I'm still alive.
Yeah, this doesn't sound like such a good deal, but there were a couple of minor negotiations with God during that 2 hours and 53 minutes and 5 seconds of my life Saturday morning.
"Dear God, please get me to the finish line in under 2:45. Okay....dear God, please get me to the finish line with no broken bones or fractures or sprains. Okay....dear God, please just get me to the finish line."
I kid.
A little.
The last 2 miles actually weren't the hardest. They were actually between about 7.5 and 11.
Very tough mental struggle, and conversations with myself (not out loud. Okay, well, maybe).
It had started misting when my little running group and I were about halfway around the track....then turned into a light rain....then steady rain. By that point, I was tired. My legs were cramping something fierce. I was wet. And cold. And tired.
Then, I finally hit mile 11. Okay. 11. 2.1 miles. That's a normal run around my neighborhood. Go!
And go, I did. Well, kind of. My last 2 miles were the slowest, probably (I haven't really checked) and had the highest ratio of "walk" in my "run/ walk" routine. But I made it. Chris, his mom & his sister were all at the 13 mile mark cheering me on. And I crossed the finish line, just a little past my 2:45 goal.
I rested awhile. Cheered my mom across (just 26 minutes after me!), and we walked back to the car. Well, everyone else did. I kind of hobbled, as the fronts of my hip muscles felt like they were rapidly disintegrating. Chris, mom & I had a quick lunch at Applebees, we drove home, and Mom & I proceeded to do pretty much nothing for the rest of the night (outside of showers and a quick dinner).
I woke up yesterday not feeling too bad except for my knees...and the rest of my body was pretty stiff, but moving. My knees are feeling a little better today so I'm not really worried, but I will definitely be investing in some knee compressions for my next race.
Overall - would I do it again?
Definitely. Can't get a high like that anywhere else. :)
Monday, May 9, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon....
DONE!
I can now go ahead and cross a very big goal off my "bucket" list :)
What a great day and great experience.
Only complaints? The sort of misty/ light/ steady rainfall from about mile 7.5 to about mile 10 was a little miserable.....and after the race was over and we all met up, my muscles/ joints had had a chance to settle down a bit and I literally kind of hobbled to the car. I never realized how much the muscle at the front of your hips works to move each leg forward! : ) Fortunately, I drank a Gatorade Recovery drink, along with some chocolate milk and lots of water after ... along with some advil - and besides some sore knees (and being realllllllly tired....finally fell asleep around 11:30....tossed and turned until about 4:30 and kind of just dozed until 5:30), I feel fantastic.
I wanted to finish in 2:45....I finished in 2:53. I will take it!
Gotta say - pretty proud of myself. I may have been way back from first place (who, by the way, won it in 1:03....yup....ONE hour THREE minutes.......we figured out he was running at a less-than-5-minutes-per-mile....for AN HOUR), but I wasn't last, I didn't get hurt, and I got to do it with my mom.
Success!
I can now go ahead and cross a very big goal off my "bucket" list :)
What a great day and great experience.
Only complaints? The sort of misty/ light/ steady rainfall from about mile 7.5 to about mile 10 was a little miserable.....and after the race was over and we all met up, my muscles/ joints had had a chance to settle down a bit and I literally kind of hobbled to the car. I never realized how much the muscle at the front of your hips works to move each leg forward! : ) Fortunately, I drank a Gatorade Recovery drink, along with some chocolate milk and lots of water after ... along with some advil - and besides some sore knees (and being realllllllly tired....finally fell asleep around 11:30....tossed and turned until about 4:30 and kind of just dozed until 5:30), I feel fantastic.
I wanted to finish in 2:45....I finished in 2:53. I will take it!
Gotta say - pretty proud of myself. I may have been way back from first place (who, by the way, won it in 1:03....yup....ONE hour THREE minutes.......we figured out he was running at a less-than-5-minutes-per-mile....for AN HOUR), but I wasn't last, I didn't get hurt, and I got to do it with my mom.
Success!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Proud to be an American
So..........below is the post I made as I sat in my freshman year dorm room (610 Knotts Hall)....working on homework as the TV flashed across the bottom of the screen that our "Shock & Awe" mission was fully underway, complete with video of bombs going off and fires rising into the night. I'll never forget it....
Thursday, 20 March 2003
Time 11:34 am
Subject: the war in Iraq
Well folks it has FINALLY started...after over 10 years of trying to deal with them, America has gone to war with Iraq. I know this isn't any big news to any of you, but I was talking to one of my sisters last night about how people do some of the pettiest things which are ridiculous...especially in this time of tragedy in our country. I went to bed last night thinking about it...how many people I've hurt in my lifetime...how many people have collectively made me who I am...and to those people....I want to say I'm sorry, and thank you. Life is too short and too precious to hold onto grudges and not tell the ones you love that you love them.
This list could go on forever...but here's just some main people I was thinking about...
Kelly...what can I even say. I know that we have had our share of trouble this year plus some. But it's all in the past and I'm willing to put it and keep it there. I'm sorry for anything that I did that hurt you...and I forgive you for everything you did to hurt me. Things may not ever be the same between us, but please know that I love you and will be here for you, no matter what.
Shaun/ GA...even though I know they won't / don't read this...these two guys helped me to see everything a relationship should and shouldn't be. They together have made me a better, stronger person that can appreciate good relationships that I will never take for granted....Chris...thank you for everything...I love you.
My fam...nothing even needs to be said here, except I love you all SO very much. I can only hope that my family when I grow up will be as close as ours has been.
Lacey, Sarah, Sami, Christen...I know we don't talk a lot anymore but I want each and everyone of you to know how much I think about you all...without you guys I wouldn't have made it through high school sane. I love you all and cherish every memory I have with you.
Lindsay...we have grown so close and I know our friendship is one that will be able to stand anything. This year wouldn't have been the same without you and I can't wait for the months and years to come. I love you girlie!!
That's about all I can do right now b/c I have to run...but I will be writing more later, I just had to get that all off my chest.
Pray hard everyone....and remember....I love you all.
Mood: sad, contemplative
Music: Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue
***********************************************
So that was the other side of over 8 years ago. 8 years! Wow....outside of my family, Chris & Lindsay, I haven't even thought about some of those people in a long time. Weird how times change.......
Just like I'll always remember where I was (Ms. Minar's classroom for Newspaper), what I was wearing (dark blue Mudd jeans and a dark red Aero sweatshirt) and what I was doing (calling radio stations for help promoting a car wash) when the planes hit the towers in NYC on 9/11/11, I don't think I'll forget anytime soon this morning...........learning that finally, finally, FINALLY - Osama (Usama?) Bin Laden - is dead.
Here I was, just another Monday morning on my way to work.....listening to Mike & Mike, as is my habit every morning. I was just getting ready to turn the station (don't care about baseball) when Greenie said, "May 2nd is a day that not a lot of Americans will forget anytime soon." Huh? What, 2 days after the royal wedding? What? No. Sound bite starts.........can't quite hear it....the baseball fans at the Mets/ Phillies game getting louder and louder....chanting....what are they saying? I can't quite make it out....turn it up a little....and then the sportscaster coming on saying, "Clearly the fans have gotten word that the US has confirmed....Osama bin Laden has been killed."
I almost wrecked my car.
What?!? That all-too-elusive (insert adjective here, I can think of a few) man full of evil.....dead?
I was immediately overcome with tears. I was immediately taken back to my HS classroom....my freshman year dorm room. Remembering the last several years as family members and friends have stepped up to the plate and fought overseas, praying so hard that none of them would be lost.
Is the war over? Far from it.
But today...........as posts flooded Facebook, and the news keeps flashing celebrations all over the country....it reminds me, again, of the deep seeded faith I have in this country and the people that fight for our freedom.
Where were you when the world stopped turning - on that September day?
While that day is still filled with sad and shocked memories - hopefully anyone who lost a dear one that day has been able to experience just a little closure - and just a little peace today.
Thursday, 20 March 2003
Time 11:34 am
Subject: the war in Iraq
Well folks it has FINALLY started...after over 10 years of trying to deal with them, America has gone to war with Iraq. I know this isn't any big news to any of you, but I was talking to one of my sisters last night about how people do some of the pettiest things which are ridiculous...especially in this time of tragedy in our country. I went to bed last night thinking about it...how many people I've hurt in my lifetime...how many people have collectively made me who I am...and to those people....I want to say I'm sorry, and thank you. Life is too short and too precious to hold onto grudges and not tell the ones you love that you love them.
This list could go on forever...but here's just some main people I was thinking about...
Kelly...what can I even say. I know that we have had our share of trouble this year plus some. But it's all in the past and I'm willing to put it and keep it there. I'm sorry for anything that I did that hurt you...and I forgive you for everything you did to hurt me. Things may not ever be the same between us, but please know that I love you and will be here for you, no matter what.
Shaun/ GA...even though I know they won't / don't read this...these two guys helped me to see everything a relationship should and shouldn't be. They together have made me a better, stronger person that can appreciate good relationships that I will never take for granted....Chris...thank you for everything...I love you.
My fam...nothing even needs to be said here, except I love you all SO very much. I can only hope that my family when I grow up will be as close as ours has been.
Lacey, Sarah, Sami, Christen...I know we don't talk a lot anymore but I want each and everyone of you to know how much I think about you all...without you guys I wouldn't have made it through high school sane. I love you all and cherish every memory I have with you.
Lindsay...we have grown so close and I know our friendship is one that will be able to stand anything. This year wouldn't have been the same without you and I can't wait for the months and years to come. I love you girlie!!
That's about all I can do right now b/c I have to run...but I will be writing more later, I just had to get that all off my chest.
Pray hard everyone....and remember....I love you all.
Mood: sad, contemplative
Music: Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue
***********************************************
So that was the other side of over 8 years ago. 8 years! Wow....outside of my family, Chris & Lindsay, I haven't even thought about some of those people in a long time. Weird how times change.......
Just like I'll always remember where I was (Ms. Minar's classroom for Newspaper), what I was wearing (dark blue Mudd jeans and a dark red Aero sweatshirt) and what I was doing (calling radio stations for help promoting a car wash) when the planes hit the towers in NYC on 9/11/11, I don't think I'll forget anytime soon this morning...........learning that finally, finally, FINALLY - Osama (Usama?) Bin Laden - is dead.
Here I was, just another Monday morning on my way to work.....listening to Mike & Mike, as is my habit every morning. I was just getting ready to turn the station (don't care about baseball) when Greenie said, "May 2nd is a day that not a lot of Americans will forget anytime soon." Huh? What, 2 days after the royal wedding? What? No. Sound bite starts.........can't quite hear it....the baseball fans at the Mets/ Phillies game getting louder and louder....chanting....what are they saying? I can't quite make it out....turn it up a little....and then the sportscaster coming on saying, "Clearly the fans have gotten word that the US has confirmed....Osama bin Laden has been killed."
I almost wrecked my car.
What?!? That all-too-elusive (insert adjective here, I can think of a few) man full of evil.....dead?
I was immediately overcome with tears. I was immediately taken back to my HS classroom....my freshman year dorm room. Remembering the last several years as family members and friends have stepped up to the plate and fought overseas, praying so hard that none of them would be lost.
Is the war over? Far from it.
But today...........as posts flooded Facebook, and the news keeps flashing celebrations all over the country....it reminds me, again, of the deep seeded faith I have in this country and the people that fight for our freedom.
Where were you when the world stopped turning - on that September day?
While that day is still filled with sad and shocked memories - hopefully anyone who lost a dear one that day has been able to experience just a little closure - and just a little peace today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)