stories about runners being hit by cars and killed. That would be a horrible way to die!! I might look like a dork running the streets of Tell City, but I will be a living, breathing dork!

This past week we had some of our coldest days so far in Southern Indiana. The wind made it miserable outside, but I had had a stressful few days, and I needed to get outside and run. Jackie and I had a hard time coordinating our schedules, so Wednesday and Thursday evening, I ran alone. Wednesday was just plain cold and windy. I think it was in the 20s, so I didn't plan a long run. I figured if I ran Mozart and could get 3 miles in, that would be a good run. I managed that and still felt pretty good, so I kept adding distance. By the end, I had run 5.3 miles. I felt incredible. The only part of me that did not really warm up was my face because the wind was beating it. Thursday, I decided to get out there again. We were going to be hosting a Christmas party at our home the next day, and I had a lot to do, but I really needed to get a run in first. Again, I told myself that if I got 3 miles in, that would be sufficient. I took off up Mozart, did the loop back down Tell Street, and felt great. I decided that I could run as far as I had the previous night. Once I got to a street that I needed to turn on, I thought that if I went the opposite direction, I could add on enough distance to run 6 miles, so I made that turn. Well, I came to another intersection and began thinking about just how far I might be able to run. I decided to head north and add even more blocks to my run. I felt really good, and mentally I was calming down substantially. By the end of that run, I had gone 7.6 miles - my furthest run ever!!! I was tired at the end, but at the same time, I was exhilerated! For a non-athlete who just began running in the spring, I knew that I had come a long way - in 24 degree weather!

One of the reasons that I would like to add distance at this point is that my niece, Erin, and I would like to run the Louisville Triple Crown this spring. It is a series of 3 races: a 5K, 10K, and 10-miler, all within about a month. I hope that I can get to 10 miles, and that the race schedule doesn't conflict with the girls' track and tennis schedules. I also hope that my hip holds out. It is much better, but after long runs, it hurts. I will probably have to make occasional visits to the chiropractor, but that is a small price to pay to be able to continue in a sport that provides so much satisfaction and so many physical and mental health benefits. Run on, Friends!

It's Been Awhile!

I can't believe that I haven't blogged in over a month! The time is just slipping away. The last time I wrote, I was still whining about my hip, but since that time, things have improved tremendously! I am a big fan of the chiropractor now. What drugs and rest couldn't fix, he could. After about a week of his therapy, I was able to get back out and run, and have gotten back up to 4-6 miles.

The Sunday before Thanksgiving, Gary, Erin, and I ran in the Turkey Run, which was our first 5-mile race. I ran it in under 50 minutes, so I was very satisfied with my time. However, there were some fast runners over there, so I didn't place where I had hoped. I like to finish in the middle, but overall was 179 out of 224 - yuck! The race was quite hilly, so there were times that I really wanted to walk, but I was running with a friend from Rockport, and I didn't want to wimp out on her! It was so helpful to have someone to talk with along the way. It seems that something weird often happens in a race, and this one was no exception. Just past mile 4, there was a killer hill, and I made it up okay, but slowed somewhat at the top. The lady I was running with ran ahead, so I was on my own the last mile. About halfway through that mile, some lady came up behind be and stayed on my heals. I could handle that - if it weren't for the horrendous noises she made every few seconds! I was like she was trying to hock something out of her throat, and never really did. It was getting on my nerves, but it wasn't like I could just run faster and lose the hocker. THEN, we get to the shoot (that's what they call the roped off area that leads to the finish line), she comes up beside me, and she says, "come on!", like I am going to finish with her! My nasty side came into play, and I thought oh,no - you have driven me nuts for the last 1/2 mile. You are NOT going to pass me, or even finish with me! I took off in my middle-aged lady sprint, and kicked her butt!

Because I took off work the day before Thanksgiving, I actually had time for a run Thanksgiving morning. What a stress reliever! Erin, Gary's son Bryce, and I ran 6 miles in the cold that morning, and I felt awesome all day! I also didn't feel quite so guilty sampling all of the desserts! I certainly am having a hard time getting used to running in the cold, but have done much better than I thought I would. I get soooo bored on the treadmill, so I hope to be able to continue to do a couple of runs a week outside.

In the spring, there is a Triple Crown of Racing in Louisville. I am considering trying it. It begins with a 5K, and then a couple of weeks later a 10k, and finally a 10-miler. Right now, 10 miles sounds awful, but I hope by that time I can manage it. Erin just complete another 5K this morning, and won her age group! She ran it in around 23 minutes, which is just great!

Jackie and I are getting ready to hit the streets this morning. It is 25 degrees! I would much rather clean house than run in such frigid weather, but I know that if we manage to squeak out a few miles, I will be glad that I tried it. It makes for sense than sitting in a tree in the woods when it is 25 degrees, which is what my husband is doing as I type this! I truly can't figure out where the satisfaction comes from. I would get so bored I couldn't stand it. (I am editing this blog after having run 6 miles in that 25 degree weather. It felt great!!! The sun is shining, so it didn't feel that cold. I still managed to work up a good sweat.)

Better get stretching - these old muscles are cold this morning! Step away from the computer and get moving - you'll be glad you did!