Finally Running

Still Running

Peter was kind enough to request an update. The year has been long, and the running has been short. But if anyone out there wants to know, here's the mini-version.
I've been teaching full time (ninth-grade English) and supporting our laptop teachers embed technology in their classes. I also spent the year in a wonderful online professional development program called Powerful Learning Practice. I gathered a team of teachers who collaborated with other teachers from around the world and as close as an hour away, learning to use social networking tools. At times I felt as if I had three jobs, but as I look back, I am so glad we participated. I now use wikis and blogs as my organizing and reflecting tools for my students and myself, and I was able to create several online collaborations for my classes as well. This program has shifted my philosophy of teaching and learning, though I am still trying to articulate and put into practice what all this means.
David and I run three times a week, usually about three miles each time. And we go to the gym three times a week, too. ( Ok, usually two...) I have just started with a personal trainer since "things" don't seem to be holding together as well as they did when I trained for half-marathons!
My parents are still doing pretty well, though Dad has his ups and downs. Pretty amazing man, he is.
And, the big news: I am a grandmother!
Her name is Violet, and I couldn't be happier. Her mom is a runner, and I just heard she has managed to talk my son into running a 5K this fall and then a leg of the Baltimore Marathon.
I think I see some "grandmom" training starting again. We might have to  make this a family affair.
Unfortunately I haven't had much time to keep up with you all. I get the occasional "tweets" and Jeanne came to the Fredericksburg Half and let me follow her around last December.
I do know that when my feet hit the ground each morning, someone from Complete Running often pops into my head, running along with me, still motivating me, still helping me move "onward."
For that, I will always be grateful.

 

Smack

Photo by Mimi_K
Attribution-NonCommercial License

Yeah, it's been a long time. I had to wait to post until I had something interesting to say.

After all, how many times can you write a post that says, "Well, I ran another three miles today."

Woopiedooooo.

So, my big news is I fell.

No, I dove. Right into the concrete.

It was a dark and stormy night. No. It was a dark morning, and I wasn't paying any attention. So when the sidewalk curled up its corners, I tripped and smacked my palm (yes, the same one I had surgerized b/c of arthritis) and my forearm (nice dark bruise) and my left knee (large scrape).
First time for me, and I hope the last.
The big news? I didn't quit. Nope, just dusted off my blood-stained gloves and finished the run.
That's all I got, folks.

One of these days, I'll schedule a run, so I can be back to posting training stats and all that jazz. One of these days, I won't be spending all my time twittering, blogging, diigoing, yammering, and wiki-ing with my ninth-graders.

In the meantime, I'm staying on well lit roads.

Hills help. Where have I heard that?

Photo by Hamed Saber
Attribution-ShareAlike License

David and I managed our three mile runs around my folks' house in RI while on vacation. I whined through much of the running since there are hills, and I'm not used to them.
"Do we have to do the whole route?" I asked each time.
(Why do I keep fighting this running? I KNOW I need to keep it up!)
"Yes."
Good thing he's dedicated to our exercise program.
The payoff came this morning, when back in Virginia we headed out for our first run around the neighborhood.
Wooooosh. The cool air, unusual for Virginia, felt delightful, and I moved along at a steady pace. When we turned the corner to head back up the slight hill home, we sped up without issue.
Loved it.

Getting Back in Shape

After all my whining, I finally spent some time working on me this week.
Monday's run felt like old times. Pounding the road, we kept up a fast pace for just over three miles. Sweat dripped on my face as I walked a few hundred feet after the run, letting my heart rate slow.
Tuesday, the gym called, and I worked the arms and abs, getting ready for my first golf lesson that afternoon. Yes, you heard me. Golf. I know. I've made fun of golfers for years, but suddenly everyone I know is learning to play.
And you know? It was fun. I spent most of my time learning how to stand, lean, and swing, but I managed to hit two or three balls a few feet.
Wednesday, another good run. Not quite as heart-pounding as Monday's, but strong. Today, back to the gym AND--a tennis lesson. I've been playing poor tennis for years, and I wanted to see if I could change the way I swing. Great instruction from the tennis pro at the Y has given me some confidence, so David and I will be practicing in RI soon. Tomorrow, the run includes speed work (aarrgghhh), and then I'm taking on the driving range.
I haven't had a week like this in a long time, and it feels mahvelous. Maybe it had something to do with reading this blog, but more likely it was simply time for me to stop making excuses.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
Miyamoto Musashi

Image: 'Galaxy Sports'
www.flickr.com/photos/13203757@N00/1029948968

So this is it...

Three miles. That's what my feet want to do.
Two or three times a week, I head out with the best of intentions, and I get 3 miles. Actually the runs are going pretty well. No knee issues to speak of. My speed is down. But, hey, I'm running. I haven't stopped. Me, the queen of giving up. Still running, after 5 years. Not bad.
DM is holding up, too, though he often chooses swimming or biking to save his ankle. We spent three days walking around Quebec recently and it just about did him in. Still, he's not one to give up either.

So, David, there will be no race in RI. There will be no long runs.
Three miles is what I've got right now. And I'm happy with that.

I am so looking forward to sitting on the beach, chatting with friends, shopping at Watch Hill, cooking in the yard, and walking my dog. For two weeks. Soon.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stathis1980/1452662475/

Walking instead

That's what I'll be doing today in Rhode Island. I didn't pack my running shoes (subconscious choice?), so I'll be walking to get my exercise. We've lucked out on the weather, so the beach looks promising.
BTW, your dad looks great, David. We had dinner with him last night.

Things fall apart

 No, I'm not referring to the title of the novel by Chinua Achebe. I'm referring to my body.

It's amazing, isn't it? A few months off from consistent running and exercising, and woooooosh. All that hard work for nothing.

After visiting with my friend Jennifer, whom I ran with a few years ago, I feel newly motivated. I never stopped. But my two runs a week (with not much effort and very little distance) have not kept me in shape. Each run seems harder and harder.

I'm not going to lose all I worked for.

Back to basics. Back to the road. Back to blogging.

Image: 'Day 112. April 21.'
www.flickr.com/photos/20781756@N05/2433020660

Dropping In

Hey. I'm not dead. And I'm still running.
Sort of.
This weekend was the Marine Corps Half-marathon in my hometown, and I saw APRIL-ANNE!! She was selling Michelle's Bondi Bands during the race pack pick-up. (I bought one!)

[Edited: There's video of the local winner!]

David and I couldn't resist heading over there for a few minutes to say hello.
We were on our way to David's son's college graduation, so we didn't have long to visit. But I must admit seeing all those runners milling about stirred something in my gut.
My running has been limited to two or three runs a week, about 3 miles each time. We haven't done a race since the half last December with Jeanne.

Seeing April Anne reminded me of all of you, and I wanted to see what you guys have been up to. I'm amazed how little and how much has changed.

Summer is around the corner. With more time in my schedule, I just might start training for a little something. If I don't, I'll never stop hearing grief from this guy.

We did manage one fantastic trip to Mexico in February, where I rode this horse on the beach. As you can see from my face, I probably should have run the beach instead.

Glad you are all still in much better shape than I am. Keep up the good work!!

Old Friends, New Life

So, I haven't written in a long time.
I had a feeling this would happen. Spend more time here and less here. Not that I'm not running.
I am.
Three times a week, 3  or 4 miles each time, and working out at the gym on the other days.
But defining my new job, finding ways to help teachers, taking a class at church (with lots of reading), and driving here, here, and here seems to consume me.
I miss reading your running reports and feeling a part of the RBF community.
I often remember those early days when I struggled to run 20 minutes! Look how the  RBF family has grown.
But it's time for me to take a long break, maybe a permanent one (though we never say never, right?)
Before I do, I promised to review this book: Psychodynamic Running, The Complete, Definitive, Madman's Guide to Distance Running and the Marathon, by Ethan Gologor.
You know, when I got it, I was in the running doldrums, not quite stagnating, but not really feeling myself. The book, I hoped, would motivate me to push myself once again.
The first few chapters didn't do that.  Quite the opposite, I found myself distracted and skimming. But then I hit the chapter entitled, "How do I run, Let me count the ways--The Metaphor," and I was drawn in. Ok, I like metaphors. Then the chapter on personality types--we were all there (Di, Jeanne, David, Jank...). I definitely saw myself in the chapter on "what runs through your mind."  Mostly I gleaned an understanding of the psychological impact on running. What makes us do what we do--and why. His list of irrational beliefs about running is so true for me.  So when I was trying to finish that half-marathon last month, I realized I needed to get beyond what was in my head. Nothing was hurting, it was just hard and tiring. And more than anything, I knew I could finish. If you like analyzing (this is NOT a list of techniques or suggestions to improve your running), then check it out.
Thanks, David, for prompting me to write again. I'll see YOU next summer (and Happy Birthday this weekend. You are STILL older than I am).
And I hope to run into the rest of you at a race, sometime, somewhere.
Thanks.   

Mission Accomplished-More or Less

The Blue Gray Half-marathon:
For those of you keeping track, David broke 2 hours (I am SO proud of him), Jeanne (she'll tell you!) and I think I either came in with the same time as last year or a few seconds faster.
Not bad for someone who was going to quit last Saturday--AND came down with a stupid cold all week. My times were actually great until mile 9 and then I felt my body shut down. I have to say--this is the first race ever that I felt like I left it all out there. I had nothin' left to give when I crossed the finish line. It was one foot in front of the other. So I'm even proud of myself:)

One exciting bit of news: We hosted some new friends for our pasta dinner last night. Vicky gave Jeanne, David, and me lots of running advice and inspiration. She had hoped to do well today. Ok, that was an understatement. She WON!  Unbelievable. We fed the winner!!!! Her time was amazing, too....

Now, it's time for blueberry pancakes. Thanks for checking in last night David T. It helped out there on that last hill.
We'll post pics and splits later...

Update: Managed a second place and a PR myself. (Does it help to age-up?? )Check out these funky splits. You can see when the head cold got the best of me:

mile1: 9:50
mile 2: 9:34
mile 3: 9:22
mile 4: 9:50
mile 5: 8:35
mile 6: 9:24
mile 7: 8:51
mile 8: 13:04 here begins the body breakdown
mile 9:12:01
mile 10: 10:04
mile 11: 11:17
mile 12: 10:02
mile 12: 11:06